Why are so many of the Fallout mods in Russian/Polish/etc?

I've recently heard an interesting observation my friend made.
All people that have Slavic origins (which means Eastern Europe, good part of Balkans etc.) are in character often dark, and most of them prefer dark and/or themes in movies, books, games i.e. any kind of creative work. This is, of course, because of our history, which is filled with wars, genocide, death and destruction...
What's interesting about this is that it is true - at least in some parts of it.
I mean, many, if not the most books we (reffering to people with Slavic roots) are filled with melancholy, pain and morbid themes. They're simply grim in nature. Same goes for movies, music, games etc.
So it's not that hard to imagine people with such character prefer dark fantasy and post-apocalyptic games, filled with thematics such as misery, death and destruction, pain, decay (both ...

Of course, this is just an observation, which originally started as a joke, so it shouldn't be taken as something more than that.
However, it's not like it's something which is based on facts and truth.
 
Of course, this is just an observation, which originally started as a joke, so it shouldn't be taken as something more than that.
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It may have been intended as a joke, but the observation itself is indeed accurate. Misery, death and destruction is taking it a bit too far though.

However I wouldn't argue that slavs in general lean towards this kind of atmosphere more than western countries.

The Witcher, developed based on a series of polish novels and the game itself being a polish production is an example. It certainly is dark and grim, but it's not just being dark and grim for it's own sake. It references the themes of racism, moral relativity, drugs, prostitution, dishonesty, manipulation, poverty..

On the scale cynicism vs idealism eastern productions heavily veer to the side of cynicism and realism, while western ones are much more idealistic and dare I say, all too often simple.

For example I really enjoy Tarkovsky's movies. I have yet to find a western director that would be similar to Tarkovsky.

Not to say ALL western productions are smurftastic walks in the park, of course. Too bad those are few and far between - I recently watched Jacob's Ladder and can't get enough movies of this sort. Regrettably it seems movies like that are in the miniority. Gotta make room for another movie adaptation of some idiotic superhero escapist fantasy and box office hit.
 
Exactly like that.

The whole joke actually started (at this point, you may call it a discussion) by comparing The Witcher to some western RPGs (most notably, Dragon Age Origins). It was atmosphere and story-wise comparation - and it is as you said.
The Witcher is grim and dark, but very realistic, at least, as realistic as it can be for a fantasy game (people say that books are also like that, but I, unfortunately, didn't have the pleasure nor chance to read them). All in all, it's something you'd expect from people in this parts, and it is something (most) people here like (myself being one of them).

And as you said, western products are often idealistic, which is sometimes, if not often, bad for them. Not that idealism is bad, it's just that when you try to make something which is originally and in the core idealistic to be more, or look and feel,realistic, you are more than likely going to fail in that endeavour.

Similarly (this is a personal note), when something is imagined to be realistic, it is often exaggerated, and ends up being nothing more than a hyperbole.
 
Wait, are people saying "western" to mean "American" here? I think American stuff is usually incredibly idealistic and naive, this is especially typified with Disney movies which tend to take more weird and morally ambiguous tales and strip them of every single thing that makes them interesting. Americans are more than capable of doing very good, more realistic and ambiguous stuff but the mainstream in America seem to reject that whereas in most other countries, the mainstream accepts it readily.

You usually get a disagreement in American or Canadian games when one writer wants to introduce something a bit more cynical or realistic whereas the other wants to keep it more twee and in the realms of fantasy - even in something like Mass Effect, where there's one writer who thinks everything will be perfect in the future and another who thinks it won't really be as simple as that. The latter guy is seen as controversial whereas to people outside of North America, it just seems like common sense (as well as a sizeable group of people within).
 
Well, yeah, I am personally referring to American production here, mostly.
The problem is that, if we assume that idealistic views in creative works of modern age mostly originate from America, then we encounter the problem of globalization, whereas now many other "non-American" products receive some traits of American products and mainstream, such as idealism, as already mentioned.
So today, thanks to globalization, you can have "western" views appearing in works of all countries, from United Kingdom to Japan, and all those original traits that marked non-western products as unique are thrown aside, simply because it doesn't fit the mainstream.

Globalization it is, a very, very dangerous and catchy disease...
 
Atomkilla said:
All people that have Slavic origins (which means Eastern Europe, good part of Balkans etc.) are in character often dark, and most of them prefer dark and/or themes in movies, books, games i.e. any kind of creative work. This is, of course, because of our history, which is filled with wars, genocide, death and destruction...
What's interesting about this is that it is true - at least in some parts of it.
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There could be a simpler reason to this than wars. I noticed that people in my country that live near the sea and in warmer climates are much happier than those that live in northern parts where there is less sunshine and no sea at all. I lived for a prolonged periods near the sea and in the mainland so it's not something I would observe during a short period.

Also, notice how local songs (and song themes) differ accordingly.
 
Well, sure.
I just noted history just because it's prominent, but of course, it's not the only thing that affects us, both as Slavs, or as humans, in general. I exagerated a bit, yes, but history definitely has the important role in many ways.
The example you made is a good comparation, among many similar ones.
 
Atomkilla's avatar inspired me.......

Code: 
Chuck Norris doesn't wear Power Armor, that's just his skin.

An adventurer was looking for the Power Fist Mk. II, and Chuck Norris showed up.

Chuck Norris didn't take the tanker to the oil rig, he just yelled across the ocean and it self-destructed.

Q: How long does it take Chuck Norris to kill an entire Enclave patrol? 
A: No time at all -- they died when he looked at them.

Chuck Norris didn't fight The Master, he just told him to commit suicide and The Master obeyed.
 
AWildmann said:
Boy, do I love European redheads <3
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Me too. They're just so indescribably hot. I'm also planning to be with one in the future... Too bad I'm about to get married in few years :D
My only option is to ask her to dye her hair, and I will do that someday :D
 
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