Questions: Single vs Multiple girls and Adult Content?

[YuMMz]

Hello,

I am fairly new to posting here, but have been lurking for awhile while I tried to learn enough code to create my own game. As I trudge through this project I have a couple questions.

1. As a game player do you get bored with a storyline that has only one female in it? For example my story is based on a boy and his tutor, cliche I know, but hey its my first game!

2. What is the deal on adult content and hosting? I have no way to host my game, but was hoping that I could get it hosted via the RenAi archives. Do you guys host games with adult content? Also is adult content too distracting as a gamer? Should I just remove the adult scenes all together? Which there are quite a few as the main character is naturally curious!

[ShiraiJunichi]

The archives will host adult games. However, they will remain separate from the non-adult games, so people who are offended by adult content won't mistakenly download it.

I think single girl games are just fine- though I think they tend to play a little differently. But I don't think anyone will look down on your game for only having one girl. Quine, Metropolitan Blues, Secretary of Death, Transfer Teacher, Black Pencil, and others only have one girl, but they are still good games.

As far as having or not having adult content... it really depends on your target audience. Putting in adult content will alienate many of your would be fans. But, it may also attract a larger audience from the adult crowd. But is that really the kind of audience you want?
You also have the issue of hosting. While the archives will host it, download.com, and other places will not.

Personally, I would say leave it out. If it's not central to the story, then what did you lose? If it is central to the story, then do you really even have a choice? (well, I guess the choice would either be to make the game, or not make it...)

[mikey]

As a game player do you get bored with a storyline that has only one female in it?

Not in a free fan-made game, no.

Also is adult content too distracting as a gamer? Should I just remove the adult scenes all together? Which there are quite a few as the main character is naturally curious!

If you can make sure your game doesn't fall into the "private tutor and the curious student" stereotype, then it's okay. But in this case I'd advise against sex scenes, in all honesty.

Quine, Metropolitan Blues, Secretary of Death, Transfer Teacher, Black Pencil, and others only have one girl, but they are still good games

^_^ aaaah, there's someone who hasn't played TT to the end

[PyTom]

2. What is the deal on adult content and hosting? I have no way to host my game, but was hoping that I could get it hosted via the RenAi archives. Do you guys host games with adult content? Also is adult content too distracting as a gamer? Should I just remove the adult scenes all together? Which there are quite a few as the main character is naturally curious!

Basically, the policy of the RAA is that we will accept a game with adult content, provided the game has significant amounts of romantic content as well.

The precise details of this offer will be worked out when the game actually exists. I may need to set up some mirroring, as I would suspect an adult game could produce spikes of bandwidth. But that's just details for me to work out when the time is right.

It's up to you if you want to make your game adult or not. A third way (taken by Mizuiro, IIRC) would be to use conditional to optionally elide adult scenes... but this only works if the adult scenes aren't important to the plot. Some games make them integral to the plot, or at least to the reward structure of the game, leading to obvious gaps when they don't exist.

(Amusement Park, I'm looking at you!)

[RedSlash]

Also is adult content too distracting as a gamer? Should I just remove the adult scenes all together?

It would depend on how you use the adult content. If your adult content would equiv to downloading porn off the internet, then no, I would have no interest whatsoever.

[ciel]

Alot of games have adult scenes anyway (To Heart, White Album etc) so I wouldn't worry so much about that... just make it somewhat relavent, i would guess.

[musical74]

I'm going to agree with RedSlash on this...if it's done tastefully, I don't have a problem with *adult* content but if it's akin to getting pron off of the internet...I'll pass on the game.

Regarding the question on whether it should be one female or several...really, that depends on the game. I know, I know, evasive answer. But there are some games - Metropolitain Blues, for example - where one lady seems to fit perfectly. And there are others - Garden Society Kykuit - where more than one lady seems like a better fit.

Hmmmmm Transfer Teacher has more than one lady? Gotta play it again!

[YuMMz]

Well how about Mosaics? Do you guys feel adding mosaics like they do in Japanese Bishoujo games creates a more tasteful adult scene? Or just leave it uncensored?

[monele]

I don't think mozaics do anything except annoy those who want to see it all . If you need mozaics, I think most people here won't really appreciate those scenes... unless, as it's been said, they're totally anchored in the story and add more to the characters relationships.

[PyTom]

If a scene is tasteful, it's tasteful. If it's not, it's not. Mosaics don't change anything, in practice. (It's not like you're fooling anybody with a mosaic.)

[Otaku Dash]

Haven't posted in a long while..... lol Hi everybody.

My opinion on this is that it depends of the audience you're aiming....

Bishojo Fans will most likely enforese the use of mosaics or the position of the bodies in a romantic way that cleaver hides the censored parts..... while most Hentai fans would comply you dor it to explicit and with no mosaics.

