Nostalgia Critic's comment/Fanbase joining discussion

[pppp]

So i was watching NC's latest vid and i noticed this line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIFlQV7sqpU

Oh you have no idea Doug

Hilarious that he doesn't even know half of it huh?

This got me thinking: Imagine someone that likes playing Sonic games but knows nothing about the fanbase deciding to suddenly join it.

What do you think would be the reactions these people would have when they discover that most of it is made of stupid and mean spirited people(Like the death threats that Roger got)?

[Diogenes]

Are we talking about someone who's new to the internet or someone who just hasn't gotten involved with Sonic in particular?

[pppp]

Are we talking about someone who's new to the internet or someone who just hasn't gotten involved with Sonic in particular?

Someone that just got internet,been playing Sonic games all his/her life even though never actually getting knowledge of the fanbase's reputation and decided to just join the sega forums.

[Ferno]

I've wondered this as well.

If I didn't know about the fanbase I'd wonder to myself how Sega went and turned the tone of the series upside down countless times between Adventure and Colors, and about why fat Sonic is back when I didn't even notice he had changed before then.

[Nepenthe]

Depends upon the person's age and their view of all the Sonic games they played until the time of going online, although I imagine anyone remotely mature regardless of their attitude towards the franchise would not want to associate with the fanbase if their first look at it was the Sega forums.

[Chaosmaster8753]

Like Doug said about the Phantom Menace, people have already done enough rants about the Sonic fanbase.

[Shoot em up Capbusta]

Someone that just got internet,been playing Sonic games all his/her life even though never actually getting knowledge of the fanbase's reputation and decided to just join the sega forums.

That sounds like me over a year ago.

[Your Vest Friend]

Aw, i was going to rant about how Sonic fans are being too overzealous on TGWTG, but it turns out the topic is different to that. :<

Meh, anyone who joins the fanbase may be taken aback at first, but they soon find a side to join and argue with.

[Gaming Misfit]

Oh, Doug. You and your shenanigans.

[redhellc]

I'm really happy that when I decided to join the fanbase I didn't went to the sega forums.

Edited August 30, 2011 by redhellc

[Abominal SnowTaz]

Like Doug said about the Phantom Menace, people have already done enough rants about the Sonic fanbase.

Yeah, and if Doug is hinting at the fact that Sonic X gets the most requests, I don't blame him for not reviewing it. SSMB and 4kids pretty much picked it apart already, though I don't know about Sonic Underground. I barely saw some of it so there's no point in bringing it up.

[Nepenthe]

His reasoning for not choosing the other Sonic shows and "movies" (not just X) was that he didn't grow up with them and thus couldn't look at them from a retroactive viewpoint, not because he believes he couldn't add anything to the commentary. If anything, his comment about the fanbase's zealousness wasn't even negative, rather that he figured they were showing him material that would actually be really good for an entire episode. He also said he wouldn't be reviewing any other Mario media for the same reasons.

Way to look down on the community for no reason. xP

[Abominal SnowTaz]

His reasoning for not choosing the other Sonic shows and "movies" (not just X) was that he didn't grow up with them and thus couldn't look at them from a retroactive viewpoint, not because he believes he couldn't add anything to the commentary. If anything, his comment about the fanbase's zealousness wasn't even negative, rather that he figured they were showing him material that would actually be really good for an entire episode. He also said he wouldn't be reviewing any other Mario media for the same reasons.

Way to look down on the community for no reason. xP

[Your Vest Friend]

Sonic Underground is so damn borderline for the cutoff anyway that it was inevitable that Doug's age at the time would assure that it wasn't reviewed.

[Retrix]

What do you think would be the reactions these people would have when they discover that most of it is made of stupid and mean spirited people(Like the death threats that Roger got)?

I wouldn't say 'most' people in the fanbase are stupid or mean spirited. Unfortunately they are often those who speak loudest.

I was new not so long ago, but I simply stay away from what I don't like to see. Most of the people I have communicated with, and all of those whom I have met, have been very friendly, considerate people, so I haven't been put off.

[Abominal SnowTaz]

Well, like I said, I knew very little about Underground except that it aired on an educational channel early in the morning, at least that's what I remember... In fact, I hadn't heard of it until 2003.

