Skin complexion in animal crossing

[ChixChi7]

I already wrote about it here: http://www.belltreeforums.com/entry.php?2401-The-Tanning-of-Animal-Crossing
It's a little long, but worth the read. Pardon any spelling/grammar errors.

 

[rynnyvinny]

i agree wholeheartedly. hopefully things change in the next series installment.

 

[MafiaJinx]

This was discussed a long time ago. This game was made in another country.

You don't see many people of "color" over in other countries since the characters are technically ASIAN. You mainly see that skin tone there and they are in no way trying to offend anyone or degrade them.

You don't see very many other skin tones is lets say japan it's mainly that color.
Don't think they're making white people even though you know their asian. People to be more intellegent and beautiful.
This is a virtual game and i honestly don't see a problem. Pokemon got it's moment of color in these new games and maybe or maybe not anianl crossing will one day have that feature. But for now please dont be offended over skin colored and feeling like they think other tones are more highly praised.

 

[Ankhes]

True, it is a game and only so many mechanics can exist. I'm just pleased to be able to have a girl as opposed to many games where gender isn't even a choice.

Still, if they add such a dimension to AC it would be very nice.

 

[esprit]

There's zero reason why Nintendo can't add the option for darker skin tones. While they may be a Japan-based company, they know perfectly well that their games are marketed to and purchased by people of darker ethnicities. The "you're playing a Japanese character" is complete nonsense. Most of the faces aren't even particularly Asian in appearance. My mayor initially had green oval eyes with light brown hair.

Animal Crossing encourages customization above all. Just because it isn't a problem for you that your character is lily white by default, doesn't mean it isn't an issue for many players. We should all be able to make our characters look like us if we choose and the game makes that incredibly difficult unless you're naturally pale.

 

[ChixChi7]

I'm not offended by it, just giving an opinion. And yes many countries and cultures do think that pale/white skin is more special, including Japanese. Go to wikipedia and look up "whiteness in Japanese culture". If you're going to make a game that's going to sale worldwide keeping other skin complexions in mind wouldn't hurt. Of course there are more important issues in the world, but this is an obvious issue in AC and I decided to write my opinions about it even though it's been talked about plenty of times before. Also look up the CNN article, "White Is Beautiful. Why India needs its own oprah winfrey". Also try the BBC article, "Africa, Where Black is not really beautiful". I could give hundreds of examples, but it is a FACT that in many parts of the world people prefer light/pale/white skin. I'm not playing the "race card" if that is what you're thinking or implying.

 

[Zanessa]

This was discussed a long time ago. This game was made in another country.

You don't see many people of "color" over in other countries since the characters are technically ASIAN. You mainly see that skin tone there and they are in no way trying to offend anyone or degrade them.

You don't see very many other skin tones is lets say japan it's mainly that color.
Don't think they're making white people even though you know their asian. People to be more intellegent and beautiful.
This is a virtual game and i honestly don't see a problem. Pokemon got it's moment of color in these new games and maybe or maybe not anianl crossing will one day have that feature. But for now please dont be offended over skin colored and feeling like they think other tones are more highly praised.

Agreed. This is coming from a person of color.

I usually make my characters a lighter color anyways since I don't like my skin color anyways, so it doesn't really bother me. But they should have an option soon, it will come. But this is made in a country where the skin color diversity doesn't really exist..

 

[Ropera]

I was a little disappointed that your character is customizable but you can't change your skin color in Animal Crossing.Honestly I'm black and this doesn't really bother me.While I do think that it would be a nice feature for you to have permanent dark skin It's not really surprising to me that you only have an option to get a tan since even some games that are released internationally still mainly have a Japanese audience in mind.So in a lot of Japanese games even if the character may not look Asian to you you're still technically playing as a Japanese character.

 

[ChixChi7]

Agreed. This is coming from a person of color.

I usually make my characters a lighter color anyways since I don't like my skin color anyways, so it doesn't really bother me. But they should have an option soon, it will come. But this is made in a country where the skin color diversity doesn't really exist..

This is exactly what I"m talking about. I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, but you shouldn't have a problem with your own skin color.

 

[Zanessa]

This is exactly what I"m talking about. I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, but you shouldn't have a problem with your own skin color.

Well I do. Insecurities. I'm too dark for certain things, you can't see me in the dark.. :/
But I don't have a problem with the people of my race, it's just me.

 

[radical6]

This was discussed a long time ago. This game was made in another country.

You don't see many people of "color" over in other countries since the characters are technically ASIAN. You mainly see that skin tone there and they are in no way trying to offend anyone or degrade them.

You don't see very many other skin tones is lets say japan it's mainly that color.
Don't think they're making white people even though you know their asian. People to be more intellegent and beautiful.
This is a virtual game and i honestly don't see a problem. Pokemon got it's moment of color in these new games and maybe or maybe not anianl crossing will one day have that feature. But for now please dont be offended over skin colored and feeling like they think other tones are more highly praised.

dark skinned japanese people exist? lol. im asian and we're not all lightskinned. why do people keep saying that because its a japanese game they don't need to include color because it's supposed to look like asian people? some of the characters dont look asian to me at all.

but yes the game feels like its saying pale skin is the default. in games i never really had problems because im lightskinned as hell, all i had to do was change the hair color to black. but for other kids i know it hurts them a lot when they think their own skin color is bad. it wouldn't hurt to let us freely choose our skin tone you know. it would be really great if they could add it in the next game to make some children feel good about themselves.

