Board 8 > Should all fictional characters be allowed in an official Character Battle?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Obviously opinions dont matter at this point but just curious what you guys think since its kind of a hot topic
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I think it's silly that people are trying to rally for characters like SpiderMan or DBZ characters. This is a video game character contest on a video game message board. Why on earth would you want to muddle that. I just don't get the appeal.

The only argument I could side with, and the admins had allowed this in the previous contest, is if a character is only known by the masses for his appearance in video games even if he originated elsewhere. A prime example of this was Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors). Westerners only know him through the video game franchise, and barely anybody would've known him from the Chinese lore otherwise.

So the litmus test is: Take the character out of video games. Would the masses still know this character very well? If yes, not eligible. If no, eligible.
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Oh whoops the second option should read "No, these contests should stick to characters that are prominent/originated in video games and a character who is not from a video game shouldn't be crowned the best"
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I'm cool with it provided that it's made very clear from the get-go.
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I would rather have a Licensed Video Game Character Battle or something.
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i don't get why strider would be allowed and other characters who didn't originate in a video game aren't. it seems kind of arbitrary.
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IIRC the Strider-allowing argument was that the manga was meant as a promo for the Strider video games then in development. And regardless of whether that's convincing, while the manga would be his first appearance, "originate" seems like the wrong word there.

And if someone discovered that, I don't know, there was some totally-forgotten Donkey Kong manga released ahead of the game, I don't think we're gonna ban Mario.
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I'm cool with it if they are *mainly* from video games even if they didn't technically originate there. I'd be interested in an anything-goes character battle if these happened often enough to get stale, but in this scenario I'd rather not "waste" one.
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guffguy89 posted...

This is a video game character contest on a video game message board. Why on earth would you want to muddle that. I just don't get the appeal.

because we have other interests and it'd make for a more entertaining contest
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Tom Bombadil posted...

I'm cool with it if they are *mainly* from video games even if they didn't technically originate there. I'd be interested in an anything-goes character battle if these happened often enough to get stale, but in this scenario I'd rather not "waste" one.

This is kind of like my feelings.

I'd prefer that they stayed out but I would be okay if it was done very conservatively and saved for characters that found a new life/identity in gaming, for example Batman representing the Arkham series, or were practically introduced/reintroduced to an entire generation through gaming, such as James Bond.
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Man, Bond was not introduced to an entire generation through gaming.
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guffguy89 posted...

I think it's silly that people are trying to rally for characters like SpiderMan or DBZ characters. This is a video game character contest on a video game message board. Why on earth would you want to muddle that. I just don't get the appeal.

The only argument I could side with, and the admins had allowed this in the previous contest, is if a character is only known by the masses for his appearance in video games even if he originated elsewhere. A prime example of this was Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors). Westerners only know him through the video game franchise, and barely anybody would've known him from the Chinese lore otherwise.

So the litmus test is: Take the character out of video games. Would the masses still know this character very well? If yes, not eligible. If no, eligible.

who are you
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Like I'm not listening to arguments about our contests from people who I don't know/haven't been here. You don't get to decide which of our ideas are "silly".
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ok but he's right though
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yeah, guy with four-digit karma and a contest-related sig, get outta here ya noob you don't get opinions
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I guess we should stop having non-VG-related board contests too

after all this is a video game message board
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I feel like it's time. We've had 10 character battles. 10. It'd be really interesting to see new, potentially strong entrants rather than trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

It gives the contests a whole new dimension and, at least at first, makes it more difficult to predict while not being "random" like some people say about rallies.
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XIII_rocks posted...

I feel like it's time. We've had 10 character battles. 10. It'd be really interesting to see new, potentially strong entrants rather than trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

It gives the contests a whole new dimension and, at least at first, makes it more difficult to predict while not being "random" like some people say about rallies.

The only reason there is a bottom of the barrel is us. We're the problem there for not playing new games. There's no real reason why 2B shouldn't be as strong as Dante besides contest voters being the oldest possible fogies, for instance.
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I would consider supporting this if I thought it was about non-VG characters who are also well-known for their games. But every time the idea comes up, B8 starts listing off every big-name fictional character and then trying to find games that they were in. I've got no interest in seeing what a gaming site thinks about a bunch of non-gaming stuff.
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Xeybozn posted...

