Together Retro 2016 Calendar - FINAL

[mjmjr25]

(these are all srs questions).

What is the intended purpose of Together Retro?

Is it something to unite current active members?

Is it to engage our less active members?

Is it to attract new members?

Is it to promote the site?

Where i'm going is - as a fairly active member; this thread was mostly decided in the first 48 hours, before the MAJORITY of our members, the 1-2 days a week, 10-20 posts a month folks could weigh in. As of yesterday 74% of posts in this thread were by the same (7) members. This isn't a knock - i'm glad we have those 7 very active members, but it doesn't reflect the majority of our membership.

I look at this list - and think...well, maybe 2017. Not everyone has these tastes; not everyone has 10-20...to 40 hours a week to game. Many of us, the majority of our members...the MAJORITY of any new retro-gamers we might bring to the site, only have 1-5 hours a week, at best, and most of these games are not going to line up with those schedules.

We already have "Together RPG" for folks who have more time and are into the genre. This years list has what i'd consider (4) games that are RPG, or RPG-ish. You may not call Harvest Moon an RPG, but if you ask the MAJORITY of gamers what genre it is...they'd call it an RPG, just like the majority would call Geometry Wars Galaxies a shmup. Even though those into RPG, or Shmups, know that Harvest Moon is not an RPG and GWG is not a Shmup...we need to embrace the reality.

This site is becoming smaller and smaller and Together Retro is one of the things we do to stand out. We need to embrace the current environment. The games should still be from classic formats, but beyond that, they should be:

-Intuitive
-Quick learning curve
-Easily attainable / affordable
-Cross platform
-Name recognition (title, developer, platform, etc)
-Beaten in a month at 2-3 hours a week (beaten, not mastered)
-Digital is a plus
-Online scoring or co-op is a plus

tl;dr - this list is weak and doesn't do anything to promote this site or engage our dormant members.

[BogusMeatFactory]

(these are all srs questions).

What is the intended purpose of Together Retro?

Is it something to unite current active members?

Is it to engage our less active members?

Is it to attract new members?

Is it to promote the site?

Where i'm going is - as a fairly active member; this thread was mostly decided in the first 48 hours, before the MAJORITY of our members, the 1-2 days a week, 10-20 posts a month folks could weigh in. As of yesterday 74% of posts in this thread were by the same (7) members. This isn't a knock - i'm glad we have those 7 very active members, but it doesn't reflect the majority of our membership.

I look at this list - and think...well, maybe 2017. Not everyone has these tastes; not everyone has 10-20...to 40 hours a week to game. Many of us, the majority of our members...the MAJORITY of any new retro-gamers we might bring to the site, only have 1-5 hours a week, at best, and most of these games are not going to line up with those schedules.

We already have "Together RPG" for folks who have more time and are into the genre. This years list has what i'd consider (4) games that are RPG, or RPG-ish. You may not call Harvest Moon an RPG, but if you ask the MAJORITY of gamers what genre it is...they'd call it an RPG, just like the majority would call Geometry Wars Galaxies a shmup. Even though those into RPG, or Shmups, know that Harvest Moon is not an RPG and GWG is not a Shmup...we need to embrace the reality.

This site is becoming smaller and smaller and Together Retro is one of the things we do to stand out. We need to embrace the current environment. The games should still be from classic formats, but beyond that, they should be:

-Intuitive
-Quick learning curve
-Easily attainable / affordable
-Cross platform
-Name recognition (title, developer, platform, etc)
-Beaten in a month at 2-3 hours a week (beaten, not mastered)
-Digital is a plus
-Online scoring or co-op is a plus

tl;dr - this list is weak and doesn't do anything to promote this site or engage our dormant members.

I find this interesting. To me, Together Retro is something that serves a multitude of purposes. All those questions you have posed are roles that Together Retro plays in this community. I would also say that Together Retro is also an activity that should push players to go outside of their comfort zone and play titles that are the pinnacle of their genre and introduce them to a different style of play.

All of the titles presented are games that can be discussed, dissected and enthused about by people. There is history behind them and questions that can be posed to the group as a whole. As for time allotted, three titles take roughly 25-30 hours to beat and a third has a maximum time capped at 23.5 hours, but can be easily beat before that. Everything else is well within the range you have provided.

As for promoting the site and engaging dormant members... what do people do to promote the site currently? Do we go outside of the forums to engage other people in Together Retro? Do we hit up social media, stream the games we play and encourage people to check out the site? Simply, picking a list of games to play monthly will never bring in more traffic. Instead, you have to do grunt work and get out there talking about it outside of the site itself.

If you present a game in a good light and talk about the positives of the title, you can easily encourage other people to play a game that they aren't fully aware of or understand. It is simply a matter of loving the games you play and enthusing.

I plan on streaming games throughout the year and try and promote the sight through that outlet, as well as talk about it on facebook and twitter. I want to highlight aspects of the games I do know about in a way that makes people excited and interested in the title. For the titles I have never played or have no experience with, people can see and experience a different perspective and understand a novice's approach to the title. I am not a person who will disregard a game as garbage, simply because I stink at it.

If you want the site to grow and for people to get engaged in Together Retro that are currently in the community, talk about it outside this particular section. Have a larger push for getting people to play. Add it to your signature, post pictures of your gameplay in the screenshot thread, talk about it in the genre sub-boards. That is how you get people involved.

It isn't the titles that matter. Instead, it is the people who can appreciate them and understand them and spread that appreciation out to other people. Enthusiasm is contagious and I can assure you that people will take notice and follow suit.

[noiseredux]

Mike you bring up good and interesting points.

To be honest, I ultimately don't care what the list is. My hope is that we have the most people on the site actually engaged by the games and participating. I'm just not exactly sure how to make that happen.

