New #GameJournoPros leak: the email summaries
Monday, 22 September 2014
Today I reveal more leaked correspondence from the #GameJournoPros emails amd a complete list of members. Highlights from the email summaries leaked to us appear below. Telephone numbers have been redacted.
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2014 5:18 PM
Subject: [GameJournoPros] Abridged summary of GameJournoPros@
- Reviewing Destiny - 5 Updates
- The time TotalBiscuit told on me - 5 Updates
- Tom Bissell on Hitting the Battlefield with Hardline - 5 Updates
| Dennis Scimeca <dennis.scimeca@gmail.com>: Sep 12 11:16AM -0700 Questions for other Destiny reviewers who have beaten the story, maxxed their level, and are now in the endgame: 1) Is it feasible to hit Lvl 20 without progressing through the entire |
| Mike Wehner <mikecwehner@gmail.com>: Sep 12 01:23PM -0500 Once you hit level 4 or 5 (I dont’ remember which) and gain access to the crucible you could get to 20 just playing PVP and not progressing the story whatsoever. On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 1:16 PM, …more |
| Michael Rougeau <mike.rougeau@gmail.com>: Sep 12 11:25AM -0700 1) Definitely feasible to hit level 20 without finishing story missions. You can do it entirely in the crucible, or play the same five missions on the earth over and over again until you hit the cap, …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 12 01:40PM -0500 If you play in the Crucible and keep doing bounties you level up QUICK. I just started Venus and I’m level 17. On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 1:25 PM, Michael Rougeau <mike.rougeau@gmail.com> |
| Dennis Scimeca <dennis.scimeca@gmail.com>: Sep 12 12:33PM -0700 Thanks, Mikes and Ben. I’ll start hitting the Crucible.
Arthur and Phil are in here, right? Wondering how they feel about the |
| Devin Connors <devinconnors@gmail.com>: Sep 11 07:24PM -0700 You’d think he would deal with such things better, being such a big and frequent target. …more |
| Rod Breslau <jadedenmity@gmail.com>: Sep 11 10:29PM -0400 They seemed to have worked things out in the comments so…success? Or CORRUPTION? …more |
| Devin Connors <devinconnors@gmail.com>: Sep 11 10:39PM -0400 “Worked out,” most likely because Shawn is busy with the new kid. He is also at a new job (was at Irrational during this, now at Arkane Austin), which means there’s no baggage or restrictions. …more |
| Dan Stapleton <nowheredan@gmail.com>: Sep 11 11:19PM -0700 I have some experience picking fights with egotistical YouTube personalities who label themselves as ill-tempered in some fashion. Not something I recommend. Not because they don’t deserve to be …more |
| Sarah LeBoeuf <sarahthebeef@gmail.com>: Sep 12 06:26AM -0400 Yeah, I’ll second the abuse from the army of followers.
Sent from my iPad |
| danielle <danielle.riendeau@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:47PM -0700 To be honest, when I saw this thread, I thought 100% that this was going to be about an ostensibly very thoughtful and talented writer writing what appears to be one of the most tone-deaf games of …more |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 11 05:49PM -0400 Gamergate or not, this has the appearance of a conflict of interest. I’ve heard a lot of people talking about what a great writer Tom is (and they may be true). But the last time I checked, talent …more |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 06:25PM -0400 Danielle – I totally agree! When I read this I was like, “Wait – Bissell’s writing the Ferguson game?!” |
| mediacur <mediacur@gmail.com>: Sep 11 06:53PM -0400 Cash money, mon. Plus, I think this is his niche. From Gears to this is not such a leap. Also, regarding ethics, everyone draws his or her own line. Mine is toward total separation between …more |
| Devin Connors <devinconnors@gmail.com>: Sep 11 07:25PM -0400 Finally, someone who speaks my language! I also appreciate cash money, mon.
– |
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2014 5:14 PM
Subject: [GameJournoPros] Abridged summary of GameJournoPros@
- Putting Gamergate behind us? - 22 Updates
- Second Player In Hyrule Warriors - 2 Updates
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:57AM -0400 Answering real questions in #gameethics is probably a good place to start connecting with regular peeps and letting them know that we’re not out to get them. – |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 07 01:17AM -0400 Please don’t. That hashtag is now giving legitimacy to the same crackpot stuff. It’s bad enough when we have to deal with this, but now Rami has given these absurdities a safe harbor. …more |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 07 01:35AM -0400 I have not encountered what you are talking about, but to each their own I guess. On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 1:17 AM, Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com> – |
| Dennis Scimeca <dennis.scimeca@gmail.com>: Sep 06 10:40PM -0700 These kinds of outbursts build upon one another, so maybe there’s something proactive to be done, vs. letting things blow over. I think Chris is asking some good questions. And I’m reminded of …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 07 11:30AM -0500 For a data point, I have yet to receive a single message from an actual reader about any of this. I know it’s on our minds, but I’m not convinced the people who play games or read our sites care. …more |
| Brad Gallaway <bradgallaway@gmail.com>: Sep 07 09:36AM -0700 I gotta echo Ben on this.
