In Game Advertising

I've noticed various comment about in game advertising that concerns me.

Obviously alot of games are going down that route for extra revenue, but I'm concerned about its implementation within the game. Mainly will it get updated via Internet without users consent?

Will it strictly be for just the advertising bill boards in the 3d match engine?

FM graphics in the past have been very, very skinnable - will the advertising element be skinnable or allowed to be disabled for those who do not wish to see adverts as we have already paid for it.

I don't want to be downloading data to a game and using my bandwidth to see adverts that don't interest me. And for the record I'm a proud user of ad-blocking software on FireFox.

I'm not aware that FM09 has advertisements like that. FML does, but I'm almost certain that FM doesn't.

I'm not aware that FM09 has advertisements like that. FML does, but I'm almost certain that FM doesn't.

I may of misread.

I hope FM 2009 and after versions don't have it.

Can SI please clarify?

Below is the quote:

"There's also the in-game advertising work going on (which will be in-situ, so advertising hoardings around the side of the pitch), which has already lead to some great partnerships for the future, and will have lots of benefit for those people who buy this years games too, but more of that in a later blog. "

I may of misread.

I hope FM 2009 and after versions don't have it.

Can SI please clarify?

Below is the quote:

"There's also the in-game advertising work going on (which will be in-situ, so advertising hoardings around the side of the pitch), which has already lead to some great partnerships for the future, and will have lots of benefit for those people who buy this years games too, but more of that in a later blog. "

I'm guessing thats from the blog? I still haven't read it.

Ignore my first post then I can't imagine SI will plaster it all over the place, only places that will make sense.

I'm guessing thats from the blog? I still haven't read it.

Ignore my first post then I can't imagine SI will plaster it all over the place, only places that will make sense.

Yeah, it's from the blog.

Alot of questions to be asked though about such a system.

I may of misread.

I hope FM 2009 and after versions don't have it.

Can SI please clarify?

Below is the quote:

"There's also the in-game advertising work going on (which will be in-situ, so advertising hoardings around the side of the pitch), which has already lead to some great partnerships for the future, and will have lots of benefit for those people who buy this years games too, but more of that in a later blog. "

I agree with Neji.

The benefits could be anything, but I thought it might mean changable shirt sponsors as an extra feature, thus wanting to save it for another blog.

I agree with Neji.

The benefits could be anything, but I thought it might mean changable shirt sponsors as an extra feature, thus wanting to save it for another blog.

That's a needless cosmetic implementation - this is Football Manager, not Financial Manager.

Besides, the default kits will get changed by the skinning communities fantastic work.

Think the blogs said something about in game advertisments in the form of around the pitch in the 3D View ???

At least they aren't going to be Obama advertisements like they put in Burnout...

Think the blogs said something about in game advertisments in the form of around the pitch in the 3D View ???

Yes, and I'm very much interested in how all this will be implemented. For example, will advertising for FM2009 change during a certain time via updates from the internet? Will these updates be optional or forced?

IF FM09 has any advertisements at all they certainly won't update them through the internet, if their updated at all I would imagine it would be done through patches only.

At least they aren't going to be Obama advertisements like they put in Burnout...

Are you serious???

Are you serious???

Obama advertised in Second Life, too.

I've long argued that PC games should have more advertising in them. What?? Am I crazy, I hear you ask! Well, no. Basically, we've had many dates around here about the damage piracy is causing to games developers in general, particularly those on the PC. Many people have argued that DRM, SecuROM, et al force people to go to piracy. So how can devs claw their money back? In-game advertising.

As long as advertising doesn't affect the integrity of the game (and product placement doesn't usually affect the integrity of movies), then I don't see the problem with it. As long as I don't have ads for McDonald's Big Macs whenever I go to my tactics screen, I don't really have a problem with it. And I don't really see the issue with ads updating via the Internet, as long as that is optional, and gamers can choose not to link up to the Internet.

Advertising in games isn't especially new - I remember being a kid and playing James Pond II: Robocod on the Commodore 64 and that had advertising for Penguins in it - even some of the levels had the Penguin bars as the background. It's fine, it doesn't detract from the game, and with FM being all about football, and football being all about commercialism and advertising/sponsorship these days, you could even argue it's a realistic inclusion.

