Poll: Jimquisition: like or dislike

[pocru]

I'll just rehash what's already been said, pointing out why I don't care for Jimquisition:

1) He serves no purpose on the site- everything he does, someone else does better.

2) any point he's made in his video's are all points I've seen used in forum discussions. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he stole the ideas rather than thought of them himself. Even if he didn't, it just goes to show he has nothing UNIQUE to bring to the conversation. Its one thing to not be as smart as Extra Credits or as charming as Zero Punctuation, but if you don't have anything new to say, or even a unique perspective or twist on what's already been said, why should you get paid to say it? Its like if I was paid to stand in front of a low-budget camera and remind everyone that "Fox news hates video games" or that "Nintendo re-hashes old IP's for money". We don't need anyone to do that, least of all someone who does it badly. It's been said that he brings up some unique points, but I don't think that's true: he brings up points we've all THOUGHT of, just had the tact to know not to SAY, or at least the foresight to know it wouldn't be a viable argument. I see that mostly in Extra Consideration. (which is just sad, really, to see him go up against MovieBob and Extra Credits...)

3) Part of what makes Zero Punctuation so charming is that Yahtzee makes fun of everything, more or less- he'll sing his own praises, and in the same video, he'll make fun of himself. Plus, his humor is well paced, expressive, and genuinely witty- Jim's IDEA of humor is sarcasm and unrelenting egotism: that's not so much funny as it is reminiscent of that dumbass we all knew back in high school... you know the guy. And I bet he's even less likeable now that he's being paid to do what he's doing.

Am I going to rally against his every video and pray every night that he gets a heart attack or that the Escapist cancels him? No, I'll just avoid his video's, plain and simple. When it comes down to it, I'd say the biggest tragedy Jimquisition has caused is that the resources going into him could be used to foster someone ELSE'S talents, someone with genuinely fresh idea's and perspectives in the gaming world. Someone who didn't cause such a dramatic divide in the Escapist's community. Someone we could ALL rally behind.

But that's just me.

thanks!

 

[The Funslinger]

I dislike him very much. I gave the first two episodes a chance and I will never watch another one again. I honestly don't think he even belongs here, but to each their own I guess.

I saw his bio paragraph on the destructiod, it's so self worshipping as some kind of badass, it's hilarious. If only in a pathetic way...

Meh, He can make good points, but that doesn't change the fact that he's an ass about them. Just remove his camera privileges, and the videos will be fine. He only acts bearably when voicing over clips of game footage.

 

[Jesper Christiansen]

The topics that he addresses are valid and important.
But I cant stand the guy. Everything from his looks, his voice, to his humour, annoys the hell out of me, and I have yet to last through one episode. Hi is simply to annoying for me.
It's completely personal, and i wouldn't discourage people from watching it, if they can stand the guy.

 

[Reishadowen]

he make some good points but his humor is hit or miss so over all hes pretty good

Well, I WAS gonna post, but you seem to be reading my mind. I'm not sure I care for his brand of humor, but it does get me to laugh sometimes. Overall, I think he has some nice points, and he presents them fairly enough. He doesn't have it quite yet, but his later episodes seem to be getting better, so I think that given enough time, he'll adjust to make a good formula and be an awesome escapist member. Not everyone can roll out being an instant star.

 

[Silver PBall]

He's living proof that verbosity and an accent can't always make me think wit is present. He just comes off as arrogant and snobby until he's describing(not really in depth, just a flat description) the thing he's talking about then he injects more smarmy sarcasm. I've tried his videos, they're bland. I'd say vanilla, but I like vanilla. I am not thanking God for him.

 

[ryai458]

Dislike almost didn't come to this thread because I thought it might be another one of his videos.

 

[FightThePower]

Jim Sterling does irritate me but I quite like the show, I don't necessarily have to agree with him, it's entertaining enough. I have to say, he was right on the money with the most recent episode.

