Real-world sensitivities and game names

[Leif_-]

The way I see it, there's no point in worrying about potential offense. Once we get some actual offense it can be worth discussing, but until then we're just chewing chud.

[Gandalf Parker]

Keep in mind that these conversations impact multiple levels.

There is the question of "why not in the game".
And then there is "why not on these forums".
And then finally "why not in general conversation" (PMs, email to each other, IRC, etc)

Of course the first one would come up against "the devs decide", the second one comes up against "Shrapnel decides", and the last one... well that would vary.

[Tifone]

Mmh don't blame to much the politically correctness. A lot is ridiculous and drives to hypocrisy. Some is an important way to keep conversations polite, diplomatic and not offending people who don't deserve it. If you call someone f*g, you're not only offending him, you're using a word which was used for decades by homophobic morons - people our society is leaving behind, fortunately.

Back to the topic anyway... But if giants coming from the Jewish mythology, and possibly speaking the Jew language, call their priests in their language, which is of course the language of the Jews as those giants where invented by them... it is just thematic. Where is the offense? Really, I don't understand. And if there is something I am NOT is anti-Semite - even Jew people just said in that thread they didn't find it offensive... so it's strange still to be talking about this

[Agema]

I don't think there's anything in the game that transgresses acceptable boundaries. In the forums, I think some people would find the adverts with women offensive, but it's nothing that isn't common in wider society. As for general conversation...

Zeldor: The short, one word answer is "context".

I wrote a long answer, but I've deleted it. Communication and people's feeling are complex things, and I suspect I'm going to be irritated with some of the arguments likely to emerge in debate.

So if you're okay with it, let's just leave it there?

[Gandalf Parker]

As far as context, if it hasnt already been mentioned, part of it might stem from Kristoffers day job which involves teaching this subject. The fact that he is so immersed in religio-mythology would seem to have been at the base of the type of game it became and much of the subject matter. He would have been torn between using his knowledge and trying to avoid anything that anyone might presently be using or might start up a revival on.