Overlooking Artists (A rant of sorts)

[Starshot]

I wrote this rant way back on August 28th after the Scary Kids Scaring Album popped on the front page. I posted it on my profile, and people who have read it typically agree with it.

These are my own opinions, and you are free to agree or disagree with them as you please. But, as a music artist, this is how I truly feel.

I am sick of the way FFR is handling artists these days. Absolutely completely and totally ****ing sick of it.

First and foremost, I'd like to think of myself as playing and being on FFR for a while. I joined back in December of 2004, thinking the flash game was well programmed and fun to play. I remember looking up to independent music artists and wanting compose and get my music into FFR like they did. I tried hard, learned different methods, and slowly evolved into the music artist I am today, being able to contend with the FFR artists who I once (and still do) looked up to.

With all that background put to rest inside your minds, allow me to continue with what I must say.

What I am seeing on FFR today brings me such disgust, that it is petrifying. The popularity that FFR has is caused it to corrupt, and ignore the independent artists that inhabit and built up FFR. People like SGX, The Fat's Sabboth, Kyle Ward, and Draigun. As of now, independent artists seem to be cast aside for the light of bigger, signed artists. FFR seems to be bowing down far too much to the populous of the site, and leaving undiscovered artists in the dust, when it once lifted them up on a podium for all to see. Yes, I understand that the site is growing bigger and more popular as more signed artists join the roster, but lets not forget from where we came from. All artists had to be independent at one point in time.

While that seems to be the main problem seems to focus on the populous, another problem seems to be on the completely opposite end of the spectrum.

As you know, FFR has a simfile selection team that goes through each file sent in during each batch. The files are then judged and those who the judges enjoy, get into FFR. However, therein lies the problem. Because of the fact that these people are judging it off the simple fact if they enjoyed it or not, is creating of enjoyment for certain players, and not the community as a whole. If one of the judges doesn't like it, it does not get in. While this is a relatively good system, it does not work in a large group. Lets face it, half the people on this site don't know what a "fun" file is.

Sadly, this has caused several artists, even though their composing and mastering skills are amazing, to be denied into the game, because the simfile that they made, or they didn't make, was not good enough for the game.

I know at this point I am merely ranting, but, seeing FFR as it is today compared to what it is now is truly a double edged sword. We have the power to get a hold of massive amounts of artists, yet we've let that get the best of us.

If you agree, feel free to comment, if you disagree, feel free to comment as well. Feel free to tell friends about this, if you want.

/DJS\

This is truly how I feel. I'm sorry if I'm offending any of the staff. I know you work hard, but nevertheless, this is my opinion.

[Tasselfoot]

we still feature, accept, and welcome independent artists. MOST of the songs that are getting into the game still are of this nature. they still get their feature on the main page when new songs are released, and we'll give them publicity if they ask for it on CD releases or the like (See DM Ashura's news post). 1st and foremost, we're about promoting our artists.

in regards to the simfiles.... 99/100 times that files are rejected is because of the stepfile, not the song. and you're saying that rebirth and jimerax don't know what fun files are? since they're the judges, with myself assisting as a final layer.

if it's caused artists not to get into the game, it's because the file is poor, not because of the song (99/100 cases).

you aren't offending me... i just think you're only looking at one side of things, trying to be pissed off that we're trying to be successful and further the site as a whole, at a small hit to yourself and others in our "in-house" crowd. we all know that FFR would not be at this point without SGX, Spook, Jewpin, and the rest of the old-school crowd. Jason pointed out in another thread that this is the internet.... and on the internet you either evolve, adapt, and change or you die.