How do you feel about nudity in RPG books?

[gamerprinter]

While still maintaining my level of control, one artist I've worked with, Mark Hyzer, previously had done art for WotC MtG, but he stated that he preferred to work in pencil, and nobody ever hired him for that. After 3 pieces of art, the price he gave for them was phenominally low (in my opinion), so I had him create 27 works for me, mostly monster illustrations. On a couple of illustrations, I gave him instructions on what being to create, but how they were posed or what they held I left to the artist - because he so successfully hit all my other requirements. But I insisted on no nudity, just the same.

 

[Bedrockgames]

While still maintaining my level of control, one artist I've worked with, Mark Hyzer, previously had done art for WotC MtG, but he stated that he preferred to work in pencil, and nobody ever hired him for that. After 3 pieces of art, the price he gave for them was phenominally low (in my opinion), so I had him create 27 works for me, mostly monster illustrations. On a couple of illustrations, I gave him instructions on what being to create, but how they were posed or what they held I left to the artist - because he so successfully hit all my other requirements. But I insisted on no nudity, just the same.

Sure. That is your right as the publisher. In this case I am fine letting the artist make the determination on whether nudity should be in the image because I want that call to serve the art.

 

[Koloth]

I think worries about nudity in RPGs or other material is generally overblown. As I look at the nude woman chained to the altar on the cover of my copy of the OD&D Eldritch Wizardry. Or the drawings of several of the demons on the inside pages. Even the three basic books had some nudity. I find the whole worrying about nudity or sex in RPGs rather hilarious considering that the basic adventure for most RPGs involves meeting in a drinking establishment, forming a party, buying as many weapons of mass destruction as you can afford, traveling cross country killing almost everything you meet, bashing the door down on a castle or dungeon, killing the inhabitants of said castle or dungeon, stealing their stuff, and returning back to the drinking establishment to celebrate your glorious adventure. I doubt very much that a naked female breast or bare midriff in a book is going to corrupt a young child more then the above adventure.

And for the record, I think that RPGs are a good thing for most kids to play. Properly done, can develop original thinking skills.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

I think the important question is to ask yourself what purpose the nudity serves.

In general, nudity needs to have a purpose when included in a gaming material. It has to serve a specific purpose that is easily seen and understood. Otherwise, you risk serious misunderstanding.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Depends on how its implemented, but it doesn't bother me.

I don't want it on covers, but there are appropriate places for it (succubus, how YOU doin'?)

 

[Umbran]

How do you feel about nudity in RPG books? Not titillating nudity but nudity that is meant to evoke or capture a certain idea.

I cannot think of too many things that are appropriate for general-audience RPG books that cannot be evoked or captured without outright nudity. Given that, I find nudity largely unnecessary. Given that the general audience for RPGs includes adolescents, I question the wisdom of including it.

Now, if you find me a case where the same idea cannot be expressed in a PG-13 manner, I'll consider its merits. But, by and large, game books can probably do without it.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I cannot think of too many things that are appropriate for general-audience RPG books that cannot be evoked or captured without outright nudity. .

I don't think this would be a general audience RPG book (generally I'd say most of our games are targeted at college age or above---our games cover everything from Caligula to playing hit men in the mob).

 

[Bedrockgames]

I think the important question is to ask yourself what purpose the nudity serves.

In this instance, it is that the artist feels the image is best served by having it be a nude. I only just had a brief conversation with her about the particular image, so I am not sure what her full reasoning is. I've seen it with and without clothing and without it is definitely more impactful and captures something. Without it it does kind of feel like drapes over the Spirit of Justice. It still is a good image, but it feels kind of odd.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

Nudity is just nudity. It's not a big deal, in real life or in games. Nudity isn't inherently sexual or pornographic.

 

[Wicht]

I don't think this would be a general audience RPG book (generally I'd say most of our games are targeted at college age or above---our games cover everything from Caligula to playing hit men in the mob).

If you are fine with cutting out a part of your potential audience, then that is, as publisher, of course your right to do so. I wonder though, how successful the Black Dog games were compared to the slightly less edgy White Wolf games. But as you already seem to know which way you as the Publisher want to go, then I am wondering at why you asked the question in the first place? Was it just curiosity?