Dear FFG: A Request from a long time Arkham fan for ...

[Kitsuki_School 13]

An Asian male investigator! Not sure if this is place to make this post but so far I noticed the representation in all the Arkham series including Eldritch, Mansions, Elder Signs, etc are very scarce in the Asian male representation? To my memory I don't even think we're depicted on a single card! As an Asian male myself, I'd love to have a character I can feel I'm connected with and some of my fellow peers agree as well. Don't mean for this post to come across as a SJW as I find FFG's Netrunner gives a pretty diverse rep so hopefully we get a bit of the same in Arkham as well.

Thanks for reading!

(Note: This is crossposted from BGG forums as I got encouraged to also post it here!)

[Soakman 987]

I think these are great posts that will hopefully give FFG an idea for what their player demographic and desires are. If and when a new investigator is announced, I hope they've had a chance to see your post.

I don't know if it will help, but thanks for speaking up! 

Edited August 13, 2018 by Soakman

[Hordeoverseer 157]

Question is, has Arkham LCG created new investigators that haven't been pulled from previous games? I think the LCG still has an extensive catalogue of investigators to pull from before creating new ones anytime soon.

[Jobu 720]

15 minutes ago, Hordeoverseer said:

Question is, has Arkham LCG created new investigators that haven't been pulled from previous games? I think the LCG still has an extensive catalogue of investigators to pull from before creating new ones anytime soon. 

They created Sefina.  Okay, new investigators are probably created independent of individual game lines, but she was originally released in the card game.

[Turtlefan2082 112]

1 hour ago, Hordeoverseer said:

Question is, has Arkham LCG created new investigators that haven't been pulled from previous games? I think the LCG still has an extensive catalogue of investigators to pull from before creating new ones anytime soon.

Sefina Rousseau, the artist, was created originally for the card game.  She was later included as a new investigator in the Masks of Nyarlathopep expansion of Eldritch Horror.

Considering the fact the the game is still fairly new, it is possible for asian male investigator to be created.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Turtlefan2082
Spelling

[Duciris 1,347]

Mansions of Madness 2.0 released with 4 new characters (Agatha Crane, Carson Sinclair, Father Mateo, Preston Fairmont) 1 of whom (Father Mateo) has appeared in AH:LCG, and all 4 have appeared in Eldritch Horror & Elder Sign as well.  I believe that Daniela Reyes debuted in Eldritch Horror as did the reimagining of Calvin Wright (originally a promo for AH2e).  These last 2 allowed the company to introduce homosexual characters into the universe, and both will be in the upcoming AH3e.

I like the idea of an Asian male character - and am not partial to him being American or otherwise.

There was a post (I believe on the EH forum) requesting a Native American character as well.  I am interested in both of these characters being created and propagated throughout the Arkham Files games with 1 provision: they must not push farther back the eventual release of Daisy Walker in MoM2.  I needs my mini, Yo!

[Turtlefan2082 112]

5 minutes ago, Duciris said:

Daniela Reyes debuted in Eldritch Horror as did the reimagining of Calvin Wright (originally a promo for AH2e).

Daniela is her own character since Calvin has been released in the card game, Eldritch Horror  and will be included in AH3e

[Donel 42]

Pending any shocking revelations in the campaign, I'd love to see a playable version of Ichtaca. Shes got guardian right in her title

[Radix2309 355]

I would love a code talker Native character. Could be an interesting space with the focus on words and names.

[Eldan985 360]

Huh. I was about to say that we were about 10 years too early for code talkers, then I googled it and found out they were around in the first world war too. Nice.

[iGniGhted 113]

i would like the Male Asian character, that sounds awesome.. maybe a rogue, yakuza/triad, since we have 2 asian females that fit the bookworm and martial artist niche.

 

also, yes.. an American Native type character would be epic, i dont know how i could look over the fact there isn't one growing up next to a reservation ffs.

[awp832 447]

I'm  not opposed to the idea.  I imagine though that with only 5ish investigators released per cycle (not including books) they probably have a pretty tight list of releases for playable characters.    Among the things that their fanbase wants are:

More classic arkham characters.   Did you know there are only 2 characters in AH LCG that were from the Core set of 2nd Edition Arkham Horror?   Jenny Barnes and Ashcan Pete.   There's also Carolyn if you count her.   But since she's a book exclusive, I don't.   Regardless, there's a lot of fan favorites missing, that's for sure.

