Cuteness in game

**yanuart** · 03-08-2006 11:04 PM

In my next game I'm aiming for casual games market (which is made of adult women), the game design is almost complete and now I ponder upon the question what art style appeals to them or at least what artstyle one should avoid.
Our first rough sketches of the game left me with a feeling that my game is too cute/childish with its anime-chibi style (take a look at the attachment). Honestly I don't know if this a good thing or not. I know that some games do well with this kindof graphic for ex. harvest moon but I don't know if adult women like it too.

I'm afraid that they find/think the game's too childish and think that it's a game for kids (which isn't). My worrines increase after I've searched portal's top games and found that most of them don't have cute/kiddies graphic.

So, lemme know what you think ? Should I change the art style ? Do you think cute games will perform well ? Can you show me an example of a cute game that sells well ?

**Chris Evans** · 03-08-2006 11:23 PM

Hey, I think it looks pretty cool myself. But I don't know what adult women will think of it.

What about Diner Dash? That game is a massive hit and the characters are somewhat cute. Though they're not quite childish looking.

**Gilzu** · 03-09-2006 01:04 AM

Your graphic reminds me of Theme Hospital which was cute and funny (you had patients who thought they were Elvis, people with large tongue that came to your hospital to cut it). AFAIK, that game sold quite well.

**Anthony Flack** · 03-09-2006 01:11 AM

Well, I quite like the look of it. That's the only thing I can say with any authority, and it's the only thing I base my own decisions on.

**Grey Alien** · 03-09-2006 01:57 AM

it's not too cute it's fine.

**princec** · 03-09-2006 02:07 AM

I think it's very neat, sharp, and stylish, and should appeal even further than these mythical 40yr old women of which you speak.

Cas

**Ricardo C** · 03-09-2006 03:00 AM

Look wonderful!

**Nexic** · 03-09-2006 03:21 AM

Yeh I like that look.

**papillon** · 03-09-2006 03:43 AM

uts on her semi-Adult Female hat:

Looks great to me!

**Sharpfish** · 03-09-2006 04:05 AM

Looks good as is. Can't see any "appeal" problems at all

**yanuart** · 03-09-2006 05:07 AM

ok, i'll continue then.. the artist allready signed the contract anyway

if the game doesn't make me rich.. i put you guys all to blame. ha ha. just kidding

**Bmc** · 03-09-2006 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by yanuart

ok, i'll continue then.. the artist allready signed the contract anyway

if the game doesn't make me rich.. i put you guys all to blame. ha ha. just kidding

it looks good, the most important aspect though is if it's fun or not.

**whisperstorm** · 03-09-2006 06:21 AM

I love the look - stick with it!

**rioka** · 03-09-2006 07:31 AM

Very nice! Stylish and cute. I don't see a problem with women liking it (as far as the graphics go) and hey, you could snag the younger female crowd with it as well.

**Cartman** · 03-09-2006 08:14 AM

I'm already intrigued over just one screenshot, so I think that's a good thing.

It has a professional look without being too sugary. I would go with it.

**Leper** · 03-09-2006 09:29 AM

I like cute games. I'd like to see a cute shmup. Maybe cute looking bugs etc.. wouldnt be such a bad idea.

**electronicStar** · 03-09-2006 09:31 AM

My only problem is nopt with the characters but with the hospital beds.
Maybe they should be made a bit less realistic because it can be a bit depressing for some people.

**cliffski** · 03-09-2006 09:57 AM

I really hate 'cute' looking games for the most part, especially so called tycoon games that try to be all rounded and cartoony and cute...
But I really like this. And then, I liked Cute Knight, so god knows what goes on in my head.

**jankoM** · 03-09-2006 10:08 AM

I like the style but the colors of girl/woman seems very pale / noncontrasted to me.

**turbo** · 03-09-2006 11:59 AM

This isn't the kind of game I would play so maybe I don't qualify as someone to give a meaningful answer.

As for the look, it's very cute.
Your screenshot is very easy on my artist eyes.

But for my personal taste, I like cute. .. for about a second.

Being a woman in games, my preferences are for games like Diablo 2, Summoner, Primal, Champions of Norrath, COV, Soul Reaver series.
Not the casual game arena you are talking about.

