255 réponses à ce sujet

[shinobi602]

Shimmer_Gloom wrote...
EA would be crazy not to give Femshep just a LITTLE marketing push...

Given their history and marketing Bioware's games, I believe they're going to remain "crazy" (according to you).

[MerchantGOL]

its Not Gonna happen

[Aggie Punbot]

Some people just cannot grasp the fact that marketing a game is not supposed to be "fair" or "politically correct." It's supposed to be used in a such a way to garner the maximum amount of income and as much as some don't want to believe it, males make up the vast majority of gamers. Vast majority.

Bioware and EA Games want to use marketing to appeal to the casual gamer because they've already gotten the guaranteed business from the loyal fan; they need to draw in casual gamers. And yes, people in general are stupid; it is not even remotely unlikely that someone would see a female character on the cover (or in marketing promotional material) and dismiss it as a "chick game". That sort of attitude is shallow, unfair and absolutely moronic but it does happen frequently and can spell death for a game's profits. Profit is the only bottom line for companies like EA Games, not quality and not being a platform for social change (see: their inclusion of female/female romance but not male/male romance). They are going with an established equation that works and are wisely not going to change ME3 drastically by making any changes such as altering the focus of the marketing campaign or adding a multiplayer component.

Women have proven that they are willing to purchase and play games with a male as the lead; I can't really say the same for the reverse.

To the people that want fem Shep as a focus of the marketing: I feel your pain, really I do. But you need to accept the fact that EA Games is about money and they have made a sh!tton of money using a male Shepard as the iconic image and that will not change for the final game in a highly lucrative game trilogy. You can scream and cry about it all you want, but it's all about the bottom line. And once again, people in general are stupid.

And yet again a topic has become a platform for people to spread their anti-Meer sentiment. That is starting to make the Mass Effect community one of the most intolerable and intolerant fandoms that I have ever had the misfortune to admit to being a member of. Apparently it's too much to ask for people to accept that not everyone agrees that Ms. Hale is the second coming of Christ and should be worshipped as a Tali god.

Modifié par TS2Aggie, 27 avril 2011 - 06:10 .

[GodWood]

I'd rather no Shepard

[Aggie Punbot]

Hell, let's have no marketing at all! Let's let ME3 roll out sheerly on word-of-mouth alone. In fact, who even needs a box? Make it digital download only.

[AMF05]

I don't understand if you are a man why do you play as a femele,do you wish to be born as a femele or what?

[GodWood]

AMF05 wrote...
I don't understand if you are a man why do you play as a femele,do you wish to be born as a femele or what?

[Aggie Punbot]

AMF05 wrote...

I don't understand if you are a man why do you play as a femele,do you wish to be born as a femele or what?

Some people like to play as female characters because they simply prefer it that way (women and men). Is it really that difficult a concept for one such as you to grasp? Although I suppose I shouldn't really expect much out of someone who spells female as 'femele'.

Modifié par TS2Aggie, 27 avril 2011 - 06:26 .

[Shimmer_Gloom]

@TS2Aggie: are your from Texas? Because that's my state! lol. Though I hope you were not thinking I was bashing Meer in my comment. He did more than a serviceable job in ME2 (only ever played Fem!shep in ME1) and so while I prefer Hale, I am not hating on Meer. I actually grew to tolerate his performance in ME2 once I gave him the chance. He seemed to have that kind of endearing, dorky quality many career military men get.

I just have a personal connection with my Femshep. And I personally feel that Meer's performance more lent itself to Renegade than Paragon. Femshep Paragon is swoonworthy.

Anyway. Just saying that I don't think anyone is bashing Meer overmuch. Or at least. Not me.

(side note, I'm new to the forums. And its 1:00 am over here. And there is a possibility I'm a little drunk. So bare with me if some of this come off as a bit muddled.)

[Aggie Punbot]

@Shimmer_Gloom Nah, not directed at you. It's more people like MidnightRaith that irritate me. You, at least, are more respectful when it comes to things like this.

I can't really fault anyone that prefers fem Sheps over male Sheps because, let's face it, Hale does do a fantastic job. The people I really cannot stand are the people that deliberately go around bashing Meer every place they go so the people that actually do like his work can't avoid their spitefulness.

Can't we all just get along?  *puppy eye look*

Modifié par TS2Aggie, 27 avril 2011 - 06:31 .

[lolwut666]

Personally, I'm sick of those people hating on Meer's work.

Just because you like Hale better, do you have to hate everything else?

I mean, come on!

By the way, I'm not addressing anyone in particular. It's just that the fellow up there brought that up, and I felt like giving my 2 cents.

[Aggie Punbot]

lolwut666 wrote...