 

[ninjavenus]

There's zero reason why Nintendo can't add the option for darker skin tones. While they may be a Japan-based company, they know perfectly well that their games are marketed to and purchased by people of darker ethnicities. The "you're playing a Japanese character" is complete nonsense. Most of the faces aren't even particularly Asian in appearance. My mayor initially had green oval eyes with light brown hair.

Animal Crossing encourages customization above all. Just because it isn't a problem for you that your character is lily white by default, doesn't mean it isn't an issue for many players. We should all be able to make our characters look like us if we choose and the game makes that incredibly difficult unless you're naturally pale.

What makes it even more annoying that some people respond with, "omg it's not even a big deal everything is a race issue omG JUST LET IT BE!!1!" and it's like...come on. We're not even talking about a 'western thing', here; there are a lot of Japanese (Asians, in general) who are naturally dark; this isn't news. It wouldn't kill you to include that one, little feature. Whether they consider this in whatever future versions they plan, however, I truthfully doubt it. I just don't like having to spend a week on the Island every time just to get my desired tan; but eh, what can I do.

(at least it's approaching July in-game, though. I can enjoy being darker with less hassle...for that month.)

 

[Zanessa]

Everyone's priorities and stuff are different. Me, if it was a brand new feature to make moving furniture was going to made, I'd take that feature over skin selection. But that's just me.

I think everyone will always have different opinions on the matter. If they do add skin color selection, I hope it's not limited to realistic skin color. I'd love to have a lilac-colored person in my town.

 

[ChixChi7]

Zanessa, I don't know how to say this without you feeling as though I'm trying to preach to you, but there is nothing wrong with dark skin. When you have light/pale skin all of your skin's flaws show more easily, always be grateful for what you have. Look up Lupita Nyongo. I know what it's like to battle insecurities, so I know that me saying this may not help. All I can say is that you MUST learn to love the way you look.

 

[Zanessa]

Zanessa, I don't know how to say this without you feeling as though I'm trying to preach to you, but there is nothing wrong with dark skin. When you have light/pale skin all of your skin's flaws show more easily, always be grateful for what you have. Look up Lupita Nyongo. I know what it's like to battle insecurities, so I know that me saying this may not help. All I can say is that you MUST learn to love the way you look.

There's a lot wrong with dark skin, there's a lot wrong with light skin. There's a lot wrong with all skin colors. I have insecurities with my dark skin, people have insecurities with their light skin, it's just a thing.
If you want, we can continue this convo in PMs, but these sort of threads always go haywire and off topic, and I'd like to avoid being the problem.

 

[ChixChi7]

It's okay that's all I had to say. You're right, everyone is insecure about something. I wish that people didn't have to worry so much about their physical appearance, but for some people seeing pale/light characters all of the time doesn't help that.

 

[Blockmayus]

Literaly any game that is heavily based on "You being the character" seriously just SHOULD have all skin color options, by default, no matter what. I mean sure, when you play a game with a character who has their own personality-story and stuff, of course you wont expect them to reflect you, they are their own thing (I could rant on about the lack of diversity in main characters in videogames but thats not what this topic is about), but when it comes to games like this, SPECIALY games like this where you are supposed to BE the character you are playing and make them into yourself (Of course, not everyone plays like this, but surely enough people do for this to be importnat) something as... easily visible as a skin color does become quite the big deal.

I mean, I consider myself to be kinda light skinned for a Mexican person, so just one level of tanning is enough for me, but thats not the case for just SO MANY other people (And even that one level of tanning is annoying for me so I barely ever try to keep it) so they really REALLY should have worked

ALso, saying "Its a Japanese game who cares" isnt really a good excuse because they know big-hit games like this will eventualy be released outside of Japan to the world, also Im pretty sure tthat even INSIDE of Japan, enough people with darker skinn of all kinds exist for the creators of ACNL to make a "perma darker skin color" option.

 

[MafiaJinx]

Did almost everyone ignore the fact i said "Pokemon had it's shot at color maybe or maybe not animal crossing will."?
Pokemon always used to have white skinned characters (at least to what i remember i haven't played old pokemon games in awhile and if they did PLAYABLE characters do now.)
And finally they have skin tone options.
It seems like a lot of people skipped that.

Also does no one care they had to change gracie and the carpet/wallpaper merchant (forget her name)'s gender?
Gracie was originally male and all this over Americans being too judgemental they changed the characters gender.

I'm surprised no one seems to care about that since THAT makes people feel bad who may be transgender or other.
While our characters do have the option to wear either gender clothes regardless if we are male or female an npc in the game should not be adjusted for the sake of the american release it's a sad thing to change a character like that and not be open about it due to backlash.

And CNN has nothing to do with animal crossing, it is sad people of color are seen as that way to this day if so and they are just as human as anyone else and have the beauty and intellegence.


