Mordern Roleplaying Video Games

[SuperLuigi]

So I have started threads on this topic and posted something very similar, but this is something that bothers me and I want to focus on it in a thread.

Typically if I play a video game, I want to play a roleplaying one. That is because they have the deepest stories and characters. They actually have real plotlines on par with movies and the player becomes attached to the characters. Seriously, I and others have actually teared up when certain ones die. You get to know them pretty well, if you take the time to talk to them (which is also a great experience because you get to hear stories about your team members’ pasts). People who play these games really do fall in love with the characters. There’s also the fact that the setting is very well developed. A lot of effort is put into writing the history of the area and coming up with other background information. It can really feel like a living environment, that’s easy to care about. Also, since the player is able to design their character, he or she is very easy to become attached to. It also adds replay value since I’m able to come up with new personalities and invent different characters who react to certain things differently. Granted it is only an illusion of choice, but it fun nonetheless. These games can last from twenty to fifty plus hours. A shooter only lasts around six. So it’s not like I could just substitute with Call of Duty, or another game that’s popular now. They just aren’t as fun, to me they don’t have much depth to them.

Now my problem is that these games increasingly include sexual content. Now for the one I play I have heard that it was done in a way that could hardly count as a sex scene. To me this is irrelevant, what they are going for matters. I doubt this will last long since gamers complain that they are not explicit enough. Granted I have never watched said scenes. The game makes it obvious when it’s about to occur and I can either turn off the TV (which works very well) or I can even tell the character no (which the game actually registers as completing the romance). This becomes worse when we realize that gay marriage is becoming more accepted. I think all these games include a same sex romance option (if they don’t I’m sure there would be lots of complaints; I have already seen some for a game that only allows it to a limited degree, for the time). As a result, these games are now including same gendered sex scenes (something a player would never see, if they didn’t want to, you would have to choose to romance a character with the same gender). Due to a large portion of society desiring this, I don’t think it would be possible to find a company that doesn’t. Especially since this genre emphasizes player choice. It’s considered unfair to not allow a player to enter into a romance with a character of the same sex.

So what is someone who favors this genre to do? Is it acceptable to just avoid this content? This whole thing seems like a messy situation to me.

I would bring this up with your Confessor. If you have the option of not watching the sex scenes, I’ve been told in certain terms more than once by priests that is acceptable.

So, I don’t see an obligation on your part not to play, but you need to:

1. If it is your intention to use this as pornography, that really changes everything, but
2. Playing a game like that where a sexual situation is integral to the game and is something you can ignore, then I think you’d be okay.

 

[suko]

The main purpose of these games is to save the galaxy/ world. Most of it is spent doing missions for NPCs.The sex scene only comes at the very end, if you romance a character and then consent. Okay one has the option for a second scene at the very beginning, but that’s it. All of the games (Star Wars and not) have “bars” where you have to walk through. There are dancers in inmodest clothing, but you can’t stop and watch them strip or anything. I couldn’t imagine someone finding it sexually stimulating unless someone actively tried to make it so. But none of these are the purpose of the game and are not the reason that people purchase the (I don’t think so anyway, I think it would be sad if someone bought a 20 to 40 hour game for one sex scene (that may not even be explicit)). So what’s your opinion on this? Does the fact that I don’t find any sexual stimulation/ temptation while I’m playing change anything?

Since they aren’t the purpose of the game, nor are things explicit as u had mentioned, I think it’s absolutely fine. There will always be immodest/immoral things in some games, I wouldn’t worry about it unless doing these questionable things are the purpose or one of the primary objectives of the game. You really have to use your own judgement on this.

And yes, that’s good that u don’t find yourself tempted when u play the game, if u did, it might be a different story, as it would be a near occasion of sin for u.

But it’s by the same company that makes games with sex scenes. Could this change anything?

I’m curious, but what are the ratings for most of these games with sex scenes? But I would say, if the game appears to be safe to play (according to u, use your best judgement), then feel free to buy it, I wouldn’t worry about the other questionable ones too much. It’s as Kamaduck said, maybe if u buy the “clean” ones (less dirty ones?), it’ll prompt them to make similar ones, or sequels to that particular game.

So if a company includes these things should a cease paying for any of their Gamez? Or just the ones with said content?

