The Big Picture: Fair Game

[Kroxile]

Meh, I say what I think and moderators, trolls, and anyone else who has a problem with it can deal with it.

I cannot begin the count the times I've been moderated on GameFAQs for stating my opinions regardless of who it riles up. I have been called a fanboy and a troll, but thats what the internet is these days. If you say something that either isn't the popular opinion or if you give your side with quantifying the other you are branded a troll or a fanboy and it really is just ridiculous.

 

[Jeffro Tull]

This is pretty much what I hear whenever I come across the mutated form of brand loyalty that is a console debate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZx2r3ISuKA

Of course I have my own loyalties to my pc, because, well, I enjoy a more personal touch to my gaming experience. What makes me laugh the most is that we have people becoming strangely loyal to commercial products (you have to admit that this does happen). My generation has seen this nonsense before between the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, between DC and Marvel and subsequently Image once it was on the scene.

The whole fairness issue, on the other hand, is silly as well. The people that practice this outlook seem to forget that they practice their own biases to a certain extent. What's wrong with a little bias if it centers around a piece of plastic?

 

[DTWolfwood]

You're only a fanboy if you insult some1 else for liking something you don't

I don't see how saying you love Killzone2 or Halo:Reach qualifies you as a fanboy of PS3 or Xb360 so long as you don't blatantly insult the other for liking its 'supposed rival'.

Not even to be fair there just isn't a reason to dismiss some1 elses opinion if they don't match your own.

Trolling on the other hand thats just comical when its damn obvious and some1 falls for it XD

like for example: PC is the superior gaming platform and will always be.

 

[opportunemoment]

Interesting. This is kind of an alien mindset to me - I suppose it's just not really how it works in my corner of the internet. On the other hand, when I do have a really really strong view on something I often don't put it out there not because I'll be accused of being some kind of weird partisan fangirl, but because you can't state an opinion of any kind on the internet - good, bad, indifferent - without somebody telling you at great length why you're wrong. (See, for instance, this comment. I do know.)

 

[zenoaugustus]

Honestly, I understand what people are saying about the ridiculousness of the situation. But quite honestly, why the hell should it matter? If someone calls me a Fallout fanboy just because I enjoy Fallout it doesn't really change my life. Am I a "real fanboy"? Probably not, no. But I really don't mind if some 14 year old does so because he can't bring up an actual point to defuse my argument. It doesn't really bother me.

 

[Jackle_666]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.259762-Mass-Effect-2-Destroying-Save-Files-on-the-PS3#9803318

Quickly everyone! Go to this thread to see this Theory unfold in real time

 

[alexbaxthedarkside]

This makes up for the conspiracy episode last week, was still well written, better than anything I can write on the subject, but trying to bring order to chaos by means of conspiracy theories is a good point and i think Bob is right there, i just dissagree with some of it. Point being this episode I whole heartidly agree with, love your show Bob, always ^_^

 

[Aptspire]

Actually, Bob, i'm pretty sure the trolls are doing it 'for the lulz'
also, agreed (plus there are specific fan sites/pages over the Net anyways)

 

[Jsnoopy]

Go team venture!

 

[Mailman]

I am a biased Big Picture fanboy and I'm okay with that.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Huh... can't say I've actually experienced that myself...

I've seen people try and pass off opinions as fact and I've seen people disregard an entire post on someone's opinion because it's an opinion therefore it has no place in a debate.

I can't think of any clear examples where saying one thing is good is essentially slandering something else... well maybe between chavs.

 

[NaramSuen]

While I agree with many of the points Bob made, I think that he is giving trolls more intellectual credit than they deserve. If someone calls you out for being a fanboy only because you like a particular game, then they probably are a troll and aren't worth your time responding to. However, if you dislike a particular game because it is exclusive to one console or you disparage it in favour of another game on a rival console then you are a fanboy and you deserve to be called out on it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an opinion, but you must be prepared to back it up when you are presented with a good counter argument; you cannot simply label them a troll.

 

[Latinidiot]

You made a fine point, mister Chipman.

 

[Therumancer]

I think the point Bob is missing is that the strength of certain opinions impacts this, not to mention that there ARE a lot of things with opposites where liking one thing does generally mean being against whatever the opposite is.

I'm not going to get into this too heavily, but for example you rarely simply see someone say "I like Killzone 2" for example. Such a mild statement is not the kind of thing people take the time to put on the internet. I mean if your going to write something for all to see, typically you do so to make a strong point. What Moviebob is not getting is that someone starting a thread about "Killzone 2" is typically going to be someone not expressing a "like" but screaming it's praises as the ultimate game of it's genere from the rooftops, and THAT is what starts the conflict. It's also what brings the fanboy accusation, because really, who except for a fanatic fanboy is going to start a thread like that. The purpose of making a thread like that is specifically to hear a chorus of other fans agreeing with you, and hopefully draw in a few trolls/detractors so you can watch your own fandom curb stop them since it's your thread (though this does backfire).

 

[Epic Fail 1977]

I think you've been hanging out in the wrong parts of the internet, Bob! There are gaming forums populated by grown-ups. And just to be perfectly clear, I'm not referring to the Escapist forums (sorry chaps).

 

[LostintheWick]

Big Picture fanboy, here!... ... ... That's got a nice ring to it.

It's nice to have a different perspective on the things we don't normally even question.

 

[lostlevel]

On the BBC the fairness thing works out well, once in a while there is the person is blatently "wrong" but people normally realise after the facts are revealed.

Video games are perhaps too different to apply it too, I'm with bob on that one but on a more serious note; what about strawberry ice cream?

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

Ok, this is like the slew of people who are supposed to be "fanboys" of one console or another. Has anybody ever even met one of these people in real life? And if so, where on earth do you hang out?

Look, I post on a few forums, and I've never come across this stuff in any sufficient amount that it's bothered me. Yes, there's the occasional troll. Generally he gets banned, and that's it. Is this seriously supposed to be a real problem?

 

[Crimson_Dragoon]

Normally I agree with you Bob, but not this time. The trolls and jackasses on the internet aren't complaining because they think everything isn't being treated "fairly," they're complaining because they want to show how superior their thing is. They don't want people to get rid of their biases, they just want everyone to have the same (extreme) biases they have. Fairness has nothing to do with it.

 

[jamesbob006]

According to the internet...

I am a bias PS3 fanboy that hates the X-Box.
I am a bias Wii fanboy that hates the PS3.
I am a bias DS fanboy that hates the PSP.