• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Bioware writer leaves after receiving horrible threats

Can you quote some of her writing for me. Oh and a few quotes maybe where she admits to not caring about video games. I feel I am only getting half the picture here and you seem to have the rest.

Her writing: Orzammar in Dragon Age: Origins. Apparently, she was responsible for the 1337speak in Dragon Age 2, as well as the main writer behind... Anders, I think? The worst party member in the game.
 
... wait, have you been trolling the entire time? Wow, that's dedication.

No trolling. This is the exact thing he said

You seem to think you're being smart by being pedantic about degrees of language and what exactly constitutes criticism.

I assure you that you're not.

This is a insult, all be it a rather tame one. He is saying that I think Im smart but he actually knows better. That is a insult, you're making fun of my intelligence instead of actually making a argument. Why should even listen to what he has to say of he doesn't even follow his own argument?

No, he's just reading way too far into my words.

He took it to mean I was calling him an idiot when I said he was trying to sound smart.

How am I reading into it when it is literally what you said?
 
Probably the majority of the death threats came from children at the age of 15-16. Shame she had to quit her job because of this. Did she file a complaint about it?
 
This is such a shameful thing.

For one, sending death threats over a video game? Good God some people are so fucking mindless.

For two, this can be used as a reason for companies like Bioware to dismiss legitimate criticism to their work; it lays a groundwork for them to conflate people legitimately posting concerns about the quality of their work with trolls posting death threats :(
 
This is a insult, all be it a rather tame one. He is saying that I think Im smart but he actually knows better. That is a insult, you're making fun of my intelligence instead of actually making a argument. Why should even listen to what he has to say of he doesn't even follow his own argument?

How am I reading into it when it is literally what you said?

Because I explained what I meant.

It's pretty easy to think I said something different when all you apparently took away from it was the sentence and the half sentence that you bolded.

Because without the bolding, it's pretty apparent that I wasn't calling you stupid.
 
This is a insult, all be it a rather tame one. Why should even listen to what he has to say of he doesn't even follow his own argument?
Probably because it's a sort of criticism in itself of the posts you're making. He's basically saying that you are trying to argue in such a way that seems intelligent, but it isn't working very well.
 
Regardless of the quality of her writing, or her appearance, death threats? Really? C'mon Bioware kids. Do less. If you knew better, you'd do better.
 
You dismissed his argument over an insult, and called him a hypocrite. You did exactly what you've been rallying against this entire time.

The thing is, I didn't even insult him.

It's incredible.

Probably because it's a sort of criticism in itself of the posts you're making. He's basically saying that you are trying to argue in such a way that seems intelligent, but it isn't working very well.

Yup.

And the kicker?

Everyone does this. We all try to sound like we are seeing things other people aren't in an effort to seem cool.

So I don't see why MIX is taking umbrage with me pointing out my observation.
 
Honestly, I am steaming at this point.
Most gamers are such a pathetic bunch. Entitled suburban white kids who get everything. Then act as they can shit on everyone and everything because it's not what they like.

If a game doesn't suit their exact needs? Insult the developer. Why? Because it's not what I want.

It baffles me to no end how people can do this. This isn't just one person but a mass.

Then these same f***ers are the ones to moan when nobody takes games and gamers seriously. Well no shit - it's because you guys bring it upon yourself.

We really are a pathetic bunch.
 
For two, this can be used as a reason for companies like Bioware to dismiss legitimate criticism to their work; it lays a groundwork for them to conflate people legitimately posting concerns about the quality of their work with trolls posting death threats :(
The guy in the Youtube video also agreed about this happening.
 
You dismissed his argument over an insult, and called him a hypocrite. You did exactly what you've been rallying against this entire time.

I did argue his point by pointing out it was ad hominem fallacy. I was simply point out how much of a hypocrite he was being. It's one thing to throw a insult out but actively not subscribing to your arguments ideology puts you in trolling terratory and competently wasting my time.

Because I explained what I meant.

It's pretty easy to think I said something different when all you apparently took away from it was the sentence and the half sentence that you bolded.

