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[Firestorm]

It just uses a blog format, as far as I can tell the writers are still employed by GamePro. It's not as if anybody can start a blog there and write a review to be published on GamePro's website.

Employed without being paid for? http://springsgamer.blogspot.com/2008/06/gamepro-arcade-launches.html

This is plagiarism and that guy has "shot himself in the foot" so to speak as far as getting a legitimate job in the industry unless this all blows over quickly, but this isn't GamePro. As much as I'm surprised that magazine/website is still around, it's not a GamePro review.

 

[GodofWine]

The amount of added detail in the Gamepro review leads me to think both reviews took most of their work verbatim off of a press kit that came with the game, and that gamepro actually added more original content to it.

 

[Zeliard]

The amount of added detail in the Gamepro review leads me to think both reviews took most of their work verbatim off of a press kit that came with the game, and that gamepro actually added more original content to it.

Or that the Gamepro writer took IGN's review, modified and moved around a few words in a transparent, often-used, and elementary attempt at avoiding being caught for plagiarism, and then added some of his own material to try and help to obscure the shamefulness.

 

[Foxtastical]

I'm gonna wait for confirmation that he works/writes for Gamepro. If so, I'll laugh again.

It'll be even better when people go to defend him. Oh, how I loved Gamepro's grammatically and structurally hilarious Conduit review.

 

[goldenticket]

Eh, so does itunes from AllMusic, everything's connected anyway

itunes prob pays for the reviews. allmusic makes money by hiring music writers to write reviews and then sells that content to other sites. like amazon or wallmart or itunes or whoever doesnt want to take on extra staff just to deal with the music reviewers so they buy the right to use allmusic's reviews. i wrote for allmusic back in the day.

 

[nincompoop]

Employed without being paid for? http://springsgamer.blogspot.com/2008/06/gamepro-arcade-launches.html

This is plagiarism and that guy has "shot himself in the foot" so to speak as far as getting a legitimate job in the industry unless this all blows over quickly, but this isn't GamePro. As much as I'm surprised that magazine/website is still around, it's not a GamePro review.

Well regardless of whether he's getting paid or not, he's still affiliated with GamePro and this still casts them in a negative light.

 

[jay]

Im a gamer enough said!

 

[Foxtastical]

Im a gamer enough said!

Who needs to be educated?! I'm a gamer!

 

[nincompoop]

Gamepro retracted their review and fired the writer. http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/109120/review-similiarities-explanation/

 

[JSnake]

Gamepro retracted their review and fired the writer. http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/109120/review-similiarities-explanation/

God damn. :lol

 

[jett]

Gamepro retracted their review and fired the writer. http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/109120/review-similiarities-explanation/

You just made some poor douche lose his job over some shitty Wii game. Are ya happy now, ARE YA!?

 

[CO_Andy]

NeoGAF's sphere of influence is indeed disturbing.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

You just made some poor douche lose his job over some shitty Wii game.

.

 

[Adam Prime]

Gamepro retracted their review and fired the writer. http://gparcade.blogfaction.com/article/109120/review-similiarities-explanation/

You could post the article. The dude admits to using the IGN.UK review as a "reference point".

* Xbox LIVE Arcade
* July 08, 2009 4:09 PM
* Tae Kim

I was sent a link to a rather disturbing thread created t in the NeoGAF forums today. The subject line is “GamePro PLAIGARIZES IGN's review of Water Warfare (Wii).” Here is a link if you want to read the discussion. As you can imagine, the editors of GamePro and GamePro Arcade took these charges very seriously and we immediately began to investigate. Both Terry, the editor in chief of GamePro Arcade, and I read over both reviews and contacted the writer in question, Andrew Ramsey to get his side of the story. Unfortunately, Terry is on vacation, so I am taking over for him to respond to this issue.

After speaking to Andrew, I must regretfully report that the charges are true. While Andrew did not intentionally and maliciously try to plagarize IGN UK’s review of Water Warfare for the WiiWare service, he did admit to using it as a reference point and certain segments of the IGN UK review were used. This is a serious breach of journalistic ethics and after conferring with Terry, we have made the decision to relieve Andrew of his position as contributing writer for GamePro Arcade.

