Child's Play: One Final Push

[Sazime]

From the "Holy Crap People Are Amazing" dept, Child's Play (http://www.childsplaycharity.org) has almost hit $1 Million!
12-28-06 We're Almost Wrapped Up!
With the total at $963k, we're just a hair away from the $1 million mark! A final push and individual fundraising efforts still pouring in, that goal doesn't seem too impossible! We'll start sending out the non-Amazon contributions to hospitals when the new year rolls around- thank you again!
Alright folks, if you have not donated, do it. Do it now. Hitting $1 mil. for this cause [would] just be too stellar for words.

Freak'n awesome. It's good to see Gabe and Tycho use their popularity to kick start such a great charity.

[fitbabits]

Agreed. It's a great cause and I sincerely hope they hit the million mark. If I hadn't already exhausted my charitable donations for 2006 I'd donate more. Actually, fuck it. Here goes.

[fndarkone]

Agreed. It's a great cause and I sincerely hope they hit the million mark. If I hadn't already exhausted my charitable donations for 2006 I'd donate more. Actually, fuck it. Here goes.
aww, your humility knows no bounds.

[Johan]

Very cool. It's good to know that there are actually good people in the world. Not everyone is a selfish ass or a criminal!

[Thenetcase]

Very cool. It's good to know that there are actually good people in the world. Not everyone is a selfish ass or a criminal!

And then there are your people who are criminals AND generous...

heh heh

[saulob]

Who will win first ? Wikipedia or Child's play ?

http://fundraising.wikimedia.org/

[Vermillion]

I did my part. My local hospital was on the list this year (WAHOO), so some lucky kiddo gets to try their hand at a brand new DS with a Mario game.

Donate guys and gals, even if it's just buying them a book to read or have read to them. I think we can all atest to how playing games or having fun can take your mind off of being sick.

Think about the children!

[Anthony W]

Who is Gabe and Tycho?

[Sazime]

Who is Gabe and Tycho?
The pseudonyms for Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik.

Man, if they manage $1 mil, someone is going to have to demand they hold two dinners next year. One in Seattle and one in New York or LA.

[Brain]

Saw this and decided to donate again! Here's to a good cause!

[slimfatbaby]

Anyone else bothered by the fact that they look the way they do in real life when they have drawn themselves totally different all these years? Would the comic have been less popular if they drew a little more accurate representations of themselves?

I personally lost all interest in their comics 3-4 years back after seeing their "real life" photos and hearing stories about how they act in real life. While they're helping run a charity now, I've heard they are brutally demanding of compensation for nearly anything else they do.

[Sazime]

Anyone else bothered by the fact that they look the way they do in real life when they have drawn themselves totally different all these years? Would the comic have been less popular if they drew a little more accurate representations of themselves?

I personally lost all interest in their comics 3-4 years back after seeing their "real life" photos and hearing stories about how they act in real life. While they're helping run a charity now, I've heard they are brutally demanding of compensation for nearly anything else they do.
They got fucked over by a couple companies they worked with early on. If anything, I'd say they are just very defensive of the rights over their work. If they were that difficult to work with, I don't think they'd have partnered with so many video game companies and the ESRB for ad campaigns.

As far as them not looking like the characters in their comic, name someone other than Greg Dean that even comes close. They're probably just self conscious, like most geeks. :)

[Rirath]

I know I'm in the minority here, but Child's Play is one of the reasons I don't read PA anymore. I've donated to it, and it's a dang good cause. Great for them. But you know what? I can't go to the freaking site without half the page being dedicated to Child's Play news practically year round.

Seriously, people just love G&T for G&T anymore, they don't actually care if they make a comic or not. These dang Cardboard Tube fillers are the most boring thing they've done in ages. Wasn't there a time when they hated anything with more than one part?

Anyone else bothered by the fact that they look the way they do in real life when they have drawn themselves totally different all these years? Would the comic have been less popular if they drew a little more accurate representations of themselves?

Wtf? No. The comic characters are just that, comic "characters". It's not "them". Yeah, they may take some personality cues or whatnot, but you can't be serious in thinking they ought to draw themselves accurately. You might want to look into a thing called "fiction."

[Sazime]

I know I'm in the minority here, but Child's Play is one of the reasons I don't read PA anymore. I've donated to it, and it's a dang good cause. Great for them. But you know what? I can't go to the freaking site without half the page being dedicated to Child's Play news practically year round.

