Eventually the thing where the funds go towards making a better EVO would turn into a thing where EVO racks in a bunch of money for their own benefit. It’s better that its for charity.
I’m gonna be honest.
The charity thing is a copout to deflect criticism.
You donated all this money and your game doesn’t get in? Fuck you, it’s going to charity!
You think the system sucks? Fuck you, it’s going to charity!
I kind of thought it was more that there were a lot of games with viable reasons for a spot in EVO and they wanted to create a system where players decide. I think its also a publicity stunt.
Vulpes
1164
I was already called the devil for proposing that people buy, play and attend tournaments of SkullGirls rather than throwing all their money into this donation drive to get it to EVO where it’s still not guaranteed that it’s going to give us a significant playerbase growth even if we win.
I would also have much preferred if it didn’t go to breast cancer in the first place, see simplest example http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/05/breast-cancer-receives-much-more-research-funding-publicity-than-prostate-cancer-despite-similar-number-of-victims/
But well what’s done is done
Charity is good and we’re getting some exposure from the drive, so that’s that.
0sh
1165
I agree with the first part of your argument, but I can’t agree with the second.
Skullgirls and Melee have a very different makeup, not just in how the games themselves are designed but also how the developers relate to the community. Nintendo’s comparatively vertical model has massive benefits to how the game is distributed and recieved, but at the same time it should be clear to more or less everyone why they should not be allowed to directly donate to help their game. Skullgirls has, for lack of a better term, a very ‘messy’ connection with their playerbase that is no doubt an artefact of the game being prooduced more or less independently. The team that made the game are actually *fans *of the game in a way that developers of Smash will probably never be. Mike Z is not only a designer for the game, but also simultaneously one of its best and most visible players. Indeed, from what I’ve seen, Mike Z is just as much of a ‘community leader’ for the game as anyone on SWF. But because of this (and the ability to supply direct news about development, etc.), he has also become the focal point of the community in a way that nobody in the world of Smash seems to be. As far as I can tell, the Salty Cupcakes stream and the threads here on SRK are as close to a community center as the game has and it just happens that it is run by a guy who was involved in the development of the game.
If you were to succeed in taking away all of the developer influence for the Skullgirls pot, I’ve little doubt they’s be slumming it with Melty Blood, not because they are not passionate about their game but because the main point of connection for the skullgirls community has been declared off-limits. I can certainly see why people are arguing that developer influence in the Skullgirls donation is unfair, but I’d posit that however unfair it is, the damage is less to other games than would be done to Skullgirls should your suggestion be implemented. Mike Z has stated numerous times that the Skullgirls team is not donating money to the effort, and I see no middle ground between the status quo and banning all interaction from them.
It is perhaps worthwhile to note here that I have no dog in this fight. I have never played Skullgirls (though I hope to when the PC version is released) and never got beyond c-stick mashing with Melee. I can also see big positives in either of the games earning the final spot at EVO, so please do not think I’m writing this simply because it benefits ‘my’ game.
EDIT: tl;dr Skullgirls is fundamentally different in the way the developers relate to the community, so in this case I do not feel that developer support (in the manner already supplied) is unfair here.
I also honestly welcome alternate views and sensible responses to this post because I’ve no doubt explained my own point poorly.
Saitsu
1166
Well honestly there’s no GOOD way for the people to vote a game in because in the end it’s going to be skewed and fucked up in some way.
After this year Player’s Choice should be done and the EVO guys are going to have to man up and pick an 8th game (or whatever number it will be next year). Not that they balked at it this year but it’s much better that they just make the immediate choice.
Shawn_P
1167
@ Saibot
Of course that’s what it is. If it was between that or no 8th game at Evo, then it’s whatever. They are giving us a chance.
This was really the only way they could have done it without getting people pissed off. Do you think Skullgirls or Melee would have been a welcome addition to Evo without this drive? Skullgirls is apparently notorious for low entrants. Melee is notorious for having Melee players. This way, it makes them look as unbiased as possible, it stops controversy because “they earned it”, and it raises money for cancer.
