Twitch.tv
- Thread starter Mick
- Start date
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Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
spronk
FPS noob
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Cybsled
Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
- 17,092
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Right place right time. Was good at the game right when the game started to take off. Then his fame basically continued to build his fame, bringing in even more.
There are better players than Ninja at Fortnite, but it doesn't matter unless he falls off a cliff and starts to really suck.
Crone
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
- 9,714
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It's been mentioned, but uBlock Origin has blocked Twitch ads for a very long time. Quick and easy install as an extension (Chrome), or plugin? for Firefox?
It has a tiny little counter of things that were blocked, and it always amazes me how Twitch pages get into the hundreds.
It has a tiny little counter of things that were blocked, and it always amazes me how Twitch pages get into the hundreds.
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
- 25,471
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On the stuff I watch they might stream for 1/2 an hour setting up a big fight and the fight go pretty quick. Be pretty ticked off if ad went off during that time. Does a streamer get to set when the ad comes on or you just get ads from time to time?
Ravishing
Uninspiring Title
- 8,456
- 3,577
Streamer has control, except that first ad when first loading the stream.
Years ago when twitch was just taking off most LoL streamers did a block of 3ads before and after each game
(Sounds like 6 straight ads but LoL took some time getting between games, especially at high mmr)
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Angerz
Trakanon Raider
- 1,260
- 853
If you are a channel sub, you should have no ads on that channel (generally), even if it's just your twitch prime sub.
It sounds like streamers can turn ads on for subs, but I have never heard of anyone doing that. At worst they run sponsor ads that are injected into their stream, so they cannot be blocked, but I don't really mind those since I know the streamer is getting all the ad revenue and they are usually fast and for things that will probably interest the audience.
LiquidDeath
Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
- 5,045
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I can't even grasp the level of stupidity that produces this thought pattern:
1. We are currently making a lot of money off the "young men" demographic.
2. This demographic makes up the largest portion of our user base because they are far and away the most likely to be "cord-cutters".
3. They are most likely to do so because they also happen to be the demographic most resistant to ads.
4. This means that they are willing to forego costly entertainment that they enjoy because ads piss them off to a degree we can't measure.
5. The best way to capitalize on this, our largest demographic, is to force them to pay more to avoid ads.
6. Despite this exact scenario not working for cable television, it will certainly work for us.
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Aaron
Goonsquad Officer
- 8,755
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BTW how the hell do adds work in a streaming environment? Does the stream cut out for ~20 seconds to play some Doritos advert or what? If so, why not just have banner adds that pop up at the top or bottom of the screen that can be minimized after a few seconds. Seems like far less intrusive, and probably in the end game, more profitable way to use advertising.
Cybsled
Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
- 17,092
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TV's problems are multi fold: Changes in live viewing habits and Cord Cutting. While people don't like most ads, people aren't abandoning TV because of ads. However, ads are what pays for the party in the end, thus TV's financial problems.
Live Viewing Habits: DVR, OnDemand, Online, "Binge Watching". Ratings are strongly influenced by the live rating, because this is the rating that is the most likely to be stuck watching ads (which is why this rating is weighted so heavily). However, people frequently don't watch live...either because they don't have time or they are in no rush. Things like DVR let you skip ads. OnDemand usually forces ads for live+3 since they get the Nielson credit. However, TV has competing entertainment platforms (phones, tablets, online) which pull people away. This isn't always a "I hate ads" deal, but it hurts ad profitability longrun.
Cord Cutting: This mostly has to do with cost. Cable TV isn't a competative platform price wise. Even for basic cable, you're easily looking at 80$ or more a month JUST for the cable TV. While they offer a large variety of channels, most people only watch a few and maybe have a couple shows they watch, so it becomes harder to justify the price. For instance, if I only watch 1 show and it airs once a week, chances are I could just buy it off itunes/amazon/etc for $3-5. Much cheaper than the TV option. Plus, stuff like Hulu/Netflix/Amazon are all competing for eyes. Real reason cable companies don't want net neutrality is so they can stick those competing platforms with heavy fees for "fast lane" access in the hopes the competing platforms have to raise their prices and become a less attractive alternative to their cable TV platforms.
