Poll: Anyone else think the mana bar is a lame idea?

[Cain_Zeros]

Drunk cute girl gamers. And you say this is a bad idea?

You actually believe this?

Well, ignoring the fact that I was joking (which I realize is difficult to tell online), it could happen.

 

[Kurokami]

For those who don't know the Mana bar is a new bar Yathzee and his friends are developing set to due open in late March. The bar specializes in video games to entertain guests with a variety of drinks too.

Now I personally don't appeal to this kinda idea. To me there are some things that just don't mix. I enjoy video games as much as the next guy but i don't know if you can combine that with nightlife. It just seems they are really trying to add a nerdy feel to this and it just seems kinda weird. Cool me a douche if you may, but I view bars and clubs as an area of nightlife in which you binge, dance, hit on women, and go wild. Adding video games to the mix just seems like adding water to oil.

I'll cool you a douche. (Just pointing out, not actually 'calling' you anything)

I agree to be honest with everything you said, I hate the night life, I hate bars with incredibly loud music where you cant communicate by ways other than yelling, but I don't see why you'd wanna mix that with gaming.

I'll add that I do like the name though.

 

[Iron Criterion]

So way just because if I were to go to a club, talk to a girl and if she shows some interest, it makes me a douche?

Not only do you stereotype people but you also don't seem to get out much.

I'll walk you through some basics here.

1) 'Hit-on' is not 'talk to'. Also, you don't generally go to a club to talk. I'm not sure what kinds of clubs you have where you're from, but the ones here tend to make talking impossible unless you've got a voice rivalling the loudness of a Boeing's engine. I guess you could know sign language; I'm sorry if that's the case, because I'd be pretty jealous of hooking up with someone at a club based on sign language exchanges.

2) You don't target me with personal insults until you've established that you've got the upper hand. Otherwise, you end up in a bit of an embarrassing situation. And yes, I do go out, though I tend not to go to clubs unless it's a friend's birthday (otherwise, I go to a pub).

Unrelated to that brouhaha; does anybody know if the Mana Bar will be serving food or that sort? Because, as I'm sure people have already noted, the release of Portal 2 will provide a very good opportunity to sell cakes.

Though the dance floor is very loud and hard to talk to without shouting I am sure there are quieter areas around the bar area of the club that makes it easier to talk with a female.

Funny how you say that yet you were the first one to call me a guy that "pops his collar" like I am some Guido from Jersey Shore.

You started the insults out of provoked insecurity because I simply mentioned I enjoy talking with the opposite sex and getting drunk.

He didn't say he felt insecure he was merely pointing out that the types of establishment that you frequent don't appeal to him, and that you were being cock-sure about it. And besides not everyone is confident and feels secure.

 

[Ravenbom]

Nah, it's not a bad idea, especially for 20-somethings who have grown up their entire lives with computers and videogames.

There's a bar here in LA called Barcade and it's a bar with classic arcade cabinets. It's pretty popular most nights.

If they're targeting the 20-something hipster crowd, then they should be fine. If they're trying to target any other market, then they're fooling themselves.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Now I personally don't appeal to this kinda idea. To me there are some things that just don't mix. I enjoy video games as much as the next guy but i don't know if you can combine that with nightlife. It just seems they are really trying to add a nerdy feel to this and it just seems kinda weird. Cool me a douche if you may, but I view bars and clubs as an area of nightlife in which you binge, dance, hit on women, and go wild. Adding video games to the mix just seems like adding water to oil.

How could you possibly know that it won't work if you don't try it out?

Social dynamics and nightlife phenomena aren't an exact science you know, so there are no known "no-brainers" when it comes to marketing ideas that deals with these subjects.

I'll also have you know that there are quite a few independent bars, pubs and certain clubs who have implemented such things as "Guitar Hero night" all over the world with a certain degree of success. Clearly there is reason to believe that video game culture and nightlife can mix and produce entertaining and more or less profitable results.

So the question is, who are you to suspect that the idea is "lame" and why it would crash and burn? Just because you have a narrow idea of what "nightlife" means it doesn't make you into some sort of expert on the topic...

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

it just doesn't sound right, if i go out of the house (that's more often that you would think ) i want to do things that have nothing to do with games. (you know... real life)

 

[Danzaivar]

It's not meant to be a dance club.

