I didn't say it did harm people. I'm pointing out that it is ridiculous that they need 20k to fly Yahtzee to PAX.dyre said:
Really, Escapist? You guys are seriouly asking for donations? Just to send Yahtzee to PAX!?!?!?
- Thread starter Mr. Sparzy
- Start date
That guy in your linked video is a massive arsehole, you're asking to get hit with the banhammer linking to something so blantly attacking the escapist. Last time I checked the rules say you need to back up anything you say against them, he doesn't really do that given he's pretty much calling them scam artists.
But it shouldn't be an issue at all, because if you don't consider it worth your money, keep your money.
But it shouldn't be an issue at all, because if you don't consider it worth your money, keep your money.
Nothing on Earth makes me angrier than other people spending money on something I wouldn't have chosen to spend money on myself. Like, the other day my friend bought a packet of cheese and onion crisps. I don't even like cheese and onion crisps, so I slapped the bag out of his hand and threw water in his face. Then I made an angry YouTube video about it.
Har, Har. T.Tntw3001 said:
My point was not that people shouldn't donate on something that I won't donate to. It was "why should we donate?" People can spend their money however they want to. I don't care, but I see no harm in stating my opinion on the matter. Is it really such a big deal that I'm stating my opinion, and what to know what other people's opinions are? :/
Well people are getting things mixed up all over the place, I guess fault for this falls on the project presentation.
Anyway the Escapist is raising money to fly in an entertainer, it's not Yathzee asking you to pay for a holiday, the Escapist want him dancing like a monkey at PAX so they need to pay for that, as they would for any other entertainer.
But it's set up as a donation, which to most people translates to charity(which wasn't done too long ago for Alison) and this really isn't the same, just a business move trying to make some extra money, so why not just call it that: "We are selling this swag, the proceeds are going towards this this and that".
Be upfront with people so they don't feel like you are doing some shady business on the side.
Anyway the Escapist is raising money to fly in an entertainer, it's not Yathzee asking you to pay for a holiday, the Escapist want him dancing like a monkey at PAX so they need to pay for that, as they would for any other entertainer.
But it's set up as a donation, which to most people translates to charity(which wasn't done too long ago for Alison) and this really isn't the same, just a business move trying to make some extra money, so why not just call it that: "We are selling this swag, the proceeds are going towards this this and that".
Be upfront with people so they don't feel like you are doing some shady business on the side.
I do see your point, ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com manages to have all their reviewers go to various places for their yearly anniversary videos without relying on the donations of fans. They host panels (and very large ones at that) and meet with the fans at various events off of their own back and they're not even as successful as this site is.
So, basically, it doesn't make much sense and it's left me a little more than skeptical of the whole thing. Who knows, maybe they'll explain things better in the podcast.
So, basically, it doesn't make much sense and it's left me a little more than skeptical of the whole thing. Who knows, maybe they'll explain things better in the podcast.
They should have just said "We're raising money to fly Yahtzee to PAX. Buy some Zero Punctuation stuff." And NOT tell us their goal, and that would've been fine. They just presented the event badly.Mr.K. said:
Alright, yeah, I was just being a dick. I agree that it seems pretty crass, and I certainly wouldn't be interested in donating even if I had some reason to be at PAX. But still, I don't think it's much to get riled up about. People can spend the money if they really value Yahtzee's company that much; I can't see how people can stand paying to meet someone. Yahtzee should be more eager to meet me than I should be to meet him.Mr. Sparzy said:
Captcha: 'do as you are told'. I guess I got put in my place. Wallets out, everyone.
Unless you are actually going to PAX, who would donate?
Personally, I am indiferrent about it since I avoid all forms of gaming/comic conventions. Yes, there are some cool people who go to them, but they are outweighed by all the sweaty, unsocial nerds who argue with other like-minded/smelling nerds about the tiniest detail that won't get them out of their parents house.
....unless there was a chance for me to meet Mike Patton. I must worship that man's disgustingly amazing vocal chords. Faith No More rocked, and The Darkness scared me.
Personally, I am indiferrent about it since I avoid all forms of gaming/comic conventions. Yes, there are some cool people who go to them, but they are outweighed by all the sweaty, unsocial nerds who argue with other like-minded/smelling nerds about the tiniest detail that won't get them out of their parents house.
