Q. Rogue/Fighter Nudity?

[Thindul the Gnome]

I am not going to comment for or against the Artwork in Mongoose.

But, from where I'm sitting, it (the nuditiy) seems to have served its purpose. This thread is the biggest one on the d20 Publishers forum. That means people are at least talking about their products.

 

[Gez]

Maybe it is because this image was originally destined to the Unlawful Guide to Carnal Knowledge ?

See this thread Guide to Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, notably this post:

Hey there... remember me?

Just an FYI... I don't know if you'll be able to use the following picture:

http://www.netbook-of-uck.net/images/art/images/isawa_2.jpg

The reason being that this picture was accepted by Mongoose and a finished version was printed in the Quintessential Rogue book.

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade; just making sure no one gets in any legal troubles.

 

[Darrell]

Maybe it is because this image was originally destined to the Unlawful Guide to Carnal Knowledge ?

BZZZZZZZZT!!! Wrong.

The image that was pulled out of the Carnal Knowledge thing was of a fully-clothed character.

One of the ideas they were using was depicting the Carnal Knowledge 'iconic' characers both clothed and nude (note that those are 'Carnal Knowledge' iconics, _not_ the WotC iconics, so don't have a fit about it). The clothed image of one of the characters was accepted by Mongoose, so it was withdrawn from use in the Carnal Knowledge guide.

Regards,
Darrell King

 

[Paradigm]

Given that I have just made the 53rd reply in the thread, Mongoose should have more nude illustrations. Attention is a good thing!

 

[Nightfall]

Go back to work Eric! I need Forged in Magic ASAP!

 

[Corinth]

Have you spent much time looking at historical art or looking into historical dress? If you had, you'd be surprised at how much nudity was involved in people's daily lives. It wasn't uncommon for women in ancient Greece, Egypt or Rome to go either topless or having one breast exposed. So having said that, there is plenty of reason to have nudity in a game book if you want to follow historical fact.

I play with hardcore SCA members, and I work at the local RenFaire. Historical costuming is something that I am very familiar with. That said, the point is irrelevant. Those historical women aren't buying the books at issue. We are, and ours is not a culture of casual nudity.

I don't consider the pictures in the Mongoose books to be out of line or distasteful. No matter how much we either like it or don't like it, we do have to accept the fact that RPGs are primarily a male hobby, and as such will always mean that women will be somewhat objectified. This exists in every medium and is part of our culture. Go to the newstand and pick up a copy of a non-porno magazine. I'll bet there's a sexy woman on the cover. Turn on the television and I'll bet you see a sexy woman in the commercial that comes on. Sexual stimuli is part of our society so you might as well get use to it.

My point is that it's gratuitous, not that it's tasteless or offensive.

Besides that, I still have fond memories of the old TSR succubus pic. That picture was something to giggle about when I was 10. I'm sure the Mongoose pics will be the same for today's younger games.

It will be just as pointless and unnecessary to get the job done.

 

[LcKedovan]

If near or full public nudity were a part of our daily lives, this sort of thing would rouse no comment at all.

Now, I don't want to start some kind of a flamewar here so I'll just point out that in General it is only in North America that there seems to be a real problem with it. In Europe it is a part of normal daily life. The fitness magazines here have more topless pictures than some skin mags in North America.

I won't even get into the differences in sex crime statistics between Europe and the U.S.

-Will

 

[LcKedovan]

I lived in Saudi Arabia for a year. There they censor - by hand - every copy of every book and magazine that comes into the country. If there is a picture showing a woman's arms, legs, or god forbid, cleavage, they don't remove them - they just blacken them in with a marker.

I suggest you buy a marker.

Funny you bring that Up! I lived in Saudi for almost 5 years and indeed that was the case there... the thing I was thinking about just the other day was how the hell all my gaming books from the 80s (and there WAS some dodgy pics re: the aforementioned succubus ) managed to make it in and out of the Magic Kingdom multiple times without censorship... (not to mention the game itself).


-Will

 

[Eryx]

Come on people....

It sounds like your whole problem is that the picture shows a ladie's nipples... and?
If you have a problem with that, don't buy the book. It's as simple as that.

 

[Eryx]

Ok, since my last post I've been down to my local shop and had a look at the Q. Rogues book. To be honest, I wouldn't have noticed the details on those pictures if you guys hadn't pointed them out.

Not a bad little book, I must say.