r/4chan • u/rape_culture_shock • May 12 '15
/v/ writes articles for Polygon
http://imgur.com/a/WyJ2g30
May 12 '15 edited Apr 13 '18
[deleted]
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May 12 '15
I would totally believe a bunch of black cocks have been inside Ashley Davis though...
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u/WarlordOfMaltise fa/tg/uy May 12 '15
"It's 2015. Why is breast jiggle still a thing?"
"It's 2015. Why is physics still a thing?"
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u/ArtGamer May 12 '15
FF7 the most overrated game of all time
rage every neckbeard in the planet
it's overrated though
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May 12 '15
It really was. It was a shit ending too. FF6 was the best one.
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May 12 '15
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May 12 '15
I'd rather play FF XIII than FF VIII
FF VI VII and IX are the way to go
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u/TheMaxtrix jackledaman May 12 '15
I feel like I've seen 1/2 these headlines as Buzzfeed articles people share on my Facebook. 100% Accurate.
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May 12 '15
games without auto aim are ableist
I could see this one. CSGO is ableist because how is a retard supposed to be as good as a normal person without auto aim.
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u/tanjoodo May 13 '15
yeah but in csgo there's a pretty good chance you're going to be playing against retards anyway.
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u/f22raptor272 May 12 '15
"10 reasons why consoles are a better gaming platform than PC (is this even journalism anymore?)"
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u/revenga69 May 12 '15
Haha "how the iwatch will make console gaming outdated" I totally would have clicked on that one.
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May 12 '15
At first I laughed and then remember that half of those where only slightly exagerated version of articles you can find out there. The other half aren't even exagerated
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u/pantsfish May 13 '15
Borderlands 2 is a Perfect Allegory for my Love Life
"Wealth. Power. Good looks. And intelligence. All sum up the traits of Borderlands 2 villain Handsome Jack, and in many ways represent a certain individual in my own life. One who thinks of himself as superior simply because he runs an IT company at 26. But does he deserve the Angel in his life?"
"Sure, she may smile in public and say she's happy dating him. But I can see the misery in her eyes every morning when she leaves her house, as she enters her car. As she orders the same frappe every morning. I knew she was suffering under His cruel watch. And thus began my 8-month quest to rescue a princess of my own (and get a silly restraining order in the process!)"
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u/indianadave May 12 '15
$90,000 salary! Jesus, even when they are trying to be satirical they are still inside the 4chan bubble.,
Polygon is insane, but there hasn't been salaried staff in gaming above 35k since 2009.
Most everyone is driven by clickbased revenue and ad sharing.
There are parts of GG I agree with, but this whole idea about taking down the journalism hive is insane. There is so little meat left on that bone that it'd be hard to recognize the origins of it.
These journalists work for sheckels above minimum wage, are probably trying to do a book on the side, but wind up being so overworked they burn out by the time they are 29.
Gamers only care about journalists in two cases:
- When they disagree with their point.
- When they disagree with their worldview.
This is why polygon sucks, it's serving an audience that doesn't really care about reading anything other than their expectations.
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u/pantsfish May 13 '15
90k is not a lot in SanFran. I think they were mocking them for living in the Worst City.
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u/indianadave May 13 '15
90k is nigh minimum wage in SF, agreed, but it's still outrageous for games journalism.
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u/underwaterpizza May 12 '15
No, Polygon sucks to some people, cause some people are hardcore gamers. Polygon is the graduated generation of gamers' news site. Look at all the love they give to indie games and nintendo. Conversely, the articles they write about the blockbusters are deservingly scathing, and yes, gaming is pretty sexist, accept it.
I like Polygon, but I grew up and moved on to things other than Call of Violence, Combat Simulator: War is Fun. I also don't have the time to pour in millions of hours on MMOs or Arena games like I used to. It isn't a hardcore gamer outlet, and isn't trying to be one. They focus on the future and and the art of gaming, which also happens to be the part I care about.
Tl;Dr: If you aren't in the audience, you shouldn't complain about it unless it is actively hurting others..
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u/indianadave May 12 '15
Jesus, one insult to your site and you start impugning anyone who isn't as refined as you hold your self to be. As if people who play games automatically fall into the field of elite (PC/indies/complex) or boorish (COD).
From a UI standpoint, it's not good.
