Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

SuperEffective — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:19:20 GMT

Crescente is hilarious! A Gawker site that encourages users to snark and scream? I am shocked and outraged.

Also: that RE5 shot reminds me of how Time 'accidentally' turned up the black on OJ for a cover photo. Those zombies are very, very black. Blacker than any zombies I've ever seen, at least.

Beyond that, I think a lot of people are hitting the race aspect when there's an equally disturbing difference between RE4 and RE5: there may be squalid, impoverished, 3rd world villages in Spain, but I've never seen photos of one.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

Etchasketchist — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:29:39 GMT

You don't actually expect those mouth-breathers to read books, do you? Books don't have Achievements, N'Gai. Therefore, they are worthless.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

patk514 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:56:51 GMT

C'mon man! I've read King Leopold's Ghost, interesting book, but I definitely don't see it to be the key to understanding this situation. I can certainly see a problem related to the *imagery* alone, ignoring the fact that the title of the game is Biohazard, a fictious and corrupt global company that experiments with the T-Virus(on various populations) or that Chris Redfield mentions his struggle in regards to fighting that company(the game also being on its 6th iteration).

I don't really blame many commentators for the way they are responding, have you seen what's being quoted in Joystiq's latest post?

""MTV Multiplayer has published some important commentary on the first RE5 trailer by Croal, whose first reaction was simply: "Wow, clearly no one black worked on this game.""

Quoting things like that without context starts fights, hmm reminds me to something similar..... in another instance....something like teaser trailers.......I guess having a context, is key!

Anyway, I'm not going to bash anyone, and honestly, I really loved some of N'gai's previous posts and appearences on gametrailers etc. N'gai stated a very solid concern, and has done a very good job of trying to communicate his point. I don't agree with him on every level, but damn, theres no way I can compete against it(the man can write circles around any gamer/game blogger out there!).

N'gai any chance of getting on X-play, Attack of the Show, or even Adam Sessler's video podcast?

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

perrinbar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:59:46 GMT

N'Gai, that is one hell of a shitstorm you stirred up over on Multiplayer. I've never seen so many comments. What I find fascinating is how quickly the discussion goes straight to hell when outside sites like Kotaku link to the article. I mean look at the number of comments on all the other articles in that series and then the number on that particular one.

I agree with you especially in the idea that the presentation is the problem. Where is at least one black character who isn't a zombie? That's what I think the people aren't getting. Of course it yet again displays the futility of trying to deal with serious issues with gamers. Plenty are smart and capable of handling those things well, but so many are just so close minded.

Makes me wonder if John's poll should have included the choice of two interracial men kissing. That would have really riled them up!

Don't let the masses keep you down!

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

Etchasketchist — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:40:26 GMT

I'd also like to say, I'm a little disturbed that there are only a handful of comments here (2 by me) but hundreds on any number of blogs that linked to what you had to say. All these kids feel fine talking smack about you in the safety of their own blogs, but nobody seems to be bringing their amazing "people who whine about racism are the REAL racists" arguments to your turf. I'm curious N'Gai, how's it feel to be branded the new Al Sharpton of video games? Are you going to avoid this topic in the future for fear that people are going to pigeon hole you as one of those uppity blacks that does nothing but complain and call white (or japanese) people racists? I'd hate for that to happen. But it's really intimidating the way these digital mobs can shut down discourse with a few hundred inane comments. Are you concerned that a bunch of douchebags on the internets are going to turn you into some absurd caricature and give you the Rev. Wright treatment?

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

jccalhoun — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:43:15 GMT

I've been following the RE5 controversy for a while and I'm still never disappointed at how quickly comments try to turn things around by saying "if you think something might be racist you are a racist." I just simply don't understand that line of reasoning. It just frustrates me to no end how dismissive and unwilling to even think about race.

If they think that the game is being criticized now they should just wait until the cable news channels get ahold of it. The RE5 trailer is disturbing to a lot of people and shouting down and refusing to even try to understand the reasons why is not the best way to go about things.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

KaRiL — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:01:29 GMT

N'Gai

I've been reading about this all over the place today and I have to say I'm so disappointed with the the ignorance and immaturity alot of commenters have shown. And I'm especially disappointed in Jim Sterling and Ron Workman whom I've grown to respect. Their lack of undstanding or even willingness to understand what you said is what's "astounding". The issue I think is image and that images displayed without context can be taken different ways by different people.

To quote Ron Workmans comment "They were black zombies, not black American slave zombies from 300 years ago" I almost have to laugh, but having watched the trailer, I'm curious how he would change the people to look more like "black American slave zombies" if you ask me they could be impoverished black people from any era, what visual clues leads one to believe that they do not resemble slaves from 300 years ago? and Jim says in his own post from destructoid "the very fact that there were naught but black zombies gave me a nagging feeling that we were about to hear some bullshit, and hear it soon." so... he watched it, thought some people might take this the wrong way, and then when told exactly why people might take it the wrong way he puts on the "I'm not racist" blinders and tells people to not be so sensitive. It feels like you're that one black guy in a group of white guys willing to say "hey that joke offends me". When will people learn that no intent to offend, doesn't negate the outcome.