If it were simply about which game would generate the most entrants for them, I’m pretty sure out of all the games listed Smash has the biggest community (correct me if i’m wrong). If it were simply about the amount of money earned, the Melee would be there every year.
If it were simply about which game “deserved” it more ( a stupid precedent imo since it’s gonna be a biased decision no matter what) then what warrants “deserved”? A community that’s earned a huge following, or a community that needs a huge following?
It may be a copout to deflect criticism but I don’t really see what about it deserves criticism to begin with. From what I’ve heard so far, not one person has legit named a better way for deciding an 8th game that isn’t them just picking it (In which case neither game would have been chosen in the first place).
Pulling paper out of a hat would have been better, honestly.
Shit, picking the strongest person on each side and having them [S]fight to the death[/S] play lazertag would’ve been better.
Honestly, when I first heard about this I wondered why they didn’t pick prostate cancer to donate to considering how overwhelming male the FGC is. Heck some of the senior members of the community are going to start being at the age where thay are at risk.
Sent from my MOTWX435KT using Tapatalk 2
I agree with this. Other charities do more good per dollar spent than breast cancer. It’s really about publicity and growing the FGC with a side benefit of making gamers look more generous and less sexist than they actually are.
Honestly, when I first heard about this I wondered why they didn’t pick prostate cancer to donate to considering how overwhelming male the FGC is. Heck some of the senior members of the community are going to start being at risk…
Sent from my MOTWX435KT using Tapatalk 2
I agree with this. Other charities do more good per dollar spent than breast cancer. It’s really about publicity and growing the FGC with a side benefit of making gamers look more generous and less sexist than they actually are.
0sh
1173
Assuming that the organiser did not have a specific reason for supporting breast cancer specifically, the answer is likely a simple one, and in fact the same as for why breast cancer is a much more publicised cause in general society. People are (for the most part) happy to talk about breasts and make repetitive ‘do it for the boobs’ jokes, while the prostate is a much less popular part of the anatomy and bringing it up in conversation is seen as distasteful. A secondary factor is that because breast cancer is naturally highly feminised, many men are afraid to offer any reason not to support it because any comment will appear to have sexist undertones, while supporting breast cancer makes the organisation look socially aware and non-discriminatory (and we all know that gender issues are a hot-button in the gaming community).
EDIT: I should add a disclaimer to note that I did a small amount of voluntary work with a (non-medical) charity a year or so back, which caused me to form the opinion that breast cancer charities (and a few others) have it incredibly easy.
EDIT2: I also ought to say for the sake of clarity that I do wholeheartedly support the cause of brest cancer charities, and certainly consider the fact that this money is going to them as a very good thing. On the other hand, complaining about where the money is going reflects poorly on all of us, so can we please return to the topic at hand?
“Pulling paper out of a hat would have been better, honestly.”
“I really don’t care about the charity aspect of it…”
“The charity thing is a copout to deflect criticism.”
Wow. Some of you people need to get a grip. The FGC is doing A Good Thing here, and you still bitch and moan.
Over $50k has been raised. Spend more time being proud of that and less time being offended by everything and you’ll end up being a much happier person.
Frequent masturbation is supposed to do a lot to prevent the onset of prostate issues, so no, I don’t think the majority of SRK has much to worry about when it comes to prostate cancer.
All of which is true. It’s crazy that people are so reluctant to discuss it of even get checked because it’s an uncomfortable subject. People are freaking dying because they aren’t getting themselves checked. Though I can’t say I look forward to the day I’m old enough to have to worry about it…
Though lets not get it twisted. Both of these kill mad amounts of people.
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Gotta save those breast so gamers can masturbate so they can save their prostates
0sh
1178
Aaaaaaaaaaaanyway,
Current Leader:
SSBM ($25,073.19)
Nearest Rivals:
Skullgirls ($23,341.23)
ST ($2,035.00)
DOA 5 ($1,825.00)
Guilty Gear ($1,215.00)
My Little Pony Fund:
$5251.85 (3rd Place)
(EDIT: Sorry, links around the wrong way again)
0sh
1179
<Double post. Apologies.>
Pete278
1180
You have Melee and SG the wrong way around in numbers now.