Although I kind of work in the advertising industry (sort of), I don't have any particular love for advertisers - in fact they make my job harder sometimes. So as long as all the ads in the game abide by the CAP Code of Advertising, I'm a happy man!

FM advertising is going to happen in FM09 , Miles said in the blog . Notice baords arounds the pitch , as IRL.

That's a needless cosmetic implementation - this is Football Manager, not Financial Manager.

Besides, the default kits will get changed by the skinning communities fantastic work.

tbh I'm not advocating them doing this, it was just my initial thought on it, I don't actually care either way if they do it or not.

Makes no difference to me as long as it's just shirt sponsors and advertising hoardings as in real life, if it appears on random screens which i highly doubt it will then that would be a different story.

They should use the advertising within the game to highlight the club sponsors rather than saying othing and just invent an amount!

IF FM09 has any advertisements at all they certainly won't update them through the internet, if their updated at all I would imagine it would be done through patches only.

How do you know that?

I hate to point out the obvious advantages, but in-game advertising means more money for SI, which means more money SI gets to spend on designers/developers/scouts/licenses/etc, which in turn means a better game in future. So, as long as the ads are in similar places to where ads really are in football, it's entirely a good thing.

Completely agree ....

I hate to point out the obvious advantages, but in-game advertising means more money for SI, which means more money SI gets to spend on designers/developers/scouts/licenses/etc, which in turn means a better game in future. So, as long as the ads are in similar places to where ads really are in football, it's entirely a good thing.

Good point there. The advertising will make no difference to the game (my opinion) and like other people have said it will make the game that little bit more realistic which I think everyone wants.

Like it says in the blog they are ad hoardings around the pitch

Thank you for the reply.

Hopefully the skinning community will be able to remove such things that I and others have zero interest in.

What do you mean? Advertisements on the sideline hoardings is as realistic as you get, and at the same time it's giving more money to SI so they can work on better games...

Thank you for the reply.

Hopefully the skinning community will be able to remove such things that I and others have zero interest in.

You'd actually spend time removing something realistic over ignoring it? :/ why? I can understand modding people expanding it to give a bigger range of ads if possible but I don't really understand removing it - i have zero interest in the aussie leagues, i don't want them removed lol

FM advertising is going to happen in FM09 , Miles said in the blog . Notice baords arounds the pitch , as IRL.

And this is quite natural, as ALL clubs have advertising boards. I think in FM09 sponsors will actually pay SI to have their products advertised around the stadium - and so they should.

What do you mean? Advertisements on the sideline hoardings is as realistic as you get, and at the same time it's giving more money to SI so they can work on better games...

I like the idea of more money for investment, but will it be for investment or just go into Segas pockets. Remember SI are now just a development studio of Sega - they're not an independent entity. I'm sure Sega/Si get alot of money though the great success of FM as a THE leading football management game, so why not invest existing monies?

Yes, advertising is realistic as a visual. But, what about Spanish, Chinese, Italian and other foreign leagues. We going to get English advertising at all stadiums though out the world irrespective of team, country and division. It can quickly turn out to be very unrealistic.

I'm more concerned with the implementation. Other games allow advertising to be updated - will advertising get updated thoughout the year in FM2009 via internet connection / patches?

Generally...I'm optimistic about this new FM (but, on the other hand...I was optimistic with FM 08 too...which later prooved to be the most unrealistic version until 8.0.2)...but when I red a blog yesterday I was so annoyed when I saw that.

It was inserted among all those inovations on purpose. So slippery, stinky. It just STINKS!!!

But if ME is ok...and I really believe it will be...then all is forgot

i dont understand the big fuss to be honest....its not going to bother anyone is it??...its not like theres gonnna be popups or anything anyway....

Why are people so against this? IRL you have advertising boards, so why not in FM? After all, it is supposed to be as realistic as possible, and I think it makes a nice little addition to the game. Besides, SI can probably make a bit extra from it, which of course is great too.

Why are people so against this? IRL you have advertising boards, so why not in FM? After all, it is supposed to be as realistic as possible, and I think it makes a nice little addition to the game. Besides, SI can probably make a bit extra from it, which of course is great too.