Seriously, people just love G&T for G&T anymore, they don't actually care if they make a comic or not. These dang Cardboard Tube fillers are the most boring thing they've done in ages. Wasn't there a time when they hated anything with more than one part?
I disagree.

As far as CP, I didn't see anything until November this year, and it'll probably be done by the end of January. Then it's back to the regular grind.

As far as the CTS, have you read Gabe's posts on it? Do you really need a gaming comic bad enough that you're willing to throw them away because they want to do something different? One of my favorite things year round are Tycho's posts, and the comics do a wonderful job of supplementing what he writes much of the time. CTS just seems to be a nice little diversion they take twice a year.

And as far as the "Dreaded Continuity," they've become more accepting of it in some cases. I think the Twisp and Catsby strips do enough to balance the occasional continuity. :)

[court12b]

I know I'm in the minority here, but Child's Play is one of the reasons I don't read PA anymore. I've donated to it, and it's a dang good cause. Great for them. But you know what? I can't go to the freaking site without half the page being dedicated to Child's Play news practically year round.


I Honestly cant believe you would fault them for trying to get exposure for the best video game related charity I've ever seen. And, no, they only post about it when the charity drive is currently active, or about to be, namely, the time when people are spending the most money on games for themselves.

and as far as the CTS is concerned, well it is after all their fucking site to do with as they please.

[MaiXu]

I can't believe some people ...

You don't like their comic because their posts now contain Child's Play news? It takes a little work and awareness to raise almost $1 million for a good cause, ya know.

And to the guy who doesn't like PA because the creators don't look like the characters ... what the fuck? When did they ever claim to be writing an autobiographical strip? It looks like the problem is more in what you were expecting than in what they were delivering.

And as to them being "brutally demanding" for their work, well, I'll chalk that up to more misinformation or delusion on your part. They demand compensation for their work ... no shit! How dare they? Considering the legal hassles they've endured to maintain ownership of their own property, you can bet your ass they have strict guidelines for their work and their payment, and they've been around long enough to learn to not take shit from anyone. Considering their successful ventures with Ubisoft, Blizzard, the ESRB, their upcoming videogame, and a host of their other projects, it's pretty clear to me that what you see as brutality is really integrity.

[NACIONAL]

I know I'm in the minority here, but Child's Play is one of the reasons I don't read PA anymore. I've donated to it, and it's a dang good cause. Great for them. But you know what? I can't go to the freaking site without half the page being dedicated to Child's Play news practically year round

I know that a lot of people have commented about this post...

Well let me paraphrase it.... You are a Moron. Do you know that this year they started talking about childs play in november?.

[Rirath]

I can't believe some people ...

You don't like their comic because their posts now contain Child's Play news? It takes a little work and awareness to raise almost $1 million for a good cause, ya know.

Yes yes, swell. Did ya see when the author of VGCats sold a sketch of his on Ebay for over $800 for Child's Play? He didn't harp about it. I simply think they could make a separate site for the CP news, and keep it there. But like I said, PA is pretty much just Gabe and Tycho's blog these days anyway.

Sad thing is, I miss PA. I miss when I could consistantly get a laugh out of it. I miss the gaming references and odd bits about old SNES RPGs. I have a folder of saved strips. These days? No.

You are a Moron.

It's good when people get right to the point; let's me know who to ignore that much quicker.

[court12b]

But like I said, PA is pretty much just Gabe and Tycho's blog these days anyway.

When has it been anything else?

[Rirath]

When has it been anything else?

If you look through their archives, they actually made funny gaming comics at one point.

Really.

[saulob]

man I simply love PA, they E3 strips are amazing. too bad E3 is "over" ...

but ok.. "Child's Play" is a great cause, and I'm up to it :)

[Taco]

PA is better now than it ever has been. Which I find amazing given how long they've been around and what they've been through. Despite what everyone wants and expects, it's just not easy to be on top of your game and still motivated after all that success.

Couple that with the jaw dropping success of Child's Play and PAX, which had eclipsed E3 in many people's minds before E3 as we know it ceased to exist. Everything they touch seems to turn into gold. There are very few people I have more respect for, inside and outside the gaming world.



/hmm my knees are sore...

[Ridlin]

I've donated another $11 for some book. Good for them. I've met Tycho at E3 before at the MS booth party, and he's a great guy.

