When did Game X jump the shark?

jdrakeh · #1 09-19-2005, 07:56 AM

If television shows, novels series, and other things that come in many parts can jump the shark; I think that RPGs should be able to jump the shark, too. I'll throw a few out there to get you started:

AD&D 2e jumped the shark when TSR started churning out the (poorly conceived) "Complete Book of" series at an alarming rate of speed.
Vampire: The Masquerade jumped the shark when "Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand" was published.

When do you feel that Game X jumped the shark?

Numanoid · #2 09-19-2005, 08:02 AM

My game is much bigger than yours,
My game can walk right through the door
With a feeling so pure..
It's got you screaming back for more

JDCorley · #3 09-19-2005, 08:09 AM

To the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean"...

My game is much better than your game
My game is superior to yours
My game is much better than your game
Which is only played by those who are bores

My game
My game
My game is better than yours, you see
My game
My game
My game is better, you see!

MusedFable · #4 09-19-2005, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumaNuma

My game is much bigger than yours,
My game can walk right through the door
With a feeling so pure..
It's got you screaming back for more

Nice

. I like what word "game" is replacing hehehe.

BTW, I'm pretty sure I know what "jumping the shark" means, but where the hell did that term come from?

splattergnome · #5 09-19-2005, 08:13 AM

That's unfair. People can love a game and still believe that it went all twonky at a certain point in time. Maybe its better if people said they are talking about games they like (or liked, up to that point in time)?

splatty

StephenO · #6 09-19-2005, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusedFable

BTW, I'm pretty sure I know what "jumping the shark" means, but where the hell did that term come from?

jgants · #7 09-19-2005, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusedFable

Nice

. I like what word "game" is replacing hehehe.

BTW, I'm pretty sure I know what "jumping the shark" means, but where the hell did that term come from?

It started with Happy Days when Fonzie literally jumped over a shark. It was deemed so over the top that people used it as a reference point for when the show went downhill. A few years back an Internet site called Jump the Shark appeared, using the term to define the points when popular tv shows started to go bad. The term just expanded from there.

jdrakeh · #8 09-19-2005, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splattergnome

Maybe its better if people said they are talking about games they like (or liked, up to that point in time)?

splatty

That's pretty much what 'jumping the shark' means - 'When did X game fail to appeal to you anymore as a result of trying too hard?'. Of course, leave it to the uninformed (not you) to use that as an excuse to hit below the belt just for the hell of it. :rolleyes:

For those who don't know (as a few here obviously don't) 'jumped the shark' doesn't mean 'GAME X FUCKING SUXXORZ!' and it isn't a comparison of 'MY FAVORITIST GAME TO YOUR FAVORITIST GAME' either (despite some suggestions to the contrary further up on this thread).

ExaltedMouse · #9 09-19-2005, 08:30 AM

Edit : Oooops, I posted too fast, without reading what I posted, and I made myself look as a true ass...

jdrakeh · #10 09-19-2005, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExaltedMouse

Already done :

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=53863

Tens of pages about the same topic...

Ah. I must have missed that thread. Now, see - that thread started off completely civil whereas this one immediatly descended into some adolescent snark with the first reply. Must just be because I started it. Ah well, it was time to flesh out the ignore list anyhow :rolleyes: