Jennifer Hepler leaves Bioware due to threats by fans

[Cabisco]

You do realize that if you starting arresting people and violating their rights simply because of what they say then you are no better than them right?I hate bigots and think they should get the crap kicked out of them but I will never violate their rights just because of that.

You missed the part that there are limits apparently. A person phoning someone threatening said person or their family is going to get them arrested. Same with a letter, etc. There is no difference and it being electronic does not grant immunity from standing laws. It's not arresting someone from having a differing opinion, it's arresting someone who is BREAKING THE FUCKING LAW!

Agreed.

If you are willing to post death threats online you should be ready for the consequences, I hate this 'it's on the internet so it doesn't count mentality'.

It's not the most lovely view in the world but I don't care about the rights of people who say they want to rape people and kill their children, they get prosecuted until they learn to function as a normal human being. I care more for the rights of the person getting abused than the abuser.

 

[WindKnight]

Why is that remotely controversial?

I'm sorry, but do I really need to explain why "I don't like that whole 'game' part of a video game, I sure wish it was just dialogue and pictures like a movie" is a problematic stance for a video game developer to take?

What, am I in the Twilight Zone, where people have suddenly forgotten what constitutes a "video game"?

Heck, imagine if a book author said "gee, I sure hate reading, it'd be nice if my book could just show me everything in the form of a moving picture". Would you still call that a "book"?

Shigeru Miyamoto doesn;t play videgames. You know, the creator of mario, zelda, a big boatload of games and franchises loved the entire world over.

if the so-called GOD OF GAMING doesn't like to play videogames, why should a writer have to?

 

[bjj hero]

Im sure many people have got bored with games and checked out how the story and charecters pan out on youtube. Lets play videos have quite a following. None of these things are blasphemus.

But seriously, I find it rather blasphemous for a person to prefer a writer who doesn't like video games creating their content for them. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a passionate and talented person creating content for me to enjoy, because I know they'll put their heart and soul into making it not only a good story but one that I feel engaged and involved in.

Judging from this thread, though, I'm in the minority. Or maybe it's just a lot of over-defensive Bioware fans. Who knows?

Cute. Disagree so I must be a fan boy? In truth I only played the first DA and none of the sequels or add ons. In an ideal world everyone would love videogames but im also aware lots dont. But a good writer will make you feel engaged and involved in the story, no matter what their hobbies happen to be. I never said I prefer a writer who hates video games. I just wantva good writer, whether it for film, book, comic, TV show, game etc.

About the only thing that would turn me off would be lack of ability or questionable politics or morality.

 

[Nurb]

Gamer trolls act as expected, and she might have been looking for an excuse to quit working in a subject she hated. Though that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to go after the stupid trolls who threaten people directly, which IS illegal to do.

But I can only groan internally at the amount of finger-waggling articles and videos the gaming press will produce, along with the number of "it's because she's a woman" claims. It's like having a nanny talk down to everyone over the actions of a dumb minority.

Jim Sterling is probably already working on two videos about it

EDIT: She didn't leave EA over death threats, the article is misleading. She left EA to write a book. Security informed her of the threats after the fact

 

[bat32391]

What the fuck is wrong these people? Can someone tell why the hell all these people hate her?

 

[bjj hero]

Did I say death threats were okay?No I did'nt and I think the people who made them are a bunch of assholes,I also hate bullying of any kind and if I see it happening I would step in and stop it.Death threats are not a laughing matter to me but unless you want a Big Brother situation where everythine you do is recorded then this things will continue.

What kinda sense does that make? Having a record of the threats never was the problem...they are recorded anyway, because its all on a server...stop shifting your arguments around!
This is about if they are justifiable or not and to this point, I hope we can agree!

They are not justifiable but how many employees had wished their boss had got into a car accident simply because they had a bad day at work?People say things they did'nt mean to all the time and if you were to arrest them for it then it opens a whole new can of worms.

Theres no can of worms. You can wish for whatever you want but threats to kill are illegal. Meaning is all well and good but if your threat makes someone fear for the saftey of themselves a d their loved ones then it doesnt really matter what you meant.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

So combat isn't considered an interactive element?

That's an awfully interesting stance you have there.

Is it? You've identified AN interactive element, and concluded that she must hate interactivity and want it stricken from games. It's rather like hearing someone announce "I dislike apples" and concluding they hate food.

You do realize the flaw in your argument here, right?

Earlier you were pointing out how interactivity decisions would not be up to her because she's a writer, but now we're pointing to game play features that she may well have had absolutely no control over as proof that she likes interactivity in games.

How is that a "flaw in an argument"? The two things have no relation to one another.

1. As a writer, Hepler is not in charge of anything beyond writing.
2. Hepler appears to enjoy the dialogue and story portions of games.

Can you explain to me why you think those are contradictory statements resulting in a "flawed argument"?

It's completely indefensible, because it's no longer a video game if it's throwing out the whole "game" portion.

Can you define the "game" portion? She stated she dislikes combat, maps, inventory, tactics (throw in hand/eye as well if you wish. "Fighting" overlaps with combat). Are you suggesting that without these elements you no longer have a game? I'm sure that will come as shocking news to many.

But seriously, I find it rather blasphemous for a person to prefer a writer who doesn't like video games creating their content for them.

Prefer? Who said "prefer"? Can you quote that person for me? I'd like to see the quote on which you based this statement.

