Final Fantasy Marathon!!!

[afroakuma]

Don't know if you guys are aware (you probably are) but a group called The Speed Gamers is doing a live marathon playthrough of every main series Final Fantasy game (http://www.thespeedgamers.com/) to raise money for an autism charity. Might be fun for a look.

[Llama231]

I feel slightly nauseated and happy for autistic people at the same time.

[afroakuma]

They're nearing $13,000 in donations already.

Hey, whatever you can do for a good cause.

[Llama231]

Awesome. :smallbiggrin:

I hope that this helps...

[Duke of URL]

That is wrong on so many levels... but for charity (and one very close to my heart), I'll let it go.

[Lord of Rapture]

Wonder how they'll go through Final Fantasy XI?

It's a MMORPG, which means there is no end.:smalltongue:

[Eldariel]

Woah, I wonder if I should try that after I get home from Portugal. It's only ~10 hours per game if you know what you're doing (ok, apparently ~3 if going for a speed run :P) so counting the main series, it's only 120 hours. Not bad, really; 5 days.

Also, so donating something.

[afroakuma]

Wonder how they'll go through Final Fantasy XI?

It's a MMORPG, which means there is no end.:smalltongue:

I'm fairly certain, from what I can garner, that they intend to reference it in some manner and then avoid the game itself.

XII might take them longer, though... parts of that game are lethal without leveling.

Also, apparently they're not going in order.

[afroakuma]

I'm actually really impressed; they've only burned one of the most popular games so far and have already made $13K out of a goal of $20K. They still have 4, 7, 10 and 12 in the wings.

Sadly, they also have 8. :smallyuk:

[BizzaroStormy]

Yeah but they'll be able to blow through 10 since the bosses are fairly easy. All you have to do is charge up all your Aeons' overdrives prior to the battle. Then you just summon, blast, enemy banishes, repeat. For endgame stuff, all you really need is Rikku to mix Trio of 9999 and you're set.

That and I know at least 2 of the bosses that are normally a pain in the ass can be brought down with a pair of phoenix downs.

[Gundato]

Has anyone actually seen them finish any games, or do we just assume they are beating these?

I checked last night, before going to sleep (~2330 EST) and they were stuck fighting Neo Exdeath (end boss of FFV). The guy with the annoying hats kept complaining about how Square fixed the exploit that only made you fight Exdeath, and then threw a hissy fit and left (he actually said he wouldn't be playing today, and that he hated Final Fantasy). A friend of mine checked maybe 5 hours earlier, and says they were fighting Exdeath at the time (which, I think, is the battle immediately before Neo Exdeath).

They then started talking about having to go to school and crap (possible, but it is July, and they apparently took a really long time on an earlier battle too), and how they would put 5 on the backburner for a later day. Then, he started talking about how many donations had been made.

They are now (as of my last checking) playing the FF3 remake on the DS. So I question if they even finished a single Final Fantasy yet, and if they ever will.

I mean, it is great for the charity purposes. But I really don't see them coming anywhere close to their goal of playing all the games (especially since they are already skipping around and losing interest).
I am all for charity, but at least be honest about it. Because this was a great idea. Pick a more spectator oriented game, and you could have a goldmine. But not if they make it look like one giant scam.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If they had done a "Let's Play" type series for Final Fantasy, it would likely have been much better, or at least more entertaining.

[afroakuma]

Has anyone actually seen them finish any games, or do we just assume they are beating these?

They were witnessed finishing 1, 2 and 6.


I mean, it is great for the charity purposes. But I really don't see them coming anywhere close to their goal of playing all the games (especially since they are already skipping around and losing interest).

They've finished three, are at the very end of one, and are around halfway through another. I'm willing to bet that their chances are pretty good.


Pick a more spectator oriented game, and you could have a goldmine. But not if they make it look like one giant scam.

Look at their record on the site. They've done so before with the Zelda series. They're going to do so again with the Megaman series, which is fun, although I personally don't feel that the cause is as good as some past causes.

[Gundato]

A year of marathons and only ~32k? Don't get me wrong, that is amazing to have raised for charity, if we assume they have only had two marathons (Zelda and Megaman) and don't count the proceeds from the current marathon), that is ~16k each. Great, but also a drop in the bucket.

And if we consider that they got that with 11 marathons, that number looks even more pitiful.

And the marathon that is getting them public recognition is Final Fantasy (often played on a DS with bad lighting...), and they are skipping around in a confusing manner. I don't see this helping them in the future.

As for being "at the end of" 5, they apparently were planning to redo World 3.

I dunno, I see fatigue really factoring in. Already one of them refuses to play anymore, and they are going to lose a lot of interest if they keep playing with a camera pointed at a DS.

Megaman, Castlevania, and Metroid though are great choices. Fun for the spectator. Zelda can go either way, depending upon which game. FF though is only really enjoyed for its plot, which I suspect they are fast-forwarding through (since I saw them running from every battle).

