Jimquisition: Creative Freedom, Strings Attached

Jimothy Sterling

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Creative Freedom, Strings Attached

Freedom of expression is not freedom to express without challenge. A game is within its rights to include any content it does, but that content is not sacred.

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Hades

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I find the concept of not buying a game for not having your gender playable a bit weird but if that's what makes people happy

(edit, skipped the outro so Jim already addresses him sounding sick)
 

Marohen

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After PAX and what happened there, I think we can all agree that this needed to be said.
 

Jimothy Sterling

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Hades said:
You sound a bit weird today Jim. Still suffering from Pax Flu?
I recorded this on Friday when I was possibly at my worst. I almost didn't record as I was choking on my own filth while trying to talk. Sorry it was so noticeable in the final recording, I did my best, and Friday was basically my deadline.
 

Hades

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Jimothy Sterling said:
Hades said:
You sound a bit weird today Jim. Still suffering from Pax Flu?
I recorded this on Friday when I was possibly at my worst. I almost didn't record as I was choking on my own filth while trying to talk. Sorry it was so noticeable in the final recording, I did my best, and Friday was basically my deadline.
No problem, glad you recorded anyway. Best wishes for you recovery.
 

Mikeyfell

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You know the old adage, "Everything you say before the word 'but' doesn't count." I, for one, am glad you decided to use the word "However"
Thank god for Jim.

P.S. I think you sound really good with the Pax Plague.
 

Chessrook44

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It is true, yes. Freedom of expression comes with the freedom to criticize, and you should always be aware of that sort of thing. However that does not necessarily, in my opinion, mean it's ok for people to attack or verbally assault others for their statements. Presentation means a lot in an argument. Saying "I don't like this kind of thing" is fine. Asking "Why did you do this?" is fine. Going "What the eff is wrong with you? You have to do it this way!" or "You effing blarking carg, this is hideous, go dump your crap in a fire" is NOT. Feel free to criticize, and feel free to be harsh, but don't be aggressive.
 

ZiggyE

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Why should a game be criticised or scrutinised simply because it doesn't have a female protagonist?
 

Akytalusia

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if only more people understood that concept that freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom from criticism. it would alleviate a lot of frustration worldwide.
 

Goliath100

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To throw a wrench into this...

It's impossible for a playble character (when playable) to have a gender other than the players. The player is part of the playable character, and the physical absolutes that defines the genders are impossible to measure on virtual character. Than logic follows that what the player identify as defines the gender of the playable character.

Edit: What I'm saying is that if Half-Life 2 is played by someone identifying as female, Gordon Freeman is female in that case. If played by someone idenifying as male, Gordon is male.
 

traineesword

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Anyone else have immense trouble finding this video? I ended up having to check Jim's twitter to see if he'd been too ill to post an episode, where I finally found a link to this. EDIT: Nevermind, in the time it took to type this post, the video is now on the front-page where it belongs

I liked the message that was being said here. I've a flatmate who oft complains about the lack of female protagonists in vidya-games and on the whole I'm in complete agreement with her. However, I'll just be playing a game and she'll come in, watch and soon start making bitter comments about the protagonist's male gender and how they easily could have just been female. I never really know what to say to her, because while I don't necessarily fully disagree I'm never able to construct a proper argument that extends past "well if it could have easily been either gender, then surely the difference would only be aesthetic" or "I'm pretty sure the developers if it was a she you'd just complain about how she wasn't fleshed out enough". Next time I'll just be able to point her to this video, where there is a lot more thought put into the topic than I could possibly give on the spot. (It can get pretty tiring, because I'll just be bumbling words and she'll be spouting all these quotes, that I've heard a million times by now, from these tumblr posts where the person has had plenty of time to type and formulate their argument)

Hope you get well soon Jim
 

jehk

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I'm really glad for the "However" part. I was about to lose faith in Jim's divinity. Faith restored. :p
 

chronobreak

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You need to understand the motives for the question being asked over, and over again. It's diabolical. The implication is that, even if this is the story the creator wanted to tell, that is not good enough anymore. There is a small, but vocal segment of gamers who will harp on it endlessly, and even get their work published on "major" gaming sites such as Kotaku, even over a perceived slight, putting a spin on it that paints the creator in a bad light.

If someone is asking the question without an agenda, of course that is fine. But most people who are asking the question have a not-so-hidden agenda, which is to serve a dose of shame to the creator and to plant a seed of negativity to achieve their own vision of what games should be.
 

Moth_Monk

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Absolutely right that you have the right to ask questions and criticise but you are NOT entitled to answer. If it I was the creative director of something and I got some question about why I haven't included X, Y and Z, my response would be: "To offend as many people as I can, of course!!" :D
 

Proverbial Jon

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Nov 10, 2009
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The creator should be free to create without fear of censorship?


Yeah...

I kid, I kid!

I agree with Jim on this one. I'll always be sad to see the lack of a female protagonist but I'd rather have a game written to include a female over one that just includes one simply because people might like the option of a slightly different character model.

Goliath100 said:
To throw a wrench into this...

It's impossible for a playble character (when playable) to have a gender other than the players. The player is part of the playable character, and the physical absolutes that defines the genders are impossible to measure on virtual character. Than logic follows that what the player identify as define the gender of the playable character.
I'm calling bullshit on this one.

I know some people can only play a game when they feel like they are the character they are playing but I (and many others) don't work that way. I like to understand my character but I recognise that they are a separate entity.

I don't feel like I am Gordon Freeman in Half Life any more than I feel like Joel from The Last of Us. Not being female didn't stop me from understanding Nilin's story in Remember Me nor did it hinder me from feeling fear as Heather in Silent Hill 3. I play as females in Elder Scrolls games because I like to have a different experience and attempt to make choices I wouldn't normally.

OK, so I don't have the mind of a female and quite possibly I have no idea how one would react in given situations... but that doesn't mean I can't roleplay as my individual interpretation of a female within the confines of a game world.