News Erotic game booted off Greenlight

Well the silly thing about some of the objections that we have is that porn isn't just sexual, it is sometimes degrading and objectivises women or men. Which by itself isn't silly, yet most of us are quite happy to watch shows that continually do this for all our want and giggles yet never show any skin. As though hounding a girl for sex, making male chauvanist comments and reinforcing negative stereotypes are ok, as long as they aren't naked and doing it.

Mass Effect was definitely a good example of a game that tackled all of these issues well.

 

Good for steam

 

As much as I think there should be freedom to experss "creativity" in any way, whether it in a story, with graphics, gore or sex. I'd watch an "erotic movie" than play an erotic game

 

I think we're a long way off having AI good enough for building believable relationships within the framework of a game, but we're already at the point where as players we can have an emotional attachment 'to' a character even if it's not an emotional attachment 'with' a character.

As to games handling 'just' relationships. I don't think that's possible as you can't have a relationship without there being a wider context... well not unless you create some sealed room 'Chat-line 2000 Pro' chat up simulator... but then you're not talking about relationships either.

Personally, I think exploring the intricacies of human relationships should be something we work on when we're not playing computer games.

Let's have games that get us attached to our characters / avatars but keep a step back from attempting to simulate relationships with them.

 

In the spirit of fairness & observing the age rating and <insert whatever other PC caveat you like>will BT review it?

 

I dont understand why this conversation has turned to children, it has nothing to do with children. The game should be rated the same as any other title and it is then up to the parent whether they let their child play it. The fact that many parents will happily let their child sit there and play COD but wouldnt show them Apocalypse Now is nothing to do with the games industry, its to do with people's conception of what a game is and who its for.

Personally I would never buy this nonsense, but I dont think adults should be stopped from buying this nonsense if they want.

 

TBH, I don't really care. A store can sell what it chooses to, we should only be bothered if legislation arises to stop the sale of adult orientated games.

 

The purpose of most games falls into the category of "play", which is also the primary domain of children. It's hard to differentiate the two - the actual gameplay of CoD falls neatly into the mock-childish violence all kids partake in (the "pew pew" activities that Guinevere so eloquently put it). It's just to content of the gameplay that makes it "adult".

True adult games are the ones that no child would enjoy, something like EVE Online. In the context of something like that (which is still arguably a game), I reckon the introduction of sex (ignoring the fact it wouldn't be relevant to the game) wouldn't bother anyone, because it's an adult environment.

I think as long as we keep producing games that have childish gameplay, sexual and other truly adult themes will remain taboo.

 

As far as I'm concerned the rating system is there for a reason, its not even very different from the film ratings system nowadays so you can draw direct parallels between the two. I understand what you are getting at with the words "play" and "game" however I dont think an industry should be hamstrung because of semantics.

People are far too quick to point the finger at society or the industry but never seem to mention a parents willingness to bow to [their child's] peer pressure. All it takes is a bit of backbone and common sense.

 

Steam can do what they want frankly, if they choose not to sell it then so be it. I have a feeling this isn't as black and white as it first may seem. Seeing as it was taken down so quickly, I think maybe there is content in the game that isn't strictly offensive just because of it's sexual nature.

It does seem a tad ridiculous in this day and age that erotic games aren't accepted. But you can look at it from many angles.


For instance, you do see violent films on Sky Movies. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Wouldn't you be a bit shocked if all of a sudden, the announcer said "Next on Sky Movies, Big Black **** in Dad's daughter".

...I think so, yes.

They'll just have to take their business elsewhere and stop complaining.

 

I can see why they did this.

If they let one through, it would set precedence for others. Others could be blatant porn. Then they would have to draw a line about what is and is not acceptable and justify it. Blanket ban is easier and for the most part makes sense, at least until the is age verification built into Steam.

 

BUT there are channels on Sky where you can get aforementioned adult material should you so wish (and if you have a credit card).

Fair enough Valve may not have the infrastructure or the demand to set up an Adult XXX section on steam but they could if they wanted to, which is fine thats the way it should be - anyone who wanted "Big Black **** in Dad's daughter" (brilliant by the way) could have it. In fact I'm fairly sure there are sites in Japan which will provide just that kind of content in game form (but Japanese sexuality is another ball game).

 

True, but the point is the conventional Sky Movie channels aren't going to show pornographic films. There are P4V channels which are dedicated to just that to avoid any 'misunderstandings'.

I think it's safe to say this is no different. There isn't any pornographic material on there yet, so why should there be now. Valve aren't canning the distribution of the game, they're just waving their right to not want this on their store. Which I can fully understand.

 

Too late. People are already having relationships through their avatars in MMORPG's. Some of them get pretty intense. In some cases there have been in-game weddings and affairs. Occasionally they have resulted in real life marriages --or divorces.

 

But this is still two people communicating through what could be described as a chat room. Actually chatting up an AI that gives convincing responses is a way off.

 

Relatively guilt & consequence free though, no?

 

Agreed. It would have to be ancilliary to a story, yet the prominant part of the gameplay... which is why it would have to be a Quantic Dreams type of game.

 

And without reward! Unless we could fit a flesh light into a 5.25 drive bay and then......no i'll stop there.

What was that free game that came out a few years ago about a couple having an argument and you had to try and sort it out? It was pretty impressive and disappointing at the same time I want to say charade? masquerade?

 

The day I lose a partner to video game intimacy... is the day I lose a partner to video game intimacy. I'd imagine the 5.25inch flesh light bay may also have something to do with it.

 

Hope that's not a shared pc then.....

(i just made myself feel ever so slightly sick...)