Cup of Jones - April 17, 2018

Just a little non-financial feedback for the Patreon. Currently, in the tag cloud on the left side of the patreon page, there is no tag link for 'Community Showcase' (the link for 'Community Comments' is still there though). That means if a patron wants to find old showcase posts, they will have to use manually search for it, which is a big pain considering patreons terrible interface.

discardedDigit

I have some feedback about the recent restructuring. I am surprised the Allies didn't focus more on the 10-$20 tier range for donations. A single, maybe chance at asking a monthly question of the allies is literally the only incentive for doubling one's monthly fee from $10 to $20. In other words, that monthly chance is worth two full priced video games annually. ($10x12 = $120). I think some creativity at these tiers would go a long way to keeping a more stable 40K. As of writing the $10 tier is *strong* with a whopping 700 patrons, the $20 has a fraction of that at 140. Podcast producer level at $25 has *310*, over double the $20 tier. This suggests to me there's interest in your midrange tiers, but not enough incentive. With a little spit-shine, and, again, restructuring, I think you could get a good chunk of that 700 $10 level to push up your monthly $$$. Also, congratulations on one hell of a fundraiser. I didn't have any spare time on Thursday, so bumping up to $25 this month.

Kiraz

Hey Jones, I gotta wonder, what is the reasoning behind dissolving the selection committee? I think it's been generally a net positive for the group streams, at least I see it that way. Please don't make us watch Fifa again.

Michael Rymar

Hey Jones, congrats on the goals achieved! Just wondering, about that $2 tier. There are still around 200 people in it. Does that mean that once you remove it, those $400~ will disappear from the total amount? Maybe people haven't heard yet. Why not keeping the tier one more month, giving more time for people to change it. I hope they at least get an email from Patron or EZA about the changes. Congrats again!

Kenny Montenegro

Hey Jones, how are you? I was watching the EZA Donation VOD (sorry I couldn't be a part of it, still working to improve back my Patreon pledge here) and you guys asked what we wanted from EZA for E3. For that I really don't have many suggestions or requests, as you are better producers than I'm to give ideas... I just wanted to ask something of you: If, by any chance, the podcasts get done live again, can we keep chat interaction (and sub shoutouts) to a minimum? I find them really annoying when brought up amidst an interesting discussion. That's that for E3. Now for general: I really miss GT Time's 5th person for podcast. Having Ian there, taking care of everything and participating ocasionally on discussions was really great. I know things are a bit differente with easy allies, but it's maybe something to look forward to it? And the final thing, and this is just a minor hassle but it bugs me so much because it's kind of on my line of work... Can't the camera have a fixed position? Like an X on the ground or something? It's really bizarre to see every podcast, TBE, Frame Trap and more, be shot from an slighlty different angle and height, every. time. I'm sorry if I sound Petty or too harsh. I really love you guys and I just want the best for all of you. Here's too many years of EZA. Cheers.

Congratulations on the excellent outcome of the drive. Considering the number of folks who didn’t know about the drive, what are areas y’all can improve in delivering the message of key events such as this? I would think putting up a video that replaces the welcome to EZA video as the pinned video for a couple of days would help until the event is over. Not saying the event had a poor outcome because it obviously didn’t, but it is clear that in quite a few areas people missed the ship on what happened last Thursday. So happy for y’all and each of your expressions were priceless and heartwarming at seeing how much this community cares about you guys.

Dale Payne

Hi Jones, Congratulation to you all for an amazing result last Thursday. Going to a midnight premiere of The Avengers later tonight, is midnight premieres common in USA? Thank you so much for things you guys do.

bjørnar haraldsvik

Hey Brandon, how will spoiler mode work? Will it be only new(er) games you discuss, or will you go back to old(er) games as well, and if you do, how far back would you go?

mikkel hervel nemmøe

Hey Brandon, what do you think about EZA getting some badges/placards to award certain games and booths at this years E3? I've seen other media outlets do this like Kinda Funny in past shows, while I know it's not necessary it would be fun seeing what you guy's would deem badge/placard worthy. I'm not really sure what they're called but I think you know what I'm referring to. Congrats on the success of the fundraiser, it's an exciting time to be a part of Easy Allies.

Jason Walstrom

Have you ever had a fried tender loin sandwich? Recently heard it was an Indiana thing. Curious if that is the case.

Wow. What a fundraiser. That was so jolly and left me very emotional. In your announcements, you brought up 'And For That Reason' would be a limited run series, and it got me thinking about another one of your limited series that I adored, Brandon Plays Pokemon. Are there any plans to return to this sort of series? L&R

Kate Bishop

What happened to the Amateur Gundam Construction streams? The last one was in february and the one before in october. Are the schedules too full?

Lukas Riedler

Hi Jones, congratulations for a successful fundraiser. That's all. Have a good day!

the_finnish_ally

What are your thoughts on the new Sith raid in Galaxy of Heroes? Cant wait to see you all in 4k.

