Corruption in gaming journalism discussion and update thread. - General

[QUOTE=27X;46212564]Your guess isn't far off... Gawker and RPS get slammed, Gawker starts using their "hard" "news" site to slam GG, and RPS starts posting "OMGHAVEYOUGAIS HERDS OF REPUBIC COWOMANDOS AND DRAK MESSIAHS< THEY AM SOOOO KEEEEWL" Odd. From "gamers are the devil" to "omg have you heard of these super obscure cult games only gamers love to death"... hrm. I'm sure it's just an incredibly coincidental coincidence.[/QUOTE] Its hilarious because not long before that they started up their own little PBS/NPR like begathon for donations.

I interviewed a couple anti-GG's and they said after GG is "dead" (because they believe it is entirely built on harassment and will continue to do so) they would like to start a new movement purely based on ethics in journalism, interestingly. However, they still don't believe that journalists are purposely writing these articles just to taint the name / and or cover their own backs. Will have these interviews in a thing I mentioned earlier.

You probably know that Villena's [URL="https://twitter.com/RogueStarGamez/status/521345295918325760"]interview[/URL] was taken down because of a supposedly [URL="https://twitter.com/RogueStarGamez/status/521327472819052545"]manipulated IRC logs[/URL] (the "lol" and context were cut, apparently), but [URL="https://twitter.com/RogueStarGamez/status/521343899663884288"]he just confirmed he's talking legal action[/URL]. [URL="http://theralphretort.com/sjws-bully-escapist-censoring-gamergate/"]Here another blog post about it.[/URL]

[QUOTE=Swilly;46214983]Its hilarious because not long before that they started up their own little PBS/NPR like begathon for donations.[/QUOTE] RPS has had the donation program for years, though. [url]https://web.archive.org/web/20121108185925/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/supportrps/[/url]

[QUOTE=Wowza!;46215283]RPS has had the donation program for years, though. [url]https://web.archive.org/web/20121108185925/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/supportrps/[/url][/QUOTE] I had heard they were planning it for a few months and that they had a page but they never really advertised it in large.

RPS has had the donator/subscriber feature since 2010/2011 if I recall correctly, but donating and subscribing didn't really give you anything like what they are advertising now ([shitty] rewards!) other than a crappy newsletter. They also hadn't featured the donator/subscriber feature on the site since 2011. It's pretty obvious they had some kind of inclination to suddenly bring the feature back to light, with new stuff (as in, them losing their ad sponsors).

[QUOTE=Te Great Skeeve;46215189]I interviewed a couple anti-GG's and they said after GG is "dead" (because they believe it is entirely built on harassment and will continue to do so) they would like to start a new movement purely based on ethics in journalism, interestingly. However, they still don't believe that journalists are purposely writing these articles just to taint the name / and or cover their own backs. Will have these interviews in a thing I mentioned earlier.[/QUOTE] If it happens the way they think it would, imagine their surprise when they'll be branded as the new harassment campaign!

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzwBUvsIUAEovla.png[/img] [editline]12th October 2014[/editline] also: [url]http://techraptor.net/content/lack-integrity-poor-management-igf[/url] also also: [img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzuDwcACcAAUk8r.jpg[/img]

Not sure I'd call them a "3rd" side but there are obviously people who are interested in 'drama' for drama's sake. It wouldn't surprise me if most of the doxx or threats that have occurred were from these sorts of individuals.

It's the gaming illuminati

[QUOTE=Wii60;46215918]It's the gaming illuminati[/QUOTE] no, savage.

Is there a nice article, summary or video summing up all the ethics and corruption problems without discussing the backlash/stupid misogyny accusations, at least only where directly relevant? Im aware of the IGF, indiecade issues, of course the zoe stuff, the mailing list, TFYC, the censorship issues, i'm probably forgetting a few things though i need easy linkability too. Anti-GG people don't want to watch huge IA videos with tons of things they dont see as relevant and i dont want to have to explain everything issue by issue to people. Also twitter.