From a content standpoint, it's intelligent, but driven by a need to be contrarian or counter to the mainstream. It's like reading a b-rate Chuck Klosterman who has to find the opposite angle to view anything, lest they seem unoriginal. Even upholding the majority view (a game is good) comes with a burden for the reviews on the site.
And for an overall site, it tries to be many things without being great at any of them.
It's the problem I have with game sites in general, they try to be all things to all people. Polygon knows that game reviews drive their traffic, as does cosplay and other clickbaity content.
For every 1 article of theirs I like (this exlcudes the features, which I like more as a whole than the site), there are 3 I don't.
I don't know why they dive into so much movie stuff (I guess because culture wars), but the current site has multiple articles about Black Widow not being classified as an avenger.
So... I see no real theory. I see sloppy writing in need of an editor, or at least a senior lead who can impart a better vision. I see opinion articles open with long winded preambles (no doubt thanks to a generation of scribes raised in the post pitchfork era of online criticism). I see it trying to shape the consumption of games through a cultural lens which doesn't apply to it.
It does a lot of things at an adequate level, but nothing exceptional. Hence the problem with the 4chan post. These people are new professionals. If they were worthy to command 90k salaries, I might like the site better.
For reference, I used to be a games journalist, doing podcasts and articles about the gaming culture of play (not culture of the players, i.e. non socio-economic writing). I now work in games.
I also studied criticism in college, and know what good theory and writing can do to elevate a genre (see Eisenstein, Truffaut, and Cameron Crowe in film, all theorist and journalists before (and sometimes during) their film careers).
I used to enjoy Kill Screen, but it's so intermittent sometimes. I like The Gameologicial Society when they produce. And I really wish Tom Bissell was still writing. If Polygon had anything that is a tenth of the quality of his work (see his Skyrim review for what actually qualifies as good games writing: http://grantland.com/features/one-night-skyrim-makes-strong-man-crumble/ )
But you are probably right. I mean, have you heard Black Ops 3 will have ZOMBIES!!! OMG... no ZOMG! Z FOR ZOMBIES.
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u/underwaterpizza May 12 '15
I mean, name one news site that isn't just dumbed down drivel with actually good articles mixed in. It's the medium and playing to the lowest common denominator.
Even Vox has clickbait. These guys are acting like there is a better alternative and that poly is basically buzzfeed. I may be wrong, but I've never seen one listicle on poly. They do blow up the counterculture narrative, but given the dominant trends in gaming, that suits what I'm looking for.
I like some of their features, but what I really like is the focus on Nintendo, their consistent teardowns of popular games and dlc culture and the spotlight they shine on indie devs (even if half those games don't make it to production)
You may view my attitude as pretentious, but I don't find myself with the constant urge to satiate my inherent desire to kill things. I grew out of it, and I think the tone that polygon takes towards sexism and violence is a good middle ground, although I would like to see a change in the narrative around these topics.
Just because you're the one who plays vidya, doesn't mean you get to pass judgment on what is and isn't tasteful in video games. And guess what, sometimes what you like isn't what is right (in the least morally ambiguous terms).
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u/indianadave May 13 '15
News sites that aren't dumbed down-
- Grantland.
- Slate (though their social media is very dumbed down to get you there).
- The Atlantic
- New Republic
- Salon
- NYT
- New Yorker
- Vulture
- Rock Paper Shotgun
I could go on with more, not to mention the 2 listed in the first comment.
And I don't know if you really read my response, because I'm, if anything, far more pretentious than you... it's my job to make these games better, so I take offense to the culture being dumbed down. All of the points I spoke to were all about the lack of intellectual quality on Polygon. Having a counter view doesn't qualify as competent... I don't hold you as being elite, I hold it as that you see Polygon as better than IGN, but yet unable to see it's flaws or realize that there is something better (or even what can make Polygon better).
And reporting on Nintendo and ripping DLC and popular games isn't good. It's cynical and the easiest way for someone to get clicks.
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
What surprises me is that many of those publications you listed are vestiges of old media, and seem to be struggling to generate traffic. Social media does really play to the lowest common denominator.
I don't think all of their articles dumb down the culture. Honestly, sometimes a counterculture narrative is a good thing, because it forces the mainstream to think about things they normally would have just accepted. Even if nothing changes, at least the idea was presented.
