Advertising in AO?

[Alexa [Bot]]

That's why I still to this day subscribe wholly to the notion of QRP. Because RP has become some sort of fundamentalist hitch that too many people take way too literally, in my opinion. I guess it's not a bad thing, but when you take it too literally then the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not become too blurry. What's to stop someone who can't immerse themself in a world with RL billboard to suddenly be unable to immerse themself because it's 16-bit color, or because of the way a polygon is shaped? FRP (Fundamentalist Role-Play) just isn't my bag.

QRP (Quasi Role-Play) is where you CAN define your character through it's actions, and interact with a fictional universe in a way that helps define the story of that character and those around it...but you don't have to be afraid to ask someone what their Runspeed is and if they have an extra QL50 Sword on them, and you don't have to worry about telling someone that you're drinking a Pepsi right now even though your character isn't holding anything and Pepsi doesn't exist as a polygonal object in this world. That's just all part of the interaction of this (RK) universe, and that's how the people of this world talk.

[Tristalyn]

uhm.. ok

I kinda like to think of roleplaying as a way to escape reality.. That is why most of us play, isn't it? To relax and have fun leaving reality behind us to enjoy another world. I'm not saying "its not real it'll ruin the game" Im saying it doesn't tie in to the role "playing".. There is a story that goes along with the game that puts us into the future, perhaps you didn't know that. I don't recall the EXACT year but last I remember it was like 29469 (or something). Some people in this game take roleplaying seriously. They aren't being realistic in the real life world, rather realistic in the alternative world.. GSP is a roleplaying guild.. we're all characters, not ourselves (or at least the majority of us). Including real life ads will be difficult to incorporate into the story is all I'm saying.. It's not comparable to any movie or a copyright on a board game.. You don't actually pretend you're the shoe, do you?


Note: I, myself, am not a huge roleplayer.. I just know that AO has the biggest RPing community of any game I've played thus far, leaving me to wonder how all this will tie in. I'm not defeding it on a personal level but simply curious in general how the community will react to this change.

[Decavolt]

You don't actually pretend you're the shoe, do you?

Only as much as I actually pretend to be an interstallar DJ on a remote planet in the extremely distant future where Winamp and the world I wake up in every day does not exist.

The point is, somewhat as Tarryk put it, there is such a thing as being too hardcore about RP and unwilling to accept things that don't exactly fit the made-up universe you're RP'ing in. It's a bit contradictory, if not hypocritical, to say you'll accept flying yalms and speaking leets, but that billboards in-game advertising for the real world is just too far outside of the boundaries.

You don't actually pretend you're a woman on a remote planet in the extremely distant future where Winamp and the world you wake up in every day don't exist, do you?

[Zephem]

BTW, the above message from Decavolt is brought to you by Z-Industries, LLC. We're here to bring you the best in what we provide. Which is the best. The best of the best. There's nothing better than the best, which is us, because we're the best. Z-Industries, simply the best.

[Tarryk]

I do agree that there are people who won't take it too well, much like many folks went up in arms about the Alienware billboards. Such is the way of the Escapists, as I like to call them.

The Escapists are the few who do not Roleplay to enter and experience a new world, but rather they Roleplay to escape the one that they're in. Those are the people who hate RL intruding on their game, and they'll be the people complaining about this move.

But that's the way the pig flies. If they can't take it, they can switch to paying. And if they wanted advice, I'd tell them to seek help, because escapism isn't healthy. RP to experience a world, not to escape from one.

[Tristalyn]

You don't actually pretend you're the shoe, do you?

You don't actually pretend you're a woman on a remote planet in the extremely distant future where Winamp and the world you wake up in every day don't exist, do you?

I wish I did.. but I was never good at RPing. I'd probably be better at pretending to be a shoe. >.<

[Nexeus]

I wish I did.. but I was never good at RPing. I'd probably be better at pretending to be a shoe. >.<

You know, RPing is what you take out of it, I just think that the game provides a medium, do you care about the year or not, take it or leave it, want to follow the story hard core or not, take it or leave it...

Anyway Trist, you REALLY, don't want to role play a shoe... you'll be all smelly and everything and people put their feet in you with a sock... and you only get used but for so long and then get thrown into the closet...

[Mummu]

Though being your own pop up blocker would be fun...

haha!


well. if the ads itself will be blended in appropriatly, it is ok, and might even be e great adition in various ways.
the alienware ads for example fit well into the scenery.
but if the ads will be too visible and start to destroy the rp of the game, i doubt it will be good.

[Demongirl]

oh boinky, that wouldn't quite be right... sprite isn't 1337 enough...

Leet: R U Nubi?
Leet: Try a Red Bull!
Leet: Red Bull gives you WINGS!

*cue MP flying by*

Eleet: Spare Jolt Cola plz?

personally i'm waiting for the officially licensed beverages... i'd gladly replace my Hit-the-floor-Jack with a nice bottle of Jack Daniel's.

