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[Roland Garros]

Some of you have really low standards when it comes to humor. A reference to something that happens in a video game combined with some ugly as sin artwork and hilarity apparently ensues.

No, we don't, you just don't like PA on principle and exert harsh expectations to impress as a result. PA has done plenty of amusing comics, to debate this would be asinine.

I do agree with posters saying their interest in the video game industry is almost token these days. I guess that is just a by-product of them growing up and having families and with less time on their hands, they just refine their tastes a little in terms of how they spend their time. There's no time to be playing the latest and greatest, it seems.

I actually find the weekly television show the most interesting aspect of PA these days. It's all rather engrossing to see the way the company works. Likeable people too.

 

[mattiewheels]

Yeah, the style of the characters has been going kind of...goofy for quite a while now. Feel like he hit the perfect art style a few years back but is changing it just to change, I can respect an evolving artist, but the faces just always look odd to me nowadays.

 

[Curufinwe]

No, we don't, you just don't like PA on principle and exert harsh expectations to impress as a result. PA has done plenty of amusing comics, to debate this would be asinine.

There's no principle involved. I have simply never seen a PA comic that so much as made me chuckle. Sorry that bothers you so much.

 

[Roland Garros]

There's no principle involved. I have simply never seen a PA comic that so much as made me chuckle. Sorry that bothers you so much.

Your opinion is amusingly ineffectual to me. I was incensed you felt the need to bluntly enter the thread and say something so irrelevant to the discussion.

Anyway, does anyone else watch PATV? Thoughts?

 

[Pie and Beans]

Anyway, does anyone else watch PATV? Thoughts?

The sub-series in which Penny Arcade did the reality show of "new hire" was particularly eye opening when Robert Khoo chose to eliminate one highly qualified applicant because it seemed like she wouldnt be as meek and subserviant as the other. A glimpse too far perhaps into the mind that has made this enterprise into a money earning one, and the force behind the ultra cynical Kickstarter you're now seeing.

Not that I possibly wouldnt have done the exact same thing, its his workplace after all, but the happy go lucky "arent these all fun guys having fun!!" façade was quickly stripped away there and then in that uncomfortable moment.

 

[Curufinwe]

Your opinion is amusingly ineffectual to me. I was incensed you felt the need to bluntly enter the thread and say something so irrelevant to the discussion.

It's obviously not ineffectual if you managed to get "incensed". If people want to post random PA comics in here like they are relevant to the discussion, I can give my opinion on them, whether it upsets you or not

Try not being so defensive over something you had no hand in creating.

 

[ultron87]

The sub-series in which Penny Arcade did the reality show of "new hire" was particularly eye opening when Robert Khoo chose to eliminate one highly qualified applicant because it seemed like she wouldnt be as meek and subserviant as the other. A glimpse too far perhaps into the mind that has made this enterprise into a money earning one, and the force behind the ultra cynical Kickstarter you're now seeing.

Not that I possibly wouldnt have done the exact same thing, its his workplace after all, but the happy go lucky "arent these all fun guys having fun!!" façade was quickly stripped away there and then in that uncomfortable moment.

Do you happen to know which episode this happens in? I've always assumed that Khoo was serious business but that sounds pretty crazy.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Do you happen to know which episode this happens in? I've always assumed that Khoo was serious business but that sounds pretty crazy.

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/new-hire-part-1
http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/new-hire-part-2

If you're any good at reading body language and reactions, the round-table in the first part after Khoo speaks his mind (7:35) will reveal to you a hell of a lot.

 

[jett]

The art style for PA's strips has been really awful for a long ass time.

 

[SHAZOOM]

Honestly, the $2500 prize, I would probably want to talk to Robert Khoo. I'm sure Mike and Jerry may give good advice, but its become obvious that with out Khoo, PA would still be a webcomic vs what it is today (a mini media empire).

If anything, that PATV ep above pretty much confirms that Jerry and Mike have become figureheads in their own company vs actually running the show. Though honestly when things are as successful as they are under Khoo, I doubt any of us can complain from a business perspective.

Was it Mike and Jerry that wanted to do this Kickstarter, or Khoo?

