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[liquidtmd]

UNLIMITED POWAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

 

[reson8or]

Astroturfing is a reality nowadays. The mods can ban them when they can detect them, but the entire point of astroturfing is to pretend to be a regular customer, so most of them aren't detected.

Microsoft is hardly the only company to astroturf, even on this site. Sony does it. EA does it. Nintendo probably does it, but I haven't seen evidence of that one.

Thats sad and pathetic. Any and I mean ANY company who does this should be ashamed of this. This is a disservice to their customers and the industry they are in. this shit needs to stop.

 

[MormaPope]

That shouldn't be a bannable offense.

Yes, it should be. This is a place for discourse and discussion, this isn't a place for strawman temper tantrums.

 

[Gaz_RB]

Amazing. What an idiot.

 

[Unicorn]

Plot twist, Op actually works for Sony, being exposed and banned as though he was working MS PR was all part of the plan.

Damn, double PR agent status.

 

[Syrus]

While a bit over the top.....i agree with all he said.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Doesn't appear to be. He may still be banned due to his post, but we will never see the title changed or the admins agree to the misfire.

This is another one of those things that will be a huge deal and called astroturfing even though it looks to be incorrect and we will never see anyone admit that they were wrong.

The dude has 1,200 posts and now just decides to become a paid shill? That makes no sense.

I've seen mods apologize for being wrong before. What makes you think they'd refuse to admit a mistake (if this was a mistake)?

 

[MidEvlDed]

This post was too long so I skipped to the end but there's no score.

 

[Vilam]

Well, this doesn't exactly do any favors for my impression of the Xbone.

 

[Pociask]

No. Or at least, we have no actual evidence of such. See the following:

If the guy was an astroturfing PR dude, why was he posting in Zelda threads about how great Skyward Sword is?

The standards I have for games are based on gameplay. Ninja Gaiden Black used to throw enemies at you from out of nowhere, no matter how bizarre or distant the location. Still one of the greatest action games ever. I'm not going to criticise that game for putting enemies in a cave with no explanation, and I'm not going to do the same for Zelda either. The gameplay is all that matters.



Nor did it involve an ingenious game mechanic that in any other franchise would have been used as the basis for an entire game. But hey ho. You're making your feelings on SS quite clear, and it just means I feel justified in disagreeing with you outright and leaving it at that. Anyone who uses the Timeskip Stones as an example of bad puzzle design is someone who's mindset I'm going to have trouble comprehending.

 

[BeforeU]

So people are just assuming that he works in a PR company and the he in fact represents Microsoft? What's the proof? Email account doesn't mean anything.

 

[FiggyCal]

So he wasn't Astrosurfing? Could've fooled me.

Edit: Astroturfing

 

[BronsonLee]

Damn, double PR agent status.

THIS IS A CIA OP

 

[MoGamesXNA]

Amazing. Classic GAF moment

I wish that MS would invest as much into new first party IP as they do into astroturfing.

 

[NegativeCero]

Man, was it worth checking in on this thread. Holy crap.

 

[Pennywise]

oh man, TitusGroan. Liked his posts in the TolkienGAF threads... but this thread was a bad idea for him. Bad idea.

That's something everybody should keep in mind when creating a topic or an answer.

Don't do it, if you're angry or upset.

 

[PAULINK]

I've seen mods apologize for being wrong before. What makes you think they'd refuse to admit a mistake (if this was a mistake)?

Either way, if it does end up being a mistke, you can guarantee the guy is not coming back.

 

[qa_engineer]

They clearly didn't think this one through. Way to set an example. Oh and LOL.

 

[ObbyDent]

Amazing. Classic GAF moment

I wish that MS would invest as much into new first party IP as they do into astroturfing.

look up

 

[outsida]

If he's not actually doing pr (works for a software company and not a pr company) it should be addressed. Otherwise its just going to lead to more people jumping to conclusions about anyone that says positive things about MS and the Xbox One.

 

[Bunta]

Oh, this is the same guy that was complaining about The Order using the phrase half-breeds as a name for the werewolves or whatever.

 

[protomouse]

PRMax isn't a PR company, it's a software company that makes a PR contact database.

So ban him for having a tantrum, but not for being an astroturfing shill.

Quoting this in agreement as well. Mod's word is final, but let's not everyone jump to conclusions.

On a personal note, I hope this isn't a permanent ban. His contributions have been very much to the point up until now, even over on NintendoGAF.

 

[Chairman Yang]

People actually think MS paid this guy? Hint: cui bono? Sony is paying viral marketers to appear like Microsoft shills, then paying Bish to ban them and create a big forum stink.

My trust in Sony after this is at an all-time low. I can't believe so many of you are falling for lies.

EDIT: Looks like Parapraxis is understanding the situation, at least

 

[TheOMan]

It has nothing to do with eating them. It's about making a point.

They're already in a barrel though. Just knock that thing over and be done with it. Plus you can eat them after if you want, which I'm pretty sure a bear would want to do. Two birds, one stone.

Edit: And seriously, who has ever killed two birds with one stone? I'm almost positive that has never happened, so where does THAT even come from. Ridiculous.

