jameswallace

@LieutenantFatman Thanks for the kind words. I expect you should be seeing more of my writing around the web in the near future.

@themcnoisy I was never given the option to edit the review. My reckoning is that @get2sammyb may have been using my piece as a method of gauging interest in content of this style.

Honestly it was a departure from what I'm used to (my blog should be example enough) but, as we can see, Sammy won't be biting any bullets anytime soon.

The people have spoken.

@themcnoisy My friend, its okay. I love and appreciate your comment. If I referred to you in a negative light I apologize.

As for my next review, it will likely never appear on this site as @get2sammyb had to make a tough call and let me go. Below, I have included my response to his well-crafted, though terribly justified expulsion:

BEGIN

Hey Sammy,

Let's be clear here: someone had to take the hit. It might as well have been the person whose name is on the piece, right?

I took a risk, you complied and I am facing the consequences.

If you're running an organization you have to make tough choices. Here's hoping this one wasn't too easy.

Best regards

"I prefer my story unfinished."

• The Judas Kiss

END

How's that for professionalism?

I must admit I was not expecting this much backlash for this review. This is precisely why I postponed checking the comments for more than 24 hours.

Regardless I appreciate the criticism (as heady as some of it may be) and hope that I can grow as a writer in any way possible.

We are all in need of a bit of correction and guidance. Perhaps this is what we all have in common. What we all share.

Steer clear of my blog if you aren't prepared for a fight. I jest.

@RawShark

A fraction of wordiness for an ounce of self-awareness?
Better writers have tried and paid the consequences.

@themcnoisy I never said anything about "you". Don't be so self-conscious. I was merely making a remark on "people like yourself".

Grammar's fickle in this here bush. If you don't pay the piper he'll bury your book.

@Grawlog Firstly, @Rawshark was never incorrect. I never even implied that he was. In fact, I said he would make a good songwriter.

Second, the true purpose of @Rawshark's statement (and its brilliance) was to use syllabic genius as a Trojan Horse for the topic of Professionalism. In other words, by stating a fact which I could not refute, he stirred the pot of argument even more by encouraging you, and many others for that matter, to question my professionalism.

Perhaps we should all take a cue from @Rawshark's book and make pawns out of one another.

@RawShark First and foremost, if you genuinely cared how I was going to spend my weekend, why would you feel the need to include the first statement in your response?

Second, the purpose of criticism is to craft an opinion and defend it (justify it). The only reason this backlash exists in the first place is because I poorly edified my conclusion (which I soulfully admit). In other words, some take issue with my critique because they think I have defended my argument poorly. So, suffice it to say, your remark on the legitimacy of my defense makes little sense. By mere fact of you composing a critique of my critique means you too take issue with my justification. Conclusively, when you present an opinion you make a defense of that claim, the same goes for any form of comment. In other words, you can hardly expect me not to be defensive when the very substance of language itself is argument and exposition. This would be like telling a dog not to bark or, worse yet, criticizing the wit and zeal of that bark and reprimanding the dog for its response which would be (and here's the kicker) defensive.

Third, I think you included this last portion out of spite. I must inform you that I'll enjoy my weekend very much but not because you encouraged me to.

Present me a challenge and I will say thrice, "Bring on the mettle, both fire and ice."

@themcnoisy First and foremost, did you not read my response to you? I explained my justifications in detail. What has defeated your comprehension?

In addition, let me direct you to another response I shared not too long ago:

"@Grawlog I agree. The editing process should have been more deliberate. If only I had the final say on published content."

I critiqued a title and used the word "garbage". I need not explain myself more.

People like yourself would've had a ball upon first sight of the Sistine Chapel. Your first remark would have likely been, "you should have amended the conclusion."

@RawShark The content of the stew is strictly the product of the artist's intellect. The curation of the stew, on the other hand, is by both audience and venue. I created a piece of content (much like Tribute Games). Love me or hate, the stew remains the same.

@Grawlog Your statement sounds good to the ear. This is because of the number of syllables each of these words has in its standard (American) English pronunciation. Seven words you spoke: six, one, four, one, one, four, three syllables respectively (in that order). In other words, you'd make a good song writer but there exists a gaping hole in the disparity between your statement's intent and ultimate execution.

The results of a coin toss (heads or tails) are mutually exclusive. Meaning that they cannot occur at the same time. Professionalism and variety, on the other hand, can occur at the same time, therefore, they are not mutually exclusive. What I am saying here is, your statement is true and that is that. You added no extra opinions to this argument. You would have been better off saying that the sky is blue on a clear and sunny day.

@Yannickbelzil Scathing, yes. I should've placed a higher emphasis on my use of pronouns and conjunctions.

@RawShark Criticism is art in and of itself. Being critical of criticism stirs the pot, it doesn't change the ingredients of the stew.

@Grawlog I agree. The editing process should have been more deliberate. If only I had the final say on published content.

@Grawlog It's always a shame when everything doesn't go our way. My apologies for spicing your life with a twinge of variety.

@get2sammyb It's always appreciated when fledgling writers are used as a guinea pigs for a site's potential changes to content style.

"This is the big leagues. If you f--- up you lose the right to play."

• Ides of March

@hi_drnick That's the point: decrepit schoolgirls cannot gallivant. It is sarcasm.

@themcnoisy

• "Ninja Senki DX reads like an old codger's take on modern literature"
• What I'm saying here is that Ninja is a title that was made by grizzled console veterans (old codgers) who saw it fit to release a flash game (a modern derivative). It is a bout of sarcasm. Note the subjective parallels drawn between "reads" and "literature".
• "and walks like a decrepit schoolgirl gallivanting her way to her first tax return and, fittingly so, her first heart attack."
• This remark is another take on the whole "walk the walk, talk the talk" aphorism. Specifically speaking, it portrays Ninja as a title in need of maturity. Hence the remark on heart attacks and tax returns. If all you had ever done was go to school and be a schoolgirl, wouldn't your first bout with tax season come at a shock?
• "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
• We should all know what this means by now. If life gives you something to work with (the games development lexicon for instance) then you should churn out a fitting, quality product.
• "Tribute Games made garbage."
• I'm going to quote the response I sent to @naruball:
  "@naruball Suppose you were introduced to the concept of "high-concept trash" at an early age. Now I encourage you to gain a sense of what that emotional context would involve. It would involve a delineating array of thoughts and opinions regarding the subject. It would involve the development of a shortened, somewhat hyphenated description of what garbage really is. The word "garbage" is used here not in spite but in a constructively critical way. The only apology I have is my failure to explain this high-concept idea in full. Thank you for the comment."

Let me know if there are any more questions.

@DominicanGlory Sammy is merely doing his job as a content curator. He published the review out of love and appreciation for his audience. Sometimes it's the knife that breaks the levy.

@naruball Suppose you were introduced to the idea of "high-concept trash" at an early age. Now I encourage you to gain a sense of what that emotional context would involve. It would involve a delineating array of thoughts and opinions regarding the subject. It would involve the development of a shortened, somewhat hyphenated description of what garbage really is. The word "garbage" is used here not in spite but in a constructively critical way. The only apology I have is my failure to explain this high-concept idea in full. Thank you for the comment.