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Giant Bomb #7 | Hey There, Small Business Owner!

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Deleted member 30609

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It seems to me --- and I might just be tired or something --- that getting frustrated at a game that lets you spend most of the race clearly in first place, then lose based on a dice roll, is a completely rational reaction. Even if the concert pianists of the Mario Kart world can avoid calamity, that doesn't make the layman reaction any less rational. Like, are we really going to roll our eyes at that?
 

hwy_61

Banned
If we're talking about mannerisms I found this article or whatever it is pretty typical of Alex:

alexsqkn6.png

Alex and Patrick usually give trailers smart ass titles.
 

Curufinwe

Member
If we're talking about mannerisms I found this article or whatever it is pretty typical of Alex:

alexsqkn6.png

I really hate those types of headlines. Patrick does them as well. If the story is so boring to you that you need to give it a headline like that, then don't bother putting it on the site.
 

Zomba13

Member
The thing with Jeff in the MK8 QL is that he doesn't like the series or the genre so of course he's going to be down on it and list the reasons he doesn't like it. It'd be like if I had to do something on a yearly sport game. I'm not a fan of them and find them boring and am completely uninformed about features because I don't play them.
 

Jintor

Member
It seems to me --- and I might just be tired or something --- that getting frustrated at a game that lets you spend most of the race clearly in first place, then lose based on a dice roll, is a completely rational reaction. Even if the concert pianists of the Mario Kart world can avoid calamity, that doesn't make the layman reaction any less rational. Like, are we really going to roll our eyes at that?

It's a lot less aggravating in multiplayer where there's kind of party-game expectations. It's fucking infuriating in 150cc singleplayer, I gotta say

But why would you play that when you can unlock everything in multi anyway?
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
So far it's not really that negative. Jeff reveals his bias pretty straight away and alex and brad seems to enjoy themselves quite a bit.
 
I was gonna say, I feel like a lot of the wider items discussion in MK comes from a divide from people who mostly played single player in the older games (where at 150cc, most of the time you lose IS due to item bullshit and rubber banding at the finish line), and the people who mostly play online multiplayer in the newer games where you go in knowing that in a race of 8-12 human players, 7-11 players are not going to be in first, and whether it's the 90% skill or the 10% luck is just something you deal with as best you can.
 

Zomba13

Member
It's a lot less aggravating in multiplayer where there's kind of party-game expectations. It's fucking infuriating in 150cc singleplayer, I gotta say

But why would you play that when you can unlock everything in multi anyway?

It's worse in single player because it's AI and you know, you just know, they are fucking with you. You go from first to last not because you got hit by a blue shell, but because you got hit by a blue shell, then lightning, then a green shell, then someone with a star and you just know the AI lined it up like that as a big FUCK YOU.

Online that stuff can happen but it's more forgiveable because it's a bunch of other players and there is always next race. Single player though, it can swipe away points needed for stars or unlocking characters.
 

Scizzy

Member
The last game I remember Jeff being super-giddy about in a Quick Look is The Stanley Parable, which, honestly is probably the most recent game I've been really excited to play besides Transistor.
 
Maybe MK would be more balanced if it has some sort of standardized item drop/box? Having both random item box but also a player custom item box (no broken items like Blue Shell, but items flexible enough to no get screwed just because)?
 

Dares

Member
I will say the only thing I agree with Jeff is that Blue Shell is the most bullshit. If it was removed from the game, it would be a better game.
 

Mr. F

Banned
The kart customization being complicated is a criticism that never really crossed my mind, as someone who experienced that for the first time in MK8 (haven't played since DS).
 
The thing with Jeff in the MK8 QL is that he doesn't like the series or the genre so of course he's going to be down on it and list the reasons he doesn't like it. It'd be like if I had to do something on a yearly sport game. I'm not a fan of them and find them boring and am completely uninformed about features because I don't play them.

yeah but he's being recorded and it's his job to make this stuff entertaining to watch.

people always use the "he's just keeping it real!" defense but most people aren't asking him to fake enthusiasm, they're asking him to not actively suck the fun out of a video because he's not into the game.
 

Zomba13

Member
The kart customization being complicated is a criticism that never really crossed my mind, as someone who experienced that for the first time in MK8 (haven't played since DS).

If you don't want to bother with karts and just want the good old fashioned pick character = stats then they could always just go with the standard kart parts to get the characters base stats. It's just like old MKs that way.

yeah but he's being recorded and it's his job to make this stuff entertaining to watch.

people always use the "he's just keeping it real!" defense but most people aren't asking him to fake enthusiasm, they're asking him to not actively suck the fun out of a video because he's not into the game.

I agree. I just get why he's down on it. If it was up to me I'd put Drew in over Jeff. If you have a guy in a piece of content like that who is just down on it it sucks the fun out of it. When you watch someone show off or play a game you want them to at least try and be into it. Like, if it's a bad game you can't help that but if it's a matter of taste then you might not want to put the guy that hates the game in there to show it off.
 

valeo

Member
i never thought the day would come when Alex was my favorite member of a quick look. at least that dude seems to like playing videogames.

Basically this

Though I hate Mario Kart too so I can understand the feeling. It's fine when playing with your mum/sister/grandmother, but anyone else and it's a zzz fest.

Compare this video to Gamespot's with Danny O'Dwyer and theirs was FAR more entertaining to watch. They were tough on the game but in a funny/cynical way.

