Twig Posted January 27, 2015 http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/DavidGallant/20150126/234930/For_the_Sake_of_the_Industry_No_More_TotalBiscuit.php heh Not sure how productive this post is, but I completely agree with it, regardless. It won't happen, of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Architecture Posted January 27, 2015 Usually Leigh Alexander rubs me the wrong way, but good on her for that one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twig Posted January 27, 2015 What! She's the greatest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Architecture Posted January 27, 2015 My main exposure to her was during one of Giant Bomb's E3 after shows wherein she was far too drunk and abrasive for my tastes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twig Posted January 27, 2015 So is she usually drunk and abrasive, then? Or just that one time? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Architecture Posted January 27, 2015 I wouldn't say she's usually drunk, but most of what I've read from her has been abrasive. I've been linked to her Twitter feed from time to time and just been confused by her aggressivity towards seemingly benign questions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twig Posted January 27, 2015 Well I have nothing to say to that except I think you're crazy, so whatever! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Architecture Posted January 27, 2015 My opinion of her predates the whole GG fiasco, by the way. I confess to not being well-versed in everything she's ever done, but my limited contact with her work just put me off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gormongous Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 4:06 AM, Twig said: http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/DavidGallant/20150126/234930/For_the_Sake_of_the_Industry_No_More_TotalBiscuit.php heh Not sure how productive this post is, but I completely agree with it, regardless. It won't happen, of course. The sheer number of negative comments on that article amounting to either "TB was an asshole in a different way from the way you said, so your argument is invalid" or "TB is successful and successful people should be allowed to behave however they want" are why this'll never be a thing, no matter how justified. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefncrow Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 2:12 AM, Nachimir said: Skip to 58:10 to see Leigh Alexander politely but thoroughly demolish a gaters question: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/6845410/gamesnow/videos/74254711 (via ghazi) Haha, holy shit. I remember seeing this tweet from Leigh just after she was talking about that presentation. Without running through the rest of this Q&A, I bet that's the guy asking that question. I can imagine why that guy would try to save face after watching that video. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twig Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 5:18 AM, thefncrow said: Haha, holy shit. I remember seeing this tweet from Leigh just after she was talking about that presentation. Without running through the rest of this Q&A, I bet that's the guy asking that question. I can imagine why that guy would try to save face after watching that video. haaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brkl Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 2:12 AM, Nachimir said: Skip to 58:10 to see Leigh Alexander politely but thoroughly demolish a gaters question: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/6845410/gamesnow/videos/74254711 (via ghazi) That took place in my town and that dickwad is obviously Finnish. Ugh. The stilted accent is common, but his written English can still be excellent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefncrow Posted January 27, 2015 Actually, that's not the guy. If you go to 1:02:20, that's the guy, he actually gets out a somewhat coherent version of the question described, the whole time trying to lay a deliberate subtext of "aren't you just trying to kill video games". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bjorn Posted January 27, 2015 Sandwiched in between those two questions is another question, from a woman studying computer engineering who asks Alexander how she deals with the fear, because that woman feels it as well, being surrounded by this culture every day. I transcribed her response, as it ought to be seen, even if people don't have the time to watch the video: Quote Just this morning, I posted on Facebook that every time I give a talk now, I'm scared because I don't know what to expect. Obviously I don't want to go someplace where everyone agrees with me, it's fine for me to be asked questions like that. But, I wish I could say that I had a magic solution to deal with the fear. But I don't, it's part of my life now. I persist in spite of that. I surround myself with things that inspire me. I play a lot of games that I like, I know I have a lot of good colleagues and I belong to some support groups for women facing similar challenges. You might not know what it's like being a woman in games and not knowing if you're about to walk into a room with one of those guys that you read on the Internet, because they're there. Even people who aren't going to hurt you, might want to confront you and tell you you're wrong in a way you might not experience if you had a less controversial opinion or had a less controversial gender.It's scary, I don't have a good answer for you. You can do it, if I can do it, you can do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henroid Posted January 27, 2015 I do love Leigh's portion of that GG question when she said to not read her work if you don't like it. It's a problem people tend to have when it comes to not liking things. When the option to not digest the content exists, but they seem to not take it. As a Howard Stern fan, I have to say, "If you don't like it change the tuner." It's that easy. It'd be one thing if people were talking about promotion of real world