How SHOULD sex scenes in games work?

[xenmen]

They should be handled the way they are handled in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.

Look it up. It means something and is quite tasteful.

It certainly did mean something; more sales.

However 'artful' it was, a lesbian sex scene is a lesbian sex scene

 

[Terminal Blue]

If you have a character who goes around and glares and in general, acts like a jerk - Would this character really giggle in bed?

Obviously, you've not fucked many jerks..

I think game designers seem to be forgetting the point of most 'sex' in visual media is not usually to turn the audience on. I can think of very few films which I've found genuinely arousing, and most of those were based on employment of an aesthetic or dynamic rather than actually showing lots of humping. Sexy doesn't mean arousing, and since arousing is all but impossible to do in games without tweaking the little uncanny button in most people's brains, I think designers need to put more thought into what makes an sexy aesthetic or a sexy dynamic rather than assuming that because it's a game it can automatically be more overt and pornographic in tone.

 

[Terminal Blue]

Because it took over your lives. Humans are so centered and driven by reproduction. You don't think that kind of obsession is harmful?

Sex =/= reproduction.

Arguably it never did mean that, and even if it did it long since stopped.

Obsession is a relative term. Be careful if you're going to be throwing around the terminology of mental illness, the same terminology could very easily be applied to you.

 

[Shellsh0cker]

Troll somewhere else.

I'm not trolling.

As a person that strongly disagrees with your views on sexuality, I can't help but ask; what drives you to think that sex is and embarrassment to society and should be condemned?

I don't mean to start a flame war, but I am legitimately curious

Because it took over your lives. Humans are so centered and driven by reproduction. You don't think that kind of obsession is harmful?

I cannot even comprehend your argument. I'm sorry, I know that sounds like an insult, but I can't think of another way to state the fact that I simply cannot empathize with your opinion at all. You are, of course, entitled to that opinion, but . . . jeez, you sound like an alien or something.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Simple implication is just fine, honestly.

Anything else just either seems gratuitous or humorous.

Look at Heavy Rain. That sex scene was laughable due to the glitching and collision detection between characters.

Simply implying that sex is there is just fine. Look at the MGS series

Spoiler

In 3, they're rolling around together on the floor while the camera pans away, not showing anything overly explicit.
In 4, Otacon gets pulled into the helicopter by Naomi and the screen fades to black

That is how I personally think it should go anyway :3

You've probably been quoted to death, but this. The Persona games have the right idea. Leave it open to interpretation and avoid embarrassment/awkwardness.
Edit: Excluding hentai games, of course. I'd like it in those.

 

[Mimssy]

Quick time events. lol!

Awkward fumbling and button mashing... what happens if you mess up the quick time :/

I'd prefer just the suggestion of sex rather than the usual poorly done ones.

 

[Horben]

ME1. ME2 and DAO were awkward, ME1 did great work implying the progression.

 

[Bakuryukun]

They shouldn't. Sex Scenes in games and movies are the MOST awkward things to sit through in the history of anything. If you want to have romance and/or imply sexual relations between characters that's fine, but I don't need to peek into their room while they do the deed, that's just creepy.

 

[sgt. soap mctavish]

just as a joke i will say a quick-time event would work.

 

[Klopy]

Keep it mature and tailor it to the game experience. Predestined things are alright but they seem to be tacked on, like ME2. I loved the game and the moment was awesome, but looking back on it now, it feels like just another scene.

Probably keep it a cutscene so it'll move along at its own pace and so people can absorb the moment. And so some people won't have to use two hands on the controller. If its done right, there'd be more emotional value and less of the people in the previous sentence.

 

[Addz86]

Quick time events. lol!

winnar lmao this one gave me my lols for the day XD

 

[Saelune]

Sex should not be visibly in the game unless something important happens. Or its a porn game. Someone better bust in, and shoot my partner, thus motivating a quest or plot or something. Otherwise, just make it assumed or suggested. Using the bathroom is done that way...cept in Duke Nukem (used to heal self and defile boss corpses), why not sex?

 

[OldGus]

Wait, you do what? Challenge the second? Huuh?
I'm majorly confused by that sentence x_x

Sorry, in this case "the second" was you (the second person quoted there), and I added your name in case I needed to clarify.

The way you described that scene just made it sound platonic, dull, boring. Sorry ;~;

yeah, not sure if you'd seen it or not, but I did do a bad job of explaining the scene. Their relationship is really one of those that develops throughout the series in "public" with verbal cues and lines and hints, but then it gets into the bedroom with a very intimate scene between two people clearly interested in each other who are rather playful and jovial despite their (or at least Zoe's) stony business face. It starts out as a very obvious post-sex scene with loving banter/pillow-talk, goes into a joke that Wash (who actually almost never is serious... excepting one or two times where he's really, really serious) takes too far, and that results in a small pillow fight. Seeing it, it isn't that dull, but describing it, it is. Sorry, a bit long winded there.

