Pictures plz of Black/African American Players

Shadowdogg

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

Tavern around the corner...

25 Mar 2006 at 03:22 - 1

Hello!

I am new to the boards and am looking to get into the game. I am trying to make a chr that looks like myself in RL(ha ha) I have been browsing the boards here and have not seen an avater IG that is black? If there are any people out there that have a toon of that heritage I would love to see the screenies. Thanks!
And to be PC I am talking about african-american players, personally I don't mind being called black, since I am,

but some folks out there might be sensitive to it. anyhooo what do you all have?

dogg~

Bleidd

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/Me

25 Mar 2006 at 03:27 - 2

Two points:

1. I'm almost positive every current profession has at least one dark skin tone.

2. Most of the profession faces seem, to me, drawn from European or Asian features.

Now I've not been following Factions but I believe the Ritualist has something of an African-inspired look to the profession. Oddly enough most of the White Mantle look rather African-esque to me in appearance, yet there's no really comparable core profession counterparts.

Your mileage may vary. I think it has more to do with art immitating life, and that the bulk of your MMORPGs, regardless of who makes them, are drawn from quasi-European or quasi-Oriental settings.

Shadowdogg

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

Tavern around the corner...

25 Mar 2006 at 03:31 - 3

Fair enough......I am not offended, I just don't have the game yet and was curious what examples/screenies are out there. I am paticularlly(sp) intrested in the warrior class with dreads or braids, or maybe the ranger too.
So if anyone has a screenie or 2.....post away!

KANE OG

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2005

Ogmios Graybeards

25 Mar 2006 at 04:55 - 4

I've got a very dark-skinned Monk......... she's sweet. Sorry, no screenie.

Aeon221

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

[TEW]

25 Mar 2006 at 04:56 - 5

Rangers have fruity looking hairdos, no dreads (or anything cool really) except for a couple that have long fat braids that look like dog turds.

The warrior looks okay black and bald, but once again the hair is sub par.

And by sub par I mean RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOin ugly.

Its okay though, over time you barely notice the character because you're too busy killin stuff.

cheetum

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

25 Mar 2006 at 05:08 - 6

this monk class character was in factions preview weekend. if you have a shaved head you are in luck becuase a lot of classes offer a bald look (and the tattoo on the head is an armor option that can be turned off if you dont like the look).

most male classes have either long hair or mohawk / spikey looking hair styles, with a few basic styles mixed in. a few classes (necro for one) you can sport corn rows, both short or back in a pony tail. if you sport a large fro you are out of luck. In my opinion guild wars is a bit lacking in options for character customization. I know that City of Heroes/Villians has a ton of character customizations so if you have played that game you may be disappointed in GW's options.

hope the info helps good luck!

Mournblade

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2005

Houston, Texas

Dawn Treaders [DAWN]

W/Mo

25 Mar 2006 at 05:27 - 7

I think necromancers are the only class (maybe a female ranger?) who have dredloks as a hair option.

Goonter

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

25 Mar 2006 at 06:15 - 8

There is certainly a feel of ethnic peoples through out the story.
I think however that the game trys to make avators that look like the people that play the game so audiance can "identify". The tan skin is a token of political correctness, black people dont look like that. If guildwars picks up in africa or amongst african americans then characters might start taking that shape and form. Or maybe, buy way of keeping it cultural... it might take that route anyhow.

ElinoraNeSangre

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

Near Seattle, WA

Talionis De Cineris [EXUR]

N/Me

25 Mar 2006 at 06:48 - 9

I've got a monk. I ran around playing him and in the whole time found *one* other african-american looking character (incidentally, one of my guildmates; a female warrior).

The problem is mainly that a number of the eyes look awful with the darker skin tone; it makes the eyes stick out in a strange way if they're too light.

I think Imden is fairly distinctive looking and I adore him for that reason. He's a Prophecies character (well, obviously from the pic, heh...). I considered remaking him for Factions, but I couldn't make a monk that looked right from those faces. :P And none of them were Imden. Boo. Picture:

http://pics.livejournal.com/crackferret/pic/0000ee3p/g6

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

25 Mar 2006 at 07:02 - 10

I know what you guys mean.. the reason why I don't have a black (or darker-skinned) char is that none of the faces actually suit the colour. The hair has a chance of suiting dark people though.