 

[Roland Garros]

It's obviously not ineffectual if you managed to get "incensed". If people want to post random PA comics in here like they are relevant to the discussion, I can give my opinion on them, whether it upsets you or not

Try not being so defensive over something you had no hand in creating.

Huh? The contents of your opinion doesn't affect me, it's the fact you deemed it worthy in the first place, and that you then insinuated people who enjoyed PA had no sense of humour.

Basically, what Cyan said.

 

[Kintaro]

My favorite PA comic is the one about Warhammer copying WoW. I don't know why, but it was hilarious to me.

 

[Sturmovik]

Have to chime in as this being tasteless, not to mention outright pathetic. What a complete abuse of Kickstarter. Unfortunately I believe this is merely the beginning of the end as other financially solvent companies jump on the market generating bandwagon without actually "kickstarting" anything of substance. Soon pessimism will seep in and Kickstarter will lose its indie charm.....YMMV

 

[Roland Garros]

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/new-hire-part-1
http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/new-hire-part-2

If you're any good at reading body language and reactions, the round-table in the first part after Khoo speaks his mind (7:35) will reveal to you a hell of a lot.

Yeah, I find Khoo terrifying from a business sense. Imagine having that ruthless bastard as a boss haha! I must say though, Khoo is probably responsible for PA's success as much as Jerry and Mike are.

 

[Diprosalic]

If you're any good at reading body language and reactions, the round-table in the first part after Khoo speaks his mind (7:35) will reveal to you a hell of a lot.

i did not get that from that at all. the impression i get is that PA and khoo especially think they have a very good thing here and all are good friends and they all are very cautions by letting a new person in and are scared it will ruin it.

 

[Curufinwe]

Huh? The contents of your opinion doesn't affect me, it's the fact you deemed it worthy in the first place, and that you then insinuated people who enjoyed PA had no sense of humour.

The PA comics you posted to show they can be funny were just terrible, so yes, in my opinion that showed you do have low standards for humor and poor taste in comedy.

 

[universalmind]

This is the worst shit I've ever seen.

 

[Roland Garros]

The PA comics you posted to show they can be funny were just terrible, so yes, in my opinion that showed you do have low standards for humor and poor taste in comedy.

Which is a ridiculously presumptuous and ill-conceived thing to say, but it wouldn't be the first time you've foolishly let your mouth run off in this thread.

A little more respect, for both the topic and those you disagree with, would be appreciated.

 

[AkuMifune]

A little more respect, for both the topic and those you disagree with, would be appreciated.

He's showing about the same amount of respect that PA is showing to it's fans, so it's alll relative.

 

[David H Wong]

Well they're at 286K now, they hit 250 on Saturday. So unless I'm doing the math wrong, they'll hit 325 by Thursday or so. With 26 days left after that...

Looks like they hit 325 last night, so I actually think they're on a pace to wind up with 800K or so.

I guess I can't get mad at this because they're letting their fans with lots of extra money sitting around fund the site for everyone else (instead of hiding their content behind a paywall). And the stuff they're offering clearly has value to people, you see donations shoot up every time they unveil more of the list.

 

[Roland Garros]

Would pay money for a proper Lookouts comic.

So I'm going to chuck a tenner on this.

 

[MDSLKTR]

If they reach a million and Defense Grid 2 doesn't, it will be a tragedy of unprecedented proportions.

This needs to be quoted more. This travesty got almost 3 times what dg2 accumulated so far. And all that for some bad webcomic strips.

 

[SHAZOOM]

Would pay money for a proper Lookouts comic.

So I'm going to chuck a tenner on this.

You mean, by Mike and Jerry? Cuz, you know....

I'm not gonna say they'll won't make $1 million, but these rewards are still.... kind of makes them look like cheapskates. If they end up going to Red Robin or something for these lunch/play dates, I think maximum trollage has been attained.

 

[Roland Garros]

Yeah that Lookout comic by the random artists was disappointing, to say the least.

Mike's Lookout art is gorgeous.

 

[SHAZOOM]

Yeah that Lookout comic by the random artists was disappointing, to say the least.

