Friday, Oct 9, 2009
Iknew this Greatest Hero contest was a bad idea from the start. First of all the starting round was grossly biased putting titans of populairity against virtual no names. Why not put Mario against Master Cheif in the first round, just to make it interesting for a change? Then there was the whole Bub and Bob fiasco done by a site out to wreck the brackets.
And as we know Link had a decent lead over Gordon Freeman up until the last day or so and suddenly Gordon got 20,000 votes out of the blue which seemed a little fishy and here's why. Valve, who apparently has NOTHING better to do (like working on Half Life 2: Episode 3) has been campaigning on Steam getting everyone playing Counterstrike and such to log onto GS to tilt the vote towards Gordon. What happened to boycotting Valve for making Left 4 Dead 2?
No one I talked to aside from a few anti-Nintendo haters thinks Gordon deserves the All Time Greatest Hero title and it's cheap of Valve to do this and really Valve? You have nothing better to do with your time than campaign for your dorky, personality deficient hero to win some silly internet voting contest. I also like how Gordon's fans try to argue that he has personality compared to Mario. Um, I played Half Life 2. Gordon never speaks and hell, you never even see his face in his own game. But of course, he's not cute and cartoony and doesn't represent the evil company who's "destroying gaming." Still, grow up people. Mario is almost as widely recognized as Mickey Mouse and basically single-handedly ressurected gaming after the crash in the mid-80s. At the best, Gordon Freeman has a very good FPS game. Who sounds more deserving?
In a way Mario reminds me of Lighting McQueen and Gordon is Chick Hicks at the finale of Pixar's film Cars. MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD. In the final race, Lighting is way ahead of Chick and the reiging champ, "The King." Though Lightining was a rookie, he impressed everyone with his performance in the season which for years "The King" had been the champ but was getting ready to retire while Chick has been second place for years and somewhat bitter about it.
Just as Lightining is near the finish line on the last lap. Chick yells at The King. "I'm not losing to you again old man!" and rams into The King, sending him flying off the course and smashing into the grass. Lightining looks over and sees what happens and stopsa few feetbefore the finish line, while Chick flies on through. No one cheers. Lighting McQueen gave up the win to go over and help The King. When The King asks him why he's giving up the win Lighting says "I think The King should finish his last race." Only when Lighting pushes the King past the finish line does everyone cheer. No one cheers for Chick Hicks. Even when Chick is standing on the victory stage, no one cheers. Chick is celebrating but is quickly booed off stage. He doesn't even get the Dinoco contract that he thought he'd get with The King retiring. But Lightning is offered the contract to which he says "but I didn't win." And Tex, Dinoco's owner says "there's more to racing than winning." So in the end, despite the fact that Chick won, no one felt he deserved it and everyone felt that Lightning was the real winner.
This is how we should look at the Greatest Hero Finals. Gordon may win but in reality, he didn't deserve it. We all know Mario is and will always be the greatest hero. We all played Super Mario Bros. on the NES and it made us the gamers we are today. And if Gordon wins, it will be undeserved and just like Chick Hicks, he'll get booed off the stage.
Comments
Posted Oct 9, 2009 5:30 am PT
Too true. Mario deserves that title.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:21 am PT
l guess you're right about it, kbaily. However, if any freeman fans read this, l've got a feeling you're gonna get flamed. Just warning ya.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:25 am PT
I dont really care about the greatest hero, its just that alot of people on the steam forums spam the vote for gordon freeman.
now they are both great heroes, but gordon freeman is like the modern day mario persay on the pc.
but to be honest I think Mario should deserve the title.
now they are both great heroes, but gordon freeman is like the modern day mario persay on the pc.
but to be honest I think Mario should deserve the title.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:32 am PT
LOL after the first matches i gave up on it LOL .... i mean where did they find most of them from i mean BO Jackson ??? that was way in left field 
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:41 am PT
Mario should be in the final with Link. But in all honesty I voted for Freeman. I even chose as the winner in my bracket. Still, Mario and Link are better heroes for sure.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:58 am PT
Very well said
Posted Oct 9, 2009 8:22 am PT
Posted Oct 9, 2009 8:58 am PT
Well said deep down Mario is an icon even non gamers no who he is. Ask anyone in the world who Super Mario is and they will say yes I heard of him but for Freeman you won't get many.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 9:09 am PT
I don't think Gordon will be booed. Mario is by far the more iconic character and if this weren't an internet poll but instead a poll of all video game players, I'm pretty sure Mario would come out on top.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 9:14 am PT
I knew that Freeman winning had something to do with this.
