"The Old Ways"
But they're my friends!
*smack*
I love penny arcade.
Penny Arcade is a love/hate relationship with me, on one hand, it can be an unfunny webcomic that makes sad amounts of money, on the other, it can be a funny webcomic that makes appropriate amounts of money.
With all the charity and events that Tycho and Gabe do, I don't resent them for any money they make. They're awesome people, wonderful gamers, and a true credit to the gaming community.
it's also interesting hearing the design process that goes into a strip. in tycho's post on the home screen, there's a link to a mp3 where he and gabe discuss the art of dm'ing and the creation of today's strip.
With all the charity and events that Tycho and Gabe do, I don't resent them for any money they make. They're awesome people, wonderful gamers, and a true credit to the gaming community.
I have no issue with giving to charity, that's philanthropy, can't really argue against it. I just think that all the damn money being spent on celebrities, athletes, and guys who write webcomics should go to police officers, firefighters, and various other people who do real work rather than write webcomics, act in some remake, or get paid sad amounts of money to kick a ball around a field.
I have no issue with giving to charity, that's philanthropy, can't really argue against it. I just think that all the damn money being spent on celebrities, athletes, and guys who write webcomics should go to police officers, firefighters, and various other people who do real work rather than write webcomics, act in some remake, or get paid sad amounts of money to kick a ball around a field.
I think you're making too big a deal about this. I'm going to include PvP's Scott Kurtz in this discussion because of his appearance in the podcasts and similar stature among gaming comics.
For one, I think you way overestimate the amount of money they make. Sure, they're at the top of the heap among people who earn a living from a webcomic, but it's an awfully small heap. They may have a gigantic revenue stream, but I sure wouldn't want to pay for their bandwidth.
Secondly, not everyone can be a police officer, firefighter, or teacher. And to say the money they make would otherwise go to police officers and firefighters is disingenuous. They aren't being paid by the government; they're being paid by corporations for advertising and by private consumers who buy merchandise. If Penny Arcade ceased to exist, that money wouldn't magically find its way to schools and emergency services. It would line the pockets of some executive at EA, Blizzard, or whoever else advertises with them.
And really, comparing them to athletes and celebrities? When was the last time you saw a story on CNN about Scott Kurtz being arrested for dog fighting? Is Jerry Holkins a "person of interest" in a strip-club shooting? Did Tim Buckley do steroids? The fact of the matter is that many webcomic writers and artists give back to their fans. Nobody does a better job of that than Jerry, Mike, and Scott.
Wishing police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and teachers were better compensated is understandable. I agree with you, they should make more money. But webcomics aren't the problem. Arlington, Texas, is providing the Dallas Cowboys $325 million for a new stadium, and raising taxes to pay for it. You want a target? Go after public financing of private stadiums.
Oxybe, I understand that most of the Western world proves poor stewards of their money, and as a society, we have some screwy priorities, but I don't see the guys at PA, or any other 'professional' webcomic artists as part of the problem. Jerry & Mike: way to get paid to do something you love, way to support our little hobby gaming universe, and way to give something back!
Is Jerry Holkins a "person of interest" in a strip-club shooting?
Jack Thompson would think so.
Did Tim Buckley do steroids?
I met the guy at Otakon a couple of times. Looking at his arms, he might have.
Arlington, Texas, is providing the Dallas Cowboys $325 million for a new stadium, and raising taxes to pay for it. You want a target? Go after public financing of private stadiums.
There is a reason for that. Rather simply, sports teams bring a lot, and I mean A LOT of revenue to a city, so that sort of public funding is really an investment that will provide jobs and revenue for the people of Arlington.
As for being on topic, you gotta remember Tycho is an old school player. He played back in the days of Save or die. He likely played 1st edition games.
Remember 1st edition? Apparently 1st edition DMs and module designers felt that players were the spawn of Satan, horrible beings on the level of rapists and child molesters and internet spammers, all of which owed the DM the equivalent of a first born child. Pitiful beasts whose tears were the very life force of your ability to DM. Characters were nothing to DMs but fruits of grief, waiting to grow, first having to survive your every whim and only existing if it was the strongest and best, and then becoming a beautiful being the player loved and cared about, then harvested in a horrific setting via a save or die or some ridiculous module creation that no sane person could prepare for. A meal for the DM, soaked in the blood of the player's toil and hope, soaked in the tears of their grief and desperation, sealed nicely with their begging cries of mercy as their very essence becomes meaningless in the voids of a DM's or module maker's whim.
On a related note, my first edition group just finished White Plume Mountain.
Oxybe, I understand that most of the Western world proves poor stewards of their money, and as a society, we have some screwy priorities, but I don't see the guys at PA, or any other 'professional' webcomic artists as part of the problem. Jerry & Mike: way to get paid to do something you love, way to support our little hobby gaming universe, and way to give something back!
um i think this is directed at the wrong person... i just found the back and forth between the 2 interesting.