F**k this, what's the point?

[Blue Lemma]

I mean that literally, what's the point of censoring swear words in a visual novel? I downloaded deIz, and the download page says, "Warning: This game contains partial nudity, sexual themes, written violence, and censored strong language." (emphasis mine)

Censoring swear words always strikes me as silly. Because, what, we don't know what "f**k" or "s**t" is supposed to mean? Or when someone says "mother*BEEP!*", we don't know what's going on? Why the farce?

I say if your characters are going to swear, let them have the full impact of swearing. That's the point of swearing, right? No one stubs their toe hard and shouts "BEEP!*

How do you handle it in your games? Censored swearing? No swearing (aw fiddlesticks!)? Full-on crinkle your mother's ears? Avoid those types of characters all together (Miko would never let loose an F-bomb <3 )?

[Taleweaver]

I just HAVE to post this:

[LVUER]

Same reason why you put all those disclaimers, those warnings (which sometimes seems intended for idiots dummies), those mozaics, and those ESRB ratings. To avoid getting sued by suing-happy people.

[KomiTsuku]

It really depends on the character. A few of my characters won't cuss or replace them with similar words (ex: Yoi uses fook.) The others use the words, and I don't censor them. It's pointless. Not only does it detract from the point the character is trying to make, but it is unrealistic and just plain silly. As for being sued, freedom of speech. I already claimed that my game wasn't for six year olds, maybe they should police their children better?

Bwahahahaha! My F**king Pony!

[Aleema]

Latest poll on my site suggests: people really don't f**king care. So long as it's not childishly thrown all over the place.

I originally handled my game to exclude swears. If they were going to swear, someone cut them off. I replaced the strong swears with the mild swears. F**k > screw. S**t > damn. Sometimes even hell into heck for no good reason. I chose to say "jackbutts" once because that's a funny word, not necessarily that I didn't want to say jackasses. Anyway. I personally will be playing it by ear. I feel like sometimes the F-bomb can shake you out of game if the mood doesn't allow for it. We're used to living in a world where people curse all the time, even ourselves, but in our games, that might not be the case so it may be very odd to suddenly see it.

[Auro-Cyanide]

I say it's pointless. It's not like you can't tell what they are saying and it drives me nuts when it is beep beep beep constantly. I would rather not seeing those people at all, but if they are swearing, they are swearing. Even more so for written words. I think the character should either swear, use alternatives, or just don't say them. I think that would depend on the type of character and the audience you were going for. Swearing has it's place definitely, and can still be quite powerful despite it's over use.

But they probably exist for the same reason we now have a rainbow sheep.

(Also, I see what you did there )

[Desu_Cake]

I'm half-tempted now to write a character who yells BEEP! instead of swearing.

[Anthy]

Unless the game is super dialogue-centric and lacks narration, it could be described as an action. "Yuusuke's face twisted with rage as he clenched the unlucky object in his hand, and began shouting unintelligible profanities at it."

There's also "@%#$!" kind of stuff that can be used instead of "beep!" Though I think that one is just for random angry swears that may not be in any dictionary, and the effect is more comedic. Otherwise, it pretty much is impossible to fool anyone by adding a couple asterisks.

"Alternatives" makes me think of Wizard Swears. "...Dobby's sock"

[J. Datie]

I usually read things how they're written, so if a character is calling someone an an asterisk-hole, whatever I'm reading has now become unintentional comedy. On the other hand, I don't think I've ever stopped reading something and thought "I just can't get into this with any swearing!"

[Meatpie]

I write how I speak.
I swear a lot.
So some of my characters tend to swear a fair bit.

Only time I would ever use censoring would be environmental censoring, such as cars passing by, trees falling and so on so forth.
I think if you are going to do it for comedy purposes, that is the best way to go.

Censoring because you don't want to offend is... well.. tree falling stupid. Words can't hurt you, and no 12 year old who is into Visual Novels is going to be ruined by reading a swear word.

They are more likely to download one of the Nasuverse and learn about the wonders of construction work.

[SusanTheCat]

I don't swear as a general rule. I'm not against it, I just never developed the knack. As a result, anytime my characters swear I think it comes across as un-natural.

Susan

[Blue Lemma]

(Also, I see what you did there )

Are you talking about the thread title? If so, isn't it great? *inserts ojou-sama laughter* ohohohohoho

Er, anyway... I played deIz (great game) last night and the treatment of this made my head spin. There are sexual activities, yet the word "sex" is completely censored! I'm thinking this is a cultural thing (the dude's from the Philippines, I think)

Oh silly censorship norms. You baffle me here and everywhere else, too!

I don't swear as a general rule. I'm not against it, I just never developed the knack.

Same here.

[Tsundere Lightning]

The only game where that really worked for me was Brutal Legend. Mostly because the dialog choice for whether or not there would be swearing was:

- Say whatever the fuck you want!
- Bleep it out, but only because that's funnier

And it is HILARIOUS with the bleeps.

[Adorya]

It's largely used as a joke function by now, it's like in anime, manga or video games when a man is suddenly naked for comedy effect, his parts are hidden by mosaics, or for "suggesting" something humorously gross.

[Lumen_Astrum]

Why do you have to warn about the strong languages when it is censored all along?

I know I'll be considered as a bad kid when I say this, but I cuss.
A lot. And I'm just thirteen.

My characters tend to cuss too, but it actually in the personality. If the character's a short-tempered girl, yeah, I'd expect it.
I have a classmate which I ALWAYS hear cussing, even when she's surprised, she cusses like a motor mouth.
But if the character's shy, cussing is... something of a surprise.