Hey... anybody here like Markiplier?

[Kilyle]

I've been watching tons of Markiplier videos lately (totally derailing my NaNoWriMo, but oh well).  And since I'm considering whether to make a Markiplier fanvid, I started wondering if anyone on this forum is a Markiplite like me (or a Markiplier fan, even if you use a different term).  I haven't been active in a long time, but a quick search for Markiplier doesn't turn up anything, so I guess I'm the first to ask about it.

For those who don't know him, he makes Let's Plays, mostly of horror games though also of indie games and silly games and just weird games.  He had an ongoing Drunk Minecraft series with his friends that recently game to an end because his body can't process alcohol well and his doctor told him to cut it out entirely.  Mark is funny, talented, and heartwarming, and comes across as genuine and caring, which is probably a big factor in how fast his channel has grown (over ten million subscribers in about two years).  And he has an earnest desire to do good in the world, which he has worked at with a number of charity events.

The reason I thought to ask around here out of the blue is that I'm debating about making a Markiplier fan game (as many others have, and he plays them and comments on them on his channel, which is pretty awesome), and I'm hoping to run across some people who might help me with the project.  My intention is to make a genre-shifting game that brings up details from his early videos, a chronological retrospective.  If I had to choose from my current skills and programs, I'd be making this on GameMaker, mostly because of that genre-shifting component (I have Steam versions of a couple RPG Makers -- and was pleased to see 2k3 make it up now -- but I don't know enough of the coding to be able to break the confines of the RPG style when using RPG Maker).

Brainstorming has been fun so far.  I want to start with an homage to Earthbound, a game Mark loves, using color schemes based on his various milestone and Impossible Challenge videos (Cinnamon, Marshmallow, Hot Sauce, Wasabi, Ice Bath, and so on), and referencing the various dogs he's had (including Pupperschnups, his name for a dog in one game he played).  And since an early subscriber milestone was Mark playing "Chubby Bunny," I figure an early game will have him chasing down corpulent rabbits

Anyway, if there are any Markiplier fans here who might be interested in contributing to the project, I'd definitely like to hear from you.  I'll try to check back here later this week, but if you want a faster reply (and/or to make sure I don't get distracted and forget that I posted this), you can email me.  My GMail account is the same as my forum account name, Kilyle -- nothing fancy about it.

In addition, I've been trying to spread the word quietly (so Mark doesn't see it) about a birthday present for next year: I'm trying to turn his birthday (June 28th) into a holiday celebrating by donating time, money, or creativity to charity.  If things go well, the message will reach out to enough people to cause a tweet storm on that day, under the hashtag TinyBoxTimDay, with a ton of pictures using Mark's iconic sidekick, Tiny Box Tim.

[Prpl_Mage]

Gonna be honest, I don't watch a lot of people playing games. Unless I'm somehow involved in the game played.

[Archem]

Markiplier? I find him to be very annoying.

[Meiscool]

He's ok. I like his horror stuff a lot but his flash game stuff is mostly annoying.

The nice thing about him is that the majority of the time he knows what he is doing. Some youtubers I feel like screaming at the screen because they are missing something that is painfully obvious to me and are spending a ton of time looking for it.

[Kilyle]

The nice thing about him is that the majority of the time he knows what he is doing. Some youtubers I feel like screaming at the screen because they are missing something that is painfully obvious to me and are spending a ton of time looking for it.

Oh, Markiplier is not immune to that either.  We've got some running jokes about how he misses some little details that lots of people in the comments figured out pretty quickly.  But then, like you say, he's not alone.

I like the one with the fedora game.

Would that be his lampooning of the "Nice Guy" "Why are you putting me in the Friend Zone" mindset, on a clone of Flappy Bird, or are you thinking of a different video?

I don't watch a lot of people playing games. Unless I'm somehow involved in the game played.

I started enjoying Let's Plays because of Helloween4545's horror games -- because I find the tension of playing a horror game to be so strongly unpleasant that it's completely unfun for me.  But it turns out that watching someone else play horror games reduces the tension level enough for me to like it.  I had a ton of fun following Helloween's material for a while, and later moved to Markiplier.

