History WebAnimation / ExtraCredits

Scott, James, Daniel and [=LeeLee=. Not shown: Allison.]]]

Scott, James, Daniel and [=LeeLee=]]]

[[caption-width-right:350: The original ''Extra Credits'' crew from left to right: Scott, James, Daniel and [=LeeLee=]]]

[[caption-width-right:350: The original crew from left to right: Scott, James, Daniel and [=LeeLee=]]]

''[[http://extra-credits.net Extra Credits]]'' is an animated AnalysisChannel, formerly published by ''The Escapist,'' then [[Webcomic/PennyArcade PATV]] and later self-published. The series is hosted by James Portnow (writing), Matt Krol (narration), Dan Jones and Scott Dewitt (art), the latter three's spots formerly belonging to Daniel Floyd, Allison Theus and Elisa "[=LeeLee=]" Scaldaferri before they left to work on other projects.

[[caption-width-right:350:From left to right: Scott, James, Daniel and [=LeeLee=]]]

* ''Extra History'' - After Creator/CreativeAssembly asked them to do a short video series on the Punic Wars to advertise ''VideoGame/TotalWarRomeII'', the team has since made it into a weekly series on various moments in history, covering everything from Wars to Economics. Sort of like a slightly more lighthearted version of ''WebVideo/CrashCourse History.''

The initial version of the channel had the hosts use the series as a means to cover many issues pertinent to the video games industry, in particular what goes into the creation and development of video games, what video games have to do to become recognized as a legitimate artform, and creating intellectual discourse on important issues in the video game community.

The hosts use the series as a means to cover many issues pertinent to the video games industry, in particular what goes into the creation and development of video games, what video games have to do to become recognized as a legitimate artform, and creating intellectual discourse on important issues in the video game community.

The show strives to be [[EdutainmentShow both lighthearted and humorous while providing an insightful look into the inner workings of the video game industry]], in a topic of the week format, often tackling many of the most prevalent and controversial topics in the gaming industry, such as topics regarding [[RaceTropes Diversity]] in games, [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil piracy]], [[JustOneMoreLevel video game addiction]], and the unreasonable working conditions faced by many game developers. The show also manages to be [[ShownTheirWork thoroughly researched]] on the topics it is covering. This shouldn't be surprising, as James, Daniel, and Allison are all well-immersed in the industry; James is a game designer himself, Daniel was an animator for Pixar Canada (and contributor to [[Music/OverClockedRemix OC ReMix]]), and Allison is a concept artist.

Due to a money-related misunderstanding, ''Extra Credits''' run on ''The Escapist'' drew to a close. After a brief "hiatus" period on [[https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz YouTube]], they moved to PATV. Proof, if needed, that the two groups are on the same wavelength.

As of January 2014, PATV has ended their 3rd party hosting, meaning ''Extra Credits'' primarily hosts using their Platform/YouTube channel once again.

As of January 2014, PATV has ended their 3rd party hosting, meaning ''Extra Credits'' primarily hosts using their Website/YouTube channel once again.

On December 5, 2022, Matt announced that due to a combination of the Website/YouTube algorithm and the channel steadily leaning more towards history and mythology, ''Extra Credits'' [[EndofAnEra as we know it]] would be moved to its own separate [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVzt0Ltq6VNKRqRMrry3OIA Gaming orientated channel over the next 2 months]], with the main channel being rebranded as Extra History from this point forward.

** Almost every episode from the show's run on Website/YouTube was revamped for ''The Escapist''.

* XtremeKoolLetterz: The URL of the Website/YouTube channel is spelled as "[=ExtraCreditz=]."

* SkillGateCharacter: Discussed in "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EitZRLt2G3w Balancing for Skill]]." Essentially, these strategies (which can be character selects or something else) provide a lot of power for very little skill, allowing new players to easily conquer the early part of a single-player game or allow some level of competition against veterans in multiplayer (such as ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'''s grenade launcher, or "noob tube"). These are necessary to get new players interested and help them feel some sense of accomplishment, but they run the risk of either becoming a GameBreaker, or of players getting frustrated and quitting when they run up against the limits of the strategy. The video recommends some form of WakeUpCallBoss as an antidote, preferably early in the game once the player has gotten their feet under them, to force them to learn more tactics and develop their skills. [[invoked]]

* WakeUpCallBoss: In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EitZRLt2G3w Balancing for Skill]]," it's presented as a necessary corollary to the SkillGateCharacter. It's good to have an easy strategy to help the player get their feet under them and succeed in the first stretch of the game, but that'll become a GameBreaker if you can go through the entire game with that strategy. So, the alternative is to provide a challenge that the SkillGateCharacter can't beat, forcing the player to diversify their strategies and get good at the game. [[invoked]]

** UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc, naturally.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Game Addiction: Part 2. Complete with AnAesop:
-->'''James:''' Life will always welcome you back.

