Cup of Jones - 10/19/17

i've tried several times to watch KindaFunny, but the bad language is so off putting. the Allies are good because they dont use it full on.

Hey Jones, just wanted to say something I hope you read, not a question for the show! You answered my galaxy of heroes question and I guess I totally did leave out the part about you already contributing by being a free player. Also by being a huge voice for the game. Hell, I downloaded the game only because of you and I've played it for months and months and helped out my guild tons so you made a great point when you bring up the fact that you just being an active player in the community is you supporting it! Thanks for the recommendation btw, it's a fun game!

Kyle's PS3 is dead. Since it is also a tool for his work to stream games sometimes like other consoles, do you use Patreon money to fix that or other things that break? Sometimes fixing things could cost a lot if you need to buy a replacement or something like acquiring a rarer game. If the price is reasonable to at least lessen the burden, that would be nice. L&R TearjuEngi

Trung Nguyen

How about a DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS final stream? I'll really like to see what your village looks like now.

Eric Estrada

Hey Brandon, Not sure if it's ever been discussed before (which is ironic), but have you ever considered making an FAQ for Cup of Jones? It seems like you get the occasional repeat question from different patrons since the start. Obviously, you're extremely busy and I certainly wouldn't want to put more work on you. EZA is the definition of integrity in video games. Thank you for doing an amazing job. L & R Sean

To the guy that said you give them money every month so they can do what they want to do and not what you want them to do, I commend you. I had the same sentiments but probably wouldn't have said it as coherently. Mr. Jones and the rest of the Allies (including Lightning), you're all beautiful people. And whole-heartedly, you're heroes to me.

ZatVunDoot

I think the underage part might be a factor here.

What effect does NeoGAF going dark have on your side of things? Just curious since it's brought up a lot on EZA streams and podcasts.

DaleBastion

If you and the allies suddenly reached the goal of the studio/office, and had a very large regular budget to spend on whatever you wanted, what would you like to spend the money on? Would you spend money on an exact replica of the Garage inside a studio?

The Banana Forklift Killer

As an „Investor“ of EasyAllies I keep watching your Youtube-Numbers (new subscriptions and monthly views) via Socialblade from time to time. This month is already the best month for new subscribers since june of 2016, which was the month with the first E3-coverage by EasyAllies. October is also already on-track to be one of the months with the most views outside of E3-months. Did you start a promotion or is Easyallies very lucky this month?

Stefan Bien

Before it was negated from the group stream, did anyone at Easy Allies actually play Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash to determine if it was actually inappropriate? I have not played it either, but the general gameplay seems to nothing more than a third person shooter in swimsuits with waterguns. I do rather specifically remember Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 being streamed and it was not even released here. (link <a href="https://youtu.be/URxs8u7cmT0?t=4751" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/URxs8u7cmT0?t=4751</a> ) You say Peach Beach Splash is not a game you personally want to play, and that's fair, everyone has their preferences. But that also strikes me as what the entire Group Stream Selection Committee is about, many games will be nominated that particular people will be uninterested in. I just want to make sure Peach Beach Splash was actually given a fair shot considering it won, otherwise the entire tier seems a bit pointless.

Talix Rune

Hatred and most hentai games are rated Adults Only, therefore you can't stream those on Twitch. So for those games EZA's discretion is irrelevant.

Google autocomplete shows Easy Allies as the second option if I type in "Easy Al" into the search bar. Do you think you can ever overtake Easy Alfredo Sauce for the number one spot?

Hi Brandon, you mentioned a few months back that one of your goals was to teach the other Allies editing (I think you were talking about Ben and Huber). Has there been any progress on that front yet? L&amp;R

Any attempts to promote/invest into Twitch community feature, where a bunch of people from within the community could stream games all the time and give place for others to hang out rather than EZA twitch chat when it's offline o even Discord. Just curious. Best wishes.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, it's already been said that GOTY is going to be decided later than usual. Are you going to nominate GOTY among yourselves and then play those games to catch up? Or will you play what you're most interested in and then settle GOTY later?

