biggest_loser

@ghoti221: @ghoti221 said:

*scans the thread*

Looking over this thread... wow. Just wow.

My one addition I'd like to add: The issue here isn't Patrick's writing. The issue here is that he's taken a mirror, and thrown it up in front of gaming culture and said "Look."

Now, if you don't like what you see in the mirror, the solution isn't taking the mirror down. The solution is to change what's being reflected.

And if you don't think there's a problem with what's in the mirror, that's fine too. But it's still worthwhile to look. Because, as gamers, if we ever want to be accepted by the mainstream -- if we want video games to be accepted as a valid entertainment choice as readily as choosing to play Scrabble or watch TV -- then we, as gamers, have to consider how the mainstream looks at us, or would look at us. That's what these articles do. That makes the exercise worthwhile.

And if you don't want to think that hard - don't read the articles. Last time I checked, silly gifs and podcasts and videos were still being posted. If you truly just want to have fun, go right ahead, and God bless. It's a valid choice. I just think it's just as valid dealing with the serious stuff too.

JGH

This is a really good post. The problem though is that gamers have to start shaping their whole attitude towards anything but games. Some of them seem to think that games just exist in the basement and thats where they stay. Well no fellas, wake up and smell the ashes. The industry is broadening and expanding to other demographics, beyond this tired and ageing geek culture. Its just amazing that for all the talk about games as art, and the people who were flamed in that debate, that an industry refuses to examine its own image. Isn't that the essence of art?

@Nettacki: 'As others have said before, people aren't afraid of regular feminism, but rather the really extreme form of feminism that demands that women have more rights than men and should dominate the world.'

But the problem is that gamers refuse to differentiate between the two. Honestly, how many gamers specify that they're talking about the "extreme" form? Too many gamers throw the F word around loosely because they have this preconceived idea about what the ideology actually is, including this 'dominate the world' rubbish. Just because some women don't want to be looked at as sex objects in games anymore doesn't mean that they're a Feminist or they're going to take your games away. I just want people to get that out of their noggins because its really tiring to listen to and so misinformed.

@Kraznor: "I am perplexed by the outrage around this post?" I've been wondering for a long time why gamers are so terrified of the word Feminism. The way its thrown around is so senseless. Its this school boy attitude that Feminism is this horrible thing when they don't know anything about it. Its also a result of gamers being overly defensive about any commentary on the medium (on gender, violence or whatever). Suddenly if a woman voices something 'Omg! She's a hairy feminist!' Unfortunately, this whole story has captured both attitudes and why we have over thousand posts here. Expect over the next years a large division between those who want gaming to move forward and those who want to uphold this 'fuck the world' attitude. I know which one I prefer. It can't come soon enough.

@SWD: His post is just pathetic. People are now using this to fuel their dislike of Patrick now. I don't get where that has come from but its spread over to Youtube as well. Users marking down videos that he's in and writing nasty comments. Are people that juvenile in this industry that they have to pick on "the new guy"? And then they wonder why people externally say its immature lol.

@Nation764:

@Evercaptor: Don't be naive. Just have another close look at the statue again. If you think its not about sex you're blind.

Just on the Ryan tweet. No one is forgetting that its a corpse. If it were a male torso turned into a statue there would still be controversy. Its the mutilated corpse AS WELL as the sexualisation of it, which has made it even worse. Most people would agree on this: who wants a mutilated corpse statue, male or female, on their desk? Its sick, regardless of the gender.

@Darji: No. It was about health regeneration because Tomb Raider, unlike a lot of games, was aiming for a gritty "realistic" quality. How can that be if you have regenerating health? The game puts Lara through all this physical damage in cutscenes but then she has recharging health after getting shot.

@Microshock: Its about the principle man. Don't you want gaming to grow up a little bit instead of the infantile attitude of 'hur, hur! Boobs!' That's what this is about. If you ignore this and let it go by then we'll see the same boys club attitude in other titles, like we have for so long. People want change because they're sick of how juvenile this industry is. Was it really necessary to imply that that other poster as a bitch? That sort of bro attitude stinks. People have had enough! It is time for change!!!

@Darji: Which feminists? Source? Firstly, just because a commentator like Laura Parker on Gamespot writes an article doesn't make them a feminist. Second of all the concern was about the would-be rape scene and that controversy, rather than a broad sweeping statement about it being "torture porn". People were also concerned by the fact that Lara goes through all this pain..yet has recharging health. It was more about the conflict of the mechanics and story than anything else.