These games may be viewed by some as typically played by a male audience.
But as a serious female gamer I think its important to voice the actual fact that many women in gaming are just as hard core as men.
(providing the characters are not overtly sexual in appearance and attitude)

... I think what you have may appeal to a wide female audience ...
(in spite of my own personal tastes)

**Greg Squire** · 03-09-2006 04:30 PM

I believe that a "cuteness factor" appeals to most women, but it can also be "overdone" too. I think the "cuteness factor" in your graphic is about right. Another factor is "colorful", and there's where I think your graphic could improve. It seems "washed out" or "flat". There's too much white in the image, and that green is really strong. I'd color the floor a shade of grey (or blue-grey) or even make a checkerboard pattern out of it. Then I'd make the walls a softer color (and make them look like walls and not like a green screen in a movie set. The nurse/doctor charaters look good. (Although they seem to be identical sisters

)

**z3lda** · 03-09-2006 09:22 PM

How about asking some real female gamers? I'm sure there's game sites geared towards females with a forum? From the replies I say only papillon and turbo are female, and the rest are obvious grown men who like anime and already have an interest in anime art.

Hey just playing devils advocate

BTW, I really like the art, and I'll msg you online to ask about the artist

**Anthony Flack** · 03-10-2006 06:25 AM

There's too much white in the image, and that green is really strong. I'd color the floor a shade of grey (or blue-grey) or even make a checkerboard pattern out of it. Then I'd make the walls a softer color (and make them look like walls and not like a green screen in a movie set. The nurse/doctor charaters look good. (Although they seem to be identical sisters)

Er, I'm assuming that the art is in fact just a couple of tiles and a static character. Not a complete scene.

**rioka** · 03-10-2006 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by z3lda

How about asking some real female gamers? I'm sure there's game sites geared towards females with a forum? From the replies I say only papillon and turbo are female, and the rest are obvious grown men who like anime and already have an interest in anime art.

Hey just playing devils advocate

1) Womengamers.com

2) Correction - three females.

3) It all depends on each individual females views. If someone has a preference for realistic forms, then this art style won't jive with them no matter what. I shouldn't worry about it too much. The casual market equation does tend to include the cute factor. But, if you want, and if you have time, you can offer different add-on skins for say $3 per pack or something after your game is released.

**tentons** · 03-10-2006 01:14 PM

How about just choosing what's best for the game design? Ie, what's the mood of the game? What mood do you want it to have? If it's light and silly and whimsical then a cartoonish style probably fits. Choosing based on what group of people it will appeal to is ignoring the needs of the game and probably doing more harm than good.

I like the style you've got, BTW.

**Tesa** · 03-11-2006 02:24 AM

I think the cuteness factor of these graphics isn't overwhelmingly "kawaii", just cute enough to promise a not-too serious game. And based on this limited sample the graphics seem to be oriented towards giving a clear and non-cluttered game overview, which allows for a fairly large target group.

"Adult" women have as many different tastes as men.
You can assume a lot of women in their 20's are already used to games of most kinds and shapes, so most interfaces and visual styles will work with them.
30's is fairly mixed, but clear and simple UI's without making the user feel dumbed down by the UI are the ticket.

While this doesn't concern games per se, it concerns UI issues that can also be valid in games:
Some years ago, I was in charge of a commercial web site that eventually targetted women of about 40 years old and upwards (wasn't our initial target group, just happened that way because our main partners and advertising channels focused on them). Cuteness wasn't a negative issue with any of them, but what mattered most in the UI and overall experience was clarity. While they did not like to be treated as children, a clarity on par with what you'd give children combined with language and icons that didn't treat them as dumb, seemed to give the most positive user experience.
This is based on the customer feedback we received, as well as the support issues we had with both web-based UI as well as related online campaigns. Our 40-somethings were very vocal on things they liked/disliked, and keen on support/help for every little issue they encountered. They didn't take visual UI elements for granted in the way that most computer-using people would be assumed to. But in the end, once satisfied, they were a most fiercely loyal customer group.

**yanuart** · 03-12-2006 07:49 AM

thanks tessa for a very useful insight! up till now i'm still not sure about wether we can just ignore artstyle to appeal to a certain audience. For example I used to have a girlfriend who refused to watch spongebob just because she doesn't like the look of it and thinks that it's just a kid show.. okay it's a kid show I admit it but funny like hell and even a jaded guy like me can enjoy it at so many level hehe

I wish there's an article about that "clarity" you talked about

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