New review of the Book of Erotic Fantasy

[Xeriar]

No,
Shame on you for expecting everyone in the world to adopt the same gutter morality that Valterra and company decided to espouse in this product.

Some of us have some moral standards that don't allow for buying smut disguised as gaming material.

Perhaps a bit of historical understanding is in order.

America (as in, the United States of) is a rather odd country in that it gets its morals and work ethic from the Puritans. That is, the belief that work is good and that entertainment is bad (especially sex) as a general rule.

This ethic pervaded this country for three and a half centuries. Only in the past forty years or so has it begun to corrode - but America as a whole is still unusually prudish and productive. The U.S. is still very culturally closed about issues of sex, and will probably remain that way for another couple generations (it is, actually, becoming a problem as our reproductive rate is too low!)

So, someone from another cultural mindset (even a Christian one) is going to think your comments to be a might set far fetched.

I think not discussing sexual issues is a problem for our society, especially as diseases are on the rise.

To say nothing of how someone can dismiss erotica out of hand as 'worthless smut' then go pretend to commit wanton genocide in his basement, then claim to have 'higher moral standards'.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

I'm not sure it's the subject matter that many people are objecting to (though some are), but how Valar has handled it.

(This isn't even the first book involving sex - that honor goes to Mongoose's Nympology or whatever the name of it is.)

I think it looks like they did a lousy job, based on the art & text I've seen. That was my point.

Not to change the subject but do you know of any reviews of that book?
The Mongoose one?

Thanks,
Djeta

 

[Desdichado]

Perhaps a bit of historical understanding is in order.

America (as in, the United States of) is a rather odd country in that it gets its morals and work ethic from the Puritans. That is, the belief that work is good and that entertainment is bad (especially sex) as a general rule.

This ethic pervaded this country for three and a half centuries. Only in the past forty years or so has it begun to corrode - but America as a whole is still unusually prudish and productive. The U.S. is still very culturally closed about issues of sex, and will probably remain that way for another couple generations (it is, actually, becoming a problem as our reproductive rate is too low!)

So, someone from another cultural mindset (even a Christian one) is going to think your comments to be a might set far fetched.

I think not discussing sexual issues is a problem for our society, especially as diseases are on the rise.

To say nothing of how someone can dismiss erotica out of hand as 'worthless smut' then go pretend to commit wanton genocide in his basement, then claim to have 'higher moral standards'.

• The influence of the Puritans on "American values" is overstated, in my opinion.
• America isn't unusually prudish or productive, we've just adopted the deterioration of old-fashioned values that is common to most of the world perhaps a bit more slowly than some. Reading between the lines on your post, I'd guess you think that's a bad thing, clearly (again between the lines) I disagree.
• Sex gets plenty of discussion, and STDs are on the decline relative to historical numbers. You're flat-out wrong on that, at least.
• Speak for yourself. I've never played a game of wanton genocide in any sense of the term.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Perhaps a bit of historical understanding is in order.

America (as in, the United States of) is a rather odd country in that it gets its morals and work ethic from the Puritans. That is, the belief that work is good and that entertainment is bad (especially sex) as a general rule.

This ethic pervaded this country for three and a half centuries. Only in the past forty years or so has it begun to corrode - but America as a whole is still unusually prudish and productive. The U.S. is still very culturally closed about issues of sex, and will probably remain that way for another couple generations (it is, actually, becoming a problem as our reproductive rate is too low!)

So, someone from another cultural mindset (even a Christian one) is going to think your comments to be a might set far fetched.

I think not discussing sexual issues is a problem for our society, especially as diseases are on the rise.

To say nothing of how someone can dismiss erotica out of hand as 'worthless smut' then go pretend to commit wanton genocide in his basement, then claim to have 'higher moral standards'.

I was just about to comment on chatdemon's post when I read this. As an intelligent woman who frequently reads, and occasionally writes erotica , I agree. I was very insulted by the "moral standards" part as well and I fear this thread will probably be closed soon.

Erotica - not pornography and not smut. To compare erotica to porn is like comparing the sex scenes in Romeo and Juliet to the sex scenes in Debbie does Dallas.

My desire to look at this product does mean I have lower moral standards. I actually happen to have very high moral standards, and I don't consider being open about and appreciating the beauty of human sexuality to be immoral at all. I consider it to be healthy and aware.

Someone above mentioned another book about sexuality that was an rpg supplement. If that book is of better quality for what it is meant to be then I'd like to see that one as well. I was not aware another book existed on the subject. If anyone has any reviews I'd love to compare the two books.

Thank you,
Djeta

 

[Dark Jezter]

I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone made a post about how "prudish" and "close-minded" American society is.

 

[hunter1828]

I own Mongoose's Nymphology. It is...poor...to say the least. While it very well could have been presented much, much better (and doing so would have made it an incredilbly better product), the fact that it was presented in a childish and giggling manner makes it less than desirable as a game aid.

The BoEF, on the other hand, is written in an intelligent and mature fashion and takes the subject as the serious, mature subject it is.

hunter1828

 

[Remathilis]

There seems to be two issues involved here

1.) The use of the general rules included in the book.
2.) The art.

Having not seen a lot of this books contents (art or otherwise), I'll have to stay neutral on how well of a job both were handled. However, it begs the important question:

Would this book be more "accepted" without photoshopped art (replaced by line drawn art ala BoVD?)

 

[mythago]

Erotica - not pornography and not smut.

Oh, c'mon. We all know the real definition:

I read erotica.
You read sexually explicit material.
She reads pornography and smut.

It's a very subjective definition--one person's lyrical descriptions are another person's "that's too explicit and graphic" and over the line into pornography.

there are literally hundreds of gaming products out there that glorify violence and other "evil" behaviors. no one seems concerned about that.

I would guess the furor over BoVD was a hundred times louder than over BoEF.

 

[hunter1828]

No,
Shame on you for expecting everyone in the world to adopt the same gutter morality that Valterra and company decided to espouse in this product.

Some of us have some moral standards that don't allow for buying smut disguised as gaming material.

I'll thank you for not judging my morals until we've actually met face-to-face and had a good, long conversation about life and how to live it.

hunter1828

 

[hunter1828]

Would this book be more "accepted" without photoshopped art (replaced by line drawn art ala BoVD?)

That's a question I've asked many times and never received an answer.

hunter1828