A warning on the topic of Subscriptions...
Editor's Note: I think Gaijin Goomba makes a pretty good point. Competition is healthy, but there is no reason to be nasty to each other about who has more subscriptions. We just wanted to make it easier to stay in touch with the people that matter to you on ScrewAttack, all while exploring our great content So play nice and encourage others to do the same. Oh and I added the banner to spice things up, courtesy of DeviantARTist ShoTro.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm probably not the best one to bring this subject up, let alone voice my opinion on it. I understand I'm one of the most subscribed g1s right now, but I don't think that means I can't voice concern as someone who loves this community.
I put a message about it on my wall, but I wanted to make a blog about it as well...
Please understand, I don't think this has become the epidemic I am making it out to be! I am just very afraid of what can happen with a few of the changes to ScrewAttack. Specifically subscriptions.
Subscribing is a great and wonderful tool for this site. It lets us follow the people whose content we believe to be excellent, fun, or just entertaining. It is TRULY an awesome thing. ...But there is a dark side to this, and I'm already seeing it happen. I'm seeing people (myself included,) getting ridiculed or just generally pestered for having "too many" or "too few" subs. Let me give a few examples of a few things I've been hearing...
Maybe you just haven't been noticed yet. A lot of people could tell you that it's taken time for them to get a good amount of subs. Remember, this feature is still very new to SA and it may take some time for people to catch on. The point here is that you should be making content because YOU WANT TO MAKE CONTENT! Not because you want subs and attention. The people with a high number of subs are people who are making content because they love the community and/or have some really good ideas for things. The moment you stop making things because you love to do it is the moment you cross into the dark side.
Because it's what Craig, Lauren, Ben, Bryan, Jared, Nick, Sean, and all the other staff decide that. If you have a problem with that, you probably shouldn't be here. It is THEIR call who they feature and who they don't. Besides, there are quite a few people who are on suggested subs that haven't broken triple digits who, in my opinion, deserve it! Being on suggested subs doesn't mean you will automatically get noticed by everyone.
(Get ready for...)
GOOOOMMMBBAA RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGEEEE!!!!
YES I CAN talk! You know why?! Because I didn't kiss anyone's ass to get it! I'm sorry but this comment is what really pissed me off and made me want to write this blog. And no, this wasn't JUST one person who said this either. I didn't email Craig, or Nick, or Jared, or any of the peeps at ScrewAttack and was like, "I'll be your monkeyboy if you suggested subs me." I'm on it because they chose to put me on it, and that is THEIR decision, and no one else's. Craig and the gang could take me down from suggested subs right now, and you know what? I wouldn't make a fuss about it, because it's THEIR decision. I want people to sub to me because they enjoy my content. Not because they're blindly following the words of others.
And for the record, just because you are a suggested sub, doesn't promise triple digit numbers. Don't believe me? Ask James Ronald, JRokuushi, or Squaredrabbit. And these guys DESERVE it IMO, but you haven't heard them complain.
Comments like this do nothing but make you look like you are desperate for subs. This HURTS guys. The reason I'm here is because of the kindness of the community. DON'T take that away from here. If you're going to play that card and tell me my opinion doesn't matter because I've been able to be successful, you can kindly go dive into a stump grinder.
Got news for ya guys, I really didn't either. With the exception of endorsements from Ryan and Lime, I haven't really gotten mentioned by many people for sub Saturday (apologies if I am overlooking someone who gave me a shout out). And you know what? I'm ok with that. The only thing that I hope for when I put up content is that people enjoy it. I don't care about how MANY do, because you know what? If I stimulated just one person's thinking, that's ok with me. It goes back to the whole, "Make stuff because you want to, not to get attention."
Look people... I'm not saying that this has become an epidemic, though I know I sound like it has. I am just very, VERY nervous about division in the community over subs. Subs were put here to help us stay connected with people's content that we really like. It was NOT put here to start popularity contests. Remember those? Remember in school how so many people only cared about what other people thought about them? Remember how much we hated them? Don't bring that crap here. Do NOT bring ScrewAttack to that level. Enjoy the content, subscribe to the people you like, and be happy when people decide to follow you. But keep your epeen in your pants. Connect more, be judgmental less
Sorry for the rant guys, but I felt like it needed to be said. Please, please, please do not make subscriptions into a bad thing.
This is Gaijin Goomba, signing out.
» Tagged In: #community showcase, #dark side, #Gaijin Goomba, #PSA, #Rage, #Subscribe, #subscriptions
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g1 DISCUSSIONS
Figcoinc
Great blog post.
I share the same exact feelings, but in my case it is Twitch.TV. I invested some money into the stream, and tried a lot of different formats until I came up with the one I have now. It took a lot of hard work, and I am still working on it. While other streams were getting hundreds of viewers I was only keeping five to seven at a time.
I am still very small, but I was able to get about 82 followers and average around 10-12 viewers at a time. What makes me appreciate my slow growth is that I am doing it the right way. Improving my content, being as consistent as possible, and being true to myself. Sooner or later I will be noticed, and will become a sponsored streamer. I just know that it will take time, and effort.
The same goes to the content I plan on putting up on ScrewAttack. Right now the only thing I've done is a Rune Factory 2 review. I will start simulcasting my live stream here as well. One thing I will not do is beg others for subscriptions, and just yell out for attention in other channels. I want to earn my subscriptions. I want to learn how to edit, stream, and blog until I get to a point where all my viewers have faith in what I do.
If you do it that way I believe you will get noticed. It may be hard, and it may take a while but it will happen. Plus, I will never judge my subscription/followers numbers to others. It is silly. The only thing I care about is if the content is worth reading/viewing/listening to.
I love this new system that ScrewAttack now has, and I hope over time as those with great content emerges the whole "I have more subscription" talk fades away.
DrCoolGuy
I feel like that one kid in class who did his homework while the entire class gets yelled at for never doing their homework...
LineBeckIV
I've haven't really seen the need for the subscriptions, it only really seems to cause trouble, not that I'm against just...well just...
Sobari
Do subs even do anything? I unsubbed to everything because I didn't get any notifications anywhere when new content was uploaded.
FinalplayerRyu
I really havent noticed anything going on in that direction, but general i would agree.
Baleoce
Good honest view Goomba. The part I think is the most important is that people should be making content because they actually want to. Any success or acknowledgement they get after that will be because it is fully deserved :)
Fandango
I honestly don't mind the lower number of subs. (though people saying they have 40 subs without actually producing any content whatsoever just make me rage D: ) But what I do rage about is the lack of feedback. People just don't seem to care, whatsoever. ANd it's driving me nuts. Not even a "you suck" ...
ShinraCorp
I thought you were going to talk about the "Sub me, and I'll sub you back" thing seriously if I don't want to sub you then bug off sheesh I only sub someone if I find that I need too...
DRQ
u should do the gomba raaaage pic as your profile pic
Gaijin Goombah
ROFL! I shoulda photoshoped some text to match the pic.