action that is actually harmful. But in the world of opinions and entertainment? Don't like it, go somewhere else. It's that easy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twmac Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 4:22 AM, Architecture said: I wouldn't say she's usually drunk, but most of what I've read from her has been abrasive. I've been linked to her Twitter feed from time to time and just been confused by her aggressivity towards seemingly benign questions. On 1/27/2015 at 4:12 AM, Architecture said: My main exposure to her was during one of Giant Bomb's E3 after shows wherein she was far too drunk and abrasive for my tastes. It is really funny that you took it that way as my first exposure to Leigh was also during an E3 Giantbombcast and that was when I fell in love with her. It was really fun to hear her shooting shit and kind of not giving a fuck while talking about stuff. I guess it was for almost the same reason that I am very fond of Dan Ryckert - neither of them seem fazed by what is going on around them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 3:50 AM, Twig said: She had a really great response, so thumbs up. Yeah, I was (and I think regardless, with any person presenting, would be) bracing for upset, and she gave an assertive but gracious answer. Edit: On 1/27/2015 at 6:32 AM, Bjorn said: Sandwiched in between those two questions is another question, from a woman studying computer engineering who asks Alexander how she deals with the fear, because that woman feels it as well, being surrounded by this culture every day. I transcribed her response, as it ought to be seen, even if people don't have the time to watch the video: I find it really surreal to simultaneously hear those things (gater questions and the above) from people in the same audience. I also keep seeing fault lines in university courses, usually some gater thing coming up tied to a specific place, and lecturers from there saying "I really hope this isn't one of my students" or developers going "These people are on the course I did". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vainamoinen Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 2:12 AM, Nachimir said: Skip to 58:10 to see Leigh Alexander politely but thoroughly demolish a gaters question: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/6845410/gamesnow/videos/74254711 (via ghazi) She was 100% prepared for that, and she fielded this marvellously. I've distanced myself quite a bit from Alexander since she heralded an 'abandonware' hence piracy site on twitter, but I know that right now, her voice is a very important one. I'm surprised that gaters still attempt this argument though; a review without opininon, without subjectivity, without passion, without ideology, with just the bare marketing facts – that's decidedly not what anyone wants. Gaters accept opinions on matters of graphics, performance, or gameplay; but not on narrative, where it is most important. A games critique you'd find in a very similar way about comics, books, movies, or TV series becomes an injection of ideology in the gater world. As far as I know, El Totalbisquito himself has argued against that crappy idea (he is, after all, opinionated). The gamergate ideology is alterable and elusive, just as most conspiracy theories. Imbecile arguments stand at the beginning and are then refined over time to sound just a little less imbecile, so that the opposite side is kept busy disproving the old bullshit disguised as new bullshit. You'd think that an argument as visibly idiotic as this one would quickly change in the cult's doctrine so that their declared political enemy can't verbally obliterate them quite as obviously any more. But maybe this element of utter conspiracy is too ingrained in gamergate core values. Hopefully, this revealing archaism is gamergate's doom. On 1/27/2015 at 8:42 AM, Henroid said: Don't like it, go somewhere else. It's that easy. B-b-but what if Curator demands that I go there *sob* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henroid Posted January 27, 2015 Speaking of the Steam Curator has there been any messaging from Valve regarding being able to dismiss / block particular Curators from coming up? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vainamoinen Posted January 27, 2015 The whole Curator system actually struck me as THE conflation of press and publisher that shouldn't have happened last year, an actual epic industry ethics issue that consequently was ignored by the entirety of gamergate. No idea what Valve's doing with that stuff nowadays. Steam's not my publisher, at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deadpan Posted January 27, 2015 Valve is currently busy getting into politics it seems. Steam may not be your publisher, but maybe they'll be your next head of state? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vainamoinen Posted January 27, 2015 Nope, in my country, a finance minister has to properly escape a huge money laundering scandal unscathed first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zerofiftyone Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 3:34 PM, Deadpan said: Valve is currently busy getting into politics it seems. Steam may not be your publisher, but maybe they'll be your next head of state? I took that news to mean that their in house economist is leaving Valve for a new job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twig Posted January 27, 2015 It just occurred to me how utterly happy I am this GamerGate shit didn't happen while I was still at DigiPen. The thought of having to deal with what I'm sure are a not insignificant number of people who fall on the wrong side... Man. Only a couple years off. Phew. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deadpan Posted January 27, 2015 On 1/27/2015 at 3:44 PM, zero51 said: I took that news to mean that their in house economist is leaving Valve for a new job. That's how reasonable people see it, but if you're a fan of conspiracy theories it's all about Steam branching out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
