Journalism and Bias in the Gaming Industry

[Nonek]

The latter scene of this video would be judged as "problematic" and "dehumanising" as well as racist:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1zjeYhJs7o

 

While good Christian men and women of the time would probably laud his nobility and piety.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Nonek

[GhoulishVisage]

I quite like this scathing look at Gawker's many failings:

Is Gawker destroying itself from the inside? Let's hope so.

 

 

Hypocrisy is too weak a word when it comes to Gawker. It is instead an indisputable pattern of malice and mendacity almost without parallel in the history of media. It is essentially a twelve-year spree of destruction, pain and waste. The sole purpose of the entire repugnant edifice has been to make a single owner fabulously rich and a revolving door of mediocre writers feel important and powerful.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I quite like this scathing look at Gawker's many failings:Is Gawker destroying itself from the inside? Let's hope so.

 

 

 

Hypocrisy is too weak a word when it comes to Gawker. It is instead an indisputable pattern of malice and mendacity almost without parallel in the history of media. It is essentially a twelve-year spree of destruction, pain and waste. The sole purpose of the entire repugnant edifice has been to make a single owner fabulously rich and a revolving door of mediocre writers feel important and powerful.

 

I hope Gawker burns down. Between leaking the script to Hateful Eight(which almost caused us to lose Tarantino's last film) to leaking nudes to doxing every gun owner in NY to this recent **** dragging some random guy through the mud it's been proven time and time again that Gawker is disgusting and malicious.

[Ineth]

lol

 

[aluminiumtrioxid]

I didn't mean it as a "Gotcha!" to aluminumtrioxide, just to show him that the way E3 was reported on this year made it seem that there was a vast change where before there was a dearth of female characters, but they were actually very similar.

 

The article ignores quite a few games (due to its focus on E3) and quite a few factors (like a shift towards the kind of games traditionally marketed to boys having female protagonists), hence my remaining unconvinced.

 

Since, due to not following any gaming news sites, I have no idea what's the difference between the reporting on E3 2014 and 2015, the core argument of the article rang hollow to me.

[Ineth]

Another game dev speaks out:

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Another game dev speaks out:

 

 

That's from last October man.

[Bartimaeus]

JEEZE, fine!



I fixed it.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Bartimaeus

[Ineth]

Oops, you're right.

[Volourn]

Does it matter WHEN it is was sent ONLY that it was sent in the first place?

\

Anti GGers are known to be female hatin' bigots. This is FACT.

[kirottu]

More Terrible Journalism Erupts Over New Video Game Sexism Study. Erik Cain, Forbes.

[kirottu]

Dispelling the myth of not enough diversity in games. By Daniel Vavra.

[unpaquitotequila]

Stop harassing women, kirottu.

[Ineth]

Dispelling the myth of not enough diversity in games. By Daniel Vavra.

 

At some points in the article he gets a little incoherent (e.g. the Britney Spears comparison), but overall it's well worth a read.

 

I think he's dead on regarding the ideological heritage of the "progressive" hipster/SJW movement:

 

I was born and lived up to the age of 15 in communist Czechoslovakia, which was occupied by Soviet forces. Like the vast majority of the population, I had no access to computers, tech, Western literature or movies and couldn’t even learn English. My grandfather’s business was confiscated by the communists. We weren’t allowed to travel to the West or even to most of the “friendly” socialist countries. It was ****ty, and the regime treated us like livestock.

[...]

As someone who experienced at first hand totalitarianism, censorship, lack of freedom and a regime that dictated what people should think, write and create, I utterly abhor any attempt to reintroduce such things in the name of any kind of good intentions. The communist regime also “meant well” and their rhetoric was almost identical to that we hear today from the likes of Jonathan McIntosh and other American progressives.

 

Also, I wonder how our resident SJWs would counter this argument of his:

 

The idea that I would create, for example, a game set in Kenya that the Kenyans would go for is totally inconceivable. Instead, I’d rather create a game about my country and its culture, because that’s what I love, and moreover no one else has yet done it. [...]

I dare say even the Kenyans would like it better than some unintentional parody of their country produced by foreigners. [...]

The Kenyans will just have to make their own game, just like the Poles and we Czechs. Sure it will take some time before that happens, because we in Europe have a head start. But one day it will happen and I look forward to that moment, because I’m interested in authentic works and narratives about foreign cultures, not multicultural, socially engineered hodgepodges created according to quotas.

