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Submit mascot/representative for marketing purposes


Wolfpox

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I was thinking that Xenonauts could really use a cool or lovable character to represent the game in marketing and general internet love-spreading. Right now the game doesn't have much attitude, and it will be perceived as sterile and generic -- I love what I have seen so far, but that's just how strangers will perceive it.

The X-COM units and aliens were iconic, even if they were kind of goofy, and this gave it a certain "flavor". I think the community could submit drawings to use for marketing, such as you'd see on the "Box Art" for a traditional game.

My own idea is to use one of the "talking heads" that are apparently going to be implemented into the base management UI. These characters need to be interesting and appealing, they can't afford to be seen as lifeless or dull. Basically what this means is that their face needs to speak volumes about who they are, how they think, and how they carry themselves in the face of alien crisis.

I'll submit a drawing or two if the idea is approved, or wait and see what kind of thoughts the team has on it.

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Marketing? Mascot?

Clearly we need Hello Kitty the Xenonaut.

xenonaut.jpg

In all seriousness, I think rather than a 'mascot' perhaps an 'icon' would be better? Like Goldhawk Interactive has a very simple and effective icon.

[EDIT]

Then again...

Mascots really do create that memorability factor...

HMMMMMM

Edited by Jecrell
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Caesan or Andron plushies?

A smiling Sebillian?

Could have one of those trio things. Sebillian or Andron in front, holding one of the huge alien weapons across the body, and standing behind it, slightly to the left and right respectively, a soldier in jackal armour with a laser rifle aiming to the left and Caesan with a pistol looking to the right.

How's that?

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Yeah, this is something we've been grappling with for a while. The game is intentionally a bit sterile, which is part of the effect - but then for marketing purposes that's not ideal.

Obviously we're not valve, but something like Portal's companion cube or its turrets would be a good thing. Maybe a plush version of the Reaper, which is the Chryssalid-a-like? But then that only appears late in the game. It's a tough one.

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I was thinking that Xenonauts could really use a cool or lovable character to represent the game in marketing and general internet love-spreading.

Hmmm gonna be hard making a loveable alien character whose come to rip your guts out and steal the little ones for some anal probage!

Right now the game doesn't have much attitude, and it will be perceived as sterile and generic -- I love what I have seen so far, but that's just how strangers will perceive it.

Wow, be careful of what you say here mate. Also you're a bit contradictory, why wouldn't visitors see it the same as you, which seems to be sterile, generic (and lovable?)

I like the plushy idea though, or little interceptor toys. The problem is, Wolfpox, that we know so little of the aliens and their technology that it wouldn't be fair to try and make a mascot out of what we know (3 species...), rather leave it up to the professionals with their superior knowledge of the game. But that's me, go ahead and knock yourself out if you want to post something. I'll critique it! =]

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I can only submit my earlier Caesan related "work". :P Seems the forum doesn't support spoiler tags (only temporarily I hope) so I'll just post links.

Original (for the uninitiated):

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/6921/caesan.jpg

Pimp:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/450/caesanpimpglassescopy.jpg

Santa:

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/1264/caesansanta.jpg

Not sure if I'd actually use this to market anything. Except pimp hats maybe.

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I think it should be something helpful, not a dastardly enemy.

Maybe a spider grenade or grenade carrier that can deploy legs and scurry around a corner.

A movement range of maybe 7 tiles, it doesn't "see" anything so all it's good for is "throwing" a grenade through a door or around a corner without exposing the soldier.

Not as over-the-top as the nuclear cruise missiles of X-Com but limited to very short range... and the power of a grenade.

Could be an extra item that you "load" with a grenade, limiting it's availability though inventory space.

Back in the base, there could be a small animation in the barracks of soldiers using one of those to carry beer cans...

------------------------------------------

If the flamethrower really ends up as cool as in your description,

maybe that one could become a "token weapon".

Who could ever forget the Firebat? Need a light? =)

------------------------------------------

I can only submit my earlier Caesan related "work". :P Seems the forum doesn't support spoiler tags (only temporarily I hope) so I'll just post links.

Oh, ya! The Mauve!

Every old alien-shooting game has greys. Booooooring!

Edited by Gazz
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I can only submit my earlier Caesan related "work"

I forgot about those! They certainly brought a smile to my lips!

