Author Topic: How do you spread Touhou? (Read 28129 times)

Goomba98 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 31, 2016, 10:10:39 PM »

I like to make references in class whenever possible. I don't really bother explaining them, though.
On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a single person at my school who doesn't seem like they'd like Touhou. In fact, I've gotten a few of my friends into it as well.

Monarda · « **Reply #31 on:** January 31, 2016, 10:27:42 PM »

Quote from: Goomba98 on January 31, 2016, 10:10:39 PM

I like to make references in class whenever possible. I don't really bother explaining them, though.
On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a single person at my school who doesn't seem like they'd like Touhou. In fact, I've gotten a few of my friends into it as well.

~~*Jealousy Meter rising, activating Emergency Gas Vent*~~

Tengukami · « **Reply #32 on:** February 01, 2016, 12:07:21 AM »

Bringing up Touhou at work always makes me feel awkward.

"Hey, Tengukami, you still playing your Chinese video game with the little girls in it?"

Brings out my inner Actually Guy. "ACTUALLY it's from Japan and I'll have you know they are hundreds of years old, not little girls, tyvm."

Why hide your power level, right? Might as well bear it as a banner of pride if you're going to get teased for it anyway.

CenturyEgg · « **Reply #33 on:** February 01, 2016, 01:08:49 AM »

I'm curious though, is the teasing really that bad in your countries? At least among the people in my generation watching anime/manga is a pretty common thing so no one really bats an eye when you claim to be into touhou. They just assume it is another series they?ve not heard of and roll with it.

Tengukami · « **Reply #34 on:** February 01, 2016, 01:13:47 AM »

In my case, no, I wouldn't say it's bad. Most people don't give a shit. My co-workers are just a fun bunch; pouring scorn and ridicule on each other's interests is how we relieve stress.

Hannibal_Kills · « **Reply #35 on:** February 01, 2016, 02:08:25 AM »

Well it's Eastern, and Japan is not the only East. And I have to admit sometimes Touhou soundtracks do sound a bit Chinese.

Pywackett-Barchetta · « **Reply #36 on:** February 01, 2016, 08:33:39 PM »

Endless preaching. That, and spreading the fighters back in the IT shop, but mostly I will drag my non-Touhou convention friends to Touhou events and such. Sometimes they almost like parts of it!

SirSlarty · « **Reply #37 on:** February 02, 2016, 03:58:36 AM »

I keep quiet and let Internet osmosis happen.

Chirumiru-chan · « **Reply #38 on:** February 05, 2016, 10:28:29 PM »

Ask them to look it up.

lesanae · « **Reply #39 on:** February 08, 2016, 06:49:35 AM »

I'll force them to listen to the music and proceed to give them art. I also make references though no one will even care (which is quite sad).

HalfGrand · « **Reply #40 on:** February 14, 2016, 03:42:21 PM »

What I do is wait for a conversation to turn to video games in a group (which comes often enough between 20 - 30 year old men, the prime demographic for gamers these days). I then proceed as follows:

Me: Hey, I know this game series that isn't well know but it's HARD AS BALLS! You/ you guys ever heard of Touhou?
Victim: Some variation of "nope"
Me: Seriously dude(s), this game will kick your ass... hard. There is like a billion bullets coming at you from everywhere and you have to dodge them all. The patterns of bullets are quite nice to look at and it's all made by one dude. It's awesome!
Victim: "cool, I might check it out later"
Me: It will make you a real man dude. ; D

.
.
.

Spoiler:

Helepolis · « **Reply #41 on:** February 16, 2016, 02:03:24 PM »

Spreading a game which looks in many people's eyes like: "Little girls flying and shooting stuff" is hard to explain or to promote. Even if the game had not-little girls but normal girls, it would remain hard to explain.

Steering any general gaming topic into "I know this shmup called Touhou it will kick your ass with awesome music bullets and stuff" isn't going to yield much results if the persons you're talking to have absolutely zero intention of discovering a, what they highly might see as "an anime game". So them never checking it out isn't a big surprise.

I am with Tengukami on this one. Raising the "you should check out touhou" is awkward, both in family, friends or at work. Just because someone asked you "Hey what are you playing", doesn't mean you should bombard them with your life story about Touhou and that they should try it out.

I don't spread Touhou. Don't need to. Don't feel like it. And also don't see why.

A hobby or interest is a personal thing.

Pywackett-Barchetta · « **Reply #42 on:** February 16, 2016, 03:41:39 PM »

Quote from: Helepolis on February 16, 2016, 02:03:24 PM

I don't spread Touhou. Don't need to. Don't feel like it. And also don't see why.

Personally, most of my favorite game series have come from recommendations by close friends, and we tend to gush about the continuities and cool stuff in what we play, so I feel like it'd be a disservice to not do the same for them when they've opened my eyes to stuff like the Arkham series and Payday. Sharing the love is kinda just what we do; if people don't end up into it, then we just focus on the stuff we have in common, but otherwise, it's cool to be able to rope friends into it, and vice versa. Besides, makes it easy for friends and family to spot me at conventions. They just head to the game room and look for the Touhou machines.

