#AC_Talks - Why Content Creation (Should be) King in The #ArmoredCore Community

NOTE: Content Creation for this context will refer to content not created by the developer/publisher (DLC, game itself, etc.)



Try to remember the last game you played that wasn't Armored Core. Recall how much you either watched it or played it yourself, the fun you had. At some point or another, did you find yourself needing more? Was there a part of the game that you couldn't get past? Was there lore about the characters you were curious about? Were there secret endings or missions you wanted to see if they existed? Was there a particular weapon or style you were curious whether they were viable or not?



Chances are if you invested yourself to any degree in a game, these questions will have come up at some point, and when it did, you went looking for it. Because in 2017, games extend far beyond just us playing them, and evolved to have an entire culture and following behind it. And from there, stuff springs forth, to answer or questions and whims, and entertain us in unusual ways.



This is what we know as Content Creation, when we create information through media to an audience. It can be videos, artwork, written, etc but it takes many different forms and contributes to helping, informing, or entertaining (sometimes in combination) us in context with whatever subject we are seeking.



Here are some examples. See how many you've seen or taken a part in in another game series you enjoy:

Guides/Walkthroughs

Advance Techniques/Skills

Demonstrations/Tutorials

Let's Plays

Skits/Parodies

Artwork/Fan-Art

Match/Game Analysis

Lore/Story Explanations

Theory/What Ifs

Commentary/Podcasts



Content and Content Creation is a beautiful thing; it gives the fans ways to share, enjoy, and view the games differently to other people in the community and outside it as well. It strongly contributes to growth and longevity in the community and series as more people become invested in the game and content generated from it. There are plenty of examples of content creators receiving recognition and attaining notable followings as a result of their work.



So what has happened with content in the Armored Core community?



For the past 10 years or so the AC community has faced a huge problem in terms of content creation. Most content nowadays in the AC community has suffered from being unimaginative, low quality, and/or repetitive. As a result, they receive little to no views. On top of this, creators lack the knowledge and skills to advertise their content, making it harder for them to reach out to an audience. As a result, what you see is many people creating stuff, but because no one can find it or see it, they get no recognition; as time goes on, they just give up and go somewhere else.



For new players, this is particularly troublesome problem as it means that they have no outlets to assist them with the brutal difficulty of the series, and gives them little incentive to stay after the game is done. For veterans of the series, it means there is little incentive to continue investing hours or energy into the game at a certain point, pushing them away.



Content should be king in a community where the developer/publisher has traditionally taken a very hands off approach, but has faltered in the fact of a fractured and shrinking playerbase, a change in the general attitude of the players who play the game, and a lack of interaction in the general community among one another as well as with its publisher/developer.



I mentioned back in February that the community was on its way to recovery with an explosion of content (http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1spkr3f). However, along with some going-on's in the community (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVuPJOscf7E), the lack of attention paid to the production of said content (low quality) as well as general lack of awareness and recognition by the community meant most of this content went under the radar, and disappeared almost as quickly as it came by the end of March/April.



In many ways, a strong Content Creation would probably the first step in solving alot of our problems. Problems with helping new players, getting old players to say. Problems with relying on a developer/publisher to give us a new game and proper support. Problems with a lack of activity, and an overabundance of apathy.



Content should be king in the Armored Core community, but isn't because there isn't enough interest to create it, and not enough interest to consume it. And the cycle just keeps on going.



To Be Continued...



-FromCheng

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