It's kind of weird the amount sexism is hounded in games when racism hasn't received anywhere near the same type of treatment. Sure, Call of Duty Ghosts got a lot of bad flack for it, but that game is actually bad. You never saw widespread outcry for games like Just Cause 2, Crysis, Resident Evil 4 (which takes place in Europe but has all of the Spaniards besides Luis voiced by people with Latin American dialects)... why is this? I sympathize with the Feminist frustration with the video game industry. I understand being "sex positive" doesn't mean that you have to be OK with so many female characters being hyper-sexualized despite it not being a part of their personality (Bayonetta or the Queen of Pain). I understand the frustration with stuff like this: [img]http://www.zippygamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/soul-calibur-boobs.jpg[/img] and the frustration that Catwoman in Arkham City ended up looking like this: [thumb]http://86bb71d19d3bcb79effc-d9e6924a0395cb1b5b9f03b7640d26eb.r91.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/batman-arkham-city-catwoman-walkthrough-screenshot.jpg[/thumb] and sounding like she's on molly and orgasming with every line. I agree that this is a problem with the industry. Right now the problem with #gamergate is that as much as it's against corruption and conflicts of interest in journalism, many people using the tag are also taking the stance that feminists that have a problem with the industry are "invalid". This is partly the fault of people like Anita Sarkeesian who get seen as the personification of feminism in relation to video games even though she's a terrible representation and not even close to competent. It's also very much a reaction to people in journalism pushing feminism in completely misleading ways and seeing problems in some places where they clearly don't exist (which is part of the corruption). But for people who do see these sort of issues where they happen, and see so many pro-GG people dismissing them completely, I can kind of see why some people might not believe us when we say that GG is only about fighting corruption in game journalism.

wow. [url]https://8chan.co/gg/res/95831.html[/url] this fucking thread. "So it looks like a Brazilian journalist is behind the latest Anita threats." [quote]I am the one who originally baited him and got his IP. user @sacc who the OP lists was just copying my info. I have been working with someone who speaks portuegese & I am 99 percent sure the guy is the blog poster, theres just too much evidence[/quote] [quote]>>96119 After seeing this jackass threaten LW2 & hastag gamergate along with porn, I I baited him with an IP tracker 3 times. All 3 reports show up with a Brazil IP and the 3rd bait attempt I made the destination page an page error. The 3rd log shows the page being accessed twice, a minute after I tweeted them so he must have reloaded it. LW2ofJesus lists the Brazilian website [url]https://archive.today/p4ECj[/url] with an article calling out LW2, written by Mateus Prado Sousa. His personal twitter account listed in the article is @CelebrinandoRJ an account that had been reported by LW2 and banned earlier today after engaging her about #GGC14, which is a common element in LW2ofJesus' tweets. He also has been called out for behavior over the past few days, and complain about Sarkeesian on twitter but can view his tweets because of blocked. He also engaged Leigh Alexander who LW2ofjesus also calls out in his threats. [url]http://imgur.com/z3Osz7z[/url] [url]https://archive.today/2E71Y[/url] I posted his name on a tweet of his and after that he gave up for the night right after posting this [url]http://imgur.com/dcOQhyN[/url] I realize this is not concrete proof but my suspicion is it was him or a friend of his, person from a forum where he frequents or reader of his article from Brazil. Its also weird why he would list his own article on the twitter but who knows.[/quote] [quote]that's from last night, in addition since then I have found at least 10 other twitter accounts linked to him that are all suspended, I baited him again but this time got a different IP, same exact location though. He also denied that is was Mattues prado Sousa and said Matteus was a famous journalist in brazil, which he is not.[/quote] "LW2" btw is the filter for Anita.

[QUOTE=Helix Snake;46216024] and the frustration that Catwoman in Arkham City ended up looking like this: [thumb]http://86bb71d19d3bcb79effc-d9e6924a0395cb1b5b9f03b7640d26eb.r91.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/batman-arkham-city-catwoman-walkthrough-screenshot.jpg[/thumb] and sounding like she's on molly and orgasming with every line. I agree that this is a problem with the industry. Right now the problem with #gamergate is that as much as it's against corruption and conflicts of interest in journalism, many people using the tag are also taking the stance that feminists that have a problem with the industry are "invalid". This is partly the fault of people like Anita Sarkeesian who get seen as the personification of feminism in relation to video games even though she's a terrible representation and not even close to competent. It's also very much a reaction to people in journalism pushing feminism in completely misleading ways and seeing problems in some places where they clearly don't exist (which is part of the corruption). But for people who do see these sort of issues where they happen, and see so many pro-GG people dismissing them completely, I can kind of see why some people might not believe us when we say that GG is only about fighting corruption in game journalism.[/QUOTE] Hooold on. Catwoman has always been like that. She's a femme fatale, that's literally how they operate. They're powerful in their sexuality, everyone forgets that Batman(and by extension Gotham City) are very very very Film Noir. Most of the women in the rogue's gallery for Batman are all femme fatale, they've always been sexualized, its the fact that they have character traits beyond those that make them some of the best female villians in any comic book universe. Fuck's sake, Catwoman's clothes in Arkham City are way less show off then they were in the Animated Series where she was literally in body spandex that showed off every curve. [img]http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120706113016/batman/images/0/0e/Catwoman_Warner_Animation.jpg[/img] [B]THERE'S A FUCKING CAMEL TOE.[/B] My point is that when you go into the comic book world, literally everyone or most are wearing skin tight spandex that show off everything and are usually in provocative positions.

