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Forums - Sony Discussion - Why didn't sackboy become bigger?

code.samurai on 10 December 2013
Lawlight said:
code.samurai said:
Lawlight said:
code.samurai said:

lol, personality is derived from character.  I see with you I have to connect the dots to be clearer.  Example, if you see a photo of a hardened criminal, you can see anger in his features and possibly impulsiveness.  It's not hard to give him a personality from seeing his picture.  When you see vibrant colors in a character model either link or mario, the subconscious associates those colors with fun, being outside and running in the sun.  It implies outgoing personality and cheerfulness.  In Sackboy's case, brown and a dull brown at that, implies earth, decomposition, steaming pile, etc.  Nothing to associate with any character, only association would be dirt.  

It may be true that certain people are color blind, you may know people that can't see emotion in others, some people may have a hard time seeing personality from abstract concepts as well.  Just because YOU can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.  Green is green, a color blind and blind person won't see it but it's there.  I suggest learning graphic design, not just in relation to games, maybe it'll open up a whole world to you.


So, in other words - you're making the character up for Mario? Ok...


Nope it means character and personality is already implied.  The people and designers consciously chose those colors to suggest character and personality even before you see them move or even speak.  That what is character design is all about.


The bald space marine is a truly great design. So many things implied.


 These associations that the audience will make wont even be at a conscious level, most players just feel them.  Have you ever seen a poster of a movie you dont know anything about, but deep down you know who the hero and villain are?  That's an example of character design, these things aren't accidental.  A person or a team actually sat down and thought hard to make the design work.  A good character design allows nearly every viewer to feel the same thing about characters.  Sackboy is just a blank slate, whose character design is generic and was never intended to convey prsonality and character.



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curl-6 on 10 December 2013
Lawlight said:
curl-6 said:
Lawlight said:
As for personality, Sackboy has more charm and character than an avatar like Mario or Link, for example.

What charm and character? He was intentionally a blank slate.
Mario, by contrast, brims with character, from his joyous exclamations as he jumps, flips, and spins, to his endless enthusiasm, to hs childlike exuberance as he run with his arms outstretched pretending to be an aeroplane. He's not just an avatar, he had a distinct personality that it appealing and infectiously upbeat and cheerful.

Obiovusly he's not - have you played the LBP games?

The first one, yes. He just doesn't have the presence, -visual, vocal, behavioural- that a character like Mario does.



Lawlight on 10 December 2013
code.samurai said:

 These associations that the audience will make wont even be at a conscious level, most players just feel them.  Have you ever seen a poster of a movie you dont know anything about, but deep down you know who the hero and villain are?  That's an example of character design, these things aren't accidental.  A person or a team actually sat down and thought hard to make the design work.  A good character design allows nearly every viewer to feel the same thing about characters.  Sackboy is just a blank slate, whose character design is generic and was never intended to convey prsonality and character.

Once again you go off on a tangent. In the movie poster, the hero will take centre stage or the greatest amount of real estate. Not comparable.

Everything about Mario's creation was a result of limitation or circumstances at the time - from the colour to the name. So, quit trying to sound smart and do some research first.



Lawlight on 10 December 2013
curl-6 said:
Lawlight said:
curl-6 said:
Lawlight said:
As for personality, Sackboy has more charm and character than an avatar like Mario or Link, for example.

What charm and character? He was intentionally a blank slate.
Mario, by contrast, brims with character, from his joyous exclamations as he jumps, flips, and spins, to his endless enthusiasm, to hs childlike exuberance as he run with his arms outstretched pretending to be an aeroplane. He's not just an avatar, he had a distinct personality that it appealing and infectiously upbeat and cheerful.

Obiovusly he's not - have you played the LBP games?

The first one, yes. He just doesn't have the presence, -visual, vocal, behavioural- that a character like Mario does.



Mario doesn't have any presence - visual, vocal, behavioural - that a character like Sackboy has. When you watch Sackboy running around, being scared, trying to be fierce, all you can think of is how adorable he is.



tbone51 on 10 December 2013
Lawlight said:
curl-6 said:
Lawlight said:
curl-6 said:
Lawlight said:
As for personality, Sackboy has more charm and character than an avatar like Mario or Link, for example.

What charm and character? He was intentionally a blank slate.
Mario, by contrast, brims with character, from his joyous exclamations as he jumps, flips, and spins, to his endless enthusiasm, to hs childlike exuberance as he run with his arms outstretched pretending to be an aeroplane. He's not just an avatar, he had a distinct personality that it appealing and infectiously upbeat and cheerful.

Obiovusly he's not - have you played the LBP games?

The first one, yes. He just doesn't have the presence, -visual, vocal, behavioural- that a character like Mario does.



Mario doesn't have any presence - visual, vocal, behavioural - that a character like Sackboy has. When you watch Sackboy running around, being scared, trying to be fierce, all you can think of is how adorable he is.

You obviously never played SM RPG on SNES or M+L games



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Frequency on 10 December 2013

conclusion: people who haven't played the games they're talking shit about, talking shit about games they haven't played while defending those they have.



curl-6 on 10 December 2013
Lawlight said:

Mario doesn't have any presence - visual, vocal, behavioural - that a character like Sackboy has. When you watch Sackboy running around, being scared, trying to be fierce, all you can think of is how adorable he is.

Sackboy's lack of icon status says otherwise.



Azzanation on 10 December 2013
Mensrea said:

Sony really pushed LBP LBP psp LBP 2 and LBP Vita. They were all fantastic, and some of the most unique, and fun games of last gen. Sackboy is a really likeable fun character, and with the sales of 1 and 2 he seemed poised to become a huge mascot for them. So why didn't he gain more popularity? Honestly he seems to have all the components for a good mascot. He's adoarable, his games are amazing, unique, etc. Why didn't sackboy, and LBP as a franchise, become bigger?


Games just cant become successful mascots just becasue a Company pushes it. It was a fluke that Halo became Xbox's mascot and Mario pretty much made gaming popular. He isnt just Nintendos mascot but his Gaming's mascot. LBP lacks the varity and quality that Mario or Halo brings to the table. For example Mario Kart and Halo Wars. Both very successful games that offer the same franchise but different genres. LBP Karting couldnt take off as a quality Mario Kart competiter. The franchise lacks that spark. Look at PS Allstars and compare it to Smash Brothers. Sony franchises just lack that spark in there games that makes there characters the face of gaming. Crash Bandicoot was there most successful franchise mascot because people just loved him, he was different. I would have loved if he was in PS Allstars (disapointed)

Also its hard to become a mascot for a console brand when it wasnt there in the beginning, thats why i still think to this day that Crash bandicoot is still there best mascot considering its not a PS game anymore. He was there from the start and he offered something unique, He was the Crazy Bandicoot next to the Fast Hedgehog, Hero of Master Chief and the Super Plumber in Mario. Sackboy just doesnt do it.



Frequency on 10 December 2013

Sony would have to go back in time and make sack boy in every system and genre for each system they release for it to have a fighting chance.

Personally, I'm glad they didn't, its bad enough having one abused mascot, let alone two.



alabtrosMyster on 10 December 2013

Because he is made of jute and that material does not stretch at all!

seriously, the controls in little big planet are too mushy, it does not make for a great platformer :-/