No, it’s journalism, period. Any public figure can have quotes taken out of context, and it happens all the time, particularly by the far left and right.
And any public figure, unfortunately, has to always be conscious of this and choose his or her words with great care, all of the time.[/quote]
Oh wait!!! I’m a public figure?!? Since when?!?
brb
/me off to find definition of public figure and see if loud mouth game devs are included
Yeah, most game developers are too busy ACTUALLY DEVELOPING GAMES to spend a lot of time making themselves look like asses on message boards.
I just figured since this is a kind of retreat for everyone, it is not Derek’s company website, nor is it the magazines website and since the writers from the magazine also take part in the conversation - this would be akin to a report for entertainment weekly having a drink with ben affleck. There would be an assumption things being said were off the record and his guard would be down and some exchanges would not be very nice to have made public because they were made between friends in a light hearted situation. If you were having a drink with Derek at E3 and he said the quoted post, would you scribble it down in your reporter’s notebook and rush back to include the juicy quote in the next mag?
I always assumed forums like this would get the same treatment. Derek’s post was not a press release, it was not an official post on his forum etc. I think news sites, game magazines etc that treat these posts as official news do everyone a disservice by causing developers to think twice about taking part in light hearted, non-game orientated discussion.
I know Derek doesn’t seem to mind, but he has to be the most beat up person in the industry (or at least tied with Romero), but how many others are hesitant to post? Steve, you won’t even register to post as officially steve bauman, is this so you have some plausible denial to your posts?
Chet
Chet, I see your point, but I think the context where that quote probably appeared was an “overheard” sort of thing. It reports interesting things people say on message boards and such. So, nothing in there has context, they’re just interesting little quotes.
Now, if you think people are going to be less likley to post interesting things here for fear of PCGamer’s quoting abilities, well, I’ll join you in saying “I hope not.”
For all we know, some of these “guests” could be mag. writers swooping in and baiting Derek into some crazy hyperbolic ranting which they then cut & paste for ammo in one of their clever little articles.
Granted, the level of baiting required would be close to nil. Akin to dropping a peppermint on top of a mound to see ants running around.
Also, I am not sure that crazy hyperbolic ranting is not synonymous to friendly librarian chit chat in Derek’s book.
IMHO if someone’s posting on a message board – rather than, say a post on a company web site or a blog where you might expect to be quoted – the polite thing to do would be to email the poster before reprinting his or her quote. Is it necessary from a legal or ethical standpoint? Perhaps not. But it’s the right thing to do.
Posting something from a message board isn’t akin to quoting a public statement. It’s more like printing something overheard from the next table as a bunch of friends are talking at a bar.
And if Gamer’s going to reprint QT3 stuff, they should just do a “Sparky Quotes of the Month” page.
Hi Denny,
Sparky all the way!
I know exactly how Derek must be feeling and the way he’s handling this is proof that he’s a class act. Much the same way you are!
Best,
Greg
I understand your point, and mostly agree with it, but the difference is the public can access this board, therefore this is essentially “on the record” with the public. If it were a private, passworded board, I’d say it’s more “off the record.”
With message board posts in particular, I do believe it’s a publication’s duty to actually contact the supposed “quotee” and verify they did indeed say it; I could register as “Derek Smart” somewhere and post that I am the Son of God, and if they quote that, well… it’s like the old OMM running gag of "[email protected] told us this…" How does anyone know that’s really THE Derek Smart and not just one of his many fans. Or maybe it’s that Battlecruiser neural net AI gaining sentience and posting on its own.
I think news sites, game magazines etc that treat these posts as official news do everyone a disservice by causing developers to think twice about taking part in light hearted, non-game orientated discussion.
I agree, but that’s the reality of being a “public” figure. Everything you say has more interest to more people. You get to reap the rewards of fame (or infamy), but they can also bite you in the ass.
Steve, you won’t even register to post as officially steve bauman, is this so you have some plausible denial to your posts?
Well, I suppose I could do that, though I can’t imagine anyone accusing me of posting things under any name on a message board without showing proof I said it. Oh wait, yes I can.
Anyway, I don’t register because I’m lazy and only visit once a week or so and never think to do it.
In a way, this is no different than people, professionals mainly, who post under handles so it doesn’t interfere with their “real” work. If their boss at some law firm or button-down corp did a search on google and found them calling people dog-fuckers on some POE message board under their own name, there might be some hell to pay. Or at least heck.
Same goes for Tom Chick, or me, or Derek Smart. Though Derek could probably call someone a dog-fucker and people would just say, “Oh that wacky Derek Smart. He so craaaazy.”
Well, I suppose I could do that, though I can’t imagine anyone accusing me of posting things under any name on a message board without showing proof I said it. Oh wait, yes I can.
Zing!
If PC Gamer is reading this, here’s the quote I’d like them to use:
“Fuck Star Wars.”
Thank you and good night,
-TomAlthough it’s more convenient to register, since it’s the only way to access the messages you haven’t read? But I guess it’s inconvenient if you are registered, since you might accidentally post under your own name.
Vederman, would you like a high-res version for print? Hmm? [size=2]Who needs all that Lucasarts ad money anyhow?[/size]
Vederman, would you like a high-res version for print? Hmm? [size=2]Who needs all that Lucasarts ad money anyhow?[/size]
[/quote]
LOL!!! =)
The posting cop has arrived, right on schedule. So predictable.
Anyway, when I visit the messages are sorted by new posts automatically, newest to oldest. Doesn’t seem hard to figure out where there are new posts. Whatever.
But yeah, it does make it way easier to post horrible, awful things about everyone anonymously since I’d have to, I dunno, log out or something to maintain my anonymity. But I’m really thinking of fucking with everyone by picking a handle and posting regularly as, I dunno, Darkleaf, or some other manly RPG-like handle. That way, I can really stick it to those CGW, PC Gamer, and Gamespot people, and no one will know it’s me! Hah, that’ll show them! They will feel my wrath! My message board posting wrath! All public figures, watch out! I’m… registering a handle on a message board! I’m badass!
>I can really stick it to those CGW, PC Gamer, and Gamespot people, and no one will know it’s me! Hah, that’ll show them! They will feel my wrath! My message board posting wrath! All public figures, watch out! I’m… registering a handle on a message board! I’m badass!
Go get 'em, moron!
Oooh goodie! Are you two going to start up again. If so, can you wait a sec. I am going to get a cooler of beers and pop some corn.
Hmmm… sounds like the remnants of an old flame war.
Anyone care to post the link to the original thread so this relative n00bie can get up to speed?
http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=506&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30
It seems to mostly start at the bottom of that page.
There are some quotes taken from the first page, so you might want to go back and read it, too.
It goes back to the old board, some, too, but that’s been so long ago that I don’t even know where to begin looking. You’ll get the basic gist of it at that link, though. :)
[quote=“Derek Smart [3000AD”]
]
hehe, its not my best post though. :D[/quote]
Perhaps not, but it was one of your shorter ones. ;) :D
Mind if I join you? I’ll fire up the grill and get some burgers and brats going. OTOH, maybe if I wait a little while, I won’t have to bother with the grill. :)
That was me. Forgot to log in…