How SHOULD sex scenes in games work?
- Thread starter Zechnophobe
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Not a clue. I have no idea how western games even manage, though apparently the answer is "not well at all."
I do like the way a lot of my Japanese games do it: explicit, non-interactive, and generally near the end of the game. The ones that have sex earlier than that are more often than not those "all about the sex" ones.
I do like the way a lot of my Japanese games do it: explicit, non-interactive, and generally near the end of the game. The ones that have sex earlier than that are more often than not those "all about the sex" ones.
I second that. Graphical game sex is always awkward and silly. Implication works far better.Julianking93 said:
I really liked the sex scene between my female Hawke and Isabela in Dragon Age 2.
I'm not too sure if it differs for male Hawke, but it got across the throes of passion rather well, without going 'BUM!!' like Mass Effect did.
I'm not too sure if it differs for male Hawke, but it got across the throes of passion rather well, without going 'BUM!!' like Mass Effect did.
Well, I do agree that it's tough to get it right. I think if Uncharted 2 had tried doing an actual sex scene it would have been great, but then, they did use motion capture. The few steamier parts of that were pretty realistic.Julianking93 said:
I actually thought the Heavy Rain scene and the whole romance pretty good overall. I mean, yeah, it had a bit of cheese and the QTE stuff was just... ugh... but anyway, it was better than what God of War did! Hah.
The Witcher actually doesn't show any sex scenes, it's implied when it gives you the card (with some vague actions occuring in the background). Often it would then go to the "after sex" part, like with Shani in her undies or whatever.
Or how about in Fable, where there's no video but you get really funny audio? I thought that was awesome, considering the humour of the game.
Anyway for a meaningful scene, I think the only way to do it right would have to be motion capture or else it'll most likely look really cheezy as we've seen in basically all BioWare games. So aside from that, implication would be best.
Really this is all a bit pointless in my eyes the only reason i think they put sex in some games is for either character developement ( duke nukem lolz) or to further deepen your expeirience with the character (see dragon age) so it doesnt just feel like a bunch of pixels but more like an actuall personAnythingOutstanding said:
I'm slightly more concerned with how they'll manage to do sex scenes in games with Kinect xD.Jelly ^.^ said:
Regarding the OP's point, I can't really see much of a problem with having sex scenes themselves, they can be useful for story-telling just as they are in films, books, and so on. But I don't think we really need to see anything, I agree with some others in this thread who say it should be implied. If the sex is there in the game, whether interactive or in a cutscene, then we need to make sure the technology is actually able to handle it, otherwise we'll simply see more of what we get in Heavy Rain/Dragon Age/Mass Effect/etc... which frankly looks like a bit of a mess graphically speaking. Maybe in a few years time, when graphics technology is even better than it is now, and after we've passed the 'Uncanny Valley' stage, then we can start exploring ways of making sex scenes work in games. For now, it's good to have them, but better to keep them implied and off-screen. Plus, the parents can't complain then about their little 12-year-old seeing 'graphic carnal imagery' in games that are meant for ages 16 and up...
Imo there are two games that have got it "right". And by right I dont mean perfect, just, good.Zechnophobe said:
1: Witcher. The cards were sexy and nice, and without a doubt one of the most fun things I've collected in an rpg ever. EVER. It seems CD Project knew they were not going to be able to make the scenes themselves sexy, so they just faded out. Rather that than awful cartoon sex.
2: Mass Effect 2. With Tali. The cameras fade out before any actual action, and it was natural that she had so much clothes because of her biology. Also, it was funny/cute. Too many sex scenes forget that sex can be just that, funny. The dialogue and situation made me laugh, instead of being just cheesy.
I dont mind sex scenes being explicit, in fact I think I'd prefer an awful cartoon penis instead of the eternal dry humping of pg-13 games. Either do it, or dont. Not this in between crap. Or solve it like witcher/tali did it. Those work. Imo.
I think what's less important isn't how it's depicted, but more about why it happens. Games generally give us much more limited choices in a romantic relationship because there are fixed personalities with fixed responses, and nothing really adding to any kind of interpersonal dynamic. Imagine a game with broader appeal, where the woman or man you're going to become intimate with in the game demonstrated the traits you would normally find genuinely attractive the the first place.
Suppose, for example, a love interest in Mass Effect wasn't the result of choosing the positive replies to their inane babble, but was instead because they do something genuinely endearing. Writing is too amateur and stiff and AI too basic at the moment, bot someday a series of simple questions followed by actions the player takes during the course of the game might be how the designers introduce you to a virtual relationship that amounts to more than a brief and needlessly censored moment of passion or collectible nude cards.
As far as how the act should be depicted, rather than a cutscene something a little more interactive would be better. Doesn't have to be lewd, but if I'm sitting there watching a scene unfold I'm no longer playing a game. Fahrenheit was a step in the right direction in this regard.
Suppose, for example, a love interest in Mass Effect wasn't the result of choosing the positive replies to their inane babble, but was instead because they do something genuinely endearing. Writing is too amateur and stiff and AI too basic at the moment, bot someday a series of simple questions followed by actions the player takes during the course of the game might be how the designers introduce you to a virtual relationship that amounts to more than a brief and needlessly censored moment of passion or collectible nude cards.
