Whats Happening to mugen Scene?

[Xfields]

Hey Guys
i don't know if is the right place to write in, but i felt like sharing...

When i first came onboard to mugen,there were plenty of projects around, newbies and old guys and mugen was already a tool that was being used for a long time.

now, after more than 10 years, i feel like mugen is dying and i don't like the feeling.
i remember that everyday(i mean it, everyday, more than once per day) i came onboard and search into every mugen site i could find in google and altavista(rest in piece) for news, creators, updates, sprites, rare edited stuff, new wips and more than everything , releases.
And in that time, we had new awesome projects emerging everyday, release sites, new creators popping up.

Where it all started to go wrong?

[Jelux Da Casual]

to be honest, I think that we're growing up. A lot of us just don't have the time like we used to, and the generation to come after us doesn't have the attention span or temperament to learn.

[Superjoker]

to be honest, I think that we're growing up. A lot of us just don't have the time like we used to, and the generation to come after us doesn't have the attention span or temperament to learn.

True that

babies are being born or growing up too

Artists skills grew and now they have legit careers with a lot of re$ponsibility

Before there was a healthy competition going on between the big forums, now the Dragons have flown and the Infinites have accomplished their goals.

But MUGEN aint dead Xfields, still happening its just a matter of sending PMs and making new friends, the new generation of kids here are mostly into HD 3D games or smartphone app games... MUGEN is healthy just different now

There arent many projects happenin either... IMO

[Tha Lando ( Le CROM )]

to be honest, I think that we're growing up. A lot of us just don't have the time like we used to, and the generation to come after us doesn't have the attention span or temperament to learn.

This!

I been seeing the lag going on for quite some time. As the years go by it has its ups and downs. New folks comin in dont really have as much a serious interest in the development side as those who been around and already doing things. Some areas in mugen there have been lots of negativity, trolls, site wars and so on. Folks done left and never seriously came back from those spouts. Then there are the very few who have returned but again, time doesnt lend itself well enuff to do ecerything wished. Its...exhausting. Getting older and now the time you used to have is being soaked up by real life that demands the attention.

Something one day will reignite mugens fire like the older times, what that is...no clue. New ideas, more orginal content, more thirsty spriters and coders...who knows but as well....free time and the desire has to be there. No passion, no gain. Hopefully before I leaves mugen it comes back around again.Thats not long from now either so mugen get it in gear again!

[Rage]

I agree with most things said here however ever those are the excuse people feed themselves to avoid guilt. If you have passion, love for some thing you'll make time. Even if its just  5 minutes in a week....

this is what happens; we grow up, start lives, deal with problems. But we often for get to tend to those things that we truely hold dear. We look for the quick fix and we do it so often we forget about whats dear to us (you) because it is time consuming and we wont be able to give it the time we want. But what we fail to realize is the tending to our passion no matter how small the time will  feel so much better over time then that quick fix.

As adults we lose that innocence, we lose sight of the simple things.the things that turely light us up because of this world.

[Twinimage]

I've been feeling the same, Xfields. I miss the "old days" when MUGEN was new to me and all these newly made characters blew my mind! I think MUGEN has decreased in popularity for a few reasons:

1. Real life, people get busy
2. The really popular projects that were drawing in a lot of fans have been either accomplished, abandoned or are on hold indefinitely
3. A lack of new exciting projects. So many characters have already been created in MUGEN, it's hard to find a project that is exciting. For me, one of the most exciting parts of MUGEN was seeing new characters be made in video game form. People just don't respond with the same excitement or support as they used to.

The fun part of MUGEN is not just receiving but giving back something cool that you know people will like.

[Acey]

We've always been a niche market. We've seen tons of Marvel releases this year and tons of "other" releases too. The scene is still very active even though many of us veterans may not be producing like once before. If someone feels that Mugen is dead they simply need to look inwards and figure out why they are not participating.

Honestly, we are exactly where we were 5 years so, RGoP just released a new Marvel char in Moon Knight, IMT is cooking a project, a bunch of random people are releasing KoF characters that we are all ignoring and someone even released a Symbiote Captain America. Second verse, same as the first.

