44 réponses à ce sujet

[Johun]

If this is the worst example you can find, there is scant reason to complain. Grasping at straws.

 

Who on earth even reads these guides?

[Cainhurst Crow]

If this is the worst example you can find, there is scant reason to complain. Grasping at straws.
 
Who on earth even reads these guides?

Who doesn't just consort the wiki or online guides?

[Ispan]

Who doesn't just consort the wiki or online guides?

 

From my experience selling them it was often parents buying the guide to add to a gift, people who enjoyed collecting guides and other game merchandise and then a small group of people I couldn't pinpoint.  Mine was given to me by a friend and I actually enjoyed reading it.

[Gregolian]

Maybe it's cause I'm a guy...  maybe it's cause one of my favorite video game characters ever is Dante...  or maybe it's cause I'm just a jerk but that compared to what I have seen in The Witcher seems so...  tame.

 

Does it "stick out" so to speak?  Yeah for sure but as a guy with a political science degree you learn something...  "sex sells".  Also, I am sure BioWare said something like "represent this" and such but the publisher of the guide is probably the one that picked the exact picture to use.  I worked on my old high school's yearbook for 3 years and we were always told by coaching staffs of school teams and such they wanted certain things for their team's pages.  We never listened.

[Stelae]

Maybe it's cause I'm a guy...  maybe it's cause one of my favorite video game characters ever is Dante...  or maybe it's cause I'm just a jerk but that compared to what I have seen in The Witcher seems so...  tame.

 

Does it "stick out" so to speak?  Yeah for sure but as a guy with a political science degree you learn something...  "sex sells".  Also, I am sure BioWare said something like "represent this" and such but the publisher of the guide is probably the one that picked the exact picture to use.  I worked on my old high school's yearbook for 3 years and we were always told by coaching staffs of school teams and such they wanted certain things for their team's pages.  We never listened.

 

Yes, as lingerie shots go, there's much more explicit stuff out there.  Not usually of men, in the gaming industry, but sure.  But the statistics are still pretty damning; 5 representations in total, in a book with hundreds of representations of the main character, and that's one of them. 

 

The problem with the "sex sells" argument is that the majority of AAA games think exactly the same thing; it doesn't differentiate your game from all the other games which feature eye-candy as their only female representation.  And, as I've pointed out, it caters to a demographic that is under-funded and over-catered to.  Other things also sell, like choice and customisation, and they sell to demographics with much more potential, spending power and opportunity to grow market share. 

 

I worked on my school's yearbook too, and we pretty much did whatever we liked.  But then, we weren't working to a legally enforceable brief, we weren't using other people's IP, and we weren't being paid.  If I treated my actual work like that, I'd starve.  So would Prima.  Bioware can make a difference in this, and it'd be good sense for them to do so. 

[Gregolian]

Yes, as lingerie shots go, there's much more explicit stuff out there.  Not usually of men, in the gaming industry, but sure.  But the statistics are still pretty damning; 5 representations in total, in a book with hundreds of representations of the main character, and that's one of them. 

 

The problem with the "sex sells" argument is that the majority of AAA games think exactly the same thing; it doesn't differentiate your game from all the other games which feature eye-candy as their only female representation.  And, as I've pointed out, it caters to a demographic that is under-funded and over-catered to.  Other things also sell, like choice and customisation, and they sell to demographics with much more potential, spending power and opportunity to grow market share. 

 

I worked on my school's yearbook too, and we pretty much did whatever we liked.  But then, we weren't working to a legally enforceable brief, we weren't using other people's IP, and we weren't being paid.  If I treated my actual work like that, I'd starve.  So would Prima.  Bioware can make a difference in this, and it'd be good sense for them to do so. 

I miss the days when strategy guides were done by the game companies and not a third party.

 

There is one AAA title recently that I can think of where the "sex sells" thing isn't there and it was the AC IV: Black Flag.

[Stelae]

I miss the days when strategy guides were done by the game companies and not a third party.

 

There is one AAA title recently that I can think of where the "sex sells" thing isn't there and it was the AC IV: Black Flag.

Well, that's the other, other thing that'll sell.  An ass-kickingly fun, clever game. 

 

It's on my to-play list, because PIRATES!!!!  Can't see myself doing too much actual plot related stuff, of course, but I'll be raiding up and down the Main like I was back in Sid Meyer's old pirate sim. 

[Gregolian]

Well, that's the other, other thing that'll sell.  An ass-kickingly fun, clever game. 

 

It's on my to-play list, because PIRATES!!!!  Can't see myself doing too much actual plot related stuff, of course, but I'll be raiding up and down the Main like I was back in Sid Meyer's old pirate sim. 

I want a Sid Meier's Pirates sequel...  but for now I'll just stick with my Civ V expansions I guess.

[Lady Nuggins]

Who doesn't just consort the wiki or online guides?

 

I usually only buy guides for games I really like, because guides are merchandise.  They usually have nice-quality images and the good ones might have interesting little facts about the game. 

 

I actually found this guide pretty awful for other reasons.  The section on romances is awkwardly written, and Isabella is weirdly whitewashed in the pictures.

