The Escapist are not backing down from their story

Update: The Escapist, notwithstanding Cloud Imperium Games’ notice and posting, stands by its coverage of Star Citizen and intends to continue to investigate the developing story. Since publishing our original stories, we have been contacted by, and are currently interviewing, additional sources corroborating a variety of the reported allegations. Additionally, if Mr. Roberts’ offer for The Escapist to “meet the developers making the game and see how we’re building one of the most ambitious PC games first hand” remains open, we take the opportunity to accept such invitation so as to hopefully provide the public with sufficient information and opportunity to vet such sources’ allegations and claims for themselves. We have also communicated the foregoing directly to Cloud Imperium Games.

dsmart wrote on Oct 5, 2015, 17:07:
in space noone can here you threaten a lawsuit

star citizen lawsuits and journalism ethics

He's baaaack!

Edit:
I love watching those videos where people actually try to play Line of Defense. But they can't. Obvs their fault. You're not playing it right. Then, you should pay more to get more...what?

Orly Taitz indeed.

This comment was edited on Oct 5, 2015, 20:15.

Quboid wrote on Oct 5, 2015, 16:51:

dsmart wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 21:54:

Quboid wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 19:50:
Regardless of the definition of doxxing, I think you should leave their daughter the hell out of it. That's just not cool. If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time.

I don't agree with a word Tumbler says, for what it's worth. I think that you are doing this for the right reasons and you have done a lot to encourage an important discussion, even if it is a discussion with more toxic emissions than a Volkswagon testing facility.

For the last time, stop trying to change the narrative. I have known about this since May. It never appeared in my blog or Twitter feed. Until someone made the connection and posted. And he didn't post it because of kids. It was Sandi, and the kid just happened to be in the picture. Like the millions of kids online in their parents pictures. sheesh

"If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time."

I'm not trying to change the narrative, I'd like you to stop making it so easy for those *who actually disagree with you* to change the narrative.

Just give it up. Explaining to DSMART that he is wrong is like trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline. Let him dox a young child and her mother and defend it as if it were a thing to be proud off. It tells us everything we need to know about him, especially for those that haven't lurked here for 10+ years.

And the largest joke of them all is DS talking about ethics while at the same time he continues doxxing a young child that has absolutely nothing to do with Star Citizen. I don't disagree with DS demanding proper money trails out of CIG, but I will never defend a guy as long as he doxxing young children or anyone for that matter. Personal attacks have no place in an argument, especially not posting address clear name and picture of a CHILD.

And then his absurd claim that this is changing a narrative. He could have removed that specific image link and I'd not have said a word more. But DSMART does not admit mistakes, ever. We know this, the Internet knows this. Heck it's even a meme.

in space noone can here you threaten a lawsuit

star citizen lawsuits and journalism ethics

dsmart wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 21:54:

Quboid wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 19:50:
Regardless of the definition of doxxing, I think you should leave their daughter the hell out of it. That's just not cool. If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time.

I don't agree with a word Tumbler says, for what it's worth. I think that you are doing this for the right reasons and you have done a lot to encourage an important discussion, even if it is a discussion with more toxic emissions than a Volkswagon testing facility.

For the last time, stop trying to change the narrative. I have known about this since May. It never appeared in my blog or Twitter feed. Until someone made the connection and posted. And he didn't post it because of kids. It was Sandi, and the kid just happened to be in the picture. Like the millions of kids online in their parents pictures. sheesh

"If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time."

I'm not trying to change the narrative, I'd like you to stop making it so easy for those *who actually disagree with you* to change the narrative.

Still waiting on kxmode to post this so called evidence hes seen and possesses. Any day now *tumbleweed*

Tumbler wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 17:42:
@DSmart

I'd love to know how your grudge started with these two. (or three?)


I think I can take a guess:


Maybe it just rubbed you the wrong way that he comes back after 12 years and gamers jump for joy that the space sim might be coming back? You've been making space sims during that time! The fans should be supporting you if they want space sims.

But that son of a bitch scammer mother fucker roberts is hogging all that money. Some of that should be yours! You'll show him! You'll show all of them!

Your game is only failing because all those consumers put their money into SC instead of Line of Defense. They'd buy your game if Chris didn't show up and ruin everything. Your game is great. If only someone could knock that smug bastard off his high horse. Him and his wife and brother too. They're all responsible for this. My game is going to fail because of them! Fuck them. I'll ruin them.