Mike's Lookout art is gorgeous.

I'm only assuming that the "random artists" that work on these comics are hand picked by Mike and Jerry and have their seal of approval.

As much as folks want to believe that the duo can handle multiple strips and maintain really high quality, it generally isn't the case . Ever since the TRENCHES started, you'll notice that PA's coloring went back to really simple no shadows or textures coloring. I actually hope that they can work on Lookouts/Automata and just axe The Trenches, though I have no real attachment to Lookouts/Automata (Trenches is .... what is this?).

 

[Pociask]

I'm only assuming that the "random artists" that work on these comics are hand picked by Mike and Jerry and have their seal of approval.

As much as folks want to believe that the duo can handle multiple strips and maintain really high quality, it generally isn't the case . Ever since the TRENCHES started, you'll notice that PA's coloring went back to really simple no shadows or textures coloring. I actually hope that they can work on Lookouts/Automata and just axe The Trenches, though I have no real attachment to Lookouts/Automata (Trenches is .... what is this?).

For the love of God please. Mike and Jerry have cardboard tube samurai, lookouts, automata, surely others I'm forgetting. And they spend time on Trenches? On the one hand, I can't stop periodically checking Trenches, to see if it isn't still terrible. On the other hand, it's always terrible. I am starting to wonder if the story will end with everyone getting fired, and then editorial comment: Haven't you been reading all the stories we post with each strip? Working in the video game industry is terrible. Unless someone out there cares a whole whole lot, it's not going to get better. It's not.

 

[SHAZOOM]

For the love of God please. Mike and Jerry have cardboard tube samurai, lookouts, automata, surely others I'm forgetting. And they spend time on Trenches? On the one hand, I can't stop periodically checking Trenches, to see if it isn't still terrible. On the other hand, it's always terrible. I am starting to wonder if the story will end with everyone getting fired, and then editorial comment: Haven't you been reading all the stories we post with each strip? Working in the video game industry is terrible. Unless someone out there cares a whole whole lot, it's not going to get better. It's not.

Just asking, but you agree that they should just dump Trenches, right? I'm a bit low on sleep and reading comprehension is all fuzzy right now.

 

[Pociask]

Just asking, but you agree that they should just dump Trenches, right? I'm a bit low on sleep and reading comprehension is all fuzzy right now.

They should drop it yesterday. That's what I get for trying to work in a Lorax reference.

 

[border]

Looks as if they've completely stalled out around $375K. I keep checking back every couple days and the numbers have barely moved.

It will be hilarious if this thing rolls in under $550K and they walk off with ~$400,000 for removing a single banner ad. The backlash would be pretty nasty, I'd imagine.

 

[Alexios]

It will be hilarious if this thing rolls in under $550K and they walk off with ~$400,000 for removing a single banner ad. The backlash would be pretty nasty, I'd imagine.

Why would there be backlash, people who pledged past the goal were clearly aware it was already funded, and people who pledged early for the proposed reason alone could easily cancel their pledge now that they see it's funded safely. Or would the backlash come from people completely unrelated to the whole thing or something?

 

[border]

Why would there be backlash, people who pledged past the goal were clearly aware it was already funded, and people who pledged early for the proposed reason alone could easily cancel their pledge now that they see it's funded safely. Or would the backlash come from people completely unrelated to the whole thing or something?

Because the "Successful" Kickstarter that was about making the site advertising free would ultimately result in the removal of just a single ad? Because it will look like they intentionally lowballed the number required for funding so they could make big promises, deliver a heavily compromised version of those promises, and still walk away with a huge chunk of money?

 

[FyreWulff]

Yeah, I'm thinking they probably overestimated the marks.

Plus so many of the higher tier levels should have provided transportation. They can't spare a couple hundred bucks to fly you out to Seattle after you give them thousands of dollars?

 

[Aaron]

Because the "Successful" Kickstarter that was about making the site advertising free would ultimately result in the removal of just a single ad? Because it will look like they intentionally lowballed the number required for funding so they could make big promises, deliver a heavily compromised version of those promises, and still walk away with a huge chunk of money?

