140 réponses à ce sujet

[Had-to-say]

A niche market is defined as product aimed at satisfying specific market needs. It is usually aimed at a small targeted demographic with a specific need for that product.

I think the average gamer is more into instant gratification. That gamer may not like the deep interaction of a game like Mass Effect. I think Mass Effect has a player base of about 3 million, not bad, but not where I'd like to see it. I think ME is better than 98% of the games available.

Do you think the Mass Effect franchise is too niche, therefore doesn't appeal to common people?

For a game to have so much critical acclaim, it doesn't reach the large bottom base of average gamers. Why is that and how would you fix it?

Modifié par Had-to-say, 06 février 2012 - 07:42 .

[Wulfram]

I think it should be more niche, and cater to primarily to me.

Or to be more serious, Bioware are naturally going to want to expand the fan base, but all I care about is whether it's the sort of game I want to buy.

[King Minos]

Wulfram wrote...

I think it should be more niche, and cater to primarily to me.

Or to be more serious, Bioware are naturally going to want to expand the fan base, but all I care about is whether it's the sort of game I want to buy.

I agree, i don't care about catering for others, I'm important and it's me only.

[Bekkael]

I think it manages a delicate balancing act between shooter and RPG. That annoys some shooter fans who don't like to RP, and also pisses off some RPers who feel it is too stripped down.

I think if fans of both genres gave it an honest chance, they might discover they liked it.

For my part, I think BioWare has done a really great job with this series. I am an ambassador of Mass Effect and try to get all my friends to give it a go.

[AgitatedLemon]

As long as they don't curb stomp the formula established by ME1+2, I'll be fine.

Of course, also as long as they do the ME2 characters justice in ME3.

[Adhin]

I think the way there trying to expand it in ME3 is a nice compromise to what usually happens. The 'option' to stream line conversation options, while still providing that in the form we're used to normally is a nice touch.

Also I really wanna play the MP, but I've always enjoyed co-op MP when it done well. And I figure if i can watch 20 minutes of non-commentary based leaked co-op beta footage of an idiot whos 'never' played a ME game before trying to play a Vanguard... well, I think they've done a good job.

Originally irritated me watching that guy play, but around wave 6 he starts to get it. Even starts charging to re-charge his shields. Made me smile to see someone learning heh.

[ItsFreakinJesus]

ME probably has a bigger player base, as there's plenty of people who sold their copies of their two games to Gamestop and there's plenty of people who bought those games used, and those who initially sold their copies are planning on buying ME3. But that's irrelevant.

Regardless, publishers and developers need to stop trying to get every game to hit GTA and CoD numbers. If your game does, awesome, but if it doesn't, then it's assumed that they wasted their time. Look at Homefront, for example. THQ expected it to be the next Call of Duty, so they wasted 50 million in advertising on a game that, while good, wasn't polished enough to challenge CoD. The game sold something like 4 million, and the studio that made the game was killed.

Games in general don't have proper advertisement, anyway. Magazines and internet are where they're predominate, but on TV, you're lucky to see a commercial once unless the game is Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. Hell, even those games only get commercials on a handful of channels. They just run ads on the channels over and over. Publishers need to strategically market games on as many networks as possible. Advertise Mass Effect twice on CBS for example instead of 15 times during Adult Swim.

What they shouldn't do is bloat the game budget to draw in more people on the dev team so they can work on the game so it can hit CoD numbers. What they shouldn't do is run the commercials for the game 60 times a day on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel. It's a waste of money. Mass Effect is niche--though it really isn't since games don't sell 3 million if their niche--because they're not being advertised to people who don't know about the games; the games are constantly advertised to people who're already aware of the product.

[FERMi27]

Had-to-say wrote...

Mass Effect franchise is too niche

Are you mad? It has been nr.1 in the pre-order charts in Russia since October. Can you believe that? In RUSSIA!
Not to mention that retailers all across the globe are running out of CE copies.

So much of a niche game.

[ItsFreakinJesus]

If a game reaches 1 million sales, it's not niche. The vast majority of games do not hit Call of Duty/Madden/Grand Theft Auto/Super Mario numbers of 10 million+ copies sold. Most games are lucky if they hit 1 million.

