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The bring back the LBBs as T5 Organization

  • Thread starter Thread starter Prometheus
  • Start date Start date
I recently messed about with an LBB size cover and a 9.5 x 11 ins cover for my project.

Whilst I'm a big fan of the LBBs, methinks their day has been. However, I don't believe the actual cover design has become invalid, just the size/format.

Hence my home-made cover is 9.5 x 11 ins with an LBB styl-ee look. :D
 
Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
Me, I would hire girls with the biggest breasts possible and paint Traveller shirts on them, and have them hand out copies of Book 0. ;)
You do know how Marc feels about things like this, do you not?
 
Marc has made it clear he does not want to use sex to sell Traveller.

Yet another case where MWM is out of touch with the RPG market. In this one case, I approve.
 
If you mean the stunted "D&D guide to Erotic Magical Pastimes" sort of sexuality or whatever, then I wholeheartedly agree. That is quite boring. Overt, cheesy sexuality and sexual content/presentation hurts the industry more than does it good.

But there are two things that need addressing. Human romance and sexuality is of course a important facet of a character, and it is rarely done well.

The other thing is that sex is a part of it, and has been for years. I do not mean the "Avalanche Press" sort of book covers, which are the antithesis of my point, but explain how, if it is not an important market factor, how the lady who is the unofficial/official "Mara Jade" for Star Wars has such a big career?

There are ways to do it without the end result being a frazetta painting airbrushed on the side of a Van.. (tho I love that sort of thing!)
 
Baron, how about a Boris Vallejo piece, instead? Or the person who did the Venus Prime covers (Jim Burns)?

OK, really the point is just to get some attention from people so they come over and look at your product. (And, I did say we should put some guys in there.) A few smart, attractive, young people dressed similarly (something like Kaylee or Zoe?) would suck folks right in.
 
Originally posted by Fritz88:
OK, really the point is just to get some attention from people so they come over and look at your product. (And, I did say we should put some guys in there.) A few smart, attractive, young people dressed similarly (something like Kaylee or Zoe?) would suck folks right in.
I've known many people who have used "booth babes" at gaming cons (both POSSLQs of staff and hired spokesmodels) and the general consensus is that they do draw attention to your booth (and not always the kind you want), but do not have a noticeable effect on sales at gaming conventions.
 
Loren, if they're handing out something free (like a LBB0 for T5), does that free item have any impact? Especially if it's as good as Traveller has been (discounting whichever version you think was terribly broken).
 
Originally posted by Kurega Gikur:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Marc has made it clear he does not want to use sex to sell Traveller.
The logical part of me agrees, the other half . . . well. </font>[/QUOTE]I think that the approach to using only 'sex' to sell an rpg is dead wrong. Although, WAY back in the day, most of the players where not what you would call socially adept (exiles from from the chess club I seem to remember overhearing...) those few females who did game with us, where attracted to the game by the pictures of intelligent, strong women performing the roles normally associated with men.

This was before the chain mail bikini approach to all women warriors became a staple in game art.

IF the game had pictures of good looking, interesting people, both male and female, in exciting situations, that will attract players.

The actors in firefly and serenity where not dressed in campy outfits, but they where attractive.

If you have covers that speak to all aspects of the buyer, from thier mind to, well, other things, you will captivate them and sell more books.

I do not discount the use of sex to sell products, I just don't agree with using only sex to sell products.

Just my 2c worth.

best regards

Dalton
 
Consider that many of us have sons and daughters growing up, and they might be interested in those geeky LBBs we slaver over.

It's no sweat when I think I might get to share Traveller with my child. My wife might roll her eyes, but we're both happier if the material is tasteful.

The generational potential of role playing games is interesting.
 
Well, take the covers of Challenge Magazine, I would argue most of the SF and horror themed characters were a success that future editions of Traveller can model covers after.

Therefore, it is as Dalton said, not to go down the route of chainmail bikinis but use attractive people in action poses in art as a way of catching one's attention.

