Comments on: “Video Game Merchandise: Fandom, Gender, and Gamers as Shoppers” http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:41:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Bonnie http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-638 Bonnie Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:38:34 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-638 By stock art, I mean art you can buy general access to. There are libraries of thousands and thousands of images you simple pay a fee to use. But you may be right about that Gaming under the Radar image. I had assumed they used photoshop there to get the juxtaposition right. As to merch undercutting the seriousness of games, I have to say I agree more with Scott. Games can be taken seriously, or not seriously; merch can help a serious image, or hurt it. It all depends on how people think, not the items themselves -- though I understand that intellectuals might be less likely to take a game seriously if they see local toy stores floody with related "kiddy" merch. Other times though, silly merch can help accentuate the seriousness of works of art by contrast. You say there are no Hamlet action figures, but there are. There are Freud figurines and Van Gogh dolls with ears you can pull off with velcro. These things are enjoyable specifically because the originals are so serious. By stock art, I mean art you can buy general access to. There are libraries of thousands and thousands of images you simple pay a fee to use. But you may be right about that Gaming under the Radar image. I had assumed they used photoshop there to get the juxtaposition right.

As to merch undercutting the seriousness of games, I have to say I agree more with Scott. Games can be taken seriously, or not seriously; merch can help a serious image, or hurt it. It all depends on how people think, not the items themselves — though I understand that intellectuals might be less likely to take a game seriously if they see local toy stores floody with related “kiddy” merch. Other times though, silly merch can help accentuate the seriousness of works of art by contrast. You say there are no Hamlet action figures, but there are. There are Freud figurines and Van Gogh dolls with ears you can pull off with velcro. These things are enjoyable specifically because the originals are so serious.

]]> By: Scott Jon Siegel http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-637 Scott Jon Siegel Wed, 21 Dec 2005 17:03:23 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-637 The literary integrity of any work in any medium can not be affected by anything outside of itself. The literary integrity of Romeo and Juliet is unaffected by works like <a href="http://www.theplainjane.com/peep_plays/rj_scene01.html" rel="nofollow">this</a>, for instance. On the same note, games that are "serious" don't have to be taken seriously. A game could theoretically be a masterpiece - great writing, brilliant storyline and wonderful use of interactivity - and I'd still want to buy the action figures if they were cool characters, or wear the logo on a t-shirt if given the option. In my mind, fandom doesn't degrade the source; it just displays a recognition and appreciation of it. -sj The literary integrity of any work in any medium can not be affected by anything outside of itself. The literary integrity of Romeo and Juliet is unaffected by works like this, for instance.

On the same note, games that are “serious” don’t have to be taken seriously. A game could theoretically be a masterpiece - great writing, brilliant storyline and wonderful use of interactivity - and I’d still want to buy the action figures if they were cool characters, or wear the logo on a t-shirt if given the option. In my mind, fandom doesn’t degrade the source; it just displays a recognition and appreciation of it. -sj

]]> By: Patrick Dugan http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-636 Patrick Dugan Wed, 21 Dec 2005 16:54:05 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-636 What do you mean by stock art? That "Gaming Under The Radar" cover seemed like it was either shot or edited by the Escapist, since its content was so geared to the theme. The girl holding presents photo may've been some JCPenny shot that was past its copyright and scooped up over google. Speaking of seeing games in a serious light, wouldn't gaming merch undercut the literary integrity of a (theoretical) literary game. You don't see Hamlet action figures. What do you mean by stock art? That “Gaming Under The Radar” cover seemed like it was either shot or edited by the Escapist, since its content was so geared to the theme. The girl holding presents photo may’ve been some JCPenny shot that was past its copyright and scooped up over google.

Speaking of seeing games in a serious light, wouldn’t gaming merch undercut the literary integrity of a (theoretical) literary game. You don’t see Hamlet action figures.

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-635 Bonnie Wed, 21 Dec 2005 05:15:16 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-635 I can't imagine... I would guess that certain things, like front covers, are shot in-house when necessary. As for the hot girl holding present: she feels stock to me. Patrick, thoughts? I can’t imagine… I would guess that certain things, like front covers, are shot in-house when necessary. As for the hot girl holding present: she feels stock to me. Patrick, thoughts?

]]> By: Scott Jon Siegel http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-634 Scott Jon Siegel Wed, 21 Dec 2005 04:36:37 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-634 I'm actually not sure if that <i>is</i> stock art. The cover of this week's Escapist is definitely not (it's a joystick wrapped up as a present), so now I'm wondering if they do all their own photography... I’m actually not sure if that is stock art. The cover of this week’s Escapist is definitely not (it’s a joystick wrapped up as a present), so now I’m wondering if they do all their own photography…

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-633 Bonnie Wed, 21 Dec 2005 02:26:47 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-633 Got to be careful what you say in those questionaires :-). Books like that always make me curious to meet the people who write them. What a strange (but probably fun) writing job... Got to be careful what you say in those questionaires :-). Books like that always make me curious to meet the people who write them. What a strange (but probably fun) writing job…

]]> By: Muljo http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-632 Muljo Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:47:50 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-632 Heh, looking back at that questionaire you posted, I had the worst answer to the question that asked what kind of game stuff I owned. I didn't have any of the obvious stuff like figurines or shirts, so I was trying to list off all sorts of random crap that was probably completely off topic. I wonder why I didn't think to mention the couple of posters that I've got on my walls. It's not stuff that I specifically went out and bought, just things that came with certain games or magazines, but that's got to be more "swag" than a NDS carrying case. Oh, and I found the Mario book I mentioned in that post. "The Best of the Super Mario Bros." It has a whole bunch of stories based on the 2nd and 3rd games. I have no idea where I got it but I've had it since I was a kid. Heh, looking back at that questionaire you posted, I had the worst answer to the question that asked what kind of game stuff I owned. I didn’t have any of the obvious stuff like figurines or shirts, so I was trying to list off all sorts of random crap that was probably completely off topic. I wonder why I didn’t think to mention the couple of posters that I’ve got on my walls. It’s not stuff that I specifically went out and bought, just things that came with certain games or magazines, but that’s got to be more “swag” than a NDS carrying case.

Oh, and I found the Mario book I mentioned in that post. “The Best of the Super Mario Bros.” It has a whole bunch of stories based on the 2nd and 3rd games. I have no idea where I got it but I’ve had it since I was a kid.

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-629 Bonnie Tue, 20 Dec 2005 19:00:28 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-629 As always, that's stock art :-). Oops, almost forget. Major congrats on your piece up at <i>The Escapist</i>! A move in the right direction for looking at games through a serious lense, I'd say. As always, that’s stock art :-). Oops, almost forget. Major congrats on your piece up at The Escapist! A move in the right direction for looking at games through a serious lense, I’d say.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-628 Patrick Tue, 20 Dec 2005 16:19:31 +0000 http://www.heroine-sheik.com/2005/12/19/video-game-merchandise/#comment-628 Nice, but you forgot to address how game merch brings out inner masochistic desires through projection of the id onto a fetishized object, typically in a way reflecting... naw I'm just kidding, thanks for quoting me though! How much did you pay that model who did the presents photo? Nice, but you forgot to address how game merch brings out inner masochistic desires through projection of the id onto a fetishized object, typically in a way reflecting… naw I’m just kidding, thanks for quoting me though!

How much did you pay that model who did the presents photo?

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