I hate mainstream news sometimes

[Jim F.]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/games/videogames/2002-10-21-sniper-game_x.htm

I hope, when they finally catch this sniper guy, that he has never played a video game in his life. Maybe have him say something like "I learned how to shoot from all those text books out there. Those damn books are loaded with techniques that turned me into a killing machine". People would laugh about it, but here is the press, once again, saying that video games are bad because they have sniper modes that teach people how to kill. Sigh.

Why is it that every hobby I have eventually gets blamed for a social problem? Heavy metal, AD&D, computer games, por...er, not that one.

[Brad Grenz]

I hate mainstream news always.

[Tom Chick]

The surprising thing about the article is that it was written by Marc Saltzman. He's been covering gaming for dog's years and really should have known better.

While he's not what I would call a hardcore gamer, he's certainly not some guy they just pulled from the city desk. But you'd never know based on that article. Silent Scope 3? C'mon...

-Tom

[Jakub]

Maybe he got told the angle to take by the editor? Or perhaps he himself took the one that's more likely to get published?

[Bub, Andrew]

Of course he was handed the topic, that's how most journalism works. Having read it I think Salzman acquitted himself well. He uses words like "alleged" and lets other people make the connections. I mean, come on Tom, he says in the article that it was people on the Internet that theorized it was Silent Scope 3. Now, I haven't seen any of this Internet speculation, so I'm taking his word that it actually exists and that he was just following the story. It's nice that he actually phoned Sega. That puts him well above most news articles on the subject.

Sure the topic is crap, and so is the theory, but it's understandable that non-game fans would look at sniping games as a cause. Plus, as "journalism" Salzman's peice is a damn sight better than last week's Newsweek which actually said:

"...video game experts claim the sniper might have been inspired by the popular video game One Shot, One Kill."

What? Nobody at fucking Newsweek thought to check if there was a goddam video game by that name? Sloppy.

[Tom Chick]

I mean, come on Tom, he says in the article that it was people on the Internet that theorized it was Silent Scope 3.

The article equates "Internet buzz" with " Jacqueline Weaver, a New York City mother of two, in a Yahoo chat room on parenting". It consists of her quote, a Doug Lowenstein quote, and a Goeff Keighley quote.


It's nice that he actually phoned Sega.

Uhh, you must be privvy to some research he did that didn't make it into the article. But, yeah, I'm sure it was nice of him to phone Sega. You'd think he might want to mention that in the article.


Having read it I think Salzman acquitted himself well.

Whatever. It would be inflammatory if it weren't such a puff piece. I like Marc, and I mean no disrespect to him, but I'm disappointed to see his name on something like this.

And at least I know how to spell his name correctly. :)

-Tom

[Bub, Andrew]

Yeah, I was kidding Tom, I figured you'd realize that when you saw how I was spelling Marc's name. He and I go a fair ways back. Anyway, that Keighley quote is what floored me because (while I like Keighley) I can't believe Saltzman didn't dig a bit deeper than "the editor in chief of Gameslice" for an industry expert quote for his USA Today article.

I mean, thanks Geoff (it is Geoff btw) for blowing the lid off the insidious Tarot card and sniper inspiring Drakan game there.

I like Marc too and I'm willing to bet that A) he was given this assignment and told what angle to take and B) he had very little time to put it all together. He called Konami and Lowenstein, I'll give him credit for that because its more than Newsweek did for their article.

[Tom Chick]

Yeah, I was kidding Tom, I figured you'd realize that when you saw how I was spelling Marc's name.

Huh? You were kidding about what? The entire post? So when we spot one of your misspellings, it's a secret code that everything you've written is a joke?

Weakest. Backpedal. Ever.

-Tom

[Bub, Andrew]

Hey, whatever. The only thing I was serious about was the Newsweek bit. I've known Saltzman at least as long as I've known you. Make of that what you will Tom Schick.

I'll include a smiley for you next time.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I was kidding Tom

You were kidding? Honest to God, what was the kidding part?

[Bub, Andrew]

Yeah, I was kidding Tom

You were kidding? Honest to God, what was the kidding part?

"Having read it I think Salzman acquitted himself well. He uses words like "alleged" and lets other people make the connections. I mean, come on Tom, he says in the article that it was people on the Internet that theorized it was Silent Scope 3. Now, I haven't seen any of this Internet speculation, so I'm taking his word that it actually exists and that he was just following the story."

