275 réponses à ce sujet

[What is this]

mhendon wrote...

SLC wrote...


I kind of liked the box art from Origins, which had no people on it--it's so common to have a bunch of characters in quasi-dramatic poses on cover art that the more abstract stuff feels better branded and more distinct to me.

Indeed. Who could forget this monstrosity?

www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mass_effect_2_pc.jpg

DA:O's cover art stood out, as did Awakening's.  The minimalism was refreshing

I would like Lady Hawke to be in the art for DAII somewhere, maybe not neccarily on the cover along with male Hawke.  However, I don't think it will happen.  I can understand why Bioware sticks with male protagonists as I suspect most of the market is male, but I don't understand why we haven't even heard Lady Hawke's voice yet (wait... have we?...).  I'm reminded of watching some of the behind the scenes stuff for ME2.  They were talking about the voice actors.  Of course Mike Meer had his moment but the fact that there even WAS a female option was completely ignored.

Again I realize most gamers are male, but would it hurt to throw the lady's a bone every once in awhile?  I want to be able to identify with our protagonist as well.

You will,
You have an entire game to play as a female.

[Ziggeh]

What is this wrote...

They do  throw the female market a bone,
Do you know much money it cost to voice one hawke? Bioware let's you choose your sex, most games don't

There's your bone, now stop begging like a dog

That's almost entirely unrelated to the point, but I get that you're just trolling here. Carry on.

[What is this]

ziggehunderslash wrote...

What is this wrote...

They do  throw the female market a bone,
Do you know much money it cost to voice one hawke? Bioware let's you choose your sex, most games don't

There's your bone, now stop begging like a dog

That's almost entirely unrelated to the point, but I get that you're just trolling here. Carry on.

Unrelated point?
Im saying that the female market is getting plenty considering this is a video game, and rather than just calling me a troll perhaps you could ask me to clarify.
B**** harder plz

[Wynne]

Nah, you're just talking through your hindquarters. Saying much more than "troll" to an individual who's trolling would be wasting valuable time. Zigge's got the right idea.

[Ziggeh]

What is this wrote...

Unrelated point?
Im saying that the female market is getting plenty considering this is a video game, and rather than just calling me a troll perhaps you could ask me to clarify.

We're talking about marketing.

The fact that the game itself has a healthy amount of the feminine perspective doesn't relate to the fact that the marketing (so far) contains very little.

And I don't need you to clarify, I understand your intention is to be insulting and/or inflammatory.

Modifié par ziggehunderslash, 12 décembre 2010 - 04:46 .

[Annarl]

A lot of these points are the reason I think that no default character should be shown on the cover. Most especially in a game where you can custom create a character. Because then male or female the character on the front of the box isn't your character.

As for marketing, the game company could still keep the character in shadow making hard to tell if the PC is male or female.  It would take some thought yes but it's doable.  The lead character should appeal to as many people as possible.  If I make my own character (male or female) but see MHawke or FHawke everywhere, in the marketing campaign, who look nothing like my character how is that any better.  I think Bioware should stress the customization of the game character creator rather than an individual character male or female.

Modifié par omearaee, 12 décembre 2010 - 05:07 .

[Addai]

What is this wrote...

Lol i do have my facts straight, from the previews we know rogue hawke can do a backflip
WOW AMAZING.
The reason we actually need trailers and previews for the classes is because they actually affect the gameplay, y'know that little thing that seperates dragon age from being an interactive movie. You know what Fem Hawke lookes like, do you really need to see a million screenshots of her  animations?

And some of us play for story, not for what awesome combat move we get to perform.

Alright, I've wasted enough type on you.

[Mykel54]

One option for bioware would be to include a blank figure (male or female it doesn´t matter) surrounded with the game npcs, the figure would represent the player character that is customisable.



Still i understand why they don´t do it, to sell the game they need the protagonist to be someone tangible and visible, even if later on the actual game you can change his/her appearance. I have no problem with the way bioware handles it, after all they need some kind of "canon" version on which to base the "default story" and decisions. For the same reasons there is a default character in the mass effect series.



The concept of DA Origins is not the one used now, in origins Bioware could not make a "default" warden because there were many options including races. Still they released promotional videos with a human male warden, so even there they opted to give the potential consumer some image of how the protagonist of the game would be like.