As far as how the act should be depicted, rather than a cutscene something a little more interactive would be better. Doesn't have to be lewd, but if I'm sitting there watching a scene unfold I'm no longer playing a game. Fahrenheit was a step in the right direction in this regard.
Should be the same as movies, really.
Not too explicit because then it's childish or, you know, porn. Should be as tastefully done as possible. Generally, imply sex took place without actually showing it, unless there is something crucial to the story/romance that needs to be seen in the scene.
And don't do sex at all if it doesn't add anything to the characters or plot. Seriously. There is a whole internet for people who just want to see some gratuitous genital grinding. All you're going to accomplish by tossing it in there is making everyone in the room uncomfortable or paranoid someone is going to walk in any moment and get the wrong idea.
I mean, yeah, you'll probably make some section of the fans very happy that their in-game avatar/favourite possession-sue just did the nasty with the object of their perverse sexual lust, but generally those guys can pander to themselves. Fanfiction/art is pretty fucking decent exposure, you know. A whole ad campaign, completely free.
That's my opinion, anyway.
Not too explicit because then it's childish or, you know, porn. Should be as tastefully done as possible. Generally, imply sex took place without actually showing it, unless there is something crucial to the story/romance that needs to be seen in the scene.
And don't do sex at all if it doesn't add anything to the characters or plot. Seriously. There is a whole internet for people who just want to see some gratuitous genital grinding. All you're going to accomplish by tossing it in there is making everyone in the room uncomfortable or paranoid someone is going to walk in any moment and get the wrong idea.
I mean, yeah, you'll probably make some section of the fans very happy that their in-game avatar/favourite possession-sue just did the nasty with the object of their perverse sexual lust, but generally those guys can pander to themselves. Fanfiction/art is pretty fucking decent exposure, you know. A whole ad campaign, completely free.
That's my opinion, anyway.
Depends very much on what you want to achieve with it.
Do you (merely) want to arouse your audience?
Do you want to convey an important romantic story element and how it evolves?
Do you want to showcase a new dimension to the characters, how they react to each other and the situation?
Or is it meant to be a desperate and/or disturbing act with nothing in way of sensuality?
Depending on the purpose of it, the overall setup, visual style, depicted sex acts, level of explicitness etc. could vary immensely. Context and overall story purpose matters most of all, and the direction of any scene - including sex scenes - is generally derived from it.
I hold absolutely nothing against explicit sex scenes - might well enjoy them even - if only they're done with respect of the overall story material (and aren't too disturbing in what they depict...). Though of course, pure porn - sex for no other purpose than audience arousal, with no connection to story or characterization - should stick to pure porn games, as it's little but a bother in a story that actually tries to go somewhere.
Do you (merely) want to arouse your audience?
Do you want to convey an important romantic story element and how it evolves?
Do you want to showcase a new dimension to the characters, how they react to each other and the situation?
Or is it meant to be a desperate and/or disturbing act with nothing in way of sensuality?
Depending on the purpose of it, the overall setup, visual style, depicted sex acts, level of explicitness etc. could vary immensely. Context and overall story purpose matters most of all, and the direction of any scene - including sex scenes - is generally derived from it.
I hold absolutely nothing against explicit sex scenes - might well enjoy them even - if only they're done with respect of the overall story material (and aren't too disturbing in what they depict...). Though of course, pure porn - sex for no other purpose than audience arousal, with no connection to story or characterization - should stick to pure porn games, as it's little but a bother in a story that actually tries to go somewhere.
Making it implicit is the best route, I think.
That way it leaves it up to the player whether they imagine nothing going on, or whether they imagine RAWRTIGRESSMODEENGAGED!
Hell, back in FF7, when Cloud and Tifa are sitting alone under the airship near the end of the game (which then fades to the next morning), I had two experiences. The first time I played it at age 13, I thought nothing of it. When I played it again around when I was around 19, I got the impression that they ended up going at it that night.
Also, I would VERY much approve of the characters advancing their relationship over the course of the game (like actually having moments where they hug, or kiss or whatever) instead of going straight from "I like talking to you" to "I WANT YOU NOW!" in the final chapter.
That way it leaves it up to the player whether they imagine nothing going on, or whether they imagine RAWRTIGRESSMODEENGAGED!
Hell, back in FF7, when Cloud and Tifa are sitting alone under the airship near the end of the game (which then fades to the next morning), I had two experiences. The first time I played it at age 13, I thought nothing of it. When I played it again around when I was around 19, I got the impression that they ended up going at it that night.
Also, I would VERY much approve of the characters advancing their relationship over the course of the game (like actually having moments where they hug, or kiss or whatever) instead of going straight from "I like talking to you" to "I WANT YOU NOW!" in the final chapter.
Also, this. ^^Zeithri said:
Say whatever you will about how distasteful you find sex, sex defines human characters as much as combat or dialogue. How a character behaves in sex adds another dimension to their identity, however awkward the developers portray it.