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play the gameboy micro that was there? I thought it was pretty cool how the head of the nintendo booth wasn't supposed to show the one that he had to the public but if you got to talking with the guy he would pass it around in a small group. its pretty sweet. it feels like the most expensive gameboy ever made. they had to follow suit because of the feel of the PSP.
I'm watching you like Celery, yeah i'm stalking...lol.
That's what's so great about PAX. It's not all calculated and uptight like E3, it's just a bunch of gamers having a largely-unscripted party, free of the constraints of corporate PR bullshit.
When I somehow managed to get into the room early Sunday morning, the woman was playing with it and I played with it as well. Very cool, but I did think the screen seemed small.
I almost think they were told to just carry it around and make people think they were getting away with something by getting to play with it. That has more of an effect than if they had 10 of them set up around the place.
Gamin on
Damn i really like Ferrari, but they are letting the fans down because other car companies sell more cars than them!
I feel embarrassed for everyone involved when I see that stuff.
Sorry that we're all not sausage fest fans.
To elaborate on DiscoDave's stance, I don't think a tastful boothbabe would be detrimental. For instance, at E3, Nintendo has always had some of the best booth babes, though not because of their looks (though they are pretty), but they're well informed about the games they're playing.
And when I was banging the drums to Jungle Beat, I'd rather some girl help me out than have some dude's man hands all over my drum-kit.
duderdude2 on
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KnobTURN THE BEAT BACKInternetModeratorMod Emeritus
edited September 2005
DiscoDave's mother is a professional booth babe, and events like PAX are putting her out of work, Doc.
I feel embarrassed for everyone involved when I see that stuff.
Sorry that we're all not sausage fest fans.
Because the booth babes are all there looking to score, right? It's demeaning for all involved.
To elaborate on my stance: I have no problem with women giving out information on games. If their primary purpose is for eye candy, that's when I get irritated. I'd rather talk to a game dev than someone who was given a 15 minute primer on the game they are promoting.
Because the booth babes are all there looking to score, right? It's demeaning for all involved.
Where the hell did you get that from? It's not about sex, nor did I make any mention of it. And how is it demeaning to anyone, going by my example? Nintendo's booth babes were well dressed (as in fully clothes; hardly scantily), and were there of their own freewill. There's nothing demeaning about it.
To elaborate on my stance: I have no problem with women giving out information on games. If their primary purpose is for eye candy, that's when I get irritated.
See above. It'd be a nice benefit, but not a primary focus.
Because the booth babes are all there looking to score, right? It's demeaning for all involved.
Where the hell did you get that from? It's not about sex, nor did I make any mention of it. And how is it demeaning to anyone, going by my example? Nintendo's booth babes were well dressed (as in fully clothes; hardly scantily), and were there of their own freewill. There's nothing demeaning about it.
To elaborate on my stance: I have no problem with women giving out information on games. If their primary purpose is for eye candy, that's when I get irritated.
See above. It'd be a nice benefit, but not a primary focus.
"Sausage fest" generally refers to a party where the number of males greatly outnumbers the number of available females. I'd rather not get into this debate here - I hardly feel like I need to justify my feelings on the matter. Start a thread in D&D if you feel like it.
Booth babes are terrible. You suck as a human being if you actually like them.*
There are these things called "girls" or "women" in real life. Go out, talk to them. They're not aliens or automated manequins there for you to stare at.
Not to say females cannot be at booths along with males, showing off the products. But it should be based on knowing the games/products/etc.
It is sexist and demeaning to have girls there just to manipulate the guys at the show by sex appeal. If you enjoy being manipulated by females, fine. Keep it in your s&m club or whatever. But lets keep the focus on the actual products themselves.
I like the way that the people who knew about the products and knew about the games were there to answer questions and explain things. And, perhaps, passaround things that are not really ready to be shown. That atmosphere is great.
Let's not sleaze it up.
*edit- yes, this is hyperbole.
MulysaSempronius on
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Who the hell are you addressing MulysaSempronius, it sounds like you're attacking a strawman.
It is sexist and demeaning to have girls there just to manipulate the guys at the show by sex appeal. If you enjoy being manipulated by females, fine. Keep it in your s&m club or whatever."
First of all, I disagree with this assertion. Furthermore, "boothbabe" is not synonomous with "using sex appeal to manipulate," as the wide amount of varients at E3 proves, including my Nintendo example.
