Home
    - Create Journal
    - Update
    - Download

LiveJournal
    - News
    - Paid Accounts
    - Contributors

Customize
    - Customize Journal
    - Create Style
    - Edit Style

Find Users
    - Random!
    - By Region
    - By Interest
    - Search

Edit ...
    - Personal Info &
      Settings
    - Your Friends
    - Old Entries
    - Your Pictures
    - Your Password

Need Help?
    - Lost Password?
    - Freq. Asked
      Questions
    - Support Area

ilinana (ilinana) wrote in unfunny_fandom,
@ 2012-02-08 23:19:00

The Arkh Project
thanks to a mouse at wank_report for the write-up
So, the Arkh Project is a game in development, made by queer POC and focusing on queer characters of color. True, they've been targeted by bigots, but that's only served to bring more attention to the project. All good, right?

Well... maybe not so much. For starters, they're ultimately trying to fundraise $100K-250K to make this game, which seems a bit... ambitious for crowd-sourcing. It gets iffier when you find out that none of the people involved seem to have actually completed a game and that they explicitly chose IndieGoGo because it wouldn't require them to refund the money if the project goes bust. To make things even worse, all they have so far is some concept art; there's no concept or design document, and they plan to farm out all the art, design, and programming to other people (as detailed on their IndieGoGo campaign). They do plan to release a design document by the end of the month, but that's about it for now.

To make things worse, there's evidence that one of the main people behind the project, dumbthingswhitepplsay, is gisei_nashi_ni:
see this chain of links: Sf_drama

plus they were the only genderqueer person working for Kinou Games, last seen being hounded off various LJ communities for being a hypocritical, abrasive jerk (greatest hits at sf_d, trigger warning for racism and rape ).

Anyway, I hate linking to tumblr, but some notable posts (+notes) include:
anti/criticism posts:
http://ardeb.tumblr.com/post/16890249680/okay-ive-been-wanting-to-make-this-post-for-a
http://ardeb.tumblr.com/post/17144475360/alright-this-is-a-more-in-depth-post-about-the
http://privilegedenyingdude.tumblr.com/post/16599011960/image-courtesy-of-a-commenter-on-themarysue-com

pro posts:
http://dumbthingswhitepplsay.tumblr.com/post/16892324535/bay-sick-all-lee
http://clitt-tastic.tumblr.com/post/17116402049/reasons-why-i-say-fuck-all-of-you-that-are-boycotting
http://alexandraerin.tumblr.com/post/17183434038/anybody-who-thinks-that-when-people-are-offering-to

You can also look at the tag though not everything is tagged, of course.

There is also a new post at SF_D, with highlights in the comment including links to gnn talking in other communities on lj about working on a game that clearly is The Arkh Project, and possible tracing of some of the character art that The Arkh Project has posted.

(Post a new comment)

	sandglass 2012-02-09 05:39 am UTC (link)
	Dumbthingswhitepeoplesay is Giseinashini. I was friends with her (not knowing her history) when she made it. I deleted the logs of our conversations (so I wouldn't obsess over how could I not have realized what a wanker she was?) but we were actually on AIM when she made it, even. (Reply to this)

seiberwing
2012-02-09 05:45 am UTC (link)

Looks like GNN's MO, at the very least. Lash out at anyone who disagrees with her by accusing those who are white/straight/cis of being privileged bigots, claim any queer people/PoC who disagree with her are being servile to such bigots so their opinions are meaningless, and then...offer absolutely nothing of substance as a counterargument. Just lots of insults. Makes one wonder if she only jumped the SJ bandwagon because it gave her an excuse to be rude.

Though to pull one stupid thing out of a hundred, this is how the game's going to address mental illness.

I had this idea that only the main character and their companions can see monsters in game, because they exist outside of the realm that most people are cognizant of.

Then I wanted to do something where, because people can’t see the monsters, they sometimes get in the way trying to talk to you or yell at you while you are fighting them.

I had this vision of this complaining old lady just STANDING in front of this beast, yelling at you, refusing to move because she’s yelling at you, and the monster’s ready to kill her, and you’re ready to kill her because she refuses to get the heck out of your way.

So sometimes, to get the monster, you have to hit the civilian and hurt them because they are in the way, refuse to move, and the monster is getting ready to attack and ruin all the things.

Seems like a decent one, if my experience with MI is any good reference.

