• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Should we boycott Shadow Complex?

Google

Member
Big-E said:
Not worth getting banned for these idiots. If you can't see how giving money to the people who made this game gives money to Card and why people would have problems with this I feel sorry for you because you are disconnected from reality. And to the people saying don't buy his books, what about the poor copy editor or print manufacturer who physically make the books? What about them, they deserve to make a living too for their work? Chair knew who this guy was and what they were getting into and for the record, I already said I bought the game before I knew he was involved.

You're disconnected from reality, if you don't believe there are millions of people out there, making you games, cooking your lunch, and being your friends who probably feel exactly the same way as Card and his cronies.

It's simply a matter of Card publishing his fucked up opinions, and those who sit next to you in Starbucks keeping quiet.
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
divisionbyzorro said:
Should we boycott Shadow Complex?

You're asking the wrong question. If you cannot, in good conscience, give money to Epic/Chair/OSC, then don't. If you want to raise awareness that OSC contributed to this game, then do. But it's not something that this community as a whole should feel obligated to either do or not do.

I must admit that I know next to nothing about Card personally, other than he is Mormon and campaigned for the prohibition of gay marriage (which, in this country, he does have the right to do). But even if he is as hateful as he appears to be from this thread, I still am glad that I bought this game, and I'm enjoying it very much. And honestly I somewhat resent the implication that I am a bad person for doing so.

By all means - follow your conscience, but don't suggest that I should follow yours too.

THIS.
 

rpmurphy

Member
Do what you want, it's your money. I don't see anything wrong with boycotting a product for a legitimate issue like such when gamers do it for retarded complaints all the time without much of a thought.

But I will say this: the singlemost thing I dislike about boycotting as a practice in general is that it's a mob-like solution to the underlying issues, threatening a man's means of living to get what you want. You might as well hold a knife up to his throat and tell him "Shut up and do what we tell you to do if you know what's good for you". Yeah, boycotting has been used since forever by people and by nations, but the principle of it will never sit well with me.
 

hampig

Member
Big-E said:
Not worth getting banned for these idiots. If you can't see how giving money to the people who made this game gives money to Card and why people would have problems with this I feel sorry for you because you are disconnected from reality. And to the people saying don't buy his books, what about the poor copy editor or print manufacturer who physically make the books? What about them, they deserve to make a living too for their work? Chair knew who this guy was and what they were getting into and for the record, I already said I bought the game before I knew he was involved.
My god, I can't believe you're being serious. Are you really that blind? Good work is good work. Card does good work. Chair was making a game they hoped would be good. They looked for somebody who does good work to help with their future good game. It's that simple. I really doubt they give a shit what his opinion of gay people is. This is business. Not a fucking tea party. You don't just invite your friends over, you take the best.

Edit: also, almost every person you will ever meet will be for something you are against. Deal with it, it's called reality.
 

IdleRover

Member
kodt said:
Where does it end? How much research do you have to do about each company before you do business with them? Is it simply a matter of "Well I heard bad things about this company so I won't support them, but if I haven't heard anything bad then I'll go ahead and support them". Isn't that a very irresponsible view to take? Is it morally wrong to support a company if you don't know the bad causes they support? Or is it only morally wrong if you do know? Because the outcomes are exactly the same.

I don't think it's possible to expect people to have a profound knowledge about all the companies they do business with. I believe it's just too much information to process and retain. It is also very complex and it might change over time. However, if you already have the information from a credible source; I don't think it is ok to ignore it.
 

Mr.Green

Member
NinjaFusion said:
i would just like to add this.... i have just been reading about his campaign.... it was an organised and systematic lobby to to away the rights of people.

after this i will not send these game out to create potentially a new fan that he could profit from

15dbcdy.jpg

Mooreberg said:
I did the same thing after Mark Rein would not stop making derogatory remarks about the Wii.

:lol :lol :lol

Doing something this dumb is one thing but publicly admitting it on a message board wraps it up in a delicious extra layer of fail.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
 
PhoenixDark said:
If it's a good game, and you like it, buy it. If it's a sucky game and you don't like it, don't buy it. Simple

His beliefs have nothing to do with the content of the product. Besides this is a slippery slope considering how much of your consumer dollars finance shit you don't support

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel.
 

woodypop

Member
TheChillyAcademic said:
And how realistic is that? Do you really think that is going to happen? Don't be ridiculous, Card is a moron, but he isn't an idiot. He will not remove any beneficiary title he has while he still has the ability to make money.

Is it fair?

Of course not.
But so is blaming the consumer.
 

Big-E

Member
Google said:
You're disconnected from reality, if you don't believe there are millions of people out there, making you games, cooking your lunch, and being your friends who probably feel exactly the same way as Card and his cronies.