Personally, I'm sick of those people hating on Meer's work.

Just because you like Hale better, do you have to hate everything else?.

  Thank you.  

[Shimmer_Gloom]

Also. I would like to say not many people are pushing for Femshep to be as big of a marketing push as Sheploo. As has been said its too late in the game to be 'fair.' They picked a mascot and it makes sense to stick with it.

But for EA/Bioware to COMPLETELY neglect the fact that they are sitting on perhaps one of the single most interesting female game characters in all gaming history and not give it some kind of marketing push? This, to me, is a mistake.

Yes, marketing femshep is a risk. Yes, one would never want to change mascots in the third game... But Bioware seems to be wanting to pull in new gamers with the third installment (example, using James Sanders for players new to the world) so why not alter marketing SLIGHTLY to fit this?

Why NOT try to court female gamers... at least a little bit. Also, how does reverable cover hurt marketing? Its fanservice plain and simple.

[Shimmer_Gloom]

@aggie: okay. Yeah. Okay. Good. Glad we are on the same page.

[Aggie Punbot]

Well, we really don't know how much money a reversible cover would cost. Plus, altering a successful marketing campaign in the middle is a very bad idea, no matter how much it might seem like a good idea. EA Games is not a company known for taking any risks, necessary or not.

I would be very interested to see a survey that asked a certain number of male and female non-gamers if they would consider taking up video gaming due to a persuasive marketing campaign. My theory is that more non-gaming males would be willing to take up gaming for a male-based campaign than non-gaming females would for a female-based campaign...but this is purely my own speculation and cannot be confirmed by any actual data.

[lolwut666]

Well, like someone said above, the cover does not show every person's Shepard. It shows one Shepard. That it's a male is not being discriminatory towards females or neglecting FemShep.

Sheploo likely won't be who you'll play as. Are you going to complain that it's not your custom Shepard on the box?

He's just a mascot. Sheploo is to Mass Effect what Dante is to Devil May Cry, and Master Chief is to Halo.

I'm not saying they shouldn't give FemShep some more attention, but you shouldn't condemn them for trying to make the best marketing they can.

[Shimmer_Gloom]

Okay. To reiterate/better explain my point, I'm not advocating "altering a successful marketing campaign in the middle" in any way shape or form. In fact I said that Sheploo is, and should remain, the mascot of the Mass Effect series. But. Why not have SUPPLEMENTAL marketing material highlighting one of the game's most distinctive and attractive characteristics, namely the personal nature of the Shepard character. Like, say, a picture of Femshep on the back of the box with a textbox saying "A completely personalized hero, Shepard can be a man or woman!" or something likely better worded.

Or a youtube campaign? How about a video say 2-3 mins highlighting "My Shepard," where two very different gamers show how different Man!shep (Renegade) and Fem!shep (Paragon?) are from each other. Maybe even get real gamers show real stories about their experiences with the game.

Marketing isn't just box art and magazine covers anymore. And a slightly more diversified approach could really highlight what makes Bioware games so much more compelling than the standard Shooter. And I don't think marketing has done a very good job of conveying that in the past imo.

[AMF05]

TS2Aggie wrote...

Although I suppose I shouldn't really expect much out of someone who spells female as 'femele'.

I m not from America or England so i don't speak so good english,i know your language but you don't know myn so....

Modifié par AMF05, 27 avril 2011 - 06:55 .

[Dougy Fresh]

the male shep has an iconic face.... fem shep doesnt and Maleshep is already been the face of the franchise for 4 years now

[TheKingOf-Kings]

Wow most of you people really don't understand marketing whatsoever. I'll make it simple. If you want a femshep cover, Bioware/EA do not want to market to you, because you will buy the game regardless. Casuals see Sheploo and think 'lol this shooter looks cool, I might buy', you guys will already own the game at this point.

Besides, it is the cover. Who cares? Go and put your femshep love into something that matters, like unique animations for her. Or do we want Garrus getting crotchshots again? (I know, some of you do...)

[Shimmer_Gloom]

@AMF05: I suppose there is a bit of a cultural gap here. And its totally okay that your English isn't 100% perfect. I know I even have trouble some times and its my only language.

That being said, though this (mass effect) is a roleplaying game the way the player identifies, or connects with the character they are playing is not always the same. Not every player plays the game the same way. And the relationship a player has with Shepard is a little more subtle and complex than a complete, total transference of identity.

To say it another way, a player doesn't have to want to BE a woman to play as a female Shepard. So, no, I don't think that is the case at all.

[Shimmer_Gloom]

TheKingOf-Kings wrote...