[O Ilusionista]

now, after more than 10 years, i feel like mugen is dying and i don't like the feeling.

I keep hearing this statement since 1999, every year. If you do a search, you will probabily find it here too

The perfect answer is this:

to be honest, I think that we're growing up. A lot of us just don't have the time like we used to, and the generation to come after us doesn't have the attention span or temperament to learn.

I agree in every aspect. Take some people here as example: Excursion, Lando, Zvitor, Acey, myself...we are all past 30 years, and some of us are already near the 40 years. OldGuy is even older. You start to get tired of some things, you have to find the very rare free time to work in something because you now have kids, a family to care, your job...

Its a whole different animal then before. For example, when I started with this, I was single, a young 21 years old boy starting his career. Now I am almost 37 years old, with two kids to care (one is already a teenager), now a manager responsbile for a lot of things, full of things to care...Its not the same thing.

I don't agree with

I agree with most things said here however ever those are the excuse people feed themselves to avoid guilt. If you have passion, love for some thing you'll make time. Even if its just  5 minutes in a week....

Because this works fine in the magical world. But not in the real world. And we aren't Alice anymore
I love to play piano, its one of my passions and I play for 20 years. But simple can't find free time to do it.

A lack of new exciting projects. So many characters have already been created in MUGEN, it's hard to find a project that is exciting. For me, one of the most exciting parts of MUGEN was seeing new characters be made in video game form. People just don't respond with the same excitement or support as they used to.

You got a point here.

IMT is cooking a project

Really? That is cool to know. I am all ears.
But I hope we can gather people in a more organized way.

[Rage]

IDK what it is but we always seem to disagree O. I  too am in my thirties, working on a career, and currently moving across the USA. I cant manage 5 minutes a week to do my passion. If you cant thats sad and an excuse because i know you watch tv, movies, have drinks, etc. You have time but rather focus it in other places.

If IMT is cooking a project then the name should be change to IM.

[O Ilusionista]

IDK what it is but we always seem to disagree O

But that is the magic of life - to be able to disagree from each other.  All the inventions, new ideas and such were made by people that disagree from other people

You have time but rather focus it in other places.

For sure. In places where I receive something in return (IOW get paid or good moments with my family)

[Tha Lando ( Le CROM )]

some of us are already near the 40

Ha this hobo will be 41 coming april. I am already there and I just cant get rid of all the grey hair popping up!     I am an old fart now. 

Seriously my time has been so limited all this year. Learning codings, advancing my spriting skills , learning not just mugen stuff but android development and reading and watching tuts on engines and the coding and everything all this year. But I got 2 kids and I have to spend time with them. I help out my sis with her kids watchin them when can, I still looking for a full time job, heck a part time job too. Hobos need money cause I seriously dont want to forever be one.  That takes my time away from doing stuff I have already laid out previously.

Hand drawing characters and then converting to sprites takes time, especially these hd ones. I just learned how to code stages in fighter factory thanx to Oldgamer and me being cool friends and talkin on skype with the walkthrough. He is one but few that have seen the scope of what I have done aside from what all I still have to do. Its massive and takes time. Quality over speed means for me at least..free time . Which is when I have nothing else planned and can yank myself away to work on them....and that when pc aint down..

Mugen is a hobby wether you have a lot of passion or highly skilled. Time is always the factor. Some of us can make that time, can make that sacrifice for it. I have done it so many time during these 4 years learning to do stuff but a lot of those times I shouldnt have. Cause I missed an opportunity to do something that I could have benefited for me and my kids doing it. I cant make those same type sacrifices anymore. Its my reality. So now I do things during the freed up time that I do have to concentrate more and focus. Everyone situations and circumstances are different as well their priorities.
Full game projects take a long time and so does single new wips. We all know this tho.
I plan before I retire from mugen to at least release my 2 main mugen wips and hopefully the bor one. But thats a community project so its only up for those folks if can or even want to.  I am leaving for 9 to 10 months soon from mugen scene so i can focus on RL, support my kids better and have things in order as well work on both my hobby and my legit side stuff. Mugen has come a very long way and I doubt it wil ever actually die out cause there are folks who keep it thriving and alive.  As said, mugen has been at this stages many many times and it always bounces back into gear. May it always continue cause It will.

