Token Minorities

HP Webcam Further Testing

tokenminorities — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:35:16 +0000

We have the notorious “racist” HP webcam in the labs, so we’ve gotten a chance to play with it a little bit.
It’s worth noting that it recognizes the (only) black guy in the office, as well as grayscale printouts of Tiger Woods and Kimbo Slice.
The verdict: Tiger Woods really IS black. More importantly, why does the camera stare at the white women?

The Hunt For People Of Color

tokenminorities — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:13:41 +0000

Not white? Working in a games or tech-related business? Token Minorities wants to talk to you. Just post a comment with some contact info and background (or email it to pattheflip@gmail.com) and we’ll get in touch!
pat m.

Scribblenauts Redux

tokenminorities — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:51:23 +0000

I wanted to put a post together over the weekend but it ended up getting taken over by Scribblenauts.

“Balisong” and “Tuk-tuk” are both in there. Good on ya, devs.
pat m.

(Non) Player Characters of Color: Donald (“Sigint”) Anderson

tokenminorities — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:47:37 +0000

So you’re Snake, the world’s most awesome soldier, and you’re parachuting to the Russian jungle (yeah, don’t ask about that one). You’ve got all kinds of new moves and gear to play with. Guess who holds your hand while you figure it all out? None other than Donald “Sigint” Anderson, the guy who invented half your gear.

Of course, repping men of color as a weapons expert and engineer is impressive–especially considering MGS3 is set in the mid-1960s. But the reason why Donald Anderson gets the Token Minorities nod (and corresponding dap) is because he’s the only person on Snake’s team who thinks that Snake is up to some crazy ass White Boy Shit. While Major Zero has his head up his ass and Para-Medic keeps on blabbing about obscure sci-fi movies, Sigint has some choice words with Snake:

Sigint: Uh, Snake… What are you doing?

Snake: I’m in a box.

Sigint: A cardboard box? Why are you…?

Snake: I dunno. I was just looking at it and I suddenly got this urge to get inside. No, not just an urge – more than that. It was my destiny to be here; in the box.

Sigint: Destiny…?

Snake: Yeah. And then when I put it on, I suddenly got this feeling of inner peace. I can’t put it into words. I feel… safe. Like this is where I was meant to be. Like I’d found the key to true happiness.

Sigint: …

Snake: Does any of that make sense?

Sigint: Not even a little.

Snake: You should come inside the box… Then you’ll know what I mean.

Sigint: Man, I don’t wanna know what you mean! Between you and Para-Medic, is everyone but me that is hooked up with the Major strange!?

Snake: …

Sigint: Yeah, well, anyway, I suppose even that dumb-ass box might make a decent disguise if you wear it inside a building.

Or this:

Sigint: Snake, what’s up? Why are you naked? I know there’s a “NAKED” option under “UNIFORM” that lets you take off the upper part of your uniform. But without a shirt on, your camouflage sucks, and your stamina goes down faster. You don’t get any advantages whatsoever.

Snake: Sure there are.

Sigint: Like what?

Snake: It feels good.

Sigint: …Man, you do whatever you want.

Snake: I will, thanks. Just one question, though.

Sigint: What?

Snake: Is there a way to take off my pants?

Sigint: Say WHAT!?

Snake: My pants, can I…

Sigint: Ah, hell no! This FOX unit is a nut fest!

Sadly, he gets whacked before you even see him in Metal Gear Solid, so it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing any more Sigint. Still, he gets this week’s Token Minorities (Non) Player Character of Color spotlight. Tune in next week for more, or check out last week’s piece on Talim from Soul Calibur.

pat m.

Says It All, Really

tokenminorities — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:42:08 +0000

Zombie Cow Studios
pat m.

Search Queries I Don’t Want To Think Too Hard About, Part II

tokenminorities — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:19:30 +0000

Someone found me by Googling:

“a lady fuccin a garden.”

Happy Friday, everyone.

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other…

tokenminorities — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:08:53 +0000

From a certain PC magazine’s inaugural issue in 1982:

We salute you, Random Black Guy and Random Asian Guy, for going boldly where no one (with melanin) has gone before.

pat m.

“Sambo” Is A Viable Scribblenauts Term

tokenminorities — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:06:49 +0000

…and it summons a watermelon.

Good going, guys.

There’s no point to writing any kind of in-depth insightful commentary on this one – intentional or not, it’s hilariously fucked up.

Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Scribblenauts and see what kind of offensive stories I can put together, though.

Read up more here:

Ian Bogost – Gamasutra

Kotaku

pat m.

Player Characters of Color: Talim (Soul Calibur)

tokenminorities — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:32:50 +0000

Since the vast majority of traffic to this blog comes from Google searches for the guys in The 13 Hottest Men of Gaming, In Color, I thought I’d encourage the trend (read: pander to the masses) by giving some dap to the random people of color that show up in video games. We at Token Minorities know that it’s not easy being the only brown character in the instruction manual, guys, but we appreciate the pleasant surprise that comes up when we find you in the middle of your lily-white game world.

The inaugural character for Player Characters of Color is none other than Talim, from the Soul Calibur series.

While it’s no surprise to Token Minorities readers that one of the easiest places to find brown PCs is in fighting games, Talim gets extra dap for being the first Filipina in a video game and the least mindlessly sexified female character in a series that might as well have all their other women characters put the swords down and beat each other with their ballooning bosoms. That hasn’t stopped certain gaming magazines from including her in a swimsuit issue (PSM) or a “Girls of Gaming” spread (Play) – for shame, for shame.

Here’s hoping that she continues to kick colossal amounts of colonial ass with her two arm-blades while managing to wear more clothes than the rest of her female counterparts.

Matchup I’d like to see: Talim vs. Ferdinand Magellan.

pat m.

Race Mods for Popular Games, 9.17.2009

tokenminorities — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:39:27 +0000

Grand Theft Auto:

Black male player: Wanted Meter starts at two stars. When the player is on foot, all white NPCs within eyeshot will cross to the opposite side of the street. Game can only be played on Very Hard difficulty level (does GTA have one?).

Asian female player: Wanted Meter starts at one star. When on foot, all white male NPCs within 20′ radius will run to player and proposition her (dialogue takes about half an hour to click through). Add one to Wanted Meter each time she rejects advances. If player has short hair, rejected NPCs will call her a lesbian.

Resident Evil series

Black male player: when other friendly characters are present, the game will not progress until the player is the first to open door/turn corner/walk down hallway/other situation which places him in mortal danger. also includes new Second Person Perspective camera, which remains fixed on white NPCs for duration of game. Game ends when player is killed, zombified, and killed again.

Latino male/female player: Game ends when player is killed, zombified, and killed again. (Game duration: five minutes.)

Asian female player: see Ada Wong.

Ico

Black male player: Player character has Afro instead of horns. Also, mysterious black shadows trying to separate Black male PC from white female NPC are now mysterious figures in white robes and hoods.

Madden 2010

Asian female player: No penalties are called on opposing team.

Phoenix Wright

Young white female player: Opposing attorney is Kanye West.