 

 

More Terrible Journalism Erupts Over New Video Game Sexism Study. Erik Cain, Forbes.

 

Et tu, WaPo?

 

Or take this gem from the Washington Post, which reads “Men who harass women online are quite literally losers, new study finds”

“Some male players, however — the ones who were less-skilled at the game, and performing worse relative their peers — made frequent, nasty comments to the female gamers,” writes the Washington Post’s Caitlin Dewey. ”In other words, sexist dudes are literally losers.”

 

I’ve read the study. Nowhere does it state that men made “frequent, nasty” comments to anyone. But hey, why not just add that to your post because it sounds better? After all, actual journalism including such difficult things as analysis and reading, is so much less fun than screaming about sexism.

 

Also, Kain's observation that it's the mainstream news outlets who reflexively jumped on the study to mine it for their unprofessional anti-gamer hit pieces, whereas the game journos remained cautious about it, is interesting. Maybe GG has had an effect on the journos after all?

Edited July 22, 2015 by Ineth

[Fighter]

I didn't know if I should put it in the "funny things" thread or here. I'll put it here to spare the potential whining from some people.

 

[Barothmuk]

At some points in the article he gets a little incoherent (e.g. the Britney Spears comparison), but overall it's well worth a read.

 

I think he's dead on regarding the ideological heritage of the "progressive" hipster/SJW movement:

 

I was born and lived up to the age of 15 in communist Czechoslovakia, which was occupied by Soviet forces. Like the vast majority of the population, I had no access to computers, tech, Western literature or movies and couldn’t even learn English. My grandfather’s business was confiscated by the communists. We weren’t allowed to travel to the West or even to most of the “friendly” socialist countries. It was ****ty, and the regime treated us like livestock.

[...]

As someone who experienced at first hand totalitarianism, censorship, lack of freedom and a regime that dictated what people should think, write and create, I utterly abhor any attempt to reintroduce such things in the name of any kind of good intentions. The communist regime also “meant well” and their rhetoric was almost identical to that we hear today from the likes of Jonathan McIntosh and other American progressives.

 

Vague enough that it could be applied to any of the censorship and moralisms used by right-wing regimes. Groups will generally try and enforce things that align with their ideology, go figure.

 

Also, I wonder how our resident SJWs would counter this argument of his:

The idea that I would create, for example, a game set in Kenya that the Kenyans would go for is totally inconceivable. Instead, I’d rather create a game about my country and its culture, because that’s what I love, and moreover no one else has yet done it. [...]

I dare say even the Kenyans would like it better than some unintentional parody of their country produced by foreigners. [...]

The Kenyans will just have to make their own game, just like the Poles and we Czechs. Sure it will take some time before that happens, because we in Europe have a head start. But one day it will happen and I look forward to that moment, because I’m interested in authentic works and narratives about foreign cultures, not multicultural, socially engineered hodgepodges created according to quotas.

 

Assuming the theoretical game was made in the west without Kenyan input it'd probably be considered appropriative.

[Ineth]

Vague enough that it could be applied to any of the censorship and moralisms used by right-wing regimes. Groups will generally try and enforce things that align with their ideology, go figure.

 

Authoritarian groups do.

 

But the similarities between the two specific groups he compared, also go further than that. He named the use of a particular set of coded language, as an example.

 

Assuming the theoretical game was made in the west without Kenyan input it'd probably be considered appropriative.

 

So to recap, if a Czech developer makes a game:

0% black characters = exclusionary = racist

100% black characters = appropriative = racist

What would be the exact politically correct percentage?

 

---

 

Unrelated but funny:

 

[BruceVC]

 

 

So to recap, if a Czech developer makes a game:

0% black characters = exclusionary = racist

100% black characters = appropriative = racist

What would be the exact politically correct percentage?

 

---

 

Unrelated but funny:

 

 

   that giraffe pic made me laugh

 

But to answer your question, you  mustn't see this whole thing in absolutes..there are grey areas

 

So in this case the ideal design for a game like Deliverance  would be a predominantly white character world but you should see some African\black characters and can interact with them so they have some identity 

 

This would seem like the most accurate and most reasonable portrayal of the era where there were African people but they were rare....I can't see how this would really dilute the aspired "authentic "  vision of the game?