Ever had those thoughts? You're not fooling anyone. The resentment, anger and disgust is easy to see in your writing. I'm spent over $1,000 on the game to date and even if it falls apart completely I don't think I'll ever have as much anger about it as you do. So my guess is that there is more than just $250 you're upset about...something personal. And how much more personal does it get than a game you create. You pour so much time and energy, passion and love into that project and everyone doesn't care. But you care. It's your baby and you care, just like a parent cares about their children.

I get it. Maybe this was just one too many, all the games before now, and this one too. It's got to feel awful to not see the same respect and attention given to your game as CR's. I'll bet CR's game's inspired you. And you've been working all this time to try and build something that fans love and cherish just like CR did.

The pain won't stop. It won't matter if you "win". You'll still be angry. You'll still feel disappointed in yourself. You need to forgive yourself for not being good enough. It's ok to not live up to CR's shadow. You tried and that is more than most people will ever do. It's ok to fail. It doesn't need to define you. Go find something that will make you happy. That's the only way to stop the pain you feel.

Agreed. It seems pretty obvious that DS is furious that CR can leave the industry for a decade only to return and be seen to redefine PC gaming. Even CR's worst disaster is many orders of magnitude better than anything DS has put out. Gamers couldn't care less about the indie crap DS has to pedal yet he still likes to pretend he's relevant. And now sadly he's found a way to be relevant - attacking another developer. Never has he had so much attention and sadly it's probably benefiting his sales.

DS is like a toddler that wants attention and has discovered that flinging shit at people achieves that. It's time for him to be sent to the naughty corner until he can learn to be a well-behaved child.

btw, this is an interesting read

Quboid wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 19:50:
Regardless of the definition of doxxing, I think you should leave their daughter the hell out of it. That's just not cool. If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time.

I don't agree with a word Tumbler says, for what it's worth. I think that you are doing this for the right reasons and you have done a lot to encourage an important discussion, even if it is a discussion with more toxic emissions than a Volkswagon testing facility.

For the last time, stop trying to change the narrative. I have known about this since May. It never appeared in my blog or Twitter feed. Until someone made the connection and posted. And he didn't post it because of kids. It was Sandi, and the kid just happened to be in the picture. Like the millions of kids online in their parents pictures. sheesh

Regardless of the definition of doxxing, I think you should leave their daughter the hell out of it. That's just not cool. If you feel to need to put up a rebuttal to doxxing allegations, fine, but when your rebuttal is its self a dick move, you've done more than wasted your time.

I don't agree with a word Tumbler says, for what it's worth. I think that you are doing this for the right reasons and you have done a lot to encourage an important discussion, even if it is a discussion with more toxic emissions than a Volkswagon testing facility.

@DSmart

I'd love to know how your grudge started with these two. (or three?)


I think I can take a guess:


Maybe it just rubbed you the wrong way that he comes back after 12 years and gamers jump for joy that the space sim might be coming back? You've been making space sims during that time! The fans should be supporting you if they want space sims.

But that son of a bitch scammer mother fucker roberts is hogging all that money. Some of that should be yours! You'll show him! You'll show all of them!

Your game is only failing because all those consumers put their money into SC instead of Line of Defense. They'd buy your game if Chris didn't show up and ruin everything. Your game is great. If only someone could knock that smug bastard off his high horse. Him and his wife and brother too. They're all responsible for this. My game is going to fail because of them! Fuck them. I'll ruin them.



Ever had those thoughts? You're not fooling anyone. The resentment, anger and disgust is easy to see in your writing. I'm spent over $1,000 on the game to date and even if it falls apart completely I don't think I'll ever have as much anger about it as you do. So my guess is that there is more than just $250 you're upset about...something personal. And how much more personal does it get than a game you create. You pour so much time and energy, passion and love into that project and everyone doesn't care. But you care. It's your baby and you care, just like a parent cares about their children.

I get it. Maybe this was just one too many, all the games before now, and this one too. It's got to feel awful to not see the same respect and attention given to your game as CR's. I'll bet CR's game's inspired you. And you've been working all this time to try and build something that fans love and cherish just like CR did.

