Pedophiliac Protagonist.

[Gorrila_thinktank]

Pedophiliac Protagonist.

At the Escapist we (The People, by general consensuses) support new and innovative gaming methodology. A part of this is a bid for more unique and believable characters to fill our games, promoting more stimulating game play through emotional interaction. I have heard it voiced that alternative character narratives; such as: a mother, father, pregnant lady, child in a grown up world, homosexual, gender queer or an elderly individual could break up the monotony of the standard rugged white-action-hero-driven-only-by-vengeance (or the scantily-clad-sexy-as-all-hell-generic-action-female) that we see in today?s games. To add to the ever growing stockpile of awesome alternatives we have kicking around the escapist I propose a Pedophiliac Protagonist.

A decidedly good hero who?s tragic secret is that they are sexually attracted to little children. This could provide an interesting option for a PC as it tugs at one of our cultures last sacred ideals, that of rape and children.

I?m not suggesting that the character has to actually do the act but the notion that they are drawn to pedophilia sets up an interesting dynamic. For example, a scenario might arise where the monsters (vampires or werewolves or some such) allow only that particular character into their midst because of a mutually hatred for thier hungers, because they both veiw themselves as monsters. In the process this revels to both the party and the player what the character was hiding (oh, you thought I didn?t want to play with your kids because they reminded me of someone I lost? Um.. Awkward!) . Then the player is forced to play as this character for a spell in the full knowledge that they are controlling someone of a distinct moral discrepancy.

The Question dear escapists, is weather this is a good idea, should this angle of characterization (ever?) be explored? Or is it to raw and emotionally charged to make good media? Please; thoughts: pros, cons and criticisms are necessary for good dialogue. Fire away.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

I'm going to go ahead and put myself firmly on the side of the naysayers on this particular issue.

... Even forgetting the fact that a game like that would never sell well, why would you even want to? When we talk about expanding the types of characters who are available to players, we generally do this because we want to make games relatable to a wider audience. Doing something like this would make the game unplayable to a wide audience, another portion of the audience would be indifferent, and some small portion of the audience might find it to their liking. Here's the thing though, all issues of whether pedophiles are themselves immoral or if it is only actual child molesters who are immoral, there isn't really any compelling reason I can think of to try and make sympathetic pedophiliac characters.

People with pedophiliac urges may not themselves be responsible for how they feel. They got dealt a bad hand, and I understand that. However, it is actually fairly important that pedophilia be stigmatized. Unlike homosexuals, who do no damage to anyone by acting on their desires, pedophiles do hurt people when they act on their feelings. There is a very good reason to believe that pedophiles should not be encouraged to come out of the closet. But if you create sympathetic pedophiliac characters, you can create that raised sense of acceptance which might one day make an out and proud pedophile, and I just don't think that that's something the world needs.

 

[Furioso]

Yes, because there is NO WAY a pedophile for a protagonist could be unlikeable, what could POSSIBLY go wrong *mass sarcasm*

 

[Akytalusia]

are you kidding? i would never get anywhere in a game like that due to a constant urge to kill myself.

so no, that is not a good idea.

 

[The Pinray]

Let's try no. That's just sensationalist. Maybe you can write that story in your spare time if that's what you'd like to do, but otherwise no. That's ridiculous.

Basically reread what Kpt._Rob said a few times then forget the idea.

 

[Shadowstar38]

At first I thought WTF, because there is no way we as a society would be comfortable with that concept in any medium, let alone a video game. But the way you argued this seems sound.

Im a fan of the show Law and Order: SVU(Basically a cop/courtroom show only with sex crimes). In one episode they are gathering evidence on a rapist when they find out that he had something pretty screwed up happen in his childhood that may explain what he's doing. The end result was that the person that you would regularly demonize seems sempethetic without excusing his actions.

The problem here of course is this is a game. Serious issues in video games are often mishandled. And just like I automatically asumed your a weirdo when I read the title of this other people would probably jump up to put a ban on such an idea.

Edit: This in no way means I sympathize with pedophiles. As stated earlier they have a stigma for a reason.

 

[the spud]

that...actually is a very good idea.

Not that it will be happening anytime soon of course, people still can't even bring themselves to play a game with a homosexual character, let alone a peodophile, but it would add quite alot of depth to the character. I wish more game designers thought like you.

 

[Neonbob]

Um, how about no? Does NO work for you?
Actually, let me raise that to a HELL No.
And that's not because it's emotionally charged or raw. It's because a key aspect of the character would be their sexual attraction to kids. That shit is never right.
I cannot imagine any company deciding it'd be in their interest to commit suicide in such a manner either.

But I suppose if you find that idea so enthralling, a story would be a much better bet. Books can get away with pretty much anything.

 

[mythgraven]

AHHWOOOGAH! Clang Clang Clang! Bait Thread Detected! Sound the "You should ALL know better then to respond to this thread" alarm, and direct the civilians to back out of this web page without making emotional/logical arguments!

Yes Sir!