Like the crash-site symbol?

And somehow, having said symbol also having a Chryssalid smile is just far too funny.

I like this. But it should be the skull of whatever Chris' "worse than a chrysalid" is. That way wild tangents on what it really is could spiral throughout the forum, as the rumour mill gets up to speed

Also how do you just quote part of someone's post?

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Umm, edit out what you don't want?

BTW, you know that you can click or double-click the REPLY / QUOTE buttons? Pretty elegant system.

I like the sound of the skull, something clearly alien, but not something directly visible in game ... conspiracy theorists could even have a play with an alien skull

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Umm, edit out what you don't want?

BTW, you know that you can click or double-click the REPLY / QUOTE buttons? Pretty elegant system.

Nope doesn't work. I tried double clicking and it just gave me your entire text again. I even clicked the little button for multiple quotes from one post. Did nothing as far as I can tell.

And the reason I ask is because often people would say a lot, and I would often break it down and try and talk about each piece separately. Rather than having to delete stuff and then copy and paste the start and end of quote thingys, it was much easier in the previous system where you just highlighted what you wanted to talk about and then quote that. Then rinse and repeat.

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As for a logo...

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/games/

Now this is just ugly. It hurts.

How about the

XENONAUTS lettering with the "O" being an alien head?

Not very creative, I know, but probably better'n nothing.

And not white-on-black, either. Looks like an alpha mask. =P

Or... shape it like some sort of pin or unit insignia.

Use a modified "Goldhawk" gripping the Earth globe.

"Xenonauts" is probably too long to fit well but XENO might work.

Some made-up acronym like XGDF for Xenonauts Global Defense Force would be pretty cryptic and not roll of the tongue well. Doesn't work well for a military sounding acronym.

For that purpose you'd want something like XDEF for Xenonauts Defense Force. Something pronouncable.

Or simply the "X". Goes well with the unit insignia theme.

So... could be the globe overlaying the X.

Or the X in the background again, and on it the hawk-globe dealy.

The globe should be somewhere in the mix although a stylised solar system or at least a handful of stars might work, too. A spacey theme.

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Doodling...

The faint white borders are only from doing a hack job with the JPG conversion. The original is a vector graphic.

The globe is from

http://de.fotolia.com/search?k=27053295

I didn't have any credits left there so I didn't buy it. Getting/drawing a globe like that surely won't tax your artist's abilities, though. =P

X_3.jpg

X_2.jpg

X_3.jpg.4962a7e0217558838212aabc04286121

X_2.jpg.4d93983d04d6190e86f581abf3ae2ec5

Edited by Gazz
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xenonautsposter.jpg



PLEASE NOTE:

This is just an idea for the general "effect", and the rational:

It's iconic, but it says a lot

- It has the horned-rimmed glasses and neat hair of the 60's, thus indicating the era without having to explain
- It's a scientist (doesn't come across too well here, but a better artist could do it) thus indicating the smart nature of the game, the emphasis on research, and the general "sci-fi" themes
- It looks serious and clean (or it would) thus being good for promotion
- and it uses some 60's style boldness [see example]

Hmmm gonna be hard making a loveable alien character whose come to rip your guts out and steal the little ones for some anal probage!


I didn't think it needs to be an alien. When a person sees an alien, their mind kind of lumps all aliens together and makes it feel less interesting than a person. If you wanted to do a plushie, that would be awesome, but the marketing image would need to say more about the game/setting/vibe than just "this game has aliens"

Wow, be careful of what you say here mate. Also you're a bit contradictory, why wouldn't visitors see it the same as you, which seems to be sterile, generic (and lovable?)


I'm not worried about what I say, it's just the reality of perception. Even great things get reduced to a simple word in the consumer's mind, and if it doesn't pop out with something unique, it will be thought of as generic or sterile. Being generic/sterile can be good, since it means the visuals are more mature, intellectual and almost "simulation", rather than trying to be badass.

I don't think revealing alien species is necessary at all, and that merchandise should wait until the game becomes a hit. Until then, the important thing is just to communicate what kind of game/setting it is, and setting a certain "tone". This game has the potential to reach out to more people than the pool of players who have been desperately looking for an X-COM clone, you know?

xenonautsposter.jpg.af5e1aa22071f27e62b8

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