[Darkpriest]

 

 

 

So to recap, if a Czech developer makes a game:

0% black characters = exclusionary = racist

100% black characters = appropriative = racist

What would be the exact politically correct percentage?

 

---

 

Unrelated but funny:

 

 

   that giraffe pic made me laugh

 

But to answer your question, you  mustn't see this whole thing in absolutes..there are grey areas

 

So in this case the ideal design for a game like Deliverance  would be a predominantly white character world but you should see some African\black characters and can interact with them so they have some identity 

 

This would seem like the most accurate and most reasonable portrayal of the era where there were African people but they were rare....I can't see how this would really dilute the aspired "authentic "  vision of the game?

 

 

How many times people originating from those regions need to remind filthy and ignorant colonials that THERE WERE NO FRIGGING BLACK AFRICANS IN BOHEMIA and FURTHER NORTH...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallus_Anonymus - this guy was on courts, among nobles and also flirting with church hierarchy in regions from Hungary, through Czech kingdom and Kingdom of Poland... That guy did not report a SINGLE appearance of a black/African person in those regions, and I am pretty sure he would, as it would be something noteworthy...

 

Stop forcing modern political agendas on people whose culture was shackled and not represented in any mass form to this day... in fact people from central and eastern Europe are very often mobbed and ridiculed in other countries, including UK, US, Germany, etc. yet, it is ok to do that to them, after all they "are white" so what that they got hit hardest by two world wars, so what that they had to endure the political trade and giving them to Stalin's zone of influence, to appease the Communists after WW2... yeah, no let the same people who betrayed their own values multiple times, school them about their own history...

 

It's as ignorant as thinking that suddenly the modern Western style of democracy and tolerance will be glorified and followed in Middle East and North African countries....

Edited July 26, 2015 by Darkpriest

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

So to recap, if a Czech developer makes a game:

0% black characters = exclusionary = racist

100% black characters = appropriative = racist

What would be the exact politically correct percentage?

 

---

 

Unrelated but funny:

 

 

   that giraffe pic made me laugh

 

But to answer your question, you  mustn't see this whole thing in absolutes..there are grey areas

 

So in this case the ideal design for a game like Deliverance  would be a predominantly white character world but you should see some African\black characters and can interact with them so they have some identity 

 

This would seem like the most accurate and most reasonable portrayal of the era where there were African people but they were rare....I can't see how this would really dilute the aspired "authentic "  vision of the game?

 

 

How many times people originating from those regions need to remind filthy and ignorant colonials that THERE WERE NO FRIGGING BLACK AFRICANS IN BOHEMIA and FURTHER NORTH...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallus_Anonymus - this guy was on courts, among nobles and also flirting with church hierarchy in regions from Hungary, through Czech kingdom and Kingdom of Poland... That guy did not report a SINGLE appearance of a black/African person in those regions, and I am pretty sure he would, as it would be something noteworthy...

 

Stop forcing modern political agendas on people whose culture was shackled and not represented in any mass form to this day... in fact people from central and eastern Europe are very often mobbed and ridiculed in other countries, including UK, US, Germany, etc. yet, it is ok to do that to them, after all they "are white" so what that they got hit hardest by two world wars, so what that they had to endure the political trade and giving them to Stalin's zone of influence, to appease the Communists after WW2... yeah, no let the same people who betrayed their own values multiple times, school them about their own history...

 

It's as ignorant as thinking that suddenly the modern Western style of democracy and tolerance will be glorified and followed in Middle East and North African countries....

 

You seem mad? Why you mad?

 

I'm not sure you right about there being no black people  in that area of Europe ...I thought there was evidence in frescoes and paintings from that time  that were black people?

 

Yes I agree, nowadays East Europeans are vilified unfairly in many countries. In the UK for example there is definitely exaggeration about how Bulgarians, Poles and Romanians are "taking jobs from hard working UK people" ...but I condemn this.

 

So lets not justify one social wrong with another...that is unhelpful 

[Darkpriest]

 

 

 

 

 

So to recap, if a Czech developer makes a game:

0% black characters = exclusionary = racist

100% black characters = appropriative = racist

What would be the exact politically correct percentage?

