Feedback: Remove Sexual References and Lower Profanity of NPCs
Welcome to Project: Gorgon!
Project: Gorgon is a 3D fantasy MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game) that features an immersive experience that allows the player to forge their own path through exploration and discovery. We won't be guiding you through a world on rails, and as a result there are many hidden secrets awaiting discovery. Project: Gorgon also features an ambitious skill based leveling system that bucks the current trend of pre-determined classes, thus allowing the player to combine skills in order to create a truly unique playing experience.
The Project: Gorgon development team is led by industry veteran Eric Heimburg. Eric has over a decade of experience working as a Senior and Lead Engineer, Developer, Designer and Producer on successful games such as Asheron’s Call 1 and 2, Star Trek Online and other successful Massively Multiplayer Online Games.
Well I am older as well, lets just say could be oldest one in this thread lol and I am 100% in support of the profanity though I myself may not swear etc , this gives the game its flavour, its character and personality
Lets not start so soon ripping that out.
From one who has children herself....I can assure you they hear worse at school and it may not be the best game for little ones. Perhaps best not to have really little ones playing this game.
Let the NPC's be that way. One reason I quickly got on board with this game was just the personality like that. There are a dime a dozen games out there that do not do this. And not to be dismissive but I just feel like if you don't like it why play the game?
I truly don't mind it and would miss it as it is part of why the game has charm to me is it is realistic. I assure you in medieval times people were not PC. lol.
Have we not had enough PC in the world ?
((I am located in CA/USA by the way just for geographical reference))
1. Children accidentally reading words they shouldn't over someone's shoulder
2. Adults not enjoying sexual references or profanity
The first could be pretty easily addressed by adding a generic bad word filter to the game that a player could optionally enable if they choose. A word filter wouldn't help much with the second issue though.
I get it that not everyone will enjoy the game's current level of profanity and sexual references. I was thinking about that recently myself - I have some friends that I'd really like to play with again, and I think they'd like Gorgon, except for the language. They left a guild we belonged to because they didn't want to deal with people occasionally cursing in guild chat - I think the chances of them putting up with the language in PG are pretty slim. So, that sucks. But - I still agree with about everything that has been said in favor of Gorgon's language/story in this thread so far. To add my overly verbose two councils in support of the current language:
There are a ton of games/movies/books out there that carefully tone down what they say in order to get the desired kid-friendly audience rating. There are some games/movies/books that instead intentionally include unneeded profanity or sex in order to appear more mature (and usually achieve the opposite in my jaded opinion). Having a game like PG that isn't aiming for a particular rating and just says "fuck" because that happens to be the most appropriate word in the current context is utterly refreshing.
I like the sex-obsessed elves. Again, a lot of other games just throw in some vaguely sexy stuff because under-dressed chicks on the cover sell. PG actually *thinks* about what it's doing - ok, so elves like sex a lot, how does that translate into marital relations and what do other races think of it? I like it that elves are actually notably different from humans in culture and behavior, and not just in some noble, wishy-washy way like "elves like to sing a lot" that would be unlikely to generate any interracial tension.
People in real-life curse. People in real-life tend to gossip a lot about sex, however obliquely, and look down on other people that engage in sexual behaviors they disapprove of. Having some of this brought into a game, in a way that is consistent and makes sense, is pretty cool.
In my opinion. The current level of profanity/references in Gorgon works great for *me*. I'm happy with it about 95% of the time. Sometimes, it does feel a bit overdone to me, but it hasn't really interfered with my enjoyment of the game. Since tastes vary, it's obviously not going to work for everyone. Does that mean it should be changed? I hope not.
Personally speaking, the first time I heard Rita and Blanche I thought it was sort of funny. Then, over time it totally has lost all of it's appeal. To me at least the smutty stuff doesn't come off as adult, more sort of 14 year old school yard smut and therefore annoying.
I'm far from a prude, and swear all the time, love sex and don't mind any way a conversation turns.
I just dunno, maybe after the 10th time it just sort of loses that novelty and becomes a tad as described.
As for kids watching/playing. It's aimed at adults - that's not the devs/games problem that is up to the responsible adult to prevent the kids seeing the media. I wouldn't let a kid see porn, violence or horror content if I was watching it, no more than I would let them watch me playing an adult game.
There are some games/movies/books that instead intentionally include unneeded profanity or sex in order to appear more mature (and usually achieve the opposite in my jaded opinion).
I agree here and this is one my main points outside of my own personal viewpoints.
I do think the vulgarity and profanity will turn some people away from the game, who would otherwise would really enjoy it.
Originally Posted by Tagamogi
PG actually *thinks* about what it's doing
I do think this is great and from a story and overall Lore/Design it is great knowing that it is more a part of the Story rather than just an out for a developer. Thanks to others for the past references and additional details.
Originally Posted by cratoh
Personally speaking, the first time I heard Rita and Blanche I thought it was sort of funny. Then, over time it totally has lost all of it's appeal. To me at least the smutty stuff doesn't come off as adult, more sort of 14 year old school yard smut and therefore annoying.
Maybe that is part of the issue that I have, it's that it is flowing so often that it feels too prevalent to just be a fun little detail of the Lore/Dialogue.
I think it would still be great to have some options or lessen to a degree for the main content (NPC public chatter and main Quest interactions).
I found it to be refreshing and look forward to more vulgarity. While you state it will drive some away it will also lure some in. I get tired of insidious political correctness. I vote to keep it in and don't be afraid to add more. Long as the game states it has adult content, then I don't see a problem. It is one of the things that makes this game unique. To be honest, to me, it feels more realistic and, for me, that enhances the game.
At the end of the day, i feel it is the person who chooses to be offended and not the other way around. They are words and we are adults. I also agree I find it humorous, and to an extent hypocritical, when one person will gripe about language while happily partaking in extreme never ending violence. If you can justify one then you can justify the other. There is no global approved upon hierarchy of which is better or worse. At the end of the day it is all virtual and meaningless. It doesn't come alive, live with you and following you around in real life. All dialogue repeats, so click the tab that doesn't show NPC dialogue and never see it again.
I do think the vulgarity and profanity will turn some people away from the game, who would otherwise would really enjoy it.
Yes, unfortunately. The same is true of a lot of design decisions though, not just this one.
Rambling on about profanity a bit more: The reason I tend to dislike it in games/movies/books is that it is often used excessively as a substitute for plot or vocabulary. To me, Gorgon doesn't do that - swear words are just a very small part of the overall vocabulary which includes many, many other words. (And some of them, like "non-ruminant ungulate anatomy", just leave me drooling speechlessly in admiration.)
Of course, which amount of profanity, if any, is acceptable rather depends on each player's views.
I think it would still be great to have some options or lessen to a degree for the main content (NPC public chatter and main Quest interactions).
Yes, if an optional filter could be easily implemented, I think it would be nice. I wouldn't want the game to go to the hassle of rewriting NPC dialog though, so some of the NPC interactions could end up sounding pretty odd if they are just simplistically filtered.
I think we all need a Medieval lore history lesson. People talked a lot worse than Rita and Blanche lol. God bless those 2 poor ladies. They just need a good man or three.