Sex and Video Games [NSFW Subject]

Recommended Videos

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
Added a NSFW Disclaimer, just in case, sense it's a subject people will discuss about, I dunno. Is it really nsfw if we're not directly referencing specific porn?

Let's try something different. A thread about objectification, but also not about sexism, racism, etc . . .

Let's talk about sex and video games. In general.
Please refrain from gender politics as this is more about human (or non-human) sexuality in video games.

The topic is simple
Video Games with overt sexual themes.
How games handle sex.
Fan Service.
Sex Scenes.
Sexuality
Sexy Characters.
Fetishm
The Nature of Rule 34 in relationship in some games.
Ex. Why is their so much porn of Peach or Bowser?
Why Rule 34?

Let's talk about sex . . . baby?
 

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
Weaver said:
I like hentai games and eroge VNs.
You think Steam would start selling Hentai Games and eroge VNs? Seems like an untapped market.
Can have a banner that makes you type your age in in order to enter that store.

It would be like that place in those video stores separated by the beads with a sign that says no kids allowed.

On another note, I've heard they're releasing an all ages version of a eroge game by cutting out all the sex scenes, and all I'm thinking is, how that even works.
 

Fappy

\[T]/
Jan 4, 2010
12,010
0
41
Country
United States
Sex is a beautiful and important aspect of the human experience. So are many other things that video games handle poorly. I really don't think the "insert compliments for sex" mechanic is any more disingenuous than killing droves and droves of henchmen without the supposedly sympathetic protagonist giving two shits about all the carnage they are responsible for. Sure, there's plenty of objectification going on there, but I think the crux of the issue is simply lazy story telling.

I love Mass Effect A LOT, but the way it handles certain story elements (like sex and killing thousands of mercenaries with no qualms at all) is pretty laughable.

I think one of the most mature and intelligent ways you can use sex in video games is to avoid treating it as a goal or reward.
 

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
Fappy said:
Sex is a beautiful and important aspect of the human experience. So are many other things that video games handle poorly. I really don't think the "insert compliments for sex" mechanic is any more disingenuous than killing droves and droves of henchmen without the supposedly sympathetic protagonist giving two shits about all the carnage they are responsible for. Sure, there's plenty of objectification going on there, but I think the crux of the issue is simply lazy story telling.

I love Mass Effect A LOT, but the way it handles certain story elements (like sex and killing thousands of mercenaries with no qualms at all) is pretty laughable.

I think one of the most mature and intelligent ways you can use sex in video games is to avoid treating it as a goal or reward.
Makes sense, but like you said people are just to lazy to come up with any story ideas for why the sex would be needed in the first place.

I guess for some developer, it may lead to the idea that Sex is the end result, but it ignores the fact that in most real life relationships, sometimes sex is the first result.

Really, though, I think it all comes down to is the sex needed for the plot? How does these characters doing the shag dance factor into a story about aliens and great imminent universal disaster.

The real question is, if you cut out every sex scene in Mass Effect would the story change?

Oh man, the possibilities of the choice of sex effecting the overall story. Instead of it being a goal post kind of switch, it's a choice where your character can say yes or refuse . . . wow, not sure a game dev could handle the narrative possibilities.
 

Weaver

Overcaffeinated
Apr 28, 2008
8,977
0
0
grassgremlin said:
Weaver said:
I like hentai games and eroge VNs.
You think Steam would start selling Hentai Games and eroge VNs? Seems like an untapped market.
Can have a banner that makes you type your age in in order to enter that story.

Be like that place in those video stores separated by the beads with a sign that says no kids allowed.

On another note, I've heard they're releasing an all ages version of a eroge game by cutting out all the sex scenes, and all I'm thinking is, how that even works.
I'd personally like them to. They already have Sakura Spirit which carries the warning "This game includes nudity and explicit sexual dialog." when you load the page. However, it's still not full on sex (which is fine) but it does seem like they're drawing the line there.

All ages versions of VNs could work if sex is a very minor part of a larger romance. On the flipside, if you're playing one that's basically a story with lots of pornography (which tend to have weaker story components) then I see no point in doing that personally.
 