Anyway, Jeff said some positive things too - like when they first started the 1p online mode etc. and how it's good they could get 12 in.
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
yeah but he's being recorded and it's his job to make this stuff entertaining to watch.

people always use the "he's just keeping it real!" defense but most people aren't asking him to fake enthusiasm, they're asking him to not actively suck the fun out of a video because he's not into the game.

That's not really the pitch for quick looks, and honestly some of the best quick looks is when he's being down on a game he doesn't like.

Hell, he wasn't even really that negative other than the first 15 minute or so.
 

hwy_61

Banned
You know what's a bigger bummer than Jeff and Brad being a couple of old grumpy bastards? The negative reactions to Alex being on this week's bombcast.
 

erawsd

Member
It seems to me --- and I might just be tired or something --- that getting frustrated at a game that lets you spend most of the race clearly in first place, then lose based on a dice roll, is a completely rational reaction. Even if the concert pianists of the Mario Kart world can avoid calamity, that doesn't make the layman reaction any less rational. Like, are we really going to roll our eyes at that?

I love the game to death, its all we've played the last few nights. But yeah, there is nothing in all of videogames more frustrating than then losing at the end just because the guy in last place, who had no chance of winning, took you out with a blue shell.
 

culafia

Member
I just watched the whole Quick Look for MK8 and I think some of you guys are going a bit overboard with this. In the grand scheme of things, Jeff wasn't really that negative. He shat on battle mode a bit (it deserves it), but most of his discussion was just "Eh, this isn't really fun to me and here's why."

It really just feels like you're going to bat a little too hard for this game. If you're going to say Jeff is being too negative sometimes, this isn't really the video to use as your example. And if you're going to go to bat for a Nintendo game unfairly getting indifference, this one really isn't the one that deserves it.
 

komplanen

Member
Good QL. Good job Alex!

Nothing new that gaffers cry out that their opinions weren't validated by a professional. Jeff had his opinions and he backed them better than most people here could.
 

Chuck

Still without luck
I just watched the whole Quick Look for MK8 and I think some of you guys are going a bit overboard with this. In the grand scheme of things, Jeff wasn't really that negative. He shat on battle mode a bit (it deserves it), but most of his discussion was just "Eh, this isn't really fun to me and here's why."

It really just feels like you're going to bat a little too hard for this game. If you're going to say Jeff is being too negative sometimes, this isn't really the video to use as your example. And if you're going to go to bat for a Nintendo game unfairly getting indifference, this one really isn't the one that deserves it.

But man, there really isn't anything Jeff loves more than telling you how he doesn't like something. I haven't watched the Quick Look, but you will never ever ever find a mention of Metroid Prime in the history of Giant Bomb in Jeff's presence where he doesn't mention how he doesn't like them.
 
I just watched the whole Quick Look for MK8 and I think some of you guys are going a bit overboard with this. In the grand scheme of things, Jeff wasn't really that negative. He shat on battle mode a bit (it deserves it), but most of his discussion was just "Eh, this isn't really fun to me and here's why."

It really just feels like you're going to bat a little too hard for this game. If you're going to say Jeff is being too negative sometimes, this isn't really the video to use as your example. And if you're going to go to bat for a Nintendo game unfairly getting indifference, this one really isn't the one that deserves it.

I don't really care about the new Mario Kart either way, and this isn't like the worst he's ever been or anything, but it's enough of a recurring annoying thing in their videos that it's fair to point it out.

people can be too critical of the site, but other people (not you specifically) can be way, way too defensive and dismissive of any criticism that gets posted.
 

Will M

Member
JEFF E3 DRIVE CONFIRMED.

Somehow I've managed to miss these mixlr streams. Are these audio only or video? I remember Jeff telling a story of them stopping at a diner and streaming it on the way to Boston and frankly, I can't miss this anymore. Food Jeff is my favorite Jeff
even though that dude is picky as hell.
 

culafia

Member
But man, there really isn't anything Jeff loves more than telling you how he doesn't like something. I haven't watch the Quick Look, but you will never ever ever find a mention of Metroid Prime in the history of Giant Bomb in Jeff's presence where he doesn't mention how he doesn't like them.

In some ways, I feel where Jeff comes from. I understand your discomfort at his distaste (I am very much with Klepek in the Great Yoshi Wars), but if he doesn't speak up, his opinion probably won't get represented at all by anyone else. Your gut reaction might be "good - bring on the love and stop the hate," but how do you think it would make him feel to not be comfortable expressing his opinions about something in a specific medium where that IS his job? I've written articles before expressing my own distaste about certain things (specifically about MK8), and people will straight up call me out as clickbait when all I'm trying to do is present a side that isn't otherwise represented. It doesn't feel good.

Does it provide unhappy entertainment for us fans? Sure. Unfortunately, we aren't the only people who matter in this exchange of ideas.
 
I knew the quick look would be awesome. Arguments breaking out. Tempers flaring. Erupting chaos.

We have arrived. The road to E3 begins and ends tonight.
 

erawsd

Member
I just watched the whole Quick Look for MK8 and I think some of you guys are going a bit overboard with this. In the grand scheme of things, Jeff wasn't really that negative. He shat on battle mode a bit (it deserves it), but most of his discussion was just "Eh, this isn't really fun to me and here's why."

It really just feels like you're going to bat a little too hard for this game. If you're going to say Jeff is being too negative sometimes, this isn't really the video to use as your example. And if you're going to go to bat for a Nintendo game unfairly getting indifference, this one really isn't the one that deserves it.

Yeah, I just got done watching and Jeff isn't bad at all. I was expecting 50minutes of sighing, pouting, and hostility. His criticisms were fair and he spends just as much a lot of time complimenting the graphics and the sense of speed.
 
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