53 replies to this topic

[Felio]

I am sure this loading screen tip was just meant as a cute joke about those disclaimers we see in TV and film, but it's really not funny if you know about the industry norm of humans actually being harmed when making games.

I'm talking about the crunch and layoff cycle. I'll just leave those links rather than get into details, but needless to say, it is life-crushing and not sustainable.

I don't know how staffing and hours were when developing MWO, and I am going to give the benefit of the doubt that they were humane. The joke does sort of seem to poke fun at all the hard work involved even in the best of times, which is fine except for the sort of lack of self-awareness of how it sounds because of a related and larger issue. It makes me uncomfortable when I see the message, sometimes even concerned.

I don't know what I'm saying, really. It's insensitive? I'm oversensitive? Pull the loading screen tip? Add a "just kidding?" Maybe.

[JohnnyWayne]

What? Seriously? Dude....

[Kain Demos]

I needed a laugh, tough day but this just started me on a better path.

[MadPanda]

Go to the bathroom and check if you got something stuck in your behind.

[Scout Derek]

You piss me off.... yes, do put a just kidding, PGI put this as a joke, and you may have caused unwanted attention as of now. I mean, a lot of us know about that already. Come on, if you don't know what you're saying, don't even post it. CoC

Edited by Egomane, 23 October 2014 - 10:51 PM.
CoC violation

[DYSEQTA]

Scout Derek, on 23 October 2014 - 01:42 PM, said:

You piss me off.... yes, do put a just kidding, PGI put this as a joke, and you may have caused unwanted attention as of now. I mean, a lot of us know about that already. Come on, if you don't know what you're saying, don't even post it. [redacted]

I hope that was a really bad goggle translate....

Edited by Egomane, 23 October 2014 - 10:51 PM.
quote cleaned up

[Scout Derek]

DYSEQTA, on 23 October 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

I hope that was a really bad goggle translate....

It was, a mis-cap at most.

[Redshift2k5]

I'll admit I never found the joke particularly funny.

[LT. HARDCASE]

Thing is, someone who was actually in the MWO crunch is the one who put that in there. I've always seen it as them giving a shout out to themselves, and all of the hard work they put into it.

It certainly isn't someone sitting on high, laughing at all of the plebs who were in the grind.

[Scout Derek]

Kevjack, on 23 October 2014 - 01:51 PM, said:

Thing is, someone who was actually in the MWO crunch is the one who put that in there. I've always seen it as them giving a shout out to themselves, and all of the hard work they put into it.

It certainly isn't someone sitting on high, laughing at all of the plebs who were in the grind.

Yeah, I mean, come on, a joke like that should not be taken hardcore. If you do though, please address someone who cares as much as you.

[Nightmare1]

Some people just can't take a joke.

Frankly, I always thought it was funny. It ranks right up there with, "The Hula Girl is not a lie!"

[Levi Porphyrogenitus]

Redshift2k5, on 23 October 2014 - 01:46 PM, said:

I'll admit I never found the joke particularly funny.

Quoted for truth. Maybe if the phrasing were better, then it'd be funnier.

That said, jokes like this have been around since the '90s at the latest. I have a vague recollection of one of the Baldur's Gate loading screens saying something along the lines of "only humans were harmed during the making of this game." I could well be wrong about both the particular phrasing and the game in question, but it was something around that time when I first recall seeing this particular joke.

[Kain Demos]

Levi Porphyrogenitus, on 23 October 2014 - 01:59 PM, said:

Quoted for truth. Maybe if the phrasing were better, then it'd be funnier.

That said, jokes like this have been around since the '90s at the latest. I have a vague recollection of one of the Baldur's Gate loading screens saying something along the lines of "only humans were harmed during the making of this game." I could well be wrong about both the particular phrasing and the game in question, but it was something around that time when I first recall seeing this particular joke.

I thought the same thing--some of their staff are probably old school gamers and remember stuff like that. One of their other loading screen tips kind of reminds me of one of the references to the cow level in Diablo.

[orcrist86]

[AssaultPig]

it's worth talking about conditions in the industry, but as with other professions where there's high demand for employment, employers can extract concessions in the form of long hours and low wages. Eventually games development may realize (as industries like finance and law are beginning to) that asking employees to put in huge hours like that isn't necessarily a good use of human capital. It'll be interesting to watch as the industry matures.

this particular thing can be pretty much completely dismissed as a harmless joke though

Scout Derek, on 23 October 2014 - 01:42 PM, said:

You piss me off.... yes, do put a just kidding, PGI put this as a joke, and you may have caused unwanted attention as of now. I mean, a lot of us know about that already. Come on, if you don't know what you're saying, don't even post it. [redacted]

oh ****

e-toughness

Edited by Egomane, 23 October 2014 - 10:52 PM.
quote cleaned up

[Scratx]

Scout Derek, on 23 October 2014 - 01:55 PM, said:

Yeah, I mean, come on, a joke like that should not be taken hardcore. If you do though, please address someone who cares as much as you.

Umm...

Scout Derek, on 23 October 2014 - 01:42 PM, said:

You piss me off.... yes, do put a just kidding, PGI put this as a joke, and you may have caused unwanted attention as of now. I mean, a lot of us know about that already. Come on, if you don't know what you're saying, don't even post it. [redacted]

... a not completely unreasonable reading of this could land you in a lot of trouble. [redacted] Seriously, it's a perfectly possible reading. I don't think it's what you meant, but... really. Chill.

Maybe a moderator should make a little cleanup here, too.

Edited by Egomane, 23 October 2014 - 10:53 PM.
quote cleaned up and remove the response to the redacted part

[Xarian]

Seriously? Get over it. All the "I'm offended!" rhetoric needs to stop.

[Hillbillycrow]

It's mildly amusing if you come form a certain age bracket.

[Demi-Precentor Konev]

Xarian it's 2014. This is the age of being proxy-offended for others. Especially when those people might not even exist.

[Hillbillycrow]

Or care.