Online I really don't mind ads in theory. The reason I use the ad/script blocker software is because the technology that makes intrustive ads possible also makes it possible for criminals to create trojan ads with malicious code and infect your PC or browser. Until they fix it, then fuck your online ads.
Live Viewing Habits: DVR, OnDemand, Online, "Binge Watching". Ratings are strongly influenced by the live rating, because this is the rating that is the most likely to be stuck watching ads (which is why this rating is weighted so heavily). However, people frequently don't watch live...either because they don't have time or they are in no rush. Things like DVR let you skip ads. OnDemand usually forces ads for live+3 since they get the Nielson credit. However, TV has competing entertainment platforms (phones, tablets, online) which pull people away. This isn't always a "I hate ads" deal, but it hurts ad profitability longrun.
Cord Cutting: This mostly has to do with cost. Cable TV isn't a competative platform price wise. Even for basic cable, you're easily looking at 80$ or more a month JUST for the cable TV. While they offer a large variety of channels, most people only watch a few and maybe have a couple shows they watch, so it becomes harder to justify the price. For instance, if I only watch 1 show and it airs once a week, chances are I could just buy it off itunes/amazon/etc for $3-5. Much cheaper than the TV option. Plus, stuff like Hulu/Netflix/Amazon are all competing for eyes. Real reason cable companies don't want net neutrality is so they can stick those competing platforms with heavy fees for "fast lane" access in the hopes the competing platforms have to raise their prices and become a less attractive alternative to their cable TV platforms.
Online I really don't mind ads in theory. The reason I use the ad/script blocker software is because the technology that makes intrustive ads possible also makes it possible for criminals to create trojan ads with malicious code and infect your PC or browser. Until they fix it, then fuck your online ads.
goishen
Macho Ma'am
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I think that ads are a prime reason why people are abandoning television. The poster above me pointed it out very clearly. "So, lemme get this straight... I'm paying $80, for advertisers to sell me shit that I don't need?"
Time will tell if this lasts. But as soon as twitch sees people, and god forbid creators, fleeing to other platforms (steam, mixer) then they'll reign it back in. I'm guessing it'll take about six months though. The only problem with regular TV is that it hasn't caught up with technology or even, god forbid, the times.
No, they still want those fat advertisement dollars to fill their fat greedy little pockets. Fuck'em, and they can't die soon enough, if you ask me.
Time will tell if this lasts. But as soon as twitch sees people, and god forbid creators, fleeing to other platforms (steam, mixer) then they'll reign it back in. I'm guessing it'll take about six months though. The only problem with regular TV is that it hasn't caught up with technology or even, god forbid, the times.
No, they still want those fat advertisement dollars to fill their fat greedy little pockets. Fuck'em, and they can't die soon enough, if you ask me.
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Ravishing
Uninspiring Title
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Streamer can control them. They play them during matchmaking usually .. like for LoL they would play 3 ads during champion select+loading screen. And another 3 ads immediately after a game ends. Once streamers were able to make money through other perks (subs/donations), they started to abandon ad revenue to draw more eyes.
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Fight
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 4,640
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Twitch really had a pioneering opportunity here to serve up ads in a new and innovative way and they just said, "give us money or we will cram ads down your throat."
My surprise is that Emmett Shear, the co-founder of Justin.tv, is the one that seems to be at the top calling the shot. You would have thought that somebody responsible for this streaming platform would have better sense of what to do with it.
-Pop-ups or bottom scrolling banners instead of full screen, loss of control of what you are viewing
-A "dating service" to match streamers with appropriate advertisers that they want to do business with
-Interactive gameplay + ads
-Games sponsored by "xyz", watch an "xyz" ad and get earn a ticket to win a copy of the game being streamed
-More innovative use of the "watch ad, earn 'cheer' points"
Give me a hour and I could come up with 5 more ideas that everyone (view, streamer, advertiser, and Twitch) would win with. Give me a week and I could come up with 50 ideas. But no, it is just a simple, "pay us or we will make our platform annoying, clunky, and obtrusive."
How do people this smart and this rich ham-fist their way through business decisions with such stupidity?