I like the way that the people who knew about the products and knew about the games were there to answer questions and explain things.
I agree. And Nintendo's "boothbabes" were fully informed about the games they were demonstrating. Not all boothbabes are created equal, granted. Many are there just for sex appeal, but those aren't the ones I'm referencing, nor the ones I want at PAX.
No,anybody who is hired because they are good looking and female is there to manipulate people. Yes, they may know more about games than the average good looking female. But their primary focus is to make you come to them not based on games, but based on being good-looking.
In a trade show like E3, where you have a million products, many companies like the edge pretty girls give them. Anything to be noticed.
But in a smaller, more gamer-oriented place like PAX, they are not necessary. Yes, some gamers enjoy female company more than male, but guess what- this isn't about meeting chicks. Yes, it might seem like a nice little bonus to you. But it is insulting.
edit- and being fully informed doesn't mean they know as much about the game as somebody who actually works for the company. There are many things you learn by chatting that these women wouldn't know unless they were actually developers or worked on the game or something. These little things are far better, imo, than a pretty face.
MulysaSempronius on
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
and being fully informed doesn't mean they know as much about the game as somebody who actually works for the company.
It doesn't have to be a "this or that" situation, there is a middle-ground you now, one that Nintendo frequently strikes gold on at E3.
And for the record, despite my apparent desire for the boothbabes, I'm really quite impartial. I'm just contesting the assertion that they'd have a negative impact on PAX.
Except there were booth babes there, Ubisoft had them.
Damnit Tmonkey, you beat me to it.
But you do bring up a very good point, the Frag Dolls are there to simply plug Ubi-Soft's products, and they're dressed even more scantily than the booth babes I've been referecing.
duderdude2 on
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KnobTURN THE BEAT BACKInternetModeratorMod Emeritus
edited September 2005
You know you're talking to a girl, right?
I'd like to think that she'd know whether or not it was insulting to women.
I'd like to think that she'd know whether or not it was insulting to women.
Her being a girl doesn't change anything. It doesn't validate her opinion any more than it does mine. To say such would be a "poisoning the well" logical fallacy.
duderdude2 on
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KnobTURN THE BEAT BACKInternetModeratorMod Emeritus
edited September 2005
Take your 'silly terms' back to 'debate class' and discuss this like a 'normal human being'
I'd like to think that she'd know whether or not it was insulting to women.
Her being a girl doesn't change anything. It doesn't validate her opinion any more than it does mine. To say such would be a "poisoning the well" logical fallacy.
The fallacy your are looking for is called an "appeal to authority." You know it's true because I'm a Debate and Discourse mod.
I'm all about the no booth babe thing, but I have to say the presence of the frag dolls kind of negates it in my opinion...
And don't give this "they are actually gamers" crap. That would work if there weren't cheerleader tryouts for them and if they had a fat girl there.... or even a 30 pounds overweight but still pretty girl there....
I mean really, if anyone thinks the frag dolls are anything more than an elaborate attempt by ubisoft to call booth babes something different, you are wrong.
Gamin on
Damn i really like Ferrari, but they are letting the fans down because other car companies sell more cars than them!
Take your 'silly terms' back to 'debate class' and discuss this like a 'normal human being'
Apparently, you must consider "normal human beings" as those who aren't well educated in how to debate, and use logical fallacies (look it up if you don't know what it means) to make a "point."
The fallacy your are looking for is called an "appeal to authority." You know it's true because I'm a Debate and Discourse mod.
Heh.
I used it in the context of using my being a male as discrediting my opinion. In that sense, it would be a "poisoning the well" logical fallacy.
Heh.
And either way, it's still a fallacy.
For those of us who missed it:
It was a joke because my saying "You know it's true because I'm a Debate and Discourse mod" is also an appeal to authority. Hence the "heh."
I mean really, if anyone thinks the frag dolls are anything more than an elaborate attempt by ubisoft to call booth babes something different, you are wrong.
Exactly. The frag girls are nothing but a veiled attempt at a "booth babe", though less useful.
And I think it's hypocritical of Penny-Arcade to allow their presence when they've taken such a strong stand against "booth babes."
I mean really, if anyone thinks the frag dolls are anything more than an elaborate attempt by ubisoft to call booth babes something different, you are wrong.
