"Personality Counts," says Lefsetz. "Passion is everything."

Lefsetz tossed out another letter at 1:18AM CST.

It's one of the best he's written in the last year.

Here it is:

1. Are you willing to work?

Plan on giving up television.  Nights out with your friends.  Marriage.  Children.  Making it is about sacrifice.  Talent is at best fifty percent, desire is the rest.


2. Can you interact with other people?

Sure, history is laden with abusive rock stars.  But they weren't abusive at the beginning.  Hell, Bob Geldof abused programmers at a big radio convention and it halted the Boomtown Rats' career in America permanently.  I'm not saying you've got to kiss butt.  It's just that you've got to appear rational.  And you've got to be thankful.  Which brings us to:


3. Show gratitude.

Thank the guy doing radio promotion, or maintaining your Website.  Thank the guy who opens the door.  People love to help, you've just got to pay them in attention.  Sure, if you're abused, go off on them.  But if someone's going out of their way to treat you nicely, to do a favor for you, let them know you're appreciative.  Labels have more than one act.  And most successful managers do too.  If you're an ungrateful sonofabitch, they'll focus their efforts on someone else.


4. Be willing to listen to advice.

You don't need to take it, but certainly be willing to let the other person talk.  Sure, the label might want to mold you improperly, scrub off all your rough edges, but the people working there have also been doing it for a long time and know stuff you don't.  Like what media outlets will promote.  Who will take a chance on new music.


5. Be nice to your fans.

New paradigm acts don't concentrate on radio or print.  They go directly to their fans.  A fan will do anything for you, he'll not only put you up for the night, he'll let you sleep with his sister.  But you've got to talk to him, you've got to sign an autograph, you've got to remember the effort.  Nothing thrills a fan more than having a famous person remember them.  Not only do they tell the story to everybody they meet, they say how great you and your music are.  This is good will you cannot buy, but it can be earned.


6. Overnight success is elusive.

Don't moan when you don't have instant success.  As a matter of fact, those who triumph quickly tend to fade just as fast.  If for no other reason than potential fans go on instant backlash.  You have to earn the trust of the hardest core of fans.  But once you've got it, they'll never let go.  Don't we all have favorite acts that no one has ever heard of?  Aren't we still imploring people to listen to their records, even decades later?  Sure, if you become monstrous, some hipsters will leave you.  Then again, many will want to tell the tale of how they were there in the BEGINNING!


7. Fame is mindbending.

As Chris Blackwell puts it, "you go from a bum to a hero in a second, and you've got to be savvy enough to guide yourself through the maze."

Beware of having your prayers answered.  Yesterday nobody knew you, today people you don't know are writing terrible things about you all over the Net.  It takes time to adjust to fame.  Which is why it's best if it comes slowly.  So you can learn the ropes and cope.


8. Money isn't everything.

Morris Levy might have ripped off Tommy James, but would Tommy James have been a hit on another label?  Doubtful.  Mr. James was Roulette's only star at the time.  Morris killed, maybe literally, for Tommy's success.  In other words, just because you've read Don Passman's book and are an expert on the business, don't think you don't have to give up a bit to get not only a little, but a lot.  There are very few job openings for rock star.  Chances are you're going to have to experience a few raw deals in order to make it.  If you sustain, you can turn the tables and dictate on your terms as time goes on.


9. Be Reasonable

If you don't know of a band which negotiated themselves right out of a deal by being too demanding, you don't know any lawyers.  No one needs your record to hit.  You've got to earn your opportunity, you've got to build trust and maintain relationships.


10. Trust is key.

Involve yourself with people you trust, whose words you believe.  Not only is it hard to extricate yourself from a bad deal, hell, Billy Joel paid Artie Ripp for years after making it, words are cheap and just because someone says they're going to do something for you, that doesn't mean they will.


11. Passion is everything.

In your music.  In your team.  In your fans.