Pixel Perfect Polygons

To expand off of an idea you had in this episode, what % of overlap do you think there is between your "youtube audience", your "patreon audience" and your "twitch audience".?

micspam

Hiya, Jones!

Parasitepaladin

Are you more comfortable now in your position now at EZA than you were at this far in at GT? By the way if there are any spots left in the EZA Galaxy of Heroes guild I would love to join, my name their is kjahromi and my ally code is 896-378-618.

Kian Jahromi

Mr. Jones, I heard gifts mentioned in the last Cup of Jones. Rather than a list of likes and wants from the Allies, would it be possible for a list on "Thanks but no Thanks" from each ally or just collectively? I mention this because if not for a well timed tweet about home made foods, I would have sent some home made salmon jerky that I caught and made while on vacation in Alaska earlier this year. It was a lot of effort, I understand the caution on such things and would not suggest you change it, but if not for that tweet, I may have been sorely disappointed to learn later that it just wound up in the trash. Respectfully, Morgan Mohalla

Morgan Mohalla

Agreed. Thank you for your comment.

Did you finish building your Lego Disney Castle? If not, are you planning to stream it?

Alexander Zyryanov

Dear Brandon Jones, I'm wondering about patron pledging habits and data collection. To receive Patreon money, EZA clearly employs two strategies. One being allowing exclusive interaction for patrons with EZA staff, the other being shows being made when monthly money tiers are reached. What I wonder is, do you have data, or even a guess, at what drives your patreon money more? In my case, for example, I barely care about my 10$ tier priviledges and am only paying to see more content. The next question would be, what are you going to likely focus more on in the future? shows and tiers for patrons or content that reaches a wider non patreon audience? Thank you for doing this (the whole EZA venture). Christoph Lorey

"Serious" question though; You might have already addressed this, but did you ever end up watching the new Beauty and The Beast? You were pretty salty about it before it came out and i'm curious to see if you've watched it yet now that it is on Netflix for freeeeeee. I liked it, thought it was great actually. L&amp;R Robert

The Hashtagonist

You've talked about how some EZA fans have superstar status. Among them is Robert I. Could you discuss your history with that crafty Bob?

The Hashtagonist

Can confirm I am not The Hashtagonist..I mean...Robert I. Seriously...Did I log out?

The Hashtagonist

Hi Brandon, You've mentioned possibly doing a "Best 100 Games of All Time" list a few times now. I'm curious how you feel about the seemingly never-ending discussion over whether classic games should inherently be ranked higher, due to the fact that they are, almost out of necessity, more influential than recent games. It is fairly common to see Super Mario Bros. ranked in the Top 3 (and even #1) of such lists, even though comparatively few people would argue that SMB is a better game than Super Mario Bros. 3, World, or Galaxy. Do you generally favor quality and execution, regardless of era or legacy, or is influence on the industry more important? I know it's a complicated matter, but I am curious of your thoughts. Thanks! -- Fluffhead

Fluffhead108

Jones! I am so glad to finally have the opportunity to support and yes I’ll help fund but you create. I support not because of the content I expect but the relationships of who the Allies are. I also like the “investor” idea behind Cup of Jones and have some curiosity regarding long term goals for EZA. After the studio is obtained what is next? Does EZA desire to have employees, office personnel, a marketing team? Does EZA desire to be self-funded and not need Patreon how is that accomplished? What would happen if an Ally moved elsewhere would EZA hire for new talent? Might be questions without answers but curious on the long-term goals and desires regarding EZA. You know our family adores EZA and you’ll always have our support.

Christopher McClung

Hi Jones. Didn't know there was a problem with the group stream, and I don't even really see the group streams, but I love to know everything is going on with this group. A quick question, love almost all of your shows, including Friend Code, although I never had a Nintendo console, except for the WiiU. Have you ever thought to have shows dedicated to other companies, like Sega or Playstation for instance? Love &amp; Respect

Miguel Pires Ramos

I’ve been a long time fan of GT, and EZA from its inception, and I appreciate the caution used about swearing because it helps elevate the discussions and/or viewpoints above the stereotypes that often associate gamers as juvenile. I think Ben mentioned this before on a podcast that when we mature we (hopefully) don’t talk the way we did when we were younger. This reminds me of a kid who swears profusely because the words are like a cool new toy that make him/her feel grown up and edgy. Despite my own personal decision to never swear, I agree Brandon that when used appropriately they can be well-placed and punctuate a situation in the right way. I simply appreciate your team’s discretion because it makes watching your videos much easier to enjoy in the public spaces of my home around my kids.