Because without the bolding, it's pretty apparent that I wasn't calling you stupid.

Ugh. The unbolded part was your justification for saying that I think I'm smart. I didn't bold it because it was just supporting evidence for "You think you're smart". Even in the full context it is still very much an insult.
 
I did argue his point by pointing out it was ad hominem fallicy.

Ugh. The unbolded part was your justification for saying that I think Im smart. . Even in the full context it is still very much a insult.

....

No, it wasn't an insult.

You're the only one that thinks it was.

Look, I explained what I mean over two pages now.

I do apologize if you think I insulted you. I apologize if you feel insulted. That was not my intent.
 
Honestly, I am steaming at this point.
Most gamers are such a pathetic bunch. Entitled suburban white kids who get everything. Then act as they can shit on everyone and everything because it's not what they like.

If a game doesn't suit their exact needs? Insult the developer. Why? Because it's not what I want.

It baffles me to no end how people can do this. This isn't just one person but a mass.

Then these same f***ers are the ones to moan when nobody takes games and gamers seriously. Well no shit - it's because you guys bring it upon yourself.

We really are a pathetic bunch.

I feel inclined to agree.
 
I did argue his point by pointing out it was ad hominem fallacy. I was simply point out how much of a hypocrite he was being. It's one thing to throw a insult out but actively not subscribing to your arguments ideology puts you in trolling terratory and competently wasting my time.
Right. You diminished the value of his argument because of a perceived insult. That's what I've been saying this whole time.
 
I could get your point across, and being dumbass don't take your point away if its right. Though the chance of people taking you seriously become small. Threat is a whole different thing. It is just as the same as name calling or ad honinem. But even though internet filled with something like that, its doesn't mean that Bioware could generalize all criticism as troll triviol. That kind ignorance doesn't make them a better person
Her writing: Orzammar in Dragon Age: Origins. Apparently, she was responsible for the 1337speak in Dragon Age 2, as well as the main writer behind... Anders, I think? The worst party member in the game.
Yep, the worst character in the game. She changed Anders so much that I couldn't even recognize he is the same person from Awakening. I mean, come on he wouldn't become an angsty and vengeanceful person like that just because he become a vessel to some spirit. We have seen it from many dialog in Awakening how Anders nearly impossible to be like that. Not to mention turning his sexuality just for the sake of political correctness even though the previous game have said otherwise. Yuck.
This is such a shameful thing.

For one, sending death threats over a video game? Good God some people are so fucking mindless.

For two, this can be used as a reason for companies like Bioware to dismiss legitimate criticism to their work; it lays a groundwork for them to conflate people legitimately posting concerns about the quality of their work with trolls posting death threats :(
Yeah, sad thing that emotional attachment could be a serious bussiness for them and sending threat to people they as enemies. But Bioware doesn't have to paranoid to all of their critics and denounce them all as troll. That is just shameful as it is.
 
For two, this can be used as a reason for companies like Bioware to dismiss legitimate criticism to their work; it lays a groundwork for them to conflate people legitimately posting concerns about the quality of their work with trolls posting death threats :(

Pretty much this. If Bioware had taken a step back and admitted that they have room for improvement in their writing people would have calmed down. Instead they defended Jennifer Hepler, called their fans bullies, called them to "go fuck yourself." and only made the matter go from bad to worse. Jennifer Hepler didn't help herself with statements like "I just figure they're jealous that I get to have both a vagina AND a games industry job, and they can't get either."
 
I really don't understand why the quality of her writing comes into this. It's basically suggesting that if her writing were REALLY REALLY bad death threats and abuse would be justified.

No-one, absolutely no-one, should receive that type of treatment. It's an embarrassment and shame upon the hobby when gamers behave in that way. That's the end of the story.
 
First off let me be very clear.

I am not offend at you because of the insult. I don't care about that.

You seem to think you're being smart

Support of insult

by being pedantic about degrees of language and what exactly constitutes criticism.

Support of claim 1

I assure you that you're not.

The actual insult.