Greetings Jones! This one’s digging a bit, but I vaguely recall you mentioning on a podcast some time ago that you had reached a different era of Forensic Files on Netflix, with a different style of storytelling and whatnot. This caught my attention, as my wife and I spend a great deal of time with that show - she can be extremely insomniac, but the narrator’s voice is very good at getting her to fall asleep. So I’m just curious, how often do/did you watch it? And was this active watching, or more of a background thing?

Erunion

Hey Jones, I am adding these questions just in case nobody asked otherwise ignore. 1. (fyi I personally don't mind) after you calculate tax will you explain to the patrons the actual figure you will be working with for supplies. Even just 'we will be dedicating X to gear even if it is not the full amount it will give the community an understanding of where their money will be going. 2. Due to this success and your many asides about wanting to journey to all the games conferences have you considered putting some estimates together for going to PAX EAST, PAX Sydney, GAMESCOM etc. Then throwing it out to the community to see if the local EZA community will crowdfund a trip? I live in Melbourne but would definitely put up some coin to see you in Sydney.

Steven Beaumont

Just to throw my 2 cents in, I think they should totally make a video for the main channel talking about the new changes to Patreon. Let the masses know what's happening and what the goals are. Granted it'd probably best to hold off on the video until next month when the $2 tier goes away so people don't sign up for that the month it goes away.

I have a lot of thoughts about Thursday's stream ruminating, but I'll keep this quick- I went back to watch EZA's original launch stream, and when you had a second to promote the Patreon, you referred to EZA as 'a network of streamers'. Cut to this week when you discussed the Allies as a group of 'artists'- performers, comedians and writers- above all else. That's a very stark difference. How has EZA's self-perception changed as you've grown? And how would you like to evolve in the distant future? (This is super broad, so you can kind of take the discussion wherever you want)

Noah Weinstein

Hi Jones, I'm real excited to see what you get in new equipment, the Allies raised a 30K+ to help you with that. My brother and I have some hesitation with PayPal, but we bought the cheap bits promo and cheer those during the stream. We were not the only ones and there were some very large cheers during the stream. Just a quick question, I know the donations where for new gear, but what is your plan for all that money earns through bits during that stream? I am okay with Easy Allies "we love and respect you" salary bonus for the month, but I happy with whatever you guys choose. (^_^ ) L&R Tim Meagher (Younger of the MeagherBros.)

Mr. Jones Many of the long form shows will at some point contain spoilers for a game or movie. Most of the time the host will say "we will wave our hands when the spoilers are over". How about a spoiler banner or spoiler flag (physical or digital) on the desk that gets put out until the spoilers are over. If someone is watching the video they can easily scrub through to see when it was safe to watch again. L&R Morgan Mohalla

Morgan Mohalla

Hey Brandon, What happened last Thursday was amazing. I’m glad so many people are helping out. I’ve been a fan since gametrailers (probably since 2008 or 2009) and it was sad that GT had to end. However when I realized that you guys were back (I missed like the first two months, I think) I was thrilled and became a Patron immediately. We can see that all of you guys really love what you’re doing and in such a case the results of hard work are almost always excellent. You’re „just having fun“ and you are letting us participate. I find that great. I value your opinions a lot. E.g. very often when you like a game, Jones, I like it too! So I’m looking forward to future recomendations (no pressure). Even though I am mostly passive in the community, this feels more and more like a big family. It is my opinion, that you help your family any way you can. So in retrospect I don’t find it very surprising that all your goals were met. Not trying to reduce this remarkable feat, that it of course is. We love you too and we don’t want to lose you (again)! I don’t doubt, the studio is possible. It’s just, I’m not sure, whether I want the studio. The garage has a certain atmosphere that I really like. The thought has even crossed my mind sometimes, that we are already watching you guys on a set and that there isn’t even a wall behind the camera. I certainly want EZA to grow and for you guys to have the possibilities that a studio would bring. Can you say a few words about how you imagine the look and feel of your shows, if the studio becomes a reality? Btw, like I said, I don’t speak up very often and last time on Cup of Jones, two or three weeks ago, I didn’t realize the spoilers I put in. I wasn’t even thinking of the possibility of potential spoilers. Thank you for filtering them out and for pointing that out to me. Much love and respect from Germany, Andre Wessels (spoken like: „vessels“) PS. I’m not always sure, whether my point comes across correctly in English. Apologies, if my grammar sounds rediculous in any way.

Andre Wessels

Hey Jones! On the EZA podcast there was a L & R about a fit football player being into gaming. Whether or not you expect somebody to play games or not, it it always cool to hear when somebody does. That said, let me tell you about somebody by the name of Kenny Omega. He is the most popular wrestler outside of WWE and America. Some would say he is the most talented professional wrestler in the world. I bring this up since obviously he plays games. He released a list of his top 10 games of 2017 and by god he has some good taste, and if you were wondering, here they are: #10: The Mummy Demastered #9: Sonic Mania #8: NieR:Automata #7: Blaster Master Zero #6: Nioh #5: 2064: Read Only Memories #4: Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana #3: Persona 5 #2: Super Mario Odyssey #1: Resident Evil 7

Parasitepaladin

Hi Jones, big congratulations on the fundraiser. I do believe that you guys didn't do enough to boost your monthly Patreon money though. I know that wasnt the purpose of the fundraiser but why squeeze in the Patreon changes in there? I believe that you guys could have make a deperate video/trailer on the main channel with the changes. It is not too late, how about making trailers/promo vids of the exclusive stuff to put on the main channel. EasyAlliesPlays doesn't have ad many subscribers as the main channel, so I think a lot of people arent aware of the Patreon changes wich is a shame. To proof my point, in the video 'Quick word with Jones' lots of people in the comments were wondering what you were talking about... So my question is: Are you guys preparing something to promote/talk more about the Patreon changes?