Fappy

\[T]/
Jan 4, 2010
12,010
0
41
Country
United States
grassgremlin said:
Fappy said:
Sex is a beautiful and important aspect of the human experience. So are many other things that video games handle poorly. I really don't think the "insert compliments for sex" mechanic is any more disingenuous than killing droves and droves of henchmen without the supposedly sympathetic protagonist giving two shits about all the carnage they are responsible for. Sure, there's plenty of objectification going on there, but I think the crux of the issue is simply lazy story telling.

I love Mass Effect A LOT, but the way it handles certain story elements (like sex and killing thousands of mercenaries with no qualms at all) is pretty laughable.

I think one of the most mature and intelligent ways you can use sex in video games is to avoid treating it as a goal or reward.
Makes sense, but like you said people are just to lazy to come up with any story ideas for why the sex would be needed in the first place.

I guess for some developer, it may lead to the idea that Sex is the end result, but it ignores the fact that in most real life relationships, sometimes sex is the first result.

Really, though, I think it all comes down to is the sex needed for the plot? How does these characters doing the shag dance factor into a story about aliens and great imminent universal disaster.

The real question is, if you cut out every sex scene in Mass Effect would the story change?

Oh man, the possibilities of the choice of sex effecting the overall story. Instead of it being a goal post kind of switch, it's a choice where your character can say yes or refuse . . . wow, not sure a game dev could handle the narrative possibilities.
As much as I like the game, I think the Witcher 2 is one of the worst offenders of this. It got to the point where I was completeing quests and going, "okay, when's the sex scene?"

Pretty much any professional writer worth their salt will tell you that you should only ever include something if it's relevant to the story. Games are a bit different in that their experience is more fluid and open than a book or a film. A good example of this is the TES series where it's more about exploring/experiencing the game world than it is about the narrative.

If a game wants to handle sex correctly (as in, take it seriously as a work of art) I think they need to have a good understanding as to where it fits in their game world and present it in a mature and non-objectifying way. It's also important to differentiate sex and proper relationships. If two characters are in a relationship I want to actually see that. Despite what Dragon Age might tell you, relationships aren't all about campfire-side sex XD

Catherine is a pretty good example of how to present sex and relationships in games intelligently, imo.
 

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
Weaver said:
grassgremlin said:
Weaver said:
I like hentai games and eroge VNs.
You think Steam would start selling Hentai Games and eroge VNs? Seems like an untapped market.
Can have a banner that makes you type your age in in order to enter that story.

Be like that place in those video stores separated by the beads with a sign that says no kids allowed.

On another note, I've heard they're releasing an all ages version of a eroge game by cutting out all the sex scenes, and all I'm thinking is, how that even works.
I'd personally like them to. They already have Sakura Spirit which carries the warning "This game includes nudity and explicit sexual dialog." when you load the page. However, it's still not full on sex (which is fine) but it does seem like they're drawing the line there.

All ages versions of VNs could work if sex is a very minor part of a larger romance. On the flipside, if you're playing one that's basically a story with lots of pornography (which tend to have weaker story components) then I see no point in doing that personally.
http://www.siliconera.com/2014/09/08/cho-dengeki-stryker-ages-version-coming-steam-september-19th/
Sense you seem like a person who knows a bit about VNs, what do you think of this one.

My only knowledge was googling it . . . and being bombarded by graphic hentai sex images because I had safe search off.
 

J Tyran

New member
Dec 15, 2011
2,407
0
0
grassgremlin said:
The real question is, if you cut out every sex scene in Mass Effect would the story change?
Yes, the actual "sex" part is hardly relevant as its nothing you don't see in a daytime TV for shower wash or moisturiser but its really about whats behind that. When Mass Effect is at its best its about the characters and all the little interactions, sex is simply the furthest extent of a romantic relationship.

Without those interactions all you have is an okay shooter with a cliché plot, so yes it would change the series a lot.
 

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
Fappy said:
Catherine is the best attempt a game's narrative portraying sex in a mature manner.
That does beg the question how games like mass effect and the witcher can better impliment sex into their experience.