Exactly. The frag girls are nothing but a veiled attempt at a "booth babe", though less useful.
And I think it's hypocritical of Penny-Arcade to allow their presence when they've taken such a strong stand against "booth babes."
Why do you say its hypocritical? They are gamers. I've seen them play, they are one of us. Thats the condition thats critical at pax. I don't want some candy ass boothbabe spouting all this memorised garbage just because she's paid to.
As long as they are gamers on the inside, the outside does not matter.
I don't want some candy ass boothbabe spouting all this memorised garbage just because she's paid to.
For the billionth time, I'm not talking about the boothbabe's you reference. I'm talking about the high class ones Nintendo uses that do not try and sell the product. What they do is assist people with playing the game, including covering the basic controls, mechanics, and helping if you get stuck.
I've never had one at Nintendo's booth try and convince me how "great" a game was and why I should "buy" it. Their purpose is to assist, not to sell.
So what? They're not there because they're gamers, they are there because they're a bunch of pretty faces that Ubi-soft is paying to be there. Furthermore, notice how all of the Frag Girls are slim and trim? There are copious amounts of girl gamers who don't share their good looks, so why aren't they represented? Because Ubi-soft is using them to promote their products.
Not that I have anything against that buisness model; I commend Ubi-soft's ability to slide in the Frag Girls as promotion without many catching on. That's good marketing.
duderdude2 on
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LegacyStuck Somewhere In CyberspaceThe Grid(Seattle)Registered User, ClubPAregular
edited September 2005
The Frag Dolls are half gamers and half marketing tools. They would be there on their own if they weren't employed by Ubisoft I'm sure, but they wouldn't be as noticable.
Can we just lock this please?
Legacy on
Can we get the chemicals in. 'Cause anything's better than this.
The Frag Dolls are half gamers and half marketing tools. They would be there on their own if they weren't employed by Ubisoft I'm sure, but they wouldn't be as noticable.
Can we just lock this please?
Don't read the topic if you can't handle it.
And don't pretend to know what the Frag Girl's would do; you know no better than anyone else. The only ones who can legitimatly speak on their behalf are the Frag Girls themselves.
duderdude2 on
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LegacyStuck Somewhere In CyberspaceThe Grid(Seattle)Registered User, ClubPAregular
The Frag Dolls are half gamers and half marketing tools. They would be there on their own if they weren't employed by Ubisoft I'm sure, but they wouldn't be as noticable.
Can we just lock this please?
Don't read the topic if you can't handle it.
Oh, I can 'handle it'. It's just that it's been done far too much and accomplishes nothing.
Legacy on
Can we get the chemicals in. 'Cause anything's better than this.
For those of us who have survived E3, PAX was a more than welcome relief.
As far as females doing the actual work of the show, I guess you all missed the female developer for Turbine that was demo-ing "Lord of the Rings", and the gal who was running the Sony booth Saturday morning. And yes, the Frag Dolls were there kicking ass all over the place.
Sorry - I forgot. The Turbine gal was not stereotypically gorgeous. And that Sony gal was obviously there to keep the booth-rats in line. Real gals who play real games and really work in the industry were all over. Half-naked biddies who had been taught a good script about how to be "helpful" were not.
For those who can't figure out why girls would be offended by those Nintendo gals, try to think about it this way. You're at a car show. Instead of gals in bikini's draped all over everything, put oiled-up, steroid-fed Chippendale's dancers. Little bow-tie and all. Have him gyrate over and start very ernestly explaining the new push-button shift on that fancy car. Maybe he'll even put his hand on your shoulder as he's pointing out the various cool features on the new and improved gauges. Would you deal well with that? So why can't you understand why gals who show up to play games would not want to have some half-dressed Barbie gesturing at the game's features with her chest?
Nintendo's gals just have a better script. Most of them don't know how to boot the machine they're demoing. They've been given a rail to lead you through. So you feel so much better because there's someone to lead you down the garden path gently rather than blantantly dragging you down it by the hair? Whatever.
As far as the Micro, I got to play with it - it was pretty cool but awfully frickin' small and the screen felt like the size of a postage stamp. Prolly not going to go there myself.
MomGamer on
I think being sucked into a black hole would bring people closer, but it won't help us like each other more. - Mobo
Posts
I almost think they were told to just carry it around and make people think they were getting away with something by getting to play with it. That has more of an effect than if they had 10 of them set up around the place.
