What is offensive to people? And would you download a game that would offend oth

[Badger]

Clues in the title; Just wondering what people find offensive in games/game content and what they would/wouldn't play.

(Because my game idea is a little 'riskay')

[Dataflashsabot]

The more 'offensive' the content, the more I'll want to play it
...although that might be because I'm 15.

Serious answer, I'm pretty much never genuinely offended by games/movies/etc.
What's your idea?

[Danman]

Look I don't believe anything should be taken as offensive in a game. It is not real. So I believe anybody who says that it is too offensive is too sensitive ( That rhymes ) .. More offensive the better to me. That is the only reason I bought Manhunt 1 and 2. The only 2 out of 5 games banned in the UK. Well least the 2nd. Nothing is offensive in other words.  Look at south park. That is the most offensive show in the world and everybody loves it.

I mean once you say it is no under 18. You cant offend anybody. and if you do well too bad.


Edit: Well once you have a look at your Profile's avatar. I don't see what is more offensive then that.

[Questionable]

Beastiality.


'nuff said.

[Snarky]

Poor spelling or grammar.

[Intense Degree]

To be honest, pretty much any game is bound to offend someone here or there.

Of course it's often context just as much as content with these things.

[Anian]

Poor spelling or grammar.

Heh, yeah.  

"Offensive" is not word I'd use, "offputting" may be more correct, I wouldn't get offended at stuff but maybe not want to play a game that as mentioned, stuff like bestiallity (though this also depends on the extreme it's in, technically I felt like I was watching bestiallity while seeing Avatar but not many people would agree), grammar and spelling as well (but that too would vary from a simple mistake to just simply not reading the text twice to check for errors).

You'll always offend someone, that's why many great movies are called cult classics. 

[Crimson Wizard]

Alright, if you want an honest answer, I was offended by Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Basically because it takes place in my country and for some reason anti-terrorist operation is performed by NATO special forces, instead of native ones.

Taking a wider look, I think I am not offended by sex/violence/gore/obscene language and similar things in my age, but rather by certain ideological orientations, vulgar propaganda (of any type), and, huh, lack of creativity in gameplay  .

Speaking of adventure games... I am offended by Sierra humor in their games. I think sometimes it is really tasteless and annoying. 

[Bulbapuck]

I would never play a game that would offend the mighty oth

...And my pointless post count goes up another notch

[GarageGothic]

I doubt there's anything story or theme wise that would offend me - I'm a Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis fan, and while some scenes in their novels do disgust or shock, if that was their purpose, more power to the author!

What would WOULD offend me however, is disturbing images displayed suddenly and without warning (like prank screamers in youtube videos). I have a good visual memory and really can't visit shock sites like rotten.com because the images will be stuck in my mind for a very long time. If something like that happened in a game, I would simply quit it and never play it again. A word of warning: I was doing research on Commedia Del'Arte characters, and I strongly advise you to never, ever do a google image search for "harlequin" without the exclusions "-baby -fetus -ichthyosis" - you WILL be scarred for life.

Personally I hold R-rated movies and cable TV shows as a standard of how far to go in terms of violence and sexual content. If David Cronenberg would put it in a movie, it's probably alright to put it in a game.

[Gravity]

While I would love to say I'm easily amused and not often offended there are some things that provoke anger or disgust in me. What may offend me in one area (Such as a novel) may not have the same effect on my via a documentary. It all depends really. It allows has a lot to do with what's going on in your life or what may happen in the future. While I may not have a problem with offensive materials in a game today, that's not to say something won't change my opinion later on. Violence in games does not bother me. Having sex like material in games does not bother me (if done proper and tasteful). But should someone use violence in a game as a means to have sex scenes then that may bother me. Really, everyone is different and all I'm saying is, what is fine today may be wrong tomorrow and vis versa. In the end, whatever floats your boat.

[LRH]

What would WOULD offend me however, is disturbing images displayed suddenly and without warning (like prank screamers in youtube videos).

I find this interesting...

My game coming up is modeled after nightmares I have had and will include a few 'jump out of your seat' moments, but I think they belong, as that is how they actually happened. I think there's 2 (3 if you're REALLY easily scared) but none of the game includes random graphic violence, for that has always turned me off from atmosphere (I'm one to think Trilby's notes would have been greatly improved without the excessive dead bodies, blood, etc. in the hotel.)
I will include some warning dialog before the game starts about that.
I think that if they're tame enough scenes for my girlfriend to watch without jumping, just about anyone could.
Does this sort of thing bother anyone else?

