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The Generically Named Thread Where We Come Up With Ways To Help Skullgirls

That's a more reasonable idea! Especially considering a lot of the older reviews of SG have complaints that are antiquated by now, such as "no movelists", "no male characters", etc. The game's a lot more polished now than it was in vanilla, that's for sure. Soon here I'll update the OP with the relevant info we have here so we can, y'know, figure out what to do with it. No sense in rushing out before we even know what we're doing, yeah?

That's another good possibility. Honestly, I'm not trying to sound panicked or anything--maybe it's just the nature of how I write, haha. But just bringing the fact that there is a dedicated fanbase to the attention of these companies can't be a bad thing. I'd rather at least attempt to contribute in a more direct way rather than just be completely apathetic.

edit: Ah, I see. Might be good to make sure anyone we try contacting is actually going to be the right kind of company, heh.
 
WrestlerGuile said:
The reason we can't focus on how L0 needs to make money is because it's really about sales. It's about how many digital copies of Skullgirls are sold. Autumn Games feel like SG is an investment, but it's a dubious investment.

I'm not sure that Autumn is the right place to be putting our attention, because they don't seem to have any money, at least not enough to fund more characters. It seems like we've been given every indication that Autumn does WANT to fund more Skullgirls but they simply CAN'T for financial reasons. They're own website is outdated, the Skullgirls website hasn't been updated in over a year.

As far as I can tell, Autumn has only ever published three games.

Def Jam Rapstar was a colossal flop and sparked not one but TWO separate lawsuits. Its existence is probably 90% of the reason why Autumn is where it is today.

Jimmy Johnson's Anything With an Engine isn't exactly a AAA million seller either. A hastily thrown together cart-racer with a terrible premise. Why would you pay for the endorsement of a NASCAR driver for your cartoony kart racing game? Those two things really do not appeal to the same fanbase, at all.

That leaves Skullgirls, a game that was released to quite a bit of Critical Acclaim at the very least and a margin of financial success, topping several Digital Download best sellers on various occasions. If I was Autumn Games and I did have money to fund something, it would be Skullgirls since it is a relatively small budget title with an established fan base and a team that you know can produce quality work.

TLDR - Autumn has every reason to invest in SG and has said that they would like to continue to work with LZ, but they simply can't right now.
 
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Jason said:
That leaves Skullgirls, a game that was released to quite a bit of Critical Acclaim at the very least and a margin of financial success, topping several Digital Download best sellers on various occasions. If I was Autumn Games and I did have money to fund something, it would be Skullgirls since it is a relatively small budget title with an established fan base and a team that you know can produce quality work.

TLDR - Autumn has every reason to invest in SG and has said that they would like to continue to work with LZ, but they simply can't right now.
This is actually a little heart-wrenching to read, but this is how business works.
 
I think our main problem is that we have no direction. Mike Z has said that we need to help them to show other companies that there is a major fanbase, but the real issue is that we don't know what to do to help them. I mean, aside from another crowdfunding spree (which seems to be a last-ditch effort to the point where I think L0 would rather just disband than do it again, from various reactions I've heard), we don't really know how to have any positive financial impact on the game's future. Maybe if we could get someone from L0 in here to tell us what we need to do, we could probably be a lot more productive regarding the game's future.
 
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Professor Icepick said:
I think our main problem is that we have no direction. Mike Z has said that we need to help them to show other companies that there is a major fanbase, but the real issue is that we don't know what to do to help them. I mean, aside from another crowdfunding spree (which seems to be a last-ditch effort to the point where I think L0 would rather just disband than do it again, from various reactions I've heard), we don't really know how to have any positive financial impact on the game's future. Maybe if we could get someone from L0 in here to tell us what we need to do, we could probably be a lot more productive regarding the game's future.

Agree with you.

What if we make a signed petition to X Company to invest in SG ( or MarvelousAQL ) this could prove that the game have a dedicated fanbase and the posibility to raise money, because at the end of the line if the only think that most of the corporatives care, money.
 
With all these ideas on the table, let me see if I can cobble something together.

I whole-heartedly agree on the petition bit. Adding on to that, we need fundraisers. No, I'm not talking about IGG or KS. I'm talking about legitimate live fundraisers where the proceeds are allocated between funding L0 and donating to a reputable charity. The individual fundraisers may not be much at face value, but if we can schedule consistent charity events, along with petitioning for long-term sponsorship, I'm sure we can make something happen. If we banded together during the Breast Cancer Drive to make Skullgirls an EVO game, then I'm sure we can do the same here. We just need to figure out logistics, and we also need people to volunteer their talent (art, culinary, etc).

This is all off-hand suggestion, btw; feel free to add to it :)
 
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I think we need to find more...competent publishers. I know behind those websites are real people that are trying to survive the world of business, but we should probably sit, wait, and not yet decide that Autumn Games is incompetent, maybe they'll have a foolproof plan one day. I actually loved teface's suggestion of Devolver Digital because they have some of the most famous Indie games in their tool belt. Iron Galaxy turns out to be a developer, although I have never heard of Bi-development, so maybe that's a good idea.
I think we've been making concept-based progress since I got my head out of my bum. So with that, I support the petition idea a lot, considering I sign a shit-ton of them, and I actually know a website for free petitions.
http://www.change.org/
Also, how much has Konami's leave negatively impacted L0's success financially?
 
