Journal of Other Forum Analysis (Volume II, Issue 2)

[kaleidoscopium]

I just went and checked the SB2 thread to see and my jaw dropped at the people they banned and the people they left alone.

I literally had to do a double take.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-532#post-155984713

[Jansen]

It's not just that, many game outlets also rely on access to developers for interviews, previews, review copies, etc. While I think few would openly admit it, I think many of them are hesitant to be too pointed in their critique for fear of damaging their relationship. The main exceptions are those that are less dependent on that kind of access due to being funded by their audiences, i.e. Remap, Mothership etc.



It's also a big reason we get more punditry on things like podcasts, and sometimes editorials, but calling out this kind of thing in reviews or asking developers and publishers to comment during interviews feels far less common. Nobody wants to burn their bridges too badly or make things weird. I also suspect some don't want to risk audience backlash and hate campaigns from angry fans - there are many journalists who have been harassed off of social media or received death threats and been doxxed for things they've said, which absolutely sucks, and I would totally believe that dissuades some of them from being too direct in their critique or touching certain topics as well.



(No, this isn't some "game journalists are all corrupt" screed, don't get me wrong, but I do personally feel punches get pulled when it comes to this stuff sometimes.)

People calling out others for their "low key" sexist/bigoted shit always come out with worse bans than the people saying the sexist/bigoted shit too.



At most the chuds get 2 weeks, and the others get months for "repeated behaviour", it's bs



There's a lot of users that know what they're doing too, it's obvious they just try to bait people with stuff that is just under the line for what mods will action, just to get someone to tell them to fuck off and get banned

They are trying to ruin the word "cute" saw people calling the character cute and i was like 🫩,

Also, i try my hardest to be be fair to users cause there are a lot of cool people here who are fans of anime and use anime characters as their profile pics.... but i can't help but notice the anime pics attached to some of the most sus posts in those threads. It's not me accusing anyone of anything just that it's always an annoying pattern, they ruin it for the cool folks

Maybe take the hint?

[Boredfrom]

Forget AI, I DEMAND that any game using a third party engine should immediately cease development and the developers should code an engine from scratch. Anything less is genocide.

Nice straw-man.

[simiansmarts]

People calling out others for their "low key" sexist/bigoted shit always come out with worse bans than the people saying the sexist/bigoted shit too.

At most the chuds get 2 weeks, and the others get months for "repeated behaviour", it's bs

There's a lot of users that know what they're doing too, it's obvious they just try to bait people with stuff that is just under the line for what mods will action, just to get someone to tell them to fuck off and get banned

  
Of course they're now accusing users who state their enjoyment of a game of baiting burka brigaders into a ban because they have no control over their frothing-at-the-mouth rage.

"those fucking chuds were asking for it, just look at how they dress!"

[HaughtyFrank]

People calling out others for their "low key" sexist/bigoted shit always come out with worse bans than the people saying the sexist/bigoted shit too.

At most the chuds get 2 weeks, and the others get months for "repeated behaviour", it's bs

There's a lot of users that know what they're doing too, it's obvious they just try to bait people with stuff that is just under the line for what mods will action, just to get someone to tell them to fuck off and get banned

  
Of course they're now accusing users who state their enjoyment of a game of baiting burka brigaders into a ban because they have no control over their frothing-at-the-mouth rage.

"those fucking chuds were asking for it, just look at how they dress!"

Just look at that bait

Looks absolutely insane, love so much about it. Fist focused and all those sick environmental interactions are great. City looks amazing.

I had thought shiftup had been talking about somehting in 2027 though so surprised that this is apparently early in development. Maybe I'm misremembering.

What else are you supposed to respond with other than:

What do you think about the sexualized 10 year old?