Helepolis · « **Reply #43 on:** February 16, 2016, 07:02:48 PM »

Well I did mention "it is a personal thing" with a reason. You say you have close friends. I can understand when you have friends, and especially close ones, who are in the same or similar interest zone, then perhaps it is easier to share and discover from each other. It gives reasons I guess. But they are your reasons. Not mine.

My best and close friends like gaming, but don't care about eastern games in general, let alone eastern Doujin games. I don't see any reason. And it doesn't bother me. Different people, different friends, different interest, different relationships. Doesn't make any difference to me either as they are people who I can have a fun time with.

The thread flow just gave me generic idea of spreading Touhou. Hence my words in your quote.

NekoNekoRex · « **Reply #44 on:** February 16, 2016, 09:13:14 PM »

I've tried getting my friends into it. A couple friends I've tried too hard with and turned them off to it. I couple people I go to cons with I've got them at least knowing what it is now (thanks to my info and one con panel I dragged them to) but beyond that they're not that into it.

Boomer · « **Reply #45 on:** February 16, 2016, 10:55:07 PM »

I managed to make some progress with my brother on Saturday. We sometimes like to hang out in the same room just for the sake of keeping each other company, and I like to play Touhou while giving commentary during those moments, which seems to be working. So far, he seems somewhat interested in the characters, music, trivia, etc... He almost wanted to try playing as well (he didn't in the end because he just recently got Xenoblade Chronicles X). Although, part of what turns him off is that he sees some of the characters as overpowered (Mokou, Kaguya, and Flandre for example), and trying to explain the concept of the spellcard rules did not exactly help matters; a failure on my part, I suppose...

Hannibal_Kills · « **Reply #46 on:** February 17, 2016, 12:27:35 AM »

Quote from: Boomer on February 16, 2016, 10:55:07 PM

a failure on my part, I suppose...

Well, a reference to games that your brother knows that could help you explain Spell Cards better could help. About the overpowered part, can't he just understand that those are Final/Extra stage bosses? And about the concept of spellcard rules, just say that the bullets don't harm either of the duelers because it's a way to resolve things in Gensokyo/girl's play and you can create many many unique spellcards with it's own patterns and names based on your own creativity. And I don't think that helps since I don't really know which part of the Spellcard Rules your brother doesn't understand.

Wish I/we could help you with your brother for real, man.

AzyWng · « **Reply #47 on:** February 17, 2016, 01:08:01 AM »

I've been bringing my laptop to school more often.

In the hour or half-hour before classes start, I open up a Touhou project game.

Then I just let the bullet hell appeal naturally diffuse.

It's not very effective, but it's at least made a number of people notice that Touhou exists. They're already devoted to Super Smash Bros, but it's a little bit of progress, right?

A few of my friends who are able to ~~bother~~ visit me have noticed the game too and seem to understand the appeal.

Boomer · « **Reply #48 on:** February 17, 2016, 01:39:49 AM »

Quote from: Hannibal_Kills on February 17, 2016, 12:27:35 AM

About the overpowered part, can't he just understand that those are Final/Extra stage bosses?

Oh, you probably misunderstood what I meant there. When I said "overpowered", I meant more on a conceptual level. For example: Mokou and Kaguya are both immortal, and I didn't even bother to mention Flandre's ability to destroy absolutely anything and everything. About spellcards, I said that it basically gives the characters an equal chance when it comes to battle (that was my own understanding of the concept anyway). I am not sure if he is too convinced though.

Starxsword · « **Reply #49 on:** February 17, 2016, 05:58:08 AM »

The best explanation you can give your friend is that final/extra bosses are supposed to be overpowered in a conceptual level.
They are the final boss of the game, there needs to be something dramatic to end it, so they will be really powerful.
Extra boss is a bit like post game, where you get to fight another character that is somewhat similarly powerful. So they would also need to be conceptually overpowered.

If you friend ever plays shoot them ups, they should know that your plane gets a bunch of upgrades and powerful bombs that destroy all enemies on the screen and you fight some godly flying object as the final boss.
Touhou is the same case, except instead of planes, these are represented by characters.

Boomer · « **Reply #50 on:** February 17, 2016, 11:07:53 PM »

I finally got my brother to try playing EoSD. It didn't take long to use up all of his continues (in his defense, he was playing on hard mode) and he stopped playing shortly after, but the important thing is that progress was made. He also seems to have enjoyed me "coaching" him in the process, so I can definitely see him trying again.

Hannibal_Kills · « **Reply #51 on:** February 18, 2016, 12:25:46 AM »

Quote from: Boomer on February 17, 2016, 11:07:53 PM

(in his defense, he was playing on hard mode)

THE EGO IS REAL, MAN.

By the way, congratulations on having your brother playing at least a Touhou game, and making him trying again.

Kairyu · « **Reply #52 on:** March 03, 2016, 08:51:47 AM »

Our group started with Soku tournaments at a local ACG (Anime-Cosplay-Games) event. We generally spread through word of mouth on Facebook, with interested members coming in to join us.

I think most members came in not through the games but through the music or flash animations though.