[Anian]

All in all, Badger, while you may not want to reveal any spoliers, a bit more explanation on "risky" would be useful.

@Domithan: if it contributes to the game, it should be ok, same as with random gore - there's a use for shocking (the sight, no in that "out of your seat" way) and then there's something that 's just not pleasant to look at all the time.

OFFTOPIC warning:

I doubt there's anything story or theme wise that would offend me - I'm a Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis fan, and while some scenes in their novels do disgust or shock, if that was their purpose, more power to the author!

What would WOULD offend me however, is disturbing images displayed suddenly and without warning (like prank screamers in youtube videos). I have a good visual memory and really can't visit shock sites like rotten.com because the images will be stuck in my mind for a very long time. If something like that happened in a game, I would simply quit it and never play it again. A word of warning: I was doing research on Commedia Del'Arte characters, and I strongly advise you to never, ever do a google image search for "harlequin" without the exclusions "-baby -fetus -ichthyosis" - you WILL be scarred for life.

Aww, I actually was planning on a story with Commedia del'Arte characters and plot mondernised (almost unreconisable except by looking at the overall story) and set in some setting like Palahniuk's Choke/Fight club setting. It would just kind of work cause there's harlequins, older men, younger women, servants, pierrots, brighellas, scaramuccio etc.
Though I only looked over wiki pages for character types in those "Commedies".  

[Danman]

I have watched the most offensive movies and played the most offensive games. And I think like Crimson Wizard I can understand how he could get slightly offended because it is like Stereotyping people. Like Wolfenstein it is saying all Germans are Nazis. Which I agree it is quite offensive.


But With like Violence and Sex whatever rubbish. People should not take in any offense unless like Gravity said

Having sex like material in games does not bother me (if done proper and tasteful). But should someone use violence in a game as a means to have sex scenes then that may bother me.

Which is not offensive just damn irritating.

[Tentacles]

    Well for me, if by offensive you mean tragic, yes I would play it in a heartbeat. I'm a sucker for tragic endings.

   On the other hand, I wouldnt play a saw game, because I find nothing tragic.

[Questionable]

All in all, Badger, while you may not want to reveal any spoliers, a bit more explanation on "risky" would be useful.

I believe the word that Badgey is seeking would be: risqué

[Radiant]

Clues in the title; Just wondering what people find offensive in games/game content and what they would/wouldn't play.

Depends on whether the offense is gratuitous or truly part of the plot.

[Calin Leafshade]

Offensive content usually comes via depictions of reality. Its fine to tear up demons with a chainsaw but its less acceptable to chainsaw Jews.

It's not fine to run over pedestrians (carmageddon) but its fine to run them over if they are zombies (i.e their blood is green)

The act itself is irrelevant.

Winter's Shadow has a fair amount of religious imagery in it which could possibly cause offense but the fact of the matter is that this is *fiction*. It's not real and any depictions of reality are merely metaphors and cultural signals that the audience can relate to. No one is being hurt.

There was a story a while ago about the governor of Las Vegas being very 'offended' by one of the rainbow six games because it implied that Vegas was full of terrorists. These are the kinds of people that think Johnny Depp really is a pirate.

My advice is to go for it. You are an independent developer. You don't have to worry about shareholders or even commercial impact. A vision is always more pure than compromise.

When Reservoir Dogs was be premièred at Cannes, a director/film critic(I forget his name), walked out during the ear cutting scene but afterwards he said this was a compliment to Tarantino since it meant that he had achieved his goal, despite how physically offputting it was to audience.

[Questionable]

These are the kinds of people that think Johnny Depp really is a pirate.

Wait- what? JESUS CALIN! Ever heard of f****ing [SPOILER ALERT?!?!]

P.S. Is it wrong that every-time you gave an example of what isn't acceptable I thought: "Well, it really depends on the presentation..."

[Radiant]

There was a story a while ago about the governor of Las Vegas being very 'offended' by one of the rainbow six games because it implied that Vegas was full of terrorists. These are the kinds of people that think Johnny Depp really is a pirate.

You mean he uses BitTorrent?