Now lets look at you explanation.

I never said you were dumb.

You said I wasn't smart or that you clearly knew better

What I said was it seemed like you thought it was a good thing to say in an effort to sound like you know something we don't. And I said it wasn't. You're assuming we don't understand the concept of criticism vs. hate speech (which, by the way, is completely insulting).

That doesn't make it any less of a insult. Just because I insulted you by implying that you didn't know about criticism vs hate speech doesn't change the fact that you still think that you know better and are mocking my intelligence.

We insulted each other, the only difference is that I'm fine with having insults in arguments.
 
I totally respect that she was offended by this and found it upsetting, but I don't think she really had anything to worry about. It's a bunch of kids and man-children talking shit, and the language for that sort of thing has escalated just because they're so desensitized to a traditional "fuck you" or "you suck".
 
First off let me be very clear.

I am not offend at you because of the insult.

I never insulted you.

I even apologized for what you thought was an insult.

You said I wasn't smart or that you clearly knew better

No. I didn't. I explained twice now what I meant when I said those words.

That doesn't make it any less of a insult.

If I didn't intend it as an insult... that means it's not an insult.

Now, you can feel it was. But I apologized and clarified.

Just because I insulted you by implying that you didn't know about criticism vs hate speech doesn't change the fact that you still think that you know better and are mocking my intelligence.

1) So you're confessing to insulting our intelligence?

2) I NEVER INSULTED YOU. IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. I EVEN APOLOGIZED IF YOU FELT I DID.

If you honestly wish to continue this, PM me, don't clog the thread.
 
I really don't understand why the quality of her writing comes into this. It's basically suggesting that if her writing were REALLY REALLY bad death threats and abuse would be justified.

No-one, absolutely no-one, should receive that type of treatment. It's an embarrassment and shame upon the hobby when gamers behave in that way. That's the end of the story.

No one should receive death threats and abuse for bad writing, but no one should dismiss those abuse as noise and even worse stoop down to the level of the abusers by attacking back. The gamers who attacked her are idiots but Bioware deserves blame too for making the gamers feel that the company is deaf to the gamers and attacking Bioware employees are their only option.
 
Probably the majority of the death threats came from children at the age of 15-16. Shame she had to quit her job because of this. Did she file a complaint about it?

Yes, she called the Cyber Police. They're on the case, back-tracing the threats. Those kids don goofed.
 
Intent doesn't matter in this instance. What you said can easily be interpreted as a insult and no amount of mental gymnastics can change that.

I literally quoted what you had to say explained why it is a insult. Your personal feelings on it are completely irrelevant.

If I didn't intend it as an insult... that means it's not an insult.

So Paula Deen should be given a pass then? (before you say, I know what you did wasn't even fucking close to what she did).

I'm done with this argument, it is pretty pointless and I think I have toughly argued my point. If HP_Wuvcraft wants to accept it or not is his choice.
I missed out but what was the original OP title?

He called her a terrible writer.
 
Right. You diminished the value of his argument because of a perceived insult. That's what I've been saying this whole time.
Spot on. Their discussion was derailed into a "You insulted me - No I did not" by a perceived insult. That's quite ironic and proves the point.
 
The gamers who attacked her are idiots but Bioware deserves blame too for making the gamers feel that the company is deaf to the gamers and attacking Bioware employees are their only option.

Mother of gods - no.

Just no.

You don't get to throw death threats at employees because a company won't respond to your emails, or if you feel the company is doing stuff you don't like. You simply don't get to do that, full stop, and it isn't justified. what sort of crazy world do people live in - do you threaten to kill a Mcdonalds employee when they take the special of the month off the menu?
 
Pretty much this. If Bioware had taken a step back and admitted that they have room for improvement in their writing people would have calmed down. Instead they defended Jennifer Hepler, called their fans bullies, called them to "go fuck yourself." and only made the matter go from bad to worse. Jennifer Hepler didn't help herself with statements like "I just figure they're jealous that I get to have both a vagina AND a games industry job, and they can't get either."

Yes.