the shills are in full force on 8chan, requesting anita nudes, spamming koz's youtube link, feminist and women hate while claiming to be in support of gamergate, anita rape threats and hate, spamming links like crazy on every thread, etc. a lot of false flag shit. its miserable. doing what i can to report threads but its too much. if you browse 8chan, please do your part.

I'm expecting a nice juicy article coming out from the anti-GG journalists over this. All part of their plan. Either that or it's all part of the supposed "third party" plan.

[QUOTE=TheJoey;46216218]"LW2" btw is the filter for Anita.[/QUOTE] This. This annoys the ever living fuck out of me. Who the hell is anyone trying to fool? Do people think someone in this would not pick up on who these people are from this? And the argument "Well it doesn't give them attention!" is garbage too. If they saw it they'd know full well, its about them after all and there are enough details and history that it would take ten seconds to figure out. You think that if a journalist saw it they wouldn't pretty quickly pick up on it? The only people that won't pick up on it are people who have seen next to nothing at all of the last two months and are just passing over. Everyone else gets it. So what the hell is the point? Its like reading a crap espionage novel.

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;46216516]This. This annoys the ever living fuck out of me. Who the hell is anyone trying to fool? Do people think someone in this would not pick up on who these people are from this? And the argument "Well it doesn't give them attention!" is garbage too. If they saw it they'd know full well, its about them after all and there are enough details and history that it would take ten seconds to figure out. You think that if a journalist saw it they wouldn't pretty quickly pick up on it? The only people that won't pick up on it are people who have seen next to nothing at all of the last two months and are just passing over. Everyone else gets it. So what the hell is the point? Its like reading a crap espionage novel.[/QUOTE] the mods did it for shits and giggle, just like how "Anonymous" is instead "The Leader of Gamergate", don't look to deeply into it

So I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Jonathan McIntosh (The writer for Anita's videos) has apparently taken up the old Jack Thompson cause and started attacking violent video games in addition to sexualized ones. This sounds like a good way to burn your bridges with the AAA market to me.

[QUOTE=No_0ne;46216603]the mods did it for shits and giggle, just like how "Anonymous" is instead "The Leader of Gamergate", don't look to deeply into it[/QUOTE]The problem is people do it outside of 8chan though. People do it in this thread for some reason. [editline]12th October 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Aredbomb;46216666]So I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Jonathan McIntosh (The writer for Anita's videos) has apparently taken up the old Jack Thompson cause and started attacking violent video games in addition to sexualized ones. This sounds like a good way to burn your bridges with the AAA market to me.[/QUOTE]Good, let him. Just adds more stones to their chests.

[QUOTE=Aredbomb;46216666]So I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Jonathan McIntosh (The writer for Anita's videos) has apparently taken up the old Jack Thompson cause and started attacking violent video games in addition to sexualized ones. This sounds like a good way to burn your bridges with the AAA market to me.[/QUOTE] I'll make sure to behead someone with the PTRS-41 in Red Orchestra 2, gib someone in Quake 1, snap an Arachnoid's neck in Serious Sam 3, and chainsaw an Imp in Doom in his honor.

[QUOTE=Aredbomb;46216666]So I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but Jonathan McIntosh (The writer for Anita's videos) has apparently taken up the old Jack Thompson cause and started attacking violent video games in addition to sexualized ones. This sounds like a good way to burn your bridges with the AAA market to me.[/QUOTE] Good. That'll show that Anita&Co's arguments are exactly the same as Thompson's arguments. Which means they're shit non-arguments.