I understand the point regarding visual use of our money (equipment vs. advertising), but in my opinion, most of the allies would be happy to know you were advertising because it would lead to benefits for EZA, which makes everyone, both us and you, happy. We're all here for EZA and the bigger it gets, the better it'll get. That said, the Japan comment regarding Amanda was intriguing, how did you meet her?

Joseph La Russa

With the success of Game Center CX (Retro Game Master in the US), have you considered a similar show where an ally must complete challenges in a game or try to beat a hard game, like Ninja Gaiden, Ghosts'n Goblins or Battletoads? I think this kind of show would suit your streams really well (especially with Damiani) and you could even add a patron tier for us to vote for the game to beat.

MaxVSTheGames

You are so nice Jones...for every person actually legitimately mad about PBS(I strongly disagree but understand their point). There were 5 more just looking to take offense. The latter won't stick around long. There is not enough drama in this community for them. Other online personalities would have laughed in their faces. Nice that you guys took the high road.

ComboBreaker

Jones - I don't know if I'm alone out here but I'm a huge fan of Tron Legacy due to the atmosphere, setting, and primarily Daft Punk's stellar soundtrack. How did you feel about Tron Legacy and how did you feel about Disney shelving the sequel? Secondly, I feel that one thing that's sorely missing from EZA is getting other Allies' opinions/impressions (including spoilers) when they finish games that might also have already been reviewed, discussed, or finished by another member. They usually never get a chance to talk about that on streams unfiltered in order to protect chat so we normally only hear about it if they happen to be on Frame Trap and Ben feels like labeling another section of his podcast for spoilers. I know you have Spoiler Mode, but they are few and far between. Is there no other way? (Twitter is too short for that sorta thing IMO)

VGJunky

P.S. You almost had it. The IP-CRESS File. Fantastic old school spy movie. :)

TurboChickenMan

A suggestion about the audio during group streams, might it be possible to dedicate one Ally to real-time sound balancing like Ian used to do on GT Time?

TurboChickenMan

I know we all have a basic honor code regarding what kind of content we would definitely NOT want to see anyone play in public, but even so I think you should make it clear in the Committee posts that games like PBS will not be chosen. And I don't mean making this declaration in just 1 post, but in every Committee post: which is still not made clear even by the Committee post right before this video. Nothing's stopping me from going to the Committee right now, and suggesting Hatred as your next stream game, and because you didn't tell me what I can and cannot suggest, it should be valid, right? The difference then becomes what people are willing to see played, and I doubt they would actually choose Hatred, but still, twas just an example. If on one week, hentai games were suddenly all the rage... and you still did not have parameters set in the Committee posts... It'll be PBS all over again.

I believe the technical term is salad mic. ;)

Don't wanna put down other groups that swear on the regular but it just feels immature to listen to stuff where they drop F-bombs nonstop without any real intent or emphasis. So much more jolly when it's a rare occasion and you know they really mean it when it happens

VGJunky

Looking at this as somebody who didn't vote for PBS one way or the other, I felt that this was always less about the game than it was the unclear messaging surrounding its veto and the way that it was later brushed off in the group stream - especially when some members that nominated and voted for it legitimately just thought that it might be a fun game for the stream and then were subsequently shamed for it. Jones never apologized for the decision, but rather the community aspect of it. You might be overgeneralizing here - it's my belief that very few if any of the people that actually voted for PBS did so specifically because they wanted to popularize the sexualization of minors, but rather because they wanted to see the Allies have a dumb silly time with a dumb silly game with various levels of mild-but-hopefully-not-distressing discomfort, and this in itself doesn't make anybody a bad person with a problematic cause.

