A visual history of Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison (Discussion)

[Nadia]

Hello everyone since the devs of Ion Maiden where so kind to share all of the old Arworks with us that show us what could have been, and how Shelly evolved over the years, I would like to know what everyone thinks about the old and the current design.

I already know that some people seem to be upset that they don't used one of the more sexualized designs, and blame feminism, SJWs and stuff like that, and I respect the opinion of this people, but please if you guys post here, just stay civil ok?

I realy like the 1997 designs they remind me of something from Image Comics.^^

What I find interessting is, that Shelly is using a Whip on many artworks, so it must have been a part of her character for a long time, I would like to know what was the final reason to cut this detail from the character.


Link to the (NSFW) Newspage with the Artwork: http://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1676902239539040353

[Wendigo]

引用自 Victor Ziblis：

Her bland, even ugly character design is a large part of WHY the game failed. She looked like a shopkeeper with a "bionic" arm made of spare parts.

No disrespect, but that's an unfounded argument. Of the many elements contributing to Bombshell's commercial failure, I haven't seen any strong evidence to suggest the final character design was a major factor. I think that releasing an unfinished game that already didn't have much interest going for it was much more of a factor than how the main character looked.

Her design in bombshell is AGRESSIVELY bland and asexual. She might as well have been just that arm flopping around.

I disagree, but I know you've been grinding this axe for a while, so I know my arguments to the contrary aren't going to convince you. I'd honestly like to know, though, if your objections to the game are purely aesthetic, why did you bother with it at all once you saw what Shelly looked like?

[Mr. Christmas]

Really? Because many of the negative reviews state how bland she is.

I guess you see what you wanna see... but look back at their forums. They had been warned since 2015 how their ideas for Shelly were boring, wrong-headed, and would relegate the game to the discard pile.

The game went INSTANTLY to the discard pile despite having the 3D Realms pedigree. This game is tracking to be way more profitable. Whether you, personally, like it or not is irrelevant. A fun protagonist is the difference between mediocrity and success. Blake Stone was a more fun game than Duke 3D on it's level design and techincal merits; but it's a footnote. Blake was not likeable enough to make up for how much better Doom's level design was. Here's the thing: Doom's a lot better level design than Duke ALSO, but Duke had... Duke. Sure, you could look up and down, and you could go to different floors without teleporting, but so what? Everything past the first three stages was phoned in, while Doom remained consistent throughout and it's sequel.

Duke had Duke.

Bombshell had.. an NPC.

Ion Maiden has the ION MAIDEN. I throw up the horns because I know she will get progressively more and more badass as the levels proceed.

This game will far outsell Bombshell, and this better Shelly will be why.

[PMR]

She doesn't have that terrible hair in the final release does she?

[Mr. Christmas]

Ion Maiden's community group already has more than TWICE the members Bombshell's did.. and Ion Maiden isn't even out yet, for the record.

[Mr. Christmas]

引用自 PMR：

She doesn't have that terrible hair in the final release does she?

I like the hair, but that's just me.

[Wendigo]

引用自 Victor Ziblis：

This game will far outsell Bombshell, and this better Shelly will be why.

It's the same character. Same voice actress. Her hair is different and she doesn't have the robotic arm. You think that's really a huge difference? I don't think it is.

I'm sorry, I think you're trying to rationalize why Ion Maiden is popular, and why you like it, without backpeddling on your complaints about the character design from Bombshell.

I'm not trying to attack you, or anything, it's just your argument about Bombshell failing because of how Shelly looks doesn't hold.

Ion Maiden is popular because it's got a good marketing hook (a first person shooter using the Build engine), and once you check it out you see it's a fun, well made game. That's why it's popular.

In constrast, Bombshell is an isometric shooter, which is not nearly as popular a genre, and is a buggy, broken mess. Not to mention that it's wildly overpriced. That's why it failed.

[Zaxx]

引用自 Victor Ziblis：

Ion Maiden's community group already has more than TWICE the members Bombshell's did.. and Ion Maiden isn't even out yet, for the record.

