In-game advertising: gathering thoughts, opinions on the matter

In-game ads are...

  • ...absolute evil and should not even be spoken of. Eew.

    Votes: 11 30.6%

  • ...are a legitimate way to capitalize on one's hard work without holding one's creativity hostage.

    Votes: 14 38.9%

  • Pie.

    Votes: 11 30.6%
  • Total voters
    36

E

el_pango

Member
Joined
May 31, 2006
Messages
145
Location
California
Hi all,


Here's a hypothetical situation for you:


Suppose there was a fairly compelling Pandora game that would, once every four or five launches, attempt to fetch and display a targeted, non-trashy ad banner on exit that would launch the default browser when clicked on (let's assume it wouldn't be mandatory to click it to exit the app, and would ask for permission first or have an option to disable this).


Would you be willing to accept such a thing? Would you click through to support the developer? Is this dipping into sleazy territory? Is there some ad placement that would be less obtrusive, but still good enough to get eyes, mindshare and stylus clicks?


Topic is open for discussion and debate.
 
It all depends on how intrusive it would be, so I voted pie.


I don't mind a launch application that has a small banner, as long as it doesnt take to long. I wouldnt like it if a pandora game wouldnt work because I my wifi is off or something like that.
 
i pirate most of my media and i wont even watch a youtube video if there is a commercial before it.


::EDIT:: i do buy new games and music and dvd releases. i would buy a pandora game if it was worth it, esp if i could play a demo first. i have no qualms about ads on the app store, so long as they where site related.
 
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Usually, I'd vote "pure evil!!!" but, I'd be happy to see indie-devs supporting themselves that way. I'd have a really hard time supporting the mainstream gaming industry supporting itself that way (though they already do that). However, I'm averse to ads, so I'd really like to see a "if you buy it and pay me for it, this version won't have ads!" version for $10 or something. Flattr and PayPal can be cool if you play your cards right.
 
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Unlike a cell phone, I don't think the average Pandora is going to have a steady connection to the internet. What happens in your model in this case, if your game is never online to collect or register advertising?
 
My head explodes in furious rage of unspeakable anger everytime a youtube video has commercial in the video area. I also hate waiting 10 minutes watching screens and films of stuff I have no idea of what it is and couldnt possibly care less about before the modern games start... and movies... lets not even start talking about that.... (Blu_Ray can go #### itself, seriously!)


Selling your sould to satan is no way to make a living, if any indie dev cant support themself any other way... well selling your sould dosnt make things better imho.
 
mjohansson said:
Selling your sould to satan is no way to make a living, if any indie dev cant support themself any other way... well selling your sould dosnt make things better imho.
Click to expand...
That's a little harsh, don't you think? He's suggesting nonintrusive, opt-outable, user activated advertisements. It's not like it installs an app without your knowledge that sweeps in and kills your first born child by the light of the full moon.
 
An add on exit isn't too bad. Sort of sharewareish. I'd give the person an option to purchase for...what, $5 to disable said add - assuming there wasn't simply a "Don't bug me with this ever again!" with no charge checkbox. Heck, the $5 straight to the developer could be the add. :-b
 
Why not just make a kick ass game or application and put up a PayPal or similar page to accept donations.


If its done right, you shouldn't need random ads to generate revenue. Shouldn't the programming speak for itself rather than some scripts to get you some money or your advertisers?


WipeOut XL has Redbull ads in the game, I would rather see something like that, than have a web browser open up with a random ad. I bought my Pandora to play games, not to watch commercials.
 
Lol wiZardStan!


I think if its noticible its intrusive, if it makes sense like commercial on billboards ingame then its not noticible, or atleast not intrusive. But if it takes time and has to be gone through or takes time and effort to push button to pass then it pisses me off to no extent! So intro or even exit screens is something I totally disrespect, a game must start and end immidiatly when you want it, its one thing with a movie putting it on 10 minites or in todays cases 25 minutes befre sitting down in the sofa to watch the actual movie. but to do the same with a game? Cos thats were we seem to be heading, does commercuial even work? Has anyone ever bought something from youtube popups? Even if apopup would ask if I wnated to buy a Ferrari for a single dollar I wouldnt! I wouldnt even see it cos All I liik for is the X button to close the annoying shit that covers half the screen of what I actually want to see...


Link that Paypal idea is great, it seems to work well for some people when they ask for money, like that PS3 hacker recently!


Piracy is a factor you have to accept, you have to compete with it not battle it! Compete by making a game thats so good people want to give all their money and everything they own out of gratitude for making such an ace game, and then price it fair and I think a lot of people will pay, not everyone but thats never gonna happen anyway, and then you dont have to worry about people playing your game for free or anything, just make good games and service for the people that like what you do and asks for it and pays for it.
 
I say it is a great way for devs to make some cash, but I think donations will be just as effective.
 
I have long thought of a non-intrusive in-game advertising scheme.


Think about old games such as Avoid the Noid, Chex Quest, Cool Spot, etc, but on a less intrusive level. You actually do see it in games these days-- a character will have a Motorola cell phone; a sign whizzing by as you run from cops will advertise "Refreshing Coca-Cola!". However, it'd be cool if we could make it more dynamic-- that's not really "in-game advertising" as much as it is "product placement."


