Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life long di

[BulbaBot]

Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life long die-hard

This column is subtitled “Outlook and speculation from a lifelong diehard”, but admittedly there isn’t near as much speculation presented here as what goes on in forums everywhere. This is partly because I try to limit my speculation within this column to theories based on existing facts, not unfettered imagination, but this week that’s the topic at hand: out of control rumors about the forthcoming fifth generation. One offhand comment in a forum topic can lead to a completely transparent rumor being propagated in no time.

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[Cybersai]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

have to wonder if the Pokémon fandom simply changed from what it was or if it's an entirely new fandom altogether.

This is the dumbest thing I've ever read. Of course an entire new generation of kids entered the fandom.

The kids who were 7 years old when Pokemon started in 1998 are now 19 or 20.

Likewise, a lot of the older fans are long gone and have moved on from the series. Where the hell did anyone get the idea the fandom is the same now as it was in 1998?

Is the passage of time really a difficult concept to grasp? I didn't know people remain 8 years old forever.

 

[Garren]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

Nah, that fake scan didn't fool anyone with a basic knowledge of Japanese. The names weren't written in katakana like usual, not too mention the art was pretty dodgy.

EDIT: Yeah, I was about to mention that (but not as harshly). Some people on here are probably YOUNGER than Pokemon.

 

[V Faction]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

"I say, the fandom is most assuredly impatient and full of trite bullshit, wouldn't you agree, Reginald?"

"Yes yes, quite right, quite right, Perryington. In the days of old, fanwank was much more about the fan part instead of the wanking."

Say those lines with some really fuddy-duddy accents.

Rumors are rumors are rumors. Fans are fans are fans.

 

[Garren]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

Personally, I LOVE rumors and fakemon and the like. Was kind of dissapointed how quiet it was at first but then we got some nice ones. It makes the wait exciting imo.

People really stepped up their game, with that one fake CoroCoro scan, fake demo screens, and that BW Anime/NoA translator rumor among others. Much better than...say...Aobasu.

 

[SmearglePaints]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

This is the dumbest thing I've ever read. Of course an entire new generation of kids entered the fandom.

The kids who were 7 years old when Pokemon started in 1998 are now 19 or 20.

Likewise, a lot of the older fans are long gone and have moved on from the series. Where the hell did anyone get the idea the fandom is the same now as it was in 1998?

Is the passage of time really a difficult concept to grasp? I didn't know people remain 8 years old forever.

My point wasn't that the fandom had changed but whether it was an entirely new fandom. At one point fans of the series that were introduced via the Red/Blue version were the majority; are they still the majority?

 

[Cybersai]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

At one point fans of the series that were introduced via the Red/Blue version were the majority; are they still the majority?

Probably not. If you were 10 years old back in 1998, you're about 23 years old now.

While there are a number of people in their 20's who still play Pokemon, they made have phased out in the middle and just got back into it, and may phase out again in the future.

Likewise, what about the kids who were originally too young to come online? I now see a lot of people who say GS or R/S were their first Pokemon games, instead of RBY.

 

[SmearglePaints]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

Probably not. If you were 10 years old back in 1998, you're about 23 years old now.

While there are a number of people in their 20's who still play Pokemon, they made have phased out in the middle and just got back into it, and may phase out again in the future.

Likewise, what about the kids who were originally too young to come online? I now see a lot of people who say GS or R/S were their first Pokemon games, instead of RBY.

There's actually a limit on how long these editorials can go so I was rather limited in what I could say. I was trying to bring up what you're saying, about how the fandom is really a cycle of older fans being replaced by new but had to drive that point in very quickly.

Basically, the gist of my side of the discussion is that we have an entirely new fandom comprised of those introduced later in the series that are entirely unaware of what the atmosphere of the fandom was like during the Red/Blue and early Gold/Silver days. We're almost returning to a state where the PokéGods are wanted and necessary again, but actually can't come about because people know how to utilize the Internet now. The speculation, hoaxes, and rumors are a lot more sophisticated now.

 

[WallflowerCanyon]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

While there are a number of people in their 20's who still play Pokemon, they made have phased out in the middle and just got back into it, and may phase out again in the future.

This is pretty much me in a nutshell... sorta. I've always liked playing the games since Crystal, but it was the anime that I had phased out of during Hoenn, then come back in again in the middle of Sinnoh. I watched a few Sinnoh episodes here and there, but I think I might give it a try and watch all of the Isshu episodes this time.

--------------

To me, it feels like the fandom is made of half-and-half... one half is the newer, younger kids, and then you got people like me who have known about Pokemon since it started. I know that sometimes, it feels like the fandom as a whole has alot more negatives than positives to it, if you get my drift... sometimes it almost makes me a little embarassed to be a fan of Pokemon...:sweatlol:

 

[GodofPH]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

There's actually a limit on how long these editorials can go so I was rather limited in what I could say. I was trying to bring up what you're saying, about how the fandom is really a cycle of older fans being replaced by new but had to drive that point in very quickly.