Sven Van Lathem

Hey Jones, Saw this idea in the ERA thread for the Top 10s: Record the discussions and make them a patreon exclusive. You already know people love watching you guys debate (GOTY's, Hall of Greats), and this kind of extra content is perfect for patreon. I really think this would be a great incentive to not only get to 46k, but for more patrons once Top 10s get going.

Falcon

Update on God of War (2018): God of War and Sony exclusive story-heavy games were surprisingly brought up on the EZA Podcast L&R segment. There were good points for both sides, but I think the main reason why I dislike recent Sony exclusives (by western studios I guess, cause I love Bloodborne, Gravity Rush and more) is that to me, they just look like boring games with american tv-show stories. Playing some of the Uncharted games and most recently Horizon: Zero Dawn certainly proofs that point to me. I know that that is just me, cause tv-shows are super popular and if the masses want that kinda storytelling in their "big" games I won't complain as long as not every friggin game tries to copy those Sony exclusive games (I guess that would take a while anyway, cause right now everyone is making battle royale games ^^). Also , I felt like puking when you(/Huber) said that every human on earth should experience GOW2018 :/ Huber being hyperbole is widely known and I believe it ofc, but that language was too much in my opinion. I think that was exactly the point where I went from not caring about GOW2018 to hating it ^^ I'm still gonna watch the spoiler mode and I'm sure I still won't like it after that ^^

(Please feel free to read on air or not, as a quick private message response would be fine/great. If you do read this on air then please feel free to edit as you see fit if need be. Thanks so much!) Hi Jones, Now that the Group Stream Selection Commite has been more or less “axed” like “Kratos to a Tree”, has leaved myself feeling both relieved and worried. Relieved because I think the new system of us allies making suggestions but you guys ultimately picking the games is a better structured way of choosing the games for Tuesday night streams. However I am worried because of how tournament weeks will still be voted on by the community, which I realize includes the fact the you 9 Allies will choose the games to be nominated. So what really bothers me is how will I get a game I want for a tournament, get past the 1st barrier, of being nominated for tournament week, then 2nd, be voted for a tournament by the community. In some ways I feel like Tournament streams might be better off if you 9 Allies only picked the game but still listened for tournament suggestions like any other week. The main reason why this concerns me is because for the past 7 months (more or less) I have had a special Tournament in the making that includes a ULTRA special care package I would want to send to you fine gentlemen to include specifically- a particular game for that tournament (and also just to show my Love & Respect for Easy Allies). However due to the tumultuous nature of the Group Stream Selection Committee, many of the tournament weeks I either did not acquire a nomination or was too afraid to try some times. Ironically my game actually was selected for a tournament stream by Damiani for winning a Rock, Paper, Scissors mini-tournament on January 9th or 10th of 2018 this year, the night you were painting for Ian. However due to technical difficulties (the game was not previously owned and downloaded at the time), Damiani alternatively suggested playing Super Mario Brothers 1 in a tournament style show down instead. I was not fully prepared then as it was a total surprise, but I will be in the future. I now at this point have decided to wait for all of this year’s season of DLC characters to be released (hopefully done by late August) prior to enacting this plan. However before I send any packages with prizes & detailed tournament instructions included, I want to have some, tiny bit of assurance that my passionate efforts will not be in vain. Should I give a shout out on cup jones of when I want to do this? Tweet Kyle a hyped up message? Remind Damiani in a Patreon post why he choose this game in the first place to stream back in January? Or all of thee above? Any clarity & suggestions you could provide will be so incredibly appreciated going forward, for not only me but the entire community. Thank You So Much, you guys are the best. Love & Respect. Tegan combatti, aka longriflejack P.S. Kudos & congrats on last Thurdays Stream… You Guys Rock.

Tegan Combatti

P.S. Mr Bosman doesn't know what he's talking about, your red grouse is delightful! And when it comes time to change to a new animal you should pick the grouse's neighbour; the ptramigan :) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec-E3YdAR1U" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec-E3YdAR1U</a>

Do you have any good tips for a great barbecue. Any special jones recipes?? Or what is your favourite dish at a bbq??

Tim Bechen

Day one patron and first time poster on anything easy allies related. It's great to see how well the fundraiser went. On that note, have you had the time to consider how to keep these new investments safe from theft. Since you've listed all the items you're going to be buying in a very public manner, I'm worried you might get targeted for theft like with what happened with Shiftd. What steps are you going to take to keep the stuff and yourselves safe? Insurance? Some kind of home security system? I'm mostly worried for your safety. L&amp;R from Finland.

