Games to have video commercials... Yeah? [Archive]

XxSATANxX

07-25-2005, 09:43 AM

The video and audio ads start playing on in-game billboards, plasma screens or other appropriate locations when gamers enter select areas or zones within the game, and can be used to dynamically deliver television equivalent 15-second advertising spots as well as audio messaging into the game environment.

Find out more here (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6013)

Please let me know which games this will be included on so I can NOT buy them.

Hieremias

07-25-2005, 09:50 AM

I don't have a problem with this if it doesn't detract from the game's atmosphere. An urban, modern or near-future environment would absolutely handle or even benefit from in-game advertising, as it more accurately reflects the real world. Most of those kinds of games today have fake advertising (ie fictitious brands), why not use real brands?

But obviously this advertising would seriously damage any game where the environment isn't suited to it. I damn well better not see Coke billboards in Tamriel.

Goronmon

07-25-2005, 09:51 AM

I pray that the ads fit in with the setting of the game. Having a game like Max Payne where you walk by a TV and see different ads playing would fit in perfectly with the atmosphere, but walking around KotOR with Coke and Nike ads popping up would be just plain stupid.

Goronmon

07-25-2005, 09:52 AM

Wow, our posts were scary similar...

Get outta my head!! :eek:

Shodan2020

07-25-2005, 09:56 AM

In Anarchy Online if you do the year free deal (froobie), the billboards in game have some sort of advertisement. I wouldn't know cause I bought a year subscription shortly before they implemented it. I turn that feature on for a laugh now and then. Who knew Motley Crue would still be around in 29478?

It would be nice to know these game titles though for avoidance purposes. I'd avoid these titles like the plague.

Justin_McElroy

07-25-2005, 10:00 AM

I want ads for porno in games. That would go over well.

Orphiuchus

07-25-2005, 10:01 AM

I'm just waiting for the day that the action pauses and makes you watch a 30 second add for car insurance.

Scene from halflife 3:

Kleiner: Well gordon, the vorganots have taken over the entire city and are holding lamarr hostage! But I have some good news

Alex: Whats that?

Kleiner: I just saved 15% on my car insurance by switching to geico!

XxSATANxX

07-25-2005, 10:10 AM

I look at this way.

If the game is free and supported by ads I think it's okay.

If I buy the game it should be ad free. Spyware is adware is malware is using my bandwidth to sell crap I game to get away from.

However if I'm getting a great game for FREE or even a substantial discount I can probably go for this.

I kinda like the idea of strolling by the plasma monitor with my rocket launcher just
as that annoying commercial featuring Enzyte comes on. I think you know where I'm heading with that one.....

ÜberJumper

07-25-2005, 10:11 AM

Makes sense as long as it doesn't wreck any suspension of disbelief.

For example, product placement type stuff. Games where you see only Apple Laptops or characters drinking cans of Coke.

TrackZero

07-25-2005, 10:18 AM

TrackZero

07-25-2005, 10:20 AM

Varsity

07-25-2005, 10:24 AM

Chaos theory has this already. The screensavers on computers display a small logo that can be updated by Ubisoft when a new deal comes round. Currently it's AMD64.

Pluvious

07-25-2005, 10:26 AM

Orphiuchus

07-25-2005, 10:27 AM

Heh, good one. Though I had to suspend my disbelief when you called Alex by Gordon's name. ;)

Nonono, alex is just in the room. Its not like Gordon can talk.

Thats why he needs new Vicks sore throat spray! Have you got a persistant sore throat that keeps you from even the most basic of communication? Then you need Vicks!

ÜberJumper

07-25-2005, 10:31 AM

Pluvious:

Seriously dude, take a chill pill. If you're in a game modelling a realistic modern day, or near modern day society, don't you think it would be appropriate to use actual products and advertisements to create a realistic world? Heck, when I'm playing games now and I see an ad for some fictional product, that often wrecks it for me.