Remind the civilians that just because a thread has a cultural/racial/gender/LGBT title, or content, that it DOESN'T make it relevant to comment on!

Yes Sir!


Seriously, people. You know better then to come into this sort of thread "guns blazin". This isn't an attempt to generate rational discussion. It's an attempt to get lots of hits and replies.


Whiskey Echo!
Mythgraven

 

[Gorrila_thinktank]

No, I?m being completely serious.

I?m sitting here procrastinating on a take home mid-term regarding feminism and its challenging of the traditional Art History Cannon. One of the question?s related to the ?male gaze? and it got me thinking about stereo typical mal modes of characterization that are (rightly so) demonized in our culture and in turn how we portray them in our media. Gaming is a media that is close to my heart and is in my mind art. Why not question this in the gaming category? By forcing the player to have closeness to the character through game play elements we force the question on to the players mind.
I disagree, this is a gaming question; no medium could ever have the same impact.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Already happened. He wasn't the main protagonist, mind you, but the Priest in Caim's group in Drakengard only survived the slaughter of his Church because he was busy molesting a boy out in the woods at the time.

Caim's group were a fun bunch. Caim was a mute psychopathic mass murderer, the Elf obsessed over children and would eat them alive, the aforementioned Priest, and a boy who is permanently 8 years old.

You see the problem there, yes? Interestingly, the 8 year old boy gets sacrificed eventually. Fun game, Drakengard.

 

[viranimus]

Nope. its one of those issues. Pedophilia sort of reminds me of the Tiger Woods episode of south park. Its almost like people have to compete to scream how much they hate the concept of pedophilia but they do so to divert attention from what they wont admit publicly.

Methinks thine doth protest too much

Anyway... Its one of those subjects that will kill any sort of project because people will never tolerate it and at best anything you try to do with it will get relegated into fan fiction. So yeah, theres no reason to even bother, no matter how good or bad the underlying content may be.

 

[The Pinray]

Pretentiousness

It's working for him, guy. We're only adding to the views.

Anyway, I wanted to add that a character focused around their sexuality is sad. And saying something like "Oh he's a pedophile SUCH DEPTH." What depth? It's different, yes. But there are so many other ways to add depth. That's just "depth" for the sake of "depth," which in and of itself is shallow.

I'm wasting my time on this thread.

Anywho! Yeah, OP with the surprisingly fitting username, nice try, fella.

 

[Chicago Ted]

Why is it so many people seem to associate character depth with controversy and social taboo?...

 

[Kakashi on crack]

Well, this is a rather interesting topic...

It really comes down to whether we should stigmitize the person who does the act, or simply thinking the act. For instance, a game could have a Chester who regrets what they did in life, it could be a random person off the street who stigmitizes and hates the fact that he has such thoughts, it could also have the potential to be a Child Rapist.

Really, I can't say that the game is a good idea at this time. Maybe when our gaming culture has matured enough to take such topics seriously, but right now? No... It would be a sack of shit if someone even tried to bring up the topic.

That being said, if our medium can mature a bit more, I would be interested to see a game who's protagonist is a pedophile. It would broaden the horizon of games, and would certainly be controversial.

As the naysayers pointed out though, our medium isn't ready to create that kind of game yet. If they did, they'd botch it horribly.

 

[PeePantz]

that...actually is a very good idea.

Not that it will be happening anytime soon of course, people still can't even bring themselves to play a game with a homosexual character, let alone a peodophile, but it would add quite alot of depth to the character. I wish more game designers thought like you.

How is that a good idea? Being a pedophile will add absolutely nothing to a game (not to mention adding in awkward mini games) besides shock value. Just because something is taboo and off, doesn't make it deep or interesting. A perfect example is the movie "Antichrist". It's a terrible movie that too many people praise due to it being aloof and visually traumatizing.

Pedophilia is just a hot topic here at the Escapist and gets way too much forum time.

Why is it so many people seem to associate character depth with controversy and social taboo?...

Thank you.

 

[trooper6]

The main character in "Don't Take It Personally Babe, It Just Ain't Your Story" is a high school teacher with sexual attraction to one of his 16 year old students, and you can choose to act on those desires. Now a high school student is not a child, so technically the character is not a pedophile...but the character is a creep and can get involved in a sexual relationship with an underage person who you have power over.

Of course, the game doesn't think this is okay and does it to creep you out. So, it has been done.

 

[Gorrila_thinktank]

No my friend, the humour is revelled when it turns out I?m a (gasp, shock, horror)

Old Earth Creationist.

BUM Bum bum...

Do you see your lighting flicker? That cheesy thunder crash in the background? That?s just me sending out the Nosfuroto Count Orlock do my dramatics for me. Boyah.

And are we all so jaded that we can?t have an actual discussion about this without hating on each other or calling someone the equivalent of a textual Cam-whore?

And it?s not pretentiousness, its sophistication. I?m allowed to employ it sparingly.

edit 1, and is it ironic that i've got a white mage as my pic? well... now that you mention it....