I'd totally be interested in starting an advertising "platform" for these sorts of games, in which you put code in to update the ads passively (whenever there is a connection to the Internet, for example). Give people the option to turn off the updates right up front-- and watch as less people click that than those who would hack it just to be deviant.


The ads would range anywhere from changing a sign, to changing the name of a landmark or public service building (OpenPandora Centre could change to Coca-Cola Centre the next month), to updating certain items in-game to have branding.


A whole world of things could be possible, which would enrich the game and make it more dynamic for those who chose to leave the updates on... and for those that have bandwidth concerns (the only real reason for disabling non-intrusive ads, ever, in my opinion) they could turn it off immediately.


Each month, on a certain date, bidding would open up for the next month, with blind bids submitted by anyone who wanted to deploy their material in your game. You could filter out the ones you didn't want, and choose the highest qualifying bidder (or none at all). Their material would then be broadcast on update day to all receiving users, and patched into the monthly rebuild of the game (immortalising that month's advertisement for users that downloaded that month and turned updates off, providing yet another incentive for bidders).


I wouldn't have the business know-how to get something like that started though.
 
voted pie.... as long as it's not too intrusive (like forcing the user to visit a website or forcing a 30second movie...) and as long as it's not bad for the game feeling (I don't want to see some coka banner in a medieval world..) it's just fine for me
 
AquaAnalogue said:
I have long thought of a non-intrusive in-game advertising scheme.


The ads would range anywhere from...
Click to expand...

thats not a new idea you have there http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_placement#Virtual_placement .


anyway, why dont you just beam the ads into our dreams? people ingest media to get away from reality, its sick to masquerade ads as entertainment. its an invasion of our private space, and its every where; movies, t.v., internet, PHONE, medical industry, the news. ads took the internet, cant we have anything? not even our little obscure, community driven, (mostly)open source, niche product we have been waiting years for? besides, everyone will be lurking all over the panappstore anyway. commercials on the pandora is a waste. id much rather have an rss feed of newly released apps


in media there are 3 types of prop products; fake (ex. pulp fiction - apple cigarettes) realistic (ex. castaway - fed-ex) and profit (ex. xmen 2 - dr pepper). terantino doesnt need money or realism. tom hanks needs realism but doesnt need money. brian singer needs money and doesnt give a crap. product placement = crap. im sad that the same is happening to video games. anyone remember 989 studios?


the second my pot dealer drops an ad for meth in my 20 bag, ill quit buying from him.


p.s. fed ex received no money from cast away, and neither did the actual ceo for his small part.
 
Here is an idea: Actually make it funny like that (subliminal - well not really ;) ) Loom advertisement in Monkey Island 1


Make it so people don't realize they are actually watching an ad.


On the other hand, it you make "IN YOUR FACE" advertisement, it might just turn out to be like this: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/8392-Critical-Miss-Doubleplusungood


This is no black/white, yes/no matter in my eyes, it highly depends on the level of execution.


As many have stated before, it should not hinder gamplay or get into the user's way. A small banner on the menu fits this very well, but actual in-game advertisement probably is more effective (at the cost of possibly being intrusive).


Oh and while setting up a PayPal account for donations is a good idea, I don't think it will work out. Something like "Pay-what-you-want" for the game (or program) might be a better idea, if you want to make some money with your games (or programs).


foxblock out
 
Think in game advertising for games on the Open pandora is a bit like trying to sell a fence to your next door neighbour.


Most people who have Open Pandoras are at the higher end of the tech savvy world and will have things like ad block plus on their Firefox. As an above user said, I won't watch an internet video if there is advertising on it.


If you wrote a good enough game/app I don't see why not though, like a %100 playable dreamcast emulator.


If however your app/game is pretty standard I see it getting shunned by the majority to be honest.
 
I think a "pay as much as you like" option that loads up on boot every time, but doent force you to purchase and would still allow you to play but if you did purchase the "pay as much as you like" start up screen would no longer load.
 
Lots of varied opinions on this one. I myself voted 'pie', because I'm torn. In some ways, I sorta kinda agree with mjohansson - there is something that 'feels' slightly soul-draining about adding ads to an indie game, at least for me, but I wouldn't hate someone for trying to make a little money on their hard work - as long as it's not too intrusive (see my notes above about making sure the adverts are never compulsory, etc). I dislike ads, as a rule, but I will tolerate them if the content is good and they're somehow related (a good example would be a banner for a premium brand of goalie masks or sticks in a hockey video game I found enjoyable).


I originally got the idea from looking at some of the ad-supported games on my phone; it seemed like it wouldn't be too hard, from a technical standpoint, to implement the same kind of thing in a Pandora game, and I had some vague idea of making a library specifically for that, but the userbase here is radically different from Joe and/or Jane Androidvictim, and it seems like the general feeling around these parts is that it's better to just ask for donations or some kind of shareware fee, rather than say 'here, the game is free, but occasionally, I'm going to show you some kind of banner'.


Anyway, good discussion.
 
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