[Merged] The races of the world, Please something other then Elves/Dwarves/Orcs/Humans?

[Wombat]

While another original world like Torment would be interesting, if such originality doesn't play anything with possible themes, they remain just superficial. In that case, I'd rather see the world which appear usual fantasy setting with some interesting themes underneath its cover, betraying the appearances. It think that's what the project is heading to.

[Tale]

Who says this will have races at all? How about a humans-only (or humans-mainly) world, Game of Thrones style?

Alternatively, all races are types of humans that evolved or magically transformed to have distinct traits.

[Volourn]

Torment 'world' has dwarves, elves, and other races in it. Just because they weren't focused in the game doesn't mean they didn't exist. In fact, it was unrealistic that PST didn't have any of those races (or they were rare) in the game.

[The Sharmat]

Who says this will have races at all? How about a humans-only (or humans-mainly) world, Game of Thrones style?

Humans have races too.

[Sammael]

As we ALL know, PST purposefully avoided dwarves, elves, fireballs, swords, and armor, despite the fact that Planescape (as a setting) incorporated all those elements.

[Sarog]

Who says this will have races at all? How about a humans-only (or humans-mainly) world, Game of Thrones style?

 

I assume there are elves, because there appears to be concept art of an elf in the video. Either an elf or something so near to an elf as makes no difference.

 

Original races would be nice, but honestly I'd prefer if there was just a greater depth of culture within humans. I'm rather bored of the idea of lots of physically different races who all have only one language, one religion, and one umbrella culture. Especially if they are all associated with some element or another, like dwarves being the "earth race" or elves being perpetually associated with forests.

 

We'll probably see tolkien races. I don't see myself ever being enthusiastic about them, but I can live them so long as they aren't too front-and-center to the world narrative or too derivative of Tolkien or D&D.

[Volourn]

It should be:

 

Dwarves

Elves

Treants

New Race

 

And, if we must... throw in humans and some other traditional fantasy race that isn't normally playable (goblin/ogre/gynophinx).

 

MUST HAVE DWARVES NO MATTER WHAT THOUGH!!!!

[ComradeGoby]

It should be:

 

Dwarves

Elves

Treants

New Race

 

And, if we must... throw in humans and some other traditional fantasy race that isn't normally playable (goblin/ogre/gynophinx).

 

MUST HAVE DWARVES NO MATTER WHAT THOUGH!!!!

 

But dwarves are just short humans

[WDeranged]

If we must have traditional races, and I say this with the taste of bile in my mouth, they need to be used in the least traditional sense possible, please, I've honestly had enough of dwarves, elves, goblins, ogres, and bloody unicorns doing dwarvish, elvish, goblinish and bloody unicornish things.

[Volourn]

How many games even have unicorns in them let alone playable? Not too many if any at all at my count.

 

Stilll... DWARVES!

[Tamerlane]

Y'know, I didn't much care for Oblivion...

 

... but that game had a hell of a unicorn. I accidentally encountered it fairly early on - not even noticing the much-higher-level monsters all around - jumped on its back, and rode it everywhere. It went on to massacre a truly heroic number of guards thanks to its "auto-attack anyone with a weapon drawn" behaviour.

[Sarog]

If we must have traditional races, and I say this with the taste of bile in my mouth, they need to be used in the least traditional sense possible, please, I've honestly had enough of dwarves, elves, goblins, ogres, and bloody unicorns doing dwarvish, elvish, goblinish and bloody unicornish things.

 

I feel the same. If the tolkien races are drastically different it could salvage them somewhat. I liked some of the ideas in Eberron's campaign setting, where gnomes were a police state rife with espionage and elves were either death obsessed Aztecs or militantly aggressive horse nomads. Though if you are prepared to deviate so drastically from the tradition in a new IP, why bother sticking to those races at all? It does run the risk that traditional elven fans will expect a traditional elven race for their traditional elven preferences, and then complain bitterly when their elves aren't elven enough as happened with Dragon Age. Traditional races come with a lot of baggage; both in the expectations people have for what the race should be, and in the new and innovative things that other franchises have done with them that you then have to compete with. It would be so refreshing if they were just ditched entirely.

[ComradeGoby]

Also stop telling us how bad we are if we are "racist" to non humans.

 

They aren't human! It's not a real life 1:1 thing

[The Sharmat]

Hah! That did actually annoy me in Mass Effect. Racism and speciesm aren't really the same thing. No one would argue that an entity with compound eyes has better spatial resolution in their vision than an entity with vertebrate eyes.