For me I'm an "open minded" kinda guy, so if the sex scene goes well with the flow of the game, then I don't see no problem with mosaics.... although you still have to add the adult Rating for this game.

P.S: As a side note..... Is it me or does Pytom's flash for a few (and I do mean few... hardly noticable) seconds with another image... I managed to see green and orange patterns but I couldnt' make it out..... maybe it's on my mind.... I knew I shouldn't have ate those mushrooms today! >_> lol

[Blue Lemma]

Since it's your own game, you should do what you want to do. If that means having sex scenes, put in sex scenes. If it means not having them, don't have them. If you're going to have a good shot of finishing, you'll need to keep your own entertainment and amusement as a top priority and worry about other people's individual tastes later.

That being said, I would also recommend considering the consequences of the content in the game. Once you put your game out there, it is YOUR game, and the content will be associated with you. Would you be comfortable with other people (some of which you won't have even met yet) knowing that you made a game with adult content? It is something that should be considered. Also, if the game has no artistic merit, it could fall under the category of obscenity which leaves it open for *possible* legal attack. I'm guessing this wouldn't be a problem since you're probably interested in ren'ai and stories, and not porn, but I thought I should point it out for others who may be reading.

You might also consider two versions of the game, one having the adult stuff and the other not. Keep in mind, though, that if you include nudity and all that, the art is generally expected to be better.

As for mosaics...they remind me of sliding tile puzzles

Wow, I have a lot to say about this topic ^o^;

[papillon]

I would say, if you feel uncomfortable enough about *explicit* sexual content to consider using mosaics, then just use positioning instead.

I don't care much about seeing juicy closeup sex details, but mosaics are distracting. It's like having a smudge on my glasses - even if I don't want to see what's being hidden, I want to clean it up!

Whereas, hiding parts of a picture with things within the picture - conveniently placed objects, or the other person's body - can make a sexy picture sexier, as your mind gets more involved in trying to imagine what you can't quite see, instead of being frustrated that the picture is damaged.

[YuMMz]

Thanks for all the replies! I understand what you say Blue Lemma, thats it my game, but I would still like for others to play and enjoy the work I have put into the game. So everyones opinion is important to me. I also understand the artwork needs to be better in these situations, but that is my strength and the least of my worries. I just wish I could program better, that is where SO much time is lost!

Anyways thanks for the the input so far, I am taking it all into account as I continue working on my game.

[ShiraiJunichi]

... pornographic and obscene are very objective terms. Moreso with "obscene"- which must take into account one's standards of decency.
What one person may view as pornographic, someone else may view as simply risque, perfectly acceptable, or even wonderful art.
There is material, however, that is inarguably, and unequivocally pornographic. This is material whose primary purpose is to arouse.

It seems most people here are of the opinion that if a game's primary purpose is not to arouse, and adult content is "tasteful", then the game is worth playing.

However, no matter how you "hide" the actual body parts (whether through mosaics, or positioning), no matter how artistic or tasteful it is, there are those who will still consider the work to be pornographic. Coincidently, those who would consider that kind of work pornographic also tend to be the type of people who avoid pornography.

Of course, the more you hide, or the more tastefully it's done, the more people will not consider your game pornographic.

I've tried to stay objective thus far. Hopefully I did a good job. However, I'd now like to state my opinion, which I assume will be unpopular.

(here I use obscene and pornographic synonymously)
Nudity in any sexual situation is pornographic, with mosaic or not. Detailed nudity in any situation is pornographic. Vivid description of sexual activity through text is pornographic.
I loathe pornography. Period.
While positioning may make something non-pornographic, it still offends me, and I tend to avoid it. It makes me think of a friend who "half-swears". He'll say the first half of swear words, but he doesn't get scolded by his parents, because he doesn't say the actual word. I'm glad he's not actually swearing- but at the same time I know exactly what he means to say- so what's really the big difference? I feel like saying, "If you want to be "BAD", then be "BAD". But I'll be disappointed."

And I guess that's the advice I want to give. If you want to put something in your game, then put it in, and don't worry about what others think. It may alienate others from your game, but that's their problem. If I don't want to play your game because on what it contains, that's my problem (or priveledge).
But I would ask you one question before you put anything in your game. Do you really even need it? If the game is not meant to arouse, then why would it even need adult content? Look at Metropolitan Blues- it has an adult scene, but without adult content (if that makes sense...). IMO it is a contradiction to say that a game with adult content is not meant to arouse- which is what defines pornography, which I assume you don't want. If it wasn't meant to arouse, then why is it there? To inspire feelings of love? Such things much more easily inspire feelings of lust- which would be contradictory to the feeling of love you were trying to create. In other words- a huge distraction- I think that's what you meant.

And that's my opinion. I'm not saying I'm right, or others are wrong- I'm just saying that this is at least how one man feels about it.