I know this is shitty to say, but the whole Jeff Green thing is a bit weird.
I can't blame him at all for leaving the 1up sinking ship, but he largely did so because he was offered a job in games development. That didn't really work out, so he's now a media guy again...only it's as the Editor in Chief for ea.com.
Probably a great job and I'm happy for him, but it's a bit sad to see one of my favorite media journalists to leave independent media only to end up as an unofficial spokesperson for a large shareholder's corporation.
That happens a lot in media. Writers/Journalists get tired of crap pay, weird hours, and next-to-no benefits. They then go into PR, which their skillset is well developed for.
Also, what was that one blog where that guy looks over games that were released, and then revises them from a development/art standpoint?
That was pretty interesting. The only one I read was about Clive Barker's Jericho, but the author went super in-depth about how the character design could make a better game. As well as other things.
Tim Schaefer runs the blog at the DoubleFine website, and he usually posts some really good stuff, like his bible for Grim Fandango he used to pitch the game
I know this is shitty to say, but the whole Jeff Green thing is a bit weird.
I can't blame him at all for leaving the 1up sinking ship, but he largely did so because he was offered a job in games development. That didn't really work out, so he's now a media guy again...only it's as the Editor in Chief for ea.com.
Probably a great job and I'm happy for him, but it's a bit sad to see one of my favorite media journalists to leave independent media only to end up as an unofficial spokesperson for a large shareholder's corporation.
That happens a lot in media. Writers/Journalists get tired of crap pay, weird hours, and next-to-no benefits. They then go into PR, which their skillset is well developed for.
Believe me, I know. The journalism school I attended had just about as many PR classes as it did journalism. Better pay is the big factor.
which is to say, gaming journalism doesn't actually exist for the most part
Not really, no. There really isn't much in terms of ethics (not necessarily in the more profound ways you might imagine, but in more subtle cases regarding source/writer relationships and socializing, etc.). The implications of this are questionable given the fact that they're simply writing about videogames, but I see stuff going on in the games writing industry pretty often that would get you fired from a daily paper.
More importantly, most people in the gaming blog business are completely devoid of any reporting ability. The number of blogs I see that report rumors or speculation without even making an attempt at contacting a source is astounding. AP style? Forget about it. Slang? You bet. Brevity? Hell no, check out this 3,000 word review--a testament to both my inability to write clearly and concisely, and also to our bevy of shitty editors.
I guess I don't know how most other schools work...whether they're separate programs, or two programs under the same roof or what. Ours was the latter, but we also had a brand new facility and curriculum, so...
i mean, the escapist is a step in the right direction
but for the most part there's no real journalism aside because some of the best reporting is industry owned so you can't say everything's 100% objective
i mean, gamepolitics for example. it's great, but the ESA lobbying group owns em
if modern gaming journalism was real or tangible or mattered to anyone who even casually played video games, you could bet your ass activision and EA would look a little different today
The problem with games journalism is that it remains to be seen whether or not attempting objectivity is even appropriate for the medium. I would even go so far as to say most people want subjectivity in their gaming news. An objective review is an oxymoron, and what is an objective preview other than a bullet point list. It almost needs subjectivity because nearly every source for a game journalist is someone who a) works in PR, and b) is full of PR hot air in an attempt to sell their game. So just objectively reporting what the source (i.e., Games PR spokesperson) has to say is basically just acting as a mouthpiece for PR hot air.
This is sort of why I hesitate to even call games journalism "journalism"
He's a good writer who often writes about games-related stuff. He has some books out too that are quite excellent. I know he's at least written for Wired and Rolling Stone.
it is appropriate for the medium, but that means a dramatic inventory on how much you futz or don't on telling people the straight scoop on some shit
the godfather game for example was probably reviewed like this:
while EA's first entry into the sandbox genre of crime games that is home to more established titles like Grand Theft Auto is a solid entry, the generic gameplay and sluggish driving mechanics will make your time as an associate of The Don drag on in parts
they'll go on about the production values winning them over and throw more buzzwords at your stupid ass.
here is what you'd actually tell somebody about the game if you're an objective reviewer:
ever watch the godfather and say to yourself "man, michael corleone sure is a pussy! i'd do waaaay better!" if you're that jackoff, this game is for you. your cookie cutter father is your tutorial and sets the stage for a digital effigy of marlon brando to weeze at you.
you can strangle women, and jump over cars in car chases during key segments of the godfather film that never happened ever, or even in the book
the only new thing the game brings to the table is collecting money from rackets and holding women over stoves after smacking their heads off of cash registers for unusual periods of time
On another note...I actually went to journalism school with vague hopes of becoming a games journalist. This was at a time (Only about 5 years ago, really) when the economy was booming and working for a magazine (like with paper pages) actually seemed to be plausible. I got a bit older, though, and found the appeal of writing for the mainstream public to be stronger, and began spending more of my time reading about Washington than Bioware. I sure as hell waste a lot of time playing games, but the idea of devoting my life to writing about them seems incredibly unfulfilling to me, now.
This is a sentiment I've seen discussed a few times re: why the games journalism industry has an incredibly low ceiling. There's no NYTimes to work up to...there's no bouncing from small town to metro...there's no 100k a year editorial positions at century-old publications to aspire to.
I figure you stay in games journalism long enough, you're going to look around and see a lot of dudes who are young enough to be your children. Hey, maybe this will all change as games mature as a medium, but fuck that. Dudes gotta pay rent.
