BOEF vs. BORF

[Skade]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=erotica
e·rot·i·ca ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-rt-k)
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
Literature or art intended to arouse sexual desire.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pornography
por·nog·ra·phy ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pôr-ngr-f)
n.
Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.
The presentation or production of this material.


In other words, "erotica" is porn you like, and "porn" is porn you don't.

Dictionaries do not exist to give the full definition of literary terms, only the barest essence of a thing, but yeah, basically erotica and pornography exist to arouse sexual desire. What is missing from those definitions is the means in which it is accomplished. This is all really subjective, as anything in literature is, but generally erotica deals in the psychology, and the deeper roots of sexual desire. It is not simply a story about sex, but an exploration of the human sexual core. If one were to read Erica Jong or Anais Nin it would hardly be comparable to either Harlequin Romances or Penthouse forum. Its a different creation altogether.

I've pretty well stayed out of the whole debate on this book, but I guess its time to chime in. I can't imagine having any use for this book in my games in the least. It does not offend me, but I do find it most amusing. Or rather I did. I'm dissapointed now that it has become almost entirely fetish from what I have seen, and really is not all that great at what it does in that aspect at all.

I have romance in my games, I have even had a game session or two where the act itself was key to my story, but I have never felt the need for rules expressing the subject. Everything I needed was already built into the system (in this case WW) but had it not been there I would have winged it.

This book seems to be aimed at those who want a little role-play *wink* in their role-play. There are a lot of people out there who do this, more than some might think. If they want this book, great, but I see no need for it outside of those circles.

As to the hype - it killed it for me more than any other detail ever could. I'm not saying anything new here, but I think it should be stressed so that it is known not only to Valar but to any other publisher who considers such tactics. The book was pimped on the world in a almost literal sense. It was flashed and forced and whipped out sensationally, and all it did was manage to make it look cheap and tawdry. Maybe it is a great product, I can't muster enough interest to really read all the preview material, but right now it looks like the sort of thing I would be ashamed to have on my shelf. To clarify this point, I own erotica, I have a great many friends in the festish scene, I own Mapplethorpe even (and that is freaky) and I would not want this on my shelf. It seems to manage to do neither erotica, nor gaming well.

Respectfully,
Kane

 

[Orblivia]

In one of the other Poll threads the name of the BOEF became a topic for a bit. I think someone said that there would have been less of a negative reaction if the book was called The Book of Romantic Fantasy (BORF) as upposed to the Book of Erotic Fantasy.

I'm just curious but how would this have impacted your opinion of the book.
Had the contents remained exactly the same, would it have affected your mind in any way to purchase the book or give it a shot if it was named diffrently?

Well Art, while I do see the need for something that addresses the concepts of romance in D&D I have seen the book and well...

that isn't what I had in mind.

It amounts to elf porn.

Without Tera Patrick.

 

[Bagpuss]

*yawn*

 

[Desdichado]

Frankly, most of the immaturity I've seen regarding the BoEF is coming not from the people who think it's a stupid idea, but the people who are most in favor of it.

I'd agree with this. While no doubt there has been some immaturity amongst those who don't like the book, in general those responses have been calm and well reasoned. Even in the face of very immature and completely unjustified "tongue lashings" from some of the BoEF supporters who like to fancy themselves as some kind of elitist, hyper-mature individuals.

 

[Skade]

It amounts to elf porn.

Without Tera Patrick.

Hi and welcome to the boards. Hope you enjoy your time here.

[Homer Simpson]mmmm Tera Patrick elf porn...[Homer Simpson]

I noticed I had failed to answer the question Arthur posed in his poll. So I'll do so now. The title would have had little bearing on my choice whether to by the book or not. Initially the use of the word Romance, or Romantic might have made me a little more curious, as I would have thought of the Romantic poets and their prose couterparts. I don't know that I would have run a Wuthering Heights style campaign, but I'd have been curious to read about doing so. Once I had looked at the book, my opinion would have come to the same thing as it has now.

 

[King_Stannis]

While I uphold the right to make such a product, I doubt I am going to buy it now. I don't need rules on erotica - and fade to black works fine for RPG sex in my campaigns.

 

[Terath Ninir]

Boef! Borf! Bork! Sounds like y'all are having a conversation about the Swedish Chef...

Personally, I'm going to wait for Sangrolu (Psion around here, I think) to review it. If it has enough good elf pr0n in it, I'll buy it. Otherwise, forget it!

 

[Desdichado]

It seems unlikely Sangrolu will review it, though. If I know Sangrolu at all, anyway...

 

[Orblivia]

I stand by my assessment of elf porn.

I like the fade to black KS indicates.

Save the real loving for something that doesn't involve dice

:-D

 

[Orblivia]

Hi and welcome to the boards. Hope you enjoy your time here.

[Homer Simpson]mmmm Tera Patrick elf porn...[Homer Simpson]
QUOTE]


Yea man....YUMMY.

Now if they had Arwyn(sp?) naked in it, it would have made all right with the book.