I think I ran out of stuff to say...first time for anything I guess. 

[GTAguy]

Very interesting topic of this. But for this point, i still like Mugen, but there are some other things i have to do something in RL. I can't always into the mugen world for long. No way.
Sure i see releases everyday, but some of them are ready being made for mugen.
That's why i put myself in a hiatus mode. But you know what i'm talking about.
Don't worry, we get new people who likes mugen even we know did in 1999. I started in 2007/2008. Now in 2014, i see now that everything has changes .

[Twinimage]

I myself never play MUGEN, only create stuff when I have the time. I'm curious, do people ever play MUGEN? And do you guys play with your own custom roster or just completed projects?

- Twin

[Tha Lando ( Le CROM )]

Good question Twin my friend. 
14 years ago I used to jump at joy playing mugen, ocer the years to flllow was playing everything I could possible. Once I got into learning the creation process of mugen and learn things and then revisit old stuff I already knew before mugen existence I dont play with it as much. I download stuff I am interested in and put in certain mugen sp's in a cool roster and play at leisure. Others mostly now....I beta test for folks or and just my own stuff I have done and also making. 

There are certain stages and characters that I follow or pops up that peeks my intrest so I play them. Some I try to master and others I just enjoy them for how they are made. I enjoy playing against my son when he was down for the summer.  But yeah for me its right now just testing stuff and my own.

[O Ilusionista]

I myself never play MUGEN, only create stuff when I have the time. I'm curious, do people ever play MUGEN? And do you guys play with your own custom roster or just completed projects?

- Twin

Just for testing, I don't play with Mugen anymore. Only when we are talking about full games.

[GTAguy]

I myself never play MUGEN, only create stuff when I have the time. I'm curious, do people ever play MUGEN?

Well me actually. When i got bored and look at some releases char/s that i haven't tested yet.
 

[WizzyWhipitWonderful]

Well, everyone knows I create musical content for the Mugen Universe. My mind is stuck on Vs Series gameplay, so those are usually the characters I go for. And when I'm not doing that I'm practicing martial arts, bulking, playing DCUO, or  producing my tracks for an upcoming album.

[Twinimage]

And when I'm not doing that I'm practicing martial arts...

You do martial arts too!?
I have been learning karate for around a year now. What art do you train in?

[WizzyWhipitWonderful]

I've been doing Tae Kwon Do for 6 years; I've also practiced Sambo wrestling and boxing for 2 years.

[Acey]

I still play mugen and I keep my screen pack up-to-date and clean. I gravitate towards my own personal favorite characters and I just really enjoy battling against the wide variety of opponents.

[Tha Lando ( Le CROM )]

I've been doing Tae Kwon Do for 6 years; I've also practiced Sambo wrestling and boxing for 2 years.

Wow Wizzy and Twin! Cool to see there are other martial artists around than just the few I already know  here that do also. 

[ELECTRO]

There are 2 main factors for me of why Mugen is not quite as popular & i'll try to avoid saying personal lives stuff and just talk about the creators & consumer fan base.

1 : In the beginning there was nothing. So the field is wide open for chars, stages etc... to get made & it was exciting to see what might pop up next because everything was new. As time goes on & the popular characters are all made & even have multiple edits, their is less of a drive for the creative side of the community to want to make stuff. This leads to less releases & in turn makes the consumer side of the community tune in less because there is not as much to track down & download. They are symbiotic of each other, so when one fades the other fades as well.

2 : After many years of the same creators refining there skills and becoming really good at making Mugen content. It's hard for a newb to creating to compete & might feel overwhelmed/scared to release something. They might get frustrated and give up because they feel unimportant to the community & will eventually move on to something else where they can feel more apart. It's the same theory as trying to join a Call of Duty multiplayer match for the first time, but years after the game came out. The new player is going to feel useless and overwhelmed that he cannot compete with the other players who have been there for years. So that player will eventually give up & move onto something else because it's not fun to suck at something.

With all that said I actually think the community is stronger now being a little less populated. Sure we don't have 20 versions of Ryu coming out every day like there was in the beginning, but 90% of those old creations where crap. I see less releases nowadays, but the quality has greatly improved & the lack of popular chars/stages etc... to make has made most creators have to use the imaginations & push boundaries in order to make something spectacular. This makes me want to stick around more than ever.

