Journalism and Bias in the Gaming Industry

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I know of click-bait with news services.Is click-Tweet a thing? Because McIntosh's tweets always sound like things calculated to make people redistribute his tweets.

I'd say yes. It seems to me a big portion of the.."anti-GG media types", for lack of a better term, largely rely on outrage and controversy to sell their brand. Making wacky statements such as that are bound to get a reaction and drives angry clicks and solidarity retweets and clicks(mostly the latter due to archives) to the media type's twitter account or media outlet.

[Nonek]

Or more importantly their begging accounts.

[Zoraptor]

 

The queer masculinity of stealth games.

 

In games, men's bodies often represent brute strength. Stealth games are the focal point for an alternative masculinity: sleek, illusory, sensitive, and self-reflective.

 

http://boingboing.net/2015/09/07/the-queer-masculinity-of-steal.html

 

Well looking at the epitome of stealth in PC games, the Thief Garret, I neither see illusory, sensitive or self reflective qualities. Sleek mayhap as a pre-requisite for his occupation, but he is ideally not seen enough to be illusory, he is perhaps one of the most insensitive and straightforward of protagonists, and the only thing he usually reflects on is how much he can earn from a given endeavour, and how much recreation and rent that can afford him.

 

 

He is an anti-hero with quite deliberate and exaggerated emphasis on the hero for all that, and does save the world three times. He probably does count as sensitive and self reflective if you use Duke Nukem or the marine from Doom as a comparison, just not if you use a normal well adjusted human being.

 

Anti heroes are a woefully under utilised character type in pretty much all media, unfortunately.

[GhoulishVisage]

Didn't you know that Duke Nukem and Marcus Fenix are the standard by which all male characters are defined?

[Volourn]

"Anti heroes are a woefully under utilised character type in pretty much all media, unfortunately."

 

Kiddin' right? They're everywhere.

[Fighter]

GG happening is just some kind of dark comedy now and not real life. So there is some kind of crazy troll that was arrested for terrorism because he impersonated a jihadi on twitter and made suggestions to perform a terrorist act. Turns out this guy, using another alter ego, made some pro GG posts using the hashtag.

 

So naturally Brianna Wu jumped on it.

 

 

...because of course she did. Others did too. Because... of course they did.

 

And then in a specular fit of cosmic irony we find that this guy had another alter ego named Tanya Cohen who Brianna Wu followed on twitter, exchanged DMs with, and who wrote this:

 

Click!

 

I don't even know how is this real life anymore. They are a parody of themselves and we are living in their movie.

 

Edit:

 

"Actually it's about ethics in games journalism" ~ BW

 

 

And the irony flows like a torrent.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Fighter

[aluminiumtrioxid]

 

The queer masculinity of stealth games.

 

In games, men's bodies often represent brute strength. Stealth games are the focal point for an alternative masculinity: sleek, illusory, sensitive, and self-reflective.

 

http://boingboing.net/2015/09/07/the-queer-masculinity-of-steal.html

 

Well looking at the epitome of stealth in PC games, the Thief Garret, I neither see illusory, sensitive or self reflective qualities.

 

 

I think it refers to the things you're supposed to do in the game, not to the main character's personality.

[Fighter]

Another thing. I've got my own issues with Milo. But...

 

 

Aaaaaaaaaaahahaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

 

Also this is about ethics in journalism.

[Blarghagh]

My god. The sheer irony. The universe can barely contain such perfection.

[Volourn]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAQHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHEHHHAHAHAHAHAH!

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

So this guy trolled everyone he could?

[Fighter]

Yep. His alter egos even argued with each other.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Looks like someone managed to top Elfwick then.

[GhoulishVisage]

Yeah. People have been trying to paint him as "that terrorist GG supporter" all day because he tweeted in the tag a few times months ago, but he also wrote anti-GG articles for the Daily Kos and Feministing, pretended to be a member of ISIS, a Jewish Lawyer, a feminist writer, a white supremicist on Stormfront...

Basically I think it confirms the theory that the truly nasty people in this thing are neither GG or aGG, just third-party trolls who like to see people get upset.

 

 

Just someone who likes to see conflict.

 

 

Looks like someone managed to top Elfwick then.

 

Elfwick is a harmless guy who just likes to give people a bit of ribbing. Goldberg was far more malicious in his actions.

Edited September 12, 2015 by GhoulishVisage

[Fighter]

In a perfect world being so hilariously caught with their pants down would teach them a lesson and force to express some humility.