I didn’t say much about it on twitter, but between talking to regular |
| Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:44PM -0400 There are people in the industry that care about this.
A lot. - Michael On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 12:36 PM, Brad Gallaway <bradgallaway@gmail.com> |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:45PM -0400 Yeah I have not seen that either.
– |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:46PM -0400 Do you mean writers or developers?
On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 12:44 PM, Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com> – |
| Matt Hawkins <matt@fort90.com>: Sep 07 12:46PM -0400 And I’ll echo Michael’s sentiments, primarily on the indie side of the spectrum.
Matt Hawkins |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 07 11:50AM -0500 Maybe I should clarify. This is a big topic and it’s leading to people being hurt. I don’t want to minimize that. But I don’t think your average reader of online gaming news has been affected much. …more |
| Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:50PM -0400 Apologies; developer-side.
I can only speak anecdotally, but I’ve spoken to people personally who I’m trying to silver lining a cloud of crap. …more |
| Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:51PM -0400 Heh. What Ben said. :) |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 07 11:52AM -0500 Gah, I mean readers to stop reading outlets, the “fleeing from outlets” line may be read like I’m talking about writers, and sadly we’ve already lost some of those. Some people I love and respect. …more |
| Jason Schreier <jschreier@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:52PM -0400 Eye-opening how?
On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 12:50 PM, Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com> |
| Jason Schreier <jschreier@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:53PM -0400 I think the moment my POV switched from “let’s listen” to “fuck all of these people” was when they bullied Jenn Frank into quitting. |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 07 12:53PM -0400 Had outlets not given legitimacy to this campaign of terrorism, it would have petered out. Even after yesterday’s revelation, outlets, writers, and developers are flooding oxygen onto a dying fire. …more |
| Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:56PM -0400 Sorry Jason, I’m not trying to be cagey.
By eye-opening, I mean that people inside the industry (people you would |
| Jason Schreier <jschreier@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:58PM -0400 I’m still not sure what you mean – how are they thinking differently? Do they hate journalists? Are they sick of gamers? On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 12:56 PM, Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com> … |
| Michael Zenke <whoisdialogue@gmail.com>: Sep 07 12:59PM -0400 Taking this offline. |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 07 01:00PM -0400 Wait. You brought this up as if it were relevant to the entire group. I think Jason is asking reasonable follow-up questions.
Sent from my iPhone |
| Adam Rosenberg <adamrosenberg213@gmail.com>: Sep 07 01:05PM -0400 I’m with Futter here. I’d like clarification too, as long as you’re not breaking any confidences. On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 1:00 PM, Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com> |
| Matt Hawkins <matt@fort90.com>: Sep 06 10:29PM -0400 Does anyone have any idea how to have two players go at it together in Hyrule Warriors? I can’t seem to find anything online, and this game has already been out in – …more |
| Matt Hawkins <matt@fort90.com>: Sep 06 10:43PM -0400 Nevermind. Figured it out. Long story short: Japanese game interfaces continue to worsen with each passing generation. – |
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2014 5:18 PM
Subject: [GameJournoPros] Abridged summary of GameJournoPros@
- The time TotalBiscuit told on me - 4 Updates
- Tom Bissell on Hitting the Battlefield with Hardline - 16 Updates
- They’re on to us - 8 Updates
- Macworld magazine shutting down - 1 Update
| Kyle Orland <kyle.orland@gmail.com>: Sep 11 10:03AM -0400 Not really sure what to make of this, except that some YouTube personalities apparently have very thin skins: http://shawnelliott.blogspot. |
| Susan Arendt <susan.arendt@gmail.com>: Sep 11 12:45PM -0700 Don’t generalize. TotalBiscuit has an insanely thin skin. Speaking from personal experience. On Thursday, September 11, 2014 10:03:03 AM UTC-4, Kyle wrote: |
| Kyle Orland <kyle.orland@gmail.com>: Sep 11 04:24PM -0400 True enough, I know nothing about the skin thickness of other youtubers
On Thursday, September 11, 2014, Susan Arendt <susan.arendt@gmail.com> – |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 11 04:25PM -0400 the bigger the ego, the thinner the skin.