That said I've been to a geeky dance club before in Manchester, and the place was friggin' awesome. Was more to do with the decoration than anything however, you couldn't chill out and play games and stuff. Nerdy dance clubs do work tho.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

it just doesn't sound right, if i go out of the house (that's more often that you would think ) i want to do things that have nothing to do with games. (you know... real life)

Binge drinking and get shitfaced is considered "real life" in your opinion? :O

I sure hope not (for your sake), that would make you a borderline alcoholic. Nightlife is just as much "real life" as sitting at home playing video games is. So why must there be a natural separation between the two?

Heck, I've had more fun with the entire assembled gang of mates, binge drinking and taking turns with Guitar Hero, than I've had in any standard "party" or club visit. Especially in comparison going to clubs, because people tend to be taking everything so goddamned serious when they go out. It's like they could all hang a sign around their neck saying "No im not out to have fun, im seriously into the meatmarket and am terribly aware of any social faux pas I or anyone else might make".

"Stiff" wouldn't even begin to describe the mood that tend to dominate most nightclubs. Which sort of explains why I tend not to go there unless im already sufficiently plastered.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

For those who don't know the Mana bar is a new bar Yathzee and his friends are developing set to due open in late March. The bar specializes in video games to entertain guests with a variety of drinks too.

Now I personally don't appeal to this kinda idea. To me there are some things that just don't mix. I enjoy video games as much as the next guy but i don't know if you can combine that with nightlife. It just seems they are really trying to add a nerdy feel to this and it just seems kinda weird. Cool me a douche if you may, but I view bars and clubs as an area of nightlife in which you binge, dance, hit on women, and go wild. Adding video games to the mix just seems like adding water to oil.

I think part of the problem here is that what you're comparing it to is more of a (dance) club, not just a bar. A "bar" can be a wide range of things, and there's no requirement that it include dancing or music or anything like that. There are tons of sports bars where people go hang out to watch whatever game's on that night and have a few beers with their friends, or bars with pool tables and other social games. I've seen some around here with board games that are pretty popular among people who aren't into the whole clubbing scene, and there are also plenty with no particular theme where people just hang out after work for a bit to unwind before going home.

I guess my point is that there's already a wide range of successful types of bars, so even if you prefer going clubbing and picking up chicks (which is fine and there's a large market for), there are a lot of other people already going to a lot of other completely different bars and keeping them very successfully in business, even if they don't appeal to you personally. Whether this particular one will work out or not, I have no idea, though. I'd be more likely to go to it than to go clubbing, if it's anything like the place I used to hang out in high school that had a similar game-based setup with Japanese imports and stuff that was hard to find (or very expensive) otherwise. It wasn't a bar, but I could definitely see it mixing well with the atmosphere of some bars I have been to (and definitely not at all others).

 

[Eleima]

Have we so little originality? I think It's definately worth a shot to say the least, and it's not without precedent, as such clubs already operate overseas...we're just a lil behind is all. I HATE the current nightlife, incessant *DOOF DOOF 'wiki-wiki-wiki'* and dancing and binge drinking, don't care for it one bit. Bars however, I could deal with, and the variety of people this place is likely to bring in will hopefully avoid the doofus-demographic, and you'll probably end up with the most socially relaxed and intelligent atmosphere of any bar/club.

I'm also getting a lil tired of stamping 'IT'S YAHTZEES!' to things. I get it, I like Zero Punctuation too, but give him some peace, or at least, give Yug and the others some credit, Yahtzee isn't the only one involved in creating this bar. I'm sure he's facepalmed more than once over people's obsession with him. He seems like a top bloke, and I wouldn't mind saying hello to him, but I won't worship him

That's the most sensible thing I've read yet, and I completely agree. One of the issues here is that this is not a traditional bar/night club, and that's not what he's trying to do here. This is Yahtzee trying something new, and I'd love to give the concept a chance if I wasn't on the wrong side of the Equator...

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

it just doesn't sound right, if i go out of the house (that's more often that you would think ) i want to do things that have nothing to do with games. (you know... real life)

Binge drinking and get shitfaced is considered "real life" in your opinion? :O

I sure hope not (for your sake), that would make you a borderline alcoholic. Nightlife is just as much "real life" as sitting at home playing video games is. So why must there be a natural separation between the two?

