Talk about "flaming"

Tom Flapwell · Postby **Tom Flapwell** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:15 pm

So I just rented "Spyro: A Hero's Tail" (2004) for the GameCube, and I've encountered a pink dragon named Elder Magnus. I assume from the name and voice that it's male, but the manner is effete and the voice is fluting and slightly lisped. As far as I can tell, his main purpose in the game is to use his staff to demonstrate how Spyro can swing on poles with his tail. I may be wrong, but I think Magnus is the first gay dragon in a video game. And a rather juvenile game at that.

Bocaj Claw · Postby **Bocaj Claw** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:29 pm

And links to pictures or anything? Edit: <a href='http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/667/667 ... 34059.html' target='_blank'>This one?</a>

Steve the Pocket · Postby **Steve the Pocket** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:04 pm

I highly doubt DCS will be impressed by the fact that you made a conclusion about a fictional character's sexual orientation based on a worn-out stereotype. <!--emo&

--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ns/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' /> I'm sorry, it's just... that kind of thing tends to get my goat. I suggest you keep things like that to yourself in the future or you might see a demonstration of yet another type of "flaming." <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ns/meh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='meh.gif' />

GhostWay · Postby **GhostWay** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 7:18 pm

I'm with Octan on this. There's plenty of people with a natural lisp, and I imagine not a small number would be offended if you "determined" their sexuality - or anything else - based solely on that, or any other observed behavoir or characteristic. Although, really, why would a person or character's personality even matter, fictional or not? It's their own personal business. (Sorry - this is a nervetwist issue for me, so I'll so no more, lest I degrade into a gibbering pile of frustration.)

Softpaw · Postby **Softpaw** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:07 pm

I'm with Octan and Ghostway, but they've said everything I was going to, so I'll withhold comment for now.

Dr. Doog · Postby **Dr. Doog** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:13 pm

<img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ns/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> the report button is broken.

Tom Flapwell · Postby **Tom Flapwell** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:14 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Bocaj Claw @ Sep 12 2005, 04:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> <a href='http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/667/667 ... 34059.html' target='_blank'>This one?</a>  </td></tr></table>  Nope, that's the villain. I can't find a picture of the right dragon. All right, folks. I'm sorry I offended you. I just figured that if he's meant to be gay, it's a sign of progress in the gaming industry. Can't you just imagine some old-fashioned parent lobbying to have the game's rating raised because of him? And it's not the same as profiling real people: he was designed. The combination of male femininity, lisp, and a mildly suggestive demonstration were fair indicators in my mind. And these are all qualities that openly gay men often seem to exaggerate deliberately, so I wouldn't call them negative stereotypes either.

Dr. Doog · Postby **Dr. Doog** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:27 pm

and the lion king says sex in it! =o

Gizensha · Postby **Gizensha** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:36 pm

The trouble with all media is that it deliberately presents stereotypes in order to quickly tell us things about characters. This seems to be especially true of the gaming industry. (whereas the tv industry has moderately moved on from stereotype quick summary methods and onto 3-5 second snapshots). An incidental character displaying those traits... Sounds to me that he made the jump that the makers of the game wanted him to do. Also sounds to me like the traits were there for comic relief more than anything. I'm more annoyed by the makers of the game than him.

Bocaj Claw · Postby **Bocaj Claw** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:37 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (DoppledangeR DooG @ Sep 12 2005, 05:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> and the lion king says sex in it! =o  </td></tr></table>  I actually took a closer look into that and its supposed to say "SFX" a little tribute to themselves the SFX department put in. Unfortunatly, the F looks very much like an E.

Rooster · Postby **Rooster** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:00 pm

Sterotypes are rarely right anyway. For example, one of my mates is quite effeminate and we all used to take the piss out of him for it. Not harshly, but it was his thing. Just like another mate was small so we mocked him for that. Well he ended up joining the army and getting engaged. Whereas by contrast, the captain of our school football team came out, and he used to beat me up for being a "fag" (and I appologise to cigarettes everywhere for the use of the word)

Supersmoke · Postby **Supersmoke** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:26 pm

It's not nice to point out that someone/something is a homosexual. In today's world, you can literally be sued for just looking at someone the wrong way and it will be called racist or sexist. It has happened.

Supersmoke · Postby **Supersmoke** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:26 pm

Besides, he may be pink, but he's still a dragon. And if you piss him off he'll romperstomp you.

rogue-kun · Postby **rogue-kun** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:56 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Supersmoke @ Sep 12 2005, 11:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Besides, he may be pink, but he's still a dragon. And if you piss him off he'll romperstomp you.  </td></tr></table>  Bah I though I had left those movie refances behinde 8(

Elscire · Postby **Elscire** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:41 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Rooster @ Sep 12 2005, 11:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> ...for being a "fag" (and I appologise to cigarettes everywhere for the use of the word)  </td></tr></table>  I thought it was only in the UK that cigarettes were fags. =P With regards to the topic, I'd have said What Gizensha said, were it not said already. In addition though, it may be inaccurate and prejudiced to assume things on the basis of stereotypes in 'real life', but games and movies are a different thing entirely, since as has been said characters are made like this as a means of indication, and of course light humour. I agree however that the industries should give these stereotypes a rest.

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