I just bought lottery ticket!
Maybe I'm lucky today, who knows?
And if I'll win, Mike will get all my money!
I PROMISE!
EDIT: Okay, maybe next time...
 
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Yeah, Autumn's not the incompetent one.

That was Konami's fault.
 
The best way to get a great quantity of players is a famous LoL player streaming the game in between matches, but the userbase that would come would be full of 12 years old boys overusing doge jokes.
 
You know what I think would help out L0? Another game that's not a fighting game.

Maybe if Mike Z would go through with the beat-em-up he wanted to (he could even use the Skullgirls characters) maybe that would help with getting investors since fighting games are so niche that most wouldn't actually back something that wouldn't instantly make money for them

This should happen after Skullgirls is mostly done with the DLC characters unless Mike Z wants to do it on the side (like he did Fukua) I think it'd work.
 
MistuhDari said:
You know what I think would help out L0? Another game that's not a fighting game.

Maybe if Mike Z would go through with the beat-em-up he wanted to (he could even use the Skullgirls characters) maybe that would help with getting investors since fighting games are so niche that most wouldn't actually back something that wouldn't instantly make money for them

This should happen after Skullgirls is mostly done with the DLC characters unless Mike Z wants to do it on the side (like he did Fukua) I think it'd work.
They'd need money for that. At this point, it's money they don't have.
 
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RetroStation said:
They'd need money for that. At this point, it's money they don't have.
I know that but I mean maybe putting a mockup of SOMETHING Showing "oh hey we're not JUST Skullgirls/fighting games! We can do more than that!" could help cull investors on.
 
But they most likely wouldn't be able to do any of that until after the IGG DLC rolls out. I think they're focused on getting the DLC people paid for in as timely a fashion as humanly possible, so they wouldn't have the time or the resources to do any of that.

Mockups aren't free; you'd still have to pay the people making them.
 
RetroStation said:
But they most likely wouldn't be able to do any of that until after the IGG DLC rolls out. I think they're focused on getting the DLC people paid for in as timely a fashion as humanly possible, so they wouldn't have the time or the resources to do any of that.

Mockups aren't free; you'd still have to pay the people making them.

MistuhDari said:
This should happen after Skullgirls is mostly done with the DLC characters unless Mike Z wants to do it on the side (like he did Fukua) I think it'd work.

I addressed that.

also to address Icepick, if that is the case...I guess it wouldn't be worth the risk.
 
Maybe Skullgirls should be presented at E3 this year. This isn't guaranteed success, though, so maybe we should find charitable organizations that could help L0 get on the map. It could be held in California since it's most famous there, but one state alone couldn't be enough.
 
At this point, I don't think L0 would have the cash to go to E3 without compromising on IGG promises.
 
The lucky part of the Reverse Skullgirls Curse is that Autumn is now suing Konami. Although, I thought they would sue 4mm Games(honestly stupid name) because 4mm sued both Konami and Autumn during the time of Skullgirls production.
 
I'm pretty sure that suit is over, but Autumn's still toxic.
 
I wonder what happens to the Skullgirls IP if Autumn goes broke. Does it revert back to the original owners, does it get put on auction or does Konami get it?
 
Listen, I'm not being obnoxious again but I really do have a crazy idea, in terms of business model. What if L0 became their own publisher? What would happen financially if they try this? What happens to other games if they develop and publish all at once?
 
WrestlerGuile said:
Listen, I'm not being obnoxious again but I really do have a crazy idea, in terms of business model. What if L0 became their own publisher? What would happen financially if they try this? What happens to other games if they develop and publish all at once?
They'd need the money to do that.
 
I've been reading the post and there are some things I'm curious about.
1. Has the Japanese edition of Skullgirls hit arcades yet?
2. Does Lab zero or Autumn get profit form that
3. If the arcades have come out how well are they doing?

I don't think it's every to early to start thinking of ways to help our favorite fighting game but the situation might solve it's self. Japan cranks out indie fighters like america use to crank out first person shooters. If boosting Skullgirls popularity is what needs to be done then focusing on american sales was always an iffy prospect.

Given the stylized nature of the game. The fact that most of the cast is mostly Female. The fact that the game is an airdasher. The fact that it does not have a huge roster. Hell the fact that it's a fighting game. If it's going to find it's support it's going to be from the Japanese scene. I know producers from both Capcom and Arc system works have already praised the games systems. Given enough attention L0 may find a Japanese publisher to work with.

Now some of you might be saying but Skullgirls can already be bought on console in japan and it does not seem that big. Well I'm no expert in Japanese culture but I believe their arcade scene is way bigger than there console scene. Which makes sense considering japan is way more compact than the Usa. Now I'm not sure that we can do anything to affect the growth of SG overseas but. the idea of SG blowing up in japan not impossible.
 
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I think Marvelous was going to try to step up to the plate in Japan like they did for PC, but I don't know if any of that's borne fruit.
 
