Beamdog: Solutions to Crisis
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I honestly hope that sanity will be restored eventually. What a mess
This gives me a strong believe Beamdog will handle a new problem, will fix what is broken and the life will go on.
What I want is just that lessons are learned about it. I don't think Beamdog owes anything to anyone about the decisions they've made. I especially don't think they should be pressured to censor their choices from the community. I do feel that they owe it to themselves to try to understand why people are reacting the way they are, to separate what parts the haters are overreacting to and what parts of their complaints are genuine and should be considered.
It would be terrible if we were to lose that permanently..
Though the real issue, in my point of view, is that it's incredibly badly voice acted. It sounds like it's put together using text-to-speech software. Drawn out and awkward.
1. GamerGaters have never, ever, in the history of their existence as a "movement", done anything to promote better representation of minorities in games. They don't organize workshops, they don't give talks at gay gamer events, they don't support Kickstarters for games like Read Only Memories or Sunset or Undertale (because those games are, of course, "Tumblr SJW Games"). This group is not interested in minorities beyond using them to promote their own positions.
2. It is absolutely possible to make Mizhena a deeper, more compelling character if that's something Amber and Andrew want to pursue. These changes should not be made as concessions to Internet bullies, especially since they'll just find another way to complain about her anyway.
3. I didn't think openly asking for reviews was a good idea, and said so. That said, it's done. And the counterbalance will be showing up as soon as people finish playing SoD anyway.
4. GamerGate is not interested in representation of minorities. Their narrative here, which has popped up again and again, is that Amber Scott is a SJW who pushed her agenda onto a classic game. Not a word about Andrew Foley - you know, the other lead writer - not a word about Chris Avellone's role as consultant, not a word about Phil Daigle who was promoting SoD right alongside Amber in those Twitch streams. But somehow it's all Amber's fault. Beamdog absolutely does not need to appease anyone who holds that view.
The people who are upset are upset for illegitimate reasons -- the modern misogynist and transphobe are little different from the so-called conservatives who disliked 'interracial marriage' back in the day. Twenty years from now -- when everyone will see these comments for what they are -- will want to say that they were aligned against the hate. Giving the haters a victory will only embolden them and lead to more requests -- hate is a beast whose hunger is never satiated.
Which of wouldn't like to say that we marched with MLK back in the day? Well that day is now. Do we stand firm or do we give in to the modern day analogues to Bull Connor?
I understand that your complaint about Mizhena is about her not being properly represented in your view. That's a valuable criticism. The attacks on this game are almost universally about her inclusion altogether.
I don't understand about the Minsc line. GamerGate is associated with harassment and misogyny. So yeah, poke fun. Make a joke. Don't censor yourself based on blowback. That would not be noble. Sure, there are practical reasons for such censorship...
I'm trying to understand why this quote is bad. All I can get is that it will make some people angry. Some people that tend to make others lives hard by, such as, spamming bad reviews. Is that what is wrong with this quote? If thats the case, I gotta love Beamdog more for putting that little gem in there.
I'm sure Beamdog meant well with this line, but it has backfired on them from both sides.
Feel free to watch this video by Liana Kerzner, who explains the reaction in further detail.
It's a joke. Chuckle and move on.
And who is chosen as the spokesperson? One of the most established and loved characters of the game. I see prem0nition apparently posted about that as I'm writing this in greater detail. But yeah, it's pretty crude using what is many people's favourite character against them. One of the new characters could easily have been chosen for the task instead and maybe it would have sounded less out of place.
That said, don't change anything.
On a related note, can we please get rid of Purudaya and Shawne? They have been incredibly annoying about this whole issue, and I frankly never want to read another one of their hateful posts again.
Maybe there should also be a priestess of umberlee with a persecution complex who complains endlessly that the world is so tough on her. The two could bicker back and forth endlessly until Noober comes along and murders both of them for being so idiotic and annoying and making everyone else miserable.
It looks like that feature has been removed from the review section of SoD.