It's bizarre bordering on grotesque to me how someone could look at this game, write a post about it, and not have anything to say about that.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/post-155973394

And then they ban the poor guy while the chud walks away unpunished

User banned (1 month): Inflammatory personal attacks, previous severe bans for similar rhetoric

[Jansen]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-8#post-155953291

User banned (permanent): inappropriate rhetoric around sexualization

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-7#post-155952262

User banned (5 days): Avatar shaming

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-7#post-155952031

User Banned (1 Month): Dismissing concerns of sexualization of minors

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-6#post-155950228

User Banned (3 Days): Avatar shaming

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-13#post-155970388

User Banned (Permanent): Troll account

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stellar-blade-blood-rain-announced-shift-up.1541146/page-15#post-155974450

User banned (2 weeks): Inflammatory generalisations, prior bans for hostility

[Jansen]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-533#post-155989330

I have a friend who played Stellar Blade and was excited for the sequel, who basically just does not care. While playing the original he pretty much turned a blind eye to the obvious sexism, or just treated it as dumb and laughed at it. Earlier today when I was expressing my discomfort for Stellar Blade 2, he was very notably silent in response and seemed to feel awkward about it.



There is a really large contingent of people out there (mostly guys) who just legitimately don't pay attention to this kind of thing, don't understand why it's bad, and honestly don't think about it at all beyond the absolute surface level. To them it's kinda just a background part of the game's style or genre that they consume uncritically, until someone else points out how weird it is. And even then there's a good chance they probably just don't care afterwards because it doesn't affect them, unless they have a partner or a daughter or something to really drill it in.

[Green Jupiter]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-i-left-the-white-left-by-fd-signifier-focused-on-graham-platner.1536727/page-3

I trust white leftists as much as I trust Trump supporters.

[jooseloose]

Burka thread absolutely crashing out over this 

[Jansen]

What I'm getting from this whole ordeal is that Avatar shaming is serious fucking business lol.

[Jansen]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-533#post-155990626

Speaking of Stellar Blade 2, I think this is what you're already talking about but I did hate the baby face the new character has... I mean, I like Stellar Blade and I understand if you as a creator want to make a character that makes you horny, ok go ahead, but at least Eve looked like a young adult, mid 20's. Evie looks like a high school girl with ocassional chunky baby expressions, it's a bit much for me.



I'll probably still play it but they're making it more complicated each time, there's no outfit to hide her baby face this time.

                 Is this
       Revisionist history? 

                         /
                       /

I can definitely see how some people just don't notice the sexualization, objectification and infantilization in titles like SB or SB2, these problems are unfortunately just that normalized in media. I'm more concerned with how receptive people are once those issues are pointed out to them.



A lot of the misunderstanding and/or rejection of criticism is based on how normal these issues are alongside people just not understading how these things that they may not be subject to could be a problem when it's not a problem for them. That's how you get counter-arguments that the only issue with objectification and sexism is that they fear something normal, even enjoyable because it's mere entertainment and, thus, not an issue. Or assumptions that your criticism is based on repulsion to sex, despite clear evidence that there are so many of us who would like to see fanservice that caters to us as well or isn't at our expense in a way that dehumanizes us and our right to be.



There absolutely is nuance to these discussions or else I wouldn't have to acknowledge my gender, my sexuality, what I enjoy, the right to enjoy things, etc. in discussions, but we can't even explore that if the discussion isn't allowed to happen.

[Jansen]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-533#post-155990479

She is based off a irl model...who looks nothing like Evie

Where did you read that ? That's IU, arguably the biggest Korean star (in Korea).

She is not lol. That's IU, she's a singer/actress and they definitely don't have the rights to use her. Also, that hairstyle she had like once for that photoshooting or whatever this picture is from. That's not her usual look at all.

Saw on reddit, but didn't know that.

Idiot

[Besticus Maximus]

Also, like everyone in stellar blade is a robot

[simiansmarts]

Asmongold immediately at first glance look perplexed and aksed why she looks 12.

 
so carl just admits he watches asmon to get his dose of chudrage. these people are ADDICTS 
 

Trolls and chuds are one thing, but I was shocked to recognize posters who sheepishly admitted they didn't notice anything until it was pointed out to them. I have to hold back my words here, but if you watched that and had no implicit reaction or awareness whatsoever, you need to immediately sit down and engage in a critical evaluation of the sexual content you regularly consume and what kind of material you've conditioned yourself to seeing as normal.