EL CABONG

07-25-2005, 10:36 AM

This is terrible news. I can't believe you people are supporting the idea. I will not buy any game with this technology in it, period. If its not labled as such on the box, I will return any game and demand my money back. This is BULLSHIT.

good luck with that. if you open a game from some retailers they won't give you your money back (best buy). Why I don't love the idea I am surprized it hasn't happend yet.

I don't mind if ads are on in game blilboards in citys or along race tracks,or during loading screens.

I don't know why sports games don't have tons of ads in them around the stadiums or on the sports ticker on madden or whatever?

superherotaco

07-25-2005, 10:38 AM

Personally I thought it helped the in game feel in "the urbz" to have advertisements in it. I think game specific advertisements would be pretty cool too. Like a neo-futuristic coke commercial in a game set in the future. Or if a game is set in the 1920's have a pre-talkie advertisement. In a baseball game use the same kind of advertisements already being displayed on the big screens and having the announcers do the whole, "And this 7th inning stretch was brought to you by the cool refreshing flavor of Budweiser and Bud light, make it a Bud".

Advertisements exist in real life, and it seems to add a sense of realism if they're incorporated correctly.

Vega

07-25-2005, 10:44 AM

This "feature" was also added to Swat4 in the last patch. So out of the box the game did not support in-game advertising and was sold at full price. Then a month or so later they patch the game and add in the advertising. I'm with you guys that I don't really mind it as long as it fits into the game world (like with Swat4 the ads are posters on the walls and can dynamically change), but I think it's shady to sell a game at full price and then add in the advertising later.

Deadend

07-25-2005, 10:45 AM

This could be fun... A character could start to go into their Geico ad... and I could beat them into a bloody mess for it. For some reason, I can see Getting Up having alot of company ads, same deal with the other 'urban' games.

If I have to pay full price for a game that shoves ads down my throat, I will hate. Hell, I already hate games with long-unskippable intros for the company that makes the game. Yes, I know EA makes the sims, I don't need a 20 second clip telling me this everytime the game starts, jackasses. Those are ads as well. I flip out when DVDs have unskippable ads in them. I hate having this shit shoved down my throat.

We also need more fake brands like the GTA games, Cocaine Cola = Good, Poopsi = Good, Coke = Bad, Pepsi = Bad, Dike = Good, Nike = Bad.

Sides, we all know that if there is a ad TV in a game, you would not be able to destroy that TV, they would also be wasting resoruces on a stupid video ad when they could be used better for shoving some more pixel shaders in.

Morrolan

07-25-2005, 11:16 AM

As long as they're in context, I have no problem with it. I think it would actually be pretty cool, in a sci-fi game. Walk through the streets and be assaulted by ad-bots pushing hover-Pepsi.

johnperkins21

07-25-2005, 11:22 AM

I don't really think the issue lies with wether or not it makes sense in the game world. To me, it is more about wether or not I will be forced to watch the commercial. It would suck to have a game like WOW be plagued with billboards for Nike, but I'm more worried about these commercials stopping the game. If whenever my character runs by one of these billboards, the game makes him stop and watch, I'll be pissed. I really think that this is where it may be heading.

It's like when they put those crappy previews at the beginning of a DVD. Just go straight to the menu. If I want to see an ad for your crappy movie on a DVD I paid for, I'll browse to that section. Otherwise leave me the hell alone and let me watch The Princess Diaries (err, I mean Resevoir Dogs, yeah, that's it) in peace.

Ailer

07-25-2005, 11:32 AM

My issue with this is that ads invariable goto where the most people are. At the moment, the largest source I can think of is WoW. And chances are against we, the consumer, seeing any sort of cost reduction due to the introduction of ads. Look at cable tv, that started out ad free. Continue on with the WoW thing, ads don't go where they are wanted, but rather to where the advertiser feels there is a large need.