Personally, I think neither of those games need sex. I never understood how that added to the experience. This comes from someone who's not a big fan of "dating sims".

I get the feeling the only reason sex happens in those games is so they can place the marker of "mature themes" on the quick "grown up story" bingo card
 

Zacharious-khan

New member
Mar 29, 2011
559
0
0
kind of a wide swathe of topics but i'll take a shot:
Video Games with overt sexual themes: While it's not a selling point its nice to have something to look at while I'm playing at a game, Breathtaking landscapes are one thing and a shapely set of jubblies is another.

How games handle sex: Poorly for the most part, but its hard to simulate a "win" scenario in a sexy like situation.

Fan Service:I'm a fan, of the service of fans.

Sex Scenes:In games? They're all PG-13 and almost completely unoffensive.

Sexuality:I've been thinking for a while if VR gets good enough the horror game of the future will be a game where you're playing as someone with a different sexuality. As for in games currently there isn't much. Which is fine for me I go to gaming for different reasons than probing the soul.

Sexy Characters: My rule in MMO's "If you're going to have to stare at some one's ass for the next 200 hours make sure it's a nice one"

Fetishm: haven't played bayonetta, looks good though and i might get the second one when it comes out on the WiiU

The Nature of Rule 34 in relationship in some games: I don't profess to understand or comprehend the internet, i just fap to it.

Why rule 34: there were 33 more important things i would guess
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
13,769
5
43
a) Sex scenes with animated polygon characters and the uncanny valley tends to look horribly awkward. If they can't animate it properly I really would prefer they just fade to black or whatever.

b) Sex in games tends to suck because most game writers couldn't do decent character interactions if their miserable lives depended on it.

c) Sex in games usually involves the player character. Since way too many games focus on making the player feel like like a badass at the expense of all else, this in turn tends to take the focus of sex away from character development, character dynamics or plot advancement and move it towards fellating the player by proxy.

d) I would personally wouldn't mind seeing more romantic relationships in games, as opposed to love-em-and-leave-em sex scenes. This isn't due to some sort of puritanical bullshit, but simply because I think it makes for more interesting storytelling. A one-shot sex scene a la The Witcher is just... kinda there. It happens, it's over and it never comes up again in any capacity. Potentially titillating I guess, but otherwise utterly uninteresting. I think, say, an action-RPG which features two characters (allowing you to switch between them at will) who are a couple, or married, could actually be pretty damn cool. Or an action-adventure game with an AI companion similar to The Last of Us. That could actually make for some fun an interesting character dynamics as opposed to just showing the player some tits and then shunting them on their way.

Thus concludes Zhukov's Thoughts on Sex in Games.
 

Someone Depressing

New member
Jan 16, 2011
2,417
0
0
Ah, I see The Witcher has already been brought up.

The Witcher really doesn't handle sex or female characters in general very well; clumsily at best and with not-so-great implications at worst. The sex in particular just kind of happens. It doesn't lead to character development or plot progession at all, which makes it feel jarring and just a little bit gross.

While I think video games could potentially handle sex in stories, without making it a "Press X to have a fade to black with a sexy after image and maybe an ass shot" scene that is simply the result of lazy writing. It's hard to blame all of it on lazy writing, though. I mean, how much of an outcry did censorship boards and watchdogs make about Mass Effect's sexy aliens?

It also tends to get idolised in... equally unfortunate ways. From video games, one can learn that...

A) Sex has no consequences. > B) This means you can fuck and never need to speak with and/or interact with the person you have just had sex with. > C) They can then easily be written out of the story for more blue-skinned alien hotties/furries/waxwork statues/whatever the fuck you sick people are into/ to have implied sex with..

Visual novels do tend to handle this a little better, but that's because they don't try to target the same audiences western RPGs do.
 

Erttheking

Member
Legacy
Oct 5, 2011
10,845
1
3
Country
United States
Fappy said:
grassgremlin said:
Fappy said:
Sex is a beautiful and important aspect of the human experience. So are many other things that video games handle poorly. I really don't think the "insert compliments for sex" mechanic is any more disingenuous than killing droves and droves of henchmen without the supposedly sympathetic protagonist giving two shits about all the carnage they are responsible for. Sure, there's plenty of objectification going on there, but I think the crux of the issue is simply lazy story telling.