To me, it depends how explicit their sex scenes are. If it’s mandatory and the sex scene is like one you’d see in an adult movie, I think that’s a problem, so I personally wouldn’t (for that particular game), but I’m not gonna say that u are necessarily sinning just because a game had this questionable content in it, in which it never was even one of main objectives of the game, and wasn’t your reason for playing it. I just personally wouldn’t, but only because the disappointment/disgusted level in me would be through the roof that I just couldn’t bring myself to buy a game in which the developers felt the need to add this kind of explicit content in it.
And yes, personally, I would cease buying those which, according to u, have crossed the line. You need to kinda use some personal judgement here.

So now I need to add; must I really worry about this? Can I just buy these games and ignore the sexual content? I think I could do so fairly easily. So I will be free from temptation.

I think u should worry about it a little bit. You should be careful about what u buy and bring into your home. To me, I find this trend very troubling, but I also can’t imagine that every company is doing this either. I’m sure there are some “good guys” left in which their RPGs are always or usually fine to play. Some companies that I thought produced or published some of the greatest RPGs (and were clean) were:

tri-ace, Konami, Enix…Squaresoft (Square Enix), Atlus, Game Arts, Wolf Team, Working Designs - one of my faves, but this one died off in 2005, sadly, but the President started up another one called Gaijinworks, and it appears from a quick google search that he’s re-published some RPGs that I thought were really good: Alundra, Vanguard Bandits and Arc the Lad 1-3. But of course, things could have changed by now, but I can’t imagine all of these companies producing RPGs that always have questionable content in them.

Btw, what are the ratings for most of the RPGs you want to play (or have played)? If it’s less than an M rating, you should always be fine. Back when I was playing RPGs, I can barely recall any M rated ones (aside from a small handful), and definitely no AO (Adults Only) ones; most of them were T (for Teens) or ratings lower than that.

I mean whether or not I purchase the games won’t stop these practices. Even if every Catholic did.

I don’t think that’s really a valid point in this case, since it’s not so much about stopping the practices. It’s more so about the principle of not supporting things that we ought not to support as faithful Christians. So if u already know something is obviously trash, then u shouldn’t buy it. Otherwise, if u applied the same logic that you’re using here, u can then very easily make the same case with adult movies and hentai games.

 

[C794]

Thanks for the replies. They have been helpful.

So these games are rated M. When you say adult movies are you referring to pornos? If that’s the case none reach that level. Maybe in an AO game, but I couldn’t imagine. I have heard the sexual content compared to the sex scenes.you’d see in a pg-13 movie. I think in some cases they have been compared to something that would be seen on a TV show like Lost. This is the case even in the ones with prostitutes. And not a single.of these companies makes having sex a primary or secondary objective (including the ones with prostirutes). So how does this impact your thinking?

 

[suko]

When you say adult movies are you referring to pornos?

Yeah, basically, I just don’t like using that term for some reason, lol. Just a personal thing, I guess. ^.^

If that’s the case none reach that level. Maybe in an AO game, but I couldn’t imagine.

I couldn’t imagine either, or at least, I’d rather not, lol.

I have heard the sexual content compared to the sex scenes.you’d see in a pg-13 movie. I think in some cases they have been compared to something that would be seen on a TV show like Lost. This is the case even in the ones with prostitutes. And not a single.of these companies makes having sex a primary or secondary objective (including the ones with prostirutes). So how does this impact your thinking?

I’m not really familiar with Lost (I’ve heard of it, though), but if the sexual content are like what you’d see in a PG-13 movie, and as u said, they’re not really the main objectives of the game, then I’d say, go for it. : ) But of course, always try to do some research ahead of time, if u are able, since the sexual content level (among other things) could obviously change at any time. : (

 

[C794]

I can understand you not wanting to use the word pron. It does sound bad. I’m also unfamiliar with the show Lost, but I heard it used to say the scenes were non explicit. When I first became old enough to play M rated games (a couple years ago) I used that comparison with my dad and he thought it was a good sign.

Researching ahead of time is a good idea, but some things I find are disturbing. Not so much content but what fans say they want or like. But I did hear the sex in one of the games with prostitutes described as the characters being in their underwear (so very much non explicit). So ya, that is somewhat of a decent sign, but it confuses me. I can’t figure out why I company would include so much sex (ability to have a four way even) if it was so non explicit ( no nudity and pg 13 level). Not that I think they should be more explicit; I find even the one end game pg 13 sex scene model disgusting. Sex (no matter how vague the scene) has no place on television or in a game. I find its prevalence in the media a sign of the problems with our culture. It’s just that normally I can predict a company’s motives for including it (granted I disagree with said motives and find them to be entirely invalid reasons); in this case I’m at a loss as to what they were thinking.

 

[Robyn_p]

Thanks suko! Your answers were also helpful to me in trying to navigate this issue.