So if I was in charge of Real Madrid or some other Spanish team, would I get any spanish language ad boards? Or if I'm in charge of a Korean team, will I get Korean or English ads?

So if I was in charge of Real Madrid or some other Spanish team, would I get any spanish language ad boards? Or if I'm in charge of a Korean team, will I get Korean or English ads?

I'm just wondering if we are going to see FIFA09 plastered all over the hoardings like we see at most grounds

There's nothing wrong with in-game advertising.

What tends to lead to the gnashing of teeth is how some companies (*cough*EA*cough*) do it. EA has dedicated servers to update their in-game adverts and as a result requires an Internet connection to play a single-player game. And there's no option to do this. As a result, it's nearly impossible to tell what's being sent to EA and how they're using your personal information, which has the unsurprising result of ****ing people off.

I'd imagine SI won't want to go down the slippery slope of doing anything remotely close to what EA do as you'll get the various spyware/trojan/information stealer/privacy violator/money-grabbing idiot complaints. Having adverts on the pitch is standard nowadays and there's nothing wrong with that in the game (as long as we don't get "At half-time, the score is Manchester United 4-0 Arsenal. This match is sponsored by Burger King.").

as a result requires an Internet connection to play a single-player game.

That isn't true.

That's a needless cosmetic implementation - this is Football Manager, not Financial Manager.

Besides, the default kits will get changed by the skinning communities fantastic work.

It's hardly needless. The financial side of the game is an important aspect.

As long as its on ad boards in game it seems pretty reasonable, don't mind it at all, they are 'ad boards' after all. In fact I prefer that advertising much more than even the intro screens to FM.

How do you know that?

Just presuming, why would they change it via internet updates? Many people play FM on computers not connected to the internet, SI would have to spend time/money on packaging an updater for it, people would report game problems from it, firewall issues etc.

Makes much more sense for them to be paid for the advertisements for a longer period of time, or for the games longevity even, and either not update them at all or only update them through patches.

i have zero interest in the aussie leagues, i don't want them removed lol

i really did LOL at this.

Its just around the pitch so no harm. there was a edit with people created with the sky sports thingy with the continue bar. thats still advertising yet people wanted that in the game... how is this different

So if I was in charge of Real Madrid or some other Spanish team, would I get any spanish language ad boards? Or if I'm in charge of a Korean team, will I get Korean or English ads?

Im guessing if you buy the english version of the game or choose whatever language it will come up in the said language.

i really did LOL at this.

Its just around the pitch so no harm. there was a edit with people created with the sky sports thingy with the continue bar. thats still advertising yet people wanted that in the game... how is this different

I think the game also has had names of national papers.

My main concern is if I was to purchase this game and install it would the ads get auto updated and pretty much use my own bandwidth for things that I don't want and not interested in.

I think the game also has had names of national papers.

My main concern is if I was to purchase this game and install it would the ads get auto updated and pretty much use my own bandwidth for things that I don't want and not interested in.

The only ads that will be in the game will come with the install. It wont download anything from the net to update them, unless new ad's are part of a future patch.

thanks miles

The ads in FM only appear around the side of the pitch, as they would do in real life, as ad hoardings. They do not appear anywhere else.

I take it to be realistic which is what FM is about then we will be seeing spanish ads in Spanish leagues? Italian ads in Italian leagues and so on...

If you are online, they will be able to update dynamically. If you are offline, it runs with default ads (which are SI, Sega or charity adverts, so Warchild, Kick Racism Out of Football, and GamesAid), and all of these are clickable to take you to the relevant webpages. Where we have licenses, we ensure that the adverts that have been provided by that league are shown, as they would be at real grounds.

Ah so if a person is using the multiplayer element of FM then it the ads will get updated dynamically. However, if I play FM normally and say leave MSN on in the corner and Internet still connected then FM wont make any attempt to update ads dynamically?

Thanks for your reply

However, if I play FM normally and say leave MSN on in the corner and Internet still connected then FM wont make any attempt to update ads dynamically?

Thanks for your reply

If not I know whose going into my firewalls blocked list! Guess who!

carnt see a problem with it if its only the match boardings, realistic i suppose really.

well id like to go one better and have digital changeable advertising boards around the pitch