We have also made the decision to leave the review in place but we will add a very visible note at the top explaining what happened and why. We chose to do this because we did not want to hide or obscure what had occurred. We wanted to be up front about the mistake that had been made and take full responsibility for it. The score will be stripped out however and we will work to ensure that it is not counted in any shape or form in terms of score aggregation.

I also want to take this opportunity to clear up any confusion about the relationship between GamePro and GamePro Arcade. GamePro Arcade is an affiliate that resides in a larger network of sites; it covers downloadable content such as XBL, PSN and WiiWare games as well as DLC content. The site is independantly run by a main editor, in this case Terry; I act as the main liason between Terry and GamePro. The site maintains full autonomy but we do have a close working relationship. We sometimes share content between the two sites where appropriate and the editors of GamePro will provide assistance contacting PR reps for information and the like. I would also like to point out that Andrew was not a paid employee of GamePro or GamePro Arcade; he was an unpaid contributor who worked mainly for the experience, though he has received some games and other items when they were available. I mention this because several members of the NeoGAF forums expressed confusion as to whether or not Andrew was a GamePro employee.

In the end, Terry and I regret that this entire ordeal happened. We strive very hard to maintain journalistic integrity across our entire network and this is a very serious and unfortunate occurance. We apologize to our readers, to our collegues at IGN UK and the developers of Water Warfare and we promise that we will strive to ensure that this mistake is never repeated again.
If you have any thoughts or questions on the matter, please feel free to contact me directly at tkim@gamepro.com. Thank you.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

IGN PLAIGARIZES IGN's review of Bomberman (Wii)

Bomberman Ultra Review (PS3) - 8.0 out of 10

A Blast from the Past
A good, traditional game of Bomberman is a necessity for every console. Hudson has been making the rounds to every digital distribution platform with its classic multiplayer game and now it's finally the PlayStation Network's turn. Bomberman Ultra is now available for download from the PSN and should satisfy all your explosive needs. Essentially the same game as 2007's Bomberman Live on Xbox 360, Ultra doesn't mess around with any story or adventure. It cuts right to the heart of what we all love about this franchise: fast-paced, frantic multiplayer action.

If you've been living in a bomb shelter since the '80s, this franchise began on the NES and has appeared on just about every console and handheld since. It's a fixed-screen action game where players drop bombs to gradually clear away walls and, ultimately, blow up the competition. Its easy mechanics and frenzied gameplay have always made Bomberman a multiplayer favorite.

Ultra provides a solid multiplayer experience -- which is good, because there isn't much incentive to play the game alone. Up to four players can crowd around one PlayStation 3 locally, or a total of eight can get in a game online. There is a dizzying array of options available to customize your experience, from levels to items to rules. Each of the 14 arenas has its own gimmicks and obstacles. Lost World contains quicksand pits, for instance, and Ghost Town is full of trap doors. Players will randomly find Costume Balls while playing a local game. Grabbing these will unlock new parts and accessories you can use to customize your Bomberman. There is a good amount of content here.

Bots can be used locally, but unfortunately only human players are allowed online. Extensive leaderboards track everything from wins and losses to games played to frags. Visually, Bomberman Ultra gets the job done. The menus and environments are very colorful and the whole package has personality.

Closing Comments
You don't want to mess with the Bomberman formula too much, and luckily Hudson hasn't here. This offering doesn't innovate but it's got that classic, addictive quality we've been enjoying since Super Bomberman on the SNES. Ultra is, to surrender to an easy pun, a blast to play. The vast amount of game options should keep your bombing runs going all night. A good deal at ten bucks, this is a download Bomberman fans will want to make room for.

Bomberman Blast Review (Wii) - 8.1 out of 10

A Blast from the Past
A good, traditional game of Bomberman is a necessity for every console. Bomberman Land arrived on the Wii earlier this year to lukewarm reviews and focused more on mini-games than straightforward bomb competitions. But now Bomberman Blast is available for download from WiiWare to satisfy all your explosive needs. Very similar to last year's very good Bomberman Live on Xbox 360, Blast doesn't mess around with any story or adventure. It cuts right to the heart of what we all love about this franchise: fast-paced, frantic multiplayer action.