[GTAguy]

With all that said I actually think the community is stronger now being a little less populated. Sure we don't have 20 versions of Ryu coming out every day like there was in the beginning, but 90% of those old creations where crap. I see less releases nowadays, but the quality has greatly improved & the lack of popular chars/stages etc... to make has made most creators have to use the imaginations & push boundaries in order to make something spectacular. This makes me want to stick around more than ever.

They still making Ryu's, Kula's, Tohou's, Akuma's and all the others that all being over remade again. That's why I have other things to do.

[Chimoru]

I notice that ever since I started creating, I play less than I create.  I was never good at fighting games anyway, it was my love of comics that brought me to MUGEN.  Someone posted about it back in a forum for the game  Freedom Force, a game that I used to make character skins and 3D model hexes for.  (Some of you may remember it.  Electro. Intensity. I remember you guys!)

Anyway, my point is that Electro is right about people being intimidated to create.   I used to create for that Freedom Force site, but rarely shared either because I thought I had no skill compared to some of the other amazing people, and I feared the criticism.  I used to be afraid to learn these things because I though coding was impossible. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Also, maybe it's because I'm older and have a love of the pixels and games like this from "my era", that I'd happy to sit in my nostalgia and keep with MUGEN.  My niece, (a fairly strong gamer who makes sprites for fun) saw me making Jubilee and was excited and said "Oh! can I make one?"  not realizing the work that goes in.  I tried to explain MUGEN to her a bit and while she kinda shut it down.  It surprised me.  She's young, she loves comics, she loves spriting, she loves video games (including fighting), why not love MUGEN?

It wasn't instant-gratification...that's why. It was "work".  The feedback and criticism I showed her for my works scared her.  It's not scary, it's how you learn.  She's used to her other gaming forum where she gets praise all the time.  Maybe I scared her off from it.  Maybe she needs time like I did.  Maybe she thought it was too much of a "boys club". Who knows?

Another thing I want to say is that when you tear people apart in MUGEN, they don't want to share anymore and I think it's a harsh thing to do to someone who just wanted to share with you in the first place.  Criticize and help, yes, but don't just say "that's bad" or something without detailed reasons.  That's not helpful.

Ok, I rant a lot all over the place, so I'll shut up now.

[[PRB] | TheFclass97]

I notice that ever since I started creating, I play less than I create.  I was never good at fighting games anyway, it was my love of comics that brought me to MUGEN.  Someone posted about it back in a forum for the game  Freedom Force, a game that I used to make character skins and 3D model hexes for.  (Some of you may remember it.  Electro. Intensity. I remember you guys!)

Anyway, my point is that Electro is right about people being intimidated to create.   I used to create for that Freedom Force site, but rarely shared either because I thought I had no skill compared to some of the other amazing people, and I feared the criticism.  I used to be afraid to learn these things because I though coding was impossible. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Also, maybe it's because I'm older and have a love of the pixels and games like this from "my era", that I'd happy to sit in my nostalgia and keep with MUGEN.  My niece, (a fairly strong gamer who makes sprites for fun) saw me making Jubilee and was excited and said "Oh! can I make one?"  not realizing the work that goes in.  I tried to explain MUGEN to her a bit and while she kinda shut it down.  It surprised me.  She's young, she loves comics, she loves spriting, she loves video games (including fighting), why not love MUGEN?

It wasn't instant-gratification...that's why. It was "work".  The feedback and criticism I showed her for my works scared her.  It's not scary, it's how you learn.  She's used to her other gaming forum where she gets praise all the time.  Maybe I scared her off from it.  Maybe she needs time like I did.  Maybe she thought it was too much of a "boys club". Who knows?

Another thing I want to say is that when you tear people apart in MUGEN, they don't want to share anymore and I think it's a harsh thing to do to someone who just wanted to share with you in the first place.  Criticize and help, yes, but don't just say "that's bad" or something without detailed reasons.  That's not helpful.

Ok, I rant a lot all over the place, so I'll shut up now.

I agree 100%...