Zael Stormborn

Morning Jones! Just gotta say, having just finished watching the fundraising stream, how proud I am to be a patron at this very moment, and how excited I am for the new shows coming down the pipeline, and of course, E3. I'm curious about what made the Allies decide to make Countdowns a new Patreon tier, after two years of hearing how it would be tough to do without a studio space, and how EZA didn't exist to be an continuation of GT content? Can't wait to see what's next! L&amp;R, Brian Denu (pronounced duh-NOO)

Brian Denu

Hi Jones I decided to submit a question considering the amazing amount of money raised from the fundraiser. Have you considered spending $20000 on equipment and using the remaining money to remodel the garage to make a temporary studio with better storage/capacity and electrics e.t.c.? I have been following you guys since the Gametrailers days back in my first year at university in 2003 and when guys had to shutdown i was mega sad but now you are back as easy allies and things are all good, I have introduced my girlfriend to you guys too and she is also a Patreon now!

Hiya Jones: I'm thrilled the fundraiser turned out well, but I guess I'm a little unsure of what will change this E3. There's a list of fancy equipment, but I'm not much of a tech guy or production guy. When you all say things will "look better" or "look more professional," I nod approvingly without understanding. Does that mean anything specific? I thought things looked pretty good before. Basically, I'm excited and I don't know why. Thanks! ~Adam

Adam

Hi Brandon. I have a quick question for you that is only somewhat related to this week's amazing fundraiser -- What is your favorite thing that costs $2 or less? Does not have to be EZA related. Thanks for all you do. L&amp;R.

Fluffhead108

Hey Jones. The fundraiser was a huge success, congratulations! I knew you guys would hit your goal no problem but who'd have thought you'd practically triple it! ...but it was so successful it also worries me a bit... see, in this instance where you had a specific goal in mind I'm all for you taking donations, and heck I even proudly donated myself because I want your E3 coverage to be the best it can be (and here's to hoping you can attract enough eyes through it to hit that 50k goal... a guy can dream, right?), but although it may seem a selfish request, I would really prefer to see you guys reserve accepting donations for specific events and fundraisers like this. I won't name any names as it's not my intention to throw shade, but there are content creators/streamers I followed for years but can't bring myself to watch anymore because when they blew up on Twitch I felt like the conversation and focus shifted further and further from being about the games and instead became more about the donations, and not only is it annoying when they can't finish a thought without having to stop mid-sentence and yell their heads off about the latest donation, but I find it kind of uncomfortable when you have viewers throwing out ludicrous amounts of money to try and get reactions and take that top donor spot... maybe it's just me but it doesn't sit right with me to see money thrown around that frivolously and I worry that it makes people who aren't in a position to make big donations feel like they have to to get attention. I don't know your feelings on the subject but it's definitely something I at least want the allies to be wary of. Love and Respect, Bynoe

Bynoe

Hello Brandon, have you considered using some of the fundraiser money to build a small show set in the garage? I am thinking of just some simple fake walls in the background and some subtle decoration like lights or an EZA logo. Something like your old podcast set at GT or Funhaus' Dude Soup podcast set (<a href="https://twitter.com/brucegreene/status/727514581375967234" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/brucegreene/status/727514581375967234</a>), only a bit smaller, should be possible to build in the available space and on a small budget. During last E3, you have have already tried to use curtains as background, but there is still room for improvement. The real studio will probably not happen anytime soon, so leveling up the good old garage a bit seems like a good investment. A less cluttered and more studio-like appearance would make your shows look more inviting to new viewers. I know you have a lot of other stuff in the garage, but maybe you can put these things into storage somewhere else. Wish you all the best Toni

Business: Hey Jones, while getting a studio is a great long term goal, what I have never heard you talk about is what plans you have on keeping your current talent (the allies). What I’m talking about is stuff like vacation pay, health, 401k. All of you are professionals and should be treated as such, are there also plans to take better care of the allies so they can feel happy for the long term? Remember the easy allies isn’t a silly studio, it’s the guys in a group stream cracking a cold one and laughing

Hello Mr. Jones, i wanna say congrats on the fundraiser, it's an honor to be part of this community and to be able to share a little of money with you, thank you so much for the hours and hours of fun all of you share to us. since i live outside the US, i wanted to know what does LLC mean to Easy Allies as a company.

Daniel Garza Andrade

Hiya Jones! At times I think you have a very small but vocal assemblage of overly critical fans. I can only hope you and the Allies enjoy this huge vote of confidence from the community. With that said the 4 on 1 Soul's gameplay was an epic finish....with Ian's critical thinking, Ben's composure, Huber's aggressiveness and Brad's expertise they formed the perfect gaming machine! Also, my wife has sent you guys quite a few things over the years (Sophia's Disney/Mickey bandana, etc) and you always make a point to show it off on streams or twitter. Just wanted to say thanks...she really loves that. Lastly, where is my Cup of Jones merch? I need a cup that says "Cup of Jones" Jones! edit* I removed my insurance on equipment question as I can see many other are asking the same.

ComboBreaker

Long time Listener, first time caller :P What DON'T you want to see in the new Read Dead or Spiderman games?