Heck, I've had more fun with the entire assembled gang of mates, binge drinking and taking turns with Guitar Hero, than I've had in any standard "party" or club visit. Especially in comparison going to clubs, because people tend to be taking everything so goddamned serious when they go out. It's like they could all hang a sign around their neck saying "No im not out to have fun, im seriously into the meatmarket and am terribly aware of any social faux pas I or anyone else might make".

"Stiff" wouldn't even begin to describe the mood that tend to dominate most nightclubs. Which sort of explains why I tend not to go there unless im already sufficiently plastered.

Well first of all, i don't drink alcohol so drinking isn't a reason for me to go out, i go out to because it is fun to be with lots of people and do things besides gaming (you know, the thing that most of us already do (too much) when you're at home or at friends)

 

[BlindMessiah94]

It's a pub but instead of watching some lame sports you play some lame halo.

You're just jealous you didn't think of it first.

 

[ethaninja]

I think it's supposed to be more of a bar than a dance club. more a quiet night with friends dancing very close to strangers and hooking up with someone then barfing in a bin claiming it was the best night you'll ever have before passing out and stumbling home without pants. Or am I just going of topic.

Haha no quite on topic. And yeah I would say ditto.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Douche!!!
Well you said "call me a douche" well actually you said "cool me a douche" but hey.
I'm just joking, I dont think your a douche for putting a valid opinion out there.

OT:
hmmmm mixing night life and gaming.... kinda like a game that mixes genres... I like it

 

[omega 616]

This is the first I have heard of this so excuse any ignorance.

There seems to be the belief that the nightclub scene of stupidly loud music being listened to by totally wasted, can barley stand 18-25 year olds.

Maybe it will be like an arcade but a more modern feel with the odd drink and the only music is coming from the games.

Of course there will be people getting off there face with booze but I am sure they will have thought of that and come up with some kind way of dealing with it or preventing it.

 

[Thaius]

Seriously? I think it's a great idea. I mean even if it wasn't, it has the coolest name for a bar ever. EVER. Seriously, though, nerdism can mix with anything is people are actually nerdy enough to go with it. If I lived in the area (translate: on the same continent), I would definitely go there.

 

[TraumaHound]

I love this idea and if it wasn't so far away (from Seattle, WA, USA) I'd be there regularly. It's the modern-day arcade for adults. How is that bad? Drink, have fun, be social, and play videogames. And it's not some lame-assed, rundown Gameworks (total shithole in downtown Seattle), or a nebulous Dave & Busters (who run ads here and yet the closest is near San Jose, CA, a mere 13-15 hours away) filled with linked, screen-burned Daytona sitdowns or ball-worn skeeball setups. Videogames, the ones we gamers play, in a hanging out and meeting people setting. All spells "WIN" to me!

I not only hope it's successful but encourages other business-minded folks in other areas to put together similarly-themes venues.

 

[Dr. Danger]

Not a place I'd go.

Have fun with the four women who show up.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Well first of all, i don't drink alcohol so drinking isn't a reason for me to go out, i go out to because it is fun to be with lots of people and do things besides gaming (you know, the thing that most of us already do (too much) when you're at home or at friends)

Still, alcohol consumption is in general a very common activity in those types of settings. And it doesn't really change my argument either. Nightlife is as much a "fantasy" or type of "extraordinary activity" as sitting and playing video games is.

I'd have to say that labelling it "real life" in that regard is a bit wierd, since the meaning of what "real life" is might be hard to establish. Either "real life" alludes to the drudgery of everyday life (like showering, sleeping, eating, styduing/working) and then it can't really be applied to when you're playing video games NOR when your out clubbing, because such activities for a lot of people don't take up that much significant time each week.

OR

Real life is basically everything in life, and that makes the hobby of video gaming just as "real" as going to a club.

So the main issue I see with the point you and some others seem to argue here, is why there should be (or perhaps already exist) a natural divide between the activities normally associated with nightlife and gaming.

After all, far from all games are anti-social in nature, so there's really nothing saying that being able to play certain games at a bar or club necessarily cuts you off from the rest of the clientele.

 

[inpachi]

I have been to partys like this. That involve games and lots of drinking. And to be honest it was one of the funnest partys i have ever been to! With this kind of thing it all depends on the crowd like for me i was with close friends and it was pure awesome!