Don't get me wrong, I've played Half-Life 1 and 2 and they're great games, but there's no way that he's more deserving of this title then Mario.
Don't get me wrong, I've played Half-Life 1 and 2 and they're great games, but there's no way that he's more deserving of this title then Mario.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 9:16 am PT
I was thinking the same thing. *Applause*
@Pikaby: yes he will, He'll Help Link to the Finish Line
@hebri: nicely put, I respect that
@Pikaby: yes he will, He'll Help Link to the Finish Line
@hebri: nicely put, I respect that
Posted Oct 9, 2009 9:32 am PT
Well said kbaily. I swear, you need to be on the GS staff. Anyway, when the whole Bub and Bob thing happened, I knew this competition was gonna be whack.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 9:55 am PT
I'd say Lionk deserves the title more than Mario, but whatevs. Good point, man.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 10:24 am PT
*Link lol
Posted Oct 9, 2009 10:24 am PT
I voted for the first round and just said, "Screw this. I have better things to do than complain that my favorite might not win." 
Still, you are right.
Still, you are right.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 12:33 pm PT
*Applause* and *More Applause*
Thank you for putting this out there. People need to see how evil the "industry" really is. I've never bought or played a Valve game, and I've stayed away from Steam as well. Now I have a reason to justify my behaviour.
Mario is not just a "franchise", he is the symbol of gaming. He is to gaming what Mickey Mouse is to animated cartoons and for the record, Mario is more popular than Mickey Mouse.
Gordon is about as interesting as Master Chief and less relevant. Duke Nukem is more relevant than Gordon Freeman.
-
This is the same as viral posters supporting project Natal when it was first announced. The "industry" will sink as low as it needs to achieve its goals. Too bad its goals are no good for gamers.
I can't believe this...
Thank you for putting this out there. People need to see how evil the "industry" really is. I've never bought or played a Valve game, and I've stayed away from Steam as well. Now I have a reason to justify my behaviour.
Mario is not just a "franchise", he is the symbol of gaming. He is to gaming what Mickey Mouse is to animated cartoons and for the record, Mario is more popular than Mickey Mouse.
Gordon is about as interesting as Master Chief and less relevant. Duke Nukem is more relevant than Gordon Freeman.
-
This is the same as viral posters supporting project Natal when it was first announced. The "industry" will sink as low as it needs to achieve its goals. Too bad its goals are no good for gamers.
I can't believe this...
Posted Oct 9, 2009 1:00 pm PT
the perfect analogy, I didn't even know who was Gordon Freeman before
Posted Oct 9, 2009 1:40 pm PT
I'm a fan of both franchises, and this was a really hard choice to make. But I voted for Mario. He's been there from the start, is always there to save the day, and asks for nothing in return after all he went through. Don't get me wrong, Gordon Freeman is a great hero too. But he's just not quite there yet.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 1:54 pm PT
*applause* that cars comparison was a perfect example of the contest right now. mario deserves it.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 2:15 pm PT
So many Mario fanboys/fangirls here, LOL. Yeah, vote for Mario as well, great read.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 2:34 pm PT
cars was not a good movie
Posted Oct 9, 2009 2:55 pm PT
True, look at everything Mario has done to the gaming industry. He completely resurrected it and along with him came some of the greatest video games in gaming history, from Super Mario Bros to the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy 2. Gordon may be a great hero for the PC, but he's no where near as famous, popular, awesome, and he hasn't done much for the industry as Mario has. And I thought the Bub and Bob scandal was bad, now THIS is worse!
For Christs sake, Gordon's only been in 2 games and Mario's been in over 100!!! Show some common sense! Mario clearly deserves to win!
For Christs sake, Gordon's only been in 2 games and Mario's been in over 100!!! Show some common sense! Mario clearly deserves to win!
Posted Oct 9, 2009 3:07 pm PT
"And Tex, Dinoco's owner says "there's more to racing than winning."
What kind of racing is that?!
Note how pissed of drivers can get if they come second or third if they had a chance of winning. I do believe there is nothing more to racing than winning!
What kind of racing is that?!
Note how pissed of drivers can get if they come second or third if they had a chance of winning. I do believe there is nothing more to racing than winning!