Speaking at someone with a mental illness what in the blue fuck is this metaphor supposed to mean. My illness makes me hurt people because I think there's monsters there? People assume that my emotional and mental strife must be an actual illness instead of obvious genius and so I have to hurt them? My mental illness makes me cruel and unstable enough to think that it's okay to kill people who refuse to get out of my way?

Can't even, man.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	ekaterinv 2012-02-09 06:08 am UTC (link)
	"It's okay to hurt innocent people if they're in my way, because I have a mental illness and therefore I am more important than them." That's how I'm reading it, anyway. Creepy, and not in a good way. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

seiberwing, 2012-02-09 06:12 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-09 06:20 am UTC

mmanurere, 2012-02-11 01:48 am UTC

I don't get it -

hekima, 2012-02-11 04:54 pm UTC

	ilinana 2012-02-09 06:10 am UTC (link)
	I'm glad you brought that up because I completely forgot about it amongst all their other failures. It really makes no sense at all, and the more I try to understand it the less I do. (Reply to this)(Parent)

sandglass
2012-02-09 06:35 am UTC (link)

they exist outside of the realm that most people are cognizant of.

Mentally ill people are just so deep, they're cognizant of so much more than regular people! And it doesn't hurt them at all, in fact it helps them and everyone else! Just like a real mental illness.

It sounds kind of like when people get all jealous of depressed people because of "depressive realism", not realizing how much it sucks to see things realistically and what a benefit it is to be a little off in your estimation of everything. If that was going to be an appropriate metaphor at all and not more disability magic, not noticing the monsters would be the perfect way to protect you from them.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

seiberwing, 2012-02-09 06:38 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-09 06:57 am UTC

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-09 03:22 pm UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-09 09:00 pm UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-09 06:46 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-09 07:02 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-09 07:15 am UTC

frenzy, 2012-02-10 02:15 am UTC

felinephoenix, 2012-02-10 06:14 am UTC

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-09 03:24 pm UTC

enrythe8th, 2012-02-15 12:17 am UTC

snacky, 2012-02-10 12:06 am UTC

	seiberwing 2012-02-09 02:21 pm UTC (link)
	I am informed the proper pronoun is 'they', not 'her', please find and replace appropriately. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	phosfate 2012-02-09 04:07 pm UTC (link)
	Speaking at someone with a mental illness what in the blue fuck is this metaphor supposed to mean. We aren't ill, we are special demon-fighting snowflakes and other people best get out of the way? Yeah, I got nuthin'. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

sepiamagpie, 2012-02-09 08:26 pm UTC

rosehiptea, 2012-02-09 10:16 pm UTC

blue_penguin
2012-02-10 05:38 am UTC (link)

You know, when my depression is acting up I'd make a fucking terrible demon fighter. There I'd be, sitting in my room in my pajamas in the middle of the day watching Criminal Minds, and I'd glance out the window and notice that some invisible demon was about to snack on an old lady.

And I'd think, well, I guess maybe I should do something about that seeing as I have these special demon-fighting powers and all. But then I'd go, ugh, no, what is even the point, I would just fuck everything up and make it all worse. Hey, self, remember the time when you tried to fight a demon and instead you fucked everything up and made it all worse? Oh wait, that was every time. God, what a worthless waste of space I am, I can't even fight demons right. Who thought it was a good idea to give me this power? Did they not realize that I am fucking incompetent at everything and should never have made it to adulthood?

Several paragraphs of negativity later, I would look out the window and notice that the demon had already devoured the old lady and gone its merry way, leaving trampled apartment buildings and screaming college students in its wake. And then I'd have something new to beat myself up about.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

frenzy, 2012-02-13 12:12 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-13 01:43 am UTC

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-14 06:29 am UTC

enrythe8th, 2012-02-15 12:19 am UTC

staroverthebay
2012-02-10 03:08 pm UTC (link)

The ironic thing to me is that that sounds like an interesting and unique gaming mechanic (not being much of a gamer myself, I've never encountered that sort of thing) that will force the player to be logical and tactical, not a button-masher (especially if there is a penalty for harming the civilian, even if you have no choice due to the situation at the time)