Characters that have been released in some other format:   Silas, Norman, Marie, and Carolyn are all being greedily anticipated for the main game.

Other characters to expand inclusivity:    There's no asian male, but there are asian females.  Mateo is latino, but there's no female.  There is no african-american female (akachi's cultural background is from the African continent, not african-american).  There's no native american character at all.   

My point is, it might be a while...  but it could still happen!  I hope it does.

[Donel 42]

Theres an African-american female. I believe shes the Athlete

[awp832 447]

Rita, yes, she's not in the LCG.  

[Eldan985 360]

Daniela Reyes looks black to me from the one picture we have of her, but has a Latina name. Not in Arkham yet, though. 

[CSerpent 520]

The allies have a little bit more diversity -- Aquinnah, Yoatl, Dario, Charles, Lola.  Someone once did a cool fan project where they made ally cards of each of the playable investigators.   Maybe someone will work on doing the opposite.

Edited August 15, 2018 by CSerpent

[Eldan985 360]

Okay, now you made me want to dig through the ally deck.

Presumably white American, possibly European: Alyssa Graham, Arcane Initiate, Art Student, Beat Cop, Brother Xavier, Cat Burglar, David Renfield, Dr. Elli Horowitz (possibly Eastern European, possibly Jewish), Dr. Milan Christopher. Dr. William T. Maleson, Jake Williams, Joey "the Rat" Vigil, Leo de Luca (Italian ancestry), Laboratory Assistant, Mitch Brown, Olive McBride, Peter Sylvestre, Research Librarian, Treasure Hunter, Venturer

Native American: Aquinnah, Yaotl, 

African American: Charles Ross, Esq., 

Middle Eastern: Dario El-Amin, 

Latino: Lola Santiago

Presumably French: Madame Labranche

Outer God and/or Mi-Go: The Red-Gloved Man

[CSerpent 520]

Still not exactly a melting pot, no.  And it's probably worse that you have to go to the useful-but-disposable meat shields to find diversity.

[Duciris 1,347]

We've gotten 7 new characters since Arkham Horror has stopped being expanded.

• 4 in MoM2 core set (Agatha Crane, Carson Sinclair, Father Mateo, Preston Fairmont)
• 1 in AH:LCG (Sefina Rousseau)
• 2 in EH (Daniela Reyes, Calvin Wright (reimagined))

From the following forum.

On ‎3‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 10:58 AM, Duciris said:

