State of the Escapist, Late 2015 Edition

[Legion]

The content definitely is not as strong as it once was. I was not much of a fan of Movie Bob, but nobody can deny he contributed a lot of things. Jim Sterling leaving was definitely a loss as well. Speaking from a personal standpoint, I am not particularly interested in Yahtzee's content any more (it hasn't dropped in quality, it's just been going on for so long that there is nothing new there).

The forums certainly seem pretty dead in Gaming and Off-Topic. The first two pages seem to take quite some time to show new things, whereas at one point they'd barely last an hour before a lot of new threads were made.

The forums in relation to the community seems largely unchanged since back when I made the conscious decision not to be a regular poster any more. There's still tons of passive-aggressive snarking, Still tons of people trying to outdo each other in the "which side is worst" in the -ism debates. Still tons of people who go out of their way to sensationalise trivial issues or go into topics purely to stir things up.

Sadly in most of these cases, it is the same dozen or so people who keep cropping up. Most of them are smart enough to be as unpleasant as possible while remaining within the COC, so they aren't likely to go away unless by choice, so now I just tend to stick to the "safe" topics instead.

I am still hoping that one day we end up with "User Reviews" being replaced with "Community Content" where people can post their own creative stuff without having to have a full discussion about it.

 

[blue heartless]

I'm going to keep this short and simple. If I had the time or inclination to, I would make a slideshow. It would have ClipArt.

The content is focused very squarely on what's trending. Granted, this has more to do with Defy Media's mindset than any one contributor. Despite being just outside of the core demographic I live under a metaphorical rock. Comparably speaking, it is as if I had gone from reading the New York Times to The National Enquirer. Some content is mind numbing that it stands out in the wrong way and it's frustrating to bear. I had not joined The Escapist, it brought me along. I enjoy the forum and every so often read several articles in a go before leaving the site. I did enjoy Zero Punctuation and several of the comics. I suppose what JUMBO PALACE wrote applies here as well. Your community is growing Escapist! Grow with them! Since much of the content itself hasn't changed, stop stretching yourself thin trying to capture a person's attention for as long as it takes to read an article. An amazing feat, no doubt, but if the site is trying for the attention of millennials then video content has to make a comeback as an original source again.

 

[Sarge034]

The content is nowhere near where it was, but the site'll live on unless Yahtzee goes. The big problem I have is the "news". Speculation, single unreliable source stories, and click bait, the hell guys?

 

[IceForce]

The big problem I have is the "news". Speculation, single unreliable source stories, and click bait, the hell guys?

Then there's the constant advertising.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/posts/Escapist+Weekly+Deals

I mean, sure, it's tagged as advertising and 'promotional content', but it still gets posted in the 'News' section of the site, and it comes through the rss feed under the 'News' category.

 

[SweetShark]

I am still here for the Forums and ZP. Nothing more or less.
But yeah, is sad to see is there indeed a problem with the traffic of the site. We need more people to interact with the Forums.
I don't want to change Forums again like I did with GameTrailer's Forums...

 

[stormtrooper9091]

Well as soon as discussion shifts from GG/SJW/feminism/LGBT nonsense, this place will be back to good. I mean look at my account registration date, I've been here a while and I actually liked it.

As for content, it's declining obviously because of the whole forced political correctness, clickbaits and false buzz but it hasn't lost it yet. I mean, you can definitely feel the lack of likes of Jim

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I miss the heyday that was Doomsday Arcade, Apocalypse Lane, Doraleous & Associates and more.

Escapist has lost a lot of that old talent. I'd pick LRR crew stuff over Yahtzee to be honest. Primarily because they seemed to be the personable face of the magazine. I still love Jim. But I consider anything post 2012 to be 'new Escapist'.

 

[Sarge034]

Then there's the constant advertising.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/posts/Escapist+Weekly+Deals

I mean, sure, it's tagged as advertising and 'promotional content', but it still gets posted in the 'News' section of the site, and it comes through the rss feed under the 'News' category.

I don't ever pay attention to the adds because I refuse to give this site money on principle. But yeah, that's stupid and they all around seem to have gotten more aggressive with advertising. They took away the skip button on video adds and then took away the ability to mute them on the player. What next? You gonna run script to freeze my computer if I try to close the window when an add is playing?

 

[Objectable]

I remember a month or so back, there was a cool article about frogs. Somehow, that article turned into a blood feud where two members argued about who was arguing, what arguing was, who started it, and basically acting like five year olds.
On an article about frogs

 

[Zen Bard]

It's seems to be slowly on the rebound.

While I miss the some of the original content created just for The Escapist, importing it from the outside isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I'm enjoying "8-Bit Philosophy", "Good Bad Flicks" and "Honest Trailers". They're becoming my "appointment videos" the way "The Big Picture" and "The Jimquisition" used to be (and "Zero Punctuation" still is)

The mass bannings appear to have stopped and the influx of newer blood seems to be creating some interesting discussion topics.

Still wish they'd fix their media player, though...

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I come here because of my LP group.

Usergroups are cool and can really extend your life here.

That and the ability to go into a Forum Game coma and forget the rest of the site exists.... <.<

 

[cikame]

I've always disliked all other content on the site except Zero Punctuation, some developer focused news stories and the forums, so the site has remained roughly the same for me, except months ago when the video player got worse.

 

[Barbas]

I come here because of my LP group.

Usergroups are cool and can really extend your life here.

That and the ability to go into a Forum Game coma and forget the rest of the site exists.... <.<

Redlin, you are one of those people who has an ability to cheer others up just by being around. I think that if you posted more often in any part of the site, others would turn up and follow suit.

