Smite's controversial 'Grapist' match of the day

Uratoh

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Sunday morning when the day rolled from saturday, Smite changed its 'match of the day', a daily themed mode, to a mode called 'Grapist'. It was inspired by the WKUK sketch, 'The Grapist'. In it, Bacchus is skirt chasing, this time going after Aphrodite, to share his 'special wine', meaning you can only choose from those two gods in this mode.

(For nitpickers about Bacchus vs Dionysus, they consider 'Roman' and 'Greek' pantheons seperate, with Roman, from whence Bacchus is, being the 'silly' pantheon. He has a drunk-o-meter.)

This match was quickly pulled after an hour or so of activity, due to it being 'an offensive date rape reference' after outcry. It's got some interesting debate on the forums over there, so I thought I'd drag it over here...no one is saying it's 'not about that at all' only that compared to for instance, what Zeus gets up to if you look him up, this is a fairly tame thing by comparison, and the like.

'The Grapist' youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqgiEQXGetI

Capcha: Only DISH
I...don't think this has anything to do with the topic at hand, capcha. Are you drunk?
 

Atmos Duality

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sextus the crazy said:
On one hand, it's an uncomfortable rape scenario. On the other hand, it's fucking hilarious.
Some conduct a seance, we need George Carlin's ghost, STAT!
 

Lunar Templar

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Zeus ...

and just about ever one else in that pantheon.

I forget, just how many of the Greek pantheon are inbreed, and continuing in that 'fine family' tradition?

as dumb as it is, implications and all, I guess its kinda amusing though, least they aren't shying away from the less appealing sides of these gods.
 

Rednog

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I think it's funny, but as we know in the world of vida games you're gonna get strung up if you dare to try and make a rape joke. Proceed with the outcries and articles about how these guys are misogynists and Satan incarnate!
 

Yarkaz

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I love a good rape joke as much as the next guy but naming a gametype that every single player in the game will see after a rape scenario is a bit much. These things are funniest when kept on the down low, away from people who are sensitive to the topic or who can have terrible memories resurface at the reference.
 

Candidus

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Yarkaz said:
I love a good rape joke as much as the next guy but naming a gametype that every single player in the game will see after a rape scenario is a bit much. These things are funniest when kept on the down low, away from people who are sensitive to the topic or who can have terrible memories resurface at the reference.
Basically the perfect post.

I'm not offended by such jokes, and I like to take and share them in private. If I'm running a custom game group, maybe we'll title the lobby in such a way, if it's appropriate to the "mode" we're trying to invent (and I'm certain nobody will be hurt). But I'm not convinced of the wisdom of naming an official game mode in a non-ero game this way.

So that being said ... Won't someone please kickstart an ero MOBA?
 

Anathrax

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Edit: Actually... Nevermind what I said. This isn't a subject I know much about and I'd rather keep my discussion about it to myself until I know what the hell I'm talking about. Could a mod remove my posts please?
 

Genocidicles

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I think some people need to get thicker skins.

I doubt there'd be uproar if they made some jokes about genocide, and genocide is infinitely worse than rape.
 

V8 Ninja

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...Well, that's not in bad taste at all.[footnote]MASSIVE SARCASM[/footnote]

Considering that Smite isn't South Park[footnote]Smite's goal is not to make people laugh by insulting everyone and everything.[/footnote] and can be played by almost anybody with a good enough computer (it's F2P), I would say the dev team chose wisely to take this down.
 

Vegosiux

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I don't find the word "rape" nearly as offensive as people who think it makes them cool and awesome if they keep using it, you know, the same way swearing at people and calling them names makes you mature.

But that's just me.
 

MeChaNiZ3D

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...oh please. It's hilarious, and none of the gameplay changes to include rape. It's a reference to satire. They are in no way invoking rape. The whole GAME is satire. This is so many levels of not meant to be taken seriously that I cannot believe anyone managed to do just that. It's ridiculous and people need to get over themselves.

As far as I'm concerned this is funny because Bacchus is a wine-focussed character and is drunk and thus inappropriate, which makes 'grapist' fitting. Were it a hamfisted or awkward reference, or the male character was not silly but actually menacing and the god of torture or something and it was called "Rape Aphrodite", maybe that wouldn't have been as acceptable to me, but in this case, it's fine.
 

deathbydeath

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Despite the fact that this behavior fits completely well in the Greek Pantheon, Hi-Rez are a bunch of male sexist pigs who are holding back gaming from being a truly accepted artistic medium.
 

CrazyCapnMorgan

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Jan 5, 2011
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Atmos Duality said:
sextus the crazy said:
On one hand, it's an uncomfortable rape scenario. On the other hand, it's fucking hilarious.
Some conduct a seance, we need George Carlin's ghost, STAT!
On the job, sir!



Context, people! Learn to use it properly!
 

hazabaza1

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Nov 26, 2008
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Hey, WKUK made it funny, don't see why Smite can't.
I mean, it's a bit... with the picture... and the implications... but still.
 

ramboondiea

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it completely understandable that people will be insulted, its a touchy issue that some find very offensive. but given context (you know, the most important factor when discussing things like this) then i dont think it was done maliciously.


also given the pantheon's involved in this game, then yeah im surprised rape comments and references dont come up a hell of a lot more.
 

Knight Captain Kerr

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He's a grape, how's a grape going to rape a god? What are you talking about?

I do like WKUK. I see no problem with this.
 

Smeatza

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They shouldn't have pulled it.
If only for the fact that a growing controversy would give the comedy genius' that are WKUK some publicity.

With the character in question's lore being wine related it seems to make sense as well.
 

ShiningAmber

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Genocidicles said:
I think some people need to get thicker skins.

I doubt there'd be uproar if they made some jokes about genocide, and genocide is infinitely worse than rape.
I'd say unless you're a victim of sexual assault, you're in the privileged position to say that.

I personally take offense to rape jokes. Why? Well, I was assaulted. I have scars on my body and face from the ordeal that are a constant reminder of what was done to me. The man who did it to me didn't stop there and then tried to kill me. I have scars on my neck.

So, yes. Hearing this sort of thing that 'people need to get thicker skins', people like me, well, that hurts just as much as the rape joke. I already have physical reminders on my body that I have to look at everyday. I really don't won't to be reminded it on the base of some tasteless joke.

But, I can stomach a joke. I hear them all the time. What is hard to stomach is someone telling me to get a thicker skin. I've tried that and it's hard. But, I wouldn't expect someone who belittles people's traumas to understand. People deal with trauma different ways. I don't think you're in a position to tell someone how to deal with it.

Maybe (assuming you're not a victim of sexual assault) if you're ever assaulted and are made powerless, you'd understand. And if you are a survivor, well, be more courteous to those who have suffered as you have. They may not be as strong as you.