With Zero Punctuation puttering--will the Escapist survive?

[AT God]

Escape to the Movies, Extra Punctuation, Jimquisition, the news feed, if ZP was puttering out the escapist would be fine. However ZP is the same as always, clever writing and review of the weeks newest games.

 

[Terramax]

Yahtzee's stuff is still entertaining but it hasn't had the zing it did years ago.

Says who?

Personally, I don't think he's been anywhere near as funny as he was in the first 20-30 videos he made. Mainly because it feels like he's revisiting the same jokes each week. There's the odd curve ball, but not enough to make them as remotely funny as the older episodes.

I still enjoy watching the videos enough, as his opinions and preference to what makes a good or bad game appears very much in line with mine.

Don't see the Escapist going out anytime soon.

 

[Gunjester]

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.

Mind explaining what you mean by "zing"? I personally went back to watch older episodes and find that I enjoy the newer ones more not less. Personally I think Yahtzee is holding up better than other programs and shows of similar like, like Futurama which recycles its jokes too often now, so I don't see your point.

But to answer your question, No. ZP drew in the crowd, but the crowd here is loyal and strong, and the Escapist is only becoming more and more respectable. It'll soldier on even if ZP drops.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

I don't quite fully agree to ZP slowly declining. I just feel as if yahtzee's heart isn't quite in it much any longer.

I hope he'll either find a way back to his old form or end it before it turns into but a chore.

Could it have a negative impact on the Escapist? Sure. But I think it will have a negative impact either way.

Yes, I'll gladly admit that it was ZP that got me here in the first place. It was brilliant and unique. Beyond the getting used to it bit, I feel that what impacted the quality most was the general decline in good and remarkable games. Dissing a top game with issues is one thing. Beating the verbal crap out of crap games is... not quite the same thing. Also, I'll gladly admit that I have issues with yahtzee getting political. I have a pretty good idea where he stands, and I can absolutely accept it, but I don't want it to show up in ZP; as it feels like him exposing himself in an indecent manner. He can swear, he can make words up, he can be ridiculous all he wants, that's all fair game. Going political feels like a loss of control. I don't mind, say, Moviebob going on a rant that is mostly a tangent, I don't mind Jim Sterling going absolute apeshit bonkers, be it just for the added entertainment value or because he really feels the need to do it and vent properly. I'd like to believe that yahtzee is 'better', as in more sensible and more refined than that. I like and admire the chap, so it's hard to keep emotions fully out of it, which sort of makes analyzing the situation properly quite impossible.

I just don't think ZP is the right format to do the same, and it's not just because I decidedly don't agree with yahtzee on a number of issues. I still promote him and the Escapist with choice cuts of his older material, but the last one that blew me away and had a room full of heterogaymuslimsocialistchristiantrannyshutinworldtravellin' folks laughing out aloud in unison was... hmmm... the Skyrim one. And that's a while back.

There are other content providers, but I really would genuinely miss ZP. I would still prefer him stopping or taking a break to it just degrading into yahtzee just going through the motions.

Like fat Elvis did inbetween welcoming guests, playing with firearms and stuffing banana and peanut butter sandwiches into his face.

 

[The Pumpkin Witch]

The Escapist could do better if it could keep shows like Space Janitors.

ZP seems to be getting a little better lately, but I agree that Yahtzee seemed to go through a lull for a while there. I don't think that the Escapist is in danger of going down with ZP when Yahtzee eventually quits. I'm surprised that he's stayed with ZP all this time. Maybe that lull was because he was bored with it.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Eh even if ZP was dying, the escapist survived long before it and it could continue to survive without it.

 

[Eppy (Bored)]

I think that Zero Punctuation has actually matured as a show, and Yahtzee is really trying to provide serious criticism while maintaining the dry sense of humor his show is known for, with a more intelligent affect than ZP's first episodes. This has had a detrimental effect on some opinions here because the internet derps a lot, and there is a lot less derp in Yahtzee's work than at the start.

I could actually stand for some good derp back in the reviews - Little Big Planet [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/530-Little-Big-Planet], I think, has a great example. Real, valid criticism - and googly eyes on underpants! That said, why does he need to change anything if we're still watching it?

Also, if he ever reads this thread he'll probably laugh and not give a shit, and more power to him.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

...wow, OP, you're a freaking idiot. Even if Yhatzee was getting worse (he's not BTW), this site still has Moviebob, Jim, Gavin, and pretty good games and news coverage. It won't die just because one web show is getting worse (but as perviously stated, it's not).

I posted this earlier, and it has since been reported. I'd like to apologise for it, OP. I didn't mean to insult, it's just I think you're overeacting a bit.

 

[Godhead]

I thought that too, and then I stopped watching ZP for a couple two or three months, and then they got their "zing" back. Maybe it has something to do with over stimulation and what not, like cats eating chipotle. (I don't know I'm not a fucking scientist)

 

[Ascend]

The recent loss of views can be explained by the escapist uploading each new ZP on time per week to their youtube channel so that might have split the viewership a little.

 

[Milanezi]

I don't enjoy Zero Punctuation nearly as I used to, however, I don't think it's Yahtzee's fault entirely, but rather the games that are popping up there for reviews, I'm not that interested in any of them, so I really don't care what anyone would think about them. Whenever Zero Punctuation grabs a game I love or one that I'm interested in picking up, that's when I enjoy the show, even if I end up not agreeing with 100% of Yahtzee's opinions lol

 

[CaptainKoala]

"Zero Punctuation slowing down"

ZP is as strong and entertaining as ever.

 

[CaptainKoala]

The recent loss of views can be explained by the escapist uploading each new ZP on time per week to their youtube channel so that might have split the viewership a little.

This is a very good point, actually. I wonder why they did this, to be honest, forcing people to come to the site to watch the videos must have brought a lot of traffic.

 

[Drizzitdude]

Two things I always look forward to on the escapist.

1: Zero punctuation

2: Unskippable

I still find both absolutely hilarious.

 

[Fuzzed]

Even if ZP was puttering (which it's not), it would still be the best video game review you're gonna find.

 

[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.