They did intentionally lowball. That's stated pretty clearly on their page. People may complain, but they're still getting what they paid for. I don't think they'll be many up in arms because most are pledging to support PA anyway. I don't they care about the ads.

 

[Risible]

Because the "Successful" Kickstarter that was about making the site advertising free would ultimately result in the removal of just a single ad? Because it will look like they intentionally lowballed the number required for funding so they could make big promises, deliver a heavily compromised version of those promises, and still walk away with a huge chunk of money?

I agree. Even if their intentions were pure it's not going to give the appearance of such.

If you needed a million dollars to make the site ad-free, why did you set the "Funded" amount at a quater of that? If your goal was an ad-free site and not to generate cash from Kickstarter than that quarter million dollar number starts to look very suspect.

 

[Zek]

Because the "Successful" Kickstarter that was about making the site advertising free would ultimately result in the removal of just a single ad? Because it will look like they intentionally lowballed the number required for funding so they could make big promises, deliver a heavily compromised version of those promises, and still walk away with a huge chunk of money?

There's no deceit here. The "success" criteria of the kickstarter is to remove the banner ad for a year, it's said that from the start. And they're not "walking away with a huge chunk of money", they're using it to replace that ad revenue which up until now is what has kept them afloat. If people thought they were donating only on the condition that it reaches the very last of its stretch goals, that's their fault for being so dumb.

 

[Risible]

They did intentionally lowball. That's stated pretty clearly on their page. People may complain, but they're still getting what they paid for. I don't think they'll be many up in arms because most are pledging to support PA anyway. I don't they care about the ads.

If this was all about just "supporting PA", then why use Kickstarter? That's not what Kickstarter should be used for at all.

 

[David H Wong]

They could have reached a $2 million goal and cured world hunger with it, and the people in this thread would have still treated it like the damned holocaust. Just admit you have a weird, irrational hatred of this random web comic and move on with your lives. This is bizarre.

 

[Machine Messiah]

My favorite PA comic is the one about Warhammer copying WoW. I don't know why, but it was hilarious to me.

Are you talking about this one? http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/10/

Because that is one of my favorites!

I do like Penny Arcade but there is no way I would ever pay for it, personally. I just have way higher priorities, and I could live without the comic. Still, I do read it whenever they have a new one.

 

[border]

The Strip Search TV show they're pimping now sounds so large in scale that it's kind of questionable as a "stretch goal". They want to fly ten cartoonists to Seattle, keep them all in the same house for some extended period of time (presumably providing them food and limited transportation as well)......then film it all and have it cut into a competition reality series for web tv. How much does all that cost? Probably a ton.

I think the ultimate goal of Strip Searcht is cool (let an aspiring artist hook in to the PA empire), but it seems a little unfair to only now reveal that it's going to eat up a huge chunk of funding from a Kickstarter that was supposed to be about making the site ad-free.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

It blows my mind that people will pay good money to see a single banner ad removed from a site. Fair enough, do what you like with your money, but just I can't fathom it

 

[Risible]

They could have reached a $2 million goal and cured world hunger with it, and the people in this thread would have still treated it like the damned holocaust. Just admit you have a weird, irrational hatred of this random web comic and move on with your lives. This is bizarre.

Well no, we are having a fairly civilized debate. You are coming in and making specious statements and contributing nothing.

I should add to counter your argument that I love PA and have been a fan for years. I enjoy the strip and their podcasts and watch PA TV.

 

[Violet_0]

It blows my mind that people will pay good money to see a single banner ad removed from a site. Fair enough, do what you like with your money, but just I can't fathom it

yep. People can do whatever they want with their money, but this Kickstarter goal is ridicules.

 

[SpinningBirdKick]

It blows my mind that people will pay good money to see a single banner ad removed from a site. Fair enough, do what you like with your money, but just I can't fathom it

Kickstarter has achieved what retail has been trying to perfect for years, Discriminatory Pricing. Each customer pays what the product/service is worth to them, rather than a blanket price that is set for all.

No longer do goods or services need to have broad pricing appeal. Just hike the prices so that die hard fans are punished and generate the best returns.