Wow most of you people really don't understand marketing whatsoever. I'll make it simple. If you want a femshep cover, Bioware/EA do not want to market to you, because you will buy the game regardless. Casuals see Sheploo and think 'lol this shooter looks cool, I might buy', you guys will already own the game at this point.

Besides, it is the cover. Who cares? Go and put your femshep love into something that matters, like unique animations for her. Or do we want Garrus getting crotchshots again? (I know, some of you do...)

If you have been following the the thread so far, the dialogue has shifted away slighty from the OP.  I don't think many people want Sheploo 'replaced' so much as 'suplemented.'  And I think this is something we can totally talk about.

Unique animations is a valid problem (though truefully I didn't learn of it until I started forum lurking) but it has little bearing on marketing.

[snfonseka]

Shimmer_Gloom wrote...

Also. I would like to say not many people are pushing for Femshep to be as big of a marketing push as Sheploo. As has been said its too late in the game to be 'fair.' They picked a mascot and it makes sense to stick with it.

But for EA/Bioware to COMPLETELY neglect the fact that they are sitting on perhaps one of the single most interesting female game characters in all gaming history and not give it some kind of marketing push? This, to me, is a mistake.

Yes, marketing femshep is a risk. Yes, one would never want to change mascots in the third game... But Bioware seems to be wanting to pull in new gamers with the third installment (example, using James Sanders for players new to the world) so why not alter marketing SLIGHTLY to fit this?

Why NOT try to court female gamers... at least a little bit. Also, how does reverable cover hurt marketing? Its fanservice plain and simple.

I don't think female gamers are "brain dead" to pull into a game because a developer/ publisher desides to market the game using female mascots. 

Regarding the "fanservice", are we talking about a "service" to a majority of BW fans or to the minority who spend their time in Bioware forums? 

[Shimmer_Gloom]

snfonseka wrote...

Shimmer_Gloom wrote...

Also. I would like to say not many people are pushing for Femshep to be as big of a marketing push as Sheploo. As has been said its too late in the game to be 'fair.' They picked a mascot and it makes sense to stick with it.

But for EA/Bioware to COMPLETELY neglect the fact that they are sitting on perhaps one of the single most interesting female game characters in all gaming history and not give it some kind of marketing push? This, to me, is a mistake.

Yes, marketing femshep is a risk. Yes, one would never want to change mascots in the third game... But Bioware seems to be wanting to pull in new gamers with the third installment (example, using James Sanders for players new to the world) so why not alter marketing SLIGHTLY to fit this?

Why NOT try to court female gamers... at least a little bit. Also, how does reverable cover hurt marketing? Its fanservice plain and simple.

I don't think female gamers are "brain dead" to pull into a game because a developer/ publisher desides to market the game using female mascots. 

Regarding the "fanservice", are we talking about a "service" to a majority of BW fans or to the minority who spend their time in Bioware forums? 

By "fanservice" I meant the "reversible boxart" idea that had been bandied about.  There is no reason, from a marketing standpoint or a gamplay standpoint that it should have a reversible cover.  It would just make me, and I presume other hardcore fans, happy.  Example-- Dissidia Final Fantasy had a SUPERspiffy extra sleeve that came pakaged with the game depicting alternate artwork and even gold text.  It was super pretty.  But utterly useless as anything but fanservice.

A reverable cover would mean I could reverse it and pretend MY Shepard is the ONLY Shepard.  Which is fun.  But in no way anything other than fanservice.

As for the bolded, I think maybe you may want to reread my post visavis 'suplemental marketing.'  I did not advocate putting Femshep on the cover INSTEAD of Sheploo.  Neither did I imply that Femshep will somehow magically win the support of female gamers everywhere.

What I am saying is that Bioware/EA definately could try some strategies that utilizes a pivitol aspect of the game that I do not think is being adressed in the marketing, that is, the personal aspect of Commander Shepard.

Modifié par Shimmer_Gloom, 27 avril 2011 - 07:28 .

[TheKingOf-Kings]

Shimmer_Gloom wrote...

If you have been following the the thread so far, the dialogue has shifted away slighty from the OP.  I don't think many people want Sheploo 'replaced' so much as 'suplemented.'  And I think this is something we can totally talk about.

Unique animations is a valid problem (though truefully I didn't learn of it until I started forum lurking) but it has little bearing on marketing.

I only read like the first three pages and this page, but i'm not seeing much of a difference. Supplemental marketing is pointless and costly, which is what you are asking for. You don't seem to understand my point. If you are on these boards complaining about this issue, then Bioware/EA don't need to market to you, because you will buy the game regardless.

And I never said animations and marketing have any bearing on each other. I am saying as femshep players who love that character, you should all put your voices towards an issue that matters, like unique animations, not something as pointless as a few words or some pretty pictures on a game cover.