I also agree with the style guidelines listed - great start! And Westerness has a great point: "rating" is still very subjective, and the US (presumably the biggest market) is quite prudish compared to many other first world countries. I think many have already said this but it's worth repeating: it's probably easiest to start with a slightly more prudish standard to push the broad-based appeal, and open up more risqué materials for those who want it. That seems to be the standard...
View full commentI also agree with the style guidelines listed - great start!
And Westerness has a great point: "rating" is still very subjective, and the US (presumably the biggest market) is quite prudish compared to many other first world countries. I think many have already said this but it's worth repeating: it's probably easiest to start with a slightly more prudish standard to push the broad-based appeal, and open up more risqué materials for those who want it. That seems to be the standard marketing approach, anyway: the trick is to make sure you don't make it too boring/sanitized or quash too much creative output.
This list sounds perfect. As far as the survey, I'm not sure which level to pick, but I'd like to see definite hints of "sexy" in D&D artwork. Cover most of the bum and bust (is that armor realistic), but you can definitely allude to them (and everything else is fair game). Give equal "sexy" treatment to males. Remember Hennet from 3.5? There's nothing wrong with some male chest. Focus on very expressive facial expressions. Accentuating the eyes also usually has good effect. In a fight...
View full commentThis list sounds perfect. As far as the survey, I'm not sure which level to pick, but I'd like to see definite hints of "sexy" in D&D artwork. Cover most of the bum and bust (is that armor realistic), but you can definitely allude to them (and everything else is fair game). Give equal "sexy" treatment to males. Remember Hennet from 3.5? There's nothing wrong with some male chest. Focus on very expressive facial expressions. Accentuating the eyes also usually has good effect. In a fight scene, don't be afraid of dirt on faces, messed up hair, even a little wounding (bruises, small amount of bleeding) etc. As far as being more creative with the "sexy" (clothes ripped off, people tied up, women pinning men down...), I want depictions to be true to context (would a battle or cult or woman warrior do that - then do it), but don't go so far that I'd be afraid of opening a book around pubescent children.
Also, consider how sexy non-traditionally sexy people can be? Something kind of fun that I incorporate into games and stories is the idea that a larger person, an amputee, a person with scars or a deformity (etc) can find himself/herself sexy or be paired with someone who finds them sexy. Through that perception, they can become as sexy as a more traditionally sexy character. It's about attitude (often expressed in the face/eyes/body posture).
Finally, in 3.5, some friends and I really wanted to see artwork that depicted adventurers on a good day. Why couldn't the adventurer's (of all sexes) go shopping and not get jumped just one time. Why not show some bro's helping each other don some armor? Why not show a nice campfire scene? Why not show an obvious romantic context (not a bedroom, but maybe 2 adventures look at each other for a few seconds too long)? Most scenes should be battle, but one or two vignettes of daily life could be fun too (& not just all of them at a bar or Mialee messing up a spell).
I'm a guy. I like pretty women. But all these bikini-clad or bare-midriff adventurers are ridiculous. It makes NO SENSE. It breaks immersion. And it makes it that much harder for many girls or young women to find D&D approachable. Also, as a guy who likes playing funny characters, I think the occasional funny-looking guy or gal is perfectly appropriate. D&D is about adventure, but there should be room for other elements, and one of those is humor. Don't make D&D so...
View full commentI'm a guy. I like pretty women. But all these bikini-clad or bare-midriff adventurers are ridiculous. It makes NO SENSE. It breaks immersion. And it makes it that much harder for many girls or young women to find D&D approachable.
Also, as a guy who likes playing funny characters, I think the occasional funny-looking guy or gal is perfectly appropriate. D&D is about adventure, but there should be room for other elements, and one of those is humor.
Don't make D&D so 1-dimensional (or even 2-dimensional). Leave some room in it for the real world to creep in, where sometimes you fall in love with the average-looking but wonderful girl...
And Westerness has a great point: "rating" is still very subjective, and the US (presumably the biggest market) is quite prudish compared to many other first world countries. I think many have already said this but it's worth repeating: it's probably easiest to start with a slightly more prudish standard to push the broad-based appeal, and open up more risqué materials for those who want it. That seems to be the standard...
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