Hi, Brandon. Two short questions regarding “Better stuff before E3” fundraiser: 1. Was there a significant backlash for making new shows Patreon exclusive? 2. Does this unexpected success scare you?

Alexander Zyryanov

I just raised my pledge after seeing that you guys took a great number of good decisions, from creative ones to business. I cant donate all in one sitting, but i can raise my pledge at least $6 forever (or at least until my economy colapse... yeay, Argentina) so you can still do what you love. Here is for the Mango Team, the ones that trust you and you have prove that our trust is worth it.

I have been wondering about this for a while and it was reignited when during your 'quick word from Jones' you said hitting 200k youtube subscribers will open a heap of doors. Care to elaborate? Also if you can explain to us why we should 'like' EZA videos on youtube I gladly will but never have as I don't understand the purpose. L&amp;R

Steven Beaumont

Hi Jones, Congrats to you and the gang on an incredible fundraising drive. I trust you'll put all the new gear to amazing use, and give it the TLC it deserves with maintenance, storage, etc. What I'm curious about, though, is how you guys fare with insurance and security. Looking after such expensive equipment in a studio environment is pretty nerve-racking, so I imagine it's compounded by being in a suburban garage. Generally speaking, how do you protect yourselves now, and how will that change with the new assets? Thanks, Dominic

DaleBastion

Hi Jones, I was hoping to get some insight from you on growing an audience/community. Some friends and I started making a podcast a few months ago, and I've constantly looked to the EZA podcasts for general guidance on how to go about things. We already have a couple hundred listeners which is honestly far more than I ever imagined we would have. However, I would really love to get more interaction from our listeners. Comments, feedback, questions, suggestions, criticisms, everything. I treasure every little bit we get. In your experience with GT and EZA, what has been the most effective way of learning what your audience responds to? Keep up the good work, and congratulations on the successful fundraiser!

ZF

(safetyreply)

James McCoy

Hi Jones. Congratulations on tonight's incredible fundraising stream! I wonder, given that you may not *CURRENTLY* need all of the studio-calibre equipment that the ~$32K could pay for, would you consider diverting some of it toward another avenue that could help grow the EZA brand? eg. a promotional/marketing consultant? I feel like those sorts of investments at this stage could easily pay for themselves, and make sure that you have are in the strongest possible position when you do get that studio (which now feels inevitable). If you're unsure about diverting excess money to marketing/promotion/community building that you promised donors would be put toward equipment, perhaps you could simply hold a poll asking if donors would be OK with it? Cheers and congratulations again, James (@Blindly_Fumblin)

James McCoy

Hey Jones, After just watching thru one of the best Twitch donation streams EVER, I want to say thank you for how professional this entire adventure has been and the warmth and compassion that you cultivate with this community. It brings me much joy each and every day! I would like to tell a quick story about the community. It was at last year's PSX and didn't get this capcom dead rising 5 tote bag for my friend who wasn't there with me. However another person who saw me asking one of the capcom reps for one gave me his and said that he didn't need. I would later see him at the EZA PSX meet up but didn't approach him when I should have said a million times thanks. Jones you and the allies have done amazing work. L&amp;R Michael

inrainbow09

Congrats on an amazing expectation crushing stream it was a joy to watch live. That dark souls 3 co-op was literally mind blowing!!! The teamwork, communication, and technique on display was top notch and absolutely enthralling. Just spit balling here; but tell me what are the odds we could get an attempt at a full playthrough? Like maybe a session once a month ,every two months, or whenever time avails.

WarmFeelings

Hey Jones, Have you seen Batman: Gotham by Gaslight? Top 10 Batman animated movie for me.

GenWoofles

In the March Q and A Kyle gave some advice to youtuber. He told them to 'play the system', e.g thumbnails, video titles and types of videos that are popular at the moment. Do you feel like Easy Allies does this enough, too much or not enough?

Not a question for the next cup of jones: Way the God of War review felt spoiler-y: One of the mysteries I was looking forward to discovering is why Kratos was going around with this kid, what are they even doing? The review seemed to tell us this. It's that simple. Not angry or resentful, just making my opinion known.

Matt Brookbank

Continuation from last week about what story you would tell a group of five year olds. What version of pinochio do you tell them and why?

Hi Jones, What is your opinion on throwing bottles in the direction of a trashcan in your garage. I see Ian doing it fairly often during groupstreams and even during the latest podcast. I find it annoying and rude. L&amp;R Jordy

FreeDoM

Cup of Jones is one of my favorite EZA shows as I love the chill nature of it. I was just curious if you ever considered taking a week off? I know you love doing it but I'm sure answering all these questions can get tiring some weeks! Or maybe just doing a full editorial episode like you used to do every few weeks to give yourself a break?

