Jimquisition: The Rise of YouTube Fodder

[Jimothy Sterling]

The Rise of YouTube Fodder

Just a little note of warning that we're not dumb, and we know exactly why so much crap is being peddled on PC lately.

Watch Video

 

[Evonisia]

I'd say that the reason people won't buy them is because stuff like PewDiePie's videos are so obviously edited and trimmed down, and most of what you see are just the best bits, the bits which don't involve crashes or walking for five minutes.

Well, that was an entertaining video, I wonder whether E3 will have anything of interest this year. It won't live up to last year, though.

 

[Goliath100]

I thought you covered those games because it's your job as a reviewer, you know, to inform consumers.

 

[Jimothy Sterling]

I thought you covered those games because it's your job as a reviewer, you know, to inform consumers.

Right, but why I cover them *confidently* is because of what I said. Like I said.

 

[Alterego-X]

I'm still not quite sure what's the point of letting such games go viral, if evidently no one buys them. "They take up space" where? They are on the newest releases list for a very short time, and then never appear on the front page again, while better ones do, and make sales as well.

If anything, you people are letting them take up even more space, in reviews, and videos, and forum discussions, that could have been spent on popularizing good indie games and give THOSE better visibility instead, if they can be transformed into sales, instead of railing agains something that no one would have had to hear about anyways.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm still not quite sure what's the point of letting such games go viral, if evidently no one buys them. "They take up space" where? They are on the newest releases list for a very short time, and then never appear on the front page again, while better ones do, and make sales as well.

If anything, you people are letting them take up even more space, in reviews, and videos, and forum discussions, that could have been spent on popularizing good indie games and give THOSE better visibility instead, if they can be transformed into sales, instead of railing agains something that no one would have had to hear about anyways.

I imagine browsing for games will become quite the pain in the arse.

 

[Goliath100]

Right, but why I cover them *confidently* is because of what I said. Like I said.

Because all they do is take up space? Because informing the consumer is not the job of the reviewer, right?

 

[rofltehcat]

I think they only make up a tiny portion in the flood of shit being unleashed on Steam nowadays. Personally, I wouldn't buy these games simply because I do not enjoy them.
Either people enjoy them and thus buy them, or after a while fewer of these games will be made. If there is no money in it, developers will not make such games. I think that there is a lot of potential for innovation and great ideas in the "short horror" game genre but only a small portion of these youtube fodder games actually innovate, so in the end the ideal solution would be if only those innovative games persist.

So in the end I do not really think that this is as big a problem as Jim makes it out to be. Sure, it is far from the ideal situation but overall these games are just a tiny portion of a much larger problem.

 

[SnakeoilSage]

Even Pewdiepie I've noticed is leaning away from such games. Part of it I'm sure are lucrative contracts with bigger companies giving him early access as a way for them to build hype, but he's tried to play more mainstream games that are less YouTube fodder. He still plays some of that stuff, because his audience loves to watch him scream, but I think it's unfair for Total Biscuit (who I have trouble watching because every time I load up his videos its about him defending his job or dicking around in an options screen pointing out inane details for 20 cocking minutes) to call it "Pewdiebait." He isn't baited to play anything. His audience is, and they're a big one, and they pay his bills, so... yeah.

 

[Uriel_Hayabusa]

I'm a little puzzled as to Jim's criticism towards the use of jump scares in some of these cheaply made horror games. Wasn't the older episode "Scare Tactics" basically him defending the jump scare as a valid way to build tension?

Maybe he's changed his mind between that episode and this one, but I just wanted to bring it up since I've always thought Jim loved jump scares.

 

[MCerberus]

I'm a little puzzled as to Jim's criticism towards the use of jump scares in some of these cheaply made horror games. Wasn't the older episode "Scare Tactics" basically him defending the jump scare as a valid way to build tension?

Maybe he's changed his mind between that episode and this one, but I just wanted to bring it up since I've always thought Jim loved jump scares.

Jump scares
vs
Jump Scares that only exist as a cynical marketing grab

 

[Alterego-X]

I imagine browsing for games will become quite the pain in the arse.

Then don't browse games on Steam. Walking into a bookstore and trying to find good books solely by their cover, is also a pain in the ass.

That's why people don't do it, and why some books become hits while others don't, instead of all of them pulling equally distributed among poor uninformed buyers. Because even the most casual readers (if anything, them the most), listen to their friends' recommendations, the hype, and their foreknowledge of the author or the genre.

 

[Thanatos2k]

My easy solution is to not watch Youtube "celebrities."

Most are insufferable enough as it is.

Also why are you derisive of the Putt Putt games? Putt Putt is amazing.

 

[A3sir]

Hey man, I was with you all the way until you bad mouthed Putt-Putt. Those games are amazing.

 

[Morthasa]

I'm a little puzzled as to Jim's criticism towards the use of jump scares in some of these cheaply made horror games. Wasn't the older episode "Scare Tactics" basically him defending the jump scare as a valid way to build tension?

Maybe he's changed his mind between that episode and this one, but I just wanted to bring it up since I've always thought Jim loved jump scares.

It is the usual difference between something that is put in the game because the devs think it belongs there and improves the overall experience vs. something which is put in simply because the chart with the numbers and the words says that this element (in this case jump scares which make youtubers shriek) boosts sales.

The first one Jim applauds, the second he wants buried six feet under. With the coffin lid-side down just in case...

OT: After the last few days of youtube videos in which you sounded quite sick, I'm glad you are getting better Jim. I hope you make a full recovery soon!

 

[Evonisia]

I'm a little puzzled as to Jim's criticism towards the use of jump scares in some of these cheaply made horror games. Wasn't the older episode "Scare Tactics" basically him defending the jump scare as a valid way to build tension?

Maybe he's changed his mind between that episode and this one, but I just wanted to bring it up since I've always thought Jim loved jump scares.

In games like Slender and it's rip offs, jump scares are the only method of scaring you (besides atmosphere, obviously). Compare using jump scares occasionally like the few times they appear in Amnesia with the Slender rip offs which have one every few steps.