Being as juvenile as it is, it's a medium that looks to be flexible enough to change with the times. Your traditional old rags are mostly gonna be dead and buried in our lifetimes.
it is appropriate for the medium, but that means a dramatic inventory on how much you futz or don't on telling people the straight scoop on some shit
the godfather game for example was probably reviewed like this:
while EA's first entry into the sandbox genre of crime games that is home to more established titles like Grand Theft Auto is a solid entry, the generic gameplay and sluggish driving mechanics will make your time as an associate of The Don drag on in parts
they'll go on about the production values winning them over and throw more buzzwords at your stupid ass.
here is what you'd actually tell somebody about the game if you're an objective reviewer:
ever watch the godfather and say to yourself "man, michael corleone sure is a pussy! i'd do waaaay better!" if you're that jackoff, this game is for you. your cookie cutter father is your tutorial and sets the stage for a digital effigy of marlon brando to weeze at you.
you can strangle women, and jump over cars in car chases during key segments of the godfather film that never happened ever, or even in the book
the only new thing the game brings to the table is collecting money from rackets and holding women over stoves after smacking their heads off of cash registers for unusual periods of time
I guess I don't know how most other schools work...whether they're separate programs, or two programs under the same roof or what. Ours was the latter, but we also had a brand new facility and curriculum, so...
I guess I don't know how most other schools work...whether they're separate programs, or two programs under the same roof or what. Ours was the latter, but we also had a brand new facility and curriculum, so...
i mean professionally
i wish i could've gotten a job at a PR firm
i want a job is where i'm going with this
My friend has a freshly gotten MA in PR.
Everywhere she's gone to they'll like, "great....so.....experience?"
i usually check blogs in lieu of magazines or big sites anymore because i'm more interested in the journalism side of things
and for the most part "gaming journalism" is dudes writing reviews with redundant word choices, previews, and talking about the free swag they shouldn't accept even if they're pasty fucking nerds
Also, what was that one blog where that guy looks over games that were released, and then revises them from a development/art standpoint?
That was pretty interesting. The only one I read was about Clive Barker's Jericho, but the author went super in-depth about how the character design could make a better game. As well as other things.
That sounds really interesting. Let me know if you remember what it is.
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That happens a lot in media. Writers/Journalists get tired of crap pay, weird hours, and next-to-no benefits. They then go into PR, which their skillset is well developed for.
That was pretty interesting. The only one I read was about Clive Barker's Jericho, but the author went super in-depth about how the character design could make a better game. As well as other things.
Believe me, I know. The journalism school I attended had just about as many PR classes as it did journalism. Better pay is the big factor.
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Not really, no. There really isn't much in terms of ethics (not necessarily in the more profound ways you might imagine, but in more subtle cases regarding source/writer relationships and socializing, etc.). The implications of this are questionable given the fact that they're simply writing about videogames, but I see stuff going on in the games writing industry pretty often that would get you fired from a daily paper.
More importantly, most people in the gaming blog business are completely devoid of any reporting ability. The number of blogs I see that report rumors or speculation without even making an attempt at contacting a source is astounding. AP style? Forget about it. Slang? You bet. Brevity? Hell no, check out this 3,000 word review--a testament to both my inability to write clearly and concisely, and also to our bevy of shitty editors.
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Why couldn't you?
I guess I don't know how most other schools work...whether they're separate programs, or two programs under the same roof or what. Ours was the latter, but we also had a brand new facility and curriculum, so...
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but for the most part there's no real journalism aside because some of the best reporting is industry owned so you can't say everything's 100% objective
i mean, gamepolitics for example. it's great, but the ESA lobbying group owns em
This is sort of why I hesitate to even call games journalism "journalism"
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I started thinking of making one, but then I realized I haven't played Everquest in 5 years so it would be bad forehead jokes.
He's a good writer who often writes about games-related stuff. He has some books out too that are quite excellent. I know he's at least written for Wired and Rolling Stone.
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the godfather game for example was probably reviewed like this:
while EA's first entry into the sandbox genre of crime games that is home to more established titles like Grand Theft Auto is a solid entry, the generic gameplay and sluggish driving mechanics will make your time as an associate of The Don drag on in parts
they'll go on about the production values winning them over and throw more buzzwords at your stupid ass.
here is what you'd actually tell somebody about the game if you're an objective reviewer:
ever watch the godfather and say to yourself "man, michael corleone sure is a pussy! i'd do waaaay better!" if you're that jackoff, this game is for you. your cookie cutter father is your tutorial and sets the stage for a digital effigy of marlon brando to weeze at you.
you can strangle women, and jump over cars in car chases during key segments of the godfather film that never happened ever, or even in the book
the only new thing the game brings to the table is collecting money from rackets and holding women over stoves after smacking their heads off of cash registers for unusual periods of time
you never smacked anyone's head off a cash register in a video game prior to that moment in time after you did some sweet jumps for The Don
This is a sentiment I've seen discussed a few times re: why the games journalism industry has an incredibly low ceiling. There's no NYTimes to work up to...there's no bouncing from small town to metro...there's no 100k a year editorial positions at century-old publications to aspire to.
I figure you stay in games journalism long enough, you're going to look around and see a lot of dudes who are young enough to be your children. Hey, maybe this will all change as games mature as a medium, but fuck that. Dudes gotta pay rent.
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The Godfather is pretty fun
but also tremendously dumb and broken
this is why everything is so dumb
i mean professionally
i wish i could've gotten a job at a PR firm
i want a job is where i'm going with this
My friend has a freshly gotten MA in PR.
Everywhere she's gone to they'll like, "great....so.....experience?"
Volunteer is the key I guess.
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