Posted Oct 9, 2009 6:51 pm PT
And just like I didn't like Cars, I won't like the Greatest Hero contest.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:13 pm PT
I don't even care. Who cares anymore this whole thing is dumb.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 7:18 pm PT
I'm gonna have to go against the grain: I think Mario is overrated. Yes, his games basically pulled video gaming back from the abyss, but that doesn't really have anything to do with Mario himself. If we're talking about personality-deficient characters, I really can't think of many who are more deficient than Mario. His entire thing, aside from playing whatever sport Nintendo has placed him into, is just rescuing the princess and/or saving the Mushroom Kingdom. He is, in my view, an entirely uninteresting character through and through, and I think that's probably why he is so popular: there's really not enough there for people to find something to dislike.
Conversely, I've always thought Gordon Freeman to be an exceptionally interesting idea, really - while it is technically correct that he has no well-defined personality, this is by design rather than due to poor writing. Most of the time, when someone plays a game, they are simply the observer, going through the motions, but ultimately watching a character from afar. Conversely, when someone goes to play Half-Life, there's no disconnect whatsoever between Gordon and the player - no cutscenes, no loss of control (except when Gordon himself loses control). By all accounts, the player is not just watching a character act out their script; rather, the player is Gordon. Whatever personality you have, that is the personality that Gordon has too.
Conversely, I've always thought Gordon Freeman to be an exceptionally interesting idea, really - while it is technically correct that he has no well-defined personality, this is by design rather than due to poor writing. Most of the time, when someone plays a game, they are simply the observer, going through the motions, but ultimately watching a character from afar. Conversely, when someone goes to play Half-Life, there's no disconnect whatsoever between Gordon and the player - no cutscenes, no loss of control (except when Gordon himself loses control). By all accounts, the player is not just watching a character act out their script; rather, the player is Gordon. Whatever personality you have, that is the personality that Gordon has too.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 10:07 pm PT
In short, I find Gordon a more real person, in a more real world, fighting more real battles, for more real reasons, and experiencing much more real emotions while doing so (that is, the player's emotions). And that is why I voted for Gordon.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 10:07 pm PT
I wish bub and bob and the Freeman thing shouldve stopped to begin with.
Posted Oct 9, 2009 11:11 pm PT
I think it's funny that valve bothered to do that as if the competition really matters
Posted Oct 9, 2009 11:30 pm PT
I believe what we are seeing is a huge backlash against Mario, from a lot of disappointed fans of other gaming heroes that have lost (possibly to Mario) in the "All Time Greatest Hero" competition ... I have to admit, I am quite disappointed.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 12:28 am PT
dats wierd...im watchin cars rite now! good explanation!
Posted Oct 10, 2009 4:43 am PT
Just rally all Mario fans, and have them create another profile. Boom. That's like, 30,000 votes.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 7:14 am PT
There was a competition like this one on gamefaqs and Link won.Apparently Valve found out about this and didn't want it to happen again so they went on this whole campaign to get there creepy looking guy who nobody has heard of to win.There should be a poll on the creepiest looking game hero.I assume Valve will want him to win that too.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 7:14 am PT
Gabu said:
"In short, I find Gordon a more real person, in a more real world, fighting more real battles, for more real reasons, and experiencing much more real emotions while doing so (that is, the player's emotions). And that is why I voted for Gordon."
What does reality have to do with video games?
I play games to escape the boring reality of boring looking people like Gordon Freeman! Mario is off the wall, he is a short, stocky, Italian plumber that lives in Brooklyn and speaks in a squeaky voice. He visits the Mushroom Kingdom on Sundays to see his sweet Princess of the Peach. But alas! She has been captured again!
Who cares how "real" Gordon is. Real blows.
"In short, I find Gordon a more real person, in a more real world, fighting more real battles, for more real reasons, and experiencing much more real emotions while doing so (that is, the player's emotions). And that is why I voted for Gordon."
What does reality have to do with video games?
I play games to escape the boring reality of boring looking people like Gordon Freeman! Mario is off the wall, he is a short, stocky, Italian plumber that lives in Brooklyn and speaks in a squeaky voice. He visits the Mushroom Kingdom on Sundays to see his sweet Princess of the Peach. But alas! She has been captured again!
Who cares how "real" Gordon is. Real blows.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 9:10 am PT
Personally for me... I think the bracket voting was fun... even though my favorite lost a little bit ago. 
