Taboos in Video games
- Thread starter Orcboyphil
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Even if Ao games could be bought and played without shame, the issue is games being able to incorperate these things within them and be taken seriously. It'd be hard to incorperate murdering a child in a game and not be just pointless,or a way to get the game publicity, the same goes for showing sex within a game, unless they could put it within the game and have it make sense
Vaginas. I've never, ever played a game where you can see a vagina (and don't quote me saying "OH BUT WHAT ABOUT HENTAI GAMES AND DATE SIMS", because I don't give a shit). I'm not asking for vag to be more prominent in games, it was just an observation.
Excellent censorship Vincent McInsomniacAfro
Excellent censorship Vincent McInsomniacAfro
Yes, there are video game taboos, but more often, its a matter of social taboos. More importantly, can anyone here think of a game that could be genuinely improved by breaking one of these sorts of taboos? Take for example the "Killing children" thing everyone goes off on. The only thing I can see is an extremely mild bit of added realism to the whole, "Dicking around and randomly killing things" experience.
More often than not, there are games that have broken said taboos, but done it so well that it is perfectly understandable for the game to contain it. Such as Silent Hill. All sorts of terrible things are done to children in that series, from abuse and neglect to downright setting 'em on fire. Few people call the series out on it because it takes notes from the, "tragedies that really do happen in life, and how most people react to them," book. Unless you're completely apathetic or just plain sick, you comprehend these events as a representation of the horrors of life.
More often than not, there are games that have broken said taboos, but done it so well that it is perfectly understandable for the game to contain it. Such as Silent Hill. All sorts of terrible things are done to children in that series, from abuse and neglect to downright setting 'em on fire. Few people call the series out on it because it takes notes from the, "tragedies that really do happen in life, and how most people react to them," book. Unless you're completely apathetic or just plain sick, you comprehend these events as a representation of the horrors of life.
In DA:O you can "persuade" a possibly underage girl to kiss your male warden. And we all know that sex is worse than violence, no?
Although it's not exactly a taboo, I'd say that actual mature content comes close to being happily ignored by developers. With this I do not mean the teenage fantasy of X-TREME gore and violence, nor the graphical depiction of sex. I hint at the exploration of deeper themes, the stimulation of the deeper and primal urges of the inner psyche. That kind of shit.
There's a reason why games are still no artform (although, of course, they do not necessarily need to be. In fact, I'd say that's not even their intention), simply because they fail to evoke more than just glee, excitement and the occasional squee and squick.
Although it's not exactly a taboo, I'd say that actual mature content comes close to being happily ignored by developers. With this I do not mean the teenage fantasy of X-TREME gore and violence, nor the graphical depiction of sex. I hint at the exploration of deeper themes, the stimulation of the deeper and primal urges of the inner psyche. That kind of shit.
There's a reason why games are still no artform (although, of course, they do not necessarily need to be. In fact, I'd say that's not even their intention), simply because they fail to evoke more than just glee, excitement and the occasional squee and squick.
Well thats wrong, Manhunter made me sick for example, and it seems you've never played Passage or FF7. Or you could just be a cold hearted bastard I suppose. There are games out there that mae you pause and think, like any good book. Some can even make you cry. Though I have yet to come across a game that has made me stop playing it like the Raggard Trousered Philanthroipst made me stop reading it.Spinozaad said:
I think he means the girl in Redcliffe and her broter who goes hiding in the closet.kawaiiamethist said:
kawaiiamethist said:
Orcboy moves on to the next round, to play for the colour-microwave. Certainly, she might be an 18+ who lived with, and was completely dependant on, her parents. She might be an adult who, stricken by fear and indecisiveness, is completely unable to fend for herself and her little brother.Orcboyphil said:
Or she's a teen, and most teens happen to be all of the above.
In any case, she's really, really young.
-edit-
Corrected a bbcode fail.
But does it count when they're devil babies with scythe-hands? Ahh, gotta love grey areas.kawaiiamethist said:
Psh, they are just misunderstood and tortured babies whom weren't "cleansed" with baptism, and were given to William Stryker (aka: Mister Lucifer) after they died for experiments into adamantine and anger management issues after the whole Wolverine fiasco..AnAngryMoose said:
OT: Break them slowly, one by one. Kids are the most annoying characters in games, afterall. I should be able to make candles out of their heads and watch them run around in circles for nagging me nonstop to rescue their darned cat, damnit! /rant
I'm not saying now, I'm saying in the future, when games become as ubiquitous as film. You can't escape the porn industry. Eventually they will see money can be made in the video game industry and will go for it.LooK iTz Jinjo said:
But I think we're talking 20-30 years down the road. By that time, hopefully your lawmakers have had a change of heart about those R18+ games.
A good analogy to the current gaming taboo climate would be to look at Psycho. During production one of the most controversial aspects to the movie that the studio execs wanted removed was not the now famous shower stabbing scene...it was the fact that there was a scene where a character flushed a piece of paper down the toilet.
Having a toilet in a movie was scene as taboo at the time, flushing the toilet made it even worse as this was seen as crude and filthy.
And look at where we are now with the 500 sequels to the american pie trilogy were the main form of "entertainment" is nothing more than fart jokes.
My point is that society deems certain taboos okay but other lesser taboos cannot be seen by an audience that chooses to see it but after awhile it becomes accepted as norm and then it gets used to death.
Sex scenes in video games are now reaching this point. When Rockstar did it (if you can even count a shaky camera over a car or house a sex scene) it was controversial. It was kind of controversial when Mass Effect did it but now you have the God of War trilogy with a sex scene in every game which is now the norm for the series. The fact that God of War 3 changed the normal wenches to Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, to keep things different just proves my point
Having a toilet in a movie was scene as taboo at the time, flushing the toilet made it even worse as this was seen as crude and filthy.
And look at where we are now with the 500 sequels to the american pie trilogy were the main form of "entertainment" is nothing more than fart jokes.
My point is that society deems certain taboos okay but other lesser taboos cannot be seen by an audience that chooses to see it but after awhile it becomes accepted as norm and then it gets used to death.
Sex scenes in video games are now reaching this point. When Rockstar did it (if you can even count a shaky camera over a car or house a sex scene) it was controversial. It was kind of controversial when Mass Effect did it but now you have the God of War trilogy with a sex scene in every game which is now the norm for the series. The fact that God of War 3 changed the normal wenches to Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, to keep things different just proves my point
The Sex Party (They only run for positions in the Senate) want an R and X rating. But they also want to decriminalise drugs so....LooK iTz Jinjo said:
It'll probably be fixed by the end of 2012. The govenor general of SA (Michael Atkinson) has retired that position. The new guy/girl who takes up the position has the ability to be part of the unanimous vote to change the rating system. The last couple (3 i believe) time the tried to change the ratings system the old govenor general was the only one that voted against an R18 rating for games.meganmeave said:I'm not saying now, I'm saying in the future, when games become as ubiquitous as film. You can't escape the porn industry. Eventually they will see money can be made in the video game industry and will go for it.LooK iTz Jinjo said:
But I think we're talking 20-30 years down the road. By that time, hopefully your lawmakers have had a change of heart about those R18+ games.
I'll have you know I voted for the Sex Party 2 weeks ago. Note that it is DECRIMINALIZATION (as you said) do not confuse that for legalization.StBishop said:
If there's a line to cross chances are Running With Scissors did it years ago. Or, if they haven't, will soon.