What themes and issues would you like to be seen in the next oddworld game/movie/etc
 

Ok, so we all know there isn't going to be an oddworld thing in a while, but I was bored, and wondering, since all of the past oddworld games are filled with things that represent themes and issues within our world, such as rasicm, slavery, over hunting/ extinction, drug use, and greed in general what themes/ issues would you like to see in the next oddworld production, and how?

Abe Gore saving Oddworld from Global Warming... With SLIDESHOWS!

Racism would be an interesting subject. I don't want it to all focus on the industrial side though. We need some of the ancient history back too.

The first two game sort of deal with Racism against the Mudokons (There is not much difference between the way the Sligs and glukkons treat the Mudokons and the way that Masters treated Black Slaves years ago)

Yes, I agree. Oddworld is very pollluted and a global warming is inevitable.

I don't think so. We have only seen a certain area of Mudos that is Seriously Industrial. In Stranger there are no "massive" Industrial areas that will pollute the environment (Even the dam isn't that bad). And that is in the same continent, not that far away, so we shouldn't assume that alot of Oddworld is Industrial... After all, we've seen a very small area of it like that, and Oddworld is ten times the size of Earth.

Racism was the featured topic in Stranger’s Wrath.

I expect to see commentary on the importance of proper parenting and properly labelled consumer products.

Stranger's Wrath was more about Trophy Hunting than Racism In my opinion, but now that I look at it I can see that it is a main topic aswell.

Spooce abuse.

Eating disorders, with the unexpected reappearance of Buddy and a shocking revelation about the South Meech Diet.

Trophy hunting? That was merely part of the effect of the racism towards Steefs.

The same topics that have been explored before, as well as some more information on the past of Oddworld and the inhabitants before the industrial era.

Racism is possible an incorrect term. Some (arrogant twats and stupid snobby) English people hunt foxes but I wouldn't say we are racist towards the foxes.

But your forgetting it's not just a basic Earth counterpart. Oddworld mixes issues in strange ways. Steefs aren't just animals, they're intelligent anthropomorphic creatures. But I suppose they are considered "animals" so it gets very confusing... and funny from how you look at the point of view of the hunters.

It's over hunting and extinction, that are explored in SW.
Stranger is, like munch, considered an animal, considered not to be normal, and like everyone else. So to speak, they are considered non "human", as in not an intelligant being.

This explores parts of our history when ethnic slaves were not treated as humans, are were not treated like everyone else.
Hell, you could arguge the same thing was happening to the african americans of america, and several other ex colonies/ ex slave "owning" countries, and this is Rasicm at it's true form, and thereforte, even SW and MO explore rascim, actually, all of the games do, it's one of the most prominant themes, and probably always will be. ;)

*Edit* Ziggy, that is my exact point, they're considered animals, is that not racist enough? I think we're too afraid to remember that a couple of centeries ago, we considered certain races to be animals or equal to animals.

Eating disorders, or well drinking disorders is experienced in AE, but since the movie seems to be taking place in Rapturefarms, all food releated issues will probably be in.

Hmm, since most of the Oddworld creatures are unigendered, I'm wondering if prejiduce of females will make there way in.
But it seems more that OW is going in the direction between mistreatmeant of the "3rd world" countries, and racial discrimination, aswell as the errors of the wealthy/ greedy, industrialists/ upper class, kind of a Charles Dickins point of veiw.

I hope they take propaganda and misinformation in the media further.

Racism and segregation are a very interesting topic indeed, and was duly covered by Abe's Oddysee. Abe's Exoddus focused, as mentioned before, not only on that but on substance abuse. Overhunting was explored in Munch's Oddysee and also, it seems, in Stranger's Wrath. Munch's Oddysee also had references to segregation of class; the abundant, commercial life the Glukkons lived compared to the simple, modest life of the Natives.

As to what themes I would like to be covered in the Oddworld feature film is a good question. It would be interesting to see the issue of pollution come up, as well as topics like war and poverty and such. And, like BM said, perhaps they can make a point of misinformation as well. I guess we can only sit tight and wait.

Overhunting has been a theme of AO, MO, and SW in reference to Scrabs, Paramites and Meeches; Gabbits; and Steef respectively. In SW this is more just a way of getting Stranger to be the only one of his kind in a world populated by Clakkerz and Outlaws, both races being generally intollerant towards others not of their kind. This allows racism to be explored in the way Stranger copes with his situation. The other issue used in SW, damming the river, is his path to resolving his own feelings as an outsider. By turning against Sekto instead of hiding/aiding him, he is learning who he really is. His former weaknesses against racism become strengths.

The ideas of misinformation and propaganda we know are prevalant throughout Oddworld. Enslaved Mudokons are kept unaware of their true culture, history, and powers, while consumers are kept in the dark about the real costs of the products they buy. Mudokons don’t know what’s in SoulStorm Brew, and they don’t understand how bad it is for their health or culture. The miners don’t know what they’re mining anymore than Abe knew the creatures RuptureFarms was cutting up were sacred to his people. Sekto Springs Bottled Water doesn’t even come from a spring, it’s ordinary riverwater.

For the most part, I like these issues being kept more in the background as they have been. Our heroes express shock, sadness, and sympathy, but then they move on to the action. The themes are coated in sugar, and we can digest them more easily. Some people won’t taste anything underneath the sweetness, but others will realize they’ve just swallowed some really nutritional content. This is preferable to everyone coughing Oddworld back up because it’s too bitter.

Your sorta right, but Oddworld is ten times the size of earth, I doubt the Glukkons (who havent even got industry over all of Mudos let alone Oddworld)
could really cause a global warming. It's Holland or Denmark trying to cause global warming >< not gonna happen.

I was gonna say exclusion, but Stranger realy goes through that, as does Munch.
Wow, they've realy outdone themselves message/ theme wise.

But some of these are very much in the background, even backstory, and not many people will notice or figure it out when they play through without thinking hard afterwards, and the entire world's Oddworld ponderings are rather localised to this little corner. It's all right for them to be in the background and fleshing out the world of Odd, but, especially in the films, I think they can make them more apparent. MO did it best for propaganda for actually showing us the Deception. It didn't have to tell us outright what was going on, but it was both clear and funny.

Both brilliantly said and tastily metephorical :)

As for issues that have not been mentioned, I'd like to see animal testing come up. I'd like to see another Munch game, so i'll use him as an example- Munch could be exploring a pristine clothing factory or cosmetics manufacturer, with clean, white, iPod esque walls and polite receptionists (of a new species), until he accidentally stumbles into a basement and learns the terrible truth, ect ect.

Why thank you, samstancill. (y)

Wasn’t animal testing the core issue of Munch’s Oddysee?

It was rather omnipresent, yes.

Ahh, I do apologise, I havn't played it yet- damned XBox exclusives.

I suppose Animals have been featured quite alot in Oddworld, havn't they? Maybe pollution and global warming then, as somone else said.

Yeah, Im sure the masters used to chop the Blacks up to make meat products all the time, you tosser

Lol, I was talking about the way the sligs beat the Mudokons etc. But thanks anyway.