I love Mass Effect A LOT, but the way it handles certain story elements (like sex and killing thousands of mercenaries with no qualms at all) is pretty laughable.

I think one of the most mature and intelligent ways you can use sex in video games is to avoid treating it as a goal or reward.
Makes sense, but like you said people are just to lazy to come up with any story ideas for why the sex would be needed in the first place.

I guess for some developer, it may lead to the idea that Sex is the end result, but it ignores the fact that in most real life relationships, sometimes sex is the first result.

Really, though, I think it all comes down to is the sex needed for the plot? How does these characters doing the shag dance factor into a story about aliens and great imminent universal disaster.

The real question is, if you cut out every sex scene in Mass Effect would the story change?

Oh man, the possibilities of the choice of sex effecting the overall story. Instead of it being a goal post kind of switch, it's a choice where your character can say yes or refuse . . . wow, not sure a game dev could handle the narrative possibilities.
As much as I like the game, I think the Witcher 2 is one of the worst offenders of this. It got to the point where I was completeing quests and going, "okay, when's the sex scene?"

Pretty much any professional writer worth their salt will tell you that you should only ever include something if it's relevant to the story. Games are a bit different in that their experience is more fluid and open than a book or a film. A good example of this is the TES series where it's more about exploring/experiencing the game world than it is about the narrative.

If a game wants to handle sex correctly (as in, take it seriously as a work of art) I think they need to have a good understanding as to where it fits in their game world and present it in a mature and non-objectifying way. It's also important to differentiate sex and proper relationships. If two characters are in a relationship I want to actually see that. Despite what Dragon Age might tell you, relationships aren't all about campfire-side sex XD

Catherine is a pretty good example of how to present sex and relationships in games intelligently, imo.
I've been a little confused by this subject for awhile now. People say "Present sex in games intelligently" but they rarely elaborate on what they mean by that. Is there any chance you can fill in the blanks for me? Some examples of it done right?
 

grassgremlin

New member
Aug 30, 2014
456
0
0
erttheking said:
I've been a little confused by this subject for awhile now. People say "Present sex in games intelligently" but they rarely elaborate on what they mean by that. Is there any chance you can fill in the blanks for me? Some examples of it done right?
It's complicated . . .

The thing we know is that a lot of games where sex is involved often introduce the subject poorly. Sex in a video game is akin to passing the spinning goal in sonic or catching the flag in mario.

The idea might be that sex should not be a goal. In fact, it would honestly be more realistic if it was easier to obtain . . .

. . . and that brings up it's own unfortunate implications to it.
Sex would be offered from the start of the relationship. Before the gifts or compliments . . .

It's complicated . . .

I feel like if you can't implement sex well into your game why have it at all?
How can you eliminate the idea of sex being a goal? Well, you make it something you get from the start . . .
. . . which as I said will lead to some unfortunate implications with that statement.

Me, personally? Don't even bother with the sex. I'm not trying to be puritan or anything, but I'd say leave the sex to porn. Sexual tension or fan service is okay for me.

Let's put it this way, when has sex become important for a plot narrative . . .
. . . sex is just way to complicated a thing to be used for anything short of porn.
 

BloatedGuppy

New member
Feb 3, 2010
9,572
0
0
Fappy said:
I love Mass Effect A LOT, but the way it handles certain story elements (like sex and killing thousands of mercenaries with no qualms at all) is pretty laughable.
Oh god tell me about it. Shepard is a walking sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. People don't...talk...like that.

Be interesting to play with a game that dealt with sex and relationships in a more "mature" fashion. Wasn't that Catherine game supposed to be good for that? Fucking console exclusives.
 

Erttheking

Member
Legacy
Oct 5, 2011
10,845
1
3
Country
United States
grassgremlin said:
erttheking said:
I've been a little confused by this subject for awhile now. People say "Present sex in games intelligently" but they rarely elaborate on what they mean by that. Is there any chance you can fill in the blanks for me? Some examples of it done right?
It's complicated . . .

