Was this really necessary?

[Avs]

Hey guys. I just wanted to let you know that the text on that page on the website has been changed.

That text actually comes from the first paragraph in the in-game Civilopedia. It wasn't really the right type of description for the website, so we changed it.

In the real Civilopedia, it goes on with many paragraphs of Ottoman history, as a lot of the 'pedia pages do.

New text reads:

The Ottoman Empire was born in Anatolia (in modern Turkey) at the start of the 13th century. It expanded into three continents and thrived for some six centuries.

Tradition in Turkey says that a stranger at one's doorstep is considered "God's guest" for at least three days.

 

[cccv]

hmm, Greg didn't deny the porn thing, I'm just gonna assume this means there'll be some hot Catherina on Wu action.

Just kidding, Greg.

Good to also know that the civilopedia will still be around.

 

[tom2050]

To be clear, I'm not arguing with you, because I understand you get your facts from a (semi) legitimate source. But in practice, I must in my life have been acquainted with some disproportionate number illiterate people...

Seems like you hang out with the other 1%. That's all.

hmm, Greg didn't deny the porn thing, I'm just gonna assume this means there'll be some hot Catherina on Wu action.

Hidden adult games may definitely be in! J/K... GTA was that kind of game to begin with... the devs minds probably sank into the gutter while making it and they went way too far. Civ is a nice family game, and with Firaxis around, they wouldn't let the smut get into the game anyways, so we are safe with Firaxis.

 

[Drakarska]

So are we still playing the " Take a Jab at Civ Game"? If so, the arabs should be:

"The 1st recorded long distance race in the Arab world was called The Ocean of Fire. Since horses were still rare and considered extremely valuable, camels were used. In order to reflect how harsh and brutal the race was, a special moniker was given to these intrepid racers. This was how we got the term Camel Jockeys in todays contemporary literature".

 

[evrett37]

That text actually comes from the first paragraph in the in-game Civilopedia. It wasn't really the right type of description for the website, so we changed it

And you are keeping insulting crap like that in the civil-o-pedia?

 

[frekk]

Oh. My. God.

Who have they got writing the Civilopedia? A 14 year old with a C+ in English and history? This isn't some off-the-cuff forum post; this is professional, paid writing. Or at least it's supposed to be. I don't expect them to get Martin Windrow to write the Civilopedia or anything, but come on!!!! This kind of historical writing would be lucky to get a passing grade as a junior high essay!!

Well at least the full text in the Civilopedia has "lots of paragraphs". That's reassuring.

Retracting it because people happened to notice doesn't change the fact that if this is any indication, we can expect one of the most poorly-written Civilopedias yet.

 

[Gath]

Oh. My. God.

Who have they got writing the Civilopedia? A 14 year old with a C+ in English and history? This isn't some off-the-cuff forum post; this is professional, paid writing. Or at least it's supposed to be. I don't expect them to get Martin Windrow to write the Civilopedia or anything, but come on!!!! This kind of historical writing would be lucky to get a passing grade as a junior high essay!!

Well at least the full text in the Civilopedia has "lots of paragraphs". That's reassuring.

Retracting it because people happened to notice doesn't change the fact that if this is any indication, we can expect one of the most poorly-written Civilopedias yet.

Seriously. I would think there are plenty of history majors out of work given the economy, hire one and put them to work for a couple months.

 

[_random_]

Seriously. I would think there are plenty of history majors out of work given the economy, hire one and put them to work for a couple months.

Get Cheezy.

 

[The_J]

Near as i can tell every factoid sucks. China made ancient ice cream? Siam's representative won the Miss Universe pageant in 1988? Germans like beer? Russia had a beard tax?

I'm quite fine with our entry.

In fact, the most anoying one (besides the old ottomans) is the american entry.
I've just looked "factoid" up right now, because i didn't now really what it means (in german they've translated it with "strange things" or so), and the first step on the moon is not really an "irrelevant fact".

So are we still playing the " Take a Jab at Civ Game"? If so, the arabs should be:

"The 1st recorded long distance race in the Arab world was called The Ocean of Fire. Since horses were still rare and considered extremely valuable, camels were used. In order to reflect how harsh and brutal the race was, a special moniker was given to these intrepid racers. This was how we got the term Camel Jockeys in todays contemporary literature".

Next one please .

 

[tom2050]

Ainwood closed the other thread! But we all know the old saying:
"2 threads are better than 1"


-----------------

Since Firaxis has a 14 yr old writing the civilopedia, they should have at least made the American Factoid something like this:

So the combination is... one, two, three, four, five? That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard in my life! The kind of thing an American would have on his luggage!