The parts in bold lettering highlight it.

[Anonymous]

I still don't get it.

[Anonymous]

So you are saying


Of course he was handed the topic, that's how most journalism works.
not kidding


Having read it I think Salzman acquitted himself well. He uses words like "alleged" and lets other people make the connections. I mean, come on Tom, he says in the article that it was people on the Internet that theorized it was Silent Scope 3. Now, I haven't seen any of this Internet speculation, so I'm taking his word that it actually exists and that he was just following the story. It's nice that he actually phoned Sega. That puts him well above most news articles on the subject.

Sure the topic is crap, and so is the theory, but it's understandable that non-game fans would look at sniping games as a cause.
kidding


Plus, as "journalism" Salzman's peice is a damn sight better than last week's Newsweek which actually said:

"...video game experts claim the sniper might have been inspired by the popular video game One Shot, One Kill."

What? Nobody at fucking Newsweek thought to check if there was a goddam video game by that name? Sloppy.
not kidding again

[Desslock]

Yeah, I was kidding Tom

You were kidding? Honest to God, what was the kidding part?

"Salzman..He uses words like "alleged"...it was people on the Internet that theorized it was Silent Scope 3...so I'm taking his word that it actually exists and that he was just following the story

The parts [reprinted above] highlight it.

What -are- you trying to kid about, Andrew? I don't get it either.

Drakan is clearly to blame, however, as Keighley wisely revealed. That much is clear, and we likely couldn't keep it a secret much longer.

Stefan

[Bub, Andrew]

What was I kidding about? Well, I don't believe that simply saying "allegedly" is good enough for an article like this. I don't think he should let "other people make the connections". I don't accept that there's Internet buzz about Silent Scope 3 just because Saltzman says he found some. And I don't really think looking at video games as a cause for mass murder is "understandable". :?

I can see the confusion now, but I really didn't think anyone would think that I was seriously defending the article. And I ... really should have used a smiley.

I always said that Drakan needed to be stopped... but so few listened.

[Tom Chick]

Ah, I get it now. You're confusing "humor" with "saying the opposite of what you mean".

In the future, when you're doing this, you might want to use a smiley or something to indicate when you're going for the "humor" route. That way you can avoid embarassing situations in which you don't know how to spell someone's name and you cover for it by insisting it was a joke.

Or at least the appearance thereof.

-Tom

[Ben Sones]

That article is terrible. When you open up with:

"While officials in the Washington, D.C. area hunt a sniper who is shooting people at random, Internet buzz is drawing parallels to the content of Konami's Silent Scope 3 for Sony's PlayStation 2."

...you know you are in for some weak editorializing. I mean, come on. Talk about the vaguest of hazily qualified sources. "Internet buzz" draws parallels between many things, but in 99.999% of those cases, it's not fucking news. Most of the time, it's barely even worth talking about on the Internet.

Then he veers off into "these games should not be available to kids" territory, which has... what, exactly?... to do with the whole sniper situation? Is he implying that the sniper is a misguided kid corrupted by poorly labeled products? It sort of seems like he is. Otherwise, I don't get the relevance. Then he gives us:

"The words, "Dear Policeman, I am God," were reportedly scrawled on the card. Scrambling to discover their relevance, gamers and their critics suggested on the Internet that the sniper could be a video-game player because phrases referring to "God" can be found in several 3-D shooters."

Wow. Now that's some newsworthy deduction (based upon uncredited "Internet suggestions," no less). Alternately, it could mean that he has an actual god complex, but you don't see USA Today running stories entitled "Sniper spree stirs Christian debate."

I gotta agree with Tom on this one: Marc should know better.

[Mark Asher]

I mean, thanks Geoff (it is Geoff btw) for blowing the lid off the insidious Tarot card and sniper inspiring Drakan game there.

I think you're reading much more into Geoff's quote than is warranted:

"'First-person action games on the PC often include a hidden feature called 'God Mode,' which makes the player invincible; this mode is toggled by entering a cheat code into the keyboard," said Geoff Keighley, editor-in-chief of GameSlice, a video-game industry Web site. "In the fantasy action game Drakan, you actually type in the words 'IAMGOD' into your keyboard to become invulnerable.'"