 

[lacktheknack]

I guess hyperbolic satire just isn't my thing. Advertising himself as "Gaming's Biggest Douchebag" and talking in that bloody accent doesn't help anything, either.

 

[Verlander]

1)Content that's already covered by other contributors
2)Lowest common denominator humour
3)All decent points are tainted by him mocking the opposition, rather than engaging in debate
4)Seeming lack of effort in doing anything other than writing the show. The other contributors make a video, not stand in their living room talking to a camera
5)Arrogance without charm makes for a poor video personality in my book

And, although this shouldn't count, since discovering him on this site I've heard a lot about his past, and he just doesn't seem like the sort of person I like.

I appreciate what he does, but no, it isn't for me, and it paints a rather ugly image of people with similar opinions.

 

[Thespian]

Less funny than Yahtzee, less insightful than Extra Credits, and he presents himself with less charm, charisma and tact than either of them. Far less.

Nothing good about his videos, to be honest. His views aren't helpful, new or entertaining.

Bleh.

 

[Windcaler]

I only watched Jims first two shows and I didnt care for them. He made some valid points but it was not entertaining to me and his sense of humor grated on my nerves. I just dont like his show so I no longer watch them. However I know some people will like his show and to them I can only say great, Im glad you have fun with it. Its just not for me

 

[Adultism]

Overall pretty good. Hes witty and posts some valid points, thats all I care about.

 

[Thespian]

-snip-

But who cares about his personality? No one is attacking him as a person, it's the persona we (most of us) have a problem with. Because it makes the show obnoxious and unentertaining.
Also, you can't say that Yahtzee is just being a typical brit. If every british male gamer was the same as Yahtzee, Yahtzee's show on the escapist wouldn't be very popular now, would it? Thing about Yahtzee is, he has that bitter cynicism about him, but there's actually a degree of warmth to be found in his work, in that he has humility and charm to him, and you can see that he is in the gig because he loves it.
Jim is a gormless, charmless guy in it to be just what his tagline says; Gaming's biggest douchebag. That's how he appears to me anyway, and that's why I don't find him funny, but cringey.

And besides, what's your point? Jim's being your typical obnoxious in-your-face kind of american guy? How is that a good thing, exactly?
But honestly, tell me this; What do you watch Jim's show for? What do you get from it? Never in all his videos on D-toid or The Escapist have I seen him say anything really useful or insightful that the industry hasn't had said about it before, or anything all that funny.

 

[OldAccount]

I didn't like the show at first but it seems to be getting better with every episode. If anyone gave up on it after the first or second it's definitely worth another look.

 

[katsumoto03]

Absolute rubbish. Do not want.

His videos look like shit and he seems to think he's way smarter than he really is.

 

[Blastinburn]

then I apologize for jumping to conclusions.

Edit: I have watched a some of his more recent episodes and have realized that he actually does make some good points. I also realized his ego is a joke.

 

[BonsaiK]

I've watched a couple of his videos now and i'll say they're not for me, and i was reading some comments the other day with mixed feelings on him, so i was wondering what everyone really though. Be honest now folks.

I agree with a lot of his opinions, but he's an extremely poor public speaker. He takes too long to make his points and has no real grasp on how to deliver humour verbally. It's like watching Charlie Brooker at half speed with no wit. On the other hand, I really like some of his written articles, where these weaknesses don't affect him quite so badly.

 

[GeneralXTL]

I personally can't stand him. The only reason I found this thread and posting on the forums is because i googled "get rid of Jimquistion" He shares his opinion will little facts to back things up. The worst is when he tries to be funny. It just comes across as dumb and pointlessly insulting.

I really hope the Escapist will remove this loudmouth and replace him with something better. I wouldnt even care if they don't replace him with anything. Just get him off the site.

 

[Ian Caronia]

*SNIP*
ALSO! This has nothing to do with nationality. This has to do with a genuine lack of talent and a lack of tact. Put it to you this way: Would a real journalist who has integrity, talent, and tact take time out to explain their POV and address the topic?