The thing we know is that a lot of games where sex is involved often introduce the subject poorly. Sex in a video game is akin to passing the spinning goal in sonic or catching the flag in mario.

The idea might be that sex should not be a goal. In fact, it would honestly be more realistic if it was easier to obtain . . .

. . . and that brings up it's own unfortunate implications to it.
Sex would be offered from the start of the relationship. Before the gifts or compliments . . .

It's complicated . . .

I feel like if you can't implement sex well into your game why have it at all?
How can you eliminate the idea of sex being a goal? Well, you make it something you get from the start . . .
. . . which as I said will lead to some unfortunate implications with that statement.

Me, personally? Don't even bother with the sex. I'm not trying to be puritan or anything, but I'd say leave the sex to porn. Sexual tension or fan service is okay for me.

Let's put it this way, when has sex become important for a plot narrative . . .
. . . sex is just way to complicated a thing to be used for anything short of porn.
Makes me glad that in the story I'm writing, none of the official couples are shown having sex but there's a single woman who enjoys causal sex.
 

Tsun Tzu

Feuer! Sperrfeuer! Los!
Legacy
Jul 19, 2010
1,620
83
33
Country
Free-Dom
grassgremlin said:
erttheking said:
I've been a little confused by this subject for awhile now. People say "Present sex in games intelligently" but they rarely elaborate on what they mean by that. Is there any chance you can fill in the blanks for me? Some examples of it done right?
It's complicated . . .

The thing we know is that a lot of games where sex is involved often introduce the subject poorly. Sex in a video game is akin to passing the spinning goal in sonic or catching the flag in mario.

The idea might be that sex should not be a goal. In fact, it would honestly be more realistic if it was easier to obtain . . .

. . . and that brings up it's own unfortunate implications to it.
Sex would be offered from the start of the relationship. Before the gifts or compliments . . .

It's complicated . . .

I feel like if you can't implement sex well into your game why have it at all?
How can you eliminate the idea of sex being a goal? Well, you make it something you get from the start . . .
. . . which as I said will lead to some unfortunate implications with that statement.

Me, personally? Don't even bother with the sex. I'm not trying to be puritan or anything, but I'd say leave the sex to porn. Sexual tension or fan service is okay for me.

Let's put it this way, when has sex become important for a plot narrative . . .
. . . sex is just way to complicated a thing to be used for anything short of porn.
I think it really speaks volumes on the subject that sex is viewed as something "special" to begin with. I mean, it's just a natural part of life and usually happens, either spontaneously or in a romantic/premeditated fashion, then shit goes back to being what it was prior to the squishy bits touching.

It's hard to quantify what sex in games "should" be like, because we've all got different experiences with the subject matter...and we've got the U.S. puritanical thing still looming over our collective heads like a depressingly overbearing and downright suffocating comforter in mid July.

I'd personally like to see sex in games as more of a casual thing. None of this huge build up and "oh, teh romance" nonsense. Making it so grandiose and some sort of penultimate goal of the interactions is just...well, it smacks of dishonesty and romanticizes the entire thing far, far too much.

I do like how visual novels tend to handle it, but it still comes off as a "goal" being reached a lot of the time...unless the story is genuinely good, which only a select few are.

Suppose it all comes down to the writing, really.
 

balladbird

Master of Lancer
Legacy
Jan 25, 2012
972
2
13
Country
United States
Gender
male
BloatedGuppy said:
Be interesting to play with a game that dealt with sex and relationships in a more "mature" fashion. Wasn't that Catherine game supposed to be good for that? Fucking console exclusives.
Kind of... Catherine certainly dealt with sexuality and relationships in a more "real" and human way than most video games try to... though the plot was actually more of a social commentary for a japanese phenomenon where young men in the country tend to avoid marriage, maintaining relationships in stasis for a long period of time, and thus kind of contributing to the growing problem Japan has with low birth rates... so some of the themes seem bizarre to a western audience (which is strange, since the game implicitly takes place in the US. XD), but it's definitely a good example of a step forward in portraying sex/relationships in games.