ORAAAAAA, as if I would cave in because of some bullies in the EZA community! (thanks again for the kind comments to my last Cup of Jones post, Chocobo, Michael Petco and Julien!) Thought you'd never hear of me again, huh Jones?! Guess again, I'm here to stay with my unpopular opinions! I'm sure you're interested in how much I hate God of War (2018), but I don't feel like talking about that right now (especially cause I'm not really sure why exactly I hate it), so I'll do something else: NON-BUSINESS QUESTION: What do you want me to tell you? (with reason and no cop-out "I don't know" which you sometimes do for some reason :P ) 1) "Jones, please...make the universe your own." *dramatic music* or 2) "You will fight. You are like Beef!" *dramatic music* Actual Love and Respect, DiamondCrusader P.S.: Always wanted to say this: Witcher 3 is a 8.9/10 and the Witcher 2 is a 10/10. No useless open-world, better story with few interesting side-quests instead of hundreds of boring fetch quests etc, no dumb inconsitencies between main quest and some side quests (like some character saying he hates you after doing some side quest and then helping you in the main quest without complaining...) and of course a much better combat system.

Hi Jones! I love the switch to organize business and personal questions. I usually tune in mainly because I enjoy the business-side discussions you have. To improve this a little more - I'm wondering if it would be possible to add a timestamp in the YouTube description for each of the 3 sections: business questions, personal/fun questions, editorial? Would allow for someone to easily skip the business stuff and get to fun questions without having to scrub through looking for where it starts, or lets someone jump right to the editorial after the business questions. Thanks!

bouge

What game do you must connect with your school years?

Mr.V

I have been at $10 since day one, and have never once submitted to Community Showcase. For the record - I love WATCHING the community showcase, I just haven't put any time or effort forth to come up with anything to submit.

Tokyo Slim

Always been curious about this as well

D.M. Deyo

Hey Jones, What confuses me about the 50k goal is that: Say you reach it one month, then next month you fall under 50k. It's not like a show where you just won't produce it for that month, the studio is a big commitment that once made I assume would rely on a consistent 50k investment? Or is that just for a down payment? Do you even have a studio in mind? Why / How would 50k get you a studio? I think I personally would be more driven to get you there if it was a bit more specific and the above confusions in my mind were cleared up. The timing of this question may be bad as you said things will be specified in the "stuff for E3" stream not just for E3 but general goals and stuff but if it's not, I would appreciate your input.

:P

G'day Jones, I just watched the Best of Mandatory Update clips. In the next Cup of Jones, can you talk about the time you told Huber to cut out the touching when you were still the big bad boss? Cheers - Nick

Regarding GOTY's Do the allies take, DLC, patches, etc into consideration.? For example, if a game gets an 8 from Easy Allies because of issues x, y, and z. The game gets patched and fixes all said issues. Will that affect anyone's decision? Or do Allies just consider the game that is shipped on the disc at the time of review? (Meaning patches, dlc, etc aren't even considered.) Some games are completely different than what shipped on the original disc. I don't know if it's unfair, or if it's a good thing. For example, God of War is praised during the GOTYs for gameplay, graphics, photo mode, new game+, etc. Well, photo mode and new game+ isn't in the game, yet. I purchase God of War and there is no photo mode, no new game + and many of the things people praised about the game is missing. I don't have internet, I can't update my game. Just curious about your thoughts, Thanks

NotYourMom

Hi Jones Personally I have pledged $5 since day one. Maybe I could afford a little more, in the current structure I see no benefit for me of doing so. As stated in the last episode, most of the $10 patrons do not submit to the community showcase, and I wouldn’t either. If there were more of an incentive to raise my pledge, I would do so. And here I will join the camp advocating for locked content. I can understand the points of people that want no locked content and would not want any of the main content locked away behind a paywall. Bonus bits on the other hand, would be enough for me to raise my pledge. Examples could be an extra L&amp;R question on the Podcast or another email or game discussed on FrameTrap. Bonus Easy Updates would also make for an instant raise, but it would be too cruel to lock those away. L&amp;R Søren Lundquist

I replayed Mass effect 1 not too long ago. I was surprised it was only 14 hours. Granted I mostly followed the main quest (since I 100%ed it in a previous playthrough) but still, it should take far less than 40 hours if you just want to play it. Don't be intimidated by the size! :)

Benny Samuelsson

Hi Jones, I appreciate your response to my question previously and you guys did an amazing job with the God Of War review (give my appreciation to Huber for his work), Valhalla! I did not watch much videos from the GT days but recently, I have been watching the Mandatory Update compilation created by YouTube user SomeGameNews (which you have heard of) and I am surprised (and laughing) to see the shenanigans you guys are in during those days, from the jokes, Damiani comforting Ian, Ben dancing as a Persona 5 character to any moments that involves Kyle (i.e being awkward, dressed as a M&amp;M wrapper, being named as a side-bitch). I do enjoy watching the Animal Crossing and Opinion Yell episodes of Easy Update. So, are we going to see more of these antics in EZA (maybe having Elyse to join you guys for a special episode of Easy Update)? Also, I love the recent group stream you guys did for Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes in VR. May I suggest for your next Halloween Group Stream, to play Emily Wants To Play in VR (perhaps get Kyle to play first)? Thank You