I've written this somewhere else, but they're not shit non-arguments. Games do influence the way you behave in more ways than one, that's the purpose of all art, as Alan Moore says: [video=youtube;S3w2QjCIgJA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3w2QjCIgJA[/video] While I agree that games don't suddenly make people serial killers, they do change our perceptions about society. This is very clear when you consider that people treat sex and violence very very differently (although this is a problem with all media not only games). People are extremely desensitized to violence while being extremely sensitized to sex. This didn't happen immediately at some point in time, but for whatever reason more violence was accepted in traditional media and so today we can digest violence more than we can sex in that setting. There's another argument that shows an inconsistency with these issues and it has to do with virtual children. Sexualized virtual children (lolis) are not accepted by most people, I'd guess most people here don't think that those things should exist. The argument goes that that type of media is only consumed by pedophiles and that it aids them in their behavior. However, displays of violence towards virtual children seem to be widely accepted as normal: [video=youtube;ialZcLaI17Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ialZcLaI17Y[/video] It either is the case that media influences people in their behavior and ends up encouraging that behavior or it isn't. There are times when it seems to be and there are times when it seems to not be. How arbitrary is this and how can you tell when that's actually true and when it isn't?

Jesus christ Jonathon McIntosh is such an insufferable prick. His Twitter is filled with pseudo-intellectual bullshit and idiotic "you're either with us or against us" nonsense. He needs a giant slap to the face or stuffed into a locker because he is the definition of a know-it-all jackass.

[QUOTE][IMG]http://www.zippygamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/soul-calibur-boobs.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] My question is: How is this a problem to the world? How does this hurt women, and why does it need to be fought against? Yes, it might be dumb; might be stupid choices from a character design standpoint to make her wear less, but again, how is it sexist to the point where it affects the real world? It's not implying that all women need to wear less, it's not insinuating that all women are sex objects. These are things that fans of the series have gripes about, and rightly so if they think it's wrong. But why is the gradual sexualization of a fictional character a topic that the whole of feminism needs to battle, as opposed to actual inequality happening in reality?

[QUOTE=Doom64hunter;46217299]My question is: How is this a problem to the world? How does this hurt women, and why does it need to be fought against? Yes, it might be dumb; might be stupid choices from a character design standpoint to make her wear less, but again, how is it sexist to the point where it affects the real world? It's not implying that all women need to wear less, it's not insinuating that all women are sex objects. These are things that fans of the series have gripes about, and rightly so if they think it's wrong. But why is the gradual sexualization of a fictional character a topic that the whole of feminism needs to battle, as opposed to actual inequality happening in reality?[/QUOTE] I believe the argument is that by pandering to the male customers, which sexualizing female characters supposedly does, they alienate the female customers by making them uncomfortable, or something to that effect.

[QUOTE=Doom64hunter;46217299] But why is the gradual sexualization of a fictional character a topic that the whole of feminism needs to battle, as opposed to actual inequality happening in reality?[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_relative_privation[/url] You're using the same arguments anti-GG uses about video games.

[QUOTE=Raidyr;46217324][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_relative_privation[/url] You're using the same arguments anti-GG uses about video games.[/QUOTE] The difference is that I don't just argue that there's worse problems, I'm also stating that it's a non-issue. If the public became more sexist by playing a game where characters are heavily sexualised, then why shouldn't the old Jack Thompson argument of "violent games make people violent" also be valid? In addition, we don't know if the majority of all female gamers are alienated by design choices like these. Assuming that they are is mainly speculation.

[QUOTE=Helix Snake;46216024]I understand the frustration with stuff like this: [img]http://www.zippygamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/soul-calibur-boobs.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] According to the Soul Calibur wiki, this is the story on her physical appearance. [quote]For the beginning of Soul Edge, Sophitia was a young girl with pale skin, green eyes, and long, braided blonde hair. Over the years, she grew up from a brave teenager into a caring, protective mother. During her creation, designers focused on maintaining an innocent appearance for her face, to give the character a sense of feeling fresh and young.[/quote] Okay, their excuse for the breasts is that she became a mother throughout the series I'm assuming. Doesn't explain the scantily clad armor, that's for sure. I never really played the games otherwise. I haven't really played that many games where women are sexualized, actually. Maybe that's why I don't pay much attention to it.