Developer Blames "American Culture" for Greenlight Ban

[Daystar Clarion]

Maybe Steam have no problem with sex.


Maybe they just have a problem with terribly sexists dating sims that objectify women.

 

[cikame]

It's not exactly porn but i think a game like this belongs in a similar catagory.

The Sims is an example of a game that's totally acceptable with the way it displays close social relationships... Wuhbam, now you have a baby, circle of life etc...
But weird single minded dating game? The people playing this want it for the sex, so it's porn, and doesn't belong on Steam.

 

[Bindal]

The Witcher 2 is okay and though it's not focused on erotic stuff- it has perhaps way more sex and breasts exposed then this game has.

What if "Secude Me" had even more exposure and maybe even explicit sex-scenes in it? Because from what I could get from the descriptions, that's exactly what the game was about. No gameplay, just porn. Compared to that, Witcher 2 was probably still decent. Not mild, far from it.
Plus, as it was pointed out countless times, the sex was NOT the main-selling point of Witcher 2. It was far more a side-thing.

 

[Zerstiren]

I don't think Valve has a problem with the idea of a dating game; rather, they take issue with how No Reply conceptualized it. The game mimics reality-tv, a very shallow format which doesn't allow for any character depth. If it were allowed to float around in the Steam Greenlight discussions, the voters would have come to a similar conclusion. It would have set an inappropriate precedent for other game developers to focus on racy images and making small mentions of the taboo, without going in depth of whatever they're exploring.

 

[LadyTL]

I'm probably going to get scolded or quoted for this, but I think Steam handled this the wrong way. I may not approve of the Dev's game and it looks like it's meant to be erotic but I think it should of been allowed to stay on Greenlight and get discussed rather then just flat out removed and Valve (well not attacking but) getting on them with these rules of conduct. I would like to know how it was overall offensive and why like someone said, The Witcher 2 is okay and though it's not focused on erotic stuff- it has perhaps way more sex and breasts exposed then this game has.

This reminds me of that COD celebration where they invited a porn star, but then declined her invitation because heaven forbid the porn star make an appearance at a place where it's to show how many enemies you can gun down in a war-based game. Violence gets leeway all to much without people realizing it's as brutal or questionable as erotic stuff, even if it's mild teasing so to speak. You can do better Valve, you don't have to accept the game but don't freak out on us now.

Yeah, let's leave on those other fake games too for discussion...Wait that wasn't what Greenlight is for...Maybe they should have brought it up in the forums instead.

Also Witcher didn't have explicit shots of vag and penis and penetration that people could fap to. Witcher also had an actual GAME to go along with the sex which meant you usually don't just play the sex mini-game the entire time.

The difference here was Steam did not invite porn onto Greenlight, they just decided to show up and then got mad that people didn't want it.

Steam doesn't seem to mind sex in games but doesn't allow sex games. The two are not the same btw.

 

[LazyAza]

Well she's not wrong, America IS one of the most prudish nations on the planet where sex is demonized and violence is glorified far more often than in other cultures. Never really understood why but I suspect religion and very narrow minded views in general play a big part in it.

 

[jFr[e]ak93]

So it's a sex sim. This belongs on-line, not on a service. I doubt EB Games or Gamestop would carry this. Why should Steam not doing so be such a big deal?

 

[axlryder]

Pure sex games are, by and large, synonymous with overly-simplistic garbage designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. This game appears no different. Steam has some semblance of class and quality, no reason to resort to selling crappy sex games you'd find on Newgrounds. Just as I don't want to be browsing a mall and have sex posters shoved in my face, I'd rather not have to see that stuff on Steam.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I do find this rather odd given that it was on the Greenlight service. The whole point of the service, as I understand it, is to see what the Steam uaer base supports and wants to see on Steam itself. From what I've seen and read about the game, it wasn't particularly offensive, and If the game was bad or not wanted it would never have made it onto Steam anyway.

If it's going to start cherry picking games for Greenlight content wise, I think, at the least, Valve needs to be more explicit about what they deem "offensive."

 

[LadyTL]

I do find this rather odd given that it was on the Greenlight service. The whole point of the service, as I understand it, is to see what the Steam uaer base supports and wants to see on Steam itself. From what I've seen and read about the game, it wasn't particularly offensive, and If the game was bad or not wanted it would never have made it onto Steam anyway.

If it's going to start cherry picking games for Greenlight content wise, I think, at the least, Valve needs to be more explicit about what they deem "offensive."

They can't make a list of what is offensive because the moment they do some jerk will make a game using everything that isn't on the list and then throw a fit about how it should be allowed because it wasn't on the list.

 

[axlryder]

Maximize your relationship score with one of the four main female characters and you win the game, getting yet another erotic cut scene as a reward.

Women are a sex vending-machine; max our your points, put in enough friendship tokens and you get to have sex with them!

*sigh*

Not far off from people in the real world, really. *take to dinner* *be witty* *buy nice purse* *get sexed*
Sure, there are a few more variables to consider, but the general mentalities are hardly all that different.

Art imitates life.

 

[Jobbie]

I am sure you could find other ways of selling your game. It just won't be on steam. I wouldn't label all of America as prudish. Have you seen the AVN awards? Sex is everywhere in the US and it's never been stronger. It's Valve's company, it's Valve's choice. Get over it.

 

[axlryder]

Maximize your relationship score with one of the four main female characters and you win the game, getting yet another erotic cut scene as a reward.

Women are a sex vending-machine; max our your points, put in enough friendship tokens and you get to have sex with them!

*sigh*

Not far off from the real world, really. *take to dinner* *be witty* *buy nice purse* *get sexed*

Art imitates life.

Ironically, I would imagine people that attempt to treat meeting a partner like that wouldn't get much sex.

You'd sadly be very wrong. Of course, money and looks help quite a bit.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Not only was the game made by a woman, I'd be willing to bet all my sex tokens that over 80% of the audience of this type of game is female too.

Burden of proof is on you for that one, buddy. Until then, your numbers don't mean anything.

Oh and not that it matters, but the game was co-written by a woman. But, again, why would the gender of someone behind something make it any less fucking stupid >_>

Women account for 74% of casual gaming: http://www.kefsensei.com/blog/game-industry/casual-games-report-2007/
The average social gamer is a 43 year old female: http://www.conceivablytech.com/426/products/the-next-frontier-female-gaming-demographics
"Snack-based" casual gaming appeals to women: http://www.news.com.au/technology/women-fuel-4bn-casual-games-industry/story-e6frfro0-1225935831836
Most casual gamers are women: http://borderhouseblog.com/?p=1414
70% casual gamers women: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/tech/Video-Game-Moms-142869815.html

Besides all that, vacuous 'relationship' based social games, in the same way as 50 Shades of Gray, are bait for lonely females. I can't see too many teenage boys being attracted to this stuff, or older men for that matter.

 

[Entitled]

Has anyone here actually tried the game yet?

Because it seems like some people are simply jumping to conclusions that it has sex in it, therefore it is a trashy sex simulator with no merit at all.

I can't deny that, because I haven't read it either, but on it's own, the argument sounds awfully similar to Fox News's "Mass Effect is Star Wars meets Debbie Does Dallas", or to the same claims that you can see on forums regarding many Japanese visual novels, that also have sex scenes, an also happen to be some of the most compelling narrative stories I have ever read.