Posted Oct 10, 2009 11:54 am PT
@evrdayblues:
Well, considering that kbaily's criticism of Gordon was that he was personality-deficient, it seems rather relevant to me to ask the obvious question of whether that applies to Mario as well. Mario is just painfully one-dimensional, more than just about any other character I've seen in video gaming. I consider a real hero to be one who overcomes adversity to triumph in the end. Mario is pretty much chipper and upbeat 100% of the time - where's the interest or greatness in that? Anyone can create something like that.
That's not to say anything about the games in which Mario appears. Of course Mario is uninteresting, since his games are not story-driven (except for his RPGs, which are driven basically solely by characters other than Mario, who is always the silent, pure-good protagonist). But his games being good doesn't make Mario himself any better of a character.
Well, considering that kbaily's criticism of Gordon was that he was personality-deficient, it seems rather relevant to me to ask the obvious question of whether that applies to Mario as well. Mario is just painfully one-dimensional, more than just about any other character I've seen in video gaming. I consider a real hero to be one who overcomes adversity to triumph in the end. Mario is pretty much chipper and upbeat 100% of the time - where's the interest or greatness in that? Anyone can create something like that.
That's not to say anything about the games in which Mario appears. Of course Mario is uninteresting, since his games are not story-driven (except for his RPGs, which are driven basically solely by characters other than Mario, who is always the silent, pure-good protagonist). But his games being good doesn't make Mario himself any better of a character.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 3:46 pm PT
Posted Oct 10, 2009 4:45 pm PT
Link will always be my greatest hero.
And really who cares about this everyone can have their own opinion.
And really who cares about this everyone can have their own opinion.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 7:54 pm PT
Very insightful, kbaily. Your analogy is good, and I won't be picky about the fact Mario didn't help anyone. 
GabuEx, to add to your statement, Link is a character in between Mario and Gordon. He is silent, but less "real" and he always works for good. Plus, I don't think this is about personality at all. These votes come from how enjoyable playing a game with a character is. That's a mixture between personality, game, and user memories and grudges.
Mario is losing for two reasons.
1. Stupid Valve's clever trick
2. Mario has defeated many a game and character in the industry and this tourney. Many separate groups are against him, and the combination of these parts is stronger than what it seems while on the road to victory.
I was for a win from Link. Beating Mario 55/45.
Bub and Bob: All hail the bane of the Chief.
May the memory strike anger and fear into fanboys for many days to come.
GabuEx, to add to your statement, Link is a character in between Mario and Gordon. He is silent, but less "real" and he always works for good. Plus, I don't think this is about personality at all. These votes come from how enjoyable playing a game with a character is. That's a mixture between personality, game, and user memories and grudges.
Mario is losing for two reasons.
1. Stupid Valve's clever trick
2. Mario has defeated many a game and character in the industry and this tourney. Many separate groups are against him, and the combination of these parts is stronger than what it seems while on the road to victory.
I was for a win from Link. Beating Mario 55/45.
Bub and Bob: All hail the bane of the Chief.
May the memory strike anger and fear into fanboys for many days to come.
Posted Oct 10, 2009 11:13 pm PT
Au contraire, Gabu! But the player IS Mario, as that is the point of video games! While I have to admit that just because Mario has 50 games doesn't mean he should win, Gordon Freeman is going to have to wow me a few more times before he can knock mario off the podium.
Personally, I kinda hoped Snake would win the tournement, as he has the ethics of a great hero. Yeah, he shoots people, but you would never call him a killer. But, the person that represents the gaming industry as we know it the best? uh, thats Mario.
Personally, I kinda hoped Snake would win the tournement, as he has the ethics of a great hero. Yeah, he shoots people, but you would never call him a killer. But, the person that represents the gaming industry as we know it the best? uh, thats Mario.
Posted Oct 11, 2009 3:08 pm PT
Well I hope Gordan wins. That's the only guy on my roster that made it to the finals.
Posted Oct 11, 2009 6:58 pm PT
@itsTolkien_time:
Of course the votes are coming from how enjoyable the characters' games are. But they shouldn't; that's my point. The contest isn't called "All Time Greatest Games With These Heroes In Them". That's one of the many things that makes this whole contest at large just silly - nobody can even agree on what the criteria are with which to vote for someone.
Of course the votes are coming from how enjoyable the characters' games are. But they shouldn't; that's my point. The contest isn't called "All Time Greatest Games With These Heroes In Them". That's one of the many things that makes this whole contest at large just silly - nobody can even agree on what the criteria are with which to vote for someone.
