At GDC 2024, Isaac Olander, CEO and art director of Sweden-based studio Tallgran, led a panel discussion on the current state of black character representation, focusing specifically on why black hair remains difficult in games. Having created his 3D models for titles such as League of Legends and Insomniac Games' Spider-Man series, Olander's work focuses on authenticity and highlighting style and personality. and argues that it is indeed possible to have both.
Representation has become an important topic for the games industry, especially in recent years, thanks to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and agencies like Sweet Baby Inc. that provide guidance to developers. This has become an important theme for the gaming industry. Despite people of color representing a significant portion of the global gaming audience, modern video games still struggle to accurately convey authentic views of characters from different cultures. We're in a much better place now in terms of representation in games than we have been in decades past, but Ohlander's panel discussion still shows that more work still needs to be done to get it right for diverse gaming audiences. emphasized that it is necessary.
trim hair properly
One of the key areas Ohlander highlighted in his talk was the need for authenticity when it comes to the hair of black characters in games. For Orlander, who grew up in Gambia, West Africa, one of the most important games in his youth to trim his black hair was grand theft auto san andreas. At the time, this was a huge step forward for Rockstar Games, which was focused on offering vast, living worlds to explore freely. Also, having a black main character was a breath of fresh air, especially with the fact that you could customize the design of the main character. And it gives him a look that echoes his early 1990s era, when the game is set.
“At that time we didn't really feel represented by Western media, or even Swedish media for that matter. [in my case]Ohlander said: “Everything has changed since I started playing.” GTA San Andreas, the first time I played as a black protagonist and it was amazing. CJ was very cool and had 3 different hairstyles. [that stuck out for me]—buzz cuts, afros, and cornrows. ”
“These were all hairstyles that I grew when I was younger. So it was actually the first time that I felt like my hair was normal, just like when I was growing up in Gambia,” he says. said. he continued. “Of course, this seems a bit outdated now, but we have to remember that back then, GTA was truly at the forefront of console gaming, and we don't just express that in general terms here. It will continue to be at the forefront of gaming. “The human characters were accurate. In that sense, Rockstar was a true Rockstar. Like many game companies, we were limited by the technological limitations of the time. limited only by.”
That's why Ohlander believes authenticity is a key aspect of making PoC characters and their experiences suitable for gaming. It allows viewers to feel a special kind of connection to the game, especially when the media often leaves these experiences on the sidelines, or simply doesn't. Try it and you'll be right. According to Olander, accurately representing black hair in games remains extremely difficult due to technical constraints and the team's lack of developers and consultants with ties to that community.
Image via Alessandro Filali.
Why game developers love 'The Killmonger'
In recent years, there has been a clear need for black characters in games to have more realistic and culturally appropriate hairstyles and personalities. Generally speaking, there are thoughtful approaches to creating more authentic black hairstyles. Insomniac Games' Spider-Man and Miles' work focusing on his Morales and Harlem community is a sure standout. Unfortunately, many developers have recently focused on the black character's one hairstyle, which has become a worrying sign for viewers. That's the “Killmonger” haircut.
Killmonger, popularized by Michael B. Jordan's character in the Marvel film Black Panther, has a black hairstyle that features short dreads that swoop forward on one side of his head, usually to round out his look. It has a tapered fade. Viewed on its own, this is a sleek and very cool haircut that blends modern style while showing a connection to the African diaspora. The problem with this look is that many developers have relied heavily on this look and ended up changing the look to something like this: of This is a hairstyle for black characters that has been frequently used in recent years.
This focus on one hairstyle presents a very narrow insight into Black hairstyles and is ultimately inconsistent with the ultimate goal of providing a more authentic perspective on Black experience and culture. Masu. According to Olander, one of the reasons why developers are leaning toward this style is primarily due to technology.
“It's very interesting to think: Why is this hairstyle featured in so many games? Why don't we see other types of hairstyles? In Sweden, there is a smorgasbord of hairstyles to choose from. I can do it,” Dutch said of Killmonger. . “But from a developer's perspective, I think it's a pretty easy hairstyle to approach from a technical standpoint.”
“It already works in games and is accepted as authentic. And for many gaming companies, this means it's an efficient hairstyle that's proven to work,” he says. said. “But what we're seeing is that a lot of games use this hairstyle, but they might not know how to create a variety of other hairstyles to go with that option. What's more, there is a lack of access to a diverse development team that can help with proper implementation.'' Get into those games. ”
During the panel, Olander shared an example of how he struggled to find tutorials for black hair in his early days of 3D modeling. He says this is an issue many developers have to deal with when building unusual hairstyles for their games. He explained that he had to go to internet forums to find his videos tutorials on how to 3D model certain black people's hairstyles, but the only ones he could find were in Mandarin. did. This issue also means that viewers won't be able to style their hair as they know it. Olander also mentioned that in games like “The Sims,” modders are creating hairstyles for black people to cater to players who want to see different looks that aren't made by developers. . Not in the base game.
Slides depicting different hair textures. Image via Alessandro Filali.
What is being done to improve the situation?
To provide further assistance in addressing the lack of access to resources and detailed documentation, Orlander and other artists have collaborated to create a guide called 'The Guide'. code my crownis a free-to-use instructional tool that provides 3D modelers and artists with a walkthrough to understand how to create black hair for games.
Created in partnership with Dove and Afro Hair Library, Code my Crown is a great resource that can give developers more insight into making black hair more realistic and authentic. According to Ohlander, the response to Code my Crown has been overwhelmingly positive worldwide. industry.
“The results of this effort have been amazing. People love it, and I think this industry is now able to do that without changing at a cost,” he said. said. “I'm really looking forward to what's to come, and we're at a stage now where these games can start to accurately represent real life in a lot of ways.” The hope is that we can start to move away from that struggle.'' “Just trying to get things right, you start thinking about things more creatively. The long-term hope is that studios around the world will be able to express themselves more and more in games, as DEI initiatives make resources more accessible to developers and developers look to make a difference. The idea is to be able to introduce a more authentic character within the game, with a slightly more reflective look. Achieve a bigger world in a more positive and realistic way. For viewers, especially his PoCs, seeing a part of themselves in the game goes a long way toward connecting with the game they're spending time with and enjoying.
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