Brandon Jones P.O. BOX 11149 Marina Del Rey, CA 90295

Kristen Rogers

Hey Jones! I've been watching Cup of Jones from a distance, but I finally want to jump in. I just finished all 5 episodes of Telltale Batman Season 2 across 3 nights and I absolutely loved it. In fact, it's my favorite Batman game by far, and probably my favorite Batman story I've experienced. Also immediately after I finished, I went back and finally watched your Bruce v Batman series and it was great to see our diverging paths (I was great friends with Joker up until the very end, and got Bruce a companion in Catwoman) and how you thought through all of your decisions. I also want to commend Telltale for what feels like their best looking and best running season to date, I had virtually no issues while playing. And finally, I enjoyed just how different the choices could be and how far their ramifications were. So, are you excited for a Season 3 if it happens? And what stories/characters would you like to see? I'd love to finally get a Robin into the mix, or bigger picture, do you ever think we could see other DC characters ala Superman/Justice League etc? Thanks Jones, sorry for the long comment. Love everything you guys do!

Jones, I just wanted to say of all the outlets who had a review go up for God of War, I value Easy Allies' review the most. Because I spend so much time listening to all of the podcasts, hearing your VO of Huber being able to write "Santa Monica Studio is taking us all to Valhalla" literally had a hugely positive effect on my day because I knew that Huber wasn't let down. I appreciate your entire team and the hard work you all do. L&amp;R

Alex Bailey

Jones, you make me smile at work. Thank you for doing this each week. Unrelated, and no need to respond to either of these but I know you don't check Reddit but wanted to show you something someone posted that that I found particularly awesome: (In response to someone mentioning all the negativity on the subreddit) "Things do get heated here at times, with lots of folks representing both ends of the spectrum. We’ve also had Ben and Kyle on the sub. Kyle in particular and Brandon on Cup of Jones have talked recently about the value of negative feedback, that they can filter out the trolls and find a lot to take from criticisms. So we try to maintain a free speech environment where positivity is less important than honesty. Feel free to hit back tho and tell them why they’re wrong!" I feel like those last two sentences are so integral to what Love and Respect is, at least the way I interpret it.

Daniel Rona

(Oh boy it's been a while since I submitted to a Cup of Jones.) First of all, I would just like to say in response to my question from last time (regarding why more allies don't do voice over work for other videos), I was happy to hear Ben take on the role for the Demo Disc reflection that debuted at the concert. Again, I know it's been a while. But good job regardless. My question today is a little more relaxed. This year I finally got into the Yakuza series, and I'm absolutely in love with it so far. To the point where this could very well be one of my new favorite video game series. They are games I've known about for a long time, but never did end up playing until very recently. Are there any video game series that have quickly become one of your favorites ever after only starting to get invested within the last couple of years. Love and Rsspect -ChrisTheFields

If you hate Yoshi, does that mean you hate Rambi from Donkey Kong Country?

GmanSir

Who makes the animated intros for your videos and streams? I really liked the new intro for Easy Allies Clips and I noticed you have a new pre-stream stars video.

Selarmor

Any predictions for Avengers: Infinity War? I cannot believe it's only a few days away!

Evan Charles Teague

Yo Jones, Is a hot dog a sandwich? A wrap? An ice cream taco? A Pop-Tart/Toaster Strudel?

Michael G

Hey Jones, I was thinking about the Best of Mandatory Update clips and just had a thought about maximizing personality. It feels a bit like you guys have shows/show ideas about topics or concepts... But maybe more appealing to a larger audience might be shows that highlight why the individuals are unique and how you guys play of each other. The group streams have it, it's why I love Tabletop and Fiasconauts, and maybe other segments highlighting these aspects could draw in a different type of viewer. As always L&amp;R. (P.S. doesn't need to be read in CoJ, just an idea for consideration) (P.P.S. I think the idea of having more Amanda involvement sounds awesome, she's always so funny and adds a certain dynamism)

Rhodesiensensical

People seriously complained about spoilers for the god of war review? I don't understand at all..if you can see your self complaining about spoilers then don't watch, cause it sounds like you are already buying the game.

Rosamune

*Not for COJ* putting this on various places. Can I please get your mailing address. Written fully for an international Ally

Steven Beaumont

Visibility Reply.

Michael Seaward

Hi Jones, just wanted to mention something that always gets forgotten. For people who complain about spoilers [video footage] in your reviews; All of your Reviews are posted in word format at Easy Allies.com; you can read the text and don’t have to watch the video, this is handy if your just wanting to get the jist of EZA’s review before buying a game. A small disclaimer at the beginning of Reviews [May Contain Visual Spoilers, Read the text Review at Easy Allies.com] may alleviate some of the complaints. L&amp;R from the UK; Michael Seaward.

Michael Seaward

Jones...thoughts on Solo? (Ignore if asked already)

ComboBreaker

Or patrons do not want easy allies to get too big and leave Sophia and the garage (family feel) for a office building YouTube fan fueled corporate version. I laugh at this but there is probably some truth to it. EZA has a nice charm and for the most part community. You lose somethings when you get bigger.

