RB: Write-In Poll

Scott Hardie | October 2, 2008
Russ recently asked about some notable absences from the Rock Block roster, bands that had been too long overlooked for inclusion. In adding a steady mix of performers, I try to leave enough big ones out that I'll have a supply of high cards to add later (it's inevitable that I will eventually run out of noteworthy bands regardless). I also don't sweat which bands I haven't gotten to yet, as long as I continue adding good ones each day and intend to get to every conceivable major band in time. Anyway, this got me thinking: What are the biggest cards you haven't seen yet? Which acts can't you believe aren't there?

I've toyed with the idea of a write-in poll for a while, but mostly put it off because I don't want blocs of friends playing the game together to be able to coordinate their votes to win. Maybe it's worth pursuing anyway, whether or not I give blocs less weight. What I imagine is a write-in poll where you submit a single name that you think most belongs in the game that isn't there yet, and you monitor what other people submit. If you think another name is more valid than yours, you can change your vote. When a genuine consensus builds around that performer, I add their card to the game and reset the voting. Eventually a consensus must develop, as new people join the game, existing voters get tired of waiting, and as I add some of the nominees as cards on my own schedule anyway (resetting the voting). Each nomination would probably not display the player's name, so as not to let that influence the decisions. Obvious votes trying to game the system in favor of obscure favorites would be ignored/discarded.

Is this a good idea? Do you have any ideas for making it better? Let's give it a try in this very discussion: Please declare one performer that you think is most overlooked, and change your vote if someone names a better one.

Fyi to curious players: I quietly canceled the New Band Poll that already existed in Dashboard, because I got tired of creating three whole cards/bands just to add one to the game, and because finding a good balance of three was getting more and more difficult.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Scritti Politti.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
(I kid... it was just, funnily/oddly enough, the very first name to pop into my head... and amusingly obscure against my will -- I don't even know where the hell that came from, *honestly*!!! ;-DDD)

Also... not even missing the new card vote. Not really necessary, and especially considering the extra work it was creating for you anyway. It was more of an "Oddity" factor for me... I liked picking one of three, but I didn't even notice it go away.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Ah... mini-revelation: I think the word "poll" appearing ahead in the text, as I was reading it, was what conjured Scritti POLitti out of thin air. (And "difficult", which bears a strong visual resemblance with the "c" and the "i"s around double vertical letters... anyone else's brain wired weirdly visual like that?)

Scott Hardie | October 2, 2008
Let's just say Scritti Politti was not on my list, but is now.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Lol... I really wasn't trying to add it, honestly -- in fact, I can only think of "one hit" (maybe two, if I actually looked it up) -- but I do love to say their name. ;-)

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Ah... "Perfect Way" -- yes, that was it... and a catchy tune it was -- thank goodness for Google to keep me from racking my fatigued brain!

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Oh, but for real -- since we're on the topic of 80s pre-electronica bands -- I do love Erasure, who were/are much bigger than the very amusingly named Scritti Politti... and think they deserve a spot around the R4/R5 level.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
And carrying on with the wonderfully 80s gay-boy synthesizer pop theme... are The Pet Shop Boys around here? Which begs the next question about the Collection Guide... any chance of getting an alphabetical listing, as well as ranks, so these things can be looked up with greater ease? I can't tell you how many times I've thought, "Are [performers] in the game?" only to be daunted by a click-and-search through the ranks for them.

Aaron Shurtleff | October 2, 2008
Just one? Ugh. Off the top of my head, I got nothing better than Erasure. I would have to make a list and check what's already out there. I'd hate to suggest something already in the game...

Actually, with some of the other bands I've seen in a similar genre, I'm surprised Run DMC hasn't made it in (or I haven't seen it). There are other hip-hop/rappish bands, why not the band that revitalized Aerosmith's career (maybe...depending on who you ask)? My votes with Run DMC.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Run DMC's a good pick... I can endorse that.

Aaron Shurtleff | October 2, 2008
Erasure is an R3. I just noticed it.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Oh... shit! Who's gonna' trade me?!?!?

LORI!!!

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
ACK... oh, no! Video submission is defunct... at least for me -- must add Erasure videos!!!

Steve West | October 2, 2008
George Harrison.

Denise Sawicki | October 2, 2008
I didn't see Joy Division or New Order though I can't say I've been looking closely at every concert. My comment shouldn't count though since I'm too nutty to actually play the game!