Did i say ITS A JAPANESE GAME WHO. CARES.? That's an awful thing to say. Yes it is a japanese game and you have to consider it was made quite a long time ago, times are changing and more people are taking notice and making more skin color options animal crossing is just lagging behind on that and it truly was based off of japan not having much diversity i saw a post EXACTLY like this a long time ago and everyone said the same thing im saying right now on it being in a place where skin is different.

Animal crossing has become a huge thing upon release and now its starting to get demand for skin customization which will hopefully for people that want it happen in the future but for now they cant go back and fix new leaf or past games they can only plan ahead for the future animal crossing games. It was made A LONG time ago and times are changing as i said before. In no way do i not care if its a japanese originated game it's simply how things were a few years ago. I truly do hope they have more customization for people that want it but it's up to nintendo to decide not me or anyone else if it's high demand and they notice it we can all be happy and have any skin toned character we want and feel good that we have a character that looks more like the player but for now all we can do is honestly hope for the best.

 

[Blockmayus]

Ahh, I dont know about everyone else but I definitively dont like the fact that they had to change Gracie?s and Sahara?s genders in the game because they felt having way too effeminate guys was too much, thats more about forcing character to fit gender roles and not so much about transgeder people. (For transgender issues in Nintendo games I believe characters like Birdo and Vivian would be more apropiate to discuss... but I digress). And, even in the whole transgeder isssue, the fact that the Ables and Gracie keep making a point in "Oh! You picked a piece of clothing that does not fit your gender!" can cause discomfort in a lot of people BUUUT thats another topic so lets not get too sidetracked...

Im not sure what you mean with "It seems like a lot of people skipped the whole skin color thing" in Pokemon because Im pretty sure a big chunk of the trainers Ive fought randomly online in the game choose the darker skin color, and I know a lot of people where SUPER SUPER happy that (And the ammount of darker skinned NPCs all around Black-White and X-Y, specialy the fact that the CHAMPION of Black-White 2 was Iris!)

Well, of course the first AC games where made a long time a go, but New Leaf definitively wasnt! And its not like Im terribly bashing the creators because this is a game that has brought me TONS and I mean TONS of happiness, but I also do believe that being vocal and critical even about the things you love is important to make a change, thats just me I guess...

And it really isnt like making "different skin colors permanent" is such a difficul thing to do, they already have them there, they just need to make the small tweak so those skin colors can stay for indefinite periods of time! (Ive always had the idea of there being beach PWPs, with the beaches being a bit bigger of course, and one of them could be a SPA where they either spray your skin into a perma darker color or give you a skin treatment if you ever want to revert back to the lighter skin color! Or just make it a shampoodle thing I guess.)

(Also oh god I really hope it didnt sounds like I was acusing you of saying "Its just a japanese game who cares" because I didnt actualy read all posts here and I was actualy paraphrasing what Ive heard in many MANY other places, IM sorry if it sounded like that to you!)

 

[Angerfish]

This was discussed a long time ago. This game was made in another country.

You don't see many people of "color" over in other countries since the characters are technically ASIAN. You mainly see that skin tone there and they are in no way trying to offend anyone or degrade them.

You don't see very many other skin tones is lets say japan it's mainly that color.
Don't think they're making white people even though you know their asian. People to be more intellegent and beautiful.
This is a virtual game and i honestly don't see a problem. Pokemon got it's moment of color in these new games and maybe or maybe not anianl crossing will one day have that feature. But for now please dont be offended over skin colored and feeling like they think other tones are more highly praised.

Skin tones exist in Japan, and they CERTAINLY exist throughout Asia. Japan has a history of associating whiteness with beauty, and not because those are the only kind of people around. This isn't even taking into a account the large minorities in Koreans, Brazilians, Filipinos and Ryukyuan, all of which can certainly sport shades darker than snow.

Well I do. Insecurities. I'm too dark for certain things, you can't see me in the dark.. :/
But I don't have a problem with the people of my race, it's just me.

I don't know how to say this without standing on a soap box, but I can almost guarantee it's not just you. There's ton's a people with dark skin who hate their skin, yet insist that it isn't a race thing. But it sort of is. Western culture has a very specific ideology of beauty: thin, pale to fairly tanned anglo or anglo-ish. And though this can affect people of any color, it's affects those of darker skin (typically non-white) the most.

---

That said, I kind of understand why the developers defaulted to one skin color for Animal Crossing. Unlike most game where you can customize you're character, AC does almost everything through conversation. Even customizing furniture. Rover essentially makes your face based on your personality, so that there's that surprise factor once you step off the train. There's no blatent character customization option like in Pokemon, Harvest Moon or any western RPG.

Hypothetically, They could go with the Harriet Tanning Salon solution, but that sure would stink if you had to unlock that feature or wait X amount of weeks to access it. Plus, many people are wanting a skin color, not a skin tan. Maybe it'd be more than a little awkward for Rover to look straight into your soul with those big red eyes and ask, "So on a scale of marshmallows to fudge nuggets, how would you describe yourself?" But maybe that's what we need, especially considering that Nintendo is thinking on a global scale these days.