And I love the people saying that they didn't see anything that could be construed as racist, as if their ignorance was some sort of proof positive that we've moved forward as a nation.

when people say your being over sensitive it's like I just want to grab them and say:

a) just because you have black friends does not mean racism is dead

b) just because you've never seen racism does not mean racism is dead

c) racism isn't dead

I think you did a great job at trying to explain to those who couldn't see, what was being shown in that trailer, taken at face value and without the context of the story of the game.

In the words of IceT

"keep doin what you doin man"

"don't give a damn if the squares don't understand"

"you let 'em tell you what to say and what to write"

"your whole career'll be over by tomorrow night"

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

SwiftTheRedFox — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:11:35 GMT

I never really planned to post anything on this because I’m usually a troll on most things. And man do I wish my brain could type what it’s thinking without my fingers.

So here’s my issue. As a well respected journalist in the video game scene who runs a very intellectual blog, I just thought N’Gai was above racial issues. I guess I expected more from him since he has such an important stature in the gaming realm.

I’ve seen a good handful of posts that discuss the fact that if we continue to see the HUMAN race divided by color, than racial issues will continue to thrive. I’m not saying that I’m a saint when it comes to race, but I do like to think that I usually see human beings as equals regardless of their color.

Racism will always be with us if we don’t try to change our point of views about race! I am a human. That is my race. I’ve seen a lot of comments on this interview that use the words “white”, “black”, or “spanish”. The issue with this trailer shouldn’t be “Why is that white man shooting all those black zombies?” The real issue is “Why is that alive human shooting and killing zombies, who are still human in a way?”

If anybody has read or watched “I Am Legend”, then that is a good reference point from where I’m coming from. In this, Robert Neville is trying to save the HUMAN race. It is a bit different than a zombie film/book, but it does say something about how we should all see eachother.

I really hope my point isn’t thrown off as being too optimistic here like I’ve seen others with the same view as mine have been. But I really honestly think if we don’t teach our children and change our point of views to see each person as an equal human being, then how will racism ever go away? When will we as humans stop labeling each other with colors? Will it honestly take another 100 years? Will racism still be alive into the 2100’s? I sincerely hope not.

I have posted this on MTV Multiplayer and Destructoid which have both received very little response from other commenters. Do you all believe I'm being too optimistic here to believe that we can all see each other as just humans? The reason I think N'Gai is racist is because of the comments he made towards RE5 mainly because I believed him to be above race. Also, there are a lot of good comments if you have the time to sort through them, mainly on MTV Multiplayer. Destructoid's thread needs some anti-venom because it's a total snake pit over there.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

robo-magic — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:18:20 GMT

N'Gai,

Bravo.

I'm sad to say that I have never commented on much in the gaming blog community for all my years as an active gamer and now journalist.

But this proverbial ***-storm that has been stirred up by your comments only goes to show that what you have said is actually true. As a student of not only post-modern theory but also of post-colonialism, I completely understand your comments and furthermore, the context that you bring to them. Your understanding of race of today's post-modern and non-scientific, but still overtly hegemonic race issues is admirable. I have read your blog many times, and heard you on the 1up your's podcast as well, and I have always thought you to be the perfect spokesmen for more intelligent and thought provoking introspection into the gaming community and industry.

By bringing up the this topic you have stirred debate on a scale that I have never seen before in the gaming community. It's about time that gamers, who tend to be white, middle class and wildly ignorant (as any several hours on x-box live can attest), be provoked into thinking more than just about the next epic frag or high score. This community needs it.

For anybody who criticizes you as a reverse racist or some other inaccurate slur, remember that great minds who question authority have always been labelled as such. Edward Said was called an Islamic apologist and anti-Semite. Franz Fanon was deemed a terrorist by the French government for publishing books criticizing and supporting the Algerian insurrection against a hundred and fifty years of colonial domination. These great men understood the stakes of race and imperialism, I’m glad you do too.

Daniel Joseph – Ontario, Canada.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

pattheflip — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:42:49 GMT

SwiftTheRedFox: no one is "above race". either you are aware of it and the ways in which exerts power, or you remain ignorant.

props to mr. croal for speaking up. sadly, this wasn't even that radical - that it has aroused such enmity is indicative of how much video games - and too many of the people that consume them - have to grow. sigh.

-pat m.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

SwiftTheRedFox — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:31:31 GMT

pat: Thanks for being the first person to reply to my comment. I sincerely appreciate it. So to you, I am ignorant for trying to be above current racial issues? How else do you propose I be in order for me to regard others of different color as equals? Will our children have to grow up looking at eachother as "that white kid" or "that black kid"?