 

But they are crazy and those who aren't let them run free completely unchallenged. I've never been of a lower opinion about their "progressive" clique than I am these past few day. These people who are well spoken and write articles and give talks and sit on panels and go on TV... time and time again just... I don't even know how to describe it... would become these unreal caricatures instead of admitting the sky is blue because they've been saying it's pink.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Fighter

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Is Jonah Goldberg his real name? It sounds like something out of /pol/'s fever dream.

[Nonek]

 

 

The queer masculinity of stealth games.

 

In games, men's bodies often represent brute strength. Stealth games are the focal point for an alternative masculinity: sleek, illusory, sensitive, and self-reflective.

 

http://boingboing.net/2015/09/07/the-queer-masculinity-of-steal.html

 

Well looking at the epitome of stealth in PC games, the Thief Garret, I neither see illusory, sensitive or self reflective qualities.

 

 

I think it refers to the things you're supposed to do in the game, not to the main character's personality.

 

 

Breaking and entering for Garret is hardly a non invasive, pacifistic passtime, and his clubbing of guards and destruction of the Undead is hardly non violent. Sam Fisher is a trained wetworks operative, he is not only strong but extremely violent and probably borderline psychotic, once again the article is attributing qualities that are not there. As for Adam Jenssen a mechanically augmented superbeing who never runs out of energy, i'm sorry but stating that he is what the author wishes him to be is simply untrue.

 

I realise that the author wishes to be special, and to depict themselves as a victim, when facing situations almost every man, woman and child has faced, but the stealth fantasy they're indulging in is not borne out by the reality of the games they cite.

 

Edit: In fact thinking on it further i'd say that the gentleman would be far better suited with a protagonist such as Raziel from the Legacy of Kain games, ethereal, unkillable, beauty corrupted, virtue shattered and genitalia purged away in the betrayal by his master/father Kain. Seems far more suitable to what he is looking for.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Nonek

[Meshugger]

Is Jonah Goldberg his real name? It sounds like something out of /pol/'s fever dream.

 

The was also trolling on reddit as nazi called "European88" all while helping the Jihadists with another account. He also admitted being the guy that altered Ben Garrison's libertanian comics into anti-semite, racists ones instead. So much that Garrison went to 8chan and asked them for help to track the guy down.

 

So this Goldberg fella is pretty much all the prejudices combined on what /pol/ has about jews. The thread about him is a sticky to one's surprise.

[Meshugger]

A whole lot of people are voicing their support for Sarah "i like to **** dogs and children" Nyberg http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/09/12/meet-the-progressives-defending-gamergate-critic-sarah-nyberg/

 

While it sounds completely incomprehensive at first, but then we have to remember that supporters such as Polygon's Tuariq Moosa are advocating necrophilia: http://bigthink.com/think-tank/is-necrophilia-wrong

Edited September 13, 2015 by Meshugger

[Fighter]

I don't appreciate the gloating in GG about it or Milo's dumb pedo jokes. Would rather it would be handled somberly with no unnecessary drama.

 

But the complete denial of uncomfortable information is the other thing that made me lose any faith in the 'social justice' clique. These are the same people that jump on 'offensive' jokes at the faintest pretext. But Nyberg being an absolute creep, even if it were a joke (and it even remotely doesn't come off as a joke), and suddenly:

 

 

The least they can do is not say anything. So much for fairness and social justice.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

 

 

 

The queer masculinity of stealth games.

 

In games, men's bodies often represent brute strength. Stealth games are the focal point for an alternative masculinity: sleek, illusory, sensitive, and self-reflective.

 

http://boingboing.net/2015/09/07/the-queer-masculinity-of-steal.html

 

Well looking at the epitome of stealth in PC games, the Thief Garret, I neither see illusory, sensitive or self reflective qualities.

 

 

I think it refers to the things you're supposed to do in the game, not to the main character's personality.

 

 

Breaking and entering for Garret is hardly a non invasive, pacifistic passtime, and his clubbing of guards and destruction of the Undead is hardly non violent. 

 

 

Sleek, illusory and, while sensitive is not a good word, perceptive, though? Sure, I'm willing to use those words for what most stealth games seem to value.

 

I mean, I think it's hardly debatable that there's a certain elegance to stealth games (and their protagonists) which is definitely lacking in comparison from shooters (and their protagonists). Or, hell, even from third person slasher thingies (I have no idea what to call the genre of the DMC and God of War series). I don't think the statement "Corvo/Sam Fisher/Snake/Garret represent a different expression of male identity than, say, Marcus Fenix/Duke Nukem/Kratos/Dante" is in any way controversial, or, you know, not self-evident. A resounding "well, duh" would be a more appropriate reaction to the article than the flailing some people have exhibited, methinks.