Lori Lancaster | October 2, 2008
[hidden by request]

Lori Lancaster | October 2, 2008
[hidden by request]

Steve West | October 2, 2008
Paul McCartney is already in as is John Lennon.

Steve Dunn | October 2, 2008
I don't know if anyone already mentioned this, but Scritti Politti is a glaring omission.

How can we be certain a band is not included? Maybe it's just because I'm a relative newbie, but I see a LOT of "hidden" cards.

Amy Austin | October 2, 2008
Shut up, Steve! No making fun of my meaningless post-midnight babble... >;-p

Steve West | October 2, 2008
The Jackson 5. Now. If they're not in yet (like Steve Dunn, I'm not always sure).

Aaron Shurtleff | October 2, 2008
As time goes by, you get to see the cards in action, then they aren't "hidden" anymore. Looking at other people's concerts is a really good way to see ones that you don't have.

And the "great" band Butt Trumpet should be in soon. Just to have Butt Trumpet in. They're horrible, but funny! C'mon! Butt Trumpet!

Lori Lancaster | October 2, 2008
[hidden by request]

Tony Peters | October 2, 2008
The Cult, Echo and the Bunnymen, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Ministry, Misfits, Modest Mouse, Ozomatli, Pavement, Placebo and Primus...well plus my birthday card which you already know Scott

Aaron Shurtleff | October 3, 2008
Cult, Primus, Linkin Park, and Misfits I know are in. I don't know about the others.

Tony Peters | October 3, 2008
drugs again.....

Chris Lemler | October 3, 2008
how about Leona Lewis

Steve Dunn | October 3, 2008
Shut up, Steve! No making fun of my meaningless post-midnight babble... >;-p

Oh, uh, sorry, I thought I was joining in the fun.

Regardless, I think Scritti Politti now has to be included and the card should have some magical property... like, if you win a concert using Scritti Politti you unlock a new rule or get a free high card or something.

Amy Austin | October 3, 2008
lol

Scott Hardie | October 11, 2008
I'm still considering whether to build this tool, but here's wondering if anybody else wants to contribute a new band or change their vote. The list so far:

AARON: Run-D.M.C.
AMY: Run-D.M.C.
CHRIS: Leona Lewis
DENISE: Joy Division
LORI: The Jackson 5
STEVE DUNN: Scritti Politti
STEVE WEST: The Jackson 5
TONY: Echo and the Bunnymen

The Collection Guide now has a show all option, listing all of the bands you've seen in alphabetical order.

Russ Wilhelm | October 15, 2008
You already have my big name Scott, so I'll move elsewhere.

I'd say the Jackson's are the most prolific, but then I might as well throw in their counterparts, the Osmond's, or at least Donny.

Another band (and I use that term very loosely) that may never make it in: The Archies. Sure they never really existed, but they did have a number one hit single.

To move even further abstractedly, what would be the chance of having folks like Phil Spector, Barry Gordy, or Don Kirshner added in. Non-performers, but huge influences on Rock Music.

Scott Hardie | October 16, 2008
Low, unless demanded, but everybody will be in the game eventually.

Amy Austin | October 16, 2008
I, for one, don't think it makes much sense to have non-performers in concert... but that's not to say that there couldn't be another way to introduce them to players' collections. For instance, they could be Achievement cards to be received in a similar vein to the gold record idea.

Amy Austin | October 16, 2008
Incidentally (on the subject of missing persons)... I never knew that Godley & Creme's "Cry" was on the soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto before the recent spate of GTA commercials. I hadn't thought of that song (or the kick-ass ahead of its time video) since... well, since I last saw it on MTV (and you know *that* was a long damn time!) -- bring me Godley & Creme!!! ;-)

Aaron Shurtleff | October 16, 2008
Or the band Missing Persons!! OK, maybe not.

Les Paul? He's a guitarist, but I think his biggest contribution is in the design of guitars, not so much his guitar playing (but the man can play a guitar!).

Amy Austin | October 16, 2008
Don't think I didn't have that thought as well (Missing Persons). Funny, but it came to me a little bit later, after I watched a little movie by Scott Caan called the Dog Problem (cute flick, btw), which featured the song "Walking in LA" on the soundtrack.

Tony Peters | October 17, 2008
Another write in from me....Flyleaf....Dandy Warhols...Deathcab for Cutie

Amy Austin | November 3, 2008
Neil Diamond!

Sarah Kyle | November 3, 2008
What about Cyndi Lauper she had some real good songs like girls just want to have fun and who can forget the song time after time?

Chris Lemler | November 3, 2008
How about five for fighting