Developer Blames "American Culture" for Greenlight Ban

[Therumancer]

Hmmm, well I think there is a message here people should take note of in that one of the developers of this game is a woman (for future discussions on exploitation and the like), that said this isn't especially surprising. In the final equasion this seems to be a low grade sex game with no other purpose really except sexual content, with even the gameplay taking place towards that end. What's more there is the issue of the erotic scenes. Without having seen what was released about the game, it's hard to make any definitive comments, but I'm guessing that what we're dealing with here went beyond something like "The Witcher" in terms of how "intense" the content was. Not to mention that "The Witcher" has a point to it beyond having sex, where that is only a sideline. It's the differance between an "R" rated movie and an "X rated" work of soft porn, one gets to be shown in the general movie theaters and the other in specialty theaters because of the focus.


According to some rumors "Bonetown", "Bonecraft", "Red Light District", and "Naughty America" were all tossed at STEAM at various times for inclusion on the serice and turned down, if that happens to be true, it is consistant.

Now whether or not STEAM should allow purely "adult" material on their service is another debate entirely. The problem of course being that it might actually cut into the users on their service, due to the nessicary safeguards being a pain in the arse if nothing else.

For the most part I've personally thought we needed more sex, and even more violence in games and to get away from some of the ratings standards, BUT in terms of quality productions. The thing is that stuff like this game, and various low-grade hentai dating sims don't really make the point for why it should be done. When I make arguements like that I'm generally pushing for survival horror games like "Silent Hill" that literally do not pull any punches or write around and play coy with certain subject matter, as opposed to someone trying to basically toss minigames into an erotic light novel and call it a game, which is what this seems to be.

 

[theultimateend]

Doesn't sound like a particularly compelling game but... I find it funny that a game where people are trying to improve their personal relationship to a point of a natural act that pretty much everyone experiences at some time in their life is "offensive". Yet games where people routinely maim and kill each other are not offensive.

Real life sex = normal. Game sex = offensive.
Game killing = normal. Real life killing = offensive.

Yeah I've always found that weird.

To me the absolute worst thing is murder and bodily harm, yet most folks don't seem all that averse to watching all sorts of entertainment involving it.

Throw in a titty though...END OF THE WORLD.

 

[bafrali]

They ban this game because its too offensive, yet they sell The Witcher 2, which has full blown Sex scenes with near full frontal nudity, not to mention gratuitous violence... Hypocritical much?

I want this game to come out so I can play it JUST BECAUSE steam banned it now.

This would be incredibly shallow of you and i don't recommend it.

OT: Does anyone really care about this game? If you want porn, go watch porn. Don't let irritating gameplay mechanics between you and the tits.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Everywhere has a culture. Why the hating on the USA?

No, not really. There is no singular US culture, there are many of them. Just like most countries on the planet, there are multiple cultures in each. Unless you're talking about somewhere like North Korea, but even they likely have multiple cultures, regardless of how suppressed they are. Even autocratic regimes have their dissenters.

For example, does the USA embrace or detest gaming culture? Does it hate or love gay people? Depending on who you speak to, it could go either way.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

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

Humans are point vending-machines. Kill enough of them, and you get to upgrade your weapons, so you can kill more of them.

 

[robotam]

When you bill your game as "Erotic Strategy Sim" what the hell do you expect? seriously? Sorry but the dev is something of an idiot in this case to be surprised or outraged by this. It's like being outraged because you can't show your homemade porn at the local mall multiplex.

Oh believe me you can show your homemade porn at the local mall multiplex, but you sure do get in a lot of trouble.

OT: I'm with Valve on this, not just because if I was them I wouldn't want to be associated with Sex games, but also because the game looked shite.

 

[Rainboq]

Everywhere has a culture. Why the hating on the USA?

No, not really. There is no singular US culture, there are many of them. Just like most countries on the planet, there are multiple cultures in each. Unless you're talking about somewhere like North Korea, but even they likely have multiple cultures, regardless of how suppressed they are. Even autocratic regimes have their dissenters.

For example, does the USA embrace or detest gaming culture? Does it hate or love gay people? Depending on who you speak to, it could go either way.

I said EVERYWHERE. There is global culture, national culture, state culture, municipal culture, neighborhood culture, household culture, etc.

 

[Kajin]

Seduce Me sounds exactly like half of the games currently on Newgrounds.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I kind of have to wonder why anyone even makes games like this, or why people buy them. If it's for the story or gameplay elements, there are MUCH better games out there, and if it's for the sexual aspect, when why the hell bother with the game when internet porn is free?

 

[orangeapples]

Bellard blames what she describes as an "American culture" problem for the takedown, saying that Valve is playing it safe by adhering to prudish American values when it comes to sex and violence. Bellard cites Steam sales as accounting for somewhere between 90 to 95% of an indie's total sales; assuming Bellard's figures are accurate this is make-or-break stuff for companies like No Reply.

So... there is no violence in games on steam?

 

[Scorpid]

Not having seen anything of this game except for what I just read. The game looks kind of trashy subject wise, so I suppose I won't be crying about this game not showing up on steam.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Yeah, American culture, whatever. Go to Japan you'll do well there.

I'd care more if the game wasn't entirely sleesy and uninspired sounding... and also sexist sounding if your reward really is 'hurr hurr, naked ladies.' If you want to make a point then make a good game to make your point.

 

[Risingblade]

So pay to play for a chance to see porn?

 

[Furrama]

So, it's a Japanese dating sim (but not Japanese I guess) trying to pretend to be a proper game and not a choose your own adventure novel in visual form? Sorry, let this thing on and half the games will be pornographic dating sims. They're cheap to make and even cheaper to sell.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

I said EVERYWHERE. There is global culture, national culture, state culture, municipal culture, neighborhood culture, household culture, etc.

No, there is not. Nobody attributes their culture to the world, or a nation, or even a household. Our culture only belongs to us as individuals. If you try to compare your own sense of culture to other people, even your direct family, you will find that it quickly breaks down because you have personal differences about how you see the world.

Also, you were talking about culture specifically in terms of the USA. Would you care to define what the USA culture is, exactly?

 

[Rainboq]

I said EVERYWHERE. There is global culture, national culture, state culture, municipal culture, neighborhood culture, household culture, etc.

No, there is not. Nobody attributes their culture to the world, or a nation, or even a household. Our culture only belongs to us as individuals. If you try to compare your own sense of culture to other people, even your direct family, you will find that it quickly breaks down because you have personal differences about how you see the world.

Also, you were talking about culture specifically in terms of the USA. Would you care to define what the USA culture is, exactly?

I was talking about spheres of culture, while the boarders of culture are hard to define, I was speaking generally.

And before I can even begin to answer that, would you kindly define culture?

 

[Aardvaarkman]

I was talking about spheres of culture, while the boarders of culture are hard to define, I was speaking generally.

OK, so what is the "sphere" of US culture?

And before I can even begin to answer that, would you kindly define culture?

Certainly. Put simply, it's a lie. A myth designed to homogenize people and rob them of their individuality.

 

[Folji]

Seduce Me sounds exactly like half of the games currently on Newgrounds.

I was thinking the same thing, the whole "fuck-sim" concept that the game obviously is sounds like the kind of thing the M-rated part of Newgrounds would host. Only more professional.