Adeptus Aspartem said:
This thread should actually answer everything to you OP. Write something about ANYTHING at it turns into a GG discussion.
The website is still gaming related, just with less quality content than before (imo) but the forums are now a GG-discussion forum.
It's boring and draining at the same time.
You know, as someone who has ghosted these forums with relatively no post activity for many years (Just look at my join date and post number), I actually feel the opposite. I'm more engaged into the ongoing conversations on these forums now than before - mainly because I am greatly concerned by the back and forth politics on a subject that, honestly feels should exist devoid of them.
I'm going to quote a list of questions I saw on the first page, with my answers to each of them:
Is there inequality in videogames representation of women? Yes, but this is also true with all gender issues concerning all media. Video games, as a Case Study are, in my opinion, typically more progressive in this matter. Especially when compared to printed publications.
Does a negative portrayal of a fictional woman have a negative effect on women in real life? Yes, but not just women. Again many of the negative tropes involving gender is often an offense of all of the gender spectrum. It's just as bad to look at a 'Gamer' as a neck-bearded nerd with no respect for women as it is for women to be used as an objectified too or a female gamer to be seen as an in-genuine attention-seeker. This is to say nothing of LGBTQIA issues. This is where games themselves have, I feel, began to outpace their audience in terms of progressive acceptance. We have a sever problem with trolls and those easily pulled into polarizing arguments that is systemic across the entirety of gaming culture and it stalls everything, including this conversation.
Should we encourage more female developers into the videogame industry and how? Yes, but how is a loaded question. Beyond offering equal wages and position opportunities, we deal with the reality that women interest in majority of gaming genres are in a strong minority. The start of this has to begin with a more friendly and accepting environment for all. Simply put, no matter what 'side' you are on, the pitchforks and torches need to be put down. In the end, the political grand-standing, counter-arguing and finger-pointing on both sides is ultimately counterproductive. This is a matter that will begin to resolve itself as other gender issues in writing, designing and the conditions in the work environment continue to evolve to feature a broader range of acceptance.
Should we encourage more female protagonists in videogames and how? Yes. By producing more successful games featuring strong female protagonist leads. It will be their popularity alone that will encourage the continuation of them. We already have good examples throughout our history. Let's have more of them.
Is videogame journalism corrupted if the journalists and developers are friends/living together/in business together/giving each other money/sleeping together? Yes. There has been enough logical evidence provided to show that this effects writing tone, ratings, and therefore developer wages and attention at games to cause a physical draw of attention. There is a lot of power of having the spotlight and such power should be held with respect and humility.
That is not to say that writers in these compromised positions should not write. Or that their views political should be removed from sight. That's taking the idea of integrity and breaching it into the same sort of censorship problems that those opposed to Corruption in Journalism often face.
How can we hold videogame journalists and game developers to higher standards of ethics? There needs to be a neutral fact-checking aspect to this. A group that is part of no 'movement'. Populated by those who are capable of leaving whatever stances they have behind and are able to take a critical eye upon the whole scope of media in gaming - that includes addressing matters such as the toxicity level in gaming communities. Pointing out valid criticisms from emotional outbursts or blatant trolling and misconduct, and civilly yet firmly holding these groups accountable for them. I want to stress: Gamergate cannot fill this role as it has evolved into a part of the gaming subculture.
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None of these issues for me draw a sociopolitical line in and of themselves and should be freely discussed. The fact that each discussion on this topic devolved into "Oh, you're one of
them" really detracts from the intelligent discourse and discussion on the above issues.
I feel that all matters concerning the above should be free to be discussed without the necessity of drawing political lines or rallying behind political causes. And that the change is that, at one time, they used to be. However, the scandal has become the conversation, and the concerns on both ends of the spectrum are being drowned out. The causes on gender equality and gender acceptance is not reaching the audience it needs to improve the culture. And those who are trying to bring the spotlight on the issues of Journalistic integrity are failing to meet their aims by doing it so loudly that they, and not the issue, become the story.
The issues here are more important, and should be the conversation. The Gamergate Controversy is the biggest Red Herring in the history of gaming. It serves only to distract and polarize the conversation. We as both individuals and a culture should be focusing on our collective goals, not fall into the same rut as our continually dysfunctional governments.