However, that's ALL it is, a gaming mechanic. It's NOT a metaphor at all. Or at least it shouldn't be.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	ekaterinv 2012-02-09 06:04 am UTC (link)
	So they have some very vague ideas for a game, have never finished making a game before, and want people to give them lots and lots of money? Pure vaporware. At this point gesei_nashi_ni seems to be going past "asshole" and treading dangerously close to "con artist" territory. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	ilinana 2012-02-09 06:11 am UTC (link)
	yeah, they've already raised around $5,000 for the game and all they really have are 3 character concept art pictures and a very sparse wiki. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

ekaterinv, 2012-02-09 06:17 am UTC

	sandglass 2012-02-09 06:44 am UTC (link)
	Considering their first group, KinouGames, was on the verge of releasing a game (I have no idea if they got any funding but I know they got people to volunteer their time), and it never went anywhere. They had another game reportedly 50% done. I guess they figured that if they let KinouGames go and started on a new project they could scam people out of more money. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

coffeebun, 2012-02-09 07:34 am UTC

kaen, 2012-02-09 11:05 pm UTC

blue_penguin, 2012-02-10 05:41 am UTC

quantumreality, 2012-02-09 07:31 am UTC

	wook77 2012-02-09 07:59 am UTC (link)
	Out of all the people to trace, why would you trace Shakira? Wouldn't you pick someone a little less well-known? (Reply to this)

	ninwhore 2012-02-09 08:19 am UTC (link)
	The worst part about this is that the basic concept (An action RPG with more POCs and LBGT characters) would be awesome! I would play that so fast. (Reply to this)(Thread)

chikane, 2012-02-09 10:22 am UTC

rosehiptea, 2012-02-09 10:19 pm UTC

chikane, 2012-02-09 10:47 pm UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-09 11:46 pm UTC

felinephoenix, 2012-02-10 06:17 am UTC

white_tean
2012-02-09 08:38 am UTC (link)

Oh wow. I think the most astounding thing to me is the lack of design documentation. *Any* project you're getting paid for you should have justifications breaking down every choice you've made for elements of the project. For small jobs, that may never be written in a formal document but for a job in the hundreds of thousands with multiple people engaged in it to have no design documentation? That's horrifically unresolved.

I'd think this was a con... but I could make so much better a con given a month. I'm currently gleefully making web-sites for fake businesses as part of my studies actually.

(Reply to this)

	cie_anthy 2012-02-09 11:56 am UTC (link)
	You know, having followed this, on and off, for a while, I really think they're not trying to scam anyone. They're just, well, incompetent. I get the feeling they really thought they could pull off this amazing game but had no actual idea of what was involved. (Reply to this)(Thread)

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-09 03:26 pm UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-09 08:16 pm UTC

franzen, 2012-02-10 08:04 pm UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-10 10:12 pm UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-09 11:26 pm UTC

rhosyn_du, 2012-02-10 12:29 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-10 01:07 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-13 08:41 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-13 08:37 am UTC

underwaterowl, 2012-02-11 01:30 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 01:47 am UTC

underwaterowl, 2012-02-11 02:19 am UTC

anonyrat, 2012-02-12 12:56 am UTC

	spawn_of_kong 2012-02-09 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	I feel like I've seen gisei_nashi_ni's name somewhere on JF before, but I can't find where. (Reply to this)(Thread)

sandglass, 2012-02-10 01:05 am UTC

kylenne
2012-02-09 08:09 pm UTC (link)

full disclosure: I'm "friends" with DTWPS/Riley on tumblr (as much as anyone can be tumblr-friends with someone) but didn't know they were GNN until reading this and never would have given them the time of day had I known they were the same person.

I really don't know how to feel about this. I've been following Arkh from the beginning (as in I remember the original post about it) and tbh the original calling out of Arkh had some decent points but it was couched in so much grudge against Riley that it was hard to take on merits. You also have to understand that this is the first time there's really been any legit criticism of the project. It's mainly been "baw haw what about teh straight white menz?" So that explains some of the pushback you're seeing on this. tumblr POC/allies tends to be a small and insular circle and very protective of one another by necessity, just dealing with the garbage we get on a daily basis. You don't even necessarily have to be an ~SJ crusader~, just be a POC calling out racism and you'll get all kinds of abuse (a friend of mine literally had an entire day recently with anon message after anon message calling her the N word all day long). Racist assholes on tumblr are so perpetually wretched that someone like Riley/GNN can thrive in that kind of environment and not look unreasonable at all. Which is how I suspect they suckered a lot of us in. Mix all of this together and it's a toxic cocktail for awful things.