[FoxyJama]

I once read an incredibly inane thread from some "hardcore" roleplayers about the character dances available in World of Warcraft. For those of you not familiar with them, the different races have dances, a Saturday Night Fever Travolta dance for human males, and old school Michael Jackson dance for Night elves, etc. The roleplayers threw a *fit* about how it ruined the "immersion" quality of the game, being that the game was fantasy. I got a big laugh out of their incredibly ridiculous arguments, the thread ended up being 5 or 6 pages long.

I do hope that an effort is made to integrate the ads in a way befitting to the RubiKa environment, but I also have to laugh at anyone who complains about it intruding on their roleplay experience.

Your roleplay experience is as immersive as you choose to make it. Complaining about the environment not being 'immersive' enough are equivalent to complaining that the cover of your Stephen King book has trademark and publisher info on it and that keeps you from enjoying the book.

[Boinky]

Though being your own pop up blocker would be fun...

haha!


well. if the ads itself will be blended in appropriatly, it is ok, and might even be e great adition in various ways.
the alienware ads for example fit well into the scenery.
but if the ads will be too visible and start to destroy the rp of the game, i doubt it will be good.

You know if we organize we could put a ban on the ads anyway. Give me an Essence from a Enfo, toss on my Stiletto & I'm a big imposing flying object. Position myself deftly smack dab over a few of the billboards & go afk - censored commercialism served up on a notum platter!

[epiphonic]

oh boinky, that wouldn't quite be right... sprite isn't 1337 enough...

Leet: R U Nubi?
Leet: Try a Red Bull!
Leet: Red Bull gives you WINGS!

*cue MP flying by*

I dont care WHO you are, that was funny right there!!

*shits marble*

[Myers]

First since its for free accounts only its no big deal, but I'm a little frustrated by people saying these ads don't mess up the game immersion (which was one of AO strongest points)

People complaining about Yalms not being realistic size is obsessive Rp attitude previous posters refered too. Ads for companies and/or products that have not existed for 700000 years in game just doesnt work (Alienware really strecthed it), its not a joke like WoW dances, its just plain old ads.
Since its for free players only it makes sense and probably shouldn't go away, but nothing changes the fact that it does not fit in the AO universe

[Vallikat]

Ok, maybe this is overly simple but, can't the RPers simply ignore the ads? I mean, as in pretend they don't exist. Hardcore RP'ers are good at pretend, correct? That is kind of the definition. They pretend, for example, that they were pounced upon and covered in tickle kisses, if someone emotes that they have done so. They have no problem with this despite the fact that both of their avatars are standing there staring blankly through each other into some distant point. So they can pretend they see things that they don't. So why can't they just pretend they don't see things that they do?

I mean I'm not a hardcore RPer, but I still enjoy having my muffin nibbled despite the fact that no one has ever ACTUALLY laid a hand, or tongue, on it.

And Foxy? I love your attitude! I'm SO glad you're a Dancer.

[Highlander]

Ok, maybe this is overly simple but, can't the RPers simply ignore the ads? I mean, as in pretend they don't exist.

That would make too much sense....

I usually dont even know they're there tho, so no skin off my back.

[Darth Bootay]

You get what you pay for.

If you pay nothing, don't expect much and don't bitch about what you get.

If you pay, you better get what you pay for.

I was pretty peeved about the Alienware billboards. But then, I'm a paying customer. I strenuously object to being subjected to even MORE advertising in a game I fork over a continuous chunk of change for on top of the costs I paid to buy the softwares as they were released.

If they throw up commercials on free accounts, I have no beef. If they do one more freaking commercial on the paying accounts, I'm going to throw a bloody hissy at them and probably start looking for another way to spend my time and money.

[Myers]

I guess Im the only one who thinks RP and setting are seperate, but it really doesnt matter anyway

[Draynam]

I wish I could see that video of that Orc doing the Hammertime dance again..

[Xtrophic]

I think the ads are really cool. What I wish for, as a paying customer, is the option to turn them on and off. I'd love to see how it interacts with the world. If there are billboards here and there showing some ads I think it be cool.

But as I said. I DO want the option to turn them on and off (only as a paying customer though)

[Darth Bootay]

I think a large part of my very fervent opposition to in-game ads is the fact that I can't go anywhere or do anything without being inundated with this constant stream of advertisements. I can't even go to a movie and pay the $12 for sitting in a theatre and be safe from this constant irritation. I get to watch 3-6 freaking commercials for cars, sodas and other things before the damned movie. I buy cable and STILL suffer through commercials on PAY channels. I see ads when I'm in the car, when I'm going out to eat...even in the sanctity of my home, TELEMARKETERS spam me... everywhere I go, there is this endless barrage of "BUY THIS WORTHLESS CRAP & YOU'LL GET LAID & BE HAPPY!!!!" I'm tired of it. It's a form of pollution and I object to it being thrust unwanted into my life. If I want to be spammed, I'll go open my email box, FFS.

I CERTAINLY don't want to see it in a game I pay for every month.