 

[Dale]

"Many Americans know very little about the Ottoman Empire (it occupies the blind spot Americans have for pretty much everything between Greece and China)."

I hope this makes it to Wikipedia next, because EVERYONE knows it to be true. And the only reason the Yanks are getting so out of whack is cuz the truth hurts.

Actually, I'll go add it now.

 

[surv]

So are we still playing the " Take a Jab at Civ Game"? If so, the arabs should be:

"The 1st recorded long distance race in the Arab world was called The Ocean of Fire. Since horses were still rare and considered extremely valuable, camels were used. In order to reflect how harsh and brutal the race was, a special moniker was given to these intrepid racers. This was how we got the term Camel Jockeys in todays contemporary literature".

Next one please .

I propose the germans

 

[tom2050]

I hope this makes it to Wikipedia next, because EVERYONE knows it to be true. And the only reason the Yanks are getting so out of whack is cuz the truth hurts.

Actually, I'll go add it now.

Already been verified as a translation misquote or error. It actually states elsewhere that 'everyone, including Turkey, know very little about the Ottoman Empire (it occupies the blind spot people have for pretty much everything between Greece and China).'

So you are right, in that regards of everyone being geographically inept, it is true... it's especially bad for Firaxis to make Turkey look like they are so dumb, they don't even know where they themselves are at.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Firaxis thinks all the people of your nation are a bunch of dumb-bonks also (apparently). (Unless they only think Spaniards are intellectual pond-scum, because Firaxis had that translation written on the spanish site).

All-in-all, no one should appreciate Firaxis telling everyone things like this... ?? Everyone is quick to attack the USA, but, OH OOPS... it was actually about them too.

Moderator Action: You are welcome to discuss/criticize the companies involved with the game and/or their decisions - you are not welcome to make up inflammatory accusations about them.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[2K Greg]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Firaxis thinks all the people of your nation are a bunch of dumb-bonks also (apparently). (Unless they only think Spaniards are intellectual pond-scum, because Firaxis had that translation written on the spanish site).

All-in-all, no one should appreciate Firaxis telling everyone things like this... ?? Everyone is quick to attack the USA, but, OH OOPS... it was actually about them too.

In no way does the text you are referring to even come close to saying this. I think you are very much misinterpreting the tongue-in-cheek humor.

The civilopedia has always has some character in its writing style, and Civ V is no exception.

 

[PieceOfMind]

tom2050, I think it was a 2K employee to be honest - not a Firaxis one. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[frekk]

Everyone is quick to attack the USA, but, OH OOPS... it was actually about them too.

I've been called anti-American more times than I've had hot dinners, and even I don't appreciate that sort of trashy writing! It's not relevant! Trash talk happens on forums and on bar stools, and I generally don't give it a second thought, but in a professional, published piece of writing? Geez!!! I don't care which side of the aisle the sniping is coming from, it just shouldn't be there at all!

I can be pretty conceited and bombastic myself from time to time, but if somebody was paying me to write a bunch of historical blurbs for a product, I'm going to try and do my best to write a bit of informative history, not editorialize about my personal opinions on modern ignorance. If I'm getting paid, I'm going to be wearing my Sunday best, so to speak. Not letting it all hang out.

It's supposed to be describing the Ottomans, not making comments on how ignorant people are, and it doesn't even matter if it's true or not - it's about being topical when you're writing. This concept seems to elude the writer. That's the real irony here - this employed writer is obviously ignorant of the standards of his own profession, and yet, he's getting preachy about what other people don't know.

 

[cccv]

Funny, I was just looking at the forums on the civ5 website. There's a thread with almost the exact same title as this one. Instead of complaining about how the site took a supposed jab at America, that thread is complaining about the fact that America's factoid makes us look important, while all the other factoids are kinda dumb pieces of trivia. "ooooh, big important Americans went to the moon, but all they say about China is ice cream??!" (something like that, I'm paraphrasing).

Basically, everyone is reading way too deep into this, and seemingly desperate to interpret it any possible way they can take offense to it. What, is everyone just restless waiting for the game to come out? Seriously, I can't believe this is even a debate.

 

[surv]

Maybe they hired a "new age" journalist?

 

[frekk]

Instead of complaining about how the site took a supposed jab at America, that thread is complaining about the fact that America's factoid makes us look important, while all the other factoids are kinda dumb pieces of trivia. "ooooh, big important Americans went to the moon, but all they say about China is ice cream??!" (something like that, I'm paraphrasing).

Maybe they should forget about filling the thing with mental McNuggets, and just try to write a brief synopsis of the history of each country.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Seriously, I can't believe this is even a debate.

Do you really believe your own words?

I too noticed the similar thread in the 2K forums. I initially assumed it was the same OP but I'm not sure.