Professor Icepick said:
I wonder what happens to the Skullgirls IP if Autumn goes broke. Does it revert back to the original owners, does it get put on auction or does Konami get it?

It would either be sold off to the highest bidder to pay back some of their debts or be repossessed by the bank (and then sold off).

When you go into Bankruptcy, you're forced to sell off assets to pay back some of your debts.

TBH for Skullgirls this could be a blessing or a curse.

The other possibility is that Autumn teeters on the edge of the abyss without going in for long enough that the team is forced to split up and find new jobs
 
Should we call a L0 official like Mike or Ravanith to duscuss this or should we find a way to solve this pseudo-secretly, because we have very viable solutions in front of us: update reviews, co-fundraiser(kinda like the Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser), a look in a different direction for a new publisher; the less viable: arcades, kidnappings, fame from the FGC and tourneys, Bancruptcy, uniting as a force to have SG's recognition.

I think I've come up with a solution to help L0: In an earlier post, I talked about L0 basically pitching for a corporation. We'll they should actually be pitching for sponsorships from larger companies. I think this idea, however, has holes in it, like what the company might want back.
EDIT: I also wonder what companies will be willing to sponsor them.
2nd EDIT: I will ask IGN and some others to reviewers Skullgirls Encore.
3rd EDIT: I just remembered there's a Japanese Festival in Houston. I could spread word of Skullgirls there!
 
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I PM'd Mike about this thread. Maybe we should call him here instead or wait for his response.
 
Anybody got a NeoGAF account? Ravidrath's really active on there, so it's probably the best place to reach him.
 
WrestlerGuile said:
I PM'd Mike about this thread. Maybe we should call him here instead or wait for his response.

Mike doesn't really have much to do with the business end of Lab Zero. He does the programming and the game design.
 
Jason said:
Mike doesn't really have much to do with the business end of Lab Zero. He does the programming and the game design.
So I should talk to Ravidrath instead...okay! I got cha! But I don't have NeoGAF, so I'll do my best here.
EDIT: Mike is on Sedar.
 
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I recently heard that Skullgirls doesn't make money off of game sells, but they actually make their money off of Eightysixed shirt sales and other products. Ideas? I feel like drawing some fan art.
 
I don't mean to rain on your parade but the likeihood is Skullgirls not going to become big as we would hope it would be. there are many reasons like due to the fact that you know people don't feel comfortable playing as girl characters unfortunately. also due to the fact that people draw notorious amounts of hentai and sexual images that make us look bad as a community. no I'm not saying that everybody does it but I'm pretty sure there are some people that guilty of doing this within the SG community as much as I hate to admit it. and those two reasons are really big factors why people don't really take us seriously as a competitive game or a game at all. plus we're not like some little known everybody on a lot of people know about SG but you know what they refuse to play the game due to the fact that most of the Cast are female characters and due to the fact that they think that this is like a perverted fighting game. also another major factor the fact that some of the community just refuses to play the game reason I mean you dont have become competitive but if you don't start playing the game, then what is the point of getting the game in the first place. I hate to be the one to do this but a lot of you people don't play the game very often and we're breaking our backs trying to get this game out there and Mike was working on this game day and night. basically what I'm trying to say is that we need people to start playing this game more often. you don't have to be competitive, but if we get decent size of players you know we can show other people "hey you know people are interested in this game" so we can start getting this game out there to other people. I'm sorry if I came off as rude but its just this thing is an itching on my back for a very long time for a lot of people have the same feeling as well.
 
Maybe Skullgirls shouldn't be addressed to as a fighting game anymore. It sounds kinda wacky, but what if it was seen as a strategy game, but against other people with a slightly different strategy, testing your skills and instinct. Or what if it was seen as a casual game because if its ease to get into, or is seen for those who are training for other fighting games? What it's looked at as now is a mudfest and cat fight to those unfamiliar to Skullgirls. Its seen as good for nothing but squick and fanservice, but that's what they think. To be honest, I haven't indicated a single trace of sexual context in dialogue in SKullgirls, or maybe I'm just a little crazy.
 
Just rename the game Skull Hearts.
Oh wait, that's just more fuel for people to keep drawing Arcana Heart connections.

FML
 
WrestlerGuile said:
Maybe Skullgirls shouldn't be addressed to as a fighting game anymore. It sounds kinda wacky, but what if it was seen as a strategy game, but against other people with a slightly different strategy, testing your skills and instinct. Or what if it was seen as a casual game because if its ease to get into, or is seen for those who are training for other fighting games? What it's looked at as now is a mudfest and cat fight to those unfamiliar to Skullgirls. Its seen as good for nothing but squick and fanservice, but that's what they think. To be honest, I haven't indicated a single trace of sexual context in dialogue in SKullgirls, or maybe I'm just a little crazy.

Im not saying that SG is sexual in anyway,far from it. its just ppl see the game and they think its pervey and thats that. and SG is a pure fighting game thats like Mvc with other unique aspects such as IPS, nothing more, nothing less. Plus this game is not that hard to get into. i would say this is a good Gateway into fighting games and The FGC as well.
 
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