 
 
very normal people discussing videogames very normally

[TacoWallace]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/dunkey-on-yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-80-metacritic-is-nonsense-for-this-this-is-the-most-futuristic-game-ive-played-this-year-easily.1539937/page-2#post-155880358

Damn let this game have a thread lol

Star Fox Remake got like 20+ threads in 48 hours when the trailer dropped a few weeks back.

First of all, dunkey used to be a name that automatically got threads derailed because he was caught using slurs that upset them.

I'm surprised this performative bitch stopped caring about that. 

And citing reaction thread spam as justification, when the lazy ass mods are supposed to be doing something about that...is strike 3.

[simiansmarts]

 

[Taco Bell Tower]

 

[HaughtyFrank]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/why-women-criticise-sexualised-character-designs-ot3-make-her-look-more-corpulent-more-stuffed-where-the-eyes-cant-escape.275780/page-533#post-155990626

Speaking of Stellar Blade 2, I think this is what you're already talking about but I did hate the baby face the new character has... I mean, I like Stellar Blade and I understand if you as a creator want to make a character that makes you horny, ok go ahead, but at least Eve looked like a young adult, mid 20's. Evie looks like a high school girl with ocassional chunky baby expressions, it's a bit much for me.



I'll probably still play it but they're making it more complicated each time, there's no outfit to hide her baby face this time.

                 Is this
       Revisionist history? 

                         /
                       /

We've reached the "actually Eve wasn't so bad point" the only surprise is that Stellar blade 2 caused it

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/gog-send-out-a-newsletter-email-with-a-bunch-of-nazi-symbols-in-the-subject-for-some-reason-up-dev-and-gog-response-in-threadmarks.1540444/page-6#post-155923750

 User banned (permanent): Troll account

strange how people in West are triggered by this simbols...
here in Croatia nobody care for it...

https://www.resetera.com/threads/gog-send-out-a-newsletter-email-with-a-bunch-of-nazi-symbols-in-the-subject-for-some-reason-up-dev-and-gog-response-in-threadmarks.1540444/page-7#post-155975608

 User banned (1 month): Concern trolling in a sensitive thread regarding Nazi symbology, account in junior phase

Please tell me what the SS runes and the black sun symbols ACTUALLY mean in any modern context. I can't fucking wait.

I'm not Polish and I don't know anything about Polish culture. This explanation given by GOG contains this sentence:

"The Sowilo rune is part of my cultural and historical heritage. As a Pole, I am fully aware of both its history and the sensitivities surrounding it. Its use in this promotion was intended solely as a reference to the sun, which is central to the game being promoted."

I would be a very arrogant person if I considered myself allowed to debate with a Pole person the meaning of symbols that are part of their culture and not part of mine.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/resident-evil-veronica-announced-2027-for-ps5-series-x-s-pc-switch-2.1540690/page-20#post-155986957

 User Banned (Permanent After Admin Review/Previously 1 Week): Trolling with regards to racism, inflammatory accusations at other members

The most popular parts of RE5 were the co-op, and maybe for some others, the conclusion to the Wesker arc. I think you could preserve that without the killing 'savage indians' and it would happen to be a remake, so there's leeway for reimagining

So who would be the cannon fodder enemies in a place that not only takes place in Africa, but an african small town(that I know of)?

Americans? Lol

And I mean, if "Americans" is the correct answer, wouldn't that be racist? That its ok to kill/portray americans in a game in a """bad""" way, but not africans?

Edit:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/resident-evil-veronica-announced-2027-for-ps5-series-x-s-pc-switch-2.1540690/page-19#post-155985646

 User Banned (Permanent): Concern trolling over racism, account in junior phase

The point of early 20th century level racist as fuck caricatures?

Why is it racist?

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/tim-sweeney-goes-after-gabe-newell-following-valves-steam-deck-price-hike-severe-disruptions-in-the-component-parts-supply-chain-for-megayachts.1533022/page-7#post-155563405

 User Banned (2 Weeks): Homophobic Rhetoric

because the other billionaire is running a popular shop
(which also happens to be to a nazi-haven, gamergate2.0 launchpad and kid-casino all in one, but we'll let those slide for reasons)

I knew they would ignore this post.