** The Battle of Denmark Straight in "Hunt for the Bismarck" ended with HMS ''Hood'' sunk and ''Prince of Wales'' severely damaged and forced to retreat, while ''Prinz Eugen'' was unharmed and ''Bismarck'' was still functional. ''Bismarck'' was on the recieving end of this during his final battle several days later, failing to inflict any notable damage on the British ships attacking him.

* PrinciplesZealot: The ultimate dark version came on the eve of the Haitian revolution. After the French assembly voted to grant full franchise and rights to the free people of color on Saint-Domingue, the big and little whites joined forces to rise in rebellion, choosing to break away from their mother colony rather than make the smallest concession or compromise on the issue of white supremacy. [[WasItReallyWorthIt The resulting chaos and civil war pave the way for the ultimate victory of their enslaved people, and the only successful slave uprising in human history.]]

* AffablyEvil: The Alpha Alp from "The Alps - Sleep Paralysis & Night Terrors - European - Extra Mythology" is quite an encouraging and friendly sort for a demon of night terrors, chastisting his fellow alps for taunting one of their own for losing their hat (the source of the Alps' powers), pointing out that they've ''all'' lost their hat at one point, and praised another Alp for accidentally being stuck as a human woman and starting a family with one of his targets, noting how those children would eventually become new Alps. And when the Alp who lost his hat decides to leave to get his hat back, the Alpha Alp gleefully proclaims that they would join him to spread terror.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: In "The Alps - Sleep Paralysis & Night Terrors - European - Extra Mythology", the Alpha Alp is portrayed as this. Alps are shown to be bringers of night terrors, nightmares, and sleep paralysis, but the Alpha Alp befriended a Protestant Midwife...who had the misfortune of being born in Wurzburg, Germany in the 1600s, when the [[WitchHunt German Catholics was using the excuse of witchcraft in order to execute anyone who wasn't Catholic.]] When his dear friend was one of those killed, the [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Alpha Alp tormented the bishop who ordered her killed in return, to the point of causing said bishop's heart to burst from sheer terror and hours of psychological torture.]] [[AffablyEvil The Alpha is also quite affable]], chastisting his fellow alps for taunting one of their own for losing their hat (the source of the Alps' powers), pointing out that they've ''all'' lost their hat at one point, praised another Alp for accidentally being stuck as a human woman and starting a family with one of his targets, noting how those children would eventually become new Alps. And when the Alp who lost his hat decides to leave to get his hat back, the Alpha Alp gleefully proclaims that they would join him to spread terror.

%% Please redirect all PA and Escapist links to YouTube if you find them.

* ScienceFantasy: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQg9oJ7paS8 This video]] theorizes that many of the game we play that we ''believe'' are of the ScienceFiction genre (e.g. ''Franchise/MassEffect'', ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'', and ''VideoGame/SystemShock'') are, in reality, this.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Invoked. This happens to Isaac Asimov. His ideas were mind-blowing at the time they were released but they were so influential that they seem unoriginal to modern readers.

* RageQuit: Dan was able to stand up to pretty much everything the ''Dark Souls'' trilogy could throw at him... until near the end of ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' he realised that he had to fight his way through [[ThatOneLevel the entire final stage of the Dark Chasm of Old]] (which cost a Human Effigy even to ''attempt'') before he could even take a ''shot'' at beating [[BonusBoss Darklurker]]. Then he just threw in the towel.

** These [[http://store.dftba.com/products/extra-credits-game-box-plushie plush-dolls]] are now for sale in Extra Credits' [[http://store.dftba.com/search?type=product&q=extra+credits store]]

* ArtifactTitle: While the {{pun}}ny title ''Extra Credits'' is still appropriate for that series, the word ''Extra'' has become a form of branding used for many of the later series. It's a superfluous call-back to the original series.

* ObviousBeta: Their episode on [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1_50T5GwZ8 "Why Do We Ship Buggy Games?"]] goes into explanations of why this happens. Dan stresses that they are not ''defending'' buggy releases, as they tend to be bad for long-term business, but rather details the kinds of situations that put developers in no-win scenarios where it was [[MortonsFork either a buggy release or something worse]].

* BoringButPractical: [[invoked]] Discussed in the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqFcF_jRrx0 How to Play Like a Designer, Part 2]]" episode in which they explain that "First Order Optimal Strategies" (which require little player effort but give good results such as the "[[VideoGame/ModernWarfare noob tube]]" or "[[VideoGame/StreetFighter hundred hand slap]]") are necessary to allow new players to have a competitive edge and allow them to gain enough confidence and experience to start using more difficult but ultimately even more [[DifficultButAwesome effective strategies necessary for more difficult levels or matches]]. He cautions though that any such thing needs to be carefully developed and thought through, as it can create unintentional {{Game Breaker}}s which might flatten an otherwise expertly plotted difficulty curve.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: Edward Jenner is universally praised by everyone for developing the smallpox vaccine. Even Napoleon and [[spoiler: Thomas Jefferson]] celebrate him.