Not Marathon Infinity... (Gaming)

by cheapLEY , Monday, June 11, 2018, 16:59 (2364 days ago) @ Harmanimus

You have expressed my sentiments much more eloquently and politely than my initial, emotional response to the suggestion to not be critical of the art direction would have been. So I appreciate that.

Though I would like to add that not "having an obligation to buy [their] work" goes hand-in-hand with not being excluded from being critical of said work. I will never be critical of a person who makes art for the art they produce (within ethical reason) however I reserve the right to be critical of any art - at any level - that is presented for my consumption in an IP that I am otherwise invested in.

I'm not being clear. I don't mean to suggest that there is no room for being critical of the game or it's art (or any aspect of it). I understand that they're actively trying to sell you something, and you're perfectly within your right to not buy it and make it clear why you're not doing so. You're within your right to do it for as long as you deem prudent.

My problem comes with how folks choose to express those sentiments. Korny's post on HBO is titled "343 acknowledging that their art sucked . . ." That's the sort of sentiment I have a problem with. It's the same discussion we have in circles around here all the time, about stating opinions as fact. I try not to get too caught up in it, but I fail sometimes. This doesn't have to be 343 acknowledging that their art sucked. I doubt they believe that it id. This is 343 acknowledging that folks preferred the old art style. That's not the same thing. My problem is that folks hounded them endlessly, telling them their art sucks, and now those same people have the perception that 343 now agrees that their art sucked.

I don't like caving in to bullies. And logically, I know that's not what happened. I have no real doubt that 343 is excited about this direction. But it still feels bad, especially when I see stuff like "343 acknowledging that their art sucked," is now the narrative surrounding Halo. It bums me out.