To sum up, it is really hard to sell any game when you don´t know anything about the protagonist until you buy the game. Many people need to be assured that they buy something they like, something they can see (like graphics), and not just some idea of "the mysterious stranger". /hint

[legbamel]

The best case scenario would be to create your character, import it into a blank spot on the cover art, and print it yourself. Short of that, it would be lovely to at least see what the default FemHawke looks like. I'm guessing she'll be sans beard...

[Ziggeh]

Mykel54 wrote...
Still i understand why they don´t do it, to sell the game they need the protagonist to be someone tangible and visible, even if later on the actual game you can change his/her appearance. I have no problem with the way bioware handles it, after all they need some kind of "canon" version on which to base the "default story" and decisions. For the same reasons there is a default character in the mass effect series.

Yup. Without it you have to talk in abstract concepts, which is harder to explain (ie: not "hard", just not obscenely easy) and lacks the power of empathy on behalf of the viewer. As daft as it is, "Be like this guy, do what he does, eat who he eats" is a really powerful selling tool.

[namedforthemoon]

I really liked Jade Empire's box. It showed both Wu the Lotus Blossom (which the PC could play) and... Some male character that the PC could play but whose name I can't remember.

[Altima Darkspells]

I'd actually not prefer LadyHawke on the cover, because with current gaming trends--especially from BioWare, it seems--she'd be poured into stripper-wear.  I'd rather have another Generic McActionGuy than an insulting, overly sexualized bimbo.

However, I agree that at least a little screentime for LadyHawke is not out of the question.  It doesn't make sense that BioWare would spend millions of dollars and two years to make a game for both genders, then do their best to make sure that no one knows the fact that Hawke doesn't have to have things dangling between her thighs.

ziggehunderslash wrote...


The fact that the game itself has a healthy amount of the feminine perspective doesn't relate to the fact that the marketing (so far) contains very little.

Two-thirds of the writing staff is female, which just goes to show you that the age-old excuse that 'Most Writers Are Male' and cannot predict female thoughts and actions is just, well, bull ****.

namedforthemoon wrote...

I really liked Jade Empire's box. It showed both Wu the Lotus Blossom (which the PC could play) and... Some male character that the PC could play but whose name I can't remember.

My Special Edition Jade Empire box has Death's Hand on the box, with Furious Ming below the title fighting a toad demon.  Sad face.

Though at least Wu the Lotus Blossom is on the back cover.

Of course, according to BW, Jade Empire did poorly enough not to be considered for a sequel, so maybe that's not the best example to use.

[Kakistos_]

There are more female gamers out there than any of us realize, even if they are only casual gamers. The "statstictics" regarding female players does not represent how many buy games but how many take the time to go online and take surveys. I think that if studios that have games with strong female protagonist (optional or otherwise) advertised that fact then they would do even better at selling games.

[upsettingshorts]

If "Generic McActionguy" is an acceptable stereotype, is it okay if I say "Action Barbie?"

Modifié par Upsettingshorts, 13 décembre 2010 - 02:10 .

[What is this]

Addai67 wrote...

What is this wrote...

Lol i do have my facts straight, from the previews we know rogue hawke can do a backflip
WOW AMAZING.
The reason we actually need trailers and previews for the classes is because they actually affect the gameplay, y'know that little thing that seperates dragon age from being an interactive movie. You know what Fem Hawke lookes like, do you really need to see a million screenshots of her  animations?

And some of us play for story, not for what awesome combat move we get to perform.

Alright, I've wasted enough type on you.

How does a male character being on the cover affect your story?

[Atakuma]

Upsettingshorts wrote...

If "Generic McActionguy" is an acceptable stereotype, is it okay if I say "Action Barbie?"

Yes, you have my permission.

[What is this]

ziggehunderslash wrote...

What is this wrote...

Unrelated point?
Im saying that the female market is getting plenty considering this is a video game, and rather than just calling me a troll perhaps you could ask me to clarify.

We're talking about marketing.

The fact that the game itself has a healthy amount of the feminine perspective doesn't relate to the fact that the marketing (so far) contains very little.

And I don't need you to clarify, I understand your intention is to be insulting and/or inflammatory.

Giving Female play character options is relatedof the marketing, Females will be more inclined to buy a game if they can play as a female. 
and the reason why the marketing contains little female Hawke appeal(perspictive lol?) is because their main demographic is male, their marketing to males because most of their market is MALE.

and You don't understand my intention because my intention is to be reasonable and have stated before that others ideas of having Fem hawke on back of the game case is a much more reasonable request than pulling the cover 3 months before release just so people can have femhawke on the cover.

