Jennifer Hepler leaves Bioware due to threats by fans

[The Material Sheep]

I don't appreciate her work as an artist, but sweet christ people there is a point where you leave it alone. Disagree all you want, any kind of threat over anything like this is just completely 100% uncalled for.

 

[nathan-dts]

I don't even get it. You can want someone fired for doing a poor job, but you can't wish death on them and their family. Dragon Age is hardly an IP that has the best story, anyway, so who cares enough to wish death on her?

 

[StriderShinryu]

Why is it problematic? A) She's just a writer, it stands to reason she'd prioritize writing. B) Even if she was the project lead from start to finish and made a wacky game with virtually no interactivity as a result of her curious beliefs, what on earth is "indefensible" about that? Are you imagining a dystopian future in which you'd be forced to buy and play it?

*wave* Hi. Video game writer who heavily prioritizes game play, right here. Why? Because I recognize that the purpose of video games as a medium is to tell an interactive story in which the player is directly engaged in some manner. That's why I'm a gamer in the first place.

Certainly, you can debate how much interactivity is necessary before it crosses the line from "video game" to "animated movie", but I'd think it should be reasonable enough to assert that a video game requires SOME interactivity as that's literally the fundamental building block of the medium in the first place. It's like trying to write a book without words, or a movie without visuals. A game without "game play" is not really a game in any particular sense. Making the primary component of a particular medium "optional" is defeating the purpose of that medium and is effectively wasting the resources and benefits that it offers as its own unique medium.

As for what constitutes a video game, I've long been under the impression it could be any of a great many things. Some of the earlier text adventures were indistinguishable from Choose Your Own Adventure books. Are they not "games" now?

Given that they require a) actual video output, and b) actual interactivity from the player....no, they're most definitely still "video games".

What she's suggesting is that video games should be more like movies because she doesn't like gaming.

The only logical response to that is "have you considered just writing movies instead?"

I have no particular issue with "mixing the mediums", as it were, but if you don't like a fundamental building block of the medium you write in, then you're probably writing for the wrong medium.

I don't mean to jump into the debate here, but I have an honest question. You repeatedly state that Hepler desired to remove the interactive elements of gaming (which, and I agree, is counter to what a game/interactive experience is). I don't recall ever seeing a quote from her that says that. Can you by chance produce the quote(s) that support that? You are certainly speaking as if you have that material, and I would love to see it.

 

[Varrdy]

See what I mean?

Like clock work. You say it's wrong to make a threat before making an even more vicious threat.

The internet is like a breeding ground for emotional and mental instability.

Nope.

At no point did I make a threat of any kind towards anyone - I just stated what I think would be a suitable deterrent. Sure it might have been a rather harsh suggestion but sometimes harsh works!

 

[Xdeser2]

God Damn...

Personally, I don't care about her, but still, Just wow, things are just getting completely out of control. It's one thing to question whether or not that's the right profession for her, even though thats not you're concern where she works, you're just the person who gets the end product. but to threaten her and her children?

Seriously, some peoples complaining about dumbing down in game mechanics is NOT more important than her livelihood. I'm not someone who throws around the idea of "gamer entitlement", its a dumb term, tainted by corporate interests trying to cover their own asses, But HOLY SHIT I dont care how much you think you're smarter then other people who play games, or how threatened you feel by games changing or "Dumbing down" there's a line, and they crossed it.

And to anyone saying "Oh, she should just grow a thick skin", how would you feel if you were working a 9-5 job to help put a project together, doing the best you could and the response you get for expressing your opinions (Keeping in mind shes a WRITER) is "I'll fucking kill you're children if *insert next game* isn't good because of you" Its sad

 

[Upbeat Zombie]

Now with all the stories of people getting prison time for things they say on the internet. You would think they might prosecute somebody who isn't obviously joking. And maybe could use a lesson in not making death threats.

 

[LordLundar]

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!

 

[bjj hero]

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

She talked about the things she didnt enjoy and found hard then said a fast forward button would be good. It could work and still be a game.

Maybe there is a button that auto wins a boss fight youve been stuck on? Thats ff and still lets you interactively experience the game. It would just remove a barrier that could leave people unable to experience the rest of your story, no matter how wonderfully interactive youve made it. Equally weve all played gamess where managing inventory is a chore and weve all played levels that felt like a grind.

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.

 

[bjj hero]

You'll notice she references the following things as being problems for her...

1. Hand-eye coordination
2. Tactics
3. Fighting
4. Inventory
5. Game Maps
6. Combat

You'll notice she didn't reference the following things as being problems for her...

1. Interactivity

So combat isn't considered an interactive element?

That's an awfully interesting stance you have there.

Would you say the dialogue/story portions of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age games, which were the games she was on staff for, had interactivity? I seem to recall them having interactivity. I would even go so far as to say they are the meat of the experience.

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.

I happen to LOVE tactics, and fighting, and combat, and all those things. So if Hepler went and formed her own gaming studio and made Hepler Quest, I may very well give it a pass. However, speculating about a situation where players could skip a hallway combat sequence the same way they can currently skip dialogue is hardly "indefensible". And shouldn't even be remotely controversial.

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

-snip-

And comments like hers are exactly why she shouldn't be a writer for a video game in the first place. She has nothing invested in video games themselves, she just wants to write stories and she's using video games as a means for that.

If you're going to work in the gaming industry, it only makes sense to have some degree of passion for them, as that will translate into your work and will make the product better by comparison. Not to mention it'll improve your relationships with your customers if you share their passion. If you're the sort of person who does the job because it puts bread on the table, then no, you're not going to do as well with it as someone who is both talented AND passionate.

If she wants to write and doesn't want the "game" portion of a video game to interfere with that writing, then it is my opinion she should try another medium. She'll likely be much happier as a result.

You cannot know shed be happier writng other mediums. You put a perfectly good reason she may be happyband fulfilled writimg games when you suggested "sshe just wants to write stories and shess using games to d it". That is what shes paid to do and has done it well enough go make lead writer. She is likely passionate about writing as its her chosen career and shes been quite successful. She doesnt need t love gaming to do her job well. There are game designers of differrnt discriptions and job titles to do that part of the project.

Imagine the next time you hear an old man voice acting in a game. Do you really think he will be an avid gamer? Maybe John Cleese as the butler in fable lll. Did it make him a worse voice actor for it?.

 

[wulf3n]

If she wants to write and doesn't want the "game" portion of a video game to interfere with that writing, then it is my opinion she should try another medium.

Please tell us where she says she doesn't like the "game" portion.

 

[Gor Kur]

Even though it's great this horrible writer is out of BioWare the ends do not justify the means.