The 'Shroom:Issue 159/Poll Committee Discussion
Wow! We're already there, huh.
Hello, 'Shroom readers! Welcome to the last Poll Committee Discussion from your 10th Poll Committee. I'm your outgoing Chairperson, Ninja Squid, and I'm joined today by your outgoing Vice Chairperson, Roserade. We are here today to present our usual analysis of the latest polls, but also to make a review of our term which is ending very soon. All we have left, as you read these lines, is to update our polls on the usual bi-weekly basis, until the arrival of the 11th Poll Committee next month. It also makes me realize that a year earlier, I was presenting my campaign hoping to become the Chairperson of the 10th Poll Committee, and here I am, making my last speech. Time flies really fast, doesn't it? Too fast for my taste anyway.
Okay, let's move on to the most important part. I want to thank these wonderful people who joined me during this cycle:
- Roserade (talk)
- ArchagentEverlasting (talk)
- Doomhiker (talk)
- Ghostgirl (talk)
- Lord Bowser (talk)
- Power Flotzo (talk)
- Superchao (talk)
- YoshiFlutterJump (talk)
I would also like to thank The Pyro Guy (talk) for his amazing banner that you can see above, Porplemontage (talk) for his assistance during the year, and Lord Bowser (talk) for serving as a consultant prior to officially joining us as a Poll Committee member in January 2020.
Now, I'm going to let Roserade contribute his own statement about his experiences as the Vice Chairperson, before we sum up on our achievements this year.
Greetings, beautiful 'Shroom readers! I hope you've been enjoying this issue of The 'Shroom thus far, and I hope that this reaches you in good health. I'm honored to be able to speak about my experiences as the Poll Committee Vice Chairperson for this past Poll Committee term. I've always enjoyed serving on the Poll Committee, and being in a position of leadership only adds to that experience. To anybody reading this who is considering taking on community leadership opportunities in the future, I highly recommend it! It's a great way to get attached to your fellow community members, and strengthen your own abilities inside and outside of this community. I'd like to first thank Ninja Squid for extending his hand to me for this position. Not only did we complement each other well, we also developed a strong friendship through it, and I'm grateful for that chance in particular. Additionally, I'd like to thank the rest of this year's Poll Committee, because while Ninja Squid might lead the show, the success of this committee are built entirely on your backs, and you all definitely delivered on that front. Finally, I'd like to thank anybody who sent in poll ideas, gave us feedback in our forum thread, or simply voted in the poll! It's hard to host a Poll Committee without an audience to engage with, after all, so your presence makes our work here worthwhile.
I'll be returning in a little bit for some classic poll analysis, but in the meantime, check out our personal reflection of this past term!
Year in Review
We took office with a few plans for the year, some of which we wanted to keep from previous years, but which we had to rework in order to maintain a good working environment in the Poll Committee. Here is a small summary of our achievements:
Awards Analysis and Feedback Survey
This year, we have maximized our efforts in the creation of two different projects. The first one was the usual Awards Analysis where we analyze the results of the Awards Committee's Mario and Fail Awards. This project was colossal and was presented for Issue 150 of The 'Shroom. Making sure that this project was ready so early in the term, but also that it was presented during a special issue of The 'Shroom was quite a challenge and I think we did it well, in all honesty.
Our second project was the Feedback Survey, we have prepared some questions in relation to certain aspects of the community, so that you can give your comments regarding the MarioWiki community. These can be used to improve its aspects in order to make the environment of the community an even more pleasant place. You can also see the results in an analysis that we have prepared for this issue as well.
As this two projects have materialized, we are more than happy to be able to count this among our achievements of the year. We take the time to thank the whole committee for their great work in the creation of these two projects.
Biweekly polls
Since the Sixth Poll Committee, our task was to make sure that we prepare polls for the wiki's main page every week. Although this results in much more activity and more polls from us, we believe that it has probably been proven detrimental in a long term basis for the Poll Committee. Some of the members demonstrated some concerns about this schedule, that it led to a lot of burnout, a lack of ideas, and that keeping relevant polls to Mario-related news when they aren't very plentiful can make generating ideas hard.
So, in a concern of making the working environment of the Poll Committee healthier for its maintenance, we preferred to transition from weekly to biweekly polls, and expand our ideas from Mario or Nintendo-related polls to Mario-related, Nintendo-related or regarding the video games industry as a whole (while there was polls regarding the video games industry in the past, it wasn't quite established as it is currently). Taking into consideration the difficulties that the recent Poll Committees have had in retaining members' activity, we believe that this approach has proven to be a good idea for the success of this term.
Activity and Workflow
This year, we have focused on maintaining a constant activity among our Poll Committee members by taking into account that several terms in the past had difficulty maintaining general activity. That being said, we won't denied that we also had our pockets of low activity as well, but that can be explained by taking into consideration that certain months during the year may be more busy than others for many of us (damn you, September!).
In short, we had to make a workflow less colossal and less stressful for the members of the Poll Committee, which explains why the Awards Analysis and the Feedback Survey were far away from each other in the schedule of the year, as well as the transition of weekly to biweekly polls. Initially, the Feedback Survey was supposed to be held earlier, but holding it in May was a better decision in the end.