Obviously death threats is a big no-no, but folks at Bioware are indeed known to resist criticism to their work, which is unfortunate because it promotes their fans to act in an even more aggressive manner.
 
As mediocre of a game I felt Dragon Age 2 it was the writing and the interesting way they transposed real life social issues into a mythical setting. I found the way they depicted the world and the organisations in it quite interesting.

This whole situation is just shameful, and as a result Bioware's next games will be a bit less because of it. How can we expect games to improve in terms of literacy if we (not Gaf'ers specifically) can't do a good job of respecting the ones who try to make it better?
 
Obviously death threats is a big no-no, but folks at Bioware are indeed known to resist criticism to their work, which is unfortunate because it promotes their fans to act in an even more aggressive manner.

Fans don't need a good reason to make wild threats.

Look at CoD.

Look at FF going to Playstation/XBox.
 
Death threats... over a video game...

aSGGIwE.gif
 
Not surprised really, there is a terrible element to the gaming community including relentless trolls and mentally deranged idiots. She's not the first and won't be the last.
 
and this makes it ok?

No sir, it does not.

It doesn't make it ok, but it means the death and rape threats are not serious, like 99% of what's written on Internet by these people. It's called trolling.

So doing something that affects RL (quitting a job) for trolling seems... stupid.

Reading "I will skull-fuck your corpse" or niceties like that is par the course in some forums or games. It can't be taken seriously.
Or do you really think that that they 14 years old will kill her for real if they happen to meet her in real life?
 
She made those comments five years before DA2 came out.

Oh God, I remember that. I was looking for the exact quotes for the longest time, and I found out the reason I had trouble looking was because the interview was that old.

That was the absolute worst. The absolute worst. Anyone defending the notion that those comments need to be addressed so long after the fact, and with the only noticeable impact being Mass Effect 3's difficulty selection, should be ashamed.

Man, fuck Instig8iveJournalism.
 
It doesn't make it ok, but it means the death and rape threats are not serious, like 99% of what's written on Internet by these people. It's called trolling.

So doing something that affects RL (quitting a job) for trolling seems... stupid.

Reading "I will skull-fuck your corpse" or niceties like that is par the course in some forums or games. It can't be taken seriously.
Or do you really think that that they 14 years old will kill her for real if they happen to meet her in real life?

You say this since (well, since you are in GAF) you are already proficient and wise in the ways of the Internet.

Some people are just not like that--can't blame them for acting like she does. Especially since she seemingly not really a gamer herself, so a culture shock is in order.

And anyways, you can never really tell whether seemingly mundane threats in the Internet can transform into something real horrifying or not.
 
and this makes it ok?

No sir, it does not.

I never said it makes it OK, but a good job is hard thing to come by. Not worth leaving it because a few stupid comments.

I don't think one teenage guy saying to another "you got raped" is quite the same as what happened to Jennifer Hepler. Good job making excuses for assholes though, it says a lot about you.

where the hell did I make excuses for them?
what I meant to say that she shouldn't take those death threats seriously, none of those dumb teenagers will ever act on them.
I also said that she deserves better than those assholes.

no what does that say about you?
 
You say this since (well, since you are in GAF) you are already proficient and wise in the ways of the Internet.

Some people are just not like that--can't blame them for acting like she does. Especially since she seemingly not really a gamer herself, so a culture shock is in order.

And anyways, you can never really tell whether seemingly mundane threats in the Internet can transform into something real horrifying or not.

Yup. And besides that, it only takes one more specific threat from an internet detective who dug up all your family info from Facebook to give all the less specific threats another dimension.

And let's not ignore the fact that regardless of how serious they are, a constant stream of bile from anonymous people on the internet wears you down over time.

This whole situation is appalling. It's sad that people are being forced out of the industry because of a hateful group of manchildren.
 

The short summary is that NASA is using video games to soften the reveal of these things. Not that there actually is a Chief, but that AIs are real, and that the Halo rings are alien structures we actually found, and that the Bungie devs are prophets.
 
Top Bottom