If you've been living in a bomb shelter since the 80s, this franchise began on the NES and has appeared on just about every console and handheld since. It's a fixed-screen action game where players drop bombs to gradually clear away walls and, ultimately, blow up the competition. Its easy mechanics and frenzied gameplay have always made Bomberman a multiplayer favorite.

For the most part, Blast provides a friendly multiplayer experience, both online and off (which is good, because there isn't any incentive to play the game alone). Up to eight players can crowd around one Wii locally, using remotes and GameCube controllers. A total of eight can also get in the game online, with up to four playing on each system. The game runs smoothly online with little to no lag, but there are a couple small annoyances to the process. Blast uses its own friend code system, apart from Nintendo's own aggravating numbers. You don't need them when playing ranked matches against strangers, but it would be nice if the game could tell which Wii owners are already friends of yours. When hosting a game for your friends their names aren't displayed as they join. While setting up a game, you can't back up to previous menus. So if you choose a level, then change your mind and want to select a different area, you can't simply back up and alter your selection. Irksome.

But these are minor gripes, and once you get into a match you'll find there's nothing lacking in the gameplay department. There is a dizzying array of options available to customize your experience, from levels to items to rules. Each of the 11 maps comes in large and small sizes. Some features are new to this WiiWare Bomberman, like items that are activated by shaking your remote (or alternating the L and R triggers on the GameCube controller). The remote's speaker has been put to good use for explosion sound effects. Once you have played all 11 levels you can use your Miis in place of the traditional characters (in local play). There is a lot of content here for ten bucks.

Bots can be used locally, but unfortunately only human players are allowed online. Playing ranked matches will earn you grades that are persistently attached to your online profile and determine your status on the leaderboards. Disconnecting from a match will cost you 1000 points. While waiting to join a game online you can play a brief mini-game where you dodge falling bombs. It's clear Hudson put some time into developing a well-rounded multiplayer game for WiiWare. Visually, Bomberman Blast gets the job done. The menus and environments are very colorful and the whole package has a lot of personality.

Closing Comments
You don't want to mess with the Bomberman formula too much, and luckily Hudson hasn't here. This offering doesn't innovate but it's got that classic, addictive quality we've been enjoying since Super Bomberman on the SNES. Blast is, to surrender to an easy pun, a blast to play. With only a few interface hiccups, it's easy to get into online matches with everything running smoothly. The vast amount of game options should keep your bombing runs going all night. A good deal at ten bucks, this is a download Bomberman fans will want to make room for.

Shows off the level of professionalism in videogame "journalism" (lol)

....


Seriously, stop defending Daemon Hatfield for he is the LAZIEST SON OF A BITCH in the fucking planet! And he had the courage to rate the PS3 version 0.1 lower than Wii version!

EDIT: HE GOT FIRED? OVER A FUCKING REVIEW OF A SHITTY FUCKING GAME? MOTHERFUCKER!

EDIT of the EDIT: Oh well. Plagiarism is Plagiarism.

 

[Kade]

I wonder who GAF is going get fired next.

 

[alistairw]

The subject line is “GamePro PLAIGARIZES IGN's review of Water Warfare (Wii).”

And so, it turns out the real lesson here isn't "don't plagiarise", it's "spell check your thread titles".

 

[Foxtastical]

Are you guys actually getting irritated that a writer got fired for breaking the first rule they tell you not to break as a journalist/writer/columnist/etc? Plagiarism is serious business, it's not taken lightly in the real world. If you're working with high school kids, sure, slap them on a wrist.

Gamepro did the right thing. A buddy of mine at UW: Madison got fired for doing similar activities at one of the school's papers. It's a big deal.

I do think, though, some editors need to rethink their word counts for video game articles/reviews. I bet this happens more often than we think because many writers probably find it hard to write 500 words about a WiiWare title.

 

[nincompoop]

It's easy to tell which posters here cheated their way through school. Plagiarism is a very serious offense and the guy deserved to get fired.

And so, it turns out the real lesson here isn't "don't plagiarise", it's "spell check your thread titles".

 

[agrajag]

You just ruined some guy's life, good job.

 

[soul creator]

GAF -> unemployment check -> GAF

 

[Foxtastical]

You just ruined some guy's life, good job.

