The Death Of Skateboarding

Preface:
I am a native american.
I once owned the land beneath you.
I trusted the government.
I am now a prisoner, entitled to only leftovers.
My image will forever be blemished.

Like native americans, skateboarding is now a product of the system.

Skateboarding has gone though many periods.
Yet, it has forever been an artform, an act of free expression.
A tool of youthful exuberance, and a social network.

Public opinion has always had a negative portrayal of us in society. (We aren't a sport.)
And it has only been just recently that we have become been socially acceptable.
While this may be a great thing (on paper), we have only allowed the spoils of society into our very sacred practice.

This exposure on the grandeur scale, within mediums of advertisement, television, and video games, has only been poison to the ethics of our artform.

Yeah, exposure is great. Don't get me wrong.
I completely enjoy watching episodes of Fantasy Factory or the Maloof Money Cup without having to sitting in front of a computer. (Oh, how I wish I had Fuel TV. Lol)
And I also enjoy picking up a controller and skating in the lifelike simulations that Skate has created.

We are spoiled, in that regard.

But as we become more and more socially acceptable, we in turn become loudly marketable and corporate appealing.




Art and corporation; oil and water.
There's no history of the two collaborating to a shared success.

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Here are two pieces of evidence, to this downfall I have addressed.
(Along with further commentary)


First piece:
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Mike Mo going to demos, only to find himself playing games of S.K.A.T.E against little rascals who can't wait to tell their friends that they've gotten 1 or 2 letters on him. I'm totally cool with it, and in a way I admire it.

That isn't why I posted this particular video.

It's the fact that this awkward tike at this demo, has no idea who Mike Mo Capaldi is (Baha, fuckin Mike Biber). He is then corrected by this dudebro who doesn't come across any more knowledgeable then him, by not knowing how to pronounce Biebel.

Disclaimer:
If you skate, this is common knowledge.
It's like playing basketball, and not knowing who or how to pronounce Lebron or Kobe.

I have a little bit of sympathy for the little kid. Because he's obviously timid, embarrassed, and clearly doesn't skate. I honestly feel kind of bad for him, especially being that this video streams from ESPN (technically).

But the taller guy just comes off as a complete bloke. I don't buy his misunderstanding. This bro doesn't give any shit about skating. He just had nothing else better to do that day, cause he didn't have football practice. Lol

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Second Piece:
Wow.
What happened?
When will (fuckin pointless) plot driven skateboard video games croak?
And when will somebody acknowledge this, as clearly the same road the Tony Hawk series went down? (Doesn't anyone learn from mistakes.)

Anyone sense the pattern.

Skate (1) & Tony Hawk Pro Skater (1):
Solely about skating what was already created and prioritization of gameplay and mechanics (notably the introduction of Skate's Flick-It. BEST THING EVER).

Skate (2) & Tony Hawk PS(2):
Still very much about core surroundings and mechanics.
Although Skate 2, like many of the later Tony Hawk titles, which pushed:

• self-exploration of terrain (i.e. movable objects and level customization)
• new controls and mechanics (i.e. handflips, handplants, and footplants)
• more character customization (i.e. importing of graphics.)
• deeper story-line, missions, and objectives
• and the introduction of a (sloppy) walking mechanic.

Every one of these components were clearly stated and demanded in the messageboards and forums of Skate (1) fans. (I myself, frequented the EA Skate forums, but hoping to find evidence that this wouldn't be another Tony Hawk curse to skateboarding.)

I personally can't stand the "overkill" of features. Who the fuck do you know, that does handflips and footplants (that isn't trying to make a joke)? Haha.

But like any other democratic process, the voice of the majority will eventually get its way. Unfortunately, the gaming majority's interest is not the interest of our "true skateboard minority".

Final Thoughts:
1. Why is EA listening to these kids, who purchase video games with weekly allowances and gift cards from holidays-past?
2. What happen to the guidance of pro skateboarders, in the production of Skate titles?
They once prided themselves with this attention to detail.
3. And at what price are they willing to pay, to see another failed series embodying every characteristic that (true) skateboarding has always been against.

Stop allowing "awkward tikes" and "brodudes" from ruin the image of skateboarding.
Stop Skate 3.

(Or better yet, prove me wrong.)


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