That's my fault. I try to keep the articles under 1,000 words each week, even when I do dialogs like this one.

Also, I would like to state I apologize if it seems like we're painting the entire fandom with one brush. There are plenty of rational people among our ranks, this article was mostly directed at the assorted crazies here and there.

 

[Proxima Centauri B]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

yes well i was into the anime long before picking up a Game Boy. I played my first game Silver, vigerously then picked up crystal, yellow, red and blue. I anticipated Ruby and Sapphire but i had a bit of a phase out around that time. I barely showed interest when D/P came out, then i saterted playing it again and was dissapointed in what i missed all the events. Now that im 23 i actually have more interest than when i was young, especially when i play SS because it reminds me of that first Silver Game.

It interesting learning about game mechanics, EV/IVs, stats and competitive stuff, i never would have given those a passing glance at 13 when i picked up my first Pokemon game, its actually more exciting to me now, if you will believe that.

 

[GodofPH]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

It interesting learning about game mechanics, EV/IVs, stats and competitive stuff, i never would have given those a passing glance at 13 when i picked up my first Pokemon game, its actually more exciting to me now, if you will believe that.

That's perfectly understandable. It's like the series, as it diversified over time, essentially grew up with the first generation of fans to embrace it. It reminds me of the Harry Potter series, and how I was roughly the same age as the title character as the books progressed along.

 

[spriteless]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

These discussions need to be about half again as long as they are if they're going to more than touch on a few ideas.

And I like the fakemons.

 

[The Outrage]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

Is the passage of time really a difficult concept to grasp? I didn't know people remain 8 years old forever.

We've only passed 3 years in-game time D:

I find this surprising coming from people who expect the anime will have a conclusion, considering that as new fans come in and old fans leave, they never have to actually write anything new.

You know, I will agree with the last statement, not that I'm still impatient, but that I have become impatient. We're in the internet age, we have google at our fingertips. We want to know the answer to a question? We can easily find it online (whether its correct or not is another matter). We've been accustomed to instant access to information, this isn't just something limited to the fandom, but possibly this whole generation.

 

[GodofPH]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

We've only passed 3 years in-game time D:

I find this surprising coming from people who expect the anime will have a conclusion, considering that as new fans come in and old fans leave, they never have to actually write anything new.

You know, I will agree with the last statement, not that I'm still impatient, but that I have become impatient. We're in the internet age, we have google at our fingertips. We want to know the answer to a question? We can easily find it online (whether its correct or not is another matter). We've been accustomed to instant access to information, this isn't just something limited to the fandom, but possibly this whole generation.

In effect we attain the same attention span we had when we joined this fandom. :XD:

 

[winstein]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

This editorial is interesting, because I find it fascinating that fans from years before even crave for information, even when they're possibly fake.

 

[Infinix]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

This editorial is interesting, because I find it fascinating that fans from years before even crave for information, even when they're possibly fake.

Hmm... Maybe it's less about knowing the actual truth/facts, and more about temporarily sating the "hunger" for "mind-food"? Wouldn't "consuming" information regardless of credibility be non-productive at best? <Shrug> Just wondering.

 

[Falconwing]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

You guys did get the comparison to Brawl down though. Gotta admit, those prophets were really annoying. I decided to disbelief anyone who supported Tingle.

However, in this day and age where the internet is far more powerful than it was ten year ago, and where information is far more accessible, people get used to more information. So when we go several days without it, people get impatient, especially when it comes down to Coro Coro time. Point is, the fandom evolved just like the internet did.

 

[Bikini Miltank]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

You guys did get the comparison to Brawl down though. Gotta admit, those prophets were really annoying. I decided to disbelief anyone who supported Tingle.

Funny story: back when the hype for Brawl started, I decided to try and predict what the roster would be. My initial prediction was, in hindsight, astonishingly accurate: I had Krystal instead of Wolf, Lucario was "Mewtwo or other", Toon Link was "some other version of Link" and ROB was "someone from the NES era", but other than that, I had the entire roster, including its size (I think I was about 50/50 on the inclusion of Sonic).

Then I joined Smashboards, and within weeks I was convinced we'd be getting close to 50 characters, including Lip and Jill Dozer and Midna and probably Bomberman. Imagine my surprise when the roster turned out to be just as small as I'd originally thought.

I never thought we'd get Geno, though. I dunno where people got that idea from.

Oh, and regarding the size of the articles... personally, I think they could benefit from being longer, so if you have more that you want to include, I say go for it.

 

[Calcium]

Re: Looking Forward: As the Rumor Mill Turns: Outlook and speculation from a life lon

I, personally, try to look only at a little bit of information every time a bit comes out, and I'm definitely not looking at what smugleaf evolves into as I'm getting that, because I want everything to be a surprise to me when I get the game.

But then again, maybe that's only because I only started playing Pokemon when Pearl came out!