Does Not Illustrate: Random Drop

Actively misleading image. Confuses the trope with other related tropes. Paints the trope negatively.

I objected in the previous thread but it was locked.

Explain here, and don't just link it. I'm not sure I follow anyway.

Yeah weblinks are not arguments.

Okay, so, an image that pokes fun at the trope isn't a problem. This image is poking fun at a trope. But it's poking fun at the wrong trope. It's a joke about Organ Drops, not Random Drops. Heck, the tails aren't even dropped at random—the joke is that the characters don't understand what they're supposed to do. (See original strip. Luck never even factors into it.) And even if it were random, it would still be the subtrope, Rare Random Drop, not the broader supertrope.

It also paints the trope in an inappropriate light by focusing on the most frustrating and nonsensical aspects possible. That's a bad first impression for a trope that's not inherently negative, especially one that has been the target of Complaining in the past—and in the present, come to think of it. Having a trope image that essentially says "Look how annoying and stupid this can be" seems like a Very Bad Choice.

So yeah. Encourages misinterpretation, encourages complaining.

edited 5th Mar '13 4:03:34 AM by troacctid

And besides, I have no idea what the image has to do with the trope beyond mentioning "random drop" in passing.

Right. Well, the only part of the image that's really illustrative is that there are a lot of dead rats around. Which is still a point. Most is just in the conversation, though. Most importantly, she seems to expect the rat tails to just appear as a Random Drop, rather than having to manually cut it loose as a normal person would expect.

I wouldn't say that it's not poking fun at Random Drop. It is, however, also poking fun both at Organ Drops and Rare Random Drop. They are saying it's supposedly a common drop, which means it's technically about correct, though suggests it may be a rarer drop than they've been told. Considering it's a supertrope to both of those, I kind of see it as a good thing, as being all over the place is what a supertrope is about.

All in all, I don't think it's actively misleading. It illustrates the proper trope. Keep Until Better Image Suggested.

I think it's fine. Without context, it seems to indicate that a rat tail should be a common drop from the rats, but the Random Number God is just being a dick, which is a good illustration of the randomness of random drops.

I was having one of my "I know what I want to say but can't think of how to say it" moments with this one, but and nailed it for me. With that, voting Keep Until Better Image Suggested.

Even if you think it's an example, wouldn't you agree that having the picture be "The Random Number God is a dick" is something to be concerned about when the trope already has problems with Complaining?

I'd rather have no image, but there's always the option of visual metaphor◊ or infographic◊.

edited 5th Mar '13 11:23:17 AM by troacctid

I don't think it's enough of a concern to pull with no replacement.

Clock is set.

Here's a quick shot at a replacement. Just an idea, really.

A decent idea, but since Spinies don't typically drop anything...

That's easy enough to change, all we need is a pic of some defeated enemy and I can change the pie chart's labels to something more appropriate.

The PIE chart is a nice idea, yes, but maybe change it so at least one entry represents "nothing". Also note: In Mario sidescrollers, enemies don't drop stuff when defeated.

Unless you use a Fire Flower in some specific titles, wherein they drop coins. That's all they drop, though, and it isn't random.

edited 26th Mar '13 9:33:33 AM by ShadowHog

The idea is sound, even if the execution isn't. Just find us an example that's actually an example and it would work fine.

Okay, how about this chest nobody from Kingdom Hearts?

Interesting...I like the concept.

Okay, here's a cleaner vertical version.

Edit: There's also this recolor from a different game◊, so I could swap spiders.

edited 26th Mar '13 11:58:04 AM by Earnest

Seems a little too blatant.

I prefer that format, but it should be able to come down to 250 px or so and not hurt anything.

Wow, first time one of my suggestions is too on the nose. Usually that's a good thing.

Tweaked composition and text a bit. I can switch back the images but I thought it might be nice to experiment.

That text layout works a little better but the previous font is much better looking.

Yeah, that's because of the squishing it smaller. Compensating with bigger source font.

edited 27th Mar '13 6:25:55 AM by Earnest