sex vs. violence

[seasong]

I should note that when I say "sex in games", I am talking about:

1. Romantic entanglements, dramatic flirting, jealousy-inspired rages, lover's quarrels.
2. Dynastic tension, "children of" campaigns, marriage ceremonies, aristocratic obligations.
3. Ale and whores.
4. Divine conception, temple virgins, temple prostitutes, demonic seduction.
5. Bad jokes among good friends.

Sure, not all of it is for everyone. And there's "sex in games" that isn't for me. But a lot of the above is as desireable in real life as the violence is - I could deal without the kinds of dangerous relationships some of my players' characters get in.

 

[seasong]

To expand on that a bit, when most people say "violence", I hear "action" - feats of athleticism, acrobatics, car chases, etc., in addition to merely clonking someone over the head with a mace.

To say that "sex in games" only means "getting it on, only imaginary" would be like saying "violence in games" only means "bashing people's head in, only imaginary". Both are far richer topics than this indicates.

 

[I'm A Banana]

*That's* sex?

Hell, that happens all the time in the campaigns. Often sandwiched in between violence.

1. The jilted lover turns necromancer, kidaps the object of her affection, and kills him so he will be forever with her in undeath -- unless the PC's can save him!

2. The king is under a curse by an orcish shaman who has stopped him from making children. The PC's must seek out the shaman to seek a remedy for this -- one of those few cases when beating things upside the face won't yield the results they need.

3. Barfights and running from smitten madammes.

4. A temple virgin had a vision where an evil god came to her and impregnated her...and the demonspawn is growing at an astonishing rate. Perhaps some of the rare herb that grows in some obscure corner of the world can save her...if the PC's can do it!

5. "Aye, mate, I'd share me room with Allaralani, but he's an elf, and ye know what they say about poncy prancing limp-wristed fairy queens....OW!"

 

[seasong]

1. One of the sub plot threads in my super hero soap opera was the 10 year courtship of Dr. Elisabeth Black by one of the PCs. We did the campaign comic serial style, so that was about 5 major story arcs; and one of the Epilogue Narratives of the campaign was their marriage and honeymoon.

2. The super hero soap opera mentioned is actually the second such campaign - most of the PCs were the children of the last campaign's PCs, built around the relationships that had developed in that campaign. At least two of the children had high expectations to live up to.

3. Anyone who reads the Book of Runes story hour I'm starting right now will be picking up on this one .

4. Check out my Light Against the Dark story hour for Belial, fiendish seducer extraordinaire.

5. I can't repeat most of 'em here .

 

[Trainz@work]

I must admit I am a bit surprised at the intensity of negative feelings that BOEF generates. Don't get me wrong, I respect people not wanting to buy it. Hell, there are a few products that I regret buying.

My players are a bit on the low side or role-playing participation. Sometimes I have to bend their arms to get them to behave "in character". I have tried a few things, with a varying degree of success.

They are kinda mechanic-dependent individuals. If it is not on a table, or doesn't have stats assigned to it, they have a hard time dealing with it. That said, other aspects of their gaming are very good.

If anything, BOEF will encourage my players to role-play. There will be mechanics in that book that will expose players to more moments of social interaction. Close to 100% of the game's mechanics are combat oriented (spells included). The time is well passed due that somebody decided to look at other aspects of a RPG than combat.

I await BOEF with great impatience. And I WILL buy it for the articles, not for the smut.

 

[Umbran]

is it possible that a division along then lines of larp/pnp may arise?
if so is it a good thing or bad? if not, why do you think not?

Is it possible? Yes, but that doesn't make it likely. I mean, it's also possible to roll 30 consecutive critical hits....

The attitudes, likes, and dislikes of gamers are not formed by the books. They are formed by the culture in which they live. We are products of our environments, and one book is unlikely to change that.

There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

 

[Piratecat]

I need sex in my D&D game about as much as I need violence in real life.

Conversely, I could use as much sex in real life as gaming serves up the sweet, satisfying violence.

Of course I'd have less time for gaming then... Ahh, the timeless geeks' dilemma.

Umm... my next game is going to have a whole lot of violence in it. If it's all the same to you, I'm going to make sure you're sitting waaaay on the other side of the table from me.

 

[Buttercup]

*That's* sex?

Hell, that happens all the time in the campaigns. Often sandwiched in between violence.

Same here. What I was thinking of is role played seduction & other things best kept private. I have no problem with using the full range of human motivation and interest as source material for plot hooks.

And Clay, you bring up a very interesting point. You may be on to something. I'll have to give it more thought.

 

[Olive]

I need sex in my D&D game about as much as I need violence in real life.

this sums up my position exactly...

 

[Arnwyn]

I need sex in my D&D game about as much as I need violence in real life.

As for my opinion, this says it all.

To the original poster: IMO, it's a non-issue.