VGJunky

The new lighting and couch setup is a huge upgrade from what you had before. However what it’s magnified during group streams is the glaring issue of the off mic dialogue coming from someone sitting at the computer desk. Usually this is Damiani. In the old setup this usually wasn’t an issue because he was still close enough to the couch and open mics that he could be heard pretty easy. Now with the new setup he is farther away so he can barely be heard. Is it possible to get a Damiani mic? Maybe one that he can toggle on/off if he doesn’t want it always on?

Greg Kettering

I am very happy Easy Allies exercises some restraint in the use of profanity. It's EXTREMELY rare to find gaming groups like this that are both very personable AND relatively clean. I'm extremely glad I can put up the Easy Allies podcast in the living room TV and not worry about the bad language. Even streams are generally clean. I don't know, I love it, personally. You guys have carved out what is a pretty unique spot in the industry, and it's definitely in part due to this.

Josh Read

This is always how it’s been explained/appeared to me. It is there to be noticed and focused on, otherwise the obvious target would be that half exposed face of his. Logged in specifically to say this, glad someone else has the same info.

Comment got eaten by Patreon, so this is a rewrite. But hi, Jones. You don't have to read this out loud next week if you don't want to- I don't want to make this debate go on longer than it already has. But I do have some thoughts on PBS I think are important to share. I, personally, was thankful you didn't play the game, and thought the discourse was handled fairly well on your part, and especially responses from people like Ben. But I think your discussion in this CoJ was... very much lacking. You started off the editorial saying you didn't want to get into the ethical &amp; moral concerns of the game- but... isn't that the whole point? Ben's very first post on Gaf about PBS at the start of this whole thing was something I very much appreciated. What he said basically boiled down to: "this game will alienate people, especially marginalized people, in this community, and we felt uncomfortable with it." I was so thankful for that. In these types of online communities it's rare that people don't try to be offensive on /purpose/, much less care about making their community a place that everyone can feel safe. PBS... really doesn't make me feel safe. I'm a minor- one of the relative few under-18's in this community. And yet I've definitely been sexualized against my will. Many of my friends and I have been talked about in an uncomfortably sexual manner, and have faced harassment for gender and sexuality- all within this community. (If you want specifics on it- feel free to ask privately.) It makes me scared to communicate. It makes me scared to go to meetups. As we've seen in the news this week, it's so difficult to call attention to these things. It's hard to speak out. ESPECIALLY when you're a minor. Watching you guys stream a game that sexualizes and dehumanizes minors in such a way would be stifling and alienating and would send out a message- that "hey, we, Easy Allies, are completely okay with this!". And you're not, thankfully. EZA is one of the few communities I actually feel like I can be me, and it's been wonderful. You work to be inclusive and learn from missteps and listen to those with quieter voices. But this.. was disappointing. You explicitly reserved the right to deny any suggestion, and had a VERY good reason to deny this one. And yet, to the people who flamed and pettily removed their pledges and tried to force you to play something you were uncomfortable with playing... you apologized. You tried to appeal to them. Said you were in the wrong. And that makes me uncomfortable- that they can have this much sway over you despite the problematic nature of their cause. Maybe we don't want people like that to be patrons. Maybe we don't want their toxicity in this community. This debate has always been about morals and the marginalized, unfortunately. You can't just say it doesn't matter. :/ (Sorry again for the long post- again, you really don't have to read it out next week. But thank you for listening.)

Noah Weinstein

This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Hey Jones, you are now aware that World of Warcraft's in game Hallow's End event has added even more pets (a miniature Naxxaramus) and costumes; and you now want to play it again. What in game Halloween events are your favorites? Not spooky games or Halloween centered games but "normal" games that add a seasonal event specific to October.

Cursing is definitely more fun when you wait for the perfect moment. That's why Punished Ben is the best

VGJunky

When I was a kid, my dad told me it was OK to curse, but only under extreme circumstances. My mother immediately lectured us that it wasn't OK ever. A week later we were watching The Temple of Doom and when Indy said "Oh, shit!", I looked at her. She laughed, and said if I was ever in that situation it would be alright to curse. Thanks so much, Jones, for bringing back that memory.