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LiquidDeath
Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
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I think you underestimate the hatred for ads. You're right that time shifted viewing is the biggest benefit to cord-cutting. If I had to choose either time-shifted viewing OR getting rid of ads then I would certainly choose on-demand in a heartbeat. They come hand in hand, though. Network television gave us a format where fully 7 out of every 30 minutes of viewing was acceptable for ads and cable quickly picked it up. There isn't a single person alive who wants to see ads and who willingly pays to see them. This is proven out when cord-cutting options became available, every single one of them that flourished was offered ad-free. It is a highly sought after feature and was absolutely a top reason people abandoned TV.
Chimney
Trakanon Raider
- 1,659
- 1,173
Meh I use my prime to sub, but I also block literally everything so unless they run the ads like they do in tournaments or via plugs while casting I never see them anyway.
I don't even like having to deal with Hulu's crap at the start of every episode and the lack of skip title/credits when I'm watching a series. Now Netflix wants to start plugging it's own show adverts in a similar way.
I pay for all the premium packages normally when I want content, but if it's going to be continual price hikes AND ads then it's either torrent or never have more than one sub going per month. I know last time I went to cancel Hulu in May and remove my card they gave me 3 months free so you'd think they would stick to a happy compromise rather than see what they can get away with and when it fails go to extreme retention measures.
I don't even like having to deal with Hulu's crap at the start of every episode and the lack of skip title/credits when I'm watching a series. Now Netflix wants to start plugging it's own show adverts in a similar way.
I pay for all the premium packages normally when I want content, but if it's going to be continual price hikes AND ads then it's either torrent or never have more than one sub going per month. I know last time I went to cancel Hulu in May and remove my card they gave me 3 months free so you'd think they would stick to a happy compromise rather than see what they can get away with and when it fails go to extreme retention measures.
goishen
Macho Ma'am
- 3,621
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1. Partner up with a couple'a other networks, then share the cost with them.
2. Approach a DVR manufacturer and a TV manufacturer to put the DVR's into the TV's.
3. Start offering ad free content on your network for like $5-10/month.
4. Offer it up free to anybody else that wants to carry it, but this time, put ads on it.
5. Let the market show you just how much they hate ads, 'cause I can guarantee you that some douchebag middle manager at one of the big 3 will wanna put in ads... And then watch them slowly dwindle away into fucking obscurity.
All that a TV network has to do is partner up with a couple'a other networks, and then pitch the idea to the big 3, which are CBS, NBC, and ABC. I realize that, yes, it would be difficult to do, and I haven't fully thought this idea through. But ffs, do something that isn't shit television.
2. Approach a DVR manufacturer and a TV manufacturer to put the DVR's into the TV's.
3. Start offering ad free content on your network for like $5-10/month.
4. Offer it up free to anybody else that wants to carry it, but this time, put ads on it.
5. Let the market show you just how much they hate ads, 'cause I can guarantee you that some douchebag middle manager at one of the big 3 will wanna put in ads... And then watch them slowly dwindle away into fucking obscurity.
All that a TV network has to do is partner up with a couple'a other networks, and then pitch the idea to the big 3, which are CBS, NBC, and ABC. I realize that, yes, it would be difficult to do, and I haven't fully thought this idea through. But ffs, do something that isn't shit television.
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Cybsled
Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
- 17,092
- 13,620
It won't work. Honestly, we are beginning to see the start of market over-saturation in regards to TV alternatives that are ad free or limited ads. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, CBS, HBO GO...Disney wants to get in on the action. They're all going to be fighting over a piece of the pie, but people are only going to be willing to pony up so much.
Realistically, we are going to go back to the early 20th century model of ads: They're going to bake it right into the damn show as part of it. And not just simple product placement. Remember shows like Chuck? The only way they survived as long as they did with low ratings is they sold actual show elements to Toyota and Subway and basically did in-show ads (I remember Chuck literally talked for a minute about the features of a Toyota van). Eventually they are going to make ads you CAN'T SKIP, because it is a part of the show.
Realistically, we are going to go back to the early 20th century model of ads: They're going to bake it right into the damn show as part of it. And not just simple product placement. Remember shows like Chuck? The only way they survived as long as they did with low ratings is they sold actual show elements to Toyota and Subway and basically did in-show ads (I remember Chuck literally talked for a minute about the features of a Toyota van). Eventually they are going to make ads you CAN'T SKIP, because it is a part of the show.