Knowing what I do of GNN's history though, it seriously makes me sick to my stomach. Mostly I just feel had, and furious because Riley has a lot of really good and decent POC (particularly WOC) followers on tumblr that don't deserve this kind of shitty betrayal. Also because Arkh is a great idea that deserves better than all of this. Much better.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

sepiamagpie, 2012-02-09 08:31 pm UTC

kylenne, 2012-02-09 09:03 pm UTC

chikane, 2012-02-09 10:53 pm UTC

kylenne, 2012-02-09 11:41 pm UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-10 01:14 am UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-10 01:15 am UTC

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-10 11:56 pm UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-11 07:28 am UTC

iris, 2012-02-13 01:16 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-13 08:34 am UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-13 01:18 am UTC

	kookaburra 2012-02-09 08:35 pm UTC (link)
	So, been awhile since I left sfd, and apparently the list of things which are appropriative now include learning a second language. Congrats, sfd, you have become a parody of yourself. (Reply to this)(Thread)

kookaburra, 2012-02-09 09:07 pm UTC

havocthecat, 2012-02-09 09:11 pm UTC

kookaburra, 2012-02-09 09:18 pm UTC

havocthecat, 2012-02-09 09:37 pm UTC

bobafeis, 2012-02-09 09:38 pm UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 12:12 am UTC

tinmiss, 2012-02-11 10:30 pm UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-10 06:58 pm UTC

sepiamagpie, 2012-02-11 12:18 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 12:20 am UTC

Obligatory "Life of Brian" reference -

spawn_of_kong, 2012-02-11 03:52 am UTC

Re: Obligatory "Life of Brian" reference -

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 06:37 am UTC

aliaras, 2012-02-11 04:03 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 06:41 am UTC

silrana, 2012-02-11 05:45 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-11 07:16 am UTC

underwaterowl
2012-02-09 10:33 pm UTC (link)

Now, I know a lot of the people involved and am totally skeptical about all this, but think your post should clarify one thing. Your post says that it lets you keep the money if the project goes bust, but the comment you link to as evidence says you get to keep the money if you don't reach your goal- meaning don't raise the entire sum of money. Those are two very different things. There's nothing unethical about trying to limp along on partial funding.

(Reply to this)

coffee_mug
2012-02-11 12:13 am UTC (link)

Giving them the benefit of the doubt for a moment and assuming this isn't a down-and-out scam --

I'm puzzled as to why they don't start out small when they don't seem to have all that much experience in actually putting together a game. If you make a game on a smaller level, but one that's thought-through and awesome, you might get even more people excited for a bigger project, then you can work on that, and actually build up to that $100,000 game project.

I'm all for ambition but it hurts nobody to start out small. Simple game, simple platform, something manageable - and then you've got something to show for to attract more funding for the next project.

It's clear there's enthusiasm, both from people who want to support this and from the people who are making the game, so it'd work against everybody's interests for this thing to fail. A better plan and a smaller scale would probably help the game's chances of actually being made.

(Reply to this)

	anonyrat 2012-02-11 10:16 pm UTC (link)
	Is anyone else kind of weirded out by this post, about how clothing choice will affect the gameplay experience? (Reply to this)(Thread)

ekaterinv, 2012-02-11 10:18 pm UTC

anonyrat, 2012-02-12 12:18 am UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-12 02:23 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-12 02:37 am UTC

sepiamagpie, 2012-02-12 04:55 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-12 06:28 am UTC

ilinana, 2012-02-12 06:44 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-13 08:27 am UTC

cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-14 01:43 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-14 01:53 am UTC

ekaterinv, 2012-02-14 02:31 am UTC

seiberwing, 2012-02-12 06:24 am UTC

sepiamagpie, 2012-02-14 06:28 am UTC

sandglass, 2012-02-13 08:24 am UTC

	seiberwing 2012-02-12 05:30 am UTC (link)
	Now this cause, I'd give money to. (Reply to this)

	rubyseeds 2012-02-12 10:30 pm UTC (link)
	Fucking weeaboos (Reply to this)

	jenifer 2012-03-12 10:45 am UTC (link)
	Green cleaning has become quite popular in the past years. There are some ordinary products that can help you clean a lot of things. One of those products is lemon. It is much cheaper than all the commercial products and it works much better than them. ----- cleaners Frankston \| cleaners Toorak \| cleaners Brunswick (Reply to this)

Privacy Policy - COPPA
Legal Disclaimer - Site Map