Life is Strange almost had Male Protagonists

I wonder what happened. Sometime between mid 90s and 2000-something, game developers loved putting women in their games, even shoe-horning them in if need be. Tomb Raider proved be insanely popular. All the boys were playing that game. It was actually a good way to make money. The Aeon Flux, Bloodrayne, Oni, Ghost in the Shell games that were all sub-par would not have survived if they had male leads. They barely survived having female leads. Making a game with a female protagonist used to ensure you'd sell a few more copies. Now developers and publishers think it ensures you sell LESS copies? When did this even happen? It's obviously just an illusion the publishers tell themselves. But I'm genuinely curious why and how they came to that conclusion

So, anyone got an opinion on Episode One yet? I completed it this afternoon.

I quite like the story, but it is hardly fleshed out in the first episode. It's definitely more interactive movie than 'graphic adventure'. There's virtually no backtracking unless the story leads you back to the area as part of natural progression, and a virtually non-existant puzzle and inventory system. I'm leaving my opinions about the rewind mechanic until I have completed the story in its entirity since it leans so heavily as part of the narrative.

A question for anyone who has played episodic games before; what's the economic incentive for releasing them in such a way? It seems a bit of a waste of time since the playtime of each episode is miniscule. I literately finished this in just under two hours, and a little under four after reading all the literature on the characters, experimenting with alternative choices and collecting all the photos. Releasing once a week, I could understand, if they wished to simulate some sort of television serial - but six weeks between each episode, when each episode has such a limited range of content and storyline... I'm confused. Ha!

Oh yeah, I got this. Gonna have a go later on, I think.

Leigh, I haven't played this one yet (still at work!) but as for episodic games in general, i've played a few. The games themselves don't usually allow you to go back to areas, that's normal for the genre, unless something else important happens there. They play like interactive stories, shows really. By being episodic, they let themselves, as developers, get things out to their fans quicker rather than wait until the whole game is completely polished. It also lets them set up climaxes and have that whole cliffhanger want that tv shows leave you with. Have you ever binge watched a tv show? Seeing it back to back, the story isn't as obsessively compelling. If you watch it live where you have to wait a week before the new episodes, you become more invested as you have to wait! You think about it all week and you neeeeeeed to know. Same kinda premise, I think. Also it allows players to just try out part of a game before fully investing. Pay 4.99 for a game you may not like or pay 29.99 for a game you may not like.

Originally Posted by Freya

Leigh, I haven't played this one yet (still at work!) but as for episodic games in general, i've played a few. The games themselves don't usually allow you to go back to areas, that's normal for the genre, unless something else important happens there. They play like interactive stories, shows really. By being episodic, they let themselves, as developers, get things out to their fans quicker rather than wait until the whole game is completely polished. It also lets them set up climaxes and have that whole cliffhanger want that tv shows leave you with. Have you ever binge watched a tv show? Seeing it back to back, the story isn't as obsessively compelling. If you watch it live where you have to wait a week before the new episodes, you become more invested as you have to wait! You think about it all week and you neeeeeeed to know. Same kinda premise, I think. Also it allows players to just try out part of a game before fully investing. Pay 4.99 for a game you may not like or pay 29.99 for a game you may not like.

I think I understand.

I suppose I have never really done the whole week waiting for a television show really. I tend to have to binge a tv series by waiting a couple of years for it to finish, then I'll check it out! Ha - otherwise I just lose interest. Either i'm not a patient person, or I just simply can't sustain the same content over a long period of my life. I prefer to get things over and done with. Haha!

It's out already?

These games are coming out way too fast for me. I'm old, guys. I think it may be time to retire.

I'm with Leigh, waiting between episodes is more annoying to me than waiting out the whole thing and enjoying it at my leisure. I always binge on shows I enjoy, because I would lose interest in the interim. I figure if I'm going to enjoy it, I'll give it the best chance to succeed with me. I waited on The Walking Deads and The Wolf Among Us. I'll be waiting on this, and there is one other episodic game out there that captured my interest. Hopefully it holds up and I'll be waiting on that one too. Telltale has started something >.> Oh, and Borderlands and Game of Thrones of course. Ugh

Originally Posted by Mirage

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2..._computers.png

This guy


And I was actually not being serious. I went for Liara when possible. I don't remember who i actually went for in ME3

I thought James Varga was gay or was that just wishful thinking?

nah he tried real hard to get in my pants

it was like one single mis-step in the conversation tree and he was all over me

I always thought he was a "soft" romance option. Like the assistant chick next to the galaxy map. You could flirt with her, and even invite her to your room. But nothing happens. I've watched my girlfriend play through ME3 a few times, and while she always went for Garrus and sometimes Kaiden, she never held back from flirting with Vega. But it always ended up as just flirt buddies. In fact they were almost like bros, but with opposite genders. Always giving each other trout or compliments in equal measure

Nothing happens? The assistant chick gives you a lapdance.

I was actually unaware of that, as I always pursued Tali <3

But what I meant was that they are not "tagged" as your romantic partner. Like if they're a sequel, they're not going to be your boyfriend/girlfriend. They just flirt and mess around. But I'm only aware of it through second-hand information. I was told Samara was the same way. You can profess your love for her and she'll give you a kiss and tell you to move on or something. I dunno

in fact, she gives you one regardless of your gender

Originally Posted by Freya

Square enix confuses me sometimes. They do this then they have boobalicious Cidney. This is a great move though.

It's almost as if their entire business isn't run by 1 dogmatic agenda!