OT: As long as the Games are here, I'm just fine.

(Snip).

There was a lot of that behaviour way back when, though it manifested itself differently a lot of the time. The future of this community doesn't belong to those people; some are so entrenched in their beliefs that they have a love/hate relationship with reality. As long as you are moving forward, they will lag further and further behind. So it doesn't really matter in the long run.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I come here because of my LP group.

Usergroups are cool and can really extend your life here.

That and the ability to go into a Forum Game coma and forget the rest of the site exists.... <.<

Redlin, you are one of those people who has an ability to cheer others up just by being around. I think that if you posted more often in any part of the site, others would turn up and follow suit.

I think you overestimate my influence... o.o

I'm certainly no [user]Aylaine[/user] or [user]sky14kemea[/user]. The former, when she was active, could help people through harder problems than I could ever process and Sky is amazing because she'll both be funny and supportive during very trying times. I'm just a goof and up until a year ago had been f'ing up my own life so I don't trust myself to offer advice.

That said, I guess I could throw some odd or funny threads out into OT again. I've just been busy with school and work.

 

[babinro]

Not a lot has changed with this site for me in the last few years. I still visit daily to either watch a video or just skim the popular forum threads while periodically commenting on a few.

The videos I watch have changed over the years but it's always been around the same number of them (3-5 a week). In the end it makes no major difference to me if those videos used to be made by Moviebob, Jim Sterling, Lisa or now Good/Bad flicks. It's all entertainment in it's own way.

The height of this website for me was that short period of a few months where we had multiple podcasts. The science and tech being my favorite content this website ever produced in terms of interest and sheer entertainment. I still keep up and enjoy the single podcast but things were better when the topics and cast were more focused. While I think the current regulars (Jon, Ron, Justin, Janelle) do a fine job you can still sense the gap left by Susan.

All and all the site is great.

My biggest hope for the future is to see this site focus more on video reviews. I'm not big on text reviews and I've enjoyed the few video reviews this site has released. I'd love to see them used for every single game reviewed. Particularly indie games that get less attention from major sites.

I'd also like to see follow up reviews on games that evolve a lot with time. Darkest Dungeon, Civilization 5, SimCity, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Diablo 3 would all be good candidates for this. Espeically when reviewed against the current standards and competition avaialble.

 

[Euryalus]

Dunno. I've been really busy for most of 2015. I have noticed that forums are a lot less creative in their thread topics from back in 2013. We were at each others throats for politics instead of whirlpools and sonic for awhile there with Gamer Gate

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I haven't been around much since I've been crazy busy, but I have noticed that the topics in various forums haven't been all that interesting. Or just an excuse to be all political and have everyone shout at each other. The few times I gave the forums a poke it was basically that and I'm really not interested in that kinda of nonsense. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Kinda sad, really. I miss whimsical threads about nothing and talking with fun people.

Ah well.

In any case, I'm sure this is all just a weird transitional period and we can all go back to arguing about which meat is better (It's lamb, and you're wrong) and how if you like to put ketchup on everything you are scum (You are, and you should feel bad).

One day.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I use to be on these boards a lot more than I use to, but the site itself is still my primary source for video game news. Ironically I like it a lot better now that some of the more toxic people have been removed- I.e. Moviebob

They still got Yahtzee, and Corey and Grey continue to deliver.

I kinda lost a lot interest in the gaming community over the whole GamerGate thing. Either side of that pissing match just seems silly, but then again I never considered game journalist anything other than glorified advertising nor do I think people like Anita or Zoe Quinn actually have any power to do anything other than inspire terrible Law and Order episodes.

Ultimately the reason I stick around and even browse these boards is the excellent moderation team. The rules are so simple to follow, anyone that complains about them is just... like how?

 

[Callate]

At least the editorials have mostly risen above "I have an opinion! And to confirm the inherent rightness of my opinion, here are links to two equally ill-founded editorials that share the same opinion! You're welcome."

That said, I'm still seeing a bit more "news" that stretches the meaning of the term than I would like.

People are welcome to have opinions, of course, and hopefully share them with fervor and wit. But I appreciate it when a) the person sharing is aware of the fact that they're engaged in advocacy, not information and b) they can actually back them up with something relevant. If the U.K. not taking in as many refugees as they might means they're a bunch of stupid doodyheads, [extremely patronizing]that's nice, dear, *pat* *pat*.[/extremely patronizing] If the U.K. not taking in as many refugees suggests that xenophobia has superseded research providing evidence that taking in refugees might be, in the long-term, a societal and financial boom, that's a hell of a lot more significant (to give one example.)

I like Good Bad Flicks and Marter's a decent enough reviewer (despite the crap I occasionally give him), but I have to admit that I miss LRR and Jimquisition, and occasionally MovieBob (in "here's useful geeky information" mode, at least, as opposed to "the audience for this are scum" mode.) Nothing I've seen thus far has really replaced them in that "I can't wait to see what they do next week" feeling. ZP is as good as ever, but "Judging" still feels a bit hit-and-miss.

(I contribute a tiny bit to Jim's Patreon and watch Jimquisition there, and while it's amusing, I sometimes feel he performed better with a tighter time constraint and greater focus on the subject at hand, qualities which being self-managed do not necessarily facilitate.)

 

[1981]

I've come here for years to watch Zero Punctuation. Nothing's changed in that regard.

If it wasn't for a certain someone I would've barely been aware of the whole GamerGate thing. I consider myself lucky.

I remember a month or so back, there was a cool article about frogs. Somehow, that article turned into a blood feud where two members argued about who was arguing, what arguing was, who started it, and basically acting like five year olds.

Imagine there's no frogs. It's easy if you try.