we're making a small, gentle video game (kal's valley) where families from many backgrounds have resettled a green valley after a long drought. one of the characters is Lebanese: mira (lebanese; her grandmother is teta). we want someone who is Lebanese - or grew up with it - to read their lines and tell us whether anything is wrong, odd, stereotyped or disrespectful, and what would make them feel more real.
all text in the game is lowercase on purpose (a style choice). the valley is vegetarian (family recipes are adapted). the game shows heritage quietly, through food, words and objects, not explanations.
about the character:
Heritage: Lebanese. She brought her teta's za'atar up from the city for the valley's bread.
Who: an engineer from the city grid office, visiting.
the lines (one per row, as they appear in the game):
- mira - city grid office. i came up to see the show... and then there wasn't one.
- the city runs on the valleys' sun. we never send any back.
- there's a relay outside my office in the city - the tram'll take you down. switch it through. i'll square it with the others.
- that's the city's power running up the valley. about time.
- ...is wren - does she still keep the greenhouse? is she well?
- take these. teta's thyme, for za'atar. it never did well on a city sill.
- bram wrote the papers i learned the grid from. don't tell him.
- i brought my teta's za'atar up from the city. the valley's bread needed it.
- everything in the city's so big. you can't mend any of it by hand.
- the city keeps asking me when. i tell them: when the lane's full.
- half the city's waiting on a supper. i love that.
- i'll be at the overlook. next to wren, if she'll have me.
- i'm staying. wren needs a hand with the beans. ...and i missed her.
- back up from the city? it's on your coat. hot metal, wet concrete.
- nobody eats at a desk up here. i'm still learning that.
- it rains and nobody runs. in the city everyone runs.
- in the city a dry week's a number on a screen. here it's a bed.
- the city has a warehouse of those. none of them charged.
- ...is wren about? no. never mind.
- bram built that? the city never made anything so cheerful.
- last tram soon. every evening i nearly miss it.
- the office thinks i'm at a meeting. it's sort of true.
- in the city i'd have a report on this by now. here i just watch.
please send back (text):
- your connection to the culture (e.g. 'telugu, grew up in hyderabad' - no personal details needed)
- anything wrong or off: words, names (amma, tata, teta, lola...), dishes, customs, how family members are addressed - quote the line and say what you'd change
- anything that feels stereotyped or like a tourist's view
- 1-3 small, specific details that would make this family feel more real (a word, a habit, an object, a dish)
it's fine to say 'this all feels right' if it does - but please say why.