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 3:45 PM, Susan Arendt <susan.arendt@gmail.com> – |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 11 01:41PM -0400 Not sure if you all received/saw this, but I figured I’d bring it to the group’s attention. In the first paragraph here, EA shines a spotlight on the very thing that people have been accusing us …more |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 11 01:57PM -0400 Kyle, is Tom in the group?
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 1:41 PM, Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com> – |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:02PM -0400 This is a good time to point out that #gamergate was never about “corruption.” …more |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:05PM -0400 FWIW I also spent a few years writing for games at the same time that I was writing in one capacity or another for game publications – for example, running Kill Screen while I worked on Carmen …more |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 11 02:06PM -0400 No, it wasn’t. But that hasn’t stopped people for jumping on board that bandwagon now, especially since some indie developers have legitimized even the most outlandish of complaints. |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:11PM -0400 I would assume (correct me if i’m wrong, Chris) because he worked on a Gears game? On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 2:06 PM, Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com> – |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:26PM -0400 Right, he’s a guy, that noone has beef with, who’s writing a milshooter. He’s nobody’s target. – |
| Michael Futter <michaelsfutter@mac.com>: Sep 11 02:27PM -0400 I was pretty clear that I’m not “targeting” him. I’m pointing out how an undisclosed conflict might look to readers in the current climate. |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:29PM -0400 To be clear I didn’t mean you, I meant the knuckleheads in the #gamergate community. But I’d place bets that nobody out there will bring this up. On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 2:27 PM, Michael Futter …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 11 01:30PM -0500 But is he our shield?
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 1:26 PM, Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com> |
| Chris Dahlen <savetherobot@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:38PM -0400 10 points to Kuchera!
– |
| Kyle Orland <kyle.orland@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:39PM -0400 Let’s not get sidetracked by a discussion of the “current climate.” This is a relevant thing to be discussing in this group regardless of the climate (and Tom is not a member of the group). …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 11 01:45PM -0500 The reality is that creative work is becoming so devalued and jobs writing are so hard to come by that it’s really hard to fault anyone for much these days, and people move between writing and dev …more |
| Jason Schreier <jschreier@gmail.com>: Sep 11 02:46PM -0400 What about Jessica Chobot previewing Mass Effect 3 without mentioning that she also happens to be in it? I think that one made me pretty actively angry. |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 11 01:49PM -0500 That actually pissed me off so much I didn’t invite her onto the ship. I have no clue what the subplot is about. “Nope, not on my watch, lady!” |
| Susan Arendt <susan.arendt@gmail.com>: Sep 11 01:22PM -0700 I was furious about that.
On Thursday, September 11, 2014 2:46:04 PM UTC-4, Jason Schreier wrote: |
| Kyle Orland <kyle.orland@gmail.com>: Sep 11 09:18AM -0400 If you didn’t read Jenn Frank’s “goodbye to all that” post this morning, prepare to be sad: http://infinitelives.net/ -KO On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 6:16 PM, Devin Connors …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 11 08:55AM -0500 If I were freelance these days I’d leave game writing so quickly your head would spin. If you can choose, why choose to deal with this bullshit? |
| Jason Schreier <jschreier@gmail.com>: Sep 11 09:58AM -0400 Ben, I think about that all the time, but then I remind myself that there are millions of people who love video games and read our work and don’t care about any of this drama. GamerGate might be …more |
| Adam Rosenberg <adamrosenberg213@gmail.com>: Sep 11 10:01AM -0400 It’s true. All of the bullshit lately has put me in the mind of taking a good, long look at what really matters in life. I love my partner, I love my friends, I love my dog, I love thinking …more |
| Ben Kuchera <ben@polygon.com>: Sep 11 09:02AM -0500 Sure, but you still have to deal with the bullshit of the people targeting you for hacking, and worrying about what happens when your children get on social media and hear about how their father is …more |
| James Fudge <jamesbfudge@gmail.com>: Sep 11 10:03AM -0400 I really do think what you (Ben) said the other day is true: none of us have received angry emails from readers about GamerGate. Most people have no idea that it is even happening because they are …more |
| Greg Tito <greg.tito@gmail.com>: Sep 11 11:07AM -0400 I echo the sentiments here. Most of the gaming audience doesn’t even register that there is a controversy. But while it may seem that gaming press is especially nasty, I’ve heard from people who …more |
| “K. Cox” <kvrcox@gmail.com>: Sep 11 01:31PM -0400 But when that tiny, tiny fraction of the gaming audience does care, they can make your life miserable. You know I still catch occasional bullshit from fans of David Jaffe and/or …more |
| Andrew Hayward <haywarda@gmail.com>: Sep 10 05:04PM -0700 Yeah. I know Jared’s had his regular news gig for the IDG publications for a long while, but I’ve just been writing features, reviews, and event coverage for all four IDG tech sites (Macworld, …more |
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