I'm pretty sure he was ruining his own.

 

[thetrin]

I'm fucking shocked that anyone in this thread would defend someone guilty of plagiarism. Those who defend him don't write a lot, I'm guessing.

You just ruined some guy's life, good job.

He did a fantastic job of ruining his own life by copying someone else's work.

 

[jay]

I'm all for cheating but the guy seemed barely literate based on his bio. The hilarity is it took actively breaking the most important law of journalism to lead to the guy's dismissal.

Really he should have taken his own advice - "You need to pay attention to what conditions are occurring."

 

[Zeliard]

I wonder who GAF is going get fired next.

EDIT: HE GOT FIRED? OVER A FUCKING REVIEW OF A SHITTY FUCKING GAME? MOTHERFUCKER! OP is going in my block list.

Did you read the blog post? He was let go from a non-paying job.

And even if it had been paying, that's easy grounds for firing someone. Did none of you go to college? Plagiarism is an enormous deal, especially in journalism (I use the word very loosely here).

 

[thetrin]

I'm all for cheating but the guy seemed barely literate based on his bio. The hilarity is it took actively breaking the most important law of journalism to lead to the guy's dismissal.

Wait, you're all FOR cheating?

 

[Zenith]

You just ruined some guy's life, good job.

yes it's the OP's fault the guy was a lazy plagiarist.

 

[sublime085]

The guy wasn't getting paid so I wouldn't get too worked up over him getting fired.

But he got what he deserved. It's theft.

 

[Epcott]

well that was pretty swift

 

[radioheadrule83]

Ouch... a journo should know better but still..

 

[Darklord]

People are angry at the OP because he pointed out a reviewer who was a lazy, stealing, fool and could have potentially gotten GamePro into deep shit? What are you, idiots? It's the number 1 rule in his field of work. It would be like a Chef serving raw chicken.

 

[Pein]

maybe now he can focus on a non shit job

 

[Relix]

eh, this seems like one hell of a coincidence.

http://i26.tinypic.com/ftk6l4.gif

black stuff is identical. how likely is it that someone would word these sentences almost EXACTLY the same, talking about the same game, within a matter of days?

maybe there's some secret pr fact sheet that was handed out to reviewers that we don't know about, but otherwise i think the case is pretty clear.

So wait, is that how the Professor's online writing search tool looks like and how they know you copied from a source? :lol Holy fuck

 

[Gamecocks625]

People are angry at the OP because he pointed out a reviewer who was a lazy, stealing shit and could have potentially gotten GamePro into deep shit? What are you, idiots?

This is GAF. Yes, there are a lot of idiots here. At any rate, the writer in question learned a hard but much needed lesson. The OP is our new hope and the hero our forum needs.

 

[Yagharek]

He could have at least plagiarised a half-intelligent reviewer.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Did you read the blog post? He was let go from a non-paying job.

And even if it had been paying, that's easy grounds for firing someone. Did none of you go to college? Plagiarism is an enormous deal, especially in journalism (I use the word very loosely here).

Yes Yes. I was a bit sarcastic about OP going to my block list. Me love nincompoop, I'm sure he knows that :lol

I am still sticking with my 'MOTHERFUCKER!!" though.

Yes. I know plagiarism is a big deal and it's a bigger deal if you copy/paste your own work a year later. Plagiarizing yourself is also plagiarism in professional field and Daemon Hatfield is fond of plagiarizing himself.

 

[JSnake]

C'mon you guys, even I know plagiarism is a big no-no. Jesus christ.

 

[beelzebozo]

C'mon you guys, even I know plagiarism is a big no-no. Jesus christ.

 

[Adam Prime]

He didn't lose his job:

would also like to point out that Andrew was not a paid employee of GamePro or GamePro Arcade; he was an unpaid contributor who worked mainly for the experience, though he has received some games and other items when they were available. I mention this because several members of the NeoGAF forums expressed confusion as to whether or not Andrew was a GamePro employee.

 

[Zeliard]

Jesus Christ, guys, come on. Plagiarism is a big no-no, and even I know that.

 

[Count Dookkake]

well that was pretty swift

come upins?