....unless there was a chance for me to meet Mike Patton. I must worship that man's disgustingly amazing vocal chords. Faith No More rocked, and The Darkness scared me.
Good. I'm glad some people DO see what my point is. I don't see why the Escapist can't pay for it themselves. They should have, at the very least, called it a fund raiser instead of donations.k-ossuburb said:
You know, if it weren't for all of the Escapist's ADS they keep adding, EVERYWHERE, especially the annoying as hell CAPTCHA ADS, i really wouldn't mind this, and might even donate a buck myself. But since they do, the Escapist can go screw itself, they do not need the donations, as I'm sure they have more than enough in ad revenue to fund this trip themself. you want a donation? i just filled out this ad-captcha, THERE is your goddamn donation! >_>
You mean those captchas they use to stop spam?tthor said:
If not I'd like to know what you're talking about.
I'm frankly a bit annoyed by all this "If you don't like it, don't donate!" pablum. That kind of "just ignore it and it'll go away" mentality puzzles me. The inescapable truth is that people send messages through their actions. Crazy, right? These messages are often up for interpretation - cf. racism in Resident Evil 5, homoeroticism in 300, so on. Things have subtexts and connotations - that's your lesson in common sense for today. The important thing is that these subtexts and connotations must be deconstructed and understood so that we don't just passively absorb what we are told. That's how other pablum - cf. Michael Bay - becomes billion-dollar institutions.
In other words, where there is a message, there deserves a comment.
The Escapist sent a message by trying to offset a business expense through crowdsourcing funds. A lot of people very legitimately took offense to the possible implications of this message - that a site that apparently "currently generates over 25 million page views each month" (according to this hilariously-outdated page [http://www.themis-media.com/content/properties/escapist]), hosting numerous paid advertisements from countless AAA game developers, is either too business-inept to have 20k on-hand to fly their people to PAX Prime or too greedy to absorb a simple business expenditure. I can't think of any other explanation (maybe you can?). And I don't think it's business ineptitude - quite the opposite, actually. Wanna know why?
Well, you remember two years again when Yahtzee was at Game X [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-presents/1039-Live-Chat-with-Ben-Yahtzee-Croshaw]? The same convention that The Escapist co-sponsored? [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92010-Philly-Game-Convention-GameX-Partners-With-The-Escapist] That should be proof-positive that The Escapist has no problem getting Yahtzee to go anywhere (as much as they want to try and sell that "he's hardly ever seen outside his home of Australia." [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111921-Meet-Yahtzee-at-PAX-Get-Stuff]). That was two years ago, and The Escapist has only grown more obtuse with ad-placement since then.
Point being that this is a grave disrespect to The Escapist's readership that they expect the people who already fund their very-successful gaming news enterprise - an enterprise big enough to co-sponsor their own gaming convention - to foot their business' bills. It makes you all out to be saps. Why defend it? Why try to deflect criticism directed at an entity that is insulting you?
In other words, where there is a message, there deserves a comment.
The Escapist sent a message by trying to offset a business expense through crowdsourcing funds. A lot of people very legitimately took offense to the possible implications of this message - that a site that apparently "currently generates over 25 million page views each month" (according to this hilariously-outdated page [http://www.themis-media.com/content/properties/escapist]), hosting numerous paid advertisements from countless AAA game developers, is either too business-inept to have 20k on-hand to fly their people to PAX Prime or too greedy to absorb a simple business expenditure. I can't think of any other explanation (maybe you can?). And I don't think it's business ineptitude - quite the opposite, actually. Wanna know why?
Well, you remember two years again when Yahtzee was at Game X [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-presents/1039-Live-Chat-with-Ben-Yahtzee-Croshaw]? The same convention that The Escapist co-sponsored? [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92010-Philly-Game-Convention-GameX-Partners-With-The-Escapist] That should be proof-positive that The Escapist has no problem getting Yahtzee to go anywhere (as much as they want to try and sell that "he's hardly ever seen outside his home of Australia." [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111921-Meet-Yahtzee-at-PAX-Get-Stuff]). That was two years ago, and The Escapist has only grown more obtuse with ad-placement since then.
Point being that this is a grave disrespect to The Escapist's readership that they expect the people who already fund their very-successful gaming news enterprise - an enterprise big enough to co-sponsor their own gaming convention - to foot their business' bills. It makes you all out to be saps. Why defend it? Why try to deflect criticism directed at an entity that is insulting you?