People can't manufacture passion.  And human beings can sense hype and fake interest and belief a mile away.  Hell, just go online and experience the trolls hyping acts so they can earn some b.s. reward from a band or a marketing company.  We know when someone is testifying for real.  In other words, even though your music might be great, you're gonna be a nonstarter unless you can SELL your music.  By that I mean going on stage and convincing people you're great through your performance, and convincing those you come in contact with in the business that you'll forgo everything to make it.  You'll sleep five to a room.  You'll dumpster dive.  You'll get ripped off, be underpaid.  That's the story of rock and roll.  Instant stardom is a facade.  Either the act has been working for years or is two-dimensional cardboard, the product of a svengali, and will fade as soon as their song leaves the radio.


It's not only about the music.

In order to make it, you need a team.  No one can do it alone.

And labels and managers and agents invest in people, not only music.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_24/b4182092762328.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories

Much of the aforementioned may be applied elsewhere... 

I only have two Associate's degrees and three and a half years of industry work behind me, but I'm filled with passion. I'm hungry for more work in the videogame industry, and just as hungry to learn. I've been underpaid, as Bob mentioned, and I've forgone "everything to make it" over and over. I've avoided all forms of ass-kissing, and instead strove for more genuine sensibilities. I'd be higher on the money chain had I puckered my lips once or twice, but I refuse.

Honesty, more often than not, forges a deeper bond of friendship than one based upon telling each other sugar-coated truths, half-truths, and lies. Those are all necessary tools, but they must be used sparingly. 

Oh, it's easy to lie to potential friends and/or consumers. It's also easy to create a community under a passionless facade. But it's all lofty. It's all fake. Onlookers may not outright see many of these situations, but the genuine people are evident, as is the stronger bond a fanbase, group of friends, surrounding community, whatever.

Trent Reznor.

Long-term value.

Genuine honesty. We're all fucking human, so let's start acting like it.

(E3's coming up. Expect a lot of robots posing as fleshy meatbags to descend upon L.A. If you see a real human, give him or her credit, a hug, a pat on the back, or even some kind words. What they do isn't easy, professionally and morally, and unexpected deserved praise goes a long, long way.)

Must Read: Revival Horror: New Ideas in Fear-Making

I find too few horror games each year, and the genre's one of my favorites. Silent Hill 2? Loved it. Fatal Frame? That too. And on and on...

Oh and Dead Space. I remember thinking "hey, this is a strong contender for my personal game of the year" after playing it. Smart guy, I was, back in 2008. Well, maybe, maybe not. At least I'm consistent. Dead Space still holds up as a premier horror title on consoles. Different than something like....The Path, and that's good. Lotta flavors make the mind strong, or something. Right?

Anyway, here's a quote from the Gamaustra article mentioned in the title:

"To have touched a player on the terms of their most intimate insecurities and fears, rather than forcing them into the whirligig of an auteur's invented phantoms, is one of the most delicate and rewarding achievements in game design."

I think I might print this out and put it somewhere noticeable in my home. And then do the same at work, conferences, and bathroom stalls. I'm all about imparting possible revelatory information while you're pooing. It's what I do, baby. (please sense the sarcasm)

Building a better MMO... by learning from EVE

Very cool article at Gamasutra regarding building better MMOs.

The Icelandic Model of MMO Development by Alexander Gianturco

"Sandbox-Based Endgame. The endgame is the difference between a game which crashes and burns shortly after launch, and a game which attracts a loyal following. Since linear content isn't an option for a studio without a mega-budget, you'll need to base your title's endgame around a sandbox."

As I've said before, linearity's one of WoW's greatest flaws. After experiencing hundreds of quests, reaching 80, and completing most dungeons, what else is there? Farming for loot so your character can farm for more loot, and look just like every other character? Engaging in PvP that often emphasizes loot quality over player skill? Not cool. I want more, and I don't want to wait for months for Blizzard to release new content with an eventual end.

"...players want to see that there is hope for a better game in the future. Communication is key here; not only must you develop new features, but engage with your core subscribers to demonstrate that their money is going towards improvements in the game, rather than corporate profits."

True for almost any series, MMO or not.

"Features Over Linear Content. "Content" in the traditional MMO sense means a linear activity for players which expires once the content is completed -- the most obvious examples being raids, dungeons, and quests. There's some replay value, but it diminishes rapidly, and players demand more content.