BigJonno

07-25-2005, 11:47 AM

Anyone read Jennifer Government? Let's have a near-future, competitive MMOG where corporations are the "races" and loyalty schemes are the factions.

shpanky

07-25-2005, 11:48 AM

I believe this could be a very dangerous precedent to set. If we as gamers buy these games, even with "content-consistent" adware, we are promoting the use of advertising within the game. This could result in huge changes to the gaming industry:

1) Developers will be influenced not only by the publisher, but also by the marketing folks for whatever brands they're trying to promote in-game. Just think...Max Payne with Coca-Cola ads, but Coke decides the game is too violent to promote their product so they insist the developer change content.

2) Developers will start making games wherein they CAN actually offset costs through advertising. Meaning...why would a developer ever make an RPG, as this is supposed to be an "alternative" to real life and can't really put advertising in the game without detracting from the game world. They'd then be more inclined to go with some other style of game, rather than what they were originally good at.

3) No mention of the fact that the publisher is using YOUR BANDWIDTH THAT YOU PAID FOR to stream ADS in their game. So essentially, you just paid to see their ads, not only in purchasing the game, but in also paying for their delivery of the ads. Yes, i Know this happens in TV now, but jesus, we have ads in EVERYTHING these days...can't we just get away from them once in a while?

4) I sincerely doubt that the retail price of a game is going to be reduced as a result of in-game advertising. Look at movies....are movie ticket prices down as a result of marketing ads being shown before almost every single feature? Nope.

I think this is going to be much more impactful and detrimental to the industry than you think it is. Sure, it'll offset costs, but at the expense of a good game experience.

splatstick

07-25-2005, 12:03 PM

Wasn't there a lawsuit about the movie Spiderman about this (sort of)? What was the ruling?

TheKeck

07-25-2005, 12:37 PM

Hell, I already hate games with long-unskippable intros for the company that makes the game. Yes, I know EA makes the sims, I don't need a 20 second clip telling me this everytime the game starts,

AMEN!! Forget all the other stuff people are complaining about, THAT is my biggest problem with Battlefield 2. They need to make a patch addressing the issue.

bKangy

07-25-2005, 12:38 PM

Having grown up on a media diet conisting mostly of the BBC and video games, this idea is pretty awful sounding to me. The only possible way I'd be happy with this would be if it made my games a lot cheaper. In MMOGs, I'd expect my subscription to at least halve.

The problem is that it won't happen, I'll just get stupid reminders of the real world I'm not playing in.

ÜberJumper

07-25-2005, 12:45 PM

Offtopic... you guys know you can "fix" Battlefield (and other EA Games) to not play their annoying movies by renaming them right?

TheKeck

07-25-2005, 12:48 PM

Offtopic... you guys know you can "fix" Battlefield (and other EA Games) to not play their annoying movies by renaming them right?

No, I did NOT know that. Thanks, though, I'll do it today.

TheKeck

07-25-2005, 12:49 PM

Wasn't there a lawsuit about the movie Spiderman about this (sort of)? What was the ruling?

So, I just googled this. What I found was that there was a case where some company was complaining because they superimposed ads from another company over real life ads of this company on billboards in Time Square. If this is the case you're referring to, it was quickly dismissed as being protected by the 1st amendment.

ÜberJumper

07-25-2005, 12:57 PM

TheKeck:

Essential reading is the BF2 Tweak Guide...

Info about renaming the opening videos is here:

http://www.tweakguides.com/BF2_9.html

Removing all movies from the game can save over 250MB of data being loaded up during the start of the game and being placed into memory - this will help smooth your gameplay particularly for those with less RAM. If for any reason you experience any problems with the game after renaming the movies, simply rename them back to their original names.

I don't know how accurate that quote is, but if the programmers fucking left the videos in memory after opening the game, they, are, dumbasses.

Expugnare

07-25-2005, 12:57 PM

AMEN!! Forget all the other stuff people are complaining about, THAT is my biggest problem with Battlefield 2. They need to make a patch addressing the issue.
This is what you gotta do
Skip Intro Movies:
Go into the ..\EA Games\Battlefield 2\mods\bf2\Movies\ folder and delete or move the Dice, Intro, EA, and Legal Bink video files.

