Sir Elton said:
But the Conan RPG previews look like they are thought provoking.
Not sure what the point is here... The only image I can see that would be worth anyone's time to even comment such is a
single topless slavegirl included in the border-imagery, an image quite appropriate to the setting all things considered. And I think that's what's most important when nudity or sexually-oriented imagry is present: is it
appropriate to the material and/or genre? I often find the answer to be yes (the biggest offender often being Avalanche's covers), particularly in the fantasy genre.
One thing that is important to keep in mind is that the moral values of a game world need not neccessarily be the moral values of our current cultures (and even these values are subject to great variety from culture to culture... Compare American TV to the BBC, and one finds a world of difference between the two). Consider all the difference in views that are used to justify breaking into the homes of complete strangers, slaughtering them, and taking their goods. These views are completely alien to most of our modern cultures here in the real world (except for various 3rd World countries and tribal wars occuring in Africa). Yet, the moment we turn towards sexuality, most people would rather maintain the standard social norms of our times in that facet of setting and role-play.
Nay, I say... Remember, while we Americans are taught that the earliest settlers came here to escape religious persecution and find true freedom, we often fail to learn that they were being persecuted because their religions were too restrictive, too stoic, and too condemning of European society. Naturally, it's not popular knowledge that our fore-fathers were sexually repressed religious fanatics, but like it or not, that's a fundamental truth that still influences many of the social norms of our culture and society.