That's a neutral statement of fact. Geoff isn't taking sides.

Just be thankful no one in the mainstream press is aware of how UT works. Facing Worlds, sniper rifles, 5-6 headshot kills in sequence and the announcer calls you "Godlike!" I could see that getting a lot of play.

[Desslock]

>Alternately, it could mean that he has an actual god complex,

Or that he is, in fact, God.

[Brian Rucker]

I think like most of ya'll that this whole 'gaming' angle is blown away out of proportion. While I find it unlikely a game could teach marksmanship in the first place (America's Army notwithstanding) the sort of flipped out gamer stereotype doesn't lend itself, really, to the coolly calculated hits and matter of fact escapes this sniper seems to practice. If nothing else, a nutjob would have left some clues with somebody at this point.

I get the feeling this is somebody that knows how to shoot, maybe professionally, and someone nobody misses. He also seems to have some grasp of complicated electronic money transfers (some leaks today talk about him wanting 10 million dollars) or communications based on Moose's statements to the shooter today.

If this is simply a loose cannon it's more likely a militia-Paladin Press-NRA type. If it's not it could be much, much, worse.

[Anonymous]

...could be a video-game player because phrases referring to "God" can be found in several 3-D shooters.

I hope he doesn't figure out how many references to "God" can be found in "The Bible". But the "The Bible" has crappy graphics and a terribly low frame rate, so I don't think it could inspire anyone to kill people. Christ, it isn't even 3-D!

Look, I've taken my own name in vain.

[Brad Grenz]

What's the H. stand for again?

[Jack]

The "God" quote came out soon after the release of Red Dragon.... I think he might have been referring to the line "It makes him God. Would you give that up?"

That, coupled with the drama of the tarot card proves this whole sniper thing is a result of violent movies. I propose that we only watch politically correct, non-violent Disney cartoons from now on. And never, never show a woman's breasts. That's worse than watching a family get butchered.

Oh, and video games are drippings from the Devil's ass.

Praise God and pass the ammunution.

[Alan Dunkin]

Ever watch Gargoyles? One of the most violent Disney cartoons I ever watched.

--- Alan

[Jack]

Sorry, that doesn't cut it. Only cartoons with pixies and wistful children. No violence and none of your sicko Satanistic artists who make giant penises out of glorious underwater castles.

[Brad Grenz]

Gargoyles was brilliant. It's a shame the suits at Disney fucked it up.

[gameguy2003]

Hi y'all,

I caught wind of this debate and felt obliged to respond.

As most of you know, sometimes there are stories a writer pitches, and other times they're assigned them. As Gannett News Service's video games columnist, I was asked to address the timing of a sniper game in relation to the tragic happenings in the D.C. area.

Furthermore, some articles are assigned as "objective" news stories and other times the writer is permitted to offer his or her opinion with a "subjective" slant. Obviously in this case I had to quote other sources and not give my thoughts on the matter. Even if the only negative quote was from an ignorant mother in a Yahoo! chat Room (which says something about this story to begin with).

Fortunately, I will be able to voice my opinion about this next week on CNN.

Thank you for reading this. I feel I've worked hard at my job over the past 7 years, and the last thing I want to do is taint my name.

I look forward to giving *my* opinion on this matter next week!

Anyhow, thank you again for your time.

And take care,

Marc Saltzman
[email protected]

[Jim F.]

This just shows my ignorance of how the media works. I always assumed that all news articles fell under the "objective" catagory. I didn't realize that editors would assign essentially a predetermined story and then tell you to find facts to back up their views.

It's like Gamespy saying "OK Tom, you're going to give Sniper: POV an 8.2 rating in your review. Now come up with some quotes to back it up".

Oh well, guess it's all about the ratings and page hits these days. Companies just don't seem to care about what's true, they just want what sells the most copy.

[gameguy2003]

Hi Jim F,

No, that's not what happened. They told me they were aware of a CNN.com story about a sniper video game and possible "IAMGOD" relation and asked me to investigate. I tried to make it as balanced as possible, if perhaps more slanted towards the industry as there are no facts that connect the two. In fact, my original headline was "New sniper video game takes aim at terrorists -- not civilians" but that was changed before it was published. Point is -- I doubt my editor had an opinion on this and asked me to find proof of it.

Marc