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The Dangers of Fanaticism
In Space, No One Can Hear Your Cardboard Spartan Armor Crinkle
Quests Chess Tells Kasparov To Try Another Piece
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Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.
11/16/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
One could debate the Sonic Fandom already HAS their teeth in Sonic canon if you read the mind-meltingly bad Archie series. So far Sonic Team has, after a measure ignored the Archie canon and the so-bad-you'll-kill-people fanfics and 80 Terrabites of Sonic porn slinking around on the internet for storyline ideas.

But that could change. I mean granted most of the old Sonic Team isn't there anymore and the new Sonic team seems to badly want to be loved to the point of taking huge backflips away from the basic Sonic we grew up with. I almost expect to see a game based on Archie Sonic next and if there is, a leap to the fanfics isn't too far behind.

Thankfully Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, Insomniac Games, Bungie and Nintendo seem to completely ignore their most

insane fanfic spewing fans and haven't let the taint stain the IP's.

Now on the otherhand, the 'new' Spyro looks like crap I was trying to burn my eyes out over reading two years ago, cheesy, overdramatic and idiotic fanfiction to the max. I expect in the ending, he slips Cinder some tongue, just for the fans who keep Universal's rape going.
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stranger
11/16/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
It's be sorta hard for that scenario to play out in HL2: Episode 3, even if diehard fans wanted it. Wouldn't it?
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Jonn
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
They shouldn't listen to all the fans, just the ones that aren't crazy.

Like me.

/joke
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fuchikoma
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
He's not entirely off the mark, but I think it would be a fallacy to assume that his three page rumination on how sad these "fanatics" are is somehow higher than the other fandom-based spinoffs that he decries. He's just as guilty as the rest of them... but probably catering to an even smaller audience.

hahaha...

My approach is to just enjoy the fandom, not take it to crazy levels, and not be apologetic or hypocritical about it.
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Ashurahori
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
As someone who's been in deep with the Sonic fandom, I can just say one thing.

...they ARE as crazy as they're said to be.
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salsaman1991
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
Obviously, there's a difference between Sonic and the Valve franchises mentioned in the example: Sonic hasn't had a good game in years. What fans actually want is them going back to the basics, not making outrageous demands. First of all, it seems like the weird demands are coming from Sega! Who the hell put the werehog in there? Sure it wasn't the blue blur's dying fandom...

Also, Valve DOES ridiculize it's own franchises because the fans like it, for example, Team Fortress's "meet the..." videos.
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Lainface
11/15/08

@salsaman1991: Isn't Bioware making a Sonic game or it's made a Sonic game? I think it was Bioware...

It's like...supposed to make Sonic not suck anymore.
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dowingba
11/16/08

@Lainface: Bioware made Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. It's an alright game. But I'd say it's Bioware's all-time worst (which isn't saying much because Bioware are pretty much the best developer ever).
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9a3eedi
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
All I know is that Valve should make a sequel to halflife called "Half Life: Full Life Consequences"

Also Konami should make a "Metal Gear Jake: Fight of Metal Gears"
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ShadowOdin of dubious snowiness
11/15/08

@9a3eedi: You make no sense whatsoever.

Please go on.
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Buri
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
Guys, guys, we're all missing the point. The real focus here is that Sonic is a piece of trash now. And you can quote me saying that that's a fact!
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ShadowOdin of dubious snowiness
11/15/08

@Buri: You will go down in history as a reliable source concerning Sonic as a game.