As long as you can get the word out about your product, this is like having a pool of hand picked idiots that will pay whatever it takes or what ever you tell them it takes to obtain your product or service.

What demographic could possibly be better to exploit than nerds with no relationships, poor social skills and relatively high disposable incomes?

There was no way this exercise in exploitation was ever going to fail.

 

[electroshockwave]

http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/575109064/penny-arcade-sells-out/
Check out the pledges/backers per day section. It's dropped significantly since the first few days. There will be a bump toward the end but at this rate they will be lucky to get the stretch goal to be rid off all ads on the homepage or the Lookouts comic.

There's no deceit here. The "success" criteria of the kickstarter is to remove the banner ad for a year, it's said that from the start. And they're not "walking away with a huge chunk of money", they're using it to replace that ad revenue which up until now is what has kept them afloat. If people thought they were donating only on the condition that it reaches the very last of its stretch goals, that's their fault for being so dumb.

But if they only get rid off one ad then where is the extra $300,000 (assuming it ends at $500,000 or something) going to? Keep in mind that they never actually showed any financial information to even show that the ads from one banner were $225,000 and the site was $1,000,000 etc.

Kickstarter has achieved what retail has been trying to perfect for years, Discriminatory Pricing. Each customer pays what the product/service is worth to them, rather than a blanket price that is set for all.

No longer do goods or services need to have broad pricing appeal. Just hike the prices so that die hard fans are punished and generate the best returns.

As long as you can get the word out about your product, this is like having a pool of hand picked idiots that will pay whatever it takes or what ever you tell them it takes to obtain your product or service.

What demographic could possibly be better to exploit than nerds with no relationships, poor social skills and relatively high disposable incomes?

There was no way this exercise in exploitation was ever going to fail.

This isn't the thread for misplaced anti-kickstarter rants. I'm in favour of kickstarter as a whole but opposed to this particular misuse of the idea.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

Kickstarter has achieved what retail has been trying to perfect for years, Discriminatory Pricing. Each customer pays what the product/service is worth to them, rather than a blanket price that is set for all.

No longer do goods or services need to have broad pricing appeal. Just hike the prices so that die hard fans are punished and generate the best returns.

As long as you can get the word out about your product, this is like having a pool of hand picked idiots that will pay whatever it takes or what ever you tell them it takes to obtain your product or service.

What demographic could possibly be better to exploit than nerds with no relationships, poor social skills and relatively high disposable incomes?

There was no way this exercise in exploitation was ever going to fail.

I just can't help but feel that this particular Kickstarter is somehow exploiting the regard that PA fans hold Gabe and Mike in. I'm probably completely wrong there, but that's how it feels from the little I know

 

[border]

13 hours to go, and they are about $40,000 away from removing all ads from the website. I don't follow Kickstarter enough to say whether it's possible to raise that much money in such a short time......but it does seem like a stretch. Like a lot of big huge TV charity marathons though, they may be having big donors hold off right up until the end.

I just can't help but feel that this particular Kickstarter is somehow exploiting the regard that PA fans hold Gabe and Mike in. I'm probably completely wrong there, but that's how it feels from the little I know

I kinda feel like this is a way for them to both take donations AND get advertising revenue. Most websites either do donations or ad-support, and this venue allows them both options........which seems pretty cheesy, but I don't know if I would go so far as to call it exploitive.

 

[LiK]

30 min left

 

[SHAZOOM]

Cutting it close to get rid of ads on the Homepage. Doubt they'll reach the Lookouts/Catsby goals.

If they DON'T reach the all ads removed from the homepage, man that would just seem silly.

 

[Machine Messiah]

If people want to give the money, I say let them. It's just that I wish they wouldn't, because Penny Arcade is a very profitable franchise by itself.

BTW, they said they're doing the Lookouts comic anyway: http://penny-arcade.com/2012/08/15/last-kickstarter-post I figured they might, because they really enjoy that & Automata (I'm not a big fan of either.)

 

[Hero]

So they missed the homepage ads removed by 2,000 dollars?

Gee, maybe if your high tier / high priced rewards weren't so fucking dumb and outrageously expensive for what you get maybe people would've backed at that level.