BrianX: Yeesh, people throw out the word 'Troll' all the time now...
So, using your logic, I would be 'repressed' if I was offended at someone putting a baby in a microwave or 'repressed' if I was offended at someone raping a woman? Granted those are crazy scenarios, but guess what, they have actually happened. I understand reality, but when you talk about having 'reality' in a VIDEO-GAME, that is when you lose me!
Breaking news: Video-games are NOT real life, no matter how close they try to get. Just because you throw in some useless sex scenes and profanity does not make it more like 'reality.' In fact, it can RUIN the immersion factor if used poorly. Again, I AGREE with you that it comes down to taste, but surely there are STANDARDS for taste and for poor taste. You can't say that all food is good, because some foods will kill you. All uses of nudity and bad language are not good, because it all depends on context.
And I don't know about you, but I don't remember Sting having a sex encounter with a witch back in the 80s. Yeah, I agree that MTV and other media venues go too far, but I don't remember seeing videos in the 80s on MTV that had full nudity (unless they were 'special' videos that came on after midnight like that one Prodigy video).
Anyways, I am not sure you have good taste. How do you even KNOW you have good taste? How do you gauge it yourself? In my opinion I thought they could have designed those Adult elements much better and maybe in the future there will be options for the user to tone those things down without having to download a MOD. Toning it down doesn't mean that the rest of the higher-quality material is obliterated, not at all, I think W1 had a fantastic setting, characters, etc, etc.
But you are right, no matter how much I make an argument that W1 used its more adult themes poorly and in bad taste, it will come down to the individual to really decide if it matches their tastes or not. I'm just sad because, in my opinion, I see an awesome plate of baby back ribs with a small duck turd on top and I can't remove the turd :(
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cogadh: Killing children and raping women are a part of human nature, but they are a part of our nature that society has deemed unacceptable, even illegal. Swearing, sex and nudity are not. You may think them unacceptable, but you are not society as a whole.
No, video games are not real life, but just like movies, they try to represent the fantastical in a realistic way (well, not all video games, but the one we are discussing at the very least). Part of that reality includes things that might make you uncomfortable, just like real life does. Swearing and sex ruin the immersion? What happens in real life when someone swears at you or you have sex, does that ruin the immersion there too? Frankly, those things increased the immersion for me, but maybe that's just my taste.
That's because you were watching Sting videos, watch some 80's rap, glam metal and hard rock videos (the three most popular music forms of the 80's), then come back and tell what the Witcher contained was worse.
I never said I had good taste (you were the one to make that claim), but I do know what I like and don't like. That's all that really matters to me. I look at the Witcher and I see that nice plate of ribs, but with a side of brisket on Texas toast, corn on the cob and big glass of sweet tea.
Well, in real-life if someone swears out loud you really do have to put up with it to a certain extent. Then again, I have told people who swore in front of children to watch their language! Also, people who swear constantly on, say, a bus for example, deserve to be shut up by the others. But as far as swearing in general, I usually just grin and bear it. I am a sinner too and swear from time to time, so I don't want to be a hypocrite, but the way I used to curse you would think I was a sailor. So while I grin and bear cursing most of the time, in video-games I am participating in a closed reality where I have to listen to the profanity to get through the game. For me, its too much to stomach. So while I can walk away from people who swear in public, its harder to do so when you are locked in a game.
Part of that is my fault, it was rated correctly as Adult. But I really didn't think it would be THAT much cursing, maybe they can state how many bad words are used in the game on the back of the box j/k ;)
That is why I think it would be an AWESOME idea for game designers to have an options button/setting where it tones that stuff down but doesn't take out the other gritty eliminates (like the way Conan's world is portrayed which is very much like the Witcher's, ie, barbaric, bloody, etc).
Or maybe come up with a creative way to use certain words like 'Frak' in BSGalactica.
And really? 80s videos were worse than the Witcher's nudie cards and sex scenes? Youtube links or I don't believe you!!! ;)
BrianX: Oh come on Boss, everyone is someone including you; stop being mad. I'm actually not sure of what your point was. I think your point was that sex and profanity are not useless, etc.
I know I was exaggerating a bit much when I said useless, but, in my opinion, the sex scenes and profanity just didn't fit the fantasy setting to me. Maybe because I was raised on more Lord of the Rings, etc, but I used to read the Conan series and felt they were gritty and raw and I thought that the Witcher 1 would be in the same vein. It was jarring and pulled me out of the immersive quality of the game whenever someone cursed like a drunken sailor, especially when Geralt said "Abso-f*****-lutely," I nearly died with laughter when he said that. However I am not so sure the designers wanted people to laugh at that point.
But really, how was the sex and profanity useful? For some, like you I suppose, it enhanced the gritty feeling of the setting, but for me, it really did not add anything because, in my opinion, it was poorly placed. Just because you throw in an 'F' bomb here and there doesn't mean its great writing! Imagine Clint Eastwood at the end of High Plains Drifter yelling 'F*ck yeah," that would be ridiculous and, to me, out of character.
So maybe Geralt is a profanity spewing man-whore, yeah, I guess I chose the product wrong then according to my tastes. But I have no desire to stop other people from enjoying. GAME ON!
And I am no troll, I am a gnome halfling rogue with an eye-patch.
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bossonova: Finally getting to the point. very nice to hear. bottom line is that this game is not for you. Since it is not for you why are you expressing anything about it. why bother? end of the story. Are you here to educate people on f bombs and titties in games. no. so just let it go big bad brian of the pg universe. you will not be so angry anymore.
Well, you are only getting HALF the point. Half the game is definitely for me: the setting, the action, the atmosphere, the RPG elements, the creatures, the characters, etc. Yet, in my opinion, the sex scenes and profanity ruin it for me for reasons I stated plenty of times.
The other HALF of the point that I made earlier is: Wouldn't it be cool if game designers had options for content that at least tones certain aspects down? At LEAST an option? I think that is a great point to be made because it won't ruin the game for others who want their nudity and bad language untouched.
My first post actually asked if they were making a PG version or if there were patches/MODS, etc. But I think there have been some quality discussions amongst the dross.