More representation of indigenous cultures?

I'm all for anything that's not western/USA Culture ... as long as it's done well and respectfully for the culture being depicted.

If they wanted to do it I’m sure they’d be able to in a respectful manner such as they’ve done for other cultures.

Personally, I rather they spend their time fixing problems and producing worthwhile gameplay. I’ve honestly never really bought a pack for the culture they are focusing it on, I buy for the extra gameplay.

"GrimlyFiendish;d-983928" wrote:
The other day I noticed one of the new necklaces for female Sims has a colour option that is the same as the Australian Aboriginal flag, it got me wondering if perhaps there should be more indigenous representation in the Sims, or if it was something that was just too much risk of getting way wrong (like having Sims wearing first nation head dressed Coachella style, or female Sims being able to play a digeridoo).

What do others think, is more indigenous representation something EA should strive for, or is there just too much of a risk that it wouldn't be done right and would end up being tokenistic or insulting to indigenous cultures? Is this something better left to the CC and Mod creators?

Wait? Females can't play a digeridoo? Is that akin to females not being allowed to play violins in the 18th century because it exposed their elbows, which were considered sexy? :open_mouth: Wow, you learn something everyday.

It is a product and game, so I would like gameplay to be the focus. But TS4 seems geared more towards the actual sims' looks and form than TS3 that I started playing; so representation in that respect would sort of be part of 'gameplay' for this iteration.

And a game that focuses so much on casual sandbox gameplay would of course need to take representation into account, and in any case it is a vital focus for any cultural product in media entertainment. I think it is something that should be done with subtelty though, again with the main focus adding actual gameplay features with depth. Which world, and what kind of sims and objects the next addition is set in and comes with should not be the main cause, but more of a side effect to an idea.
Ideas cannot be separated from cultural habits though. What a conundrum.

I would definitely buy a pack with a world associative of Australia, no matter never having been there; building lots in a sims' world of it would be very interesting.
But the representation of equality between sexes, and of representation of non-heteronormativity of gender, would break with an idea of making certain actions unavailable to sims, and this based on gender. The game is a sandbox with replayability as a clear drive, it’s openness and randomness would not support such a feature. If it did I would stop being a customer to it. Representation is not always strictly replication, but can be negotiation as well.

I think TS4 is better at representing variation; I was only appalled at how it was done in TS3. I think it would be done the same way as everything else in game, silly and shallow and from the perspective of US culture. Not necessarily a bad way; and the game is still entertaining, which for me is the main point of playing it.

"DaWaterRat;c-17728203" wrote:
I'm all for anything that's not western/USA Culture ... as long as it's done well and respectfully for the culture being depicted.

Something fresh and new.

Also, I would like something historic or even better, futuristic.

"DaWaterRat;c-17728203" wrote:
I'm all for anything that's not western/USA Culture ... as long as it's done well and respectfully for the culture being depicted.

But would it be? I have feeling they’d insist on using the Freezer Bunny like they did in Jungle Adventures and the Hispanic culture update from last month.

"GalacticGal;c-17728214" wrote:


Wait? Females can't play a digeridoo? Is that akin to females not being allowed to play violins in the 18th century because it exposed their elbows, which were considered sexy? :open_mouth: Wow, you learn something everyday.

It's complicated, some indigenous tribes here have no restrictions on it, others have restrictions based on whether it's ceremonial or just played for recreation, still others have a strict taboo on women playing the instrument.

"GrimlyFiendish;c-17728274" wrote:

"GalacticGal;c-17728214" wrote:


Wait? Females can't play a digeridoo? Is that akin to females not being allowed to play violins in the 18th century because it exposed their elbows, which were considered sexy? :open_mouth: Wow, you learn something everyday.

It's complicated, some indigenous tribes here have no restrictions on it, others have restrictions based on whether it's ceremonial or just played for recreation, still others have a strict taboo on women playing the instrument.

I did not know that!

My only experience with the instrument is through this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J56VVtlZCGE

PS.The guy playing the digeridoo in this video is such a hunk. Gonna see if I can find an image to work off to make him in game.



Speaking of which, can sims incorporate celtic culture? Perhaps with faeries?

I just hope they'll make the game less of an American simulator in the future. Sims is played worldwide it's not just Americans that play it, we need more worlds inspired by other places and not just as vacation worlds

The last time they tried to introduce that with SE there was a controversy for no reason. I rather stick to Americanized/western culture. Gameplay is more important to me anyway.