So, making sure that the Poll Committee was a good working environment was quite important, and taking into consideration that we have managed to get to the end and complete the necessary work during the term demonstrates that we have managed to maintain the Poll Committee in good condition this year.
Poll Committee Discussion
Regarding our dedicated 'Shroom section that was established by the Sixth Poll Committee, we are proud to announce that we won a record number of seven Section of the Month awards. This is the highest number of SOTM awards won since the establishment of Poll Committee Discussion! With such a success rate, we can't thank you enough for your amazing support this year, but we also want to thanks all committee members for their incredible work!
That's all for our review of the year, now it's time for the analysis of our recent polls!
Analysis
| With the Super Smash Bros. Fighters Pass Vol. 2 coming, would you be happy with one of the characters being from the Mario or related franchises? |
|---|
| Yes, regardless of which character is added. 29.59% (559 votes) |
| Yes, as long as the character plays entirely differently from other characters. 13.87% (262 votes) |
| Yes, as long as it is a specific character from the Mario or related franchises that I want. 14.56% (275 votes) |
| Yes, for a reason not listed. 2.44% (46 votes) |
| While I would prefer having a specific character from the Mario or related franchises to be added, I would still be happy with any other character from said franchises. 6.03% (114 votes) |
| While I would prefer for a character from a franchise already in Super Smash Bros. to be added, I would still be happy with a character from the Mario or related franchises. 4.13% (78 votes) |
| While I would prefer that a character from a franchise that is not currently in Super Smash Bros. to be added, I would still be happy with a character from the Mario or related franchises. 14.45% (273 votes) |
| No, I would dislike if a Mario character would be added, as the series has enough / too many fighters. 3.6% (68 votes) |
| No, I would dislike if a Mario character would be added as I feel like the Fighters Passes, despite the addition of Byleth, and an ARMS rep, should only add characters from unrepresented / third-party franchises. 2.81% (53 votes) |
| No, for a reason not listed. 0.69% (13 votes) |
| I don't have an opinion. 7.83% (148 votes) |
| Total Votes: 1,889 |
Do you think future Mario games should feature full voice acting? (Ninja Squid (talk), April 19, 2020)
| Do you think future Mario games should feature full voice acting? |
|---|
| Absolutely! I think the characters would benefit from full voice acting, such as making them more expressive and/or interesting. 33.16% (845 votes) |
| I would like following games to feature full voice acting, but I think certain characters should stay without it. 17.86% (455 votes) |
| I think full voice acting would be great, but I think only certain Mario series should get it (such as the main series, RPGs, etc.). 10.64% (271 votes) |
| I would like future Mario games to feature full voice acting, but it decreases my appreciation of games with it, if done poorly. 4.43% (113 votes) |
| I do not mind having full voice acting or not in Mario games and it does not really change my experience. 7.5% (191 votes) |
| I don’t think Mario games should get full voice acting, but I’m fine with it, if done right. 15.31% (390 votes) |
| It would be a bad idea to get full voice acting in future Mario games, and I do not think it would be beneficial for the characters in any way. 8.01% (204 votes) |
| I don’t have an opinion on the subject. 3.09% (79 votes) |
| Total Votes: 2,548 |
Do you feel Mario should cross over with properties besides other video games, such as TV shows, anime, films, etc? (Superchao (talk) and Doomhiker (talk), May 3, 2020)
| Do you feel Mario should cross over with properties besides other video games, such as TV shows, anime, films, etc? |
|---|
| I would like to see Mario cross over with these properties. 37.93% (812 votes) |
| Yes, but only with certain types of other media. 16.3% (349 votes) |
| As long as Mario crossovers still exists, I don't really mind it. 6.77% (145 votes) |
| While I think it would be a good idea, I would rather Mario focus on other video game crossovers first. 16.91% (362 votes) |
| No, I think it would be a bad idea for Mario to cross over with non-video game properties. 12.42% (266 votes) |
| I don't think that Mario should cross over with other properties, including video game franchises. 3.04% (65 votes) |
| I don't have an opinion. 6.63% (142 votes) |
| Total Votes: 2,141 |
How do you feel about Paper Mario: The Origami King based off the new trailer? (Doomhiker (talk), May 31, 2020)
| How do you feel about Paper Mario: The Origami King based off the new trailer? |
|---|
| I am absolutely excited for the game. 37.3% (1,074 votes) |
| I am currently cautiously optimistic about the game. 39.6% (1,140 votes) |
| I am disappointed in what I saw so far, but I am willing to try the game if trailers or reviews make it look better in the future. 4.13% (119 votes) |
| While the game doesn't look good right now, I do want to play it regardless. 1.63% (47 votes) |
| The game doesn't look good at all, and I doubt that future trailers or reviews will make me want to play it. 2.15% (62 votes) |
| I won't have an opinion on how the game looks to be, until the game's reviews come out. 3.92% (113 votes) |
| Due to previous games, I am no longer interested in future Paper Mario games. 4.58% (132 votes) |
| I don't have an opinion on the subject. 6.67% (192 votes) |
| Total Votes: 2,879 |
- With the Super Smash Bros. Fighters Pass Vol. 2 coming, would you be happy with one of the characters being from the Mario or related franchises?:
