Is there a reason to not include obvious fan service in games? It seems to be an obvious simple [and low-effort] way to give a bit more joy to a player base. It seems that it is treated as cheapening the work that went into the game, but do people actually feel that way about it?
So, what are your opinions on shamelessly including obvious fan service in games?
Shameless fan service
I approve of shameless fan service!
That said, keep in mind that many parts of the market (parents of <16 year olds, bible belt america) do not generally approve of such things.
That said, keep in mind that many parts of the market (parents of <16 year olds, bible belt america) do not generally approve of such things.
If it will appeal to your target audience to the point that it may become a deciding factor in whether they will pay or not - go for it. Otherwise, only if the devs do it in their own free time and only if it won't worsen the impression of the game for the target audience.
Its very nature means that fanservice tends to cheapen whatever work its included in, its pretty much unavoidable. That doesn't meant it necessarily bad though, it works well in moderation, especially if it has some (reasonable) reason for being present. Its when a developer constantly uses it or uses it completely the wrong situation that it becomes a problem for me personally.
Is there a reason to not include obvious fan service in games? It seems to be an obvious simple [and low-effort] way to give a bit more joy to a player base. It seems that it is treated as cheapening the work that went into the game, but do people actually feel that way about it?
I think the question is very odd. Stuff that pleases fans is (by definition) pleasing to fans. So I can not think of any reason to go out of the way to avoid it.
If we are defining Fan Service to be inline with the following definition:
http://en.wikipedia....iki/Fan_service
My answer would be simply: Sex sells.
My only caution on this would be the very obvious one: Don't use fan service with characters created below a certain age - legal majority would be a sensible dividing line.
Edit: I am overlooking the other aspects of Fan service i.e. references to other things such as films etc. in keeping with what I assume the OP was asking about and the responses thereafter.
http://en.wikipedia....iki/Fan_service
My answer would be simply: Sex sells.
My only caution on this would be the very obvious one: Don't use fan service with characters created below a certain age - legal majority would be a sensible dividing line.
Edit: I am overlooking the other aspects of Fan service i.e. references to other things such as films etc. in keeping with what I assume the OP was asking about and the responses thereafter.
Author
I agree it is odd, which is the primary reason I asked it. I'm always surprised by the lack of just raw pandering to the audience's more baser interests in games. The lack of this, and what seems like a wide spread opinion among critics that inclusion of this type of material in games/movies/etc somehow cheapens the work, is odd to me too. Frankly, I'm all for it. I was just wondering what others thought as well.
I think the question is very odd. Stuff that pleases fans is (by definition) pleasing to fans. So I can not think of any reason to go out of the way to avoid it.
I just find it unusual that we don't see a lot more of it.
Ehm... my imagination is insufficient here, how exactly the female-centric fan service looks like?
Gender-balanced fanservice is much better than male-centric fanservice.
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