I hope the game will be successful alright but I don't think you should come to such conclusions at this point. The buzz seems to be there but let's not forget that a lot of Bombshell owners got the preview campaign for free.

[Zaxx]

引用自 EmmaGees：

Ion Maiden is popular because it's got a good marketing hook (a first person shooter using the Build engine), and once you check it out you see it's a fun, well made game. That's why it's popular.

In constrast, Bombshell is an isometric shooter, which is not nearly as popular a genre, and is a buggy, broken mess. Not to mention that it's wildly overpriced. That's why it failed.

I agree but I think some credit should be given to the character design since it improves a lot on Bombshell's 2016 looks. Even from the preview campaign it seems obvious that IM is the better game (by a country mile to be brutally honest) but having a character that actually resonates with people is part of that.

[StrikerTheHedgefox]

引用自 Maindrian：

Yeah, thouroughly interesting little peek at what could have been. I do like the more practical designs, though I'll freely admit, if I saw any of the more cheesecake earlier ones as a teenager, I'd have been all on board. They all conform to that 90's OTT comic book style where everything's amped up to 11 and would have fit right into a Duke game from around that time. Not an aesthetic that's aged well, pretty cringey, but charming if you look at it as a product of its time.

Some of the "WAAAH, FEMINISMS" comments underneath are flat out embarrassing. The sort of people who bleat about everybody being so easily offended, then throw their toys out of the pram when they see a turn of phrase that upsets them or that they deem "SJW" or whatever.

Like, come on, grow a backbone. Not everything's a secret plot by the matriarchy to deprive you of boobage.

+1

[Green Skeleton]

引用自 Maindrian：

Like, come on, grow a backbone. Not everything's a secret plot by the matriarchy to deprive you of boobage.

No, but it's a definite virtue signal by numales and I won't be supporting this flop of a game.

[Zaxx]

引用自 Green Skeleton：

it's a definite virtue signal by numales

Wtf, haha. :DD What does that even mean? :D Grow a brain or something.

[Green Skeleton]

引用自 Zaxx：

引用自 Green Skeleton：

it's a definite virtue signal by numales

Wtf, haha. :DD What does that even mean?

https://web.archive.org/web/20180322155317/http://steamcommunity.com/games/562860/announcements/detail/1676902239539040353

The first concepts of Shelly were drawn in 1997, and had a heavy emphasis on sexualization, which was not uncomon the mid-nineties, although a bit embarrasing looking back with 2018 glasses;

:D Grow a brain or something.

Right back atchya.

[Durandal]

To be honest, there'd be no point in an initial design like that unless you could look down and see your boobs, which I don't think can be pulled off quite right in a 2.5D engine like Build, so I fully understand where the developers are coming from.

[Zaxx]

引用自 Green Skeleton：

The first concepts of Shelly were drawn in 1997, and had a heavy emphasis on sexualization, which was not uncomon the mid-nineties, although a bit embarrasing looking back with 2018 glasses;

What you quoted is just a collection of facts. The thing is that sexualization would have made sense for early DNF because there Bombshell was just an NPC, a hot chick with an attitude towards Duke. In order for that attitude to work she should look like a blonde bimbo because that's the kind of women Duke has an affection for.

When you take Shelly out of the Duke world sexualization becomes pointless because this version of the character is "just" a tough cop. If you get this you'll quickly realize that the decision to make Bombshell less of a sexy piece of ass and more of a tough chick is not about giving the okay to any kind of extremist dialogue (yours included), it's simply about matching the context of the world of Ion Maiden.

And really the thing is that while you Americans wrestle in the cesspit you call politics the rest of the world doesn't really care, especially when it comes to Europe.

[Nadia]

引用自 VertigoOne：

To be honest, there'd be no point in an initial design like that unless you could look down and see your boobs, which I don't think can be pulled off quite right in a 2.5D engine like Build, so I fully understand where the developers are coming from.

To be Fair, I remember from Duke 3D and Blood that Build can do working mirrors, so maybe some people would want to look at her that way.^^