I think Trinity is a good example of a humanistic game (and Aberrant to a lesser degree).  The psionic orders and Aeon Trinity seek to help the common man (or at least they say they do).  Novas/Aberrants got out of control, but psions are not as powerful, so they have to work with other psions to defeat Aberrants/perform "miracles" for the populace, etc.  It's been discovered (by very few) that the Doyen (alien benefactors of the psionic orders) had been mentally affecting the earth's populace to go along with the psionic orders and basically to hold them as heroes (pretty much no matter what they did).  I doubt any but the highest echelons of the psionic orders knew about this alien help.  The regular "blue-collar" members of the Orders sincerely believe that they are doing what is best for the world through their working in the Orders.  That's pretty noble.  That's pretty humanistic to a degree.

I'll second what some others have pointed out.

The new World of Darkness core game is concerned with mortal investigators encountering and dealing with supernatural conspiracies and occult threats to humanity. The core game assumes that these folks don't have any extraordinary powers themselves (though subsequent products allow for that option).

Mage: The Awakening posits that spiritual enlightenment is, at least in theory, the birthright of all humans.

Promethean: The Created is about artificial constructs that want more than anything to be regular humans, a prize for which they are all too happy to trade their supernatural powers.

The upcoming Changeling: The Lost is about regular folk who would like very much to get back to their old lives from before they were abducted by otherworldly beings, but that normal life has been stolen away and can't be returned to so easily.

Actually, despite their similarity, core WoD is far more pro-humanity than CoC. True to its source material, the latter assumes that human civilization and all its achievements are ultimately meaningless and don't amount to a dust mote in a cosmos of tentacled gods and alien races. It's Nihilism: The Inevitable. It's fun and all, but long-term games really start to wear on you.

I'm also unconvinced about L5R, since the default player types assume samurai-caste and therefore some sort of divine ancestry (to justify why you're lording it over the serfs and the untouchables). If you're playing the Kolat, then there's definitely a pro-humanity stance, but they're traditionally portrayed as villains in the core game.

WFRP, on the other hand, is a good example. It hardly paints a beautiful picture of humanity, but they're no worse than any other race. And the career system really drives home the "average guys going on adventures" theme, since you can start as a rat-catcher or bone-picker or a nobody apprentice. In fact, you don't really have much of a choice in the matter, but by adventuring you have the chance to take your life into your own hands to some extent.

Quote from: Black FlagMage: The Awakening posits that spiritual enlightenment is, at least in theory, the birthright of all humans.

That's no different from Mage: The Ascension, though: the Avatar within any human being could awaken, and it was the principle of the Traditions that all were entitled to enlightenment.

Quote from: GrimGentThat's no different from Mage: The Ascension, though: the Avatar within any human being could awaken, and it was the principle of the Traditions that all were entitled to enlightenment.

But Flag didn't like consensual reality.

Quote from: Thanatos02But Flag didn't like consensual reality.

...Which at least in the context of this thread is slightly oddish, since that consensual reality is precisely what made the setting of old Mage anthropocentric. The universe literally revolved around humanity.

Quote from: teckno72I think Trinity is a good example of a humanistic game (and Aberrant to a lesser degree).  The psionic orders and Aeon Trinity seek to help the common man (or at least they say they do).  Novas/Aberrants got out of control, but psions are not as powerful, so they have to work with other psions to defeat Aberrants/perform "miracles" for the populace, etc.  It's been discovered (by very few) that the Doyen (alien benefactors of the psionic orders) had been mentally affecting the earth's populace to go along with the psionic orders and basically to hold them as heroes (pretty much no matter what they did).  I doubt any but the highest echelons of the psionic orders knew about this alien help.  The regular "blue-collar" members of the Orders sincerely believe that they are doing what is best for the world through their working in the Orders.  That's pretty noble.  That's pretty humanistic to a degree.

Well, Aberrant isn't about playing normal humans, but it at least put some focus on the issues about how novas treat and interact with normal humans.  

