The 'Things you will NEVER understand' Thread.

[Maykael]

I do not understand why most European countries dub movies and video-games. Localization is the worst thing that has ever happened to Europe, as it keeps our cultures apart and, in some sense, provincial.

And no fellow Spanish, German, Italian and French RPSers the dubbing that they do in your country is not good. It's shit, it's cheap and it detracts from the value of the work of art your are experiencing. We have seen different movies and have played different games and the I ones I went through were better. For all its myriad of faults, at least Romania only dubs cartoons and you can avoid even that.

[òscar.]

I do not understand why most European countries dub movies and video-games. Localization is the worst thing that has ever happened to Europe, as it keeps our cultures apart and, in some sense, provincial.

I wanted to answer you without derailing the thread, so I've created a new one :)

[Alez]

I will never understand the need to have dwarves and elves in games. I am so bored with them.
The weird thing about it is that they do not exist. Yet they appear in unrelated fantasy medieval games as though they belong there. They are there in Witcher 2 as they are there in Dragon Age 2. As if they are as normal as humans in medieval games.

Fantasy has stopped meaning "it never existed but wouldn't it be cool if it did?", and just means "we will have elves, dwarves and if we feel creative, orks".

What is this obsession with them? It's killing our imagination. I know developers always go the safe route but really now, are people really more inclined to buy a fantasy game if they see they have elves and dwarves?

[ColOfNature]

It is a bit of a shame that the Tolkienesque model has pretty much supplanted all others forms of high fantasy these days. I'm as big a fan of ol' J.R.R. as you'll meet, but I agree that it would be nice to see more diverse fantasy worlds.

[CuriousOrange]

I will never understand the need to have dwarves and elves in games. I am so bored with them.
The weird thing about it is that they do not exist. Yet they appear in unrelated fantasy medieval games as though they belong there. They are there in Witcher 2 as they are there in Dragon Age 2. As if they are as normal as humans in medieval games.

Fantasy has stopped meaning "it never existed but wouldn't it be cool if it did?", and just means "we will have elves, dwarves and if we feel creative, orks".

What is this obsession with them? It's killing our imagination. I know developers always go the safe route but really now, are people really more inclined to buy a fantasy game if they see they have elves and dwarves?

Elves and Dwarves don't seem to be selling anymore... I know! Space Elves!

[ColOfNature]

Elves and Dwarves don't seem to be selling anymore... I know! Space Elves!

Emo space elves! Sadomasochist emo space elves!

[imirk]

Space Dwarves, wait that sounds lame lets call them "Squats" yeah that's way better

[NecroKnight]

Elves and Dwarves don't seem to be selling anymore... I know! Space Elves!

You mean like the Eldar in WH40K? The Eldar are practicly space elves.

Emo space elves! Sadomasochist emo space elves!- Totaly like the Dark Eldar

[imirk]

You mean like the Eldar in WH40K? The Eldar are practicly space elves.

Emo space elves! Sadomasochist emo space elves!- Totaly like the Dark Eldar

oh man we can't get anything past you ...

That was mean, sorry. It does seem that there are more choices offered in SF than trad fantasy, then again you still end up with blue people, or people with stuff on their heads.

[NecroKnight]

I'm noticing that alines in SF are also becoming kinda recycled. When you see some of the aliens you feel like you saw them somewhere before. I also agree that people are taking to much "inspiration" from the Tolkien based fantasy, although he took a lot of things from Norse mytology. For example, one of the reasons I liked The Witcher was because I saw some new fantasy creatures like the striga and some other things that come from East-Europena mythology. It really fealed refreshing to see something different.

[Xercies]

Thats why I quite like JRPGs and there fantasy settings, a lot of them use Japanese mythology and culture to pepper there fantasy races and all that stuff and it makes it very unique and basically a breath of fresh air to the other fantasy tropes out there. Basically if your a fantasy writer don't go to the obvious pile that is J.R.R do a little bit of research from other cultures, its not that hard to do. Hell i would like it if they brought back some greek mythology.

[imirk]

What about persian or indian mythology?

[ColOfNature]

Isn't there a God of War stylee game based on Persian myth in the works?

[soldant]

Thats why I quite like JRPGs and there fantasy settings, a lot of them use Japanese mythology and culture to pepper there fantasy races and all that stuff and it makes it very unique and basically a breath of fresh air to the other fantasy tropes out there.

That's exactly why I don't like JRPGs. All I see when I see most JRPGs is a bunch of big hair, ridiculous weapons, characters that don't make sense, characters with no clear gender... actually I'd better leave it there. I just don't get the appeal. That said, Western Tolkienism (is that a word? If not it should be!) is getting mighty old.

[NecroKnight]

What about persian or indian mythology?

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within- the Dahaka is inspired by Aži Dahaga, a figure from Iranian mythology
Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne- the Naga are taken from Hindu & Buddhist mythology

There is so much stuff out there that can be used to make a film or videogame with an interesting fantasy setting, but people rather take the safe route.

[Bilbo1981]

Homosexuality :)

[òscar.]

I'll never understand the people who "like" their own stuff in Facebook

[Xiyng]

Irrational people is one of the many things I can't understand. How hard can it really be to think rationally about simple things? I can understand emotions sometimes taking over but people that are irrational most of the time? I just can't find a way to understand them (well, I guess I could if I wanted to but I don't want to :P).

I guess I'll just have to post again whenever I can remember more than this. Right now I can't though.

[kirrus]

I will never understand peoples obsession with horses!

You know how people love their cats and dogs, right? Well, it's kinda like that, but these creatures can be more intelligent, and can take you places rather fast. In quite an enjoyable way.
(I, unfortunately, have never been on a horse :( )

[thegooseking]

Irrational people is one of the many things I can't understand. How hard can it really be to think rationally about simple things? I can understand emotions sometimes taking over but people that are irrational most of the time? I just can't find a way to understand them (well, I guess I could if I wanted to but I don't want to :P).

I guess I'll just have to post again whenever I can remember more than this. Right now I can't though.

You should read Kluge: The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind by Gary Marcus. Great book, and it will definitely help you understand irrational people in a way that won't make you want to set fire to the world.