I feel embarrassed for everyone involved when I see that stuff.
Sorry that we're all not sausage fest fans.
To elaborate on DiscoDave's stance, I don't think a tastful boothbabe would be detrimental. For instance, at E3, Nintendo has always had some of the best booth babes, though not because of their looks (though they are pretty), but they're well informed about the games they're playing.
And when I was banging the drums to Jungle Beat, I'd rather some girl help me out than have some dude's man hands all over my drum-kit.
Because the booth babes are all there looking to score, right? It's demeaning for all involved.
To elaborate on my stance: I have no problem with women giving out information on games. If their primary purpose is for eye candy, that's when I get irritated. I'd rather talk to a game dev than someone who was given a 15 minute primer on the game they are promoting.
Where the hell did you get that from? It's not about sex, nor did I make any mention of it. And how is it demeaning to anyone, going by my example? Nintendo's booth babes were well dressed (as in fully clothes; hardly scantily), and were there of their own freewill. There's nothing demeaning about it.
See above. It'd be a nice benefit, but not a primary focus.
"Sausage fest" generally refers to a party where the number of males greatly outnumbers the number of available females. I'd rather not get into this debate here - I hardly feel like I need to justify my feelings on the matter. Start a thread in D&D if you feel like it.
Uh, allow me to correct your understanding of that term to its more widely used definition:
"Sausage fest" generally refers to a party where the number of males greatly outnumbers the number of females."
There's nothing inherently sexual about it; and if you hadn't noticed, I was making a joke
I'm glad you feel that way, because there's nothing to justify.
You're right. What was I thinking? I've got to think of the children.
There are these things called "girls" or "women" in real life. Go out, talk to them. They're not aliens or automated manequins there for you to stare at.
Not to say females cannot be at booths along with males, showing off the products. But it should be based on knowing the games/products/etc.
It is sexist and demeaning to have girls there just to manipulate the guys at the show by sex appeal. If you enjoy being manipulated by females, fine. Keep it in your s&m club or whatever. But lets keep the focus on the actual products themselves.
I like the way that the people who knew about the products and knew about the games were there to answer questions and explain things. And, perhaps, passaround things that are not really ready to be shown. That atmosphere is great.
Let's not sleaze it up.
*edit- yes, this is hyperbole.
First of all, I disagree with this assertion. Furthermore, "boothbabe" is not synonomous with "using sex appeal to manipulate," as the wide amount of varients at E3 proves, including my Nintendo example.
I agree. And Nintendo's "boothbabes" were fully informed about the games they were demonstrating. Not all boothbabes are created equal, granted. Many are there just for sex appeal, but those aren't the ones I'm referencing, nor the ones I want at PAX.
In a trade show like E3, where you have a million products, many companies like the edge pretty girls give them. Anything to be noticed.
But in a smaller, more gamer-oriented place like PAX, they are not necessary. Yes, some gamers enjoy female company more than male, but guess what- this isn't about meeting chicks. Yes, it might seem like a nice little bonus to you. But it is insulting.
edit- and being fully informed doesn't mean they know as much about the game as somebody who actually works for the company. There are many things you learn by chatting that these women wouldn't know unless they were actually developers or worked on the game or something. These little things are far better, imo, than a pretty face.
Gamer Transit Authority
I don't disagree. What I disagreed with was it being "sexist and demeaning," which it is neither, especially if it's tastefully done.
I barely even saw some of the representatives, having more wouldn't be a bad idea, hence the "booth babe" idea.
This isn't even relevant. Where did anyone mention anything about meeting chicks? You're attacking a strawman.
That's not a fact, and it's a proclamation I disagree with.
It doesn't have to be a "this or that" situation, there is a middle-ground you now, one that Nintendo frequently strikes gold on at E3.
And for the record, despite my apparent desire for the boothbabes, I'm really quite impartial. I'm just contesting the assertion that they'd have a negative impact on PAX.
Damnit Tmonkey, you beat me to it.
But you do bring up a very good point, the Frag Dolls are there to simply plug Ubi-Soft's products, and they're dressed even more scantily than the booth babes I've been referecing.
I'd like to think that she'd know whether or not it was insulting to women.
Her being a girl doesn't change anything. It doesn't validate her opinion any more than it does mine. To say such would be a "poisoning the well" logical fallacy.
