[Iain Baker]

An enlightening read, highly recommended. And I'm not saying that just because I wrote some of it 

Full disclosure - I didn't write the Destiny-centric questions. Since I don't own a PS4 or XBox One I have never played it, so my knowledge of it is essentially zero. My colleagues at CD wrote those since one of the team is a big Destiny fan.

Enjoy :-)


http://coin-drop.com/diversity-in-video-games-a-conversation-with-destiny-writer-seth-dickinson/

[Luis Dias]

"that's an inane question"

oooooh fiery!

[Iain Baker]

"that's an inane question"

oooooh fiery!

Indeed. Glad I didn't write that one 

[Colonol Dekker]

I could be wrong here, I've been on HLP since it was part of 3dactionplanet / gamespy, but I thought I'd seen Batoot-toot prior to 2009.

[0rph3u5]

"that's an inane question"

oooooh fiery!

That's not how I would describe it...

[HLD_Prophecy]

"that's an inane question"

And that is an inane - not to mention incredibly rude - way to respond to a question.

Glad I didn't write that one

And the interviewer deserved to be spoken to that way?

Yes, this review was enlightening. I see now why BP is the way it is.

[General Battuta]

"that's an inane question"

And that is an inane - not to mention incredibly rude - way to respond to a question.

There’s an entire paragraph full of reasoning right there! And a whole interview behind it!

You didn’t read any of that, though.

[The E]

"that's an inane question"

And that is an inane - not to mention incredibly rude - way to respond to a question.

The question was really, really bad though. Like, "completely ignorant of the source material" bad. Or "more interested in making a stupid ~game politics~ point than in getting a real answer" bad.

[Nightmare]

I could be wrong here, I've been on HLP since it was part of 3dactionplanet / gamespy, but I thought I'd seen Batoot-toot prior to 2009.

This one? https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=64196.0

[0rph3u5]

The question was really, really bad though. Like, "completely ignorant of the source material" bad. Or "more interested in making a stupid ~game politics~ point than in getting a real answer" bad.

Bad questions to need bad answers. Granted Battuta has never been a paragon of grace* but even for him that was a low point.

*Neither am I.

[General Battuta]

It is absolutely the most telling thing in the world when nerds obsess over some slight hint of ‘meanness’ in a response rather than taking issue with the glaring, gut-bustingly bad line of thought that provoked it.

In your hurry to get mad about the word ‘inane’, an intellectual judgment about a question which implies certain values and beliefs, did you stop to read the actual question and answer? Do you have some substantive disagreement with the thoughts being exchanged?

You’re lucky I didn’t go with my first draft, which was “hey, **** you”

[0rph3u5]

It is absolutely the most telling thing in the world when nerds obsess over some slight hint of ‘meanness’ in a response rather than taking issue with the glaring, gut-bustingly bad line of thought that provoked it.

Then deconstruct the question. Make the bad from in the question an issue of the response ala "The better question to ask is...".

You’re lucky I didn’t go with my first draft, which was “hey, **** you”

 

[General Battuta]

Like I am wildly curious why you want to argue that the question “Did you create this character as a diversity checkbox, because a black woman with knowledge and sorcerous power seems unbelievable to me” should not be challenged. Do you feel that belief deserves my implicit confirmation and support? Why? What is the role of an interviewee when the interviewer asks a misinformed or leading question?

You seem to be arguing that the interviewer is sacrosanct and can’t be corrected.

It is absolutely the most telling thing in the world when nerds obsess over some slight hint of ‘meanness’ in a response rather than taking issue with the glaring, gut-bustingly bad line of thought that provoked it.

Then deconstruct the question. Make the bad from in the question an issue of the response ala "The better question to ask is...".

You’re lucky I didn’t go with my first draft, which was “hey, **** you”

 

How does my response not do this?  By comparing Ikora’s narrative role to two other peer characters, I show that the question is misguided.

But you didn’t read that, did you? You just jumped on a line someone else quoted. If you want to say ‘my bad, I should have read the context’ then no hard feelings.

[General Battuta]

Yes, this review was enlightening. I see now why BP is the way it is.

Glad you enjoyed. It’s definitely something I’m proud of, and it’s been great to see the whole team’s hard work find such an audience.

[The E]

Orpheus, can you actually make a point more substantial than "I think Battuta was rude", or is that all there is? Because if that's the case, if all you want to do is get on Battman's case over ~not being a paragon of grace~, I think it would be best if you left this particular tangent of the discussion.

[General Battuta]

I am curious to hear more, I guess. Orpheus has always seemed critical and thoughtful, so I just don’t get where he’s coming from here.

[0rph3u5]

I might be a bit on the edge right now (release on Wendsday) ... I will come back to it later...

You seem to be arguing that the interviewer is sacrosanct and can’t be corrected.
[...]

I do not.  But the interviewer is only a conduit, not the origin of the question.
For that question to have existed, the opinion it represents must have existed elsehwere already - I don't think I have to esspecially point out where. In this case esspecially since there is a whole blurb about it in article - if that was not part of interview situation, that I will happly retract (part of) my point.

[General Battuta]

Yes, the opinion that a black woman with powerful abilities can only exist in a story as an excuse to check a box certainly exists elsewhere. You can see it all over Twitter (especially in the actresses who’ve been driven off social media). You can see it in videos YouTube recommends. You can see it in this thread with people who think that BP is some kind of insidious political programming. That is absolutely the inanity I’m reacting to.

[The E]

I do not.  But the interviewer is only a conduit, not the origin of the question.

That highly depends on the interviewer. Some interviewers have strong opinions, and the interviews they produce are a dialogue between them and their subjects; others try to keep their own personality out of the interview as much as possible to make the subject of the interview shine.

A question like the one asked here, full of prejudice and bias, firmly belongs in the first category; when you ask a question like that (or others like it, see for example the first question in the interview!), you as an interviewer are no longer merely a "conduit" for the other person, you are engaging in a dialogue.

[Iain Baker]

I do not.  But the interviewer is only a conduit, not the origin of the question.

That highly depends on the interviewer. Some interviewers have strong opinions, and the interviews they produce are a dialogue between them and their subjects; others try to keep their own personality out of the interview as much as possible to make the subject of the interview shine.

A question like the one asked here, full of prejudice and bias, firmly belongs in the first category; when you ask a question like that (or others like it, see for example the first question in the interview!), you as an interviewer are no longer merely a "conduit" for the other person, you are engaging in a dialogue.

FYI I didn't write the first question either.

If memory serves - we drafted the questions around Christmas(ish) so I can't be 100% sure - I wrote questions 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Oh and the last "What are you working on..." question. If any of those questions were stupid then I take full responsibility. I cannot take responsibility for the others as I didn't write them and I don't have editorial control over Coin-Drop since it isn't my site.

My site, which I do have complete control over is https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/ but I have been a little neglectful of that one over the last few months. I will probably continue to use Nomad's Reviews for non-video game stuff, such as reviews of books, audiobooks and audio-dramas, which are other passions of mine.