In-Game Advertising?

[Klinn 1]

Howdy Folks -- While playing the demo tonight, I noticed a number of in-game ads for Ford vehicles and for Kodak. There were some roadside "kiosk"-type ads, plus at least one large billboard in Capital City.
 
Question: does anyone know if these ads are just for the demo, or should we expect them in the retail game too?
 
After purchasing a boxed game, then paying a monthly subscription fee on top of it, I personally don't think I should have to put up with ads cluttering up my cities too.
 

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Ford and Kodak are not Monte Cristo's sole advertising partners. Other companies might be less noticeable. They include Bouygues Construction, Ford, Mini, Novotel Hotels, Foster + Partners, Tange Associates, Tokyo Tower, Alienware, and nVIDIA. I saw Coca-Cola advertisements but they have apparently gone away. All or most of these companies will be in visible in the game in one form or another (it is possible that all the cars are either Fords or Minis).

[Kingdom of Hispania 4]

well i'd LOVE to have those ads, which give realism to the game

[manuelandrei 0]

I like the ads as well. I would like to see a larger variation of them though.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

  Advertising helps pay the bills. 

[Mathew_MC 0]

Yes, there will be ads in the game, but you won't see any for the latest soda or shampoo. What we are doing is actually building up partnerships with brands that can bring added value to the game, with content such as buildings or vehicles. Which means all partners are linked in one way or another to life in a city.

As llikeseatle pointed out, you will for example see a small percentage of Fords and Minis in your city, and not only generic cars. If you build the Ford car dealer building (it's your choice really), you will see a higher percentage of them. Other brands such Bouygues or Novotel can provide us with the rights to integrate some real buildings.

More variation should come with time hopefully

[Deathcat001 8]

Matthew_MC:

where will these ads show up on? If there large billboards on building advertising a product i will purchase the game (i dont like product placement) although if the products are made up and have design to them ill look at getting the game.   

[Mathew_MC 0]

No, we don't have large billboards on the buildings themselves. We only use small addboards like the one on the screenshot below (different designs exist):

These you will mostly notice when looking at your city from really close ("street view"), but not when actually playing and building it. This screenshot is taken from quite close and, as you can see, it's far from intrusive:

There can be a few made-up ads amongst the lot (such as Omnicorp advertisement), but also real life brands, though as said above it will be only brands that can provide us with actual content for the game (rights to some buildings and so on).

[Resized images to 800 wide]

[Madness 11]

Ah yes, the old "it helps pay the bills" excuse. Really though, it's a great way for the game company to make more money while charging you the same price. I don't know the status of ads in this particular game; I haven't really been interested in it, and I don't usually play subscription-based games. Myself I dislike ads in games. They're intrusive enough in everyday life, I don't need them when I'm trying to relax.

Edit: I might also add that a PC game that has ads should provide a method to replace/remove them for those who care enough (such as texture replacement, which might only appear client-side).

[Kingdom of Hispania 4]

Originally posted by: Mathew_MC

Yes, there will be ads in the game, but you won't see any for the latest soda or shampoo. What we are doing is actually building up partnerships with brands that can bring added value to the game, with content such as buildings or vehicles. Which means all partners are linked in one way or another to life in a city.

As llikeseatle pointed out, you will for example see a small percentage of Fords and Minis in your city, and not only generic cars. If you build the Ford car dealer building (it's your choice really), you will see a higher percentage of them. Other brands such Bouygues or Novotel can provide us with the rights to integrate some real buildings.

More variation should come with time hopefully quote>

great news!!! despite all the bad points cities XL might end up being a good game, and the graphics are just great

[soldyne 111]

well, I for one like the idea of billboard and in game sign advertising as it brings a level of realism to the simulation. just look at the STEX and see how many people use real world buildings and brand names in their creations. there are even entire BATs and LOT packs that are just for billboards and advertising signs. this seems like a good decision and as long as it does not get too out of hand then I support it.

EDIT - while playing the demo I saw a Novotel hotel sign with a nice moose in a nice lobby.  I never heard of them before so at first I thought it was refering to one of the in game business hotels I plopped earlier.  I thought it was quite intertesting and entertaining.

[8elhaj 0]

I like the idea of ingame advertisement. I really do. I just dont want it to become too obvious. Like i really like how MC is doing it, the ads are subtle. PERFECT. but i would like more than 550 buildings in Solo Mode.

[Klinn 1]

Well, as an aside, I wouldn't exactly call this bilboard in Capital City unobstrusive:   ;-)

 

 

I haven't seen the bigger billboard in my demo city yet, only the smaller Kodak one behind it, but it's probably just a matter of time, e.g maybe based on large the city is.

Anyway, the size is beside the point -- with regards to the "realism" issue, if there were billboard objects I could choose to place in my city because I thought they added realism, no problem. But in this case, I have zero choice. Even if I wanted to create a zen-like pastoral utopia, the signs are going to be added to my city whether I want them or not.

 

If this was a free or inexpensive ad-supported game, again, no problem, that's the trade-off you make when choosing to play. But MC is expecting you to pay full price for a retail game *plus* a pretty hefty monthly fee, and they still want to force this clutter into your city.

 

Sorry, but for me it's one more checkmark on the negative side when I decide whether to get the game or not.

[max image size is 800x600]

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I think that the billboards are props specific to certain types of roads. If you don't build big roads, you won't get larger street billboards. I think that more advertisements could go into the game in the form of a variety of ploppable billboards and corporate buildings (offices and industries) based off of those of real companies. I can easily picture an industrial city with Coca-Cola factories, McDonald's drive throughs and billboards advertising many real-world businesses (ranging from the small Kodak ones pictured above to giant billboards like those by the Guadalajara airport).

Here is what I mean (remember that I said that you have the option of placing big billboards, for extra monthly money most likely, not that you have to build them)

[kiwispanker 1]

the OP's gotta point though, how much money is MC trying to fork in here? I completely understand they're an operating business trying to make a profit, but they make it seem like this 2 year project trying to make city life into cities xl has expenses toppling that of most governments. advertising in games have been for a long time and has proven to be a good source of supplemental income. so why charge for the game, have ads, then make customers pay a monthly subscription fee to get buses!

if you haven't seen MC's latest interview with Dirk, go read it...you must be in a seated position first though.

Dirk asked some awesome questions; unfortunately MC clarified all of our fears.

[Mctittles 0]

As I've stated before , I'm behind the idea of generating revenue from ads in a game like this.  It does fit the game perfectly.  However I said I liked it without charging the customer on top of it!  Wow, I guess low demand for the game = increase in money to be had off of each user.

[USA_Pride 49]

I like the idea of in-game ads, as long as they're natural and don't seem out of place. It's a great way to add realism and also get extra revenue for the publisher.

[jabezscratch 159]

Personally, I love ads, billboards, signs, etc. (especially of real life brands) b/c they add to the realism of the city. But I can understand how and why some players would not like them at all. It's a personal taste thing.

[Fourjays 0]

I wouldn't mind in-game advertising, and in this context it is great. However, I will never to subscribe to anything with adverts. Choose one or the other because having both is just greedy.

[Livin in Sim 83]

-checked by swat

...  Mod pile up!     [abcvs]

Get off me, you guys. 

Ooops, removed caps.