Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

It's not funny. It's not effective. It's just plain stupid.

As Turn Based Strategy players in general, and Dominions 3 players in particular, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we prefer substance over graphics.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

According to the Shrapnel Blog, it was (is?) very effective, at least in terms of click-through rates. Sorry, lost the link to Scott's blog post. In marketing, the ends justify the means, and besides, no bog beasts were harmed in the making of the ads.

It's funny to me because it's completely blatant. There is no attempt at all to even try linking the sexual exploitation to the game.

Anything that contributes to additional sales and the success of Illwinter and Shrapnel is good IMO. I have sufficient faith in the developers to believe that this marketing campaign is going to have no influence on the game itself.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

I think they are quite ironic?, playful and bloody funny. The bog beast versions are even better.

Yes they are stupid, dont at all relate to Dom3, and are potentially offensive, but the fact that we have a 7 page post plus this post about them means they get attention and hold attention. Bingo!

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

Here it is.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

A few changes that are going to happen during the next patches so the game becomes more appealing to the target audience: Seduction and Corruption will be played out in some kinda dating sim fashion. Blood hunting will be played out in some other kind of mini-game as well (no details) (especially not about how the Sanguine Dowsing Rod is going to be involved). Users can pay for optional extra content which upgrades their boring plain units with cool stuff to impress their unsuspecting MP enemies, like steam-powered chainsaws, nail guns and dragon-based airstrikes. The game will be shipped with a Dorito XL bag and a cool Bud light.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

I *did* mention that I've been clicking on the ads 25 times whenever I saw them, and I usually never click on them at all. When I was still under the impression that it was supposed to be some kinda april's fools joke, that is.

P.S.: Plus, those new ads are the only thing that I see. This sweet Firefox extension named AdBlock+ filters out all the other stuff by default, and that extension is extremely popular, if not mandatory. So other people might just not see any of the other ads, too, and thus no clickey.

P.P.S.: Oh and regarding this piece from the blog: "Reaction to the ads have been extremely positive [...] there’s a nice forum thread currently at five pages [...] You even have one community member who changed his avatar to the ad for a while and is now using it as his sig, currently slightly modified." - the word you are looking for is "sarcasm".

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

Well funny is a matter of opinion in most countries luckily.

I tend not to take things too seriously and find it amusing to see a beautiful scantily clad woman craving an extremely complex turn based computer strategy game that I cannot even convince some of my geekier friends to attempt to learn. And I admit that I am probably at my geekiest when I spend time combing through the forums trying to figure out the best way to kit out Rhuax, Elemental King of Fire to help aid the Jomonese nation fend off the evil Lord Fiddlesticks of Pythium.

But hey, if you want to be all serious and let this offend your sensibilities because we are braniac strategy gamers only interested in intellectual content then cheers! You are definitely in the target demographic.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

I've always taken the as a joke, and find them quite funny.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

Although the model in the first ad has nice legs, I'd also like to see pictures of scantly clad men, pretty-boy underwear model types. Once you have naked boys, it won't be sexist anymore. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Hope Scott's blog post alerts him of new comments.

Re: What is the story with those dominion ads??
 

Gee, I enjoyed it as a parody of advertising.