With Zero Punctuation puttering--will the Escapist survive?

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Where did the OP get that ZP is declining? While the new videos aren't strictly as enjoyable as the first few during those early, halcyon years, it's still fantastic. I just wish they'd lose that horrible, obnoxious theme. And there are some games I really wish he'd apply his unique treatment to, but I refuse to be one of those nuts who Emails in suggesting this/that needs to be done.

I've watched all of them over the years, some few more than once. Show is still brilliant, Yahtzee rocks.

 

[chazwicked82]

He's not declining by any means.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Like many if not most Escapists I first came to this site because someone I knew had drawn my attention to Zero Punctuation. After watching ZP here for years (lurking) I started paying attention to the rest of the site and joined up late last July.

But here's the thing: Yahtzee's stuff is still entertaining but it hasn't had the zing it did years ago. Fair enough. Yahtzee's run has been more creative and funnier and it has gone on much longer than most TV series.

Now they're having write ins: [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121401-Help-Choose-Which-Indie-Speed-Run-Games-We-Send-to-Yahtzee?utm_source=latest&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all]. That's never a good sign. Hopefully it's just a New Year thing but I've seen this sort of "audience participation" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.398180.16281343] invitation pop up usually when a show has Jumped the Shark. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JumpingTheShark]

With the massive draw that ZP has been for the Escapist it's a reflex to wonder if ZP's slowly going downhill could take the site with it.

On the other hand the site has had time to develop and mature. It has been quoted in media everywhere from Cracked.com to WoW's Panderia trailer to Scientific American (which I have a subscription to--I grinned when I saw the Escapist mentioned there). It's got a large body of loyal members. Heck, I even jumped the broomstick and spent $20.00 to join the PubClub recently.

What do you think about ZP's slow decline and the Escapist's development/survival?

Slow decline? The site's survival being at stake?

I'm sorry, I really don't mean to be condescending, but you gotta stop smoking whatever it is you're smoking, man. It's giving you paranoid delusions. For serious.

Kidding aside, Yahtzee's stuff's pretty much been equal to itself. A lot like Jim's, a lot like the reviewers' video supplements. Okay, so ZP isn't exactly gut-busting material that makes me want to roll around crying tears of sheer mirth but, hey, it goes with the format. Croshaw's entire thing rests on a fairly liberal dose of vitriol.

I don't watch ZP for the occasional zingers, I watch it for the passive-aggressive bile that gets thrown at games that have no real business succeeding as much as they do. At least in the reviewer's apparent opinion.

It's also really interesting when a reviewer gives one game a fairly favourable review, only to have that review followed by one of Yahtzee's less-than-enthusiastic pieces. It really drives home the fact that games are a matter of opinion.

And guess what? Entertainment-focused sites like The Escapist are also a matter of opinion. It's not petering out, it isn't dying - it's just not quite right for you anymore. It happens. If it does ever die out? We'll deal. That happens too.

 

[Frozengale]

Now they're having write ins: [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121401-Help-Choose-Which-Indie-Speed-Run-Games-We-Send-to-Yahtzee?utm_source=latest&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all]. That's never a good sign. Hopefully it's just a New Year thing but I've seen this sort of "audience participation" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.398180.16281343] invitation pop up usually when a show has Jumped the Shark. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JumpingTheShark]

They did something very similar to this about 2 years ago when people made games based around ZP. I don't really see how this is Jumping the Shark. Every so often they have Yahtzee step out off his basement, blinking in bewilderment, and tell him to do this or that silly thing. It's the kind of thing that gets asked of people who are big deals. And make no mistake Yahtzee is still a big deal.

As for the quality of his work, I really haven't seen any real diminished aspect of it. It's still fun, it's still hilarious, and it's still insightful at points. He paints a better picture of games with a couple of jokes and strained metaphor better then most people ever do.

Also even if ZP has declined in quality over the years I think the real draw of Yahtzee right now would be his column Extra Punctuation. It might not be as funny but it definitely is a lot more thought provoking. So even if ZP does crash and burn at some point I'll still stick around to read his writing.

 

[MrGalactus]

Nah, I'm with the others. There's no decline.
Trust me, I get it, ZP never changed, but you did. ZP is so unique that the newness feels worn off after 5 years, but everything is still there. The show didn't get worse, you just got used to the humour.

 

[Mike Kayatta]

Like many if not most Escapists I first came to this site because someone I knew had drawn my attention to Zero Punctuation. After watching ZP here for years (lurking) I started paying attention to the rest of the site and joined up late last July.

But here's the thing: Yahtzee's stuff is still entertaining but it hasn't had the zing it did years ago. Fair enough. Yahtzee's run has been more creative and funnier and it has gone on much longer than most TV series.

Now they're having write ins: [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121401-Help-Choose-Which-Indie-Speed-Run-Games-We-Send-to-Yahtzee?utm_source=latest&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all]. That's never a good sign. Hopefully it's just a New Year thing but I've seen this sort of "audience participation" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.398180.16281343] invitation pop up usually when a show has Jumped the Shark. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JumpingTheShark]

I was a bit surprised to see how many people in this thread were confused about Indie Speed Run being a so-called "write-in." ISR is completely unrelated to site traffic/ZP popularity/the cries for Yahtzee to review indie games/most of the other things mentioned in this thread. ISR is a thing, and Yahtzee, being awesome, has agreed to judge that thing. The end. By this logic, I guess Minecraft must be going down the tubes, since Notch is a judge, too. Sometimes popular, intelligent people volunteer to do cool things without it directly correlating to their relative success. Seriously, don't read into it. Had ISR existed three years ago, then we would have asked him then.