Era has a strange blind love for Gabe. Like it's more than just liking Steam. I have never seen so much Gabe dick eating anywhere else on the internet. It's really weird.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/tomb-raider-legacy-of-atlantis-is-made-with-the-help-of-genai-but-final-assets-replaced-or-refined-by-humans.1537990/page-10#post-155806432

 User Banned (Permanent): Troll account

It's like being there at the dawn of CGI in movies and protesting the use of computers.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stranger-than-heaven-launches-on-january-15-2027-featuring-tupac.1540711/page-8#post-155969554

 User Banned (1 Month): Racism

I was already losing interest due to Snoop Dog but this sucks so much. What made RGG's games great was the Japanese settings and characters.

But now they seem intent on moving away from that, I'm assuming out of some misguided attempt to get more "global interest" or whatever. A Hawaii setting with the corresponding American characters, Pirates, and now filling this game with these American "artists".

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/resident-evil-veronica-announced-2027-for-ps5-series-x-s-pc-switch-2.1540690/page-20#post-155986957

 User Banned (Permanent After Admin Review/Previously 1 Week): Trolling with regards to racism, inflammatory accusations at other members

The most popular parts of RE5 were the co-op, and maybe for some others, the conclusion to the Wesker arc. I think you could preserve that without the killing 'savage indians' and it would happen to be a remake, so there's leeway for reimagining

So who would be the cannon fodder enemies in a place that not only takes place in Africa, but an african small town(that I know of)?

Americans? Lol

And I mean, if "Americans" is the correct answer, wouldn't that be racist? That its ok to kill/portray americans in a game in a """bad""" way, but not africans?

That's a new ban, did NepNep reviewed it and updated the one week to permanent?

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/i-just-shopped-on-temu-for-the-first-time-and-felt-like-i-was-on-a-gambling-app-wtf.1540384/#post-155906086

 User Banned (2 Weeks): Ableist Rhetoric

you would think some things should send a clear message to people, but there's too many smooth brains out there

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/god-of-war-laufey-announced.1537450/page-51#post-155811085

 User banned (1 Week): Concern Trolling; Account in Junior Phase

This look horrible, nothing "God of War" about it for me. I dont see them making a profit on this, sales will be disapointing

[simiansmarts]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/stranger-than-heaven-launches-on-january-15-2027-featuring-tupac.1540711/page-8#post-155969554

 User Banned (1 Month): Racism

I was already losing interest due to Snoop Dog but this sucks so much. What made RGG's games great was the Japanese settings and characters.

But now they seem intent on moving away from that, I'm assuming out of some misguided attempt to get more "global interest" or whatever. A Hawaii setting with the corresponding American characters, Pirates, and now filling this game with these American "artists".

They've been making Yakuza games set in Japan for 20+ years, of course RGG Studio would want a change of scenery especially for their new slate of games which aren't even in the Yakuza series  

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/international-space-station-astronauts-under-evacuation-orders-over-air-leak.1540294/#post-155902723

 User Banned (2 Weeks): Xenophobic Rhetoric; Inflammatory Generalization over a Series of Posts

Ummm...okay? Not really sure what this is supposed to mean.

That the Russians will be drunk on vodka and hitting the leak with a hammer. It's just a joke, I'm sure their cosmonaut are perfectly professional really.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/in-light-of-the-sky-high-gas-prices-is-it-time-to-reconsider-shaq-math.1539643/#post-155866321

 User Banned (2 Weeks): Sexist Rhetoric

I don't think it does make sense lmao. It seems like what I've heard people refer to as "girl math" haha.

Whether you're filling it up all in one go for $80 or you're spreading it out in chunks, you're still spending $80 on gas.

[Jansen]

constructive 

So, mods should probably start thinking about what the site's stance on Stellar Blade 2 is.

Haven't we already been done this road before with Mods saying they are not banning any more games? Mostly because it is a true head ache and tons of work to go about banning a game from the forum.

I'm not saying they should ban it.

But having a game where half the users call out clearly sexualized children and the other half going "wow cool game!" is probably not gonna work forever

Yes, but also all the bans in the reveal thresd are on people calling stuff out in the game. If the game won't be banned....don't ban people calling out how gross it is at the least. A lot of women users here have expressed that making them uncomfortable in the Women criticizin
g games thread.