Investigator	Occupation	Arkham Horror	Eldritch Horror	Elder Sign	Arkham Horror LCG	Mansiosn of Madness (Second)
Agatha Crane	the Parapsycologist	---	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	---	MAD20: Core
Agnes Baker	the Waitress	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL17: Ice	AHC01: Core	MAD27: Journeys
Akachi Onyele	the Shaman	AH06: Innsmouth	EH01: Core	SL16: Gates	AHC11: Carcosa	MAD23: Beyond
Amanda Sharpe	the Student	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
"Ashcan" Pete	the Drifter	AH01: Core	EH08: Cities	SL05: Core	AHC02: Dunwich	†MAD22: Nightmares
Bob Jenkins	the Salesman	AH01: Core	EH08: Cities	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Calvin Wright	the Damned	Promo	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	AHC19: Age	---
Carolyn Fern	the Psychologist	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	Novella	††MAD23: Memories
Carson Sinclair	the Buttler	---	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	---	MAD20: Core
Charlie Kane	the Politician	AH04: Kingsport	EH01: Core	SL17: Ice	---	MAD26: Twilight
Daisy Walker	the Librarian	AH04: Kingsport	EH03: Mountains	SL19: Deep	AHC01: Core	---
Daniela Reyes	the Mechanic	---	EH09: Masks	---	---	---
Darrell Simmons	the Photographer	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Dexter Drake	the Magician	AH01: Core	EH06: Carcosa	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Diana Stanley	the Redeemed Cultist	AH02: Dunwich	EH01: Core	SL15: Unseen	---	MAD25: Streets
Father Mateo	the Priest	---	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	AHC19: Age	MAD20: Core
Finn Edwards	the Bootlegger	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL16: Gates	AHC19: Age	MAD25: Streets
George Barnaby	the Lawyer	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL19: Deep	---	---
Gloria Goldberg	the Author	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
Hank Samson	the Farmhand	AH06: Innsmouth	EH05: Pyramids	SL19: Deep	---	---
Harvey Walters	the Professor	AH01: Core	EH05: Pyramids	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
Jacqueline Fine	the Psychic	AH02: Dunwich	EH01: Core	SL15: Unseen	---	---
Jenny Barnes	the Dilettante	AH01: Core	EH06: Carcosa	SL05: Core	AHC02: Dunwich	†MAD22: Nightmares
Jim Culver	the Musician	AH02: Dunwich	EH01: Core	SL15: Unseen	AHC02: Dunwich	MAD27: Journeys
Joe Diamond	the Private Eye	AH01: Core	EH05: Pyramids	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
Kate Winthrop	the Scientist	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
Leo Anderson	the Expedition Leader	AH02: Dunwich	EH01: Core	SL15: Unseen	AHC19: Age	---
Lily Chen	the Martial Artist	AH04: Kingsport	EH01: Core	SL17: Ice	---	MAD26: Twilight
Lola Hayes	the Actress	AH04: Kingsport	EH01: Core	SL19: Deep	AHC11: Carcosa	---
Luke Robinson	the Dreamer	AH04: Kingsport	EH07: Dream	SL19: Deep	---	---
Mandy Thompson	the Researcher	AH01: Core	EH05: Pyramids	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Marie Lambeau	the Entertainer	AH02: Dunwich	EH04: Strange	SL15: Unseen	Promo	MAD25: Streets
Mark Harrigan	the Soldier	AH02: Dunwich	EH01: Core	SL15: Unseen	AHC11: Carcosa	---
Michael McGlen	the Gangster	AH01: Core	EH06: Carcosa	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
Minh Thi Phan	the Secretary	AH06: Innsmouth	EH05: Pyramids	SL19: Deep	AHC11: Carcosa	MAD20: Core
Monterey Jack	the Archeologist	AH01: Core	EH05: Pyramids	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Norman Withers	the Astronomer	AH06: Innsmouth	EH01: Core	SL16: Gates	Novella	---
Patrice Hathaway	the Violinist	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL16: Gates	---	---
Preston Fairmont	the Millionaire	---	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	---	MAD20: Core
Rex Murphy	the Reporter	AH04: Kingsport	EH05: Pyramids	SL17: Ice	AHC02: Dunwich	---
Rita Young	the Athlete	AH02: Dunwich	EH08: Cities	SL15: Unseen	---	MAD20: Core
Roland Banks	the Fed	AH06: Innsmouth	EH08: Cities	SL19: Deep	AHC01: Core	---
Sefina Rousseau	the the Painter	---	EH09: Masks	SL20: Pharaoh	AHC11: Carcosa	---
Silas Marsh	the Sailor	AH06: Innsmouth	EH01: Core	SL17: Ice	Novella	MAD27: Journeys
Sister Mary	the Nun	AH01: Core	EH05: Pyramids	SL05: Core	---	†MAD22: Nightmares
"Skids" O'Toole	the Ex-Convict	AH06: Innsmouth	EH04: Strange	SL16: Gates	AHC01: Core	---
Tommy Muldoon	the Rookie Cop	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL16: Gates	---	MAD25: Streets
Tony Morgan	the Bounty Hunter	AH04: Kingsport	EH04: Strange	SL17: Ice	---	---
Trish Scarborough	the Spy	AH06: Innsmouth	EH01: Core	SL16: Gates	---	MAD27: Journeys
Ursula Downs	the Explorer	AH06: Innsmouth	EH03: Mountains	SL17: Ice	AHC19: Age	---
Vincent Lee	the Doctor	AH01: Core	EH07: Dream	SL05: Core	---	††MAD23: Memories
Wendy Adams	the Urchin	AH04: Kingsport	EH06: Carcosa	SL17: Ice	AHC01: Core	MAD20: Core
William Yorick	the Gravedigger	AH06: Innsmouth	EH07: Dream	SL16: Gates	AHC11: Carcosa	MAD20: Core
Wilson Richards	the Handyman	AH02: Dunwich	EH03: Mountains	SL15: Unseen	---	---
Zoey Samaras	the Chef	AH06: Innsmouth	EH04: Strange	SL19: Deep	AHC02: Dunwich	---

†These were originally released in the Mansions of Madness 1st edition core set.