Spoiler: Or would they try to shock viewers like Jim did with this video?

Last time I checked, heads don't explode in warfare games, especially COD. And it was a pop because of the audio and camera equipment being used. Guns don't just sound like pops when firing (especially in a firefight) because, well...that's just obvious. And real war has people screaming. A lot. And taking shots from behind cover.
...Did he just say real violence is boring? Is he trying to go by just this footage alone?
Wait... What the hell? He's PARODYING the SUICIDE?!
Thank you, Jim. I'm sure that trying to shock viewers with such footage was TOTALLY NECESSARY instead of, I don't know, thinking of how to explain yourself clearly and credibly...which you still failed to do.
You hack.

In the Video description:
This week, Jim Sterling talks about Leigh Alexander's "Who Cheers For War?" (erroneously named in the video because of unscripted bollocks) and counters the claim that gamers want realistic violence.

Why did you show the video description?

From the video:
"Were you at all disturbed by that? if so congratulations you have not been desensitized to real voilence, videogame violence: yes, real violence: no."
"Videogames are not like real life, and i for one am very very glad of that"
"They (gamers) don't want a real iraq war situation, because not only is it disturbing on a true level, it's boring".

Yes, he is highly inflammatory in his presentation, and there are other ways of making this point (wether or not they are better is subjective).

No, it's not subjective in this case. The only reason any grim footage is ever used is to A) Show people what the assailant looks like so they are aware/asking for help apprehending a criminal or B) Shock value. And, unlike showing the tapes of a robbery or something, that's what using snuff footage is for: Shock value (and it is snuff footage because someone literally dies on camera, as opposed to a snuff film where it's a film featuring actors/randoms literally dieing on camera. Just clearing that up).
_There is never a reason to show footage like the one he used other than for shock value. Fact. Why? Because there's nothing to be gained from it other than the shock of the audience.
_Why is it not subjective that there are better ways to go about proving a point? Because good journalism doesn't rely on cheap tricks like that one to prove it's point. Any good journalist worth their salt can explain their opinion and/or point with words. You can even show diagrams, statistics, or better yet related footage. Video game footage! That snuff footage had nothing to do with gaming or violence, he just used it to illustrate his point when he could've done the same thing with average COD footage.
*shows random COD videogame footage*
"Does this feel real to you? No? Because at the end of the day it isn't. Though we might not realize it while we're 'in the zone', all the clipping, graphical inconsistencies, the way your character getting shot in the foot somehow makes your eyes get covered in jelly, and even just the fact that we're really only sitting in a chair with a controller or keyboard in our hands is all information that's fed to our brains to disconnect fictional violence with real violence. We don't want true death. We don't want to see real people die just as much as we don't want to get shot! Just because we want more visceral action that doesn't equate to a lust for realistic war. As much as gamers talk about killing and such, we also enjoy outrageous deaths and love watching bad ragdoll effects of a falling body. Those things are what separate us from murder-lovers. Yes, we want to blow a man's brains out with our high-powered rifle. But more importantly, we want the ability to turn off the bloodshed at some point. Maybe go off and eat some Cheetos or watch porn. In my case both.
_That little power button? That's what divides murder from playtime, and it's what prevents sane gamers from thinking real murder is cool."

See? All dialogue. The point was explained as clearly as the individual (in this case, me) thought they could, showed no actual rage and even had one or two attempts at humor (be they successful or failures). More importantly, the point was explained without any cheap gimmicks, without the manipulation of the audience. Without any snuff footage.

Also watch the ending of the video again. Watch what he does. See how he parodies the real suicide he JUST used for shock value? He thinks he's being funny. The fact that he thinks parodying the snuff footage would be funny immediately discredits his argument because it shows a callous disregard for the weight and reality of the death (the reason he used it in the first place). He shows he doesn't care about the death and can make a joke of it. BAD journalism. BAD journalist. And since he's supposedly known for being "funny but edgy", you can be safe in assuming he only did that last bit because he was serious the whole video and wanted a joke, and to show, yet again, how "edgy" and "unapologetic" he is.