[What is this]

Kakistos_ wrote...

There are more female gamers out there than any of us realize, even if they are only casual gamers. The "statstictics" regarding female players does not represent how many buy games but how many take the time to go online and take surveys. I think that if studios that have games with strong female protagonist (optional or otherwise) advertised that fact then they would do even better at selling games.

There are a decent amount of female gamers,
but no where near as many males, and even fewer of these female gamers are probaly hardcore RPG fans.
Marketing takes money, and it's risk vs reward. All i'm saying is that the original request of re desiging cover art is a huge hassle and isn't worth it in terms of a marketing perspective.

[Ziggeh]

What is this wrote...

Giving Female play character options is relatedof the marketing, Females will be more inclined to buy a game if they can play as a female. 

Heh, indeed, but they will be doing so upon information that is largely outside of, or is a decidedly minor element of the marketing itself. This conversation is about why this information isn't a larger part of the advertising, not the fact that the information exists.

[asaiasai]

DaewaNya wrote...

I just saw the signature edition and I'm interested in buying. So far, I don't care much of the box and all as I only buy my games in digital copy. But, if my little request was to be granted, maybe I'll buy a retail version...

As I only play a female character, would you please Bioware make some kind of dual cover box... The box art on the signature edition features male Hawk. I would be please to see, when you turn around, the same art with Female Hawk instead.

Anyone agree/cares?

[edit] I'd never thought to have so many replies and to bring a debate about LadyHawke's attention... So I'll just make my request a little more clear. All I want is a dual cover, like for example Red Alert 3. RA3 has a dual cover, the standard one everybody knows is this one. But when you turn around it, it becomes this
So I thought it couldn't hurt to do the same thing for DA2 and, when we are it, ME3. Or at least like someone suggests, make a downloadable picture so we can print it ourselves...
That's all, like I said, usually I don't care about retail version !  I'll certainly buy the signature edition, but for now it will be only digital one. If LadyHawke has to appear in the retail cover, then I'll buy for sure the retail version.

I agree  as another person who plays primarily female characters and buys the retail version of games (i like the smell of new game in the morning, it smells of adventure) this is something i would get on board for. I will still buy what is only avalable but a choice would be nice, but is not necessary the close the deal. It is more like pie, see pie is good really any type of pie is good except mincemeat never developed a taste for it, but add a scoop of ice cream and well you turn a party with clowns and ballons into a raging kegger with chicks and firetrucks, and cops, and strippers, and pie with ice cream on top. So a hot sexy ass kicker on my box for DA2 would be a a scoop of ice cream and what is not to like about ice cream. 

Asai  

[Addai]

What is this wrote...

How does a male character being on the cover affect your story?

You're complaining about not seeing a rogue or mage in action in the promos but you'll get to play one so what does it matter?  OTOH you're dissing people who are saying they want to see a female PC in action in the game promos because "you'll get to play one eventually so just shut up."  But if I'm never going to play a male, seeing a male PC in every single promo does little to get me interested in the game.

Once again, I don't really care, but I also don't think it's too much to ask to show a female PC in some of the gameplay footage and promo shots.

Modifié par Addai67, 13 décembre 2010 - 03:26 .

[elfdwarf]

why don't we just put both female & male hawke on cover

[Matchy Pointy]

elfdwarf wrote...

why don't we just put both female & male hawke on cover

Either both of them or none of them (preferably) is my opinion.

[aaniadyen]

Matchy Pointy wrote...

elfdwarf wrote...

why don't we just put both female & male hawke on cover

Either both of them or none of them (preferably) is my opinion.

I think the most reasonable solution is to display neither on the box art. It wouldn't make much sense having both on, and to be honest, having neither of them would probably improve the quality of the box art. Sources: DA:O box art; ME2 box art.

[Matchy Pointy]

aaniadyen wrote...

Matchy Pointy wrote...

elfdwarf wrote...

why don't we just put both female & male hawke on cover

Either both of them or none of them (preferably) is my opinion.

I think the most reasonable solution is to display neither on the box art. It wouldn't make much sense having both on, and to be honest, having neither of them would probably improve the quality of the box art. Sources: DA:O box art; ME2 box art.

Agreed. And for that matter, I doubt many will play as either of them, so putting on a default Hawke when we all create our own seems a bit, well, not as good. Although the collectors edition for ME2 havve awesome boxart (ie no John Shepard).