Infinity Ward fails to research and/or is racist

Kim · 12-28-2009, 09:08 AM

Link

Basically, one of the levels is set in a Pakistan city, so they put everything in Arabic in that map, but Arabic isn't actually one of the official languages of Pakistan. "It's a Muslim/Middle East country! All Muslims/Middle East people speak Arabic!" was the thought process I guess.

No real reason for bringing it up other than to make fun of Infinity Ward for being idiots so yeah. HA! Also, I guess we can debate how big of a deal this is or something, I don't know.

Melfice · 12-28-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by From the comments

[...] But 'Oh hey its a Muslim country so Arabic is the language' is certainly not the thought process of the developer. Lack of research? Probably. Having a bunch of items from other levels that would fit alright in that one without having to change them? ~~Definitely.~~ Also very probable.

Probably this.

People are way to sensitive about this kind of stuff.
Would I get upset if some big videogame put all Dutch people as pot-smoking hippies? I guess.
Then I remember this game probably wasn't made by a Dutch developer and that this is the (humorously wrong) world-view people have of the Dutch and shrug it off.
Would I get angry if it were a Dutch developer doing this? Unless it's a very obvious parody, yes. I would.

What I'm saying is... lighten up.
Yes, it isn't Urdu. It looks sorta the same, though. It's probably recycled material from other levels. Unless Infinity Ward had an actual Pakistani on their team, I can't get "angry" about it.
They could have done their research some more, I guess, but... Why incite a riot about it?

Kim · 12-28-2009, 09:36 AM

Thing is, the only reason they'd feel no need to actually do any research on that is the whole "Middle East = Arabic" thing. It isn't a huge deal, since it's fairly benign racism when compared to something like portraying all middle easterners as negative or some such, but I felt like making fun of IW for being lazy.

Don't really see how "HA!" is the same as inciting a riot, though.

Melfice · 12-28-2009, 09:45 AM

Oh, nonononono!
I didn't mean you!
I meant Kotaku. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that article really sounded like they were saying "Hey, guys! Look what we've got. Have fun ripping into eachother!"

Kim · 12-28-2009, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melfice

Oh, nonononono!
I didn't mean you!
I meant Kotaku. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that article really sounded like they were saying "Hey, guys! Look what we've got. Have fun ripping into eachother!"

Oh, okay. Thought that might be the case but wasn't sure. Got it. Yeah, but to be fair, pretty much every article from Kotaku is like that. If you read a Kotaku article, you can bet that even if something is totally bitchin' rad, they'll try to put a negative spin on it at the very end just 'cuz.

Azisien · 12-28-2009, 11:00 AM

Yesterday I played an American version of Family Feud with my family and apparently only the United States celebrate Labour Day and Thanksgiving. Shit, what have I been doing these past 20 years!?

Kim · 12-28-2009, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azisien

Yesterday I played an American version of Family Feud with my family and apparently only the United States celebrate Labour Day and Thanksgiving. Shit, what have I been doing these past 20 years!?

Obviously celebrating some Communofascist holiday of Canadia. Only Americans are allowed to celebrate Capitalist, Freedom-Loving holidays like Labor Day.

Mirai Gen · 12-28-2009, 11:42 AM

I was originally doing the regular thing and agreeing that they were being idiots, till I read this -

Quote:

While Arabic and Urdu use the same script, the words are completely different.

So I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

01d55 · 12-28-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirai Gen

I was originally doing the regular thing and agreeing that they were being idiots, till I read this -

So I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

French and German use (mostly) the same script, and they're right next to each other, so putting German signs all over virtual Paris would be a slightly less ridiculous mistake than this one.

Melfice · 12-28-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01d55

French and German use (mostly) the same script, and they're right next to each other, so putting German signs all over virtual Paris would be a slightly less ridiculous mistake than this one.

No, what?
No, Urdu and Arabic use (mostly, if not exactly) the same script, AND they're incomprehensible for us Westerners. That's a less ridiculous mistake than putting German signs in Paris, where any Westerner can recognize it.
German feels rather different from French, lemme tell ya. Both spoken and written.

12-28-2009, 09:08 AM	#1
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	Infinity Ward fails to research and/or is racist Link Basically, one of the levels is set in a Pakistan city, so they put everything in Arabic in that map, but Arabic isn't actually one of the official languages of Pakistan. "It's a Muslim/Middle East country! All Muslims/Middle East people speak Arabic!" was the thought process I guess. No real reason for bringing it up other than to make fun of Infinity Ward for being idiots so yeah. HA! Also, I guess we can debate how big of a deal this is or something, I don't know. __________________ this post is about how to successfully H the Kimmy Last edited by Kim; 12-28-2009 at 09:11 AM.

12-28-2009, 09:36 AM	#3
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	If I have good excuse to mock a video game company, I will do it. Thing is, the only reason they'd feel no need to actually do any research on that is the whole "Middle East = Arabic" thing. It isn't a huge deal, since it's fairly benign racism when compared to something like portraying all middle easterners as negative or some such, but I felt like making fun of IW for being lazy. Don't really see how "HA!" is the same as inciting a riot, though. __________________ this post is about how to successfully H the Kimmy

12-28-2009, 09:45 AM	#4
Melfice Vigilo - Confido Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 4,846	Oh, nonononono! I didn't mean you! I meant Kotaku. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that article really sounded like they were saying "Hey, guys! Look what we've got. Have fun ripping into eachother!"

12-28-2009, 11:00 AM	#6
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Yesterday I played an American version of Family Feud with my family and apparently only the United States celebrate Labour Day and Thanksgiving. Shit, what have I been doing these past 20 years!?