Long time EZA patron, second or third time commenter! Since these seem to be MUCH MORE regular than past Cup of Jones, I feel more inclined to make a comment/suggestion/question. Do you see Table Top Escapades being a regular thing for as long as EZA exists? I'm asking because it's the one show on EZA that I don't watch. It has nothing to do with Ben or the rest of the guys. It's just something I don't have interest in, and even if I did, there is close to 80+ hours worth of video to catch up on, so it'd be hard for me to even start with how daunting that is. It's not something I would want to stop if other people enjoy it or the other allies really enjoy it. Just wondering if it's something you would consider putting on hiatus at episode 100 lets say, and trying something else for a bit. I wouldn't want to get rid of it forever, but it could give people who are into the series some time to catch up while also trying something new in the mean time. Just a suggestion/question and not meant as a "I dislike thing, please change" comment. Anyways, good job guys! Keep it up!

Michael Rymar

The Bat symbol on his chest gives people something to aim for and is the strongest part in the armour.

Ibrahim Sozer

That end was like the oscar music coming in throwing you off the stage. Love it.

Benny Samuelsson

Hey Mr. Jones! Extremely quick note about last week's episode: Trailer was good. Real good. Wish more people knew about EZA and Patreon. I miss/need that score ;-) Anyway, on to this week! The Curious Case of Community Comme... Showca.... You Know What, That $10 Tier. As of this writing, the inaugural Community Showcase post has not gone up and you have stated it is imminent. In the event something takes higher priority, I want to give it sometime next week before saying anything via Twitter but I want to make it clear that I am absolutely happy with my investment, and I fully recognize that 1.) I can only speak for myself and 2.) I don't have experience with how higher tiers have been doled out. With that said, being at this tier, it seems to be the one that... hasn't....really been "beneficial." I absolutely loved the Community Comments send off stream, and I'm really eager and excited to see my fellow Allies' talents. However, I get the feeling this is the tier that is thought about the least. I know you can only answer for yourself, so keeping that in mind, what is the current investment by EZA in each tier? I know with the Group Selection Committee, Early Podcast Access, and of course, this very Cup of Jones, they are weekly, and so more on the forefront on the mind, yet there are tiers I know EZA hits that are monthly (the Q&amp;A, the Producer Credit, and of course, the all too-important Podcast Sponsor tier). Again, I know production schedule caused the change in tier, but this is just something I was curious about. Sorry for the long post, but one final point: As a Star Wars nerd, I really appreciated your comments regarding the EA/Visceral fiasco, so thank you for giving voice to how I feel on the situation. Thanks as always for reading whatever I leave on here and have a wonderful day.

Brandon K Gann

Its lovely to know that even in english people cant say my last name correctly, now i can say is an international problem hahahahaha Its pronounced "Meecoo (like Miku, from the games) lee (like bruce lee) tzkee (just put a T before SKI) Meecooleetzki / Miculitzki" Dont worry, i will continue to support you even if you cant say it hahaha Love from Argentina, once again, Kevin (@heiseikrusade in twitter)

Mr. Jones, Who gets to steer the ship that is Easy Allies? (Speaking of creative direction) Is it wholly a collaborative effort? A vision of just one of the Allies? In either case would you consider letting a specific Ally call the shots for a week or so to grow that individuals potential?

Morgan Mohalla

For that matter does the saying warrant changing with all the loot box frustration?

Morgan Mohalla

Does anyone here knows the origin of "I'm enjoying these microtransactions" L&amp;R

Alejandro Medina

For the record, I'm not The Hashtagonist - but I am a huge fan of his going back to those dbloodworth1 &amp; Buttons accounts. I realized that many EZA patrons probably didn't know the history of his past lives. So, while it was a loaded question, I asked because I thought it would be beneficial to get the tale on the books. ^_~ Love and respect. &lt;3

Robert I.

Live through YouTube and Patreons connection.

Jordan Buitendyk

Is that chat over on twitch?

Henry Ramirez

Thanks for all the listening and response Easy Allies!

I'm liking these Cup of Jones transactions. How many channels will this directly answer criticism to the channel they belong to? I don't have a stake in the 'group stream controversy' but i'm loving the discussion.