Countless SF covers already do this very well, I can think of the work of Elizabeth Moon & Weber and the reissues of Asimov's stuff/Second Foundation that just inspires one to pick up the book and go further.

Catching the essence of photorealism or making the art be something that rpgers can archetype their characters after would seem the logical course and none of that would lead down the route degration of either sex but put characters in favorable light.
 
Originally posted by Fritz88:
Loren, if they're handing out something free (like a LBB0 for T5), does that free item have any impact? Especially if it's as good as Traveller has been (discounting whichever version you think was terribly broken).
Free stuff is easy to get rid of at conventions, but getting people to take it is one thing . . .getting them to read it is another.

Women in skimpy outfits draw people to your booth . . . where they stand around, gawk at the women in the skimpy outfits, and block traffic. They usually don't buy anything, and the thing they remember about the booth is that you had women in skimpy outfits.

If your booth staff are pleasant and attractive (and dressed normally), but know nothing about the product (the typical spokesmodel you can hire from agencies everywhere), gamers will lose interest quickly, and go someplace else. They'll take your free book/brochure/whatever, and toss it in their booty bag with the rest of them. If you're very lucky, they'll glance at it before chucking it in the trash.

The best marketing approach is to have intelligent, erudite people _demonstrating_ the game. Ken Burnside of Ad Astra has a great technique where he has people playing his games at the booth, and other people explaining and discussing it with passers-by. There are promotional materials, to be sure, but the big draw is the people clearly playing and having fun _right_ _out_ _front_. If the consumer shows any interest in the game, they'll be offered the chance to join in and play a turn or two (helped out by the other players, who are there to help other people enjoy themselves). Ken's starship combat demo involves maneuvering a ship to line up a shot on a stationary target (usually a chocolate bonbon) and when you've hit it, you get to eat it. Ken has great success at conventions, and is constantly sharpening his techniques. Ken can get _women_ to play (and enjoy) starship combat games (q.v. the aforementioned bonbons).


As for game illustrations, Marc's feelings are that women should be shown as competent, capable, and confident -- not mindless bimbos.
 
Originally posted by LKW:


[...]

The best marketing approach is to have intelligent, erudite people _demonstrating_ the game. Ken Burnside of Ad Astra has a great technique where he has people playing his games at the booth, and other people explaining and discussing it with passers-by.

There are promotional materials, to be sure, but the big draw is the people clearly playing and having fun _right_ _out_ _front_. If the consumer shows any interest in the game, they'll be offered the chance to join in and play a turn or two (helped out by the other players, who are there to help other people enjoy themselves).

[...]

Ken can get _women_ to play (and enjoy) starship combat games (q.v. the aforementioned bonbons).
Wow.

Wow...
 
I can't really think of a game that does use it overtly. I was sort of kidding around, but this has been very illuminating. I guess I dislike "designed" sexuality in it. It seems too contrived, like whatever it is is designed by focus group..''
 
Originally posted by kafka47:
Countless SF covers already /snip/ inspires one to pick up the book and go further.
You're not saying we should judge a book by its cover, are you?! :eek: ;)

Originally posted by LKW:
As for game illustrations, Marc's feelings are that women should be shown as competent, capable, and confident -- not mindless bimbos.
Though, the occassional "competent, capable, and confident" bimbo spices things up, too. ;) (I wouldn't use that Vargr from BetterThanLife's illustration, though.) And, a few Boris Vallejo chaps would be good, too.

Originally posted by LKW:
The best marketing approach is to have intelligent, erudite people _demonstrating_ the game.
Loren, most of my comments (I can't and won't speak for some of the other goons around here... Ahem! :rolleyes: ) were tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek. I think women in your gaming booth, though (actually playing!), makes your game that much more attractive - all around. And, that is especially true if they aren't bimbos, but they're not freaks, either.

Of course, if they're using LBB-sized books, they'll really draw attention! ;)
 
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