It's simply a matter of Card publishing his fucked up opinions, and those who sit next to you in Starbucks keeping quiet.

And you are one of the countless idiots in this thread that don't understand the fundamental difference. Those assholes at Starbucks are probably not privately funding multi million dollar campaigns to strip rights from people but please, continue to bring this up because I like all the douchebags being exposed this way.
 
Google said:
You're disconnected from reality, if you don't believe there are millions of people out there, making you games, cooking your lunch, and being your friends who probably feel exactly the same way as Card and his cronies.

It's simply a matter of Card publishing his fucked up opinions, and those who sit next to you in Starbucks keeping quiet.

Card does more than publish his opinions.
 

Askani

Member
divisionbyzorro said:
By all means - follow your conscience, but don't suggest that I should follow yours too.

We have to...if we don't we're homophobes. It's the transitive property of homophobia.
 

sn00zer

Member
I find it very funny that the left is known for huge free speech support yet this seems like the digital equivalent of a book burning.
 
Just to be fair to the folks at Chair: While it's a fairly reasonable assumption that the founders share Card's right-wing social views (after all, they co-created the Empire IP), I haven't found any hard evidence that this is the case. The Prop 8 donor databases don't list anything from Ryan Holmes or the Mustard brothers, nor can I find any public statements from them on the issue.
 
yeah doodz, this thread is so horrible and the worst gaf thread ever, why actually discuss things when we can just circle jerk over the latest press releases or videos
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
sn00zer said:
I find it very funny that the left is known for huge free speech support yet this seems like the digital equivalent of a book burning.

How is this this like a book burning at all. No one is saying this game shouldn`t exist. Consumers are just expressing their freedom to buy or not buy the game.
 

RedAssedApe

Banned
GAF should boycott this thread. But like with Shadow Complex I think its too little too late. Was there one of these threads when Advent Rising was released? Maybe that's what it failed? :lol
 

Smash88

Banned
Big-E said:
Not worth getting banned for these idiots. If you can't see how giving money to the people who made this game gives money to Card and why people would have problems with this I feel sorry for you because you are disconnected from reality. And to the people saying don't buy his books, what about the poor copy editor or print manufacturer who physically make the books? What about them, they deserve to make a living too for their work? Chair knew who this guy was and what they were getting into and for the record, I already said I bought the game before I knew he was involved.

I understand where this money might be going. And I respect your opinion and stance. If you look at it that way, and as others have said previously, how many anti-semite, anti-homophobe, etc... should we boycott then? I'm sure there is one in almost every company.

I think it's unfair that you are calling me an idiot over the way I see things. If you find (and others as well) that you don't wish to "support" him in even the slightest or you feel uncomfortable knowing where this money might be going, then don't. Although, to the level this thread has been taken is a bit extreme.
 
sn00zer said:
I find it very funny that the left is known for huge free speech support yet this seems like the digital equivalent of a book burning.
Yeah, because not buying something is the same as book burning :lol

Card is free to be a homophobic douche that dedicates his life to taking rights away from other human beings and people are free to not buy his shit. It's a free speech win-win.
 

seat

Member
Askani said:
We have to...if we don't we're homophobes. It's the transitive property of homophobia.
Indeed, and it reminds me of a thread recently hosted on this forum, and another in OT.
 
I don't believe the team behind Shadow Complex should be punish over what one person beliefs are. Is like saying every German was a NAZI during WWII under Hitler. My example may be a little extreme, but you get the point. I will buy Shadow Complex because the "Team" in EPIC did a hell of a job on Shadow Complex. But, I will not support any of his Books. BTW, did EPIC know anything about his political views?
 

Coins

Banned
sn00zer said:
I find it very funny that the left is known for huge free speech support yet this seems like the digital equivalent of a book burning.

If it were a book burning, we would be asking for the game to not be accessible. Feel free to buy the game. I even said so in my post.
 

VALIS

Member
sn00zer said:
I find it very funny that the left is known for huge free speech support yet this seems like the digital equivalent of a book burning.

Don't blame us all. As a fierce liberal and atheist/agnostic, this place embarrasses me constantly. "Bigotry and bullying and intolerance is awful, except when we do it, then it's righteous!" :(


edit: 'Tho, yeah, as pointed out I think the "book burning" analogy is over the top as well.
 

IzzyF3

Member
Zyzyxxz said:
wow I'm pretty disappointed that Epic would choose to use his material...

Maybe they didnt know? Truth is I am a fervent supporter of gay rights but I really want the game too.

To be honest I'm probably going to end up buying the game anyway but I'll do everything I can to support the coming election in California by making sure my vote counts!


Hey, that makes sense. Fight anti-gay by voting for gay rights, not by boycotting video games (given it doesn't advocate anti-gay messages).