The other factor is that, until recently, I had the mindset that I was incompetent at video games when it came to any sort of action combat.  I grew up on JRPGs and I can handle that because it's much slower and lets me think through my options rather than just reacting.  It's only Minecraft, and later Saints Row IV, that gave me an environment where I was able to better control my learning curve, and now I can toe-to-toe with creepers with little problem and have even gotten close to beating a Super Hostile map (a major achievement for me).  Those games made me feel competent in a way I literally had never felt before.

So watching other people play some of the more intense games is like watching a pro ice skater or a professional musician: They're doing something I'm not capable of, that I don't care to invest the time or money to become good at, but that is enjoyable to watch.  And Let's Players also let me experience stories that, given the previous factors, I otherwise would not experience, or would have significant frustration while trying to experience.  (Plus, in a lot of cases they let me enjoy a condensed version of the experience, thus I don't spend as much time on it as I would if I played it myself -- even better since I found out I can bump YouTube's video speed up.)

I do find Markiplier occasionally annoying, but on the whole I'm enjoying his work and I do like him as a person, based on what I know of him so far.  And I think it's really cool that enough people enjoy him that they've made multiple fan games and that he's not above playing the fan games for his channel.  It seems like a good back-and-forth between Mark and the community he's built around him.

[Prpl_Mage]

I suppose that's why I don't enjoy let's plays then. I prefer to play through stuff on my own, and I have both the time and the capacity. Watching a let's play for me is like watching a movie, and video games generally don't make good movies, or rather, they make too long movies.

But by all means, make your fan game, it sounds like you really love this guy so it's a grand idea to show your appreciation of the work he is doing. But if you want something not rpg-battlish you might want to consider Gamemaker, or use rpgm VX and download a fancy script. Let me know if there is anything you need and I can probably help you out.

[Kilyle]

Watching a let's play for me is like watching a movie, and video games generally don't make good movies, or rather, they make too long movies.

Depends on the game as far as length -- I've lately been sticking to the shorter indie games on account of not having the time and attention span to devote to the longer series stuff.  But yeah, video games don't translate well to movies... although that's not taking into account the commentary aspect.

Watching a Let's Play, for me, is like a combination of watching a review -- like the Star Trek reviews that were my main entertainment during college -- and watching a guy's reactions, and reaction videos are a big hit lately so it's obvious that just watching someone react to things is itself entertaining to large groups of people.  (How else would you explain "Markiplier Reacts to Teens React to Markiplier"?)  Plus, they share some similarities with Emergent Gameplay, the idea that if you set up a physics engine and some gameplay setting and constraints, and then add one or more players, you get unexpected things that are enjoyable to experience.

Anyway.

Fan Game

I do think I'll be using Game Maker, because of the genre-shifting nature of the stuff that's been popping into my head.  I plan to do the facial expressions myself (I'm getting some caricature books from the library), and I've been scouring some of his shorter videos for sound bites, which is kind of fun.

Guess the thing I need most right now is some sprites.  I did find a couple sprite sheets, but they're not in the right style (also, one of those is based on the Wilford Warfstache alter-ego -- I need the base Markiplier, no mustache).  I need to start with Earthbound style for the intro, using multiple characters, and then move into a more active and detailed sprite (Chrono Trigger or Sega Genesis level of detail) for just Mark, for the remainder of the game.

For the Earthbound style:

• Mark himself, with hair from here.
• His most notable friends (Bob, Wade, and Jacksepticeye, plus Tyler) -- Jack should look more like the image on this shirt
• His dogs: Four real-life types, plus two from games (Pupperschnups, and the creepy hell-beast from The Evil Within)

I'm not sure about the dog breeds.  Maggie's a wiener dog and Lucy's a big white thing.  Charlie's a small black-and-white thing, and the new addition, Chica, is a Golden Retriever (the pink handkerchief around her neck is important).  I think Pupperschnups might be a Terrier, but if you think the visuals better point to a different breed, go for it (it's really difficult to make out details at that level of pixel art).