ÜberJumper

07-25-2005, 01:00 PM

Expugnare Deorum:

You can also rename the other movies as well apparently. Perhaps even easier to simply rename that directory and remake it!

TheKeck

07-25-2005, 01:20 PM

Wow, guys, that was quite thorough. Thanks again.

splatstick

07-25-2005, 02:26 PM

So, I just googled this. What I found was that there was a case where some company was complaining because they superimposed ads from another company over real life ads of this company on billboards in Time Square. If this is the case you're referring to, it was quickly dismissed as being protected by the 1st amendment.

Oh, I could've sworn I read that it had to be changed. That would have definately had an impact on games set in New York or other recognizable cities...

splatstick

07-25-2005, 02:29 PM

Though the Samsung sign did appear in the ultimate version of the film released to theatres, the lawsuit did bring more attention to the growing practice of using virtual advertising and highlights the need for advertisers and broadcasters to consider the ramifications of using such technology without the use of conspicuous disclosures or disclaimers or obtaining the consent of all affected parties

An interesting read about all this shit. (http://www.dglaw.com/resource/fall2002_01.shtml)

Darkmatter

07-25-2005, 02:53 PM

What they need to do is, every time you kill a bad guy, he uses his dying breath to hand you a Coke and say, "Killing is thirsty work... and nothing quenches your thirst like a nice cold Coke! .... Coke, at fine Stores, Malls, and Resturants everywhere!

After EVERY KILL! Wow wouldn't that be GREAT!? lol

Mister Pie

07-25-2005, 03:14 PM

As long as they're in context, I have no problem with it. I think it would actually be pretty cool, in a sci-fi game. Walk through the streets and be assaulted by ad-bots pushing hover-Pepsi.

That's exactly what I was thinking about too. I actually think that well done ads would be kind of cool.

Of course, like everyone is saying, only under certain circumstances would this be cool. I wouldn't want to see Coke advertisements in WoW or Guild Wars.

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

07-25-2005, 04:06 PM

Syndicate Wars had a bunch of video billboards that played the trailer for Ghost in the Shell. It wouldn't have been so bad if not for the fact it was just a continuous loop of the same trailer over and over again.

stomper1080

07-25-2005, 05:01 PM

I wonder if this would lower the price of the video games?

A Lusty Alien

07-25-2005, 05:34 PM

I like the way they do it in City of Heroes. They don't use brand names but the styling is suggestive of brands. I love walking around in buildings and read the lables on equipment and boxes. It's also interesting reading the scribbles on the office white boards. Checking out the product labels inside the enhancement stores is fun too. I especially like the way they package the electronic parts. Nice touch.

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

07-25-2005, 07:49 PM

I wonder if this would lower the price of the video games?

You mean like movie tickets? Oh wait.

AzN.Homeboy

07-25-2005, 09:28 PM

As long as it's IN CONTEXT and UNINTRUSIVE, I'm fine with it. Capitalized words are more important.

A good example I can think of is Shenmue. The clocks/watches are Timex, and in the Japanese version, the sodas are all Coke brands (for some reason this was out in the North American version)... and that's it.

Anything more than that is bad. Background billboards are okay, sometimes. If there are supposed to be billboards there.

Zeal

07-25-2005, 09:40 PM

This has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

The purpose of a videogame is to immerse the player in another world. So what happens if that immersion is suddenly interrupted by real-world product advertisments? It cheapens the game and destroys its illusion, that's what.

Fuck. Gaming really is mainstream now.

Cuba

07-25-2005, 10:36 PM

I wonder if this would lower the price of the video games?You mean like movie tickets? Oh wait.How much were movies tickets before the advertising? There have been ads at the cinema for as long as I can remember.

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

07-26-2005, 12:41 AM

How much were movies tickets before the advertising? There have been ads at the cinema for as long as I can remember.

Where do you live? I know a lot of countries have had them for awhile, but they didn't start until the late '90s or so in the U.S. Meanwhile, ticket prices have continued to go up, as they keep putting more and more terrible ads before the movies and the studios and theaters wonder why attendance keeps dropping.