[court12b]

If you look through their archives, they actually made funny gaming comics at one point.

Really.

man yer right, i went digging and found this one from..... 10 days ago
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/12/20

/sigh

man i miss the good old days

[phuebarr]

If you look through their archives, they actually made funny gaming comics at one point.

Really.

It is, in my opinion, the height of arrogance to automatically assume that Penny-Arcade has changed for the worse and not consider that it is, in fact, you and your tastes that have changed. Your disdain of the current state of Penny-Arcade seems to be, from your posts, associated with comparing it to your nostalgia of the 16-bit age and not judging it on its own merit. If Penny-Arcade no longer suits your taste, that is perfectly acceptable, but there is no need to unfairly skewer them; especially at a moment when they are calling for people to be generous and charitable while the Christmas credit card bill is looming around the corner. Your opinion of the comic is yours and, though I don't agree with it, I respect it; I just wish you withhold judgment on things outside the purview of Child's Play when it could affect someone's decision to give.

[Rirath]

I just wish you withhold judgment on things outside the purview of Child's Play when it could affect someone's decision to give.

Oh come on, seriously? You honestly think somebody is going to say to themselves: "Hmm, Rirath seems ok with Child's Play, and he's donated to it in the past... but he's not a big fan of Penny Arcade these days so screw that!"

I'm sure G&T are great guys. But the fact is in my view, they got older, grew up, got families, and they did a complete 180 on their style. Where it used to be about current games and punchlines, now it's completely about their lives, random arcs, and occasionally WoW. There are, in fact, other webcomics to enjoy.

PA reminds me of a rock band from the 80's. Their old stuff was amazing, their new stuff is tolerable at best. But they've still got a huge fan following, so they use their fame to kick start other projects. Nothing wrong with that, but they just don't rock the way they used to.

[Sazime]

Next time I'll make sure I start a charity thread that comes from a completely no offensive group.

Thanks guys. This is the second CP thread to go down in flames.

[Taco]

You see, the flaws you percieve and describe have always been there. Critics have knocked the tangents they go off on and inside jokes since day one.

Nostalgia has set in.

[phuebarr]

Do you honestly think that someone is going to say to themselves: "Hey, after seeing this guy get so passionate about dissing these guys, this seems like something I should give to!" No, I don't think that any normal person would be so flaky as to base their own opinion off of the opinion of someone they don't know. The point was that this thread is about Child's Play, not the comic strip, and your negative comments, while valid opinions, don't have a place here. At the very least, it's an off-topic pointless distraction. As you say, "there are, in fact, other webcomics to enjoy." Why not go enjoy those webcomics instead of lambasting this one?

I should add, please donate to Child's Play. When the media is almost referring to the gaming industry as drug dealers, delivering a deviant product to its drooling throng of addicts, and dropping thinly veiled remonstrations of those "addicts" as anti-social potential killers; there hasn't been a better time to publicly reveal the true nature of gamers and improve the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves and give them a chance to share in our enjoyment of gaming.

[Camel]

If Child's Play is mentioned (and Gabe and Tycho were mentioned as well in the original post), then it is a given that the comic will be mentioned. I don't know why people would think any different.

A whole thread of "Hey, Child's Play is great! I'll donate!" and "Oh man, I don't have any extra money! I can't donate but Child's Play is still great!" wasn't going to happen. The way I see it, every time someone posts in this thread, negative or positive, it keeps popping up in the "New Posts" section, which means more people will see it and possibly donate.

[fitbabits]

Oh, and by the way, if the kids wanted this stuff so bad, why don't their parents just pony up?? It's not even a worthwhile cause. Why not give toys to African kids?
Because, genius, some parents simply cannot afford to. The fact that you even have to ask is indicative of how out of touch you really must be.

It's also interesting to me that you picked African kids as some counterbalance to your argument. Sick kids are sick kids, no matter where they come from or what their situation is.

My wife is a pediatrician at one of the hospitals on the Child's Play list and she's seen first-hand the difference these gifts make. Have you? Or are you using Child's Play as an excuse to shout from atop your soapbox over some other, more egregious, inequality you deem to be propaganda?

[Taco]

Easi = 15 year old kid who thinks he's a deep thinker.

Who wants to take the bet?

[easi]

Taco = mindless bootlicker that thinks he's on first name terms with 'Mike and Jerry'.

How about that for a bet.

[Taco]

13? ?

