Familiarity and RP

[McNeo]

Out of all the vanilla houses root nations (America, Britain, Japan and Germany), I have the least respect for America. Britain, Japan and Germany all have illustrious histories, rich in culture, technological prowess, and that old measure of superiority, conquest. America, on the other hand, is simply part of the history of major European nations. Yet my favoured house by the amount of play-time and commitment is Liberty. The French also have a rich history, but (at least the perception is that) it is more superfluous than their other European counterparts. They also tend not to stay the course in conflicts that have the potential to have a profound affect on the world order...

I believe that many feel slightly uneasy in roleplaying in Kusari, simply for the fact that it is the only Eastern culture recognised by the game, or even the mod. Sure, I've seen a few Chinese characters here and there in the SCRA particularly, but Eastern culture is almost like alien culture if you look beyond the surface. You either have the confidence and knowledge to go there, learn and play, or not, and stick to the other regions. Further to what Akura said, it would take Kusari being conquered to adapt to a new language and new culture, much like Japan has done after being defeated by America. Without such a defeat, the culture never would have changed, but even now, it is its own distinct country with its own distinct tastes. Anime, work ethic, society and public service provision are all examples of Japanese (and perhaps Asian in general) cultural contrast with the West.

Of course our individual knowledge has an affect on the choices that we make. That's not a bad thing, but if you want to go out of your comfort zone without being shouted at for getting it totally wrong, it requires a bit of study. For a game, that's a big ask.