Given the community in which this poll was hosted, the top result shouldn't be a surprise to many. An overwhelming 559 voters would be happy with any Mario character being added into the second Fighters Pass, and I can't blame them. After the inclusion of Piranha Plant as a playable character in Ultimate, it feels as though the Mario series floodgates could potentially be opened. In second place with 275 votes is yes, with the clause of the character being a specific one that they'd like to see. I also do not view this result as a surprise; with mainstay requests over the year like Geno, Waluigi, and Paper Mario continuing to be voiced in the Smash community, and with Paper Mario in particular having a new game on the horizon, it seems most plausible to root for the specific Mario character of your dreams. However, only two votes behind second place is the option for preferring a character representing a new series, third-party or otherwise. Yet again, this placement isn't a shock, especially with what the Byleth reveal controversy had to show about the opinions of online Smash fans. Personally, I'd align my opinions most with this option. I'll be grateful for a new character addition to Smash no matter what, but the announcement of a character such as Geno or Paper Mario could never top the sheer thrill I'd receive at a Phoenix Wright or Sora reveal trailer. That being said, #KamekforSmash2020
- Do you think future Mario games should feature full voice acting?:
The topic of voice acting in video games is a finicky tightrope to walk; on the one hand, successful voice acting which shows real acting talent and craft can elevate a story's scenes and characters to new heights, while on the other hand, poor voice acting can greatly diminish from the enrapturing aspects of a video game. This concern doesn't seem to have deterred our voters, though, because 825 people believe that future Mario games should receive voice acting. I can understand where this feeling comes from, with recent games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild demonstrating how voice acting can be done right, and others like Pokemon Sword and Shield showing how not including voice acting can negatively impact cutscenes and other story moments. I think my opinion aligns most with the option that came in fourth: full voice acting could be very cool for the Mario series, but I'd prefer to see it in a side series, rather than one of the main series platformers. Imagine an epic Mario RPG with fully voice acted and beautifully animated cutscenes. Yes please. The last interesting result I'd like to point out is the third place placer, which is having full voice acting, but not for specific characters. It has essentially become a series mainstay to not have Mario speak full or coherent lines, and I suppose that having him suddenly speaking completely could be jarring. But hey, you never know until you try it!
- Do you feel Mario should cross over with properties besides other video games, such as TV shows, anime, films, etc?:
This question is an interesting one to propose. There are hardly any moments in the portly plumber's history where you can see him interacting with the likes of Doraemon and Garfield, so it makes the most sense to keep him within the realm of video games, especially when he's a flagship face of series like Super Smash Bros., which is the largest video game crossover ever created. That being said, there have been exceptions to this idea, one of the most notable being the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph, where Bowser can be seen in a meeting with all sorts of video game villains (villains, you say...). Our voters primarily believe that these crossovers should happen, with 812 votes leaning in this direction. In second place with 362 votes is yes, but the focus should be on video game crossovers first, which is probably whereabouts I stand too. The third place option is yes, but only with certain forms of media. Am I hearing that these 349 voters don't want to see Mario randomly pop into an episode of Dragon Ball Z? I think that sounds absolutely astounding.
- How do you feel about Paper Mario: The Origami King based off the new trailer?:
This poll accidentally dropped at an opportune time, because it ended up releasing the week after we got a more in-depth trailer at The Origami King! Neat! The top results of this voting makes me chuckle just a little bit, because we all know the feeling of being bit in the butt by the newest Paper Mario games. That's not to say that your opinion is invalid if you enjoy them, but the general online consensus is that the newest games have only reduced the quality of the series. It makes sense, then, that just as many of us remain cautiously optimistic as we are fully excited for the game. But hey, with the rest of the poll options being so low in votes, it does inspire hope for the next game. A majority of our voters are looking forward to the game in some capacity, so the trailers and the information we've seen must be doing something right. Could this be the Paper Mario to truly redeem Paper Mario? Only time will tell, but I'm looking forward to seeing what that answer will be.
And it's finally over. Thank you for all your support this year!
Now, I strongly encourage you to read our Feedback Survey Analysis which, as the name suggests, is an analysis of the results of our Feedback Survey, which was held from May 17th to May 31st. Also, this month is the usual Poll Chairperson Election you can go vote here for the new Chairperson, or even try your luck and launch your own campaign. As I do not intend to continue my role as the Poll Committee Chairperson for another year, you then have a chance to choose or to be a suitable successor to the job. No matter who it is, I am pretty sure they will do a great job.
See you later!
| The 'Shroom: Issue 159 | |
|---|---|
| Staff sections | Staff Notes • The 'Shroom Spotlight • 'Shroomfest • Poll Committee Discussion • Poll Chairperson Election |
| Features | Fake News • Fun Stuff • Palette Swap • Pipe Plaza • Critic Corner • Strategy Wing |
| Specials | Community Awards Dossier • Feedback Survey Analysis |