[Zeful]

They started last year, 32 thousand in a year with the low amount of recognition they have is an amazing number.

Yes, Final fantasy isn't the best choice, but you can't please everyone.

And they are currently at eighteen thousand plus dollars.

[afroakuma]

A year of marathons and only ~32k? Don't get me wrong, that is amazing to have raised for charity, if we assume they have only had two marathons (Zelda and Megaman) and don't count the proceeds from the current marathon), that is ~16k each. Great, but also a drop in the bucket.

And if we consider that they got that with 11 marathons, that number looks even more pitiful.

Except that some of them were non-charitable marathons. They did seven charitable marathons; both of their first were with Zelda, while in a period of extreme obscurity, and they topped $1000 each time. I've never made money playing Zelda to give to a children's research hospital, and I'm impressed with anyone who has.

Consider then that, changing series for marathons, with some broader recognition, they raised $30000 in 5 marathons of video games, from August 2008 to May 2009. An average of $6000 per charitable cause.


And the marathon that is getting them public recognition is Final Fantasy (often played on a DS with bad lighting...), and they are skipping around in a confusing manner. I don't see this helping them in the future.

As for being "at the end of" 5, they apparently were planning to redo World 3.

I dunno, I see fatigue really factoring in. Already one of them refuses to play anymore, and they are going to lose a lot of interest if they keep playing with a camera pointed at a DS.

They've got over 12000 active viewers right now watching that DS. I think you're being unduly negative about this.

People are enjoying watching the games being sped through and beaten. Even if you don't agree with the choice of series (and apparently you don't) they've not only drawn a massive audience for their relative obscurity, but have raised more than their set goal of $20000 in 74 hours, without having yet played entries 4, 7 or 10, some of the most popular entries in the series.

I'd like to congratulate these folks for making this effort and contributing to a good cause.

By the way, after they finish 3 they said that they're going to 7, for those who are interested.

[Gundato]

Don't get me wrong, I want them to succeed. But I just see a crapload of flaws with this plan.

Plus: I think the swarms of people might have more to do with the advertising and plugging, than anything else. I (like many others) found out about this from NuklearPower (8-bit Theatre...). That is a huge swarm, right there.

I don't argue that they don't have a lot of people for this one. I just question how many will be interested for future events, and if this might not actually hurt the concept of "marathon video gaming for charity".

[afroakuma]

I think the swarms of people might have more to do with the advertising and plugging, than anything else. I (like many others) found out about this from NuklearPower (8-bit Theatre...). That is a huge swarm, right there.

Quite likely, but after three continuous days word-of-mouth can make or break something like this. If the NuklearPower crowd were turned off, it would leak out.


I don't argue that they don't have a lot of people for this one. I just question how many will be interested for future events, and if this might not actually hurt the concept of "marathon video gaming for charity".

So you think that them picking a "boring" game series is doing a disservice to their fundamental idea?

[Gundato]

Kind of.

But mostly, what I mean is that this was an unfortunate choice for their first real exposure. The FFV incident(s) (among many others, that I have only heard about secondhand) make it look like they are incompetent and/or don't think things through. The former is a problem when your target demographic are the (generally immature) gamers. The latter might make people wonder if coming back would be worthwhile.

And this approach to the Final Fantasies (switching and skipping around) kind of defeats the spirit of a marathon. It isn't so much that they are grinding through a bunch of grindfests, it is more that they are being paid to play a few games for a week. That can really be an issue when it comes to donating money.
Case in point: We donate to charities when people walk from New York to Nebraska. We don't donate to charities when people take a plane from New York to Nebraska for work purposes.

I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.

As for the argument of "it has been three days". Two of those were spent with people frantically updating the NuklearPower page for a non-existent update, and last night was full of people frantically trying to see the latest update the moment it was uploaded. So pop a grain of salt on that one (although, it is still really good to have this far in).

[Strawman]

Their "Money raised to time spent raising it" ratio is pretty good, considering how small and low-budget the charity is. As far as their planning skills and choice of game, I think the results so far speak for themselves.

Anyway, the idea is beautiful. It reminds me alot of the Penny Arcade guys starting a charity for kids.

[afroakuma]

But mostly, what I mean is that this was an unfortunate choice for their first real exposure.

I disagree; if anything, I think the choice of a large and popular series has only helped their exposure.


The FFV incident(s) (among many others, that I have only heard about secondhand) make it look like they are incompetent and/or don't think things through.

Having watched some of it before that particular incident, and watched then through FF3, I would have to say that this is the exception, not the norm. They used a preplanned strategy to great effect to speed through most of FF5.


And this approach to the Final Fantasies (switching and skipping around) kind of defeats the spirit of a marathon.

You're saying that they should have played them in order?