Posted Oct 12, 2009 2:24 am PT
hey valve just wants to promote their games, and it's not like they did any thing that was against the contest rules to get a head in the poles. Still, you are right that they SHOULD be working on Half Life 2 Episode 3, I mean really how long dose it take to make the dame thing! It's not like they're makeing a full game or any thing.
Posted Oct 12, 2009 11:25 am PT
@ GabuEx: So true.
And to everyone, I would like to point out that there is much more than winning to racing.
There's money.
To wrap everything up, this tourney cannot possibly be valid, because it asks a question of bias. Link, mario, and Gordon are all characters with little personality whose minds are created by the player.
We all win.
And to everyone, I would like to point out that there is much more than winning to racing.
There's money.
To wrap everything up, this tourney cannot possibly be valid, because it asks a question of bias. Link, mario, and Gordon are all characters with little personality whose minds are created by the player.
We all win.
Posted Oct 12, 2009 12:09 pm PT
Sounds like you're just mad that Gordon is winning. Valve rally the troops took about 5 minutes of their time and it's not cheap, it's advertising and a good strategy Nintendo could have done the same thing.
Plus, Mario and other Nintendo characters ALWAYS win these stupid things, it's nice to see someone else win for a change.
Plus, Mario and other Nintendo characters ALWAYS win these stupid things, it's nice to see someone else win for a change.
Posted Oct 12, 2009 7:49 pm PT
@itsTolkien_time: nice, we all win but really, it's "which of the 3 not story driven characters from different gameplay styIes do you want to win" and due to FPS fans beign so many, it's obvious Freeman will win.
@GabuEx: Video games are not reality, it is a false perception of reality, most of us play video games to escape reality, not to further immerse ourselves into a false sense of realism in which eventually will leave us with a desire of achieve this unfulfilled goals never accomplished because we wasted our valuable time believing the tales of the "very real" virtual man in the "very real" virtual world. Video Games has in short become a false window to reality which movie makers and gore fans have taken to create an interactive "Masterpiece" in which not only the viewer can enjoy it, he can perform it
personally, this is not the vision I had for video games when I was kid. and it reminds me alot of all the soap operas they try to shove people onto their TV's!
nice, we all win but really, it's "which of the 3 not story driven characters from different gameplay styIes do you want to win" and due to FPS fans beign so many, it's obvious Freeman will win.@GabuEx: Video games are not reality, it is a false perception of reality, most of us play video games to escape reality, not to further immerse ourselves into a false sense of realism in which eventually will leave us with a desire of achieve this unfulfilled goals never accomplished because we wasted our valuable time believing the tales of the "very real" virtual man in the "very real" virtual world. Video Games has in short become a false window to reality which movie makers and gore fans have taken to create an interactive "Masterpiece" in which not only the viewer can enjoy it, he can perform it
personally, this is not the vision I had for video games when I was kid. and it reminds me alot of all the soap operas they try to shove people onto their TV's
!
Posted Oct 12, 2009 9:28 pm PT
@ SR71halo: Ninty characters always win because Ninty characters happen to be better.
They also don't need to advertise Mario to us, because we already know him, and he is immensly more successful than Freeman.
@Neo_Ike: While I agree with you, I would also like to defend "realism".
Realism is when a character or situation is fleshed out to where things happen/react like real events/humans. This has it's benefit. Do you spend your day fighting like Freeman? No, so there is still escapism and creativity involved. Freeman just acts more human than Mario, which some prefer.
Soap operas are ridiculous, though.
And if you want the opposite of realism, watch one of those cop or doctor dramas. Talk about far fetched. -_-
They also don't need to advertise Mario to us, because we already know him, and he is immensly more successful than Freeman.
@Neo_Ike: While I agree with you, I would also like to defend "realism".
Realism is when a character or situation is fleshed out to where things happen/react like real events/humans. This has it's benefit. Do you spend your day fighting like Freeman? No, so there is still escapism and creativity involved. Freeman just acts more human than Mario, which some prefer.
Soap operas are ridiculous, though.
And if you want the opposite of realism, watch one of those cop or doctor dramas. Talk about far fetched. -_-
Posted Oct 12, 2009 10:18 pm PT
To Nintendo fans they're better, not to everyone else. It's all opinion based. Plus, not only is Half Life also highly successful, success has little to do with this competition. This is the greatest video game hero, not who has been more successful.
Posted Oct 13, 2009 1:06 pm PT
pikaby
Still, well said.