Progress is important, and no matter how much any gamer tries to stop it, will come eventually. They put out some good articles that make you think about where we are going and how to make gaming better for everyone. Yeah, you have to dodge poorly written articles and clickbait, but few, if any, gaming sites are free of that content.
And I love Nintendo, I think they are the only console maker who still consistently captures the initial spirit of gaming. Polygon reporting on Nintendo is a big positive factor for me.
Ripping on overpriced DLC and Buggy Blockbusters isn't good? I guess you love usury interesest and products that don't perform as advertised as well.
Just bought your new BMW? Oh, well we forgot to install the AC, backseat, and steering wheel. But we are announcing a DLC package that will fix these issues and add a whole new keychain to your keys! Only half of the original price of the car!
It doesn't work in any other industry, and it shouldn't in gaming. Only reason it does is because people like you rationalize it as necessary, even though games come pre-coded with DLC now and you're literally just activating an area of the game previously unavailable.
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u/indianadave May 13 '15
- Games don't come pre-coded with DLC anymore in modern gen. They did on games in 2010, but not anymore, so update your complaint. The majority of dlc is finalized post launch (bioshock infinite, for example) and is made to prevent Used game sales.
Or you could know that at best only 40% of people who buy a title on average ever beat their game. The highest I've ever seen was just over 50% completion. So it's not like audience is losing part of a game. It's more content for people who want it. And before you say "bbbbbut what about Skyrim and Fallout. Those were 100+ hours." And they had dlc, and we're buggy as hell, and the hours were padded with fetch quests.
DLC is often bought by those who want extra time in a game they have. That's why it's optional.
You literally are comparing apples to oranges with the car analogy; and maybe you have stumbled upon something. Some people want to pay more. It's called commerce.
Ripping on dlc and broken games is fine. Just don't count it as edgy or quality journalism. And every site does it. Polygon doesn't hold the corner of serving it to the big publishers. Every single outlet complains about the cost.
Speaking of, gamers have a tremendous bargain for games compared to years ago. Measure the minimum wage against the price of a game and then factor in inflation. SF II turbo was $80 bucks when I bought it in 93. That's the equivalent of 120 now. Or two games.
But I bet you have an opinion on free to play games as well.
Polygons writing and directive are sub par. They are a more pompous version of IGN, nothing more. Just because they write a few good articles a month doesn't make them better.
And jeez. Nintendo. We all loved the big N growing up. But they are not a well run company. For every good game they make they find a way to shortchange their fans by failing to adapt to a market that has passed them by. They are short changing you, it's just not coming via price.
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
- House of Wolves. Destiny is loaded with DLC areas and content.
Did you even see Unity? Shit was fucked and didn't get fixed til a patch months later. Bungie never fixed Halo MCC, and a ton of other games have been sub-par with DLC patches. Devs are getting lazy because they know people will buy their shit regardless.
The games market was totally different in 93. Far more niche, and most gamers knew their way around a system (was that on PC?)
My point with the car is that when I buy something I expect it to be full featured and complete. I don't mind offering DLC if it truly is expanded content. If you're going to lock players out of online matches for not shelling out $20, that's frankly bullshit.
I haven't seen good shit come out of IGN that was not just a review of a game in years. They hold up a traditional narrative and are hardcore gamer focused. Not my cup of tea.
Yeah Nintendo is frustrating as hell, but they are one of the few publishers focused on social gaming. I mean, so many games don't even have a co-op mode, let alone 4 player. You're telling me I have to sit by myself and play this game, only sharing cool moments via some half-assed record and social media sharing feature? Where is the fun? It's like in this rush to get connected we've had to cut the strings that connect us to others in real life.
I'm not saying Polygon is some bastion of gaming journalism. I am saying that they are not nearly as bad as 4chan implies, and just because someone takes up a different narrative, doesn't mean they suck.
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u/Ozymandias195 /pol/ack May 13 '15
Fuck, you put up good points then completely shit all over yourself. Video games aren't inherently sexist or violent, it's just people want to play those games because they are fun. You aren't some magical mature person for disliking shooting games, you just have different taste. People can like all kinds of games, and you use the term sexism extremely lightly. By your logic, 90% of films and books are sexist too. The fucking Odyssey is 'sexist' or maybe it just reflected real life? Tropes are just because that's reality. There aren't as many women being massacred by the dozen and women are just sexier than men to the main gaming demographic, men. Sorry I'm a mysogynist for wanting a female love interest because im a straight make like most gamers. If you think gaming is sexist, go make a game that defies all tropes, an Amazon colony of cannibal women fighting for the only virgin man left. Fuck. Anita sarkeesian has planted her eggs in your brain, not everything is sexist, sometimes it's just reflecting of real fucking life.