Yes, I get the point that Card uses his money for anti-gay efforts, but as the gaygamer article said, donate money to gay charities. Of course, go ahead and boycott if it really bothers you.
 

hampig

Member
Big-E said:
And you are one of the countless idiots in this thread that don't understand the fundamental difference. Those assholes at Starbucks are probably not privately funding multi million dollar campaigns to strip rights from people but please, continue to bring this up because I like all the douchebags being exposed this way.
It's his right to share his opinion. No matter how much you, I, or anyone else think it's wrong.
 

kodt

Banned
Divvy said:
How is this this like a book burning at all. No one is saying this game shouldn`t exist. Consumers are just expressing their freedom to buy or not buy the game.

There is at least one person who said as much.
 

GreekWolf

Member
Oh, this thread is comedy gold. :lol

I have to wonder how many of these 'suddenly concerned' activists, who have chosen to exercise their progressive, free-thinking ideals by not supporting an ambiguously (at best) connected Card project, will still be first in line to purchase the new Final Fantasy game, despite Square's well documented history of racism?

That would be quite an interesting poll indeed!
sawyer2.jpg
 

mavs

Member
NinjaFusion said:
i would just like to add this.... i have just been reading about his campaign.... it was an organised and systematic lobby to to away the rights of people.

after this i will not send these game out to create potentially a new fan that he could profit from

http://i29.tinypic.com/15dbcdy.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

You should deface the box to get your point across more strongly. Draw some dicks in Marcus's mouth, or smear some cat food on it, and post the pics.
 

Ardorx

Banned
Big-E said:
Not worth getting banned for these idiots. If you can't see how giving money to the people who made this game gives money to Card and why people would have problems with this I feel sorry for you because you are disconnected from reality. And to the people saying don't buy his books, what about the poor copy editor or print manufacturer who physically make the books? What about them, they deserve to make a living too for their work? Chair knew who this guy was and what they were getting into and for the record, I already said I bought the game before I knew he was involved.



Gary Witta -> Book of Eli -> Warner Bros -> Empire -> Card

is not the same as

Shadow Complex -> Chair=Card

Card is directly profiting from this game. Card is not directly profiting from me seeing the Book of Eli.

Warner Bros is and that money will help get Empire as a film up and running, I'm sure and vice versa. If you lot are boycotting Epic, Breaking Gears of War disks and outright boycotting UE3 games aswell then it's EXACTLY the same.
 

ghostmind

Member
NinjaFusion said:
i would just like to add this.... i have just been reading about his campaign.... it was an organised and systematic lobby to to away the rights of people.

after this i will not send these game out to create potentially a new fan that he could profit from

15dbcdy.jpg

vidtf9.jpg
 

Big-E

Member
Smash88 said:
I understand where this money might be going. And I respect your opinion and stance. If you look at it that way, and as others have said previously, how many anti-semite, anti-homophobe, etc... should we boycott then? I'm sure there is one in almost every company.

Again you are not getting it. No one gives a flying fuck whether OSC is a homophobe or an anti-semite or hates black people. No one cares. What people care about is that this man is on the forefront of an anti gay movement in the united states and funds campaigns with his own money to ensure that gay rights never see the light of day or get squashed before surfacing. Do you understand the difference? I think it's pretty clear but it seems to be something completely foreign to others.

hampig said:
It's his right to share his opinion. No matter how much you, I, or anyone else think it's wrong.

That's wonderful but guess what? It doesn't stop him from being a gigantic hateful douche who should be immune to a boycott. I have been through a lot of threads on GAF but I think this one is making me the most angry and I ain't even homosexual.
 

Loxley

Member
Is this a rhetorical question? This has got to be one of the strangest posts in the gaming discussion forum that I've seen in a while, which is saying something. Uh...no, we should not boycott the game. Yeah, it sucks the dude is a homophobe, but who gives a shit? Epic, a great developer, and is the one who ends up losing in the end if you do.

I'm not saying homophobia is fine, I'm just saying, are you trying to be the guy's BFF or just trying to enjoy his material? Because it's possible to like a person's work without liking the actual person.

I like to call it "Mark Millar Syndrome".
 
GreekWolf said:
Oh, this thread is comedy gold. :lol

I have to wonder how many of these 'suddenly concerned' activists, who have chosen to exercise their progressive, free-thinking ideals by not supporting an ambiguously (at best) connected Card project, will still be first in line to purchase the new Final Fantasy game, despite Square's well documented history of racism?

That would be quite an interesting poll indeed!
Would you compare this particular reaction to say Resident Evil 5?

Amir0x said:
Stuff.

Thus is the nature of our dark world.
/clap
 

Amir0x

Banned
Do you realize how many amazing works of art, literature and cinema have been made that you've loved, that have probably been written by homophobes, racists and pedophiles?