Even this calendar as it stands right now - it was attempted democratically, and yet even those that helped shape it seem like they're not exactly thrilled with it.

It really doesn't matter to me if this calendar sticks or if a whole new one is drafted. What does matter is that we have a lot of participation.

[ExedExes]

I'm happy with the list. Those who have had ideas and nominations did so. I aim to participate as much as I can, and I've already started to work on getting the games for next year. I'm sure others have too. Please don't make any changes.

[MrPopo]

I don't think any list will have a single person go "I'm excited to play every single game on here!" Some people won't want to go out of their comfort zone, or maybe they've played a particular game a hundred times. I think different people get different things out of it. I tend to use the list as a way to plan out what games I hit up when; it gives some structure to how I approach my backlog. Another aspect I like is being able to share a game I really like with other people who haven't before; even if I don't play the game myself I can join in the conversation.

[mjmjr25]

If you want the site to grow and for people to get engaged in Together Retro that are currently in the community, talk about it outside this particular section.

It isn't the titles that matter.

I think the titles to matter. A lot...

I can only speak for myself - the other forums I frequent (KLOV, AO, Shmups, NG, RetroMods) if I change my sig that Racketboy Together Retro is Metal Slug 3...new people will sign up. If I post it's Harvest Moon...they won't. I totally get there are a lot of people into sim/strat/rpg...but that isn't what the majority of retro-gamers are after. The want quick, easy, get-in/get-out, 30 mins here and there - reliving childhood, playing those classics in 20 min bursts, and if possible, posting and comparing their playthrough online via STEAM or Facebook.

There is a reason some titles generate 37 pages of discussion (Phantasy Star Online) and (24) pages of discussion with many folks not normally playing TR (DoDonPachi). They are accessible, multiple versions, online, can play in 20 minute increments, etc. There is also a reason some TR threads have 3-4 pages of discussion. That reason is:

The actual game

Those who have had ideas and nominations did so. I aim to participate as much as I can, and I've already started to work on getting the games for next year. I'm sure others have too. Please don't make any changes.

No, they didn't. Both Flake and I, who are not in the casual member realm - by the time we came to post and read through the thread, it was already mostly decided and new mentions were quickly dismissed because "Daytona already has 4 votes" mentality. Not really inviting for our more casual members to have a voice.

You already started to "work" on getting these games. I don't even know what that means.

[alienjesus]

I'm really glad we finally had a year where we could get this sorted quickly and without pointless arguing over stuff

[quote=mjmjr]Stuff[/quote]

Never mind.


Lets just play lots of shmups, run n guns and 1 hour long platformers because apparently thats the only Retro games 'real' retro gamers want.

I'm not surprised that Metal Slug, a fast paced arcade title, appeals to members of shmups boards more than the likes of Harvest Moon. Have you stopped to consider that maybe thats because they're into that specific type of game? I personally prefer to have a well balanced representation of genres that better explores what's available in Retro gaming.

Sure, we could have constant games with high scores (so, what, shmups, puzzle and pinball games - basically all arcade stuff?), but that would give us a narrow and unappealing calendar in my opinion.

-Intuitive
-Quick learning curve
-Easily attainable / affordable
-Cross platform
-Name recognition (title, developer, platform, etc)
-Beaten in a month at 2-3 hours a week (beaten, not mastered)
-Digital is a plus
-Online scoring or co-op is a plus

Besides 'beaten at 2-3 hours a week' pretty much every game we've chosen fits all or most of these criteria. And most of them are beatable in 2-3 hours a week at that.

[BoneSnapDeez]

To be fair, a large chunk of the PSO discussion was dedicated to getting the game up and running. Think I was the only one who finished it.

I do think short, accessible titles with multiple ports is the way to go which I why I nominated Metal Slug, Commando, Ghosts n Goblins, Elevator Action, Double Dragon... I also get that not everyone has the same tastes as me - some of the games picked barely qualify as "retro" in my eyes or simply don't interest me. That's okay, I'm not obligated to play everything.

RPGs are hit-and-miss. Many retro RPGs (like Ys I) are incredibly short and tailor-made for this sort of challenge. Others, like PSO and Grandia, are huge sweeping epics but still managed to garner a great deal of support. From my experience, the Together RPG threads are geared towards more esoteric games (Anachronox, for instance, wouldn't make much headway here).

[TSTR]

does this mean we can play Ridge Racer

[mjmjr25]

does this mean we can play Ridge Racer

That's exactly what this means.

I personally prefer to have a well balanced representation of genres that better explores what's available in Retro gaming.

A fine opinion to have when (5) of the (12) games are games you personally nominated...and yet:

This isn't my favourite line up ever, but I'm happy with how smooth this whole thing went.

I'm not arguing for the sake of arguing. I'm making the point that in the interest of "getting this done w/o any arguing" it was rushed. In your own words - a member with 5 of his picks on the final list, the thing about the list that makes us happy is that it was done smoothly?

My inner dsheinem has awakened. Getting something done smoothly should not be the criteria. Together Retro is one of the defining things about this SITE. TR and the Best Of / Hidden Gems articles are what get people here and then ultimately stay in the community.

If active members like myself and Flake can't even get into the discussion before it's decided how can we expect our less active members to chime in or feel included. I'm not big on voting on everything - but I think this is one area where it can generate more discussion and feel more inclusive.

All respect due to the homey, but I mean, just 6-hours into the thread there were already front-runners being declared? Again, same point...where's the fire?

Don't get me wrong - without noise, popo, bone, bogus, ack, exed, and AJ this site would be a ghost town some days - your input is invaluable, no doubt. I'm just trying to emphasize the point that I think TR is one of the things, perhaps the only thing, that truly separates us as a community and additional time for goals of TR, and games for TR, should be discussed.