You See: [A Crowbar]

Posted on June 13, 2007 by Scott Jennings| 5 Comments

Allen Varney follows up his earlier NGE story for the Escapist with the coda of Jeff Freeman’s adventures in blogging, thus proving that it’s never wise to actually blog about what you’re doing at work, because enterprising writers will dredge it up years later to prove a point.

Dozens of bitter young males, unfamiliar with the collaborative design of MMOGs, heaped daily scorn upon this water-carrier, this flunky, as the unstoppable mastermind of the entire NGE.

Either Varney’s prose turns towards the purple, or Freeman insulted Varney’s kids at a Sunday outing or something. “Flunky?” “Water-carrier?”

Michael Zenke agrees.

 Trust Journalism. Journalism is your friend.

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  • http://www.allenvarney.com Allen Varney

    ((( Either Varney’s prose turns towards the purple, or Freeman insulted Varney’s kids at a Sunday outing or something.)))

    No reason it couldn’t have been both! But as it happens, I used “flunky” simply as a sharp contrast to the position of all-powerful authority attributed to Jeff by his detractors. I meant no offense to Jeff.

    Michael Zenke is off-base in claiming (in the post you link) that Sony Online CEO John Smedley has apologized for the SWG New Game Enhancements. He has admitted they were an error, which is not the same thing — as the continued aggrievement of the estranged players testifies. He also claims I “stray into the realm of fantasy” toward the end of my article, but apart from the erroneous assertion about Smedley, he offers no other evidence. Journalism, indeed.

  • Amaranthar

    Yeah, Allen. I was just going to post that I didn’t read any offense intended in your comments, but see that you already got to it.

    I’m headed outside right now to check for a full moon.

  • http://www.mmognation.com Michael

    Two things, Allen:

    1.) Flunky, whether you intended it or not, is fairly loaded language. I was just observing as such. If *I* were referred to as a flunky in a public setting, I’d probably be a little miffed. I’m just saying.

    2.) Well, first off, I make no claims of journalism on my *blog*. :)
    It’s my opinions, pure and simple. I have taken pains not to claim journalistic integrity on Slashdot Games either; there I at least attempt it, but given that I don’t have complete control over the setting, it’s not always possible. The only place I strive hard for such niceties is on 1up and The Escapist, where it matters.

    As for Smedley not apologizing, you are mistaken. I have him apologizing on tape for the NGE. He’s apologized for the NGE, to SWG players, at community events. He’s admitted that they made mistakes, that he’s sorry for their frustrations, that things should have been done differently. In no way do I think he or the company is blameless, I’d like to make a point of saying – but to say that he hasn’t apologized is simply incorrect.

    I share Raph’s sentiment that this is something people need to let go of. The game at launch is gone, and if they don’t like the new one they can go play something else.

  • http://mythicalblog.com Jeff Freeman

    Eh, I’ve been called worse.

  • winter

    I think the biggest issue with what Freeman was doing was that on the one hand he was talking about what makes a game fun on his blog, talking about what makes a good game, what is good design and anyone who played NGE could see how totally craptacular it was. Thats bound to make people angry.