:lol

 

[JSnake]

He didn't lose his job:

no but he will probably find it a real bitch (well, even more of one) to get a real gig

 

[nincompoop]

C'mon you guys, even I know plagiarism is a big no-no. Jesus christ.

:lol

Would be funnier if shagg_187 edited his post to say that though.

He didn't lose his job:

I think it's safe to say he won't be writing any more reviews for GamePro, or anyone else, for a while.

 

[beelzebozo]

yes. kudos to zeliard. polished up the graphics on level 2 of that joke, to be sure.

 

[AstroLad]

I do think, though, some editors need to rethink their word counts for video game articles/reviews. I bet this happens more often than we think because many writers probably find it hard to write 500 words about a WiiWare title.

I dunno man, I don't think it takes that much effort.

My Review of Water Warfare, After Zero Plays
Water Warfare is a compelling first-person shooter title for Nintendo's "Wii Ware" system. First-person shooter games are most commonly associated with World War II or The Future, and the words "first-person shooter" might bring brief arousal, or at least curiosity, to the system's long-suffering older Nintendofans looking for at least an ersatz Killzone or Halo. But such arousal would be misplaced here.

It turns out that while the game purports to be an FPS, it is only one in name, and not in spirit. Gone is the amazing arsenal from Resistance or the hellish nightmarescape from Doom. Those essential features of any FPS have instead been replaced by squirt guns and water balloons, and the "Beach," and "Playground" maps. You don't "frag" your opponents, you simply get them wet. What is perhaps most frustrating is that the game often misleads users into thinking the experience will be far more mature than it really is. For example, we were unable to cause a single death in our hours of playtesting the so-called "Death Match" mode. Even using the Wii Zapper had very little actual effect on the gameplay. If you are expecting a Modern Warfare-type experience, you will be sorely disappointed, and your Fun Factor will very likely be sub-zero, as mine was (editor's note: when a game receives a score below zero in any of our three ratings categories, such as Fun Factor, then the points below zero are deducted equally from the two other categories--Sound and Graphics).
Fun Factor: -1.0 (out of 5.0).

Now for the important stuff: the Graphics. Nintendo fans have by now been conditioned to expect almost nothing from the Wii's graphics, instead pointing to the system's revolutionary distinguishing features, such as games where you use water pistols instead of guns. And this game continues in that proud tradition. By far the closest analogues for this game's graphics are virtual-reality games from the early 90s, such as Dactyl Nightmare, which you may remember from numerous GamePro TV episodes starring J.D. Roth. As much as I would love to instead make the comparison to Nintendo's Virtual Boy games, they had much cleaner and more attractive graphics.
Graphics: 1.0.

The game's Sound quality may be its only saving grace. Water Warfare boasts the trademark 8-bit ditties that Hudson is loved for. The songs are so catchy that I might be motivated to give the game a 4.0 for Sound, were it not for the leftover negative Fun Factor points. My only two major complaints are that the realistic footstep sounds (perhaps the only realistic and gritty part of the game) are not made when you are walking sideways, something which really takes you out of the game. Also, the squirt gun sounds more like a laser gun than a squirt gun, yet another feature inhibiting suspension of disbelief.
Sound: 3.5.

Conclusion: 4.0

 

[Mdk7]

GAF -> unemployment check -> GAF

:lol

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

Yes. I know plagiarism is a big deal and it's a bigger deal if you copy/paste your own work a year later. Plagiarizing yourself is also plagiarism in professional field and Daemon Hatfield is fond of plagiarizing himself.

Not really.

Any writer may write, rewrite, reuse and reassemble to his' or hers hearts content. Using older work to write "new"-ish stuff is not a big deal when the origin of the material lies with the same writer. It's just really, really lazy, uncreative and perhaps telling of a worn out writer, but it is not theft.

It's a rather fundamental difference.

LOL @ the people feeling sorry for this guy though.

 

[agrajag]

I'm pretty sure he was ruining his own.

No one likes a tattle tail.

 

[Adam Prime]

No one likes a tattle tail.

Isn't it "Tattle Tell" or is it really "tail"?

 

[agrajag]

Isn't it "Tattle Tell" or is it really "tail"?

Maybe, I never really thought about it. It may be "tale" as well.