In-Game Advertising with Torque, huh?
by Jay Barnson · in General Discussion · 02/27/2006 (12:54 pm) · 45 replies
Thought this was amusing:
http://www.doublefusion.com/publishers.htm
Hmmm.... this engine / vehicle (in the screenshot) look familiar to anyone?
http://www.doublefusion.com/publishers.htm
Hmmm.... this engine / vehicle (in the screenshot) look familiar to anyone?
About the author
Jay has been a mainstream and indie game developer for a... uh, long time. His professional start came in 1994 developing titles for the then-unknown and upcoming Sony Playstation. He runs Rampant Games and blogs at Tales of the Rampant Coyote.
#42
The point here being that sometimes fake advertising is more conspicuous than real advertising. But at the same time, every time my roommates and I see some company in a game, we yell the instinctive gamer battle cry, "PRODUCT PLACEMENT!"
I personally don't mind product placement, or an ad that may be running on a tv in the game, but when it's not part of the environment, integrated as a reasonable entity, then I get upset. I found it kind of funny, though, I was playing Gran Turismo, and their timers are powered by Seiko. Now, I don't get that. Are they saying that they use Seiko timing algorithms? Because I am a watch repairman, I am quite familiar with Seikos. But they just use self-licensed versions of standard Japanese movements (Miyota, if I remember right--jeez, I'm a big loser), so unless they use separate digital algorithms for their other ones, I could just use a regular stopwatch.
But then again, you know how it is. It just wouldn't be the same if it said, "Powered by Bob's Timing Code"
05/08/2006 (1:10 pm)
D00d, I'm still trying to find out where I can buy "Cool Cola"! Ever since I saw it on Rainbow Six, I've wanted to try it! Any ideas?The point here being that sometimes fake advertising is more conspicuous than real advertising. But at the same time, every time my roommates and I see some company in a game, we yell the instinctive gamer battle cry, "PRODUCT PLACEMENT!"
I personally don't mind product placement, or an ad that may be running on a tv in the game, but when it's not part of the environment, integrated as a reasonable entity, then I get upset. I found it kind of funny, though, I was playing Gran Turismo, and their timers are powered by Seiko. Now, I don't get that. Are they saying that they use Seiko timing algorithms? Because I am a watch repairman, I am quite familiar with Seikos. But they just use self-licensed versions of standard Japanese movements (Miyota, if I remember right--jeez, I'm a big loser), so unless they use separate digital algorithms for their other ones, I could just use a regular stopwatch.
But then again, you know how it is. It just wouldn't be the same if it said, "Powered by Bob's Timing Code"
#43
You have a point there, Gareth. Our entire natural environment is flooded with advertising. One of the reasons we are all reacting in such a way is because it is becoming too visible in our normal way of life. You can't look in the mirror without seeing some advertising if you take it the whole nine yards :-)
However, when a game creator wants to make a world as realistic as possible (reminds me of the old Origin Systems catch-phrase : 'We Create Worlds' btw), adding some stuff about real companies and existing brands instantly makes the link to a reality the player knows without having to do any effort. If you have advertisement in your game about Pepsi for instance, and your player just drank a Pepsi : Bingo. Instant recognition.
It also saves the game creator time. He has an entire part of the universe he is trying to propose already made.
And when it helps to pay the bills, even prolong the life of the game, I don't see anything wrong, the keyword being 'placement'. You place your products in a believable way in your game world. Don't add McDonalds or Quick (I'm from Belgium, that's a local contender here) commercials in a level where the player is walking around in a medieval village with zombies.
That's another interesting question : Who the heck is going to be in a squallid level with zombies?
05/08/2006 (2:17 pm)
Quote:sometimes fake advertising is more conspicuous than real advertising.
You have a point there, Gareth. Our entire natural environment is flooded with advertising. One of the reasons we are all reacting in such a way is because it is becoming too visible in our normal way of life. You can't look in the mirror without seeing some advertising if you take it the whole nine yards :-)
However, when a game creator wants to make a world as realistic as possible (reminds me of the old Origin Systems catch-phrase : 'We Create Worlds' btw), adding some stuff about real companies and existing brands instantly makes the link to a reality the player knows without having to do any effort. If you have advertisement in your game about Pepsi for instance, and your player just drank a Pepsi : Bingo. Instant recognition.
It also saves the game creator time. He has an entire part of the universe he is trying to propose already made.
And when it helps to pay the bills, even prolong the life of the game, I don't see anything wrong, the keyword being 'placement'. You place your products in a believable way in your game world. Don't add McDonalds or Quick (I'm from Belgium, that's a local contender here) commercials in a level where the player is walking around in a medieval village with zombies.
That's another interesting question : Who the heck is going to be in a squallid level with zombies?
#44
I haven't decided on this topic yet. The "game is art" thing is great and idealistic, but reality says "game is buisness" as well. Maybe it should be viewed like a professional artist, the professional artist makes art to sell, not just for the sake of art.
To starve or not to starve? Is that the question?
05/11/2006 (1:38 pm)
The zombie level needs adverts for whatever the new "of the Dead" movie is coming out! :)I haven't decided on this topic yet. The "game is art" thing is great and idealistic, but reality says "game is buisness" as well. Maybe it should be viewed like a professional artist, the professional artist makes art to sell, not just for the sake of art.
To starve or not to starve? Is that the question?
Torque 3D Owner iHugMedia
As I keep repededly saying, though, you wouldn't have giant walls made up of coke cans or windows full of posters for Maltesers, they'd just be placed in the legitimate environment, not affecting the player at all. Everyones overreacting saying 'It's the end of free gaming'.
As for the benefits, If I lisenced the Unreal Engine ($450,000, one platform, one game) and a studio of 3DS Max 8 ($3000 per lisence) aswell as another $50,000 for worksations and $80,000 half-annually for a base of operations, and I sold it for $40, I would need to sell 14,175 copies on release to make up the $567,000 I lost. If I sold it for $120, I could make up the cost by selling under 5000 copies in the first week. But no-one will buy it at that price. Advertisers could pay me $50,000 to have their logo on items in game, say Biro written on a pen or BMw on the heros car, If I had four sign up I could make up $150,000 of the loss, $417,000 dollars in debt only now. I only need to sell 10,500 copies in the first week compared to 14,175. If I double the number of investing advertisers, and add a royalty for every hundred sold, I could feasably sell my game for $40 without going bankrupt, which means I only need to pay $10,000 to renew Unreal and I can make another game.
It would reduce the cost of high-priced games from studios not making much money. The other alternative? Have EA or Eidos slap their logo all over your game and steal all your IP.