 

---

 

Unrelated but funny:

 

 

   that giraffe pic made me laugh

 

But to answer your question, you  mustn't see this whole thing in absolutes..there are grey areas

 

So in this case the ideal design for a game like Deliverance  would be a predominantly white character world but you should see some African\black characters and can interact with them so they have some identity 

 

This would seem like the most accurate and most reasonable portrayal of the era where there were African people but they were rare....I can't see how this would really dilute the aspired "authentic "  vision of the game?

 

 

How many times people originating from those regions need to remind filthy and ignorant colonials that THERE WERE NO FRIGGING BLACK AFRICANS IN BOHEMIA and FURTHER NORTH...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallus_Anonymus - this guy was on courts, among nobles and also flirting with church hierarchy in regions from Hungary, through Czech kingdom and Kingdom of Poland... That guy did not report a SINGLE appearance of a black/African person in those regions, and I am pretty sure he would, as it would be something noteworthy...

 

Stop forcing modern political agendas on people whose culture was shackled and not represented in any mass form to this day... in fact people from central and eastern Europe are very often mobbed and ridiculed in other countries, including UK, US, Germany, etc. yet, it is ok to do that to them, after all they "are white" so what that they got hit hardest by two world wars, so what that they had to endure the political trade and giving them to Stalin's zone of influence, to appease the Communists after WW2... yeah, no let the same people who betrayed their own values multiple times, school them about their own history...

 

It's as ignorant as thinking that suddenly the modern Western style of democracy and tolerance will be glorified and followed in Middle East and North African countries....

 

You seem mad? Why you mad?

 

I'm not sure you right about there being no black people  in that area of Europe ...I thought there was evidence in frescoes and paintings from that time  that were black people?

 

Yes I agree, nowadays East Europeans are vilified unfairly in many countries. In the UK for example there is definitely exaggeration about how Bulgarians, Poles and Romanians are "taking jobs from hard working UK people" ...but I condemn this.

 

So lets not justify one social wrong with another...that is unhelpful 

 

 

I am talking about written records... not art pieces which can be motivated by a biblical story or a piece of art from a region further south... Show me the actual written recrods of historians from that time...

 

I've pointed on of the earliest monk historians in that region, who left written records, and there is not a single word about people of other skin color, and trust me, it would be noted. Also, for some reason you do not see the people of color in pieces of art, that would be referring to that particular time period and place... do you see any piece of art at Czech king's court with a black person? Do you see any other painting, be that people, battle, royal/noble court and see a person of color there?

 

I am mad, because ignorant people are responsible for more bad things in the modern world than if they would keep their mouth shut and stop pushing their own agendas... the Middle East is a perfect example of this.

 

And how is depicting actual historical background now "a social wrong"?

 

Also, if you want to find out, how hard it would be for a traveler from Africa to get to that part of Europe... a challenge for you:

 

Start near northern Sudan border by the Nile. your only means of transportation are:

 

1) feet - medieval style shoes or sandals - also no modern clothing, get replicas of clothing from 12 century and use them in your travel.

2) Horseback

3) Sail boat with no motor, but with some rowing boards.

 

The only food you get is the one you catch yourself or at some inn - you do not use modern currency, but try to trade with gold/silver or some sort of barter goods.

 

Do not use English, use some african dialect and maybe latin (that would represent how difficult it was to bypass the barrier of communication)

 

GOOD LUCK - experience early medieval travel to Prague from Sudan. Report once you are done. Important not, disguise as being black

Edited July 26, 2015 by Darkpriest

[GhoulishVisage]

I feel like this is relevant to the current discussion: The War on Creators

Talks about tokenism and creators needing to hit quotas in order to stop people from calling them all sorts of nasty names on social media.

[licketysplit]

Lol @ that giraffe. The above article is spot on. I keep watching over the years as sjw hostility spreads from medium to medium. Depressing.

[Meshugger]

What i am afraid of is that if the liberal minded-people will not call them out on their BS soon enough, it will be amalgamated into society under the name of "tolerance". Thus narrowing the corridor of opinions and pushing normal people into extremist movements because that's the only way they can express themselves outside the narrative.

[Chilloutman]

What i am afraid of is that if the liberal minded-people will not call them out on their BS soon enough, it will be amalgamated into society under the name of "tolerance". Thus narrowing the corridor of opinions and pushing normal people into extremist movements because that's the only way they can express themselves outside the narrative.

 

Yep pretty much this. Actually it already started