This is proof that he is a hack.

Spoiler: The Misuse of Boring

The point I see here being that real violence is disturbing and scary, the word boring certainly seems ill placed here but when taken within the context of the video where he clearly states that videogame violence is over the top and cartoonish, this signifies to me a use of the word to not mean it's dull but simply unwanted, that most people who play violent videogames do not achieve hard-ons, or laugh in glee when they watch the news showing the latest natural disaster, or pictures of actual war-victims, I believe it's not a case of boring as in: "I can watch this all day and I'm not bothered", but rather a case of boring as in: "I derive no pleasure or excitement from this whatsoever", and there is a difference.

Firstly, it's ignorance to say all violence in videogames is over the top or cartoonish. Heavy Rain. LA Noire. The SMT games (magic is sometimes involved, but a character's death has weight and is neither funny or cartoonish). Red Dead Redemption. I can go on, but I don't have to.

Secondly: The word "boring" does indeed mean that you're not deriving pleasure from it, but the term is not used in describing something horrible/horrific/shocking. The reason is because...well...you're not bored when you're shocked. Or horrified. You're too busy being shocked! ...Or horrified!

Boring- monotonous, tedious, tiresome, humdrum

To call actual death, especially war, humdrum is not only factually incorrect but also insulting to all those who have experienced war or the loss of a loved one. And, if you want to go in another direction, you can even say it's insulting to those who died, but that would be less fact and more opinion.
_Guy made a huge feus pax there and he stuck with it thinking he was saying something smart. In actuality he was making himself look even more so like an insensitive and ignorant individual.

Spoiler: Wilhelm Scream

"There is no screeching, there's no Wilhelm screams in real war":
From Wikipedia:
The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums.[1] The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games.[2] The scream is often used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, or is thrown from an explosion.

What is said here is that the specific kind of screams often heard in film and videogames are silly and cartoonish in that they don't properly represent the actuality of a war-zone.

Wilhelm Scream: I actually didn't catch that about the screams. Either that or I just didn't know what that was. Since that's the case then I'll take back what I said about the screaming. Makes sense. Thanks for the info, though. Like I like to joke:
==* The More You Know!

Spoiler: My Jokes

On a final note: with your comments on burying alive or bludgeoning fantasy-animals littered about, I'm honestly having a hard time telling if you are serious or poking fun (witch is not to say that I mind, I do after all eat meat).

No, mate, I was just having fun. You know how some people say "It makes me so mad I can punch a kitten?" Well I was just turning an awful phrase around to be funny by abusing Eldrtich Horror creatures (TVtrops the term, but in short it's the classification of Cathulu-like monsters that can induce madness just by reading their name or looking at them). Wasn't trying to be poignant or anything with that. Just goofing around.

In conclusion: Jim whateverhisnameis is a hack and deserves no less than ridicule until he learns how to be a real journalist. Doesn't matter if he's only on the net. He's getting paid to be a journalist, and thus he should do his job correctly instead of being the "edgy" equivalent to Fox News.

 

[manic_depressive13]

I voted "very poor". I don't necessarily disagree with him. I just think his delivery is clumsy and his humour lacks wit. Every time I watch his show I'm unpleasantly reminded of one of my high-school English assignments, where we all had to write a piece of satire and present it to the class. Needless to say, they were boring at best, and at worst they just made you feel embarrassed for the kid reading the crap because you could see how hard they were trying to make you laugh. Overall, I just think it has very low entertainment value. Between Yahtzee and Movie Bob (let's face it, Extra Credits is in a league of its own) I don't see why we should want something that essentially does the same thing but with only a fraction of the quality.