The pain won't stop. It won't matter if you "win". You'll still be angry. You'll still feel disappointed in yourself. You need to forgive yourself for not being good enough. It's ok to not live up to CR's shadow. You tried and that is more than most people will ever do. It's ok to fail. It doesn't need to define you. Go find something that will make you happy. That's the only way to stop the pain you feel.

theyarecomingforyou wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 15:59:

eRe4s3r wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 12:49:

dsmart wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 12:30:

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Plus, he doxed himself in his rant

Yeah.. uh, you might wanna check your definition of doxing.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1snimul

vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing
Doxing (from dox, abbreviation of documents), or doxxing is the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual from (among others) public sources....

You just doxxed his 5 year old daughter and wife in the same piece where you claim you didn't do it. Really classy ,)

Yup, it seems Derek Smart doesn't understand what doxing is. Derek Smart is a scumbag at the best of times but doxing Chris Roberts' family is egregious even for him.

Maybe he just doesn't grasp that posting a link to the real name of a 5year old + her photo is broadcasting personal information. Even if the source is public, the context matters when deciding what is or isn't doxxing.

And I fail to see what her name and image has to do with Star Citizen.

eRe4s3r wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 12:49:

dsmart wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 12:30:

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Plus, he doxed himself in his rant

Yeah.. uh, you might wanna check your definition of doxing.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1snimul

vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing
Doxing (from dox, abbreviation of documents), or doxxing is the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual from (among others) public sources....

You just doxxed his 5 year old daughter and wife in the same piece where you claim you didn't do it. Really classy ,)

Yup, it seems Derek Smart doesn't understand what doxing is. Derek Smart is a scumbag at the best of times but doxing Chris Roberts' family is egregious even for him.

eRe4s3r wrote on Oct 4, 2015, 12:49:

dsmart wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 12:30:

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Plus, he doxed himself in his rant

Yeah.. uh, you might wanna check your definition of doxing.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1snimul

vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing
Doxing (from dox, abbreviation of documents), or doxxing is the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual from (among others) public sources....

You just doxxed his 5 year old daughter and wife in the same piece where you claim you didn't do it. Really classy ,)

Nope. False.

dsmart wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 12:30:

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Plus, he doxed himself in his rant

Yeah.. uh, you might wanna check your definition of doxing.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1snimul

vs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing
Doxing (from dox, abbreviation of documents), or doxxing is the Internet-based practice of researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual from (among others) public sources....

You just doxxed his 5 year old daughter and wife in the same piece where you claim you didn't do it. Really classy ,)

dsmart wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 12:30:
At the end of the day, his rant has done more harm than good and has all but put the nail on the coffin for this project and his company.

Probably too early to say the project is nail-in-the-coffin close, but that response did him no favors. If he was looking to refute and boost confidence in people with growing skepticism like myself, he failed.

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Yeah, where did this come from? Links anyone?

5) An article corroborating some of the Escapist story about employee abuse, 1

Interesting article, thanks.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 19:07:
My comments are based on evidence as I've read or seen them.

No, they're not. You can lie to yourself if you want but don't be dishonest with the rest of us. You have a bone to pick, a lot of time on your hands and nothing to lose. Your dedication to this topic borders on zealotry. Despite that you have failed to produce evidence and insist that such things are beneath you due to time constraints. Those constraints oddly don't seem to appear to be stopping you from making a significant volume of posts on this topic. Blog opinion posts and anonymous sources are not evidence of that will convince most people either. Derek smart having nothing better to do with his time and seeking attention is not evidence of any wrongdoing with Star Citizen. I am person swayed by evidence and I already got my pledge refunded after the project missed some milestones but so far no one has presented any evidence of wrongdoing, misallocation of funds or really anything of note. Some people on the team disagreed on a 250 person project, what a revelation.

It is natural for a project this large to have turnover, layoffs and overages. I just didn't have the patience and decided to pick up the game when its finished, if its finished. Until then though this is all just noise and innuendo. It's a Kickstarter project, we bought a promise not a product and they still have time to deliver it. You can take your victory laps and I told you sos after it fizzles out...or disappear conveniently to avoid comeuppance if it does get delivered.

I have been refraining from posting here because I was waiting for all the craziness to die down.

My next blog was going to be about Star Citizen. But I have written a new one as a response to Chris's rant. It will go live next week.

At the end of the day, his rant has done more harm than good and has all but put the nail on the coffin for this project and his company.