[Sami]

His comment made me proud to be a Sonic fan. I don't know what you guys are on about. o -o

[Octarine]

Being completely honest, the only huge difference I've really noticed between fans of Sonic and fans of basically anything else is the huge degree to which Sonic fans tend to be obsessed with their own fandom. The fans have this problem or that problem, the fans are too whiny, the fans give too much praise, Chris-chan is a fan, people see the fans this way, this or that would be bad for the fandom, the fandom is divided... I swear to God we spend nearly as much time talking about ourselves as we do talking about the thing we're all fans of. We're not the worst fans in the world; our flaws are just more prominent because we're... self-conscious, I guess? Supply your own reasons why.

...and here I am contributing. Alas.

[the blu blur]

Just don't have IGN be you first stop when it comes to chatting on forums. That's the mistake I made.

I can imagine mixed reactions depending upon where you start, hence why I recommend not going to IGN forums first. Sega forums isn't too bad. Its not as mature as others, but its a lot more open and welcoming for the most part. Retro is pretty level headed, and this place feels like middle ground between Sega forums and Sonic Retro.

Edited August 30, 2011 by the blu blur

[Rally the Cheetah]

Hmm I recall my introduction to Sonic forums. It was quite rough actually, I'd never joined a forum before then so was unsure how everything worked. I was also scared away for a while because some people seemed downright mean and no one had a problem with it. I'd have to say if you're a young fan it's a lot harder. Many sites just don't have the patience to first timers, I'd have to say this one included. I've seen responses here that would unease a first timer. Any response that goes something like " Oh god, not this again", or "what have you been living under a rock?" can really make someone feel like a outcast. I was Admin to a forum long ago that had primarily young members. In fact I and the webmaster were the oldest members of the forum, everyone else was about 12 and at oldest about 17 or 18. I can tell you I posted some Sonic news I'd heard on this site and Shadow of a Hedgehog that everyone there hadn't heard of. It wasn't even that recent, i just linked a vid to some game footage and nearly everyone said they hadn't seen it. Seems they were unsure were to look and didn't like many of the game forums because the people there were "mean".

So yeah I'd have to say if you're just starting out it can be real hard.

[Retrix]

Any response that goes something like " Oh god, not this again", or "what have you been living under a rock?" can really make someone feel like a outcast.

It does annoy me when I see that happen. It's not in my nature to say or write anything which I feel may offend or get a negative reaction from others; I don't know if that's entirely a good thing. As such I tend not to contribute to 'discussions' (and there are many of them) which look open to mudslinging going on. But I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm sure I would write more if there were fewer people who have the attitude you describe.

[sonfan1984]

I'm actually pretty said that he won't do anymore Sonic related reviews. I want to see him review Sonic Underground. D:

[Old dead account]

I'm really happy that when I decided to join the fanbase I didn't went to the sega forums.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Gartocer

[Danj86]

Back when I first joined the community, I didn't actually know about it's reputation.

I first joined a small forum at a Knuckles Chaotix website and everyone was super nice and it was awesome. Through them I learnt abit more about the Sonic community. But even to this day I haven't been exposed to or been a victim of the nastyness that the community is supposedly constantly up too.

Maybe I'm lucky in that aspect.

I don't really bother with anyones overly pessimistic reviews either. (even though I'm often pessimistic myself.) Why listen to other peoples opinions when I'd rather make one of my own.

That also reminds my of a funny quote from the TV show, NCIS. "Opinions are like butts, everyone has one and they all stink."

[Milo]

Kinda wierd when he was referring to Sonic animation in general, he only showed Sonic X clips. DOes he even know about Sonic Underground? Even wierder is that people actually want him to REVIEW that show anyway. It was made in 2003, which is pretty recent. (Doug doesn't review post-2000 media, unless it's heavily requested -i.e. Alone in the Dark and The Room).

And I too wasn't aware of the frachises's reputation or the recent games' critical reception much, some years ago. In fact, I didn't even know about the post-Adventure games (or even the character redesign) until maybe around 2003, when I saw the boxart of Sonic Heroes. Around that time Sonic X (which I didn't see a lot of) started airing as well.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Ananze