ComboBreaker

I imagine a lot of people pay $1 but don't return to Patreon ever. Perhaps the $1 could be more enticing? Like getting early content (EZA Podcast). As you said, having half the YouTube subscribes donate a $1 a month would solve many financial concerns. Ofc, this means the $5 tier incentive would have to change. Maybe a 1 month "sale" to see how much increase is seen would be interesting? Also, I wonder if psychologically, the Patrons have accepted the $50,000 as a ceiling goal and are not incentivized once the number hits around $40,000 thinking "someone else" will help push it over. As stated multiple times before by others, some more definite goals over $50,000 (and the studio) might help? Looking at the YouTube channel now - can you double list videos? In general, I think dividing the playlists to games (even if its just 1 video) would be easier to follow than a playlist of 100+ videos.

Kevin

Jones - people pointing out spoilers are all speaking from a point of view of never having played it. By Huber's account it is a 30 hour game, a few minutes of which people saw in the video review (early game at that). They are simply ignorant and sensitive and that's all there is to it. If they don't want to see X minutes of a game then they shouldn't be watching a video review - listen to it or read the script on easyallies.com!

VGJunky

Came here to ask about this.

klastical

Did the beginning of this episode get cut off?

VGJunky

Hey Jones, when you pull the questions for the week's episode how about leaving an update in the description? A quick note stating that submission time is over would help patrons avoid throwing a possibly burning question into the vapor, or making the assumption their question wasn't selected.

WarmFeelings

Not sure if you are referring to this TED talk, but it's one of my favorite ones as well <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVsXO9brK7M" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVsXO9brK7M</a>

The Hashtagonist

I personally don't really care for the rewards, the only reason i don't pledge more is because i can't afford it. I mean getting the podcast early is nice, but I'm in generall someone who likes to stay in the backround so all the rewards that are more active don't interest me. Just want you guys to keep being great!

Johannes Bretz

I feel if people really don't want a game spoiled at all they just shouldn't watch the review. I mean come on you know that they have to show something

Johannes Bretz

Hey Mr. Jones! While rewatching E3 content, I took in the E3 2017 Trailer Hypefest. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and next month I'll try to suggest a second one during a Group Selection Committee post, but I wanted to know: In conjunction with the E3 post Mr. Damiani made, are streams like that, or pre-recorded content like your Judge's Week impressions last year the types of things EZA is mulling over? Outside of the always engaging and entertaining discussions and reactions of the conferences, I'm curious (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) about what kinds of things (and when) said content you could be introducing. I'll always be happy to see a special E3-themed Hall of Greats or a one-time (a year) hour long Trailer Jones special (wink-wink, nudge-nudge, Mum's the word and Bob's your uncle). Either way, thanks as always for reading and Cheers! P.S. Per your discussion about Final Fantasy X (My second favorite FF and overall game), the reasons you were discussing about pros and cons for each game is why it's my favorite series in gaming: There's an entry for almost anyone. EDIT: This is coming after the massive group stream and wanted to express my heartfelt congratulations. I have some questions regarding the Patreon changes, but I'll save that next week. But to wrap up: It was absolutely incredible and inspiring to see so much support for Easy Allies. I am so proud to be a fan and Patron. CONGRATS!!!!

Brandon K Gann

Hey Jones, I was listening to the podcast a couple weeks ago when you guys brought up going to E3. You gave me a scare when you cautioned us that for someone to come all that way with the hope of playing a bunch of games, that they would probably be disappointed. You brought it back around, saying that if you're going with a bunch of friends, it'll be a great experience. This was a sigh of relief for me because that's exactly what I'm doing! I live in Ontario, Canada, so this is a substantial enough trip for me. That all being said, I mostly just wanted to say hey, I'm going to be in LA for the first and likely only time in my life around E3 and wondered what are the top things I should see while I'm there? Was contemplating a day trip for Disney or Universal Studios. Any other particular things that are absolute must sees? Cheers!

Everyday I'm shufflin'. In case I forget to come back here and ask a proper question, at least I may get to hear Brandon Jones say "everyday I'm shufflin'. I did think of a question! <b>What has been the hardest decision you've had to make so far regarding Easy Allies? Conversely, what has been the easiest?</b> As always, I appreciate your candor and honesty. L&amp;R matt b

Matt Bollenbach

Hey Jones! I'm currently working on video game analysis work in university, and I've noticed plenty of academic papers in games studies have used the GT and EZA Retrospective series videos as references. No other gaming publications are ever cited as much as those videos, at least from the bigger papers I've read. Did you know about this, and how do you feel about it? Also, just for fun, what game would you do an analysis on, if you had to as a school assignment?

Hey Jones! There are soooo many games out there to play, you can't play them all right? Me being a tidy freak I have a priority list on my Steam account with games ranked as current, high, medium or low priority. As time goes by I reshuffle the list which amounts mostly to pushing things down the pecking order which is always sad to do but it's the only way to stay afloat! Okay, on to the question part of this question. What's at the top of the pile of games you want to play but know in your heart of hearts you will never EVER actually play? And what is at the bottom of the pile of games you will eventually play and how do you draw that line. All the best and keep up the great work.

Hey Jonsey, I'm thinking about writing editorial pieces about games in some way, any advice? Glad to see EZA back up over $40k, love the new Clips opening, keep up the great work. L&amp;R

Fresh ☕ of Jones!

Alexander Zyryanov