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Rename: Xen Syndrome

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jebuz I've been Bluelinked from Australia Since: Jan, 2001
I've been Bluelinked
#26: Oct 6th 2010 at 12:43:38 AM

Another vote for Endgame Quality Drop.

What does Phoned In The Last Level actually mean? Is this supposed to be related to outsourcing? A reference I don't get? American slang?

Australia The country with a 2 party system But all the power with independents
Evilest_Tim A real American hero Since: Nov, 2009
A real American hero
#27: Oct 6th 2010 at 12:48:40 AM

It's a term often used by movie reviewers to describe a dull or lazy performance by an actor; the idea is it's like they're delivering their lines over the phone rather than actually acting.

It is shameful for a demon to be working, but one needs gold even in Hell these days.
jebuz I've been Bluelinked from Australia Since: Jan, 2001
I've been Bluelinked
#28: Oct 6th 2010 at 3:40:08 AM

Thanks, I was wondering about that. Not sure how relevant that is to a video game trope.

Australia The country with a 2 party system But all the power with independents
Evilest_Tim A real American hero Since: Nov, 2009
A real American hero
#29: Oct 6th 2010 at 4:18:03 AM

Oh, it's used more generally to just mean something (usually in a creative medium) done in a rushed, lazy or otherwise halfassed way. It does fit, I'm a little surprised you haven't come across the term before.

It is shameful for a demon to be working, but one needs gold even in Hell these days.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#30: Oct 6th 2010 at 11:17:09 AM

"Phoned it in" is also frequently heard with respect to video game and animated voice acting, especially that involving well-known stars. There are (possibly apocryphal) cases where it was literal; they couldn't get the actor to a studio so they mailed them a script and recorded the phonecall.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
HairWhippedByHair My hair is whippable. Since: Nov, 2010
My hair is whippable.
#31: Nov 25th 2010 at 3:16:38 PM

Last Level Letdown? Late Level Letdown?

I cast a vote for Endgame Quality Drop.

I know I (kind of) necro'd this thread, but it hasn't been resolved :c. The name confused me the first time I read it (without having played Half-Life), so I feel that it should be a clearer name for those that haven't played Half-Life.

No, I absolutely never forget my password. And I never have a suspiciously specific denial.
MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#32: Nov 25th 2010 at 7:59:27 PM

^Hey, necroposting in an unresolved thread is fine. It's necro-ing a resolved thread, just to say that you agree with the resolution, that's silly.

Roxor Only Sane Fox from Land Down Under Since: Jan, 2001
Only Sane Fox
#33: Nov 25th 2010 at 8:05:31 PM

Given the way the system currently works, you wouldn't be able to post in a resolved thread, given they get locked once the matter is resolved.

Accidental mistakes are forgivable, intentional ones are not.
MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#34: Nov 25th 2010 at 8:06:29 PM

Anyway, Late Level Letdown strikes me as a good title.

Do we need a crowner to decide if this needs to be renamed?

On the other hand:

Xen Syndrome found in: 109 articles, excluding discussions.

This title has brought 1,343 people to the wiki from non-search engine links since 20th FEB '09.

edited 25th Nov '10 8:11:28 PM by MetaFour

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#35: Nov 25th 2010 at 8:10:17 PM

I like Late Level Letdown.  pro-tip

Fight smart, not fair.
Stratadrake Dragon Writer Since: Oct, 2009
Dragon Writer
#36: Nov 29th 2010 at 11:38:38 PM

Endgame Ennui?

Bah, that's no good....

edited 29th Nov '10 11:38:54 PM by Stratadrake

An Ear Worm is like a Rickroll: It is never going to give you up.
MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#37: Nov 30th 2010 at 12:35:47 AM

Attached a single-prop crowner to decide if this needs renaming.

According to the "related to",

This title has brought 1,362 people to the wiki from non-search engine links since 20th FEB '09.
So the title may be working.

MoCellMan from Connecticut, USA Since: Jun, 2010
#38: Dec 2nd 2010 at 6:12:29 PM

I voted for the rename. I like the simplicity of Lame Endgame, though Endgame makes me thing of something like chess. Late Level Letdown and Endgame Quality Drop suit the trope as described quite well - I don't think captures the element of Mood Whiplash that accompanied Xen and similar - Xen was kind of a Gainax Ending.

Which...hmm, really my issue with the trope as described is that it is Xen is a poor example of a simple quality drop - it wasn't shabbier or, I think, more generic...the problem was that it wasn't the game people had been playing most of the way through, it was mostly a lot more low-key, and the end boss didn't have much foreshadowing..any I as recall actually - so he felt like he came out of nowhere.

I'm not a big fan of "This thing was great until most of the way through, when it started to suck" kind of tropes, being pretty subjective. Indeed, I thought Xen was one of the best parts of the game myself.

