Duke Nukem Forever Multiplayer Mode Predictably Controversial 344
Gearbox Software has released some information about the multiplayer modes for Duke Nukem Forever, which is due out May 3rd (for real this time). In addition to standard deathmatch (called Dukematch), team deathmatch and a king-of-the-hill mode, there is "Capture the Babe," in which a typical CTF flag is replaced by a woman. Eurogamer explains it thus: "... when you grab the other team's babe, she sometimes 'freaks out.' The solution? Give her a gentle smack." Gearbox's Randy Pitchford, clearly understanding how politically incorrect this sounds, said, "You can get some things across in screenshots but not really. So we're kinda struggling with how we expose it so people understand what's there. The proof is in the pudding so to speak, so I don't want to talk about it too much."
Re:Ok, great... (Score:4, Insightful)
Why would anyone want a sequel to that?
What, no co-op? (Score:3, Insightful)
One of the best parts of Duke3d (along with many other classic FPSes) was the cooperative play mode. Leaving it out is bullshit; some people actually like to play these games with friends instead of against them.
The Duke ain't PC (Score:5, Insightful)
He's not politically correct. He's in fact not correct at all.
Dammit, it's a friggin' GAME! OK? It's a GAME! Treat it as such. We're talking about a steroid-pumped, bubblegum-chewing, over-the-top cliché pseudo-hero. I wouldn't say it's suitable for 10 year olds (or other people of similar feeble intellect that could take a computer game serious like, say, certain politicians or a certain ex-lawyer we all love so much), but why should you have to apologize as a computer game company for making a corny game?
Here we go again (Score:5, Insightful)
So why is beating and killing prostitutes in GTA ok, but this some kind of travesty?
Equally Smackable (Score:5, Insightful)
This is so wrong on so many levels... (Score:2, Insightful)
It's a game where you run around kill everyone - perfectly acceptable
Hit someone - How disgusting (pure double standards)
But the really really wrong bit, It is such a cheap publicity stunt. All BS and the offending bit will be removed when the story hits the mass media.
Re:wrong (Score:3, Insightful)
All violence is wrong. Not all men are tough like Duke, some are quite the opposite and aren't aggressive at all.
Your comment bothers me. Most people agree that violence against women is wrong. Those who don't will never change their mind.
But few people are even aware that thousands of men every day are abused by women. Lots of men are also bullied by other men, it happens in high schools, at work, in bars, at home... Games like Duke Nukem are 90% made of violence against males, reinforcing the stereotype that men are tough and aggressive and don't mind fighting whether they beat someone up or get beaten up.
If you think violence is wrong, fine. If you want to complain about it, fine. But please be fair and complain about the violence that most deserves complaints. And please treat men and women equally.
Also, I think it's misleading to say Duke is disrespectful of women. The girls in those games are whores who enjoy being treated like sex objects, not average, decent, self-respecting women.
Funny how women seem to enjoy a special, superior and privileged status in some people's minds. Funny how those who are so eager to defend women seem to judge them not on who they are as people but on who they are in terms of gender. In my opinion THAT is sexist.
Anyway, I think you should know nobody takes Duke seriously. Everyone knows he's a macho stereotype. People find Duke Nukem funny because they know what he does violates many social rules.
Re:The Duke ain't PC (Score:3, Insightful)
It's like how people don't understand parody and satire. I just watch and laugh sometimes at how some people are so upset when comedy is made about race, religion, gender etc.
Yes, people get hurt when you say the wrong thing, but people also need to learn to chill, take a step back and laugh at themselves once in a while.
Re:The Duke ain't PC (Score:2, Insightful)
Because this isn't the easy-going days of gaming (as in the 90's). Nowadays, people for some reason want to be offended just so they can get their 2 minutes of Internet fame as they're quoted in multiple sites. Bonus points if they're behind some shitty "family" organization or group who loves the publicity.
Re:The Duke ain't PC (Score:5, Insightful)
I wouldn't say it's suitable for 10 year olds
Really? I would. In order for these ten year olds to believe that a game is actually reality, they would likely have to be already insane and would have to have terrible parents who do nothing but censor everything instead of educating them about things. Really, the chances of someone (even a child) believing this game is reality are slim to none, I believe. The chances of this actually hurting someone are likely even slimmer. The temporary violent thoughts that some studies correlated to violent media almost never amount to anything.
I'd say it's suitable for anything unless the person is insane and/or has terrible parents.
Re:The Duke ain't PC (Score:4, Insightful)
I would mod you up (I will probably get modded down (s'alright I have tons of karma) as what you say has a large grain of truth. Also regarding what the GP said, usually the people who say others need to lighten up have never been on the butt end of the joke and usually are part of the demographic majority who get a tad offended/feel persecuted when society tries to balance out the rights they have always had that other minorities have not i.e religious rights, same-sex marriage, etc.
Re:Here we go again (Score:5, Insightful)
As for me, I couldn't care less about the DKF multiplayer "controversy". It seems inconsistent to only get upset about hitting a woman/carrying her as a flag when the game is about killing people.
Valve time... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Well they could take that out... (Score:2, Insightful)
If women had the same status in society - the same pay, same chances of being attacked, the same future prospects, and the same level of domestic abuse that men have - you'd have a point. As it currently stands, it's far worse (in the terms stated above) to be a woman than a man, so it's not really unexpected for people to cry foul when someone does something that seems to suggest that imbalance is somehow acceptable. Pushed to more extreme positions, your argument carries the same logical weight that arguing for the Klan was fine during the civil rights movement would. "Hey! Black folks are all uppity about something, so why not white folks!"
I personally don't have a problem with Duke Nukem, but I'm not so arrogant as to wonder why other people do have a problem with it. Political correctness is not designed to protect people's feelings, but to stem the flow of people being inaccurate about other people, which admittedly is the source of a lot of bad feelings, but the correction of that is merely the result of the rational thinking introduced by being politically correct, and not the main aim. Don't think of it as "political correctness", but simply "correctness" or "accuracy in viewing other people".
Sorry if I sound like a jerk.
Re:wrong (Score:5, Insightful)
Most people agree that violence against women is wrong.
No, most people agree that violence against INNOCENT women is wrong (men too, for that matter). Cops beat down drunken, crazy women all the time. Soldiers shoot them if they're carrying a rifle or bomb. And if one of them is coming at you with a knife, I'm pretty sure you're not going to give her flowers.
You *DO* support women's equality, right? Because you sure sound like a sexist to me.