If you can manage to make Mark's character the regular Earthbound size, but also make Wade and Bob distinctly larger by a couple of pixels (so that having them near Mark makes Mark look short), then please do.  Mark is of average height but his friends happen to be a few inches over six feet so he always looks short next to them.  Jack, however, is equal to Mark in height... you know, that actually shocks me, because Jack looks small compared to Mark.  Maybe make him skinnier?

More Detailed Version

Should use his short haircut and this shirt.  I'd hope for most or all of these moves (sorta ranked by importance... for example, I can get by without the attacks if I need to, or work on the base game and get someone to make the attacks later):

• Walk
• Run
• Jump
• Stand
• Crouch/Hide/Take Cover
• Sneak (timidly)
• Grab Item
• Basic Attacks: Punch, Kick, Shoot, Wield/Swing Torch
• Win Pose
• Lean Around Corners (also timidly)
• Sit
• Maybe a power-gathering horse stance? (I don't watch much Dragonball, but I understand Mark likes Goku)  Power gathered would be bright magenta-pink

I don't think I'll get close to modern-era Mark in this game, but if you cared to throw in a "glimpses of your future" version with at least Stand and Walk (and maybe Sit), using his more modern haircuts and costumes (version 1, version 2 (with purple shirt like this), and bonus version 3), then great.  I figure he'll see visions of himself as a ghost or vision or in a mirror at some point.

Also... he's got a rather famous video where he pasted his mouth over cat mouths, saying "Meow" in various ways.  Anything you could do with that in sprite form?  Like a normal-looking cat sprite or cat facial, and then it suddenly uses human lips to speak, very clearly human lips with all the creepiness that implies.

[SaiKar]

One of my friends has been working on a Markiplier fangame project for several months, where you control Mark and his goons in their quest to do... whatever the hell his inside jokes would suggest he does. Apparently I'm in the game somewhere too. I offered to do spritework but I don't think my friend is actually serious enough to want me to do go to the trouble, which is sad because I don't even care if he releases the game; I just kinda wanna do spritework.

In any event, I'm not much of a fan. I find him too shout-y and acting-y. But I do see the appeal.

[Kilyle]

I don't think my friend is actually serious enough to want me to do go to the trouble, which is sad because I don't even care if he releases the game; I just kinda wanna do spritework.

I sympathize with your friend, in that I know most of the projects I start up, however enthusiastic I am at the time, don't get seen through to completion.  And it's hard to ask your friends to put effort in if you don't think it's going to go anywhere.

With this sort of artwork, though, I think it can still be meaningful because even if my project peters out, the sprites can exist for other Markiplier fans to use.  So that's nice.

I doubt the sprite style for your friend's game is anything like the one I'm after, but if you'd be interested in helping out with mine, maybe it'd help encourage your friend as well.

I've actually thought it'd be neat to put together a team that'd work on some big massive Markiplier game, but the chances of that happening in the near future are pretty slim.  Maybe it'd be different if there were an existing Markiplier-themed forum, but I haven't run across one yet.  Mark said a year or more ago that he was thinking of making a website but so far no dice.  But on a website we could coordinate efforts better than we can on YouTube and such.

Relatedly: One game I hope to mimic for one section is Super Stack 2, where you drop shapes (mostly boxes) onto platforms and hope the whole mess doesn't collapse before the timer runs out.  It's got a bunch of physics simulation, though, and I have next to no clue how to even start experimenting with the code.  Blocks affect other blocks based on balance points, and things tip over slowly when you're just a pixel or two over from the center, and that's the sort of thing I was hoping to eventually find someone who could code that section because they understood the mechanics ahead of time, instead of me stumbling around trying to work with physics when I haven't even mastered a basic jump (on Game Maker).

[Kilyle]

Been having fun compiling a list of quotes, references, and sound clips from Mark's videos.