 

[vcc]

If the guy was an astroturfing PR dude, why was he posting in Zelda threads about how great Skyward Sword is?

If all you post is about a product it gets called out easily.

 

[BronsonLee]

I've seen mods apologize for being wrong before. What makes you think they'd refuse to admit a mistake (if this was a mistake)?

Bears don't admit mistakes, Blanket! They just destroy!

People actually think MS paid this guy? Hint: cui bono? Sony is paying viral marketers to appear like Microsoft shills, then paying Bish to ban them and create a big forum stink.

My trust in Sony after this is at an all-time low. I can't believe so many of you are falling for lies.

...I don't know who to believe!

 

[Respect]

Hmmm, a little LTTP on this one, but, damn, words escape me for the moment.

 

[Xando]

THIS IS A CIA OP

More like KGB.

 

[Parapraxis]

So he wasn't Astrosurfing? Could've fooled me.

?

 

[TK Turk]

Amazing. Classic GAF moment

I wish that MS would invest as much into new first party IP as they do into astroturfing.

I wish you'd invest into reading comprehension.

 

[Stet]

Why would anyone with a PR-related job use their work email for a gaming forum? Seems like playing with fire to me.

Because the vast majority of PR agencies don't have video game companies as clients.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

So, are they going to change the title again?


:V

 

[Savitar]

If he was a PR shill or not that post was embarrassing.

For one he used a person from Aliens 3.

 

[sakipon]

Doesn't appear to be. He may still be banned due to his post, but we will never see the title changed or the admins agree to the misfire.

This is another one of those things that will be a huge deal and called astroturfing even though it looks to be incorrect and we will never see anyone admit that they were wrong.

The dude has 1,200 posts and now just decides to become a paid shill? That makes no sense.

I don't know about OP but this does make sense. It's about blending in, being one of us, then at some point you start with the PR posts. A lot less suspicious than a fresh new guy with 5 posts and already advertising the greatest all-in-one entertainment system.

 

[gioGAF]

Lol, that opening post was such a shameless display of a PR shill hard at work. The mods here are awesome ;-)

 

[bigwinnerx]

PR or not, OP is a grade A troll and account suicide'd with that book of a vitriolic post.

 

[Squalor]

They're already in a barrel though. Just knock that thing over and be done with it. Plus you can eat them after if you want, which I'm pretty sure a bear would want to do. Two birds, one stone.

That's stupid. There's no gun involved in that plan.

 

[alr1ght]

I love conference week. It always produces the best threads.

 

[A-V-B]

Actually you are wrong according to this linkit's a database of Journalist contact info not other pr agencies. Either way this thread really did read like pr release.

Huh. Something about it still rubs me the wrong way, though, but... glad I'm not the moderator on stuff like this.

 

[Maintenance]

People actually think MS paid this guy? Hint: cui bono? Sony is paying viral marketers to appear like Microsoft shills, then paying Bish to ban them and create a big forum stink.

My trust in Sony after this is at an all-time low. I can't believe so many of you are falling for lies.

I'm paranoid but this is golden.

 

[Jarlaxle]

It's always going to go bad when you start a thread off by calling members fools, even if you had some valid points.

Totally agreed. His post was way too angry and calling people fools is not the way to approach any discussion, let alone one aimed at changing the viewpoints of those you are calling fools.

Other than that though, I appreciated the sentiment of the post if not the delivery. GAF has been pretty hostile lately. I thought it would die down once the consoles were out for a while and the launch hysteria ended and console wars deflated. I just enjoy talking games irregardless of which console they are on.

 

[StMeph]

If he wasn't astroturfing and it was a legit meltdown, I think that is actually more amusing, in some ways.

 

[Bornstellar]

PRMax isn't a PR company, it's a software company that makes a PR contact database.

So ban him for having a tantrum, but not for being an astroturfing shill.

Oh shit. That's embarrassing.

 

[JABEE]

The fact that this thread could be made by someone not getting paid to write it up is astounding.

 

[shandy706]

I wish that MS would invest as much into new first party IP as they do into astroturfing.

Amazing. Classic GAF moment

I wish that posters would invest as much time into looking through the thread, or at least the last couple pages, as they do knee-jerk posting.

 

[freddy]

Titus Groaned, for sure.

 

[Arkage]

While his tone was overly aggressive most of his points were valid. GAF enjoys drive-by posting way too much, essentially turning it into another gamefaqs. In any given thread at least half of it is filled with one sentence replies that do nothing to move the conversation anywhere. Sure this is fine for some threads but it happens in literally every single thread.

But who cares, the guy was banned due to his email address so he must've been wrong and full of lies and ill intent. Sigh.

 

[FiggyCal]

?

Lmao oops.

 

[TalonJH]

COME ON AT LEAST MAKE IT INTERESTING

Now, I'm lost what is all this about PRmax?

 

[ricardokenshin]

I don't know about OP but this does make sense. It's about blending in, being one of us, then at some point you start with the PR posts. A lot less suspicious than a fresh new guy with 5 posts and already advertising the greatest all-in-one entertainment system.

Yup, it is known. It would look very obvious if since his very first post he would spout PR crap.