Arabs and Muslims in today's society are looked at differently because of what we here on the news and generalisation. When people think about this 'other', they are normal inaccurate representations of the eastern world based on western perception. This is notable in the way they are represented in video games also.
The Prince of Persia game is an example of generalisation in terms of that it relies on visual and narrative of based on common perception of the eastern world. In the game, it features buildings, clothing and some art features which enable the player to understand the area based on common western perception. Although the character in the game isn't white, but isn't really western either, but is what you could perceived as western looking, the main character in the game has a more western accent. This was done because I feel the creators wanted the character to look right within in the settings and seem more natural, but to also be able to connect with the player if he sounded more western. I feel that the character needed to sound noticeable and clear, therefore they went with a western accent so the mass market would be satisfied with an ease of understanding and connection just because of the players voice.
Along with the game, the film 'Prince of Persia The Sands of Time' does not have a main character that is eastern. The main character is played by a western actor who doesn't look or sound eastern during the film except for the clothing. In the film, the main characters associates are eastern actors or western looking and sounding actors to possibly immerse the viewer into believing that the main character is also eastern. Films are different to games as in the film, they will want top actors who sell the part to the viewer and bring in an audience, but in games, the creators have the freedom to create something more relative to the setting of the games.
The Call of Duty games have featured the middle east as a setting for battles many times. For example, in Modern warfare 2, in the second mission, the player is tasked to fight through militants in Afghanistan. You are in the American task force where they are all in uniform, with highly powered weapons and also better technology. The militants are fighting in different styles of clothing, with materials wrapped around their head and face, lesser weapons and technology. The team members have nicknames when you look at them and the enemy are simply red dots or noted as 'tangos' or 'militants'. They are not given any background like the western players are.
Overall, I feel that the western world hasn't been represented as it should be. Games, TV and Films will not change the representation as there will always be the other, we rely on having an enemy for our games. Films and TV use the western world to promote this exotic world which has everything that is beautiful place to visit. In contrast, they use their screen time to present the western civilisation as something which is our enemy, the other. They are poorly displayed in the media to everyone through stereotypying them to the eastern people. I feel that this representation needs to change because some can be misguided by negative images that are displayed, can have a real impact on western people because of what eastern people see. This can lead to western people being treated differently.
Digital Arabs: Representation in Video Games - Vit Sisler
Orientalism - Edward Said
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/9/99064/1981125-prince_of_persia_sand_der_zeit_film_01.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bSOwdlzX--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/18dqb6z3db8qnjpg.jpg
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1179/sinttulo1ch.png
“The Orient was almost a European invention, and had been
since antiquity a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and
landscapes, remarkable experiences.”
Our perspective of the western world has been shown to us
through many forms of media depicted to us in the way they want us to see the
western world. The generalisation of the western world has made us see them as
the 'other'. This has been displayed to us through TV, films, art, advertising
and games.
The Prince of Persia game is an example of generalisation in terms of that it relies on visual and narrative of based on common perception of the eastern world. In the game, it features buildings, clothing and some art features which enable the player to understand the area based on common western perception. Although the character in the game isn't white, but isn't really western either, but is what you could perceived as western looking, the main character in the game has a more western accent. This was done because I feel the creators wanted the character to look right within in the settings and seem more natural, but to also be able to connect with the player if he sounded more western. I feel that the character needed to sound noticeable and clear, therefore they went with a western accent so the mass market would be satisfied with an ease of understanding and connection just because of the players voice.
Along with the game, the film 'Prince of Persia The Sands of Time' does not have a main character that is eastern. The main character is played by a western actor who doesn't look or sound eastern during the film except for the clothing. In the film, the main characters associates are eastern actors or western looking and sounding actors to possibly immerse the viewer into believing that the main character is also eastern. Films are different to games as in the film, they will want top actors who sell the part to the viewer and bring in an audience, but in games, the creators have the freedom to create something more relative to the setting of the games.
"Generally speaking, the player controls American or
coalition forces, while enemy units are controlled by the computer. Usually,
playing for the other side is not allowed. The enemy is depicted by a set of
schematized attributes which often refer to Arabs or Muslims - headcover, loose
clothes, dark skin colour."
Games which have featured 'Americans' and 'Arabs' have often
made them very unbalanced. The American team will have a high quality weapons whereas
the Arabs will have lesser quality weapons and be depicted as terrorists.
The Call of Duty games have featured the middle east as a setting for battles many times. For example, in Modern warfare 2, in the second mission, the player is tasked to fight through militants in Afghanistan. You are in the American task force where they are all in uniform, with highly powered weapons and also better technology. The militants are fighting in different styles of clothing, with materials wrapped around their head and face, lesser weapons and technology. The team members have nicknames when you look at them and the enemy are simply red dots or noted as 'tangos' or 'militants'. They are not given any background like the western players are.
Overall, I feel that the western world hasn't been represented as it should be. Games, TV and Films will not change the representation as there will always be the other, we rely on having an enemy for our games. Films and TV use the western world to promote this exotic world which has everything that is beautiful place to visit. In contrast, they use their screen time to present the western civilisation as something which is our enemy, the other. They are poorly displayed in the media to everyone through stereotypying them to the eastern people. I feel that this representation needs to change because some can be misguided by negative images that are displayed, can have a real impact on western people because of what eastern people see. This can lead to western people being treated differently.
Digital Arabs: Representation in Video Games - Vit Sisler
Orientalism - Edward Said
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/9/99064/1981125-prince_of_persia_sand_der_zeit_film_01.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bSOwdlzX--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/18dqb6z3db8qnjpg.jpg
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1179/sinttulo1ch.png
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