That's.. sorta what my mother spurted out once.. Embarrasing!

wow. I never thought I would get that close with a statement like that. Sad thing is that's the sort of thing I too dread eventually hearing from my girlfriend's family.

As you say, it's mostly been handled immaturely but you know - there's a reason for that.
Immature developers :3 It's sad but that's really it when you put it up there to see.

I do recognize that , but I'd also like to point out some designers at least, such as James from Extra Credits, who at least would try to handle it maturely. I think what it would take is either more success with mature treatments of the matter by companies like Bioware, instead of trying a lot with the first in a series and then backing down at the rage that follows, or something to break through from the indy crowd. But on that note, I think publishers are just as much to blame for not being mature about it-- for taking the childish, GTA T&A approach, or going off the deep end in the other direction, and refusing to (sometimes further) allow mature intimacy in story driven series.
But, taking that maturity thing one more step, consider of all games, Br(imagine an umlaut here,)tal Legends. Even if you've played the demo, you notice that they asked you in the opening cinematic if you wanted, for example, cursing or gore. I believe if you just button mash through it, it automatically gives you the younger-people's settings. Now, imagine if you could have single games with multiple ratings. Imagine adults being allowed to choose what mature elements they want to have or not have in games, or things being automatically cut out for people who aren't adults. I realize this is asking the general public to be a lot more mature than they obviously aren't, but its well within tech and budget for game companies today. And may go ahead and solve a lot of problems with even the violent video games debate. And the minimum it would take for retailers to do is offer a $10 service where accounts are set up in the store via what adults want to have or not have, and the age of each user. Again, a lot to add.
And going back and remembering my comment about maturity from the indy crowd... I just had an image of a mod or update for Minecraft I actually would not want to see....
Again, went on too long...

I don't think the necessity for Control Freak is there though, it can just be a really emotionally locked character.
Someone who doesn't easily let others in and always is on guard, but who meets this completely other character who just penetrates all of his/hers defenses. Making him/her feel vulnerable and naked (in emotional terms and not litterary). Gradually letting this other one get closer, possible against his/hers will until the feelings are exposed and mutual which would lead into the bedroom where he/she just shows this other side, the gentle loving caring and intimate side towards this character.

yes, I'll agree here. Control Freak was merely the easiest and most recognizable example I could think of. I like your example, and would actually like to compare, with you and other forum readers willing, other foilable characters where the secondary part is revealed through bedroom viniets (or however that theater term for small glimpses is spelled.)

 

[OldGus]

If you have a character who goes around and glares and in general, acts like a jerk - Would this character really giggle in bed?

Obviously, you've not fucked many jerks..

I think game designers seem to be forgetting the point of most 'sex' in visual media is not usually to turn the audience on. I can think of very few films which I've found genuinely arousing, and most of those were based on employment of an aesthetic or dynamic rather than actually showing lots of humping. Sexy doesn't mean arousing, and since arousing is all but impossible to do in games without tweaking the little uncanny button in most people's brains, I think designers need to put more thought into what makes an sexy aesthetic or a sexy dynamic rather than assuming that because it's a game it can automatically be more overt and pornographic in tone.

Part 1: ... ok...
Part 2: Yes, yes, and yes. I agree that aesthetics, dynamics, inter-character relations simply outside of sex are a lot more arousing that straight sex. But, I think sex should have a place in a different way, and that being either a way to draw more of an emotional connection to a secondary character (especially in "story-driven games" where the choices you make that reflect you or your ideal can help the game zero in on which character would aesthetically appeal to each player), or reflect the level of a player's emotional connection to that character. After all, people go out of their way in real life to develop relationships with real people, ones that are much easier for an aesthetically pleasing person, or a person whose personality Person A likes. Why not recognize it in games and similarly reward it, or acknowledge that level of intimacy. Then, people would skip characters that are not their type, or similarly court them. Maybe...

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Passionately disrobing and Fade to Black.

Nothing lets your imagination go further.

 

[OldGus]

Could lead to interesting scenarios, where you are jumped by a bunch of robbers in game and one of them just happens to look like what you envision your ideal partner to look like. It could also so happen that the behaviour of that particular robber is randomized as moderately aggressive so they don't attack right away but prefer to have you hand over your valuables and avoid a violent situation. What will you do? Shoot first and ask questions later? Or will the player become affected by the insidious game engine and hesitate? Perhaps becoming curious as to what could happen if the player just got a chance to explore that seemingly random spawned NPC is like?

Oh well, we all have our ideas...

Damn, I didn't even think of that. Man, I really want to play this game now. Think of all the ways you could meet! Maybe she tries to rob you, like you said, or maybe vice versa. Perhaps she hires you for a job, or, again, vice versa. Maybe you run into each other while after the same objective. Maybe you're hired to kill her but opt to protect her instead. Maybe she's just a shopkeeper in town. Endless, the possibilities are.

Yes! Excellent! Although, I think many different similar encounters with characters of different types would be an easy way around, rather than just having to effectively guess based on a character's actions thus far. Not saying this is needed, or would make the best game, but that it would at least be easy to program.