Volition Producer Compares Developing Saints Row 3 to "Defining Porn"

[Logan Westbrook]

Volition Producer Compares Developing Saints Row 3 to "Defining Porn"

Some ideas are just too extreme to put in a videogame, even when that game is the new Saints Row.

Saints Row: The Third's [http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Row-Third-Xbox-360/dp/B004QEV0MI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1299678683&sr=8-1] senior producer, Greg Donovan, says that Volition, the studio behind the series, is playing it by ear when it comes to deciding what is and isn't appropriate for the game. He compared it to "defining porn," saying that there were no hard and fast rules, but that the studio knew it when it saw it.

Despite the Saints Row series' rather tongue-in-cheek, cartoonish violence, Donovan said that some of the ideas that people came up with went further than Volition was willing to go. As an example, he described one weapon that won't be appearing in the game: the fart in a jar grenade. The idea was that the jar contained flatulence so terrible that anyone caught in the blast would be too busy vomiting to engage in combat. Apparently, some of the team liked the concept, but others weren't so keen, so Volition decided to scrap it.

Donovan said that other suggestions that people had come up with were so bad that he didn't even want to repeat them, which is quite remarkable when you consider how violent and/or over the top some of Saints Row 2 was. While it won't be as bad as it could have been, THQ is boasting that Saints Row: The Third will feature some of the most "outlandish gameplay scenarios" around. Some of the things that the game does include are skydiving with tanks, airstrikes on Mexican gangs, and fighting off military personnel with a sex toy.

Saints Row: The Third is penciled in for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in the fourth quarter of this year.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/291973/news/new-saints-row-3-details/]



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[LavaLampBamboo]

I think sometimes they should just go crazy. Like skydiving with tanks for example. But Fart in a Jar does sound quite cool.

 

[CptRumGuy]

Yeah, fart in a jar is pretty lame. Good call on scrapping that one. This sounds pretty exciting though, I really enjoyed Saints Row 2 and this sounds just as ridiculous and awesome. All I hope they fix is that silly "respect" system to unlock missions and maybe put a little more variety in the female voice actors (because with a game that silly, it's just that much more funny to watch a skinny girl pick up and toss around countless huge thugs).

 

[Super Toast]

This game is now on my pre-order list. Also, glad they didn't go with that fart in a jar thing. That sounded kinda lame.

 

[MrGalactus]

fighting off military personnel with a sex toy.

So that's cool, but fart in jar is too much? Volition have interesting standards.

 

[WilliamRLBaker]

WHAT?! that sounds like an awesome grenade throwing it, people busy throwing up and running up and sucker punching them...

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I'm glad that fart in a jar is gone, but more because it just sounds lame.

I do like the idea of having standards though, given that the second game not only allows, but requires for you to

Spoiler

lock a gang leader's girlfriend in the trunk of her car then put it at the end of a demolition derby line, meaning the gang leader crushed his own girlfriend.

I don't think there's anywhere you can really go from there unless you start trying to add comedic rape as a side-quest.

 

[Gladion]

Aw, shame. I long await the day when a developer decides to make a game that acknowledges no taboos whatsoever.

Spoiler

But I'm sure you knew about those.
I think Volition don't want their Saint's game to become the "new Postal", otherwise they would've just rolled with anything.

 

[coldfrog]

fighting off military personnel with a sex toy.

So that's cool, but fart in jar is too much? Volition have interesting standards.

It feels more like the problem would have been the excess amount of vomiting. I'm not a fan of it to begin with, and just having every enemy start spewing would quickly destroy what small amusement was left.

Plus, the processor couldn't handle the particle effects.

 

[Sean Strife]

Hopefully Saints Row 3 keeps up the tradition of being the best Grand Theft Auto game I've ever played.

 

[Natdaprat]

There should be a line between Saints Row, and Postal. Fart in a jar makes that line less obvious.

Saints Row is a unique kind of violence. Unlike GTA4, nobody takes it seriously, which is why it's so fun.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

If there's one thing you can count on Saints Row for, it's mindless fun.

 

[katsumoto03]

I am now really, really excited for this game.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Yeah, fart in a jar is pretty lame. Good call on scrapping that one. This sounds pretty exciting though, I really enjoyed Saints Row 2 and this sounds just as ridiculous and awesome. All I hope they fix is that silly "respect" system to unlock missions and maybe put a little more variety in the female voice actors (because with a game that silly, it's just that much more funny to watch a skinny girl pick up and toss around countless huge thugs).

My chick looked like Dr Girlfriend (Venture Bros) so I gave her the Australian dude's voice.

I too am glad they nixed fart in a jar. I'm sure it would be cool in the next Conker game but not for SR3. I love how zany the game is but it shouldn't turn into an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon.

This is probably the game I'm most looking forward to right now.

 

[Splashtastic]

Cannot wait for this. Cannot wait.

Skydiving with tanks... HIYA.

 

[Squilookle]

A fart grenade?

I DEMAND THIS TO BE INCLUDED BACK IN RIGHT NOW!

Yeah tell me about it- what's wrong with a fart in a jar?

I hate to say it, but I'm sure at least someone in San Andreas has already fought "off military personnel with a sex toy."

You know Sandboxes are getting competitive when you can't even have that without it being done before...