 

 

Sam Fisher is a trained wetworks operative, he is not only strong but extremely violent and probably borderline psychotic

 

I kind of stopped following the series after the first few installments, but that doesn't sound like the Sam Fisher I remember...

 

 

Adam Jenssen a mechanically augmented superbeing who never runs out of energy

 

There's an interesting debate to be had around that question. Intriguingly, while I agree with you to an extent (mechanically augmented body = good), I've heard people (not social justice-adjacent people, to boot!) argue that Jensen's augmentation was wrong, because he wasn't given a choice in the matter and the augmentations were more extensive than needed, thus implying that augmented capacity in itself is not an unequivocal positive in the eyes of everybody.

 

And, well, let's not forget the context of those augmentations either: they're not an upgrade, they've been installed to restore functionality to a thoroughly broken and non-functional body. It's hard to see them as an expression of strength in that context. YMMV, of course.

 

As for "never runs out of energy", we've clearly been playing different games, because I distinctly remember a lot of sitting around in a cover, waiting for my single self-regenerating cell to finally finish recharging, especially in the earlier part of the game where energy bars are somewhat scarce (for inventory management reasons, if nothing else), and you don't yet have the upgrades that let you regain your energy faster.

 

 

ethereal, unkillable, beauty corrupted, virtue shattered and genitalia purged away

 

...Cheap shot much?

[Malcador]

Ah, good comedy.

[Nonek]

 

 

Breaking and entering for Garret is hardly a non invasive, pacifistic passtime, and his clubbing of guards and destruction of the Undead is hardly non violent.

 

 

Sleek, illusory and, while sensitive is not a good word, perceptive, though? Sure, I'm willing to use those words for what most stealth games seem to value.

 

I mean, I think it's hardly debatable that there's a certain elegance to stealth games (and their protagonists) which is definitely lacking in comparison from shooters (and their protagonists). Or, hell, even from third person slasher thingies (I have no idea what to call the genre of the DMC and God of War series). I don't think the statement "Corvo/Sam Fisher/Snake/Garret represent a different expression of male identity than, say, Marcus Fenix/Duke Nukem/Kratos/Dante" is in any way controversial, or, you know, not self-evident. A resounding "well, duh" would be a more appropriate reaction to the article than the flailing some people have exhibited, methinks.

 

 

Sam Fisher is a trained wetworks operative, he is not only strong but extremely violent and probably borderline psychotic

 

I kind of stopped following the series after the first few installments, but that doesn't sound like the Sam Fisher I remember...

 

 

Adam Jenssen a mechanically augmented superbeing who never runs out of energy

 

There's an interesting debate to be had around that question. Intriguingly, while I agree with you to an extent (mechanically augmented body = good), I've heard people (not social justice-adjacent people, to boot!) argue that Jensen's augmentation was wrong, because he wasn't given a choice in the matter and the augmentations were more extensive than needed, thus implying that augmented capacity in itself is not an unequivocal positive in the eyes of everybody.

 

And, well, let's not forget the context of those augmentations either: they're not an upgrade, they've been installed to restore functionality to a thoroughly broken and non-functional body. It's hard to see them as an expression of strength in that context. YMMV, of course.

 

As for "never runs out of energy", we've clearly been playing different games, because I distinctly remember a lot of sitting around in a cover, waiting for my single self-regenerating cell to finally finish recharging, especially in the earlier part of the game where energy bars are somewhat scarce (for inventory management reasons, if nothing else), and you don't yet have the upgrades that let you regain your energy faster.

 

 

ethereal, unkillable, beauty corrupted, virtue shattered and genitalia purged away

 

...Cheap shot much?

 

 

1. I don't think it is in any way a different expression of male identity, that's just wishful thinking not borne out by gameplay, they are professions largely dominated by men but also open to women, and are as dangerous and full of possible confrontation as the author is stating he wishes to avoid. Each one of these protagonists is more than versed in violence, they are extremely dangerous, athletic and bodily potent. The author is attributing qualities that are not there. Being perceptive is not limited to stealth operatives, anybody involved in violent and dangerous work will have an enhanced sense of perception or not practise that trade for long. 

 

2. Sam Fisher is a trained wetworks operative, these gentlemen are trained to kill without pause, this requires a certain level of danger, aggression and possibly psychotic characteristics. Without this they would not funcion in the everyday world.