If you're going to stop playing games because they are associated with someone who is this, you better stop doing a lot of things.

The slippery slope goes far.

For example. You should never, ever read anything by Lovecraft. And you probably should ditch the classic works by Aldous Huxley.

If the only issue is you have trouble contributing -any- money to -any- homophone currently alive, then the problem is you've probably done it HUNDREDS of times and you just didn't know it. But these games are a collection of their parts. No one person represents the product in this case. Nobody anywhere is endorsing homophobia through this product.

In essence, it comes to this:

we have to accept in our gray world, where things often don't have perfect conclusions or morally "right" endings, that people who are racist and homophobic and who like to molest kids... they sometimes make great things.

They sometimes make amazing, wonderful things.

And that extends to games as well. You should do what you feel is right as it's your money, but you should also acknowledge that you are not going to hurt Orson Scott Card or send him any message he will understand. He is already highly successful, and has made good works of art. He is also a homophobe.

Thus is the nature of our dark world.
 

Mooreberg

Member
mavs said:
You should deface the box to get your point across more strongly. Draw some dicks in Marcus's mouth, or smear some cat food on it, and post the pics.

You guys are just being ridiculous now. I don't see what Epic's prior products have to do with this. The real productive thing to do is track and down every copy of Shadow Complex and smash it with a hammer.
 
Not reading this whole thread, sorry.


But I wonder what the fuzz is about. This thread was made for the people who would rather not buy a game if it supports someone who has a very controversial stance on homosexuality and (financially) supports campaigns to revoke/deny homosexuals rights, but did not know that such a person was involved in the making of this game. It's not meant for anyone else, so people who are saying this thread is retarded sound like they're being attacked for their purchase, or that they are being told what to and what not to buy. But this is not the case. At least that's how I read it.

One can buy whatever they want despite/because/irregardless of the background of set product, just as one can not buy a product for the same reasons. This thread was just informing the people of the background of this game, so they can make a decision.

The only thing that is working against this thread, is that it is posted on a gaming forum, where games are king, and all the rest is irrelevant. And I don't mean that in a negative way. But I think that is the reason why there's such a thread backfire. Sometimes it's hard enough to discuss games in a normal manner on this forum, let alone when politics get involved. :)
 

Dragmire

Member
I wasn't going to buy this game, but that is seriously fucked up. Actively trying to thwart other peoples' rights. How do I get his marriage rights taken away? The jackass.
 

Forkball

Member
If it makes you feel any better, there is no god and Card, like all of us, will just experience darkness once we die. So it really doesn't matter what he believes, just play the game.
 

hampig

Member
Big-E said:
Again you are not getting it. No one gives a flying fuck whether OSC is a homophobe or an anti-semite or hates black people. No one cares. What people care about is that this man is on the forefront of an anti gay movement in the united states and funds campaigns with his own money to ensure that gay rights never see the light of day or get squashed before surfacing. Do you understand the difference? I think it's pretty clear but it seems to be something completely foreign to others.



That's wonderful but guess what? It doesn't stop him from being a gigantic hateful douche who should be immune to a boycott. I have been through a lot of threads on GAF but I think this one is making me the most angry and I ain't even homosexual.
You know what, you're right. Boycott the game, save gay rights! That will show him. :lol
 
woodypop said:
But so is blaming the consumer.

Then what do we do?

More specifically, what can we do?

Nothing, there isn't anything we can do but stick to our beliefs and our conscious and know what is right and what is wrong.
 
Amir0x said:
Do you realize how many amazing works of art, literature and cinema have been made that you've loved, that have probably been written by homophobes, racists and pedophiles?

If you're going to stop playing games because they are associated with someone who is this, you better stop doing a lot of things.

The slippery slope goes far.

For example. You should never, ever read anything by Lovecraft. And you probably should ditch the classic works by Aldous Huxley.

If the only issue is you have trouble contributing -any- money to -any- homophone currently alive, then the problem is you've probably done it HUNDREDS of times and you just didn't know it. But these games are a collection of their parts. No one person represents the product in this case. Nobody anywhere is endorsing homophobia through this product.

In essence, it comes to this:

we have to accept in our gray world, where things often don't have perfect conclusions or morally "right" endings, that people who are racist and homophobic and who like to molest kids... they sometimes make great things.

They sometimes make amazing, wonderful things.

And that extends to games as well. You should do what you feel is right as it's your money, but you should also acknowledge that you are not going to hurt Orson Scott Card or send him any message he will understand. He is already highly successful, and has made good works of art. He is also a homophobe.

Thus is the nature of our dark world.
As has been pointed out many, many times already in this thread, there is a big difference between holding a particular view and using one's power, money and influence to push an agenda that strips rights from other people.
 
Top Bottom