[WDeranged]

Also stop telling us how bad we are if we are "racist" to non humans.

 

They aren't human! It's not a real life 1:1 thing

 

On a side note I'd like to see a wagonload of racism in the game, real people hate each other for all kinds of gloriously retarded reasons, and they express it, verisimilitude takes a big hit when all the races can "just get along".

[Volourn]

Agree. But, most games do deal with it - if not in the main story and in side quests. But, yeah, if there are dwarves (there better be!) and elves there should be conflict of ideals, morals, and culture that doesnt' neccessarily including actual fighting neccessarily.

[Darknet]

I can't say how much I hope you guys at least include some original races. Don't get me wrong, the Tolkien races are all well and good. They are classic. But I'm hoping you guys will use your creative juices and give us a whole bunch of new races.

[Tychoxi]

yes! this would ease my "ugh, another fantasy game" by about 62.3%. I guess having non-humanoids is too much to ask?

 

I could also like it if the tension between factions is way higher than that to be found between races (in case they are the classic tolkienesqe folk, original races can have all the tension and hatred you guys want).

Edited September 16, 2012 by Tychoxi

[Giantevilhead]

Had a relatively recent experience with Might and Magic 7, where choosing to get resurrected in the wrong temple brings you back as a zombie. Not a permanent affliction by any means though.

 

Might and Magic is a reasonably good example of doing the traditional fantasy races right. Sure there are some stereotypes but there's also a lot of variation between the races/factions. Minotaurs and Trolls aren't mindless brutes, some of them are good with magic and are quite intelligent and reasonable. The Dark Elves are evil cave dwelling torturers, they're mostly merchants and business people. The necromancers aren't all power hungry maniacs bent on world domination, they get tired of war and death.

[WDeranged]

Agree. But, most games do deal with it - if not in the main story and in side quests. But, yeah, if there are dwarves (there better be!) and elves there should be conflict of ideals, morals, and culture that doesnt' neccessarily including actual fighting neccessarily.

 

I suppose you're right but racism in fiction is often boiled down to a weakness of the feeble/narrow minded, reality can be far more virulent, some supremely intelligent people have been bitterly racist for one reason or another.

[Darknet]

The way I see it, you have the chance to create your own fantasy world from the scratch. Why use the dwarf/elf/orc template races?

[Muzrub333]

As long as I can be something other than human. I get so bored with it. There is nothing fantastical about being a human in an RPG to me.

 

Let me be an Ogre Magi, Were Bear, Rakasha, Lizard Man, or a more advanced Troll race. As far as the other races, def. give them a few different clans/tribes/nations, that don't necessarily get along with each other. Not necessarily a good group and an evil group, just have some tension. The more distinct "factions" the better.

 

Oh, and make my monster race character KOS pretty much everyplace. I want to feel nervous about checking out a new town. I want to have to earn the locals trust/respect before I can actually advance in the game.

[Badmojo]

One thing, if there are other non human races, let them be unique in culture/personality/habits and traditions. I want people to treat them like they are, I also want the character to have dialog options that fit the species/character and not just a reskinned human.

[drithius]

Hear Hear! I was mildly disappointed that Obsidian was going the traditional fantasy w/ magic route, but we can at least hope that it will strive to be more original with world's inhabitants.

[LadySpace]

As much as I love violating traditional WRPG archetypes and standards, the danger of creating your own bizarre fantasy world is that it sometimes winds up feeling schizophrenic and arbitrary to many. Archetypes are like well-worn paths through the forest of setting design: sure, you can go forge your own path and find something nice and interesting, but a lot of the people following you are going to wonder why you aren't taking the nice, easy road and question why you went left at that last tree instead of right. Tropes aren't just story-telling standards, they're story-understanding standards, and blazing your own path, while admirable and (from my perspective) far more interesting, can sometimes alienate and annoy part of the audience.

 

Now, chances are that the more conventional WRPG fans, the ones turned off by a race selection screen devoid of elves and populated with insect-men and rock-fairies, aren't a loss we're too concerned about, and I for one would love to see a really creative suite of characters to choose from. Still, it's worth keeping in mind what we sacrifice when we pursue innovative setting elements over archetypal ones.

 

Also, if I can't play as something with at least four arms and a pair of antennae, I may as well just withdraw my pledge right now.

Edited September 16, 2012 by LadySpace