But every time the idea comes up, B8 starts listing off every big-name fictional character and then trying to find games that they were in.

the only reason that happened this time is because Allen forced us to list their first game and who knows what the first game was for a lot of these superhero characters because they've had a million licensed games
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Xeybozn posted...

But every time the idea comes up, B8 starts listing off every big-name fictional character and then trying to find games that they were in.

i 100% don't want any of these characters added, but when the nomination form is specifically telling you not to use Arkham Asylum for Batman or Goldeneye for James Bond, it necessitates that discussion.
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The worst thing of all is that no non-VG character would actually win.

You think a VIDEO GAME website actually likes Star Wars more than Zelda or Final Fantasy?
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pjbasis posted...

The worst thing of all is that no non-VG character would actually win.

You think a VIDEO GAME website actually likes Star Wars more than Zelda or Final Fantasy?

Link 60/40'd Santa Claus on Christmas Eve so yeah no chance they would actually win without a rally.

But then people are like "why should we have them in if they can't win the contest" so it's a no-win situation
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As long as the character has been in a game they should be allowed in imo.

pjbasis posted...

You think a VIDEO GAME website actually likes Star Wars more than Zelda or Final Fantasy?

well, according to allen darth vader won in some gamespot character battle.
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which is factually incorrect because Kerrigan won lawl
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ExThaNemesis posted...

guffguy89 posted...

I think it's silly that people are trying to rally for characters like SpiderMan or DBZ characters. This is a video game character contest on a video game message board. Why on earth would you want to muddle that. I just don't get the appeal.

The only argument I could side with, and the admins had allowed this in the previous contest, is if a character is only known by the masses for his appearance in video games even if he originated elsewhere. A prime example of this was Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors). Westerners only know him through the video game franchise, and barely anybody would've known him from the Chinese lore otherwise.

So the litmus test is: Take the character out of video games. Would the masses still know this character very well? If yes, not eligible. If no, eligible.

who are you

Hi, I'm guffguy. I've been on this board off and on for the past 13 years. Nice to meet you.

P.S. Your ideas are silly.
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Your example of Lu Bu is sort of stretching it, because as a counter example, a good amount of people do know Oda Nobunaga as the actual Japan historical figure, but Im sure Allen would allow him in from whatever game people decide on.

Then you have George Washington from like Assassins Creed III or Civilization.
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plus he's already allowed Hitler anyway so we're already sort of stretching the limits for historical figures
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I'm actually surprised at how close the poll is
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Yeah, I didnt think it would be close at all. Guess there are more people here who prefer bran flakes over something exciting. Buncha grandpas

bump
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I've been the number one person pushing All Fictional for many years now, and even I think having another "normal" character battle in 2018 is perfectly fine. As others have mentioned, it's been five years and plenty could have changed since 2013, this is number ten and a chance to reflect back on the previous nine, etc etc.

I still think we should spice things up by allowing all gaming characters into the next one though (2 or 3 years from now).

guffguy89 posted...

I think it's silly that people are trying to rally for characters like SpiderMan or DBZ characters. This is a video game character contest on a video game message board. Why on earth would you want to muddle that.

Because it's an arbitrary distinction. If you've appeared in video games (especially multiple high profile, well loved entries), then you're a video game character. If you're not popular enough with the kind of people who love video games and post about them on video game message boards, then fine, you'll get knocked out in round one. At least you were given a fair shot.

I'd also argue what's actually been "muddled" over the years is the interpretation of these rules. Strider's in the bracket! Wait now he's banned, he started in manga. What's this, he's back on the suggested list? Okay, weird, but clearly you can't have started in novels or comic books. Wait- now Geralt's on the suggested list as well?!

guffguy89 posted...

The only argument I could side with, and the admins had allowed this in the previous contest, is if a character is only known by the masses for his appearance in video games even if he originated elsewhere. A prime example of this was Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors). Westerners only know him through the video game franchise, and barely anybody would've known him from the Chinese lore otherwise.

So the litmus test is: Take the character out of video games. Would the masses still know this character very well? If yes, not eligible. If no, eligible.