The fallacy your are looking for is called an "appeal to authority." You know it's true because I'm a Debate and Discourse mod.
Heh.
And don't give this "they are actually gamers" crap. That would work if there weren't cheerleader tryouts for them and if they had a fat girl there.... or even a 30 pounds overweight but still pretty girl there....
I mean really, if anyone thinks the frag dolls are anything more than an elaborate attempt by ubisoft to call booth babes something different, you are wrong.
I'm not going to PAX to see pretty girls(though they were there if you bothered to look) I'm going for the games.
I used it in the context of using my being a male as discrediting my opinion. In that sense, it would be a "poisoning the well" logical fallacy.
Heh.
I will concede I should have clarified that, but either way, it's still a fallacy.
Apparently, you must consider "normal human beings" as those who aren't well educated in how to debate, and use logical fallacies (look it up if you don't know what it means) to make a "point."
For those of us who missed it:
It was a joke because my saying "You know it's true because I'm a Debate and Discourse mod" is also an appeal to authority. Hence the "heh."
Exactly. The frag girls are nothing but a veiled attempt at a "booth babe", though less useful.
And I think it's hypocritical of Penny-Arcade to allow their presence when they've taken such a strong stand against "booth babes."
Clever, but not funny.
Why do you say its hypocritical? They are gamers. I've seen them play, they are one of us. Thats the condition thats critical at pax. I don't want some candy ass boothbabe spouting all this memorised garbage just because she's paid to.
As long as they are gamers on the inside, the outside does not matter.
BTW, the fragdolls are gamers.
For the billionth time, I'm not talking about the boothbabe's you reference. I'm talking about the high class ones Nintendo uses that do not try and sell the product. What they do is assist people with playing the game, including covering the basic controls, mechanics, and helping if you get stuck.
I've never had one at Nintendo's booth try and convince me how "great" a game was and why I should "buy" it. Their purpose is to assist, not to sell.
So what? They're not there because they're gamers, they are there because they're a bunch of pretty faces that Ubi-soft is paying to be there. Furthermore, notice how all of the Frag Girls are slim and trim? There are copious amounts of girl gamers who don't share their good looks, so why aren't they represented? Because Ubi-soft is using them to promote their products.
Not that I have anything against that buisness model; I commend Ubi-soft's ability to slide in the Frag Girls as promotion without many catching on. That's good marketing.
Can we just lock this please?
Don't read the topic if you can't handle it.
And don't pretend to know what the Frag Girl's would do; you know no better than anyone else. The only ones who can legitimatly speak on their behalf are the Frag Girls themselves.
Oh, I can 'handle it'. It's just that it's been done far too much and accomplishes nothing.
Well, since it evidently bothers you so much, don't click on the topics you're not in favor of.
Problem solved.
Even though I enjoyed my weekend, I sure missed out on a lot.
Yeah, I missed it too. Not a huge deal though, but I wouldn't have minded seeing it.
As far as females doing the actual work of the show, I guess you all missed the female developer for Turbine that was demo-ing "Lord of the Rings", and the gal who was running the Sony booth Saturday morning. And yes, the Frag Dolls were there kicking ass all over the place.
Sorry - I forgot. The Turbine gal was not stereotypically gorgeous. And that Sony gal was obviously there to keep the booth-rats in line. Real gals who play real games and really work in the industry were all over. Half-naked biddies who had been taught a good script about how to be "helpful" were not.
For those who can't figure out why girls would be offended by those Nintendo gals, try to think about it this way. You're at a car show. Instead of gals in bikini's draped all over everything, put oiled-up, steroid-fed Chippendale's dancers. Little bow-tie and all. Have him gyrate over and start very ernestly explaining the new push-button shift on that fancy car. Maybe he'll even put his hand on your shoulder as he's pointing out the various cool features on the new and improved gauges. Would you deal well with that? So why can't you understand why gals who show up to play games would not want to have some half-dressed Barbie gesturing at the game's features with her chest?
Nintendo's gals just have a better script. Most of them don't know how to boot the machine they're demoing. They've been given a rail to lead you through. So you feel so much better because there's someone to lead you down the garden path gently rather than blantantly dragging you down it by the hair? Whatever.
As far as the Micro, I got to play with it - it was pretty cool but awfully frickin' small and the screen felt like the size of a postage stamp. Prolly not going to go there myself.