I am not going to repeat what I've already posted elsewhere. So here are my prepared statements for your reading pleasure.

1) Nobody "doxed" Chris Roberts. It’s FALSE, 1

Plus, he doxed himself in his rant

2) He data mined our social media feeds and grabbed stuff out of context to attack myself, the researcher, and the author of the article.

This is the Harper issue he completely skewed, 1

3) This is how it came to this, 1

4) The Escapist defends their story: 1, 2, 3

5) An article corroborating some of the Escapist story about employee abuse, 1

Krovven wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 17:32:

Cpmartins wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 16:20:
I don't see how doubting someone's credentials is equivalent to the irrational hatred of all women. Unless you are trying your hand on some hyperbole to discredit his points. Yeah, I'm guessing that's it.

It's more than one post. Looking at your post history you haven't been involved in any of the many previous threads on the topic in recent days, weeks and months. Maybe you should think twice about getting involved in someone else's conversation without having any knowledge of past conversations that was referred to?

Prior to getting his refund Kxmode wasn't so bad. Since getting his refund, he has gone full on Derek Smart bonkers.

Exactly, it's part of a much larger pattern.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 19:07:
My comments are based on evidence as I've read or seen them. I always like to use facts as much as I can given the climate of these discussions.

What nonsense. You were asked to provide evidence that she lied about her degree and haven't; you were asked to provide evidence as to how she is bad at her job and you haven't.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 14:43:
She's doesn't actually put out any marketing information. Many of the monthly reports and site information is written by Ben Lesnick and other members of Sandi's marketing team. In fact most of the actual marketing work was done by highly skilled, less paid members of the team. Sandi is just a face plate who also happens to be Chris' wife.

You claim that all she does is simply tell other people what to do but you haven't provided any evidence to support that claim. Please, tell us how you know everything she does as VP of Marketing - to make such a claim you must have evidence, so please provide it. You're so full of bullshit it's unbelievable.

As for misogyny, these comments speaks volumes:

Kxmode wrote on Oct 1, 2015, 20:47:
The issue with Sandi is she's not just Chris' wife sitting on the side lines baking cookies and occasionally showing up at the office to drop off the kids.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 1, 2015, 22:31:
I wrote that based on my many years working in an office of married coworkers. Their wives occasionally stop by the office to drop off a child while they run errands. Occasionally they'll leave plates of cookies or Rice Krispy treats for the office to enjoy.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 14:43:
Sandi is just a face plate who also happens to be Chris' wife.

The sad thing is you don't even realise that you're being misogynistic. You seem to suggest that because Sandi Gardiner is married to Chris Roberts that she cannot possibly be good at her job, that her only value is as a breeding partner, that her only contribution to society is to bring him cookies. You're a misogynistic pig.

Sepharo wrote on Oct 3, 2015, 01:28:

You should at least make a note that you snipped something mid sentence. As it stands I wasn't sure what existing or lack of evidence was being discussed. Makes it seems like you're just discussing SC in general and not a specific claim as the original post made.

No problem, here it is in all it's glory.

Kxmode wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 12:25:

theyarecomingforyou wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 11:48:

BobBob wrote on Oct 2, 2015, 11:14:
No one likes nepotism; except for the relative, of course. The typical result is favoritism and the inability of most employees to rise in rank over a hired relative. And you can just forget about winning in the business's political culture or being fairly treated during social disputes. Don't except true professionalism.

You haven't provided any evidence to suggest that Sandi Gardiner isn't professional or capable of doing her job. She was been with the company since it was only a handful of employees and has been responsible for a recording breaking funding campaign. Your assertion is basically that because they're married she cannot possibly be doing a good job, which is ludicrous.

Now you're just being stupid.

THERE IS EVIDENCE. There are reams of documented evidence of Sandi claiming to have degrees from various schools including UCLA. I'm not going to spend the next 45 minutes aggregating it all together. Go research this shit on your own or go visit Derek's blogs. It's all fully documented there complete with screenshots of stuff that CIG deleted to hide evidence.

Some of you White Knight backers give me pause.

It just further supports what I surmised.
Reams of documented evidence. NOPE
Saying someone should read Derek Smarts blog, purely insulting on the highest level. His writing style is sophomoric at best plus it scores 6.4 on the Swetzphord Scale of Readability and thats out of a possible 17 points. I made up the Swetzphord Scale, I wonder if anyone will notice.