[What a Succulent Ass]

It already appeals to the mainstream market - in its advertisements, anyway.

I find that to be the biggest oddity of Mass Effect games. From the boxart to the cover information to the telly spots, they seem dead set on campaigning as nothing more than a generic space shooter. I actually wouldn't have played the game if I hadn't fallen into it by accident when I purchased a used copy, vaguely recognised the BioWare name, and remembered I liked their previous IPs.

I imagine this a similar story for most of ME's gaming base-: BioWare veterans who bought the game because it was the product of a trusted developer. So it could be that ME is losing customers by making its appeal too broad.

Modifié par Random Jerkface, 06 février 2012 - 07:40 .

[WizenSlinky0]

Well, every niche kinda needs a developer or you're over-saturating a single market while ignoring the others.

Like how FPS's are over-saturated right now causing anything that is less well known to usually flop with meager sales.

[Blacklash93]

Mass Effect covers plenty of niches and that's the way I like it.

[Spaghetti_Ninja]

Random Jerkface wrote...

It already appeals to the mainstream market - in its advertisements, anyway.

I find that to be the biggest oddity of Mass Effect games. From the boxart to the cover information to the telly spots, they seem dead set on campaigning as nothing more than a generic space shooter..

I don't agree. They really emphazise the cinematic aspect of the game a lot, but putting a lot of focus on the characters.

[Complistic]

I'd rather they stay niche and make games I enjoy.

[Carnage752]

I have no problem with them improving combat to attract a wider audience. Most of the Hardcore Story fans seem to forget this is an RPG, so combat is a part of it. They just sacrificed a good portion of the RPG elements in ME2. However, after reviewing the known features, I'm beginning to see they are definitely improving the RPG elements back to ME 1 standards, while keeping and improving the funner combat from ME 2.

I also like the idea of multiplayer in Mass Effect. I just didn't see how it could be well executed in a primarily RPG game (Bioshock 2). However, after reviewing it they seem to have figured out a good system for it and can't wait to give it a try when my early release multiplayer demo (Battlefield 3 FTW) comes out.

[Icinix]

Personally I tend to prefer niche games.

Not so much because they pander specifically to my tastes, but because they don't try to hard to stick to a particular genre.

As we've got nothing but a leaked script and some awful markeitng, ME3 is impossible to judge, but I would say from what we've seen, its probably swayed a bit too far out of niche territory and lost a bit of what makes it unique and special. Millions more will probably love it because of this though.

[incinerator950]

Icinix wrote...

Personally I tend to prefer niche games.

Not so much because they pander specifically to my tastes, but because they don't try to hard to stick to a particular genre.

As we've got nothing but a leaked script and some awful markeitng, ME3 is impossible to judge, but I would say from what we've seen, its probably swayed a bit too far out of niche territory and lost a bit of what makes it unique and special. Millions more will probably love it because of this though.

I didn't really find its unique niche to be special in ME 1, in my opinion.

[What a Succulent Ass]

Spaghetti_Ninja wrote...

I don't agree. They really emphazise the cinematic aspect of the game a lot, but putting a lot of focus on the characters.

Where? The CGI trailers are usually a step-up from the usual in-game fare (and I can't truthfully say how prevalent these spots are, considering I haven't owned a television since 2006), but the emphasis is still usually action (which is understandable) and being a big damned space marine. The box art covers are all generic in their own fashion (ME1 at least tried to harken back to the nostalgic 70s - 80s space opera, whereas ME2's looked like hideous comic book design...ME3 uses the more typical action hero format), and looking on the information flap, there is no mention of customisation or an emphasis on decision, two of ME's biggest draws.

[Mettyx]

Wulfram wrote...

I think it should be more niche, and cater to primarily to me.

Or to be more serious, Bioware are naturally going to want to expand the fan base, but all I care about is whether it's the sort of game I want to buy.

As Dragon Age 2 debacle showed, if Bioware takes the route of trying to please everyone it will crumble just because of the sheer weight of negative reaction delivered to everyone by the "niche" market.

