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Poll: Sex in Games Is Worse Than Violence

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As a parent, which would you find most offensive in a video game?
A graphically severed human head
  
58% [ 14 ]
A man and woman having sex
  
25% [ 6 ]
Multiple use of the F-word
  
17% [ 4 ]
Two men kissing
  
0% [ 0 ]
Total votes: 24
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Nienor SharkAttack
Post subject: Poll: Sex in Games Is Worse Than Violence
Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 6:06 pm
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http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/04/pol ... n-gam.html

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Out of curiosity, I'll run the poll here as well.

I think the first comment on that blog page pretty much sums up my thought when I saw this:
Vince wrote:
So a naturally occuring activity that keeps the human species alive is more disgusting than someone violently dying. I wonder if the same rings true for the question "which activity would you rather engage in? Severing someone's head with a chainsaw or having sex?"
I suppose my brilliant plan for next Halloween must be altered. Instead of a severed head, I'll bring a porn movie. Or a couple of male friends of mine, making them kiss in front of my victim. *Gasp!* :roll:

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Meril36
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 6:34 pm
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Multiple use of the F-word. Graphically severed human head I would find disturbingly gross, but I'm not "offended" by it. Sex, meh. Two men kissing, meh.

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ToshoftheWuffingas
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 6:36 pm
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Hm, I thought about this a bit and have no strong opinions. Eventually I plumped for multiple use of the F word; ie saying Fuck a lot. Mainly because it is the most easily acquired 'vice' I don't really expect some child of mine to pop out to the hardware store to get a chainsaw to do some amateur surgery; I would trust them to recognise fantasy violence. Likewise viewing hetero or homosexual activity doesn't worry me much.

I can imagine them filling their conversation with casual obscenity though and would find that quite depressing.
Back to the violence and I would add that context is important. There's a difference between violence done to cartoon book orc/Imperial stormtrooper/generic gangsters and that offered to identifiable and/or vulnerable groups.

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Dave_LF
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 6:38 pm
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I'm with Meril. Gratuitous cursing is the only thing on that list I consider offensive or a potential bad influence in any way.


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Wilma
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 7:07 pm
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I picked the severed head. Sex dosen't bother me. Gay kissing? I say woohoo!!!

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Dave_LF
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 7:36 pm
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I should probably add that young children probably shouldn't be playing video games with either sex or severed heads, but neither thing is offensive; just age-inappropriate.


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MariaHobbit
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 8:03 pm
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I don't think any of those things belong in video games! Let them play Tetris!

;)

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The OG Borry
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Posted: Fri 11 Apr , 2008 11:53 pm
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I really can't say I find any of those offensive. Would you find scenes of the same nature offensive in books? As I see it video games are interactive stories, most of the time, in which you're taken away into some other reality; which almost sounds exactly like reading a book minus the interactive part I guess. In the game there can be promiscuous characters, characters who curse, homosexual characters or an invading race of chainsaw wielding zombies who's sole purpose is to decapitate everything in its path, all depending on what the overall story involves. Again, just like books except with moving pictures, to each their own and to each director's or designer's or author's own.
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Donernilwen
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 4:45 am
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I can see why sex in a video game would be considered more offensive simply because its a video game.
I haven't really heard of any games with sex scenes (are there?) but I don't imagine they'd be focusing in on the two people's intimate private connection and respecting how cool that can be. Killing people is killing people. Its bad. Sex on the other hand can be good, but in a video game I'm imagining more of a rape-esque type feel and that would be the most offensive thing on that list in my opinion, regardless if it were in book format or otherwise.


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TheEllipticalDisillusion
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 6:21 am
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I picked the sex between a man and a woman. Like most of the responses, I don't find any of those choices offensive. I get annoyed with pointless sex scenes in video games because they're not people, so it always looks silly and stupid.

Question: Does anyone think Super Mario Bros. would have better game play if Mario banged the Princess? You can replace Super Mario Bros. with any video game if you like.

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Estel
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 10:55 am
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The only thing on that list that kids won't be exposed to anyway eventually is the severed head, therefore, that's the one thing I wouldn't want them exposed to in a game. The rest is part of normal real life, so why in the world would I want to hide them from those things.

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yovargas
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 1:47 pm
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LalaithUrwen
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 1:57 pm
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I'm with Maria--none of them belong in a video game my children are playing.

If it's a rape scene, as Don suggested, then that would be the most offensive thing to me. Otherwise, I'm not picking.


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Crucifer
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 8:44 pm
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I'm not picking either. THe sex scene would probably be the most distracting.
The f-word would be annoying, but not offensive.

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Wilma
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Posted: Sat 12 Apr , 2008 10:20 pm
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I don't think I would like Super Mario saying the F-word or cutting off a persons head. It's just not that type of game where that stuff is suitable. (Although I guess people could argue for the F-word.)

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Pippin4242
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Posted: Sun 13 Apr , 2008 3:34 am
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Donernilwen wrote:
I can see why sex in a video game would be considered more offensive simply because its a video game.
I haven't really heard of any games with sex scenes (are there?) but I don't imagine they'd be focusing in on the two people's intimate private connection and respecting how cool that can be. Killing people is killing people. Its bad. Sex on the other hand can be good, but in a video game I'm imagining more of a rape-esque type feel and that would be the most offensive thing on that list in my opinion, regardless if it were in book format or otherwise.
I'm mostly thinking Metal Gear here. It plays like a film, and sometimes sex shapes the plot. It's definitely possible for tasteful sex to be part of a game.

I voted for the head. Although I don't really like games that encourage the player to mete out large amounts of violence and don't show the consequences, it's certainly more offensive to me than anything sex-related, which as far as I'm concerned is only natural. :)

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Donernilwen
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Posted: Sun 13 Apr , 2008 4:17 am
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Considering my favorite video game is the N64 Mario Party series, I kinda wish there was an option for "all of the above". ;)
ETA: Pippin, thanks for the link and info.
I agree that for story purposes, sometimes it needs to be shown, but it can be done tastefully (or even just alluded to). For some reason or another, I just can't imagine that happening in video games.
The ones I have seen with violence in them go all out, showing bullet holes and blood gushing out of the persons head. In some movies that happens, but often someone in a scene is shot and it isn't smeared all over in your face. Maybe I'm generalizing here, but I would imagine that would be the case in regards to sex too.
I should really just be quiet cause I don't play video games much and don't really know what I'm talking about. :scratch: :blackeye:


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Dave_LF
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Posted: Sun 13 Apr , 2008 12:52 pm
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Pippin4242 wrote:
it's certainly more offensive to me than anything sex-related, which as far as I'm concerned is only natural. :)
But I'd say that whether something is natural or not shouldn't be the deciding factor; fighting and killing are natural behaviors too.


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Pippin4242
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Posted: Sun 13 Apr , 2008 1:15 pm
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Alright, but in your lifetime you're far more likely to have sex than you are to cut off a guy's head. :P

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Dave_LF
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Posted: Sun 13 Apr , 2008 1:39 pm
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Pippin4242 wrote:
Alright, but in your lifetime you're far more likely to have sex than you are to cut off a guy's head. :P

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