I mean honestly, the color of my skin nor yours defines you as a human being. So why should it be regarded with such importance in today's world? What defines a person is their personality, their ambitions, the way they live their lives. If that person lives their life regarding others by the color their skin, even slightly, then wouldn't they be racist? So my point is, is that I believed Mr. Croal to be more mature than to call out racism on a video game or anything for that matter.

When I see Mr. Croal, I see one of the SMARTEST and INNOVATING game journalist that we have today. I don't see one of the few black men working in the video game realm today. With that being said, the blame isn't fully his either. MTV Multiplayer also shares the blame by labeling Mr. Croal as black and bringing up the issue of race. If Multiplayer wanted to focus on race, why could they not have focused on many different people in the human race? A black journalist, a white programmer, an asian tester, an irish developer, etc.

This is getting ranty so I'm just going to state my point again. I just believe that if we as human beings are to ever get past labeling each other a certain color, than we must recognize one another as equals regardless of the color of our skin. Am I honestly being too optimistic for this to ever happen? Sadly most people will think so.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

Etchasketchist — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:29:01 GMT

STRF:

You seem to be focusing on your own personal attitudes about skin pigment when the issue here is about larger historical/social forces. So it's all great and wonderful that a black man entering your house will be treated with the same respect as a white man or an asian man. But a black child born into American society has a much greater likelihood of getting a substandard education, being put in jail, earning less money and dieing sooner than a white child. Those are very real and very important issues that won't just go away by pretending they don't exist. I'm happy for you that you've moved beyond racism, but America is still a racist society. And when racist ideology is depicted and reinforced by mass culture, we need to talk about it and criticize it. And that's not perpetuating the problem, that's dealing with it like an adult.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

SwiftTheRedFox — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:18:05 GMT

Etcha: I am an adult. Thanks for letting me know that you think my viewpoint is childish. I know people want to criticize the race issues in entertainment and society today. I understand that because of the exact example you gave. But what I'm saying, is that if we are to ever get past these racial issues then our society needs to acknowledge history for what it was and move on. And then after that is accomplished, then our society needs to recognize that we are all created equal and that we are all human beings. So yes, this is probably too much to hope for and so please continue to think the way you do. But in the meantime, I will be voting for Obama and hoping for a better, more united America.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

pattheflip — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:34:50 GMT

"acknowledging history for what it was and moving on", the way you phrase it, would be to leave the thousands of racial problems that still exist in the world in the lurch. it would be to ignore the fact that US prisons are predominantly populated by black males, that immigration law enforcement and the citizenship are designed basically to give Latinos a hard time, and so on. and in this case, it would mean refusing to discuss the racialized meanings of images in the RE5 trailer. that is not mature, that is childish, like closing your eyes and telling everyone you're "colorblind".

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

SwiftTheRedFox — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:48:47 GMT

I'm done here. Just a little tired of being labeled when I'm not doing the same to either one of you. Thanks for not even contemplating anything I said and bringing up examples of things going on in the world like I didn't know. I guess I'm a little too "childish" for all your tastes. I appreciate the belittling.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

JimmyMoog — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:21:51 GMT

Tell you what- if any ONE of you can point me to a post you made about this same concept when RE4 was imminent. If you can, I will shut up and rescind any comments I make. You want to talk about racism? Well, the cornerstone of racism is ignorance, is it not? SuperEffective, do me a favor. Go to any Portugese and call him or her a Spaniard, and see how happy he or she is. Then don't come crying to me with your broken nose, go stick it in a book, and learn something before you speak again. Additionally, I have seen nary a photo of the wind, either. Go figure. And to (most of) the rest of you, the ignorance doesn't stop with SuperEffective. Tell me something; although it may not be aiding in "race relations" any, how is it that RE5 caused the Jim Crow laws? Or "Seperate But Equal?" Did Chris Redfield really shoot MLK? Or is it that NONE of you are paying attention to actual causes of racism, and are simply hanging blame on an easy target? Go chat up Till Lindeman (lead singer, Rammstein) about how he supplied Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold with the guns and weaponry, and plotted out their route of the school for their little rampage, and see just how thrilled he is. Then don't come crying to me with your broken nose, go stick it in a book, and learn something before you speak again.

If you want a revolutionary idea about the causes of black oppresion, check out Bill Cosby, who has been black for his entire tenure in the public spotlight.

Swift, I support you in this matter.

re: Level Up's Top Four Gaming Tidbits for Apr 11th, 2008

JimmyMoog — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:26:19 GMT

Incidentally, I am not responding to N'Gai's original article, I have yet to find an actual copy of it online, although I continue to search. My comments deal directly with the lot of the respondants.