It isn't so much that they are grinding through a bunch of grindfests, it is more that they are being paid to play a few games for a week. That can really be an issue when it comes to donating money.

All charities operate on a budget. They have a small overhead to work with and a sponsor tied in with their target audience. If someone paid me to manage or webmaster for a charitable organization, I'd take the money. Many people are gainfully employed in this fashion. The fact that it's coming from outside sources instead of derived from the fund itself is a major bonus.

Once more; they've now raised over $25000, so I don't think it's quite the issue you make it out to be.

Again, you seem determined to see this as the worst thing it could be, and I don't get why. However many "grains of salt" there are, I see far more viewing, enjoying and supporting, and the end result halfway through has seen them surmount their original goal, and shows every indication of matching their total prior fundraising. Moreover, they are using the current marathon's visibility to promote the August Megaman marathon, ensuring that their charitable model will spread by word of mouth to draw a bigger audience in the future. By telling the audience in advance what they plan to do next, they inform them that even if they're not partial to watching Final Fantasy games played live, there are other genres of game coming up in the very near future to suit different tastes.

[Gundato]

I disagree; if anything, I think the choice of a large and popular series has only helped their exposure.
Helped the exposure, yes. But you still need to keep people watching.


Having watched some of it before that particular incident, and watched then through FF3, I would have to say that this is the exception, not the norm. They used a preplanned strategy to great effect to speed through most of FF5.
Probable. I can only comment on the ones I watched.


You're saying that they should have played them in order?
Maybe it was just the way it was advertised, but saying that they were going to play through every FF except for 11 (and maybe some of the newer direct sequels) implies playing through them sequentially.


All charities operate on a budget. They have a small overhead to work with and a sponsor tied in with their target audience. If someone paid me to manage or webmaster for a charitable organization, I'd take the money. Many people are gainfully employed in this fashion. The fact that it's coming from outside sources instead of derived from the fund itself is a major bonus.
I don't see how that follows. It is great that they are not skimming from the top (that we know of), but they claim to have a lot of people, and they seem to be college aged (and taking classes). Not hard to set up a rotation during the whee hours.


Once more; they've now raised over $25000, so I don't think it's quite the issue you make it out to be.

Again, you seem determined to see this as the worst thing it could be, and I don't get why.
And great for them. But please stop assuming that I think this is horrible, and instead just realize that I am pointing out flaws. You see it as attacks, I see it as questioning their questionable decisions that may bite them in the butt at a later date.

[afroakuma]

In recent news, they now have a news crew interviewing them on the process.


Helped the exposure, yes. But you still need to keep people watching.

No, you don't. After someone's finished donating, they really just become a drag on the bandwidth. Using a high-visibility series like Final Fantasy brings in exposure that most other series never could. If any residual visibility results for future marathons, then I don't see how it harms them.


Maybe it was just the way it was advertised, but saying that they were going to play through every FF except for 11 (and maybe some of the newer direct sequels) implies playing through them sequentially.

Probably does, and I'd prefer that myself, but there is a flaw with that plan, namely that the earlier and later sections of the marathon would lose interest painfully. The most popular games are all in a band in the middle of the series.

From what I understand of the process, they have people scheduled for each game based on skill, familiarity and preference, since it is a speed-play. They are adhering to sequential play except where the scheduled player needs to be moved earlier or later. They also apparently have people from away at their event right now, so travel issues may also be a factor.


I don't see how that follows. It is great that they are not skimming from the top (that we know of), but they claim to have a lot of people, and they seem to be college aged (and taking classes). Not hard to set up a rotation during the whee hours.

They have a lot of people, but most of them aren't in the physical location. Their commentators are often staffing it from other countries, but the players have to be in the Dallas area.


And great for them. But please stop assuming that I think this is horrible, and instead just realize that I am pointing out flaws. You see it as attacks, I see it as questioning their questionable decisions that may bite them in the butt at a later date.

No, I'll be frank: I think you just dislike their choice of series.

Yes, you've been pointing out some legitimate questions, but you veer off into questioning the "watchability" of something that at off-peak times has still drawn over 5000 viewers, with a record of over 13000. You also seem to dislike the fact that they're not personally impacted by the charitable process, consider their past fundraising efforts "pitiful," and seem to have drawn your personal experience viewpoint from catching the event at a nadir.

I could be wrong. But when I say "determined to see the negative," doing little other than pointing out what you perceive to be glaring flaws is exactly that; falls very neatly within the definition.

The point that I'm trying to make, Gundato, is that it's working, and it's working well. Choosing a popular series has resulted in successful advertising, major word-of-mouth, radio news reports and now a local TV news broadcast, all of which will help get the word out that this group is active. I don't think that the "watchability" of a popular series is going to prove to be as relevant as the two factors of:

A) Whether it is a popular series, and

B) Whether people know to come and see it.

They obviously know how to generate and sustain an audience.