 

[Dansrage]

Good.
She was a blight on the industry and contributed massively to Bioware's downfall.

 

[nasteypenguin]

But seriously, I find it rather blasphemous for a person to prefer a writer who doesn't like video games creating their content for them. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a passionate and talented person creating content for me to enjoy, because I know they'll put their heart and soul into making it not only a good story but one that I feel engaged and involved in.

Judging from this thread, though, I'm in the minority. Or maybe it's just a lot of over-defensive Bioware fans. Who knows?

I agree, any threats are completely unjustifiable and she should not have been forced out because of them, however she should not have gotten the position in the first place. Her comments prove to me that she has neither love nor understanding of the medium. Aside from blatantly stating she does not enjoy playing games, her idea of fast forwarding through gameplay, as I see it either means she supports the notion that gameplay and storytelling should be separate concepts, which is a very backwards notion, or more likely she just doesn't understand what she's talking about.

Either way this is not a person I would want - especially in as well known a developer as Bioware, and more so especially in the fledgling age the medium is in - writing for videogames. Bioware should have higher standards when it comes to the devotion of their writing staff.

 

[deadish]

What the flippity fuck is wrong with some people? Is there any information on WHY they were sending death-threats, or is this just a case of crazy people being crazy?

I haven't found anything anywhere, but from what i gathered it was most likely (take that with a grain of salt though, as I said nothing official anywhere as far as I can tell) because people blamed mostly her for DA2 being shitty. Also this Interview has not gone over well:

Q: What is your least favorite thing about working in the industry?

A: Playing the games. This is probably a terrible thing to admit, but it has definitely been the single most difficult thing for me. I came into the job out of a love of writing, not a love of playing games... I'm really terrible at so many things which most games use incessantly -- I have awful hand-eye coordination, I don't like tactics, I don't like fighting, I don't like keeping track of inventory, and I can't read a game map to save my life.

Q: If you could tell developers of games to make sure to put one thing in games to appeal to a broader audience which includes women, what would that one thing be?

A: A fast-forward button. Games almost always include a way to "button through" dialogue without paying attention, because they understand that some players don't enjoy listening to dialogue and they don't want to stop their fun. Yet they persist in practically coming into your living room and forcing you to play through the combats even if you're a player who only enjoys the dialogue.

So all in all it seems like it's just people being crazy.

How dare someone has an opinion on games different to mine?! I'm the only person that matters! What others want is irrelevant.

...

/sigh

 

[Saviordd1]

/v/ is apparently celebrating the occasion: http://archive.foolz.us/v/thread/205238974/

Spoiler

/v/ being filled with terrible people? Color me shocked.

OT: Well, this is perhaps one of the lowest days to be considered a gamer ever.

 

[LordLundar]

But how will you seperate the people who make actual threats from the ones who were simply blowing off steam?

What is the difference? In either situation the victim is in fear for their life and as such both situations are the same.

 

[deadish]

But seriously, I find it rather blasphemous for a person to prefer a writer who doesn't like video games creating their content for them. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a passionate and talented person creating content for me to enjoy, because I know they'll put their heart and soul into making it not only a good story but one that I feel engaged and involved in.

Judging from this thread, though, I'm in the minority. Or maybe it's just a lot of over-defensive Bioware fans. Who knows?

I agree, any threats are completely unjustifiable and she should not have been forced out because of them, however she should not have gotten the position in the first place. Her comments prove to me that she has neither love nor understanding of the medium. Aside from blatantly stating she does not enjoy playing games, her idea of fast forwarding through gameplay, as I see it either means she supports the notion that gameplay and storytelling should be separate concepts, which is a very backwards notion, or more likely she just doesn't understand what she's talking about.

Either way this is not a person I would want - especially in as well known a developer as Bioware, and more so especially in the fledgling age the medium is in - writing for videogames. Bioware should have higher standards when it comes to the devotion of their writing staff.

Or just that the gameplay bores her because it "sucks".

Are we that surprised that not everyone like running around in 1st person gunning down people?

 

[Tony2077]

i heard there was some bullshit way back when but i didn't think it would end like this

 

[nasteypenguin]

Or just that the gameplay bores her because it "sucks".

Are we that surprised that not everyone like running around in 1st person gunning down people?

That's kind of what I mean, perhaps she really didn't enjoy the gameplay of the very game she was working on and maybe has never found a game in which the gameplay she has enjoyed, it's safe to assume if she doesn't like games then her experience with them could be very limited. Which leads me to believe she doesn't know what shes talking about.

 

[LordLundar]

The difference is that people intepret things differently than other people do.Some would see a nice gesture as a threat to their life while others take actual death threats less serious than they should.

Nice gesture? "I'm going to go to your house and murder your children" is a NICE GESTURE?

You know what, just stop. You're trying to defend something indefensible and all you're doing is hurting your cause.

 

[deadish]

Or just that the gameplay bores her because it "sucks".

Are we that surprised that not everyone like running around in 1st person gunning down people?

That's kind of what I mean, her experience of gaming could be very limited, perhaps she really didn't enjoy the gameplay of the very game she was working on and maybe has never found a game in which the gameplay she has enjoyed, that could very well be due to a lack of interest. Which leads me to believe she doesn't know what shes talking about.

Why is it she "doesn't know what she is talking about"? You are saying she doesn't know her own preferences?

She hated the gameplay, her personal solution is to just skip over it. Problem?