I would say that it isn't humanistic, though, in the sense that it leaves this open.  It's pretty easy to run a game which is patronizing of humanity -- i.e. where Team Tomorrow knows what is best for humanity and their problem was just corruption within the ranks (as opposed to a basic flaw in their approach).  Then again, this is true of a lot of games.  Whether the PCs are superheroes or adventurers, they are the elite who protect the masses but are not subject to them.  

In my opinion, the view in Aberrant is slightly biased against a human empowering view.  The Teragen separatists are shown as monsters who have only a glimmer of justification, while Team Tomorrow are the flawed but great heroes.

Quote from: GrimGent...Which at least in the context of this thread is slightly oddish, since that consensual reality is precisely what made the setting of old Mage anthropocentric. The universe literally revolved around humanity.

It might be odd in the context of the thread but, not to put words in Black Flag's mouth, this particular issue seems to be one of personal preferance and not (specifically) if the game is humanocentric or not.

Question for the general populace: is it better for a game to be humanocentric then not? Is it bad for it to not be humanocentric? Is there anything inherantly good about humans? Or, is the degree a game is or is not preoccupied with humanocentrism ethically and morally neutral?

Quote from: Thanatos02Question for the general populace: is it better for a game to be humanocentric then not? Is it bad for it to not be humanocentric? Is there anything inherantly good about humans? Or, is the degree a game is or is not preoccupied with humanocentrism ethically and morally neutral?

I normally couldn't give two shits about the humanocentricism (or lack thereof) of a game.  It just doesn't register to me as important when selecting a game to play, or if it does it must be on a highly unconscious level.  I'll venture out on a limb and say that from my observation most of my extended gaming group (that is, gamers who don't hang out on the internet) don't really examine that aspect of a potential game, either.

Then how do you tell if they're humanity hating Swine or not?

Quote from: Thanatos02Then how do you tell if they're humanity hating Swine or not?

If they're people I associate with, I just assume they probably are.

There was a science fiction story that I remember reading  years ago that touched on this topic.

 It was probably written in the late 60s or early 1970s, but set a decade or so later.
A group of aliens land on Earth in their spacecraft. Everyone gets all excited - because they are peaceful pleasant and quite willing to be friends with humanity. The aliens ask to look over the history records of mankind and seem quite fascinated by it all.
 They negotiate a trade trewaty and an embassy ....then a contest is had for humans to travel back to the homeworld of the aliens.  Six or seven people win or are chosen.

 After a long journey they arrive at the home planet of the Aliens. One of the people from Earth says that  "Mankind also has many problems, and even lived with the threat of self-annilhation because of nuclear weapons for 40 or 50 years...but thankfully we didn't pull that trigger"

 The lead Alien pauses when the man said that, then shows the human a view of the planet they are approaching.
Their home planet is scarred by many creaters...the atmosphere looks polluted, the seas are the wrong color ...the ruins of dozens of major cities can be seen.

 The leader Alien then says : "We didn't manage your success. Could you please teach us how to do better?"

 I wish I remembered the name of the story. It might have been in F&SF or ANALOG . It was less than 10 pages in length.

 Imagine putting a role playing game in that setting. Humans given the gift of intersteller travel - as long as they teach another race whar humans have done RIGHT  compared to them.

- Ed C.

Quote from: BrantaiIf they're people I associate with, I just assume they probably are.

I knew you'd say that.

Seriously. It's creepy.

Quote from: Thanatos02I knew you'd say that.

Seriously. It's creepy.

Wouldn't be the first time, almost certainly won't be the last.  Just keep an eye on me in case I decide to kill you and steal your life.

Dungeons & Dragons: A meritocracy where humans can go kick some orcish ass.

WHFRP: This game is a little too grim to be "yay, humanity!", but you can be a regular joe, and make a difference.

d20 Iron Lords of Jupiter: You can be a regular human if you want, in this mini-game of exciting, pulpy goodness.

Quote from: BrantaiWouldn't be the first time, almost certainly won't be the last.  Just keep an eye on me in case I decide to kill you and steal your life.

Heh. The joke would be on you, wouldn't it?