Dear Brentalfloss, I love you.

I also want to send it to Paul Ryan. ::grin:: For the lyric “it’s an Ayn Rand wet dream, and brother I mean soakin’.”

via my GeekBoy via @brentalfloss

If you’ve heard about Anita Sarkeesian, the trolling she got over her Kickstarter on female tropes in video games, ever been told girls don’t play video games, told someone girls don’t play video games or generally heard or said something stupid about women not being able to do something guys can do (I think I’ve included all of humanity at this point) you should watch this ;-)

Ill Doctrine: All These Sexist Gamer Dudes Are Some Shook Ones from ANIMALNewYork.com on Vimeo.

via Upworthy

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I know you’re taking a ton of flak for the Mass Effect 3 ending. I know there’s a lot of fans complaining. I know a lot of those same fans are demanding you change the ending.

Don’t change the ending.

Let them complain. That’s their right. Let them bitch until they’re blue in the face. Let them file complaints with the FTC and BBB, even if it is one of the silliest things I’ve ever heard. (I mean, really, who does that?)

But DON’T change the ending.

Because if you do, then you’ll be giving power to the insanity. You’ll be validating a bunch of people bitching about the ending to a video game that that you spent copious amounts of time and money and man hours creating with the ending you currently have.

It’s easy for them to complain. They bought the game. They played it. They experienced the entire thing and then — once they’re done, they want you to change the ending?

Because they paid $60.00 for it? Is $60 the going price for corporate capitulation now?

Let’s put this into perspective for a moment.

You go to dinner and you order a drink, appetizer, entree and dessert. You eat the entire meal. You get a cup of coffee at the end of the meal. The coffee is burnt because it’s been in the pot too long. If you complain to the manager and expect your entire meal to be comped because the “burnt coffee ruined the taste of your meal”, is that rational?

Here’s a better one…

You go out on a date. You pick the girl up, you take her to dinner and then you take an amazing walk on the beach. You talk into the late hours. You laugh, you have so much in common. You like the same movies, the same music, the same games. You spend 6 hours together on what might be the best date ever. Then you drive her home and, after a good night kiss, she calls it a night.

Do you then bitch her out because you thought those 6 hours were going to result in you getting laid and, because you didn’t, now she’s just a gold digging bitch who only led you on?

That would make you an asshole, wouldn’t it?

So, BioWare, don’t change the ending.

If people are really upset, then let them show it the way consumers show it. Let them show it with their money. Let them decide not to buy from you again. Hey, they might. That’s possible. Even probable. And maybe you’ll have to take a look at the numbers and say, “Well, guess the ending to ME3 wasn’t what the fans wanted and maybe we need to keep in mind just how happy we need to keep them in future games.”

You made a choice with that ending. You thought it was valid and you had your reasons. You may or may not have to take a hit for those reasons, but stand firm and stand behind the decisions you made.

If you cave — if you change the ending because of fan uproar — you pretty much broadcast to the entire gaming community that any time fans don’t like what you create, you’ll change it to suit them.

For $60.00.

And a word to the people out there bitching that BioWare sucks and it “isn’t fair”.

I have two things to say to that:

1) Life isn’t fair.

2) In the words of Denis Leary. “Life sucks. Get a fucking helmet.”

p.s. The post that prompted this rant. You can blame ars technica ;-)
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I mean, ask yourself, would we have gotten a live action series based off a video game 10 years ago? And would it have had a real geek girl in it if we had?

Sometimes the future is more fun when you remember your past ;-)

p.s. Granted, this is coming from a woman who is reminded that Jane Russell used to have to wear a turtleneck to model the Playtex 18 Hour Bra whenever she sees a Victoria’s Secret ad. ::grin::

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Video games can improve your family life. Proof.

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They did.

“The limited edition version of CROSS†CHANNEL comes packed with pocket-sized massager. “

Am I going to hell because I think this is awesome and I’m thinking we may need to make a Geek Girl Diva branded version?