Factions leans strongly towards the Asian look. Trying to get my assassin to have blue eyes was.. interesting.. there's only 2 face choices that offer that for the male assassin. But.. I wanted him to have some german features (blue eyes/blond hair) because I plan on putting him into the kurzik(sp?) alliance.

In regards to black people in GW though, notice how all the females are skinny? .. uhh... I should shut up about the size of women.. Africa just tends to not have a problem with size is all I'm trying to say. Unlike the western world who's obsessed about size.

trankle

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2005

BloodBath & Beyond

Rt/

25 Mar 2006 at 07:12 - 11

Here's my warrior...

Lord Dobo

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

Arizona

The Unseen Hand Of Fate [fate]

25 Mar 2006 at 07:16 - 12

This is interesting. I have a small guild that has seen ppl come and go, and even though none of us are black, the majority of us have had or do have black characters. Allied guilds too. Variety is the spice of life yes? Black characters really aren't that uncommon in my experience. Maybe some day I'll be able to get everyone together and post a pic.

lyra_song

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/Mo

25 Mar 2006 at 07:54 - 13

I think the darkest skin tone is great.I would like a chance to edit eye colors...

Kali Ma

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

N/Mo

25 Mar 2006 at 09:18 - 14

Ok, somewhat hesitant to do this, but here's mine and my partner's...

Now please, no pm spam, ok? Thanks and good luck.

Edit: That last shot is from Factions, the rest are Prophecies characters.

Galahad

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/E

25 Mar 2006 at 09:31 - 15

My Monk and Necro are both black - I really like the contrast of the silver tattoo and scar armour.

Lexar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

Organised Spam

25 Mar 2006 at 11:07 - 16

Is it just me or does adding a darker skin not make the characters look ethnically black but more european/kaukasian with a dark skin?

With the risk of stepping toes and starting a discussion that nobody wants, I would like to point out that african americans have different facial features just as asian people or kaukasian people do. But it's these facial features that seem to be missing in most of the faces, but there's one or two that can make a believable black person. Just not as much choice per profession I'm, afraid. However, this seems to be going on in a lot of games, and it's basically a result of the majority of the market not needing too much options to make black characters.

Kali Ma

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

N/Mo

25 Mar 2006 at 12:06 - 17

Agreed, there aren't that many, if any, actual African or African-American physical qualities in the facial and body features for either chapter. However, it should be pointed out that "black" is a pretty broad category to be honest... it covers French, English, Indian, Persian, South American, Haitian, etc. So if what we're discussing is purely African qualites, then yeah the choices are weak; but there are plenty of combinations that represent the black populace in general.

Frankly, and this isn't aimed at anyone in particular but rather the whole discussion, it's kinda uncool to stereotype or label all black people who don't have strong African features as being "white with a dark tan." I could use stronger terms, but uncool pretty much covers it.

Caelus The Fallen

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Glasgow

Voice of the Darkness

E/Mo

25 Mar 2006 at 13:02 - 18

I think what ANet are trying to do is make characers look like they share a common ethnicity: Ascalon is based on a European setting, and characters started in Ascalon look European; in contrast, Cantha is Asian based and the characters started in Cantha look Asian.
Perhaps chapter 3 will add a new continent, and a new ethnicity?

Kitty

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

Germany

N/Me

25 Mar 2006 at 14:27 - 19

Here's my Nekro:

I think she looks a bit like mixed heritage.

quickmonty

Ancient Windbreaker

Join Date: May 2005

25 Mar 2006 at 15:17 - 20

Well .... OP stated he wanted to make a character that looked like him. I'm tall, white, with ligh brown hair .... and I can replicate that, but it still doesn't look like me.

Naxohs Seralna

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2005

Norway

House of the Silver Phoenix (HSP)

E/R

25 Mar 2006 at 15:32 - 21

It's true what some people have said...you can make a character with a dark skin tone, but that character will, IMO, have the facial traits of someone of European or Asian heritage.

Sort of related: I watched National Geographic a while ago, and they had this show called "The Genographic Project" or something like that. It was basically about finding out where the human race had its roots. Now, most people know that the first humans migrated from Africa and spread around the world some 500,000 (?) years ago, but some stayed on the African continent. Eventually, the people in the programme discovered that different members of a specific African tribe had the facial traits of different ethnicities, despite their dark skin tone (one person would have for example Asian-like eyes, while another one would have more European-like eyes).

Exciting, huh?