Sheeple will be considered
So, one of my first posts here was “Neusea probably isn't problem,” it wasn’t the most well thought out post and my first responder called me out as someone who did not own an Oculus or someone who was not actually a developer, which both are essentially true at this point in time. The next response claimed I would be very poor at marketing if I thought as customers as “sheeple,” that’s what gave me the idea to write this (and yes, I spelled nausea wrong, that didn’t help my image...). So whilst I just threw the word out there in a post that was not the most well constructed, it made me think about the term and why I used it, and, if by using it the response was correct that the use of the term showed I had zero marketing skills.
So, the reason I used that term was because I was scared in some way, somehow, the VR experience would be lessened somehow by devs designing to sell to people I referred to as sheeple. I have reasons for believing so do to past experiences that most of us as intelligent gamers and consumers of entertainment media in general have experienced, mainly loss of artistic integrity and compromise of character due to marketing to the mainstream (sheeple). Of course these views on the final products are a matter of opinion – to a certain extent, you can disagree with my two examples, but, you cannot deny loss of original concept and the fact that certain decisions were obviously compromised for the masses. I will not even use the ultimate sell out example Star Wars Episode I ...wait, I just kinda did.
Sheeple (a portmanteau of "sheep" and "people") is a term that highlights the herd behavior of people by likening them to sheep, a herd animal. The term is used to describe those who voluntarily acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research.
or
"people who tend to follow the majority in matters of opinion, taste, etc"; a combination of "sheep" and "people". Word Spy defines it as "People who are meek, easily persuaded, and tend to follow the crowd (sheep + people).
(Definition courtesy of Wikipedia)
My first example is Skyrim. Keep in mind, I am only going to compare what was marketed in the vanilla versions vs. past games (MODs cannot be counted as artistic vision and game design per se). As Bethesda games grew in popularity they realized the complex character creation and leveling system may not work the best for mainstream sales, they wanted to try and reach an audience who could play more casually and understand the system more immediately. Therefore, making certain changes and dumbing down the system for the “sheeple.”
LOTR movies. Now, say what you will about these movies, they’re great, no debate. But, certain female characters were put in place simply because they felt a female presence was missing, especially in the upcoming Desolation of Smaug. I’m not saying stick “exactly” to the book, this may not even always be the best idea. However, don’t add a hot kick ass female warrior who isn’t even in the book because hot female fighters are trendy. This was a pure marketing move to rake in “sheeple,” and takes away from the artistic vision Tolkien had for the flow of the story (not to mention Legolas – if I recall he is mentioned in one sentence in the Hobbit as the son)
For the record I have nothing agaisnt true female characters and there are plenty that fit in the telling and I am a big fan of such as Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones), Trinity (Matrix) and quite a few others. In the case of the Hobbit this is actually an insult to females since they choose to put in a hot sell out female, not one who was in any of the origonal source materail at all which could have been used.
My point is, the word sheeple is actually a quite useful term and sums up a core portion of who you are marketing to. I can’t see how this would affect the Oculus yet, but, my natural fear is that things I love always get tainted somehow by being designed for the masses and not being put out there in a more natural state – which the mainstream would most likely enjoy more anyway. Plus I like the sound of the word, it just makes so much sense. :idea:
Any thoughts or predictions on how marketing to sheeple could possibly affect the Rift?
So, the reason I used that term was because I was scared in some way, somehow, the VR experience would be lessened somehow by devs designing to sell to people I referred to as sheeple. I have reasons for believing so do to past experiences that most of us as intelligent gamers and consumers of entertainment media in general have experienced, mainly loss of artistic integrity and compromise of character due to marketing to the mainstream (sheeple). Of course these views on the final products are a matter of opinion – to a certain extent, you can disagree with my two examples, but, you cannot deny loss of original concept and the fact that certain decisions were obviously compromised for the masses. I will not even use the ultimate sell out example Star Wars Episode I ...wait, I just kinda did.
Sheeple (a portmanteau of "sheep" and "people") is a term that highlights the herd behavior of people by likening them to sheep, a herd animal. The term is used to describe those who voluntarily acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research.
or
"people who tend to follow the majority in matters of opinion, taste, etc"; a combination of "sheep" and "people". Word Spy defines it as "People who are meek, easily persuaded, and tend to follow the crowd (sheep + people).
(Definition courtesy of Wikipedia)
My first example is Skyrim. Keep in mind, I am only going to compare what was marketed in the vanilla versions vs. past games (MODs cannot be counted as artistic vision and game design per se). As Bethesda games grew in popularity they realized the complex character creation and leveling system may not work the best for mainstream sales, they wanted to try and reach an audience who could play more casually and understand the system more immediately. Therefore, making certain changes and dumbing down the system for the “sheeple.”
LOTR movies. Now, say what you will about these movies, they’re great, no debate. But, certain female characters were put in place simply because they felt a female presence was missing, especially in the upcoming Desolation of Smaug. I’m not saying stick “exactly” to the book, this may not even always be the best idea. However, don’t add a hot kick ass female warrior who isn’t even in the book because hot female fighters are trendy. This was a pure marketing move to rake in “sheeple,” and takes away from the artistic vision Tolkien had for the flow of the story (not to mention Legolas – if I recall he is mentioned in one sentence in the Hobbit as the son)
For the record I have nothing agaisnt true female characters and there are plenty that fit in the telling and I am a big fan of such as Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones), Trinity (Matrix) and quite a few others. In the case of the Hobbit this is actually an insult to females since they choose to put in a hot sell out female, not one who was in any of the origonal source materail at all which could have been used.
My point is, the word sheeple is actually a quite useful term and sums up a core portion of who you are marketing to. I can’t see how this would affect the Oculus yet, but, my natural fear is that things I love always get tainted somehow by being designed for the masses and not being put out there in a more natural state – which the mainstream would most likely enjoy more anyway. Plus I like the sound of the word, it just makes so much sense. :idea:
Any thoughts or predictions on how marketing to sheeple could possibly affect the Rift?