Here’s the story if you want to know more about the game — or the wand. ;-)

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Jam City Rollergirls for the Wii.

I wanna play. ::nodnod::

This is from the site:

At the risk of repeating ourselves, JAM CITY ROLLERGIRLS is Earth’s first roller derby video game of consequence, and will be released TODAY, JANUARY 24TH, AT 11 AM CST for the Nintendo Wii! The game will be DOWNLOAD ONLY because parking at stores is such a pain, so you’ll need to hook your Nintendo Wii up to the internet in order to purchase and download the game, which is actually so easy even we could do it. Best of all, the game will only set you back 1000 dollars! Wait, we meant 1000 Nintendo points, not 1000 dollars. 1000 Nintendo points is like 10 dollars, not 1000 dollars. We regret the error, although we were sort of close.

You can check it out here. Thanks Susan for the tip!
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This…

…is amazing.

This is 10 minutes of (sexy, Steampunk, nihilistic, exquisite) gameplay from the new Bioshock: Infinite.

As Rob from Topless Robot mentioned in his story, it’s hard to tell what’s scripted and what’s player generated, but it’s 100% amazing and I’m so excited to see this in person.

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1) ::grin:: Yes, people really say this stuff. And not just in XBox. I was totally reminded of Warcraft trade chat.

2) I know the controller work is bad. Hush. It’s a satire. ;p

3) This is utterly, totally, and completely NSFW due to dialogue.

All of that said, I laughed like a crazy person ;-)

Now, make me a sandwich, bitch!

Thanks to @PhysicistLisa for the link ;*

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News from the site SWTOR promises new worldwide reveals at E3 and, today, we got a look at the following awesomeness from Star Wars Shop.

This is the Star Wars: The Old Republic Shae Vizla Bounty Hunter Maquette by Gentle Giant Ltd.

I NEED this. Seriously.

You can find her, along with some very cool SWTOR goodies over at Star Wars Shop. And I’m more than happy to let you buy me one for my b-day ;-)

And, did you know you can sign up to test the game? Yep. You can. I found a link to the details here.

I’m sure you’ve heard every possible reply to your recent article and your belief that “video games can never be art”, however, I’d like to take a moment and offer a couple of thoughts.

I grew up watching you and, as I’ve respected you. Because, as time has gone on and as technology has grown and changed, you’ve grown and changed with it. Your twitter account, if nothing else, is a prime example. Loads of journalists have been left behind by the “new media”, but you’ve found a voice here in the ether in a very real way.

One of my biggest fears is that, as I age, I’ll stop finding new music interesting, or I’ll freeze in some outdated fashion style, or that I won’t understand new gadgets. That I’ll end up like many older people, locked onto my oldies radio station and wearing the same style I did when I was 40.

I fear, in short, that I’ll become someone who is unable to appreciate and experience new things because I just don’t “get” them and get “old”.

You state that video games can’t be art, but you don’t play them. So, if you have no experience, how can you make that statement?

Art is subjective. It always has been. It is created by one and then experienced by others. You mention your “taste”  and that you think it’s better than others. However, that’s subjective as well.

Why was Warhol considered art? Or Lichtenstein? They were cutting edge. Lots of people thought they were crap.

What makes them art? How are they different than a comic book? Or a video game in this day and age? Videogames are drawn (albeit digitally). They are created. They are immersive. They transport players to other worlds, sensation, experiences. Just like music, paintings and sculptures can.

Am I saying all video games are “art”? No. However, there is a lot of “art” out in the world that I don’t get either.

Explain to me how this:

is more artistic than this:

I know it says October. But waiting would be a bad idea. Because Entertainment Earth bases orders on pre-orders. And then we place the order and more orders come in and next thing you know, they’re pre-sold out.

I tell you this from experience. I know I sound like your mom. ;p

So, if you want them — order the Chrono Trigger Formation Arts Trading Figures now. ;-)

Pretty pics below ::grin::