[fitbabits]

Taco = mindless bootlicker that thinks he's on first name terms with 'Mike and Jerry'.

How about that for a bet.
easi = Someone who's obviously on first-name terms with both Tom and Jerry.

[StGeorge]

Anyone else bothered by the fact that they look the way they do in real life when they have drawn themselves totally different all these years? Would the comic have been less popular if they drew a little more accurate representations of themselves?

I personally lost all interest in their comics 3-4 years back after seeing their "real life" photos and hearing stories about how they act in real life. While they're helping run a charity now, I've heard they are brutally demanding of compensation for nearly anything else they do.

"Gabe" and "Tycho" are self-made millionaires through their web comic, and they got that way by exploiting every angle of their creation (ad revenue, merchandising, selling "re-hash" books of old comics, customized ads for any game, selling posters & stills of their comic). There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. When you have millions of people in a particular demographic visiting your site and you can direct them to do whatever you want like a bunch of sheep, then you have a lot of power with the corporations who covet that demographics. Why not screw them over in the name of the almighty dollar?

I almost laughed out loud when "Tycho" said donating the $40k or so to push the charity over $1 million would financially hurt him. Maybe for this month.

[StGeorge]

Wtf? No. The comic characters are just that, comic "characters". It's not "them". Yeah, they may take some personality cues or whatnot, but you can't be serious in thinking they ought to draw themselves accurately. You might want to look into a thing called "fiction."

If they aren't the characters themselves, then why do they ID and sign their blog using "Gabe" and "Tycho"? Gabe and Tycho represent idealized versions of themselves. The significant others in the comic are probably VERY idealized versions.

[Taco]

It wasn't "them" until well after their inception.

Not like it really matters though. What a retarded discussion. I never grasp how discussions about free stuff to sick children turns into this.

Then I remember half the people on the internet are dumber than the average web denizen.

[easi]

The significant others in the comic are probably VERY idealized versions.

Gabe's wife is fat, so yes.

[fitbabits]

Gabe's wife is fat, so yes.
You're a real charmer, easi.

[Gpig]

and as far as the CTS is concerned, well it is after all their fucking site to do with as they please.

Evil Avatar is also Evil's site but it would be annoying if he decided to switch from a gaming news site to become a botanical news site. He would post all of his favorite plant picture he took and and go into detail as to why he is proud of the picture, "I really think I captured this plants essence with my research and the glow tool."

If CTS had any merit it wouldn't be so bad, but it's not parody and it's not cool. It's just bad. Gabe and tycho can't even describe why they like it. Well, Gabe likes it because he likes drawing, (which is fine by me, but post your pictures of dragons on your live journal, not on a comic page) but even tycho is unable to describe what is good about them or what their point is.

That said, aside from CTS and the huge deluge of pax related shit for like a period of a month every fucking day by gabe, Penny-Arcade is still just as good as it has always been. That's pretty impressive considering how old it is. Tycho is just a very good writer.

As for Child's Play, I didn't really care either way about it until I gave my cousin a game boy micro and some games I beat when he was in the hospital and seeing how much he liked it. It just felt really good and it only cost me like $50 to do. After seeing that, I'm much more in favor of it.

[Sazime]

It wasn't "them" until well after their inception.

Not like it really matters though. What a retarded discussion. I never grasp how discussions about free stuff to sick children turns into this.

Then I remember half the people on the internet are dumber than the average web denizen.
Exactly my point...

[Johan]

Every time I see this thread title, I think of my pregnant wife and our February due date...

"come on, honey...it's child's play; one final push!"

*SMACK in my head with a thrown object from my wife!*

[Ravenlock]

My God, people are incredible. They raise almost a million freaking dollars to give gifts to sick kids at Christmas, and the discussion is about how they're narcissists who "screw over" their fans and draw idealized versions of themselves.

The real Gabe and Tycho just raised almost a million bucks in a charity they started from the ground up. I think they can draw the "idealized" Gabe and Tycho (and their wives, who probably feel very flattered and loved by their portrayal regardless of how accurate or not it is, and that's probably the point, ever consider that?) any way they goddamn please.

They're a talented team of artist and writer who love what they do for a living and make a consistent, frequent effort to improve the industry they care about, either through their partnerships or this charity or just through the points they make in their strips. If you don't like their work that's fine - I certainly don't always find it amazing - but turning a thread about a kids' charity into nitpicking the people who run it? :( Sad.