This is a standard I'd be totally fine with. The Arkham trilogy was critically acclaimed and sold 15 million+ copies, then the main character got a Telltale series, three Lego games, a virtual reality game... and he's got a history of cool action games going all the way back to the NES. He would absolutely be a big deal in the minds of gamers, even without any movie franchises existing.

Someone like James Bond wouldn't have such massive appeal, certainly, but he's still the iconic main character of the 007th most popular game on this website (as of 2005). Not sure if he'd be making brackets anymore, but he definitely would have a character battle mainstay in the early years.

If you'd want to argue that Darth Vader or Gandalf don't have the inner-gaming appeal though, I think that would be fair.


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Yeah, this result is closer than it usually is when this poll has been run in the past. Usually "keep these other guys out" runs away with it.
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Celebrate video games on GameFAQs, not all of fiction on GameFAQs.

Let Batman face Link in a bonus poll sometime when it's topical, sure -- Link VS Santa was fun -- but other than that it dilutes what I care about.
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literally nobody is asking all of fiction to be celebrated

Spider-Man is the biggest game in the world right now but we can't celebrate that apparently
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not to mention just throwing Batman or Spider-Man or whoever in a bonus match against Link is a total waste because everyone knows they'll lose
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HaRRicH posted...

Celebrate video games on GameFAQs, not all of fiction on GameFAQs.

Let Batman face Link in a bonus poll sometime when it's topical, sure -- Link VS Santa was fun -- but other than that it dilutes what I care about.

You people literally voted for this man over me once. Disgusted!
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But wouldn't the comic book and moreso movie/tv influence of Marvel/DC characters (completely non-video game related) give those characters an unfair advantage?

I think each contest pretty much gives the disclaimer that this is a popularity contest. I'd prefer to keep that contained to popular video game characters and not popular movie/tv/comic characters who happen to have successful video game franchises that capitalized off of their fame.
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They wouldnt really get any sort of meaningful advantage on this site. Somewhere else most likely, but not on this relic

guffguy89 posted...

I think each contest pretty much gives the disclaimer that this is a popularity contest. I'd prefer to keep that contained to popular video game characters and not popular movie/tv/comic characters who happen to have successful video game franchises that capitalized off of their fame.

Listen, when we'd only had three or four contests, I'd give this one to you.

But enough is enough and it's time for a change. Something to really shake this up. And I don't even need EVERY comic book/movie character. I just want ones that are in popular games. Goku and Vegeta might be anime characters, but they also feature in one of the most popular fighting games in the world currently. This is the same for Spider-Man.

No reason why they shouldn't get a shot.
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exthanugget
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Not only that, but Goku and Vegeta are in about as many games as Mario these days. Lots of these characters have dozens of games to their name and their games are allowed in game contests, but the characters are banned from the character contests for stupid reasons

Tom Bombadil posted...

exthanugget

what am I? A DAMN ROAD SIGN?!
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Yeah, the character battles really need something new and exciting. Having so many contests has made them way too predictable these days. Anyone should know who's going to win as long as they remember that Guybrush hasn't lost a match in more than five years.
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please don't kick my leg outta my leg
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people saying that movie/comic/tv characters would be at an unfair advantage:

there are users who come to this board and lose their freaking shit because "MISSINGNO IS A GLITCH NOT A CHARACTER"

you'd have tons of people who would not vote for Batman on the principle that this is a video game website

it would all shake out
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ZenOfThunder posted...

people saying that movie/comic/tv characters would be at an unfair advantage:

there are users who come to this board and lose their freaking shit because "MISSINGNO IS A GLITCH NOT A CHARACTER"

you'd have tons of people who would not vote for Batman on the principle that this is a video game website

it would all shake out

It would be hilarious, too.

That's another point, we allowed Missingno in the fucking contest LMAO everyone should be allowed ffs
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guffguy89 posted...

But wouldn't the comic book and moreso movie/tv influence of Marvel/DC characters (completely non-video game related) give those characters an unfair advantage?

no because as this poll suggests there is a sizable number of people who think they shouldn't be here to begin with and so they'll probably get anti-voted
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as a one-off sure