 

3. That one regenerating bar never runs out, you are never reduced to a total lack of power, thus your energy never runs out it always regenerates and if you are playing a stealth run of Mr Jenssen that is all you need. Choke out or brutally traumatise one guard after another and then move on until they are all unconscious.

 

Mr Jenssen is in no way, shape or form anything but a superhuman now compared to the baseline average, to deny his strength is to deny the reality of the game, and the augmentation being forced upon him or not does not change that, indeed it just adds to the fact that his genetic code is the next step in human/cyborg evolution and he is not only strong mechanically but also potentially. Once again the author is denying the reality of the game in question.

 

4. Not a cheap shot at all, Mr Jenssen also has his genitalia removed in the opening cinematic of Human Revolution, I thought it bore remarking upon as the authors piece was looking for examples where he can self insert to achieve his fantasy and escape reality.

 

Edit: For clarification.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Nonek

[aluminiumtrioxid]

 

1. I don't think it is in any way a different expression of male identity, that's just wishful thinking not borne out by gameplay, they are professions largely dominated by men but also open to women, and are as dangerous and full of possible confrontation as the author is stating he wishes to avoid. Each one of these protagonists is more than versed in violence, they are extremely dangerous, athletic and bodily potent. The author is attributing qualities that are not there. Being perceptive is not limited to stealth operatives, anybody involved in violent and dangerous work will have an enhanced sense of perception or not practise that trade for long. 

 

 

 

I'm not sure there is no meaningful difference between "full of possible confrontation the gameplay actually encourages you to avoid" and "full of confrontation that's actually unavoidable to progress in the game". Also, I do not think there is no meaningful difference between "extremely dangerous because he always confronts his enemies when he's at an advantage and strikes with killing precision¹"  and "extremely dangerous because he has a giant gun and even if he didn't, he's still a towering mountain of meat wearing inch-thick metal plates". I absolutely do think "confronts problems head-on and overpowers them with brute force" is a meaningfully different expression of male identity from "avoids confrontation whenever possible and fights dirty when it's not". I mean, I'm pretty sure nobody would argue Odysseus does not represent a completely different heroic archetype from Achilles based on the fact that both men are hardened killers and are actually far above the average human in physical capabilities (remember the archery contest?).

 

¹ Remember, Garret for example, especially on higher difficulties, is at an extreme disadvantage when fighting enemies head-on. Being comparatively squishy and unable to face many opponents very effectively is a staple of stealth protagonists.

 

 

 

Being perceptive is not limited to stealth operatives, anybody involved in violent and dangerous work will have an enhanced sense of perception or not practise that trade for long. 

 

 

A fair point, but I think it's hardly debatable that stealth games reward patience and perceptiveness on the player side far more than more traditional action games do.

 

 

 

2. Sam Fisher is a trained wetworks operative, these gentlemen are trained to kill without pause, this requires a certain level of danger, aggression and possibly psychotic characteristics. Without this they would not funcion in the everyday world.

 

 

 

I dunno, we're usually not characterizing video game protagonists like Marcus Fenix or Randomly Chosen Call of Duty Shooter Guy of your choice as "borderline psychotic", even though they rack up a far higher bodycount in their respective games than Sam Fisher does. So why single out the poor wetworks guy?

 

 

 

3. That one regenerating bar never runs out, you are never reduced to a total lack of power, thus your energy never runs out it always regenerates and if you are playing a stealth run of Mr Jenssen that is all you need. 

 

 

Eh, depends on how you view contextual powerlessness. Is being temporarily without energy for agonizing seconds while it ever so slowly creeps back to full a "total lack of power"? I'd argue it is, in the specific context of engagement during those periods. (Not to mention that due to enemies sometimes noticing you during a takedown, if you went for the "ghost" xp bonus, you were usually trying to avoid knocking enemies out whenever possible, which made your job considerably harder.)

 

 

 

Mr Jenssen is in no way, shape or form anything but a superhuman now compared to the baseline average, to deny his strength is to deny the reality of the game

 

 

I do not think "superhuman and broken" or "superhuman and eminently fallible" are in any way inherently contradictory statements. Not to mention that even Jensen feels ambivalent about his new body, if you choose to roleplay him that way. It can be both a source of superhuman powers and alienation, both from society and the self. To claim otherwise would be a tad reductionist, don't you think?

 

 

 

I thought it bore remarking upon as the authors piece was looking for examples where he can self insert to achieve his fantasy and escape reality.

 

 

You say that as if it was a bad thing 

Edited September 13, 2015 by aluminiumtrioxid

[Meshugger]

What's masculine?