I can see the merit of your statement, but you should back it up with fact. The article above actually say that Sonic Team shouldn't listen to fans at all. Now it's your job to prove it wrong.
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Buri
11/15/08

@ShadowOdin: I can't prove something like that without just stating the obvious. Why would I try to proove the article wrong? I think it's true that all Sonic is now is a really bad fanfiction come to reality. As far as game reality goes atleast. But I think too many people are scared to displease people and end up, instead of creating art, creating a soulless piece time consumption. Much like Kingdom Hearts 2. The original was great, the 2nd tried to hard to please the fangirls, alienated a bunch of us with any real taste.
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超外人
11/15/08

@Buri: I agree wholeheartedly. They listened to the children, and I guess they'll continue to do so, since they know those children will bitch at their parents forever until they get the newest sonic with sonic flirting or making out with some female character in his realm.
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ShadowOdin of dubious snowiness
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
I may have gotten the article a bit wrong, but isn't Sonic already based on bad fanfiction? He's getting transformed to a wolfhog. Next game for the Wii he will have a sword. And let's not forget him flirting with Amy in Sonic Chronicles, while everyone else is played by Stock-characters A through L.
My predictions for the future is that he will be able to summon dragons and save the planet from a giant meteor after leading an army against a powerful warlord and his undead empire.

Sonic is a sidestory though. From what I've heard most producers are too ambitious to let themselves be swayed by fans when it comes to stories in games. They even go as far as hire real authors who know nothing about writing for games. But because they are real authors they think it will give them a killer-story. So it seems unlikely they would look to rabid fanfic-authors.
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OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
I think Snakes on a plane is a perfect example of why small groups of fans don't equal profit. SOAP had a huge internet following but that didn't translate into big bucks. Though it is a movie, the same marketing and publishing rules apply.
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Altima NEO
11/15/08

@OW-Holmes: Just look at Family Guy, its the fandom that brought it back from the grave and poured tons of dollars into Seth McFarlanes pockets.
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Master Saji wants on the GW Test Krewe
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
Damn kids and their tablets. This world is going to hell in a shiny new box with false advertising. Not me. No sir-ree-bob, not this cool dude. I'm getting out early, I suggest you all do the same while there's still time!
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Lainface
11/15/08

@Master Saji: Damn it... I want a tablet. D=
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Koztah
11/16/08

@Lainface:

I'm going to take this opportunity and tell you about how I'm on my third tablet upgrade and I'm getting a Cintiq in January.
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Jeff Paine
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
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Y hr m, prh prdcrs? Ths s wht th fns wnt, mk t s. ftr ll, Ptr Prrsh tld m y wld.
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ShadowOdin of dubious snowiness
11/15/08

@Jeff Paine: Please, sir, before something catch fire. Get out of my internet.
Someone could be reading that.
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Altima NEO
11/15/08

@Jeff Paine: Post of the century right here fellas
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dowingba
11/16/08

@Jeff Paine: Anyone ever read the youtube-like website in GTAIV? Well, in it, every video is always "taken down due to content violations" and has a long list of comments like "damn, that's gotta hurt, I don't care whose mother you are" and "hey, that's my mother!"
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Danilov.-
11/16/08

@dowingba: if i can't understand what you write, you FAIL!
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dowingba
11/16/08

@Danilov.-: "FAIL", "FTW", "Burn it with fire", "FIRST!", "plz kthanx" etc.

It all needs to stop. I'm not even kidding you.
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Wahrheit
11/15/08

In reply to The Dangers of Fanaticism
The Sonic series imho was a very good example. When the next main title in a series starts to feel like a spin-off, something is wrong.

Don't know how much pull fans really have, but Sonic needs to go back to its roots.
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MechaTama31
11/15/08

@Wahrheit: I thought Sonic was a pretty terrible example of what he was trying to say. I got the impression that what is left of the Sonic fandom wanted a return to Sonic's roots, which Sega steadfastly refuses to do.

They almost got it right with Unleashed. Almost, but werehog. 'Nuff said. :/
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Nawara_Ven
11/16/08

@MechaTama31:

Sonic's "visible fan base" can be seen on deviantart. They do not want anything returned to roots, they want more teen anthropomorphic animal angst.
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Foxstar is in love with Kotaku's two Brians.
11/16/08

@Nawara_Ven:And the ones on DA was the 'sane' ones. Mostly. Wait till you hit the group that's naming their children after Sonic Team members and selling porn of their wives in return for bad Sonic art.
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