Apocrypha · « **Reply #53 on:** March 09, 2016, 06:43:10 PM »

I have them watch Bad Apple. Then U.N. Owen Was Her?. Then Flames within these Black Feathers, the vocal version. By that point they would be begging to know where it's from.

Reu · « **Reply #54 on:** March 09, 2016, 07:17:12 PM »

I don't intentionally spread it, but I do tend to play multiple games in public. Mostly Mecha or Historical but some of which being Touhou related and usually the strategy fangames though rarely the shumps themselves.
Sometimes a friend or a stranger would watch and ask questions like "Is that girl a demon? "Who's that guy"? "Why is there a dragon" and show some general interest to music and style, but I always clarify that the games I tend to play are fangames before anything else.

Boomer · « **Reply #55 on:** March 09, 2016, 07:44:02 PM »

At this point, I am not really trying to "spread" it as much. I just want people to recognize my tastes and hopefully understand why I am a fan of the series. If they so happen to get into it, that is a bonus.

Chirumiru-chan · « **Reply #56 on:** March 13, 2016, 02:18:57 AM »

Quote from: Starlighthawk on January 31, 2016, 10:27:42 PM

~~*Jealousy Meter rising, activating Emergency Gas Vent*~~

Quote from: Hannibal_Kills on February 18, 2016, 12:25:46 AM

THE EGO IS REAL, MAN.

All remind me of Bass

Anyway, I got my friend Ian into it by showing him create.swf. But this Monday, the hype is real 'cuz I'm smuggling Touhou onto a flash drive. All 15 games and spin-offs. Maybe even Seihou and Samidare. If only I could have access to a computer, due to PARCC testing all the computers won't be available until May. BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer)

Chirumiru-chan · « **Reply #57 on:** March 13, 2016, 05:02:02 AM »

Continuing from a fellow fan's "Operation: Broken Barrier", I'm doing "Operation: Shrine Maiden", where I'm smuggling Touhou into my school onto a flash drive. All 15 games, plus spinoffs, Seihou, and Samidare. We will hold Touhou meetings in room C9 at our school, which is the computer lab, on Fridays at 4pm. After PARCC testing, we're gonna hold it in the media center. To advertise, I'll hang up pictures of Reimu in the hallways and the gym. Create.swf will be a prominent role in OSM, it'll be used to make posters and we'll hold viewing parties of my collabs with xShadowKitsune.

If anyone wants to suggest promotional material, reply here!

Hannibal_Kills · « **Reply #58 on:** March 13, 2016, 07:58:46 AM »

I really chose the phrase 'Broken Barrier' because I am really spreading words about the existence of Touhou coughcoGensokyocoughough beyond it's supposed borders.

Quote from: Chirumiru-chan on March 13, 2016, 05:02:02 AM

All 15 games, plus spinoffs, Seihou, and Samidare.

*Jumps out of window, rolls upstairs like an Armadillo, jumps out again

Anyways, that's a big Touhou advertising you're having there. But, have they already know what Touhou ORIGINALLY is?

If they don't know at all but interested, introduce.
If they only know the surface, explain.
If they know what they're supposed to know, get him/her a position.
If they're there to stop it, Gap his/her way out. (joke)

Activeness. Some of the major things stopping a organization from existing. If it's just there, not doing anything, it's not something. Do something interesting and you may find more members on your shoulders.

Discipline: Never bring shame to your organization. It's not impossible that someday somebody will bring up

Spoiler:

stuff to the team, and making your team looks rubbish in the society's eyes if not covered. It is important to deal conflicts without bias to any sides, even if you got tea for everybody. My father was a football captain and he threw anyone who isn't fit for his team, and anyone who hates him in the heart if found out. He also trained them hard to the point that somebody or two fainted, everyday. As a result, he formed a formidable football team for his school.

Confidence: Never become too confident, same goes to 'under'. From the way you run your organization, it seems to be following the path of a businessman/woman. And becoming one requires confidence of your products, like the confidence of your club. Convince the people well, and Touhou would get into their minds. But also be reminded, not all have the same taste so here comes the next one:

Strategy: A vegetable's taste differs from anybody. I hate them but some love it, honest by the heart. You can't force a FPS-player to watch Barbie. And not being honest to your tastes is truly not a welcomed habit of life. So, plan a strategy to make different people love Touhou. (can't think examples tho)

Therefore, I have to say that, the easiest thing to do in life is losing everything, doing nothing will make you bored eventually.

(Bonus) Stealth: Keep a low profile among the teachers, but high among the students. Only useful if Anime-looking things is something your school doesn't want in their territory.

Boomer · « **Reply #59 on:** March 13, 2016, 12:54:21 PM »

If you're just hanging pictures of Reimu alone, I doubt that it will get the point across too well, especially if Touhou is not well-known at your school (if it has worked however, consider me proven wrong). But I would suggest instead advertising this club of yours with something that is a little more easy to understand, which could probably be where Create.swf can come into play. Posters are a good way to advertise too, but you need to think about what you're putting up and what message it would convey in other people's eyes.

Then again, I forgot to consider the possibility that you are working incognito. Are you?