Modifié par Mettyx, 06 février 2012 - 09:20 .

[Mike Shepard]

honestly, if I like the game I could give a hoot if Joe Schmo from Backwaternowheresville, USA likes iit as well. Not saying 'BioWare only cater to me' but I don't concern myself with if the game has mass appeal--I only care if the game appeals to me, which it does, so I am satisfied. Science Fiction is natrually a niche, however. To get away from that they'd have to figure a way to tone down the Sci-FI elements WITHOUT toning down the Sci-Fi elements which made the game brilliant.

[Icinix]

incinerator950 wrote...

Icinix wrote...

Personally I tend to prefer niche games.

Not so much because they pander specifically to my tastes, but because they don't try to hard to stick to a particular genre.

As we've got nothing but a leaked script and some awful markeitng, ME3 is impossible to judge, but I would say from what we've seen, its probably swayed a bit too far out of niche territory and lost a bit of what makes it unique and special. Millions more will probably love it because of this though.

I didn't really find its unique niche to be special in ME 1, in my opinion.

I did - and I loved it for it. ME1 is still my favourite game of all time.

[KotorEffect3]

Random Jerkface wrote...

Spaghetti_Ninja wrote...

I don't agree. They really emphazise the cinematic aspect of the game a lot, but putting a lot of focus on the characters.

Where? The CGI trailers are usually a step-up from the usual in-game fare (and I can't truthfully say how prevalent these spots are, considering I haven't owned a television since 2006), but the emphasis is still usually action (which is understandable) and being a big damned space marine. The box art covers are all generic in their own fashion (ME1 at least tried to harken back to the nostalgic 70s - 80s space opera, whereas ME2's looked like hideous comic book design...ME3 uses the more typical action hero format), and looking on the information flap, there is no mention of customisation or an emphasis on decision, two of ME's biggest draws.

I don't recall that being in the ME 2 marketing.  But interviews and dev comments indicate that ME 3 that customization and decision making will be in ME 3 so I wouldn't worry.

[incinerator950]

Icinix wrote...

incinerator950 wrote...

Icinix wrote...

Personally I tend to prefer niche games.

Not so much because they pander specifically to my tastes, but because they don't try to hard to stick to a particular genre.

As we've got nothing but a leaked script and some awful markeitng, ME3 is impossible to judge, but I would say from what we've seen, its probably swayed a bit too far out of niche territory and lost a bit of what makes it unique and special. Millions more will probably love it because of this though.

I didn't really find its unique niche to be special in ME 1, in my opinion.

I did - and I loved it for it. ME1 is still my favourite game of all time.

Dino Crisis 2, TIE Fighter, and Time Splitters 2 are mine.  

[Icinix]

incinerator950 wrote...

Icinix wrote...

incinerator950 wrote...

Icinix wrote...

Personally I tend to prefer niche games.

Not so much because they pander specifically to my tastes, but because they don't try to hard to stick to a particular genre.

As we've got nothing but a leaked script and some awful markeitng, ME3 is impossible to judge, but I would say from what we've seen, its probably swayed a bit too far out of niche territory and lost a bit of what makes it unique and special. Millions more will probably love it because of this though.

I didn't really find its unique niche to be special in ME 1, in my opinion.

I did - and I loved it for it. ME1 is still my favourite game of all time.

Dino Crisis 2, TIE Fighter, and Time Splitters 2 are mine.  

TIE Fighter is awesome. My discs are corrupt though so I've been scouring Ebay for months tryign to get the CD version. Its been so long since a decent space sim came out - I've almost forgotten what they're like.

[What a Succulent Ass]

KotorEffect3 wrote...

I don't recall that being in the ME 2 marketing.  But interviews and dev comments indicate that ME 3 that customization and decision making will be in ME 3 so I wouldn't worry.

I'd say it was more prevalent in ME2, actually, what with the dirty dozen format and the advertising bent of "and here are the generic McBadasses here to be badass" (read: the corny character trailers).

And I'm not worried, since I already know BioWare advertising is rarely indicative of the game. It's not even a criticism, really. Just observation.