While some traditional content is inevitable in almost every game, in a sandbox it is important to focus new development on features of the game which expand the range of player agency within the sandbox, in the form of tools or new types of gameplay for players to engage in."

Yep.

Never Satisfied

I wish to be everything I'm not.

But if I were all those things, I'd wish to be exactly who I am.

Funny little constants, life and desire.

The Teacher Learns

Teaching's a symbiotic relationship. Through it, I've learned and become a better person.

If you possess the capability to teach, please give it a try. It's absolutely one of the most worthwhile things I've done.

1:54 AM

I tried to sleep because I intended to sleep. I might've even wanted to sleep. But I didn't sleep.

Four hours ago I set down the controller, turned off my Xbox 360, and initiated a carefully planned procedure to prepare myself, physically and mentally, for an earlier bed time. I folded half a dozen towels and carefully placed three times as many shirts on hangers (oddly therapeutic), ate a late dinner of scalloped potatoes and wings (bone-in, of course), watched the final four episodes of Californication's first season, and completed the evening by reading a collection of Bukowski poems while scooping the heart, soul, and body from a delicious mound of ice cream. Maybe the caramel topping, with its familiar sugary innards, was a bad idea. Maybe Bukowski and Duchovny jumpstarted my creative side - inspiring unrelated words and ideas to enter, linger, scatter and disappear without grace or reason.

Maybe a normal sleeping schedule's not for me.

I'll sleep soon. If my mind lets me.

What people say to me before, during, and after Street Fighter matches.

My Xbox Live inbox once contained dozens of text and voice messages telling me to "fuck off," do nasty things to my mother, stick a plethora of phallic objects in every orifice, etc. People hated me. Some wanted to physically hurt me. And some just wanted to say mean things. Thankfully no one stabbed a knife through my hairy melon. 

My inbox was empty a few days ago. A system update cleared it out months ago, and I've maintained it since - deleting messages after I read them. But now my battered and bruised inbox is starting to fill up again. It must be that time...

Super Street Fighter IV was released.

A year ago, people hated me because I'd beat them at the original Street Fighter IV. I was good. Very good. And I won most of my matches by a landslide. It's business as usual once again, and the messages keep coming. This time I'm letting you, the beautiful people of this world, read what I'm being told.

Like before, I don't communicate in any way with these talkative people. I just play my match. If I poke and prod I'll let you know. Otherwise assume I'm the beacon of all that is good on Xbox Live.

Comments are listed as they're received. 

4/29/10

(voice) cgMcWhiskers: You're a fagot. Go shit yourself.

(text) vacuum blade: ggs, sweet gief

4/30/10

(text) Sp4nish H1tman: spam ftw
-I used Adon, tossed out dozens of EX specials, and won by a considerable margin both rounds. 
-We played a few more matches. I used Dan, lost, and went back to training mode with Adon. Here's how this dude raged:

(text) Sp4nish H1tman "worst player ever. u suck spamming noob" 
-It's probably best to stay away from this guy or gal. 

5/5/10

(text) KauaiKine83 "ur spamming lariats hhaha no skill faggot"
- :(
-Dude later replied with "fags like u dont deserve to win faggot." le sigh. Be nice, please. 

"... you’re nowhere if you can’t share and understand the same passions as your community." A Super Street Fighter IV interview with Seth Killian from Capcom.

"I'm not really sure what my title is," admitted Seth Killian. His eyes formed a warm, proud, and confident smile. Eight PlayStation 3s, each loaded with a Hakan-ready version of Super Street Fighter IV, guarded two ends of a bar in downtown San Francisco. The first conference-filled day of the Game Developers Conference ended just a few hours prior, and it showed on the faces of developers and journalists. Except Seth's.

"I do...a lot of things," he further explained, careful not to portray uncharacteristic cockiness. The former Street Fighter pro and co-founder (along with three others) of the world's biggest fighting game tournament performs his job with assured nonchalance. He knows the community, and he knows the titles, and won't inundate fans and press with bullshit taglines and marketing jargon like so many others. He's an asset to Capcom, and is continually writing the book for the increasingly popular industry position of community manager.