I've started work on my Earthbound-style color schemes, based on different milestone videos and challenges Mark has done: Cinnamon, Marshmallow, Peanut Butter (different from the Earthbound Peanut Butter), Hot Sauce, Wasabi... probably going to include some weird ones like Electric Shock and Leg Wax

[ZeroKirbyX]

Is he really any different from any other let's play person?

[Fisherson]

Yeah! What Zeke sa- *Stops then does a double take* Zeke! =D Oh my fracking goodness it's been so long since I saw ya!! *Nostaglia meter breaks*

Oh crap I did off topic thing. Need to regain my composure and show the n00bs you can't do that. <.< Ahem. As online "Play Through" vids go I have no favorite. I just prefer to watch FF ones or ones that show me how a game I want to buy is played. I willl admit I do liek those Top 10 Worst Video Game Bosses or Top 20 Epic Battles types when they are done right.

[Prpl_Mage]

So you would say that he is the same as pewpewdie?

I'm quite sure that some are worse than others and some are more personal than others. I guess it's just a matter of taste.

[Fisherson]

Mind you I did hve a favorite web host of videos. The Educational series Mind Blow. The guy is very animated but not like a Steve Carrel or Will Farrel over the top way but a very believable way that you can see somebody doing in RL. Hmm need get my new youtube account subscribed to that actually. Though I don't even know the guy's name, screenwise or RL wise. Not big into celebrities much, even internet ones. *Shrugs* I will admit I do miss Drak's videos from this site. XD He was just hillarious to watch screw up a video game that somebody made to piss him off. Heh hehe "invisible landmines" being a favorite of mine. Lmao he was so paranoid by the the middle of that game he wouldn't even hardly talk to people without worrying they'd be a landmine.

[Kilyle]

Is he really any different from any other let's play person?

So you would say that he is the same as pewpewdie?

I'm quite sure that some are worse than others and some are more personal than others. I guess it's just a matter of taste.

Definitely a matter of taste, but then again there's a ton of people on YouTube engaged in a Markiplier-vs-Pewdiepie war, and they definitely don't think they're interchangeable.  The comments I've been seeing on my side think Mark is decidedly a better person than Pewdiepie, though I'm not that uncharitable toward Pewds.

I was not enamored of the Pewdiepie reviewing style (though some of his videos were fun enough), and some of the elements that Mark shares with him annoy me.  But, like with my affection for The Nostalgia Critic, I can ignore a lot of the stuff that bugs me and enjoy the parts that don't.  My friends that I've tried to introduce to Mark's work find his voice annoying (though, to be fair, two of them don't even watch Let's Plays to begin with), which confuses me, all the more because they frequently watch Rage Quit, whose voice and style I don't see as that much different from Mark at his rage-iest.  (Mark at his least rage-iest has "a voice like butter" as one commentator put it.)

As far as character, I know Pewdiepie decided to ignore the calls for him to take the Ice Bucket Challenge, in favor of doing the sensible thing and actually discussing the point of the challenge and that ALS is horrible and people should push money in the direction of research to prevent or cure it.  I think it's cool that he did that.  A lot of people seem to think he's wimpy and/or wrong for not going all the way.  Both he and Mark donated a goodly amount of money toward the cause, so as far as raising awareness and putting their money where their mouth is, I think they're equal.  But Mark's used to challenges and went all the way with his ice bucket AND ice bath at the same time, and I love that video (as well as the fact that it comes at the end of one of his most heartfelt speeches).

I know Mark's active in charity work and has raised over $600,000 in the three years he's been on YouTube.  I just looked up Pewdiepie's record and he's raised over a million, especially for Charity: Water to get fresh drinking water to places that need it (a charity effort I feel strongly about, as it's the foundation that needs to be in place before a lot of other improvements, such as health and safety, can be built).  I admire people who get famous and make use of that fame to cause a positive change in the world, and to encourage others to do the same.

Of course, if it were purely that, I wouldn't be devouring his videos like I'd just discovered that cat videos exist on the internet.  So his style in general appeals to me, regardless of the rest.