Yeah, I don't feel like I made any sort of point very well here. Seemed like it was going well most of the way, but I guess I kind of ran out of steam at the end...

edited 3rd Dec '10 9:10:02 AM by MoCellMan

Searching for plausible mechanisms.
MoCellMan from Connecticut, USA Since: Jun, 2010
#39: Dec 10th 2010 at 3:59:45 PM

At present, the vote is in somewhat in favor of a rename, 13 to 7 (+6).

edited 10th Dec '10 3:59:57 PM by MoCellMan

Searching for plausible mechanisms.
KingZeal Since: Oct, 2009
#40: Dec 10th 2010 at 4:08:19 PM

"X Syndrome" is a discredited naming convention; most snowclones fail the One Mario Limit.

Mommy...? What's a snowclone?

rodneyAnonymous Sophisticated as Hell from empty space Since: Aug, 2010
#41: Dec 10th 2010 at 4:17:28 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowclone

Shorthand: it's using the "form" of another trope title, hopefully because it is useful to borrow some of its meaning. There are good and meaningful snowclones, but many or most are bad for several possible reasons including "apparent cleverness disguises inaccuracy", "incoherent", and plain ol' "sounds bad".

Examples:

Hollywood Darkness, Hollywood Acid, Hollywood Voodoo, in fact every item on the Hollywood Style index, are (good) snowclones of each other / of Hollywood X.

Everythings Better With Monkeys, Everything's Worse with Bears are (good) snowclones of each other.

Flashback Whiplash (YKTTW) is a (kind of lame imo) snowclone of Mood Whiplash.

Our Sirens Are Louder is a (bad) snowclone of Our Werewolves Are Different.

edited 10th Dec '10 4:24:06 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.
KingZeal Since: Oct, 2009
#42: Dec 10th 2010 at 4:23:25 PM

Thanks, Mister. Now I know!

girlyboy Since: Jan, 2001
#43: Dec 10th 2010 at 5:28:29 PM

Yet another case where it's stated, over and over again, that the current name is not broken, and evidence is presented that it's not broken, yet people keep simply ignoring this and talking about which alternate names they like, instead of actually even bothering to try and argue that a rename is needed.

It's not broken.

Don't fix it.

Or if you think it needs to be fixed, at least actually try to argue for this, instead of ignoring the question altogether. If the current name is not broken, then it doesn't matter how many awesome names we can all come up with.

Of course now that it's come to a crowner, I suppose we have to see where that goes. Though this is a good time to remind everyone that a rename crowner has to be more than just "somewhat in favour". To rename, you need consensus, which for practical purposes in these threads seems to be defined at something like a 2/3rds "for" vote.

But really,

"Arguments against

  • High number of outside referrals.
  • No evidence of misuse presented."

That should pretty much be a debate-ender right there.

edited 10th Dec '10 5:32:31 PM by girlyboy

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#44: Dec 10th 2010 at 6:01:04 PM

I would like some good redirects, but the current main name seems to be working.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Camacan from Australiatown Since: Jan, 2001
#45: Dec 10th 2010 at 6:30:28 PM

[up][up] I don't agree. Misuse is useful for a rename case but not necessary: if there are substantive arguments against a name, such as in this case, we should consider it for renaming.

MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#46: Dec 10th 2010 at 7:12:33 PM

Well, at the moment there's 13 yeas to 11 nays, which is far from consensus to rename.

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#47: Dec 10th 2010 at 7:23:08 PM

Can we focus on redirects then? It could really use a good one to make searching easier. If the crowner does somehow turn into a rename we can worry about it later. Right now I'd like to be able to google the trope without having to know the name first.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Roxor Only Sane Fox from Land Down Under Since: Jan, 2001
Only Sane Fox
#48: Dec 10th 2010 at 8:12:30 PM

I don't really mind that much if it doesn't get renamed, but I do agree that we need some redirects which are more search-friendly.

Disappointing Last Levels? Endgame Developer Fatigue? Rushed Ending? Sloppy Ending?

Accidental mistakes are forgivable, intentional ones are not.
MoCellMan from Connecticut, USA Since: Jun, 2010
#49: Dec 11th 2010 at 10:22:40 AM

Wow. All I was doing was marking the current status and bumping in hopes of more votes either way cool

Searching for plausible mechanisms.
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#50: Dec 11th 2010 at 10:30:06 AM

16 to 12 right now.

Fight smart, not fair.

SingleProposition: XenSyndrome
20th Apr '10 12:00:00 AM

Crown Description:

Do we rename Xen Syndrome?

Arguments in favor:
  • Non-indicative, example-named trope: The name derives from one specific level of one specific videogame, and means nothing to anyone else.
    • "X Syndrome" is a discredited naming convention; most snowclones fail the One Mario Limit.
  • Subjective Trope; even if you do know the reference, you may or may not consider it an example.

Arguments against
  • High number of outside referrals.
  • No evidence of misuse presented.

Stats
  • 111 wicks and 1300+ referrals as of December 2010.

Total posts: 62
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