Nudity in RPG books?

[Elf Witch]

I need to chime in here. When the discussion of nudity comes up usually we are talking of female nudity. Because 9 out of 10 times it is nudity showing the female form.

As a woman I am tired of woman's bodies being used to sell everything from chicken wings to power tools. I don't have a problem if a woman poses for Playboy or other male magazines because let's be honest those magazines are selling sex. But what on earth does a woman in a thong bikini have do with a riding lawnmower? I find it distasteful because it turns woman into objects not people.

I feel the same in RPGs. Sure show a half naked lustful succubus I have no problem with that after all her job is to sell sex it would make no sense for her to be dressed like a nun. ( unless of course that is the paladin's secret fantasy ) But what is up with female characters shown half dressed? Come on why would Mialee were that stupid outfit adventuring it gives no protection from the elements and unless she took eschew materials she has no place to store her spell componets. You don't see Hennet the male sorcerer running around in bicycle shorts and nothing more.

Kenzer is coming out with the Dark Elves of Tellene a book I was looking forward to it until I saw the cover. Two well endowed half dressed female elves about to get into it. All that is missing is the mud pit.

Sex sells is why it is done. I for one don't understand it, how many people are going to buy a RPG book just because it has a sexy cover. if you are really into gaming I would think you would buy the book or pick it up to look at it because in some way it will enhance your gaming.

I am not a prude I do not have a problem with nudity in art or nudity in appropriate settings like say the cover of a steamy novel or the cover of The Book of Exotic Fantasy. (BTW I have not seen the book are there any nude men in this or is all just woman?) But I am tired of having my face rubbed in it in RPGs, fantasy novels where the only reason it is there is to titillate boys.

 

[smetzger]

Typical religious bigotry. Believe it or not, neopaganism did not invent sex. Likewise, contrary to your prejudices, "the others" do not universally condemn sex nor nudity.

Yup, believe it or not the Bible has a whole book devoted to sex.

 

[BryonD]

I just wanted to know why some people would deem nudity in game books bad with regards to their small children, but giving them books where blood and violence is depicted extensively (just take the PHB) is no problem for their toddlers?

It is easy for children to learn and quickly understand the negative consequences of violence.

The negative consequences of sexual behaviors can be far less obvious.

I want my children to grow up to have well considered and developed, healthy sex lives.
I not exactly worried about them growing up to have a violence life.

Not saying that children should therefore be shielded for sexuality. But I believe the difference between sex and violence is stark and the heightened attention to sexuality over violence by reasonable adults is quite healthy.

On the topic at hand, I don't need nudity in RPGs any more than I need D20 stats in Playboy.

 

[am181d]

The correct answer is #1. Seriously. Think of the children. Specifically, think of Timmy, age 10, who's parents are very open-minded, but who's having a problem keeping a gaming group together, because his friend Bob's mom found out about that "naughty nymph" picture in the latest rulebook and has been talking all over town about the evils of roleplaying...

 

[Faraer]

Is not this

Saturday night my 15 year cousin was looking over my gaming books. Of all the titles I own, which takes up two six-foot tall units with five shelves each, guess which item the boy spent the majority of the night rifling through? Yep, the Book of Erotic Fantasy. Of course, it could have been the excellent writing he was looking at, but I would hazard that was not the case.

because of this kind of thinking and practice?

Only because my 3 year old son occasionally plays in my gaming room and I don't want him coming in contact with that type of material for a few years yet.

 

[Voadam]

The correct answer is #1. Seriously. Think of the children. Specifically, think of Timmy, age 10, who's parents are very open-minded, but who's having a problem keeping a gaming group together, because his friend Bob's mom found out about that "naughty nymph" picture in the latest rulebook and has been talking all over town about the evils of roleplaying...

You mean that naughty nymph in the MM?

 

[JoeGKushner]

I strongly feel that nudity is like profanity. Both can be used to make a point and give a product a certain feel. However, a skilled writer or artists can make the same point better without use of either and I think that too often nudity and profanity are used more for shock value than for any actual augmentation of the material they take place in.

 

[Arnwyn]

Nudity of any kind doesn't bother me BUT there is a time and place for everything,

Exactly.

The question is: why? Why would I care to have nudity in an RPG book? I don't see the benefit.

Thus, no benefit = a non-inclusion, IMO.

 

[Zappo]

The question is: why? Why would I care to have nudity in an RPG book? I don't see the benefit.

Added realism, added complexity, some people like it. Also, usefulness isn't a requirement for art.

 

[Kalendraf]

In the same vein, I think there ought to be a tad bit more beef-cake in gaming art, but I'm not holding my breath for it.

I'm a happily married hetero male, but I agree 100% with your assessment. There should be more beef-cake gaming art. Male warriors are nearly always depicted in full armor while male spellcasters are usually in very bulky, loose-fitting robes. On the other hand, females are often given absurd armor that barely covers anything vital, or the female spellcasters wear nearly nothing or just a few tight-fitting garments. While I enjoy looking at the female form, I think that fantasy art should incorporate a bit more equality in the clothing selection. If they insist on having fully covered males, then let the women be fully covered, or, if they insist on have scantily clad females, then let the men show off their bodies too.

I still remember the furor that the cover of Dragon #294 made when it came out. Many people were deeply offended by it, and all it showed was a bare male chest...

That cover is fantastic. I'd love to see more artwork like that. I have a hard time understanding why people would be upset about seeing a muscular male chest.