[Mes]

I usually only buy guides for games I really like, because guides are merchandise.  

 

THIIIIS. Another reason to stop turning off all the women gamers.

 

If I'm in love with a game, I will buy anything related to it that I see (or others will get stuff for me).

[Star fury]

Maybe it's cause I'm a guy...  maybe it's cause one of my favorite video game characters ever is Dante...  or maybe it's cause I'm just a jerk but that compared to what I have seen in The Witcher seems so...  tame.

 

Does it "stick out" so to speak?  Yeah for sure but as a guy with a political science degree you learn something...  "sex sells".  Also, I am sure BioWare said something like "represent this" and such but the publisher of the guide is probably the one that picked the exact picture to use.  I worked on my old high school's yearbook for 3 years and we were always told by coaching staffs of school teams and such they wanted certain things for their team's pages.  We never listened.

Ha! Witchers are amazing games, with their cards as well. Poles are proper developers and don't give a damn about political correctness.

[Gregolian]

Ha! Witchers are amazing games, with their cards as well. Poles are proper developers and don't give a damn about political correctness.

The simple fact that I can't create my own character for those games turned me off the series.

[Nefla]

The simple fact that I can't create my own character for those games turned me off the series.

It turned me off as well for a long time but I finally got TW2 when it came out for consoles after being pestered by my friend and I ended up loving it. You can't make a character but you can at least shape your personality and motives like you can in TWD. Can't wait for the third one.

[Banxey]

Ha! Witchers are amazing games, with their cards as well. Poles are proper developers and don't give a damn about political correctness.

Are you saying Bioware aren't "proper developers" because they're PC? Or did you just throw that in there thinking you might irritate someone?

[Ispan]

Are you saying Bioware aren't "proper developers" because they're PC? Or did you just throw that in there thinking you might irritate someone?

 

He came in here with nothing relevant to say on our topic and brought up the sexual trading cards from the Witcher to try get a rise out of someone.  People who do that make Witcher fans look silly.  The books were fantastic

[Banxey]

He came in here with nothing relevant to say on our topic and brought up the sexual trading cards from the Witcher to try get a rise out of someone.  People who do that make Witcher fans look silly.  The books were fantastic

Yeah. I'm not surprised.

I've been thinking about reading the books, I've been on a bit of a fantasy kick lately so I'll take your comment as a recommendation.

[Zelanthair]

Though it's true that the game guides are 'made' by a company separate from Bioware, it still has their name on it. If they didn't want people to perceive them as that guy, the one who sexualizes women while placing the primary focus of battle on the men, then they would control it. If a person does something in your name, people have no choice but to think that you approved of that person's actions. 

 

That being said, I support Vian Lawson's thread. As a female Dragon Age gamer, I sometimes feel that you aren't reaching out to your female community. I do know that you are trying, but I can't shake that feeling. Just equalize it a bit more. I know that everyone has to make their hero male because you have a lot of guy gamers, but you have a lot of girl gamers as well. We're willing to meet half-way. Concept art of female Inquisitor- Heck, even just a snapshot of your female Inquisitor (and we all know you've got some save files of fem!Inquisitor). Add a few more images of a female Inquisitor in the guide. Even if you pick just one of these, we'll be happy. 

 

If you think you can't do it because of the male gamers, then rethink that. 95% of my male friends like playing female characters. Do it for them as well. 

 

 

(I'd like to mention here that this is my opinion. I'm not stomping down on male gamers. I think that it's society's fault that people think that only guys play video games, and only girls can wear make-up. This simply isn't true. Some girls do play video games, and some guys do wear make-up. Because society places this...this stigma, people let themselves be herded into a particular way of thinking. I never played games until I was in my late teenage years because I thought it wasn't okay for girls to play games. I'm ashamed that I ever thought this, and I suffer now because of it. I wish I had been able to love games back when Origins first came out. Even when Dragon Age 2 came out. I would have loved to play the game without having the completed wiki page to help me along the way. I'm excited that I'm into the game now as Dragon Age: Inquisition is coming out. I'll get to do a blind playthrough, and that will be most satisfying.)

[Gregolian]

It turned me off as well for a long time but I finally got TW2 when it came out for consoles after being pestered by my friend and I ended up loving it. You can't make a character but you can at least shape your personality and motives like you can in TWD. Can't wait for the third one.

I probably need to try it again then.

 

I think I killed myself on the series by jumping to it after finishing the new DMC on Dante Must Die mode and the combat is SO SLOW compared to that series it just killed me.

 

Damnit, now I'm going to be spending money today thanks to someone I will never meet in person.  ARGH!

[smoke and mirrors]

 

 

If you think you can't do it because of the male gamers, then rethink that. 95% of my male friends like playing female characters. Do it for them as well. 

 

 

 

 

I like to play Female characters too    Why limit yourself when the game gives you options .

[Hanako Ikezawa]

The simple fact that I can't create my own character for those games turned me off the series.

Same for me. If I'm going to be stuck playing a character, at least make it a character that is interesting.