As part of yet another interview for Red Flag Media, Seth answered a few Super Street Fighter IV-related questions via email. If I remembered additional details of our conversation when we spoke in San Francisco I'd type them here, but unfortunately the immediate thought of controlling Zangief and Hakan destroyed my short and long-term memory. I only remember questions regarding his former position as community manager due to my strong desire for something similar. My apologies.

History's taught us we'll see another version of Street Fighter IV somewhere down the line. I adore the series, and will probably buy each and every version on their respective release nights/mornings, but I'm afraid if Capcom chooses this distribution route they'll unintentionally segment the market - potentially driving fighting games into a niche audience once again. Am I being too paranoid?

That could be an issue although a lot of games release more often than SF and keep their audience (or grow it).  I personally felt it was the increasing complexity of SF games that limited the audience.  More than the release schedules, SF games got quite a bit harder with every new installment.  By the time we had released a bunch of games, there were only a few people left who were able to master all the tricks necessary to be able to play them.  We’re actively working on that now, to try and create all the depth of previous SF games without adding unnecessary complexity so new players can still pick up the new games.

Has there been any internal discussion regarding developing Street Fighter as a fighting game platform similar to what Riot's doing with League of Legends?

It’s an interesting idea, but no thoughts along those lines at the moment. 

When balancing the game, is it a conscious decision to leave a character with extraordinarily difficult matchups due to him or her already having one or two extraordinarily easy ones? For example, does the Seth v. Zangief match exist in SFIV because Abel v. Zangief is there?

That’s probably the worst match in all of SFIV.  It certainly wasn’t the plan to try and screw Zangief (he’s actually much stronger overall in SFIV than in most of the games where he makes an appearance), but it’s a natural product of their particular character strengths—even before Seth, Zangief vs Dhalsim has been a notorious mismatch for years based just on their attributes.  Seth vs Zangief is a similar issue: they’re at opposite ends of the design spectrum—the slowest, hardest-hitting, most “single-minded” character, versus the one with the most options and mobility, but who can’t take a hit.   Having distinct, fun character types means some of them will be naturally advantaged/disadvantaged versus others, which is what makes SF unique and interesting.  So while there’s no problem with that, we have been working to and avoid severe disadvantages like that in Super SFIV.

As a (former?) community manager, what advice would you give to job-seekers looking to occupy a similar position?

My own path is probably too weird to serve as a model, but you should focus on what you love while you continue your education.  You need to combine fan-dom with education and critical thinking to be effective inside a larger company, but you’re nowhere if you can’t share and understand the same passions as your community. 

Predict the future: Will we "pad warriors" ever take home an EVO title in Street Fighter?

 I’d say the stick players still have the edge, but based on some previous strong top-8 contenders and a new wave of excellent “pad warriors” I think we’re going to see it someday. 

Also, what does the future hold for competitive gaming, and how will both you and Street Fighter be involved?

 I can’t predict the future but I feel really energized by all the Street Fighter action I see around over the world.  When I was starting to play competitively there was—maybe—one decent-sized tournament a year.  Today there are literally thousands of great tournaments all around the world, with great local events nearby every weekend.  A lot of them are also streaming out all the action online, so even if you can’t go, you can still watch and learn. Support your local scene and push each other forward—I’ll do my best on the Capcom side to keep great fighters coming and to throw the best SF parties of all time.  

A videogame post-apocalyptic space analogy.

Is to...

As...

Is to...

And...

The latter acknowledges similarities. They were intentional. But does the former?

Tickled by the G.E.C.K.

It's mod-making time.

In a way.

Somehow I'm going to find the time to explore the G.E.C.K. tutorials on the wiki and YouTube and build my own content for Fallout 3. The game's past its prime relevance, but the opportunity for creation's still very much alive.

Wanna travel down this path with me? I'll let you know when I start. In the meantime, lather yourself with these resources.

GECK Wiki

And here's some dude's basic creation. The narrative possibilities are flooding in...