††These were originally released in the Mansions of Madness 1st edition expansions: Forbidden Alchemy and Call of the Wild.

I can't edit the list while at work to include the known AH3 characters (Agnes Baker, Calvin Wright, Daniela Reyes, Jenny Barns, Tommy Muldoon, & Wendy Adams).

If we include promos and novella characters, the lists of missing investigators are:

• Arkham Horror 2e:  7  (1 of which is available as a promo)
• Eldritch Horror:  0
• Elder Sign:  1
• Arkham Horror LCG:  34  (3 are novellas, 1 is a promo)
• Mansions of Madness 2e:  20
• Arkham Horror 3e:  49

[Duciris 1,347]

Honestly, the only time I think about their given race is during conversations like these.  I think about their gender, but just for roleplaying purposes.  I think when I was in high school, I still cared about playing a character matching my gender.  Now, I much rather play a character not of my gender.  Doubly if it's a video game - I prefer listening to the opposite gender speak and grunt as they take damage and jump.

There is an interesting phenomenon I have observed over the last decade in comics.  People often have a specific character, hero or villain, with whom they self identify.  When the characters are reimagined as different genders/races/sexuality, they don't particularly take that well.  It's an internalized view of themselves, and someone else told them (in effect) that they have changed.  People often see them as being aint-whatever, notably anti-gay in regards to Alen Scott (Green Lantern) and Piotr "Peter" Rasputin (Colossus).  I had 2 friends, each self identified as 1 of those characters.  When, in new iterations of the comics, they were written as gay, those friends had very negative reactions.  Neither of these people are anti-gay, in fact 1 of "Colossus's" roommates is gay and "Alan Scott" has marched and organized fund raising events supporting homosexuality.

People often think that the reaction to changing an established character's gender/race/sexuality is opposition to those qualities.  Knowing individuals has given me an insight that I think some of those companies lack: you may create characters and write them and believe that you control them, however, it will be the fans that embody them.

I think the way that FFG has been handling adding characters to the Arkham Files (yes, Calvin was originally a promo character and straight and white) has been the correct way to go about it.  I am hopeful that they will add more characters with more diversity to the games, especially if the alternative is to rewrite these existing characters as something they have never been.

[cheapmate 182]

Wendy Adams appears to be a favorite lately, appearing in the last three core boxes of Arkham Horror Files games.

[cheapmate 182]

On 8/15/2018 at 3:44 AM, iGniGhted said:

i would like the Male Asian character, that sounds awesome.. maybe a rogue, yakuza/triad, since we have 2 asian females that fit the bookworm and martial artist niche.

Or perhaps an Asian male that is not a stereotype, like a pilot or an inspector (like Li Flint from Call of Cthulhu)

[Radix2309 355]

I don't care about race per se, but more their ethnicity or background. We have enough middle-classish white people from Arkham. Show us some different stuff.

Native American, southwest seems likely. Codetalker is just me personally, but it is quickly growin on me.

An Asian male, we don't exactly have a Japanese character yet so I could see a Yakuza member or something.

A South American member from Brazil or Chile maybe. Perhaps a female Bounty Hunter of sorts.

Do we have any Arabic characters? It seems odd that there aren't considering the Necronomicon's origin with the "Mad Arab"

Neither is there an Indian character.

[Eldan985 360]

I'd love to see a Persian or Arabic scholar of mythos lore. One's who's seen a part of the Necronomicon in the original, maybe.

[Hordeoverseer 157]

11 hours ago, cheapmate said:

Or perhaps an Asian male that is not a stereotype, like a pilot or an inspector (like Li Flint from Call of Cthulhu)

Knowing FFG, that art will be re-purposed to an event or skill card than made into a character. RIP Cthulhu LCG characters (other than a few minor exceptions).

Edited August 17, 2018 by Hordeoverseer