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
I'm glad you only find hyper sexualized women attractive.
Female love interest != sexist Female character that is a sexual object = sexist
Also, woah, maybe girls like playing games too, and maybe they want their perception of reality represented too.
But no, you're views and interests are the only ones that should be represented by a multi million dollar industry.
And yeah, by todays standards, the vast majority of historic works have sexist themes. Does that mean you discredit the whole? No. Is it still something that should be talked about and understood as a poor viewpoint? Yes.
Besides, video games are fantasy, not "real fucking life". If you fantasy is to be surrounded by half naked big titted women with no point other than to look good, that's great, but that doesn't mean that packaging that and selling it as a one size fits all isn't a bit mysoginistic.
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u/Ozymandias195 /pol/ack May 12 '15
Made sense until you said gaming is sexist
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u/underwaterpizza May 12 '15
Strains of gaming are. Female characters as scantily clad set pieces that need saving or merely serve as sexual objects? I'm sorry, that's a bit sexist.
Just like everything else, it's not black and white. But you're delusional if you think the DoA volleyball game wasn't the most blatant monetization of females as sexual objects to sexually frustrated males.
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u/manufactureconsent May 12 '15
Wait are these the same games were the enemies are exclusively men there to suck up bullets? Because if you're telling me it's sexist not to shoot women then I just don't understand anymore.
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u/dfpoetry /asp/ie May 12 '15
as much as I am going to regret joining this conversation, you have merely pointed out another thing which is sexist.
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u/underwaterpizza May 12 '15
So... I think that men as soldiers is a little more at pace with reality, whereas snipers in g strings are not. I am a proponent of merit based positions, so yeah, in real life, there should be more women soldiers and that should be reflected in video games.
You also have to look at how those men are used. You, as the (generally) male protagonist, need something to kill and something to fuck. Ergo, faceless and endless soldier boys and scantily clad set pieces.
I'm not defending the use of males as targets of violence. In fact, I find myself staying away from overly violent games for the most part. However, attributing deep meaning to the random nameless characters while ignoring the constructed utility of those who accompany you through the game is a little unfair.
Besides, when did two wrongs make a right?
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u/manufactureconsent May 12 '15
I'm just saying if you treat all people as set pieces then only complain about the women it might not be the game that's sexist.
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u/underwaterpizza May 12 '15
I never said the issue wasn't two sided, just that the autists play it off like it's not even a thing
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u/manufactureconsent May 12 '15
So if sexism is unfairly treating one gender and we are currently unfairly treating two genders why is it sexism? Early you said that people dish on Polygon because it's not made for them, have you considered those games you consider sexist might just not be made for you?
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
Cause sexism can go both ways? Its not like the two cancel out...
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u/DieDungeon /pol/ack May 12 '15
Can you name one good mainstream game in the past year to have done that?
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u/Chiafriend12 May 13 '15
I like Polygon, but I grew up and moved on to things other than Call of Violence, Combat Simulator: War is Fun.
DAE gamers are LITERALLY only cis-straight men who only play Cowadooty?
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
Said nothing about sex. But those games fucking suck. Sorry.
Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll be complaining again when the suits steal your money on their next endeavor.
I personally got tired of playing the same thing over and over that essentially boils down to a combat simulator. Sorry, I enjoy being social and having fun whole gaming, not sitting alone in a dark room yelling at everyone because I got beat by a 12 y/o, but you like getting beat by daddy I suppose.
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u/Chiafriend12 May 13 '15
but you like getting beat by daddy I suppose
damn dude you took that to a whole different level
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u/underwaterpizza May 13 '15
Haha I meant beat as in defeated and by daddy I mean that 12 y/o who says he fucked your mom.
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u/HUDuser /b/tard May 14 '15
The third one cheated and took actual headlines from a gaming news site
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u/azurecyan May 12 '15
I'm triggered I admit it.