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FightingSeraph
I've been on here for over a decade and have a high level, so fucking what? Regarding my MSN and Trillian accounts: Request to be added.

Shane @FightingSeraph

Age 39, Male

Need a new one.

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Slidell, Louisiana

Joined on 5/25/01

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Newgrounds should Return to its Roots

Posted by FightingSeraph - January 29th, 2013


Why not? NG has strayed off the road less traveled in a weak attempt at competing with the likes of YouTube, along with paying lip-service to non-innovative mobile bullshit that can't do the most rudimentary of functions(http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.ne t/c.cgi?u=iphone). I honestly think that NG has lost focus in these past three years, and it's time to rediscover what made it great in the first place. This site shouldn't be following stupid trends into a deathtrap; it should be more like the Fleischer brothers, Jim Tyer at Terrytoons, Van Beuren, Ralph Bakshi, John K, Peter Chung, Mike Judge, Death Metal, Aggro tech, Psytrance, Michael Sporn, Don Hertzfeldt, and whatnot. Yet, the Audio and Art portals can stay since there's still excellent stuff being submitted. Now, here's some things that I believe would improve this site:

1. Assassin needs to be brought back.
Face it, celebrity killing is a part of this site whether you like it or not. It kills me that many people here look upon killing some crappy musician as "lame", but have no problem with Madness Combat or Bunnykill. If it's ok to have a cartoon about one guy killing a shitload of others, then it's perfectly fine to depict Justin Penor getting sliced in half, Jaxxy getting boiled in oil, or Poxpower getting an abortion performed with a stick of dynamite.
2. NG and its userbase should let go of YouTube.
I have already complained about the video upload invite being redundant and prone to being misused by those who get it (http://fightingseraph.newgrounds.com/news/post/
809805
), so repeating that statement is a moot point. Rather, people like Psychic Pebble, Artist Lamer Gal, Gonzossm, etc. should reconsider posting more flash on there than here. I know they're doing it for easy money because of Eddsworld, but is it really worth following in Edd's footsteps and ultimately looking like whores/sellouts? I wouldn't have a big problem with this if they were making good cartoons on a consistent basis, but aside from Zach, they aren't. People on here should forget about easy money and do something that does far more than get YouTube subscriptions, paltry revenue, appease the HD/After Effects/Toon Boom gods, put on the iDroid Crapp store, bullshit awards, or movie/DVD/Comic publishing deals. Just get a regular job and make something that isn't just better, but unique. In addition, do we really need to convert all of our flash cartoons into video files just to pursue an illusory quality? It's just a step in the wrong direction that has no fucking benefit what-so-ever. Anyone who says otherwise needs to take off the rose-colored glasses.
3. Expand the under judgment system to the Audio and Art sections and encourage musicians and artists to collaborate with animators, directors, writers, programmers, and game designers.
Why not? It's about time they implemented this (Flash) Portal feature to the other sections as well. At least it will curb random songs getting zero bombed regardless of quality. Also, it would be nice if more people turned to the AP instead of milking Kevin Macleod dry. Why can't various animators/directors/game designers get Dragon Knight Tara, Mason Hunter, Lich Lord Music, Druox, TimmyDope, Box-Killa, NIGHTkilla, 1600, Tremulos, Apatheria, Arnas, or Durn? Oh, and all of you musician and artist types should get in the habit of reviewing other types of submissions.
4. Encourage more Libertarian-leaning contributions.
We all know that the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans, and the Libertarian Party and the Cato Institute know why. It's about time Newgrounds stopped getting its thoughts fed to it from Ebolaworld, Sirkowski, Jordan Duchnycz, Jak Baron King, and Notorious. Why can't this site have more people such as Steve Kubby, Wayne Allyn Root, Dan J. Mitchell, or Lew Rockwell?
5. Encourage people to study the right material.
Aside from the fundamental skills of animation, direction, game design, etc.; people on here can learn a lot more from silent films, classic cartoons, old rock groups, newspaper comics, old arcade games, and movie soundtracks. To quote Ralph Bakshi: "There's more to learn from a Fleischer Popeye than some epic fantasy such as The Prince of Egypt."

In other words, you may not like what has been said, but I think skepticism and honesty are better than blind idealism and ass-kissing.

Update: For those who are confused or pissed off, here's what I am trying to say: I don't believe that tacking on as many features as possible is going to make NG better. Rather than follow the HD/iNooKindexurface/Toon Boom/After Effects/Premiere craze into a death trap; why not offer different, if not unique content? Making Newgrounds into another YouTube/Vimeo is self-defeating, inane, and insipid. Truth be told, I can't tell the difference between 224-350 Kbps music from regular 128, nor can I see how 1280*720 or higher resolution .mpeg video will make the cartoons better. That is just irresponsible, wasteful, asinine, and superficial. I had a hunch that a YouTube-style video uploader would
be misused and abused by those who get the invite, and I was right about that. By contrast, the Audio and art portals should stay due to the great stuff (and sometimes crap) that gets posted in those two sections. Newgrounds has strayed off its own path just to get in on some bullshit trends. In other words, I am trying to get more people here to think very carefully instead of blindlyembracing whatever new thing that the staff has created regardless if it will help or hinder.
Will NG be wiped from the face of the net? Nope.
Will it be enhanced? Not really.
Oh, and a few more things:
1. I was using Jaxxy, Pox, Zach, Gonzo, Laura, and Edd as examples.
2. What Maddox said regarding the iPhone, iPad, and their competitors is proof that he knows what the fuck he's talking about.
3. I have no problem with people submitting video here as long it has actual effort put into it. It is when people submit regular flash cartoons as video in the name of HD, After Effects, Premiere, lame-ass mobile bullshit, and Toon Boom is aggravating as fuck. Honestly, people have been submitting video on NG before YouTube.
4. Here's another reason why I have a distaste towards the High Def craze: http://www.wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=151 10.0
I hope that this clairifies what I said and nobody zero bombs or bans me for getting what I felt out of my system.

-Shane (Fighting Seraph)


Comments

Yes.

Oh look, another opininated asshole with too much to complain about, but nothing to contribute, lol

Welcome to da club! ^_^

@ Robo-Clock
Yup because writing hundreds of well written reviews is contributing "nothing", the man is more entitled to an opinion than you are, given your fucking retarded reviews...

Good point.

Clearly you love this place, but you sound like an angry scared old man that's standing on his porch and furiously shaking his fist at the changing world in front of him.

So many of your points are up to what the users want to make, and what people want to watch or play. If most people want or don't want something, you're just going to have to deal with it and adapt.
Secondly, less and less devices are supporting swfs and more and more people are viewing the web on video supporting tablets. Feeling threatened about video or any of the other new features we're putting out is just rediculous.

If you don't want newgrounds to exist in a few years, we could happily implement all of your suggestions.

Jeff, you have a valid point, but I had to get off of my chest.

I loved the original Flashback, still have it somewhere in a box. That new HUD info does look terrible, I agree. HD graphics does not mean better experience. I think NG proves that with their games. Lots of playable pixel games.

You said it, and here's hoping people come to their senses.