Comments on: sex, Sex, and SEX!

By: Abulia Savant Discusses Cross-Gender PCs - Treasure Tables

Abulia Savant Discusses Cross-Gender PCs - Treasure Tables — Mon, 01 May 2006 01:32:57 +0000

[...] choose to play cross-gender PCs, why some GMs ban this practice, and the issues that it raises. Permalink | Posted in Miniposts | [...]

By: Abulia

Abulia — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 23:04:54 +0000

The article falls squarely on the side of doing what’s appropriate for your gaming table; I don’t advocate role-playing sex for the sake of just having sex. I do, however, believe that sexuality within the context of role-playing games is marginalized or outright discouraged.

Ultimately having the discussion of “is or is this not appropriate for our game?” is the real question, and at least THINKING about the role of sexuality in a game is a big step.

I fear too many games ignore the concept entirely and the opportunities that it provides.

And I agree, sex is NOT a spectator sport.

By: Waldo

Waldo — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 21:00:50 +0000

I’m not convinced sexuality belongs at the game table, and prefer it not manifest in any game I’m in.

We’re talking about gaming, not theater. If a player wants to explore their sensual side, there are other, better avenues for that.

There are certain exceptions. If the PC needs to seduce someone for an item/information/plot device, that’s one thing… but I still favor the “you kiss — fade to black” game mechanic.

Also, there is a difference between in game romance and sexuality. If a player wants to roleplay Cyrano Debergerac-style romantic expressions (poetry, sonnets, professing courtly love from below “Juliet’s balcony”), more power to them. If they want to then climb up and bed the NPC, they can do so in their imagination.

If the player wants to explore that kind of interaction further, I will refer them to any number of internet chat rooms to get those kinds of jollies. I sure am not interested in facilitating those (even PG-13) interactions as a GM… and I don’t want to be sitting at the table while the GM and/or other players explore those interactions.

As another poster stated, let that happen “off screen”. My character wouldn’t want to be ring side and neither do I.

Lastly, there is another ‘danger’ to this kind of interaction — an “in game” romance between two players/GM may be a “safe” way for them to manifest a Real Life attraction, especially when there are significant other(s) in the picture (but not necessarily at the table).

I *definitely* don’t want to be a part of that. If they have an attraction, they need to address it away from the table and not use the game to facilitate their flirting (and/or prelude to infidelity).

By: Rick the wonder algae

Rick the wonder algae — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:30:08 +0000

I have to agree while disagreeing. While the resons you cite above are sound and your thinking correct there is the matter that sex and to a lesser extent, romantic episodes of all sorts are NOT spectator sports. I certainly kiss, hug and snuggle with my wife while our friends are over, but I rarely have suggestive conversations with her in public and we certainly never have sex while others are present. I have to assume that romantic and sexual acts in game are pretty much the same thing. While some level of them makes sense and should be freely roleplayed (characters in my groups often hit on or make passes at, make plans to be involved with etc… NPCs and other players) other aspects are more private and if they need to be roleplayed outside of a player’s own mind at all, they need to be done in privacy. In the same fashion that the DM takes a player aside and tells them what the “mysterious old man” says to them in the alley and it’s up to them to decide how exactly to present this information to the group, perhaps omiting or altering some of it to better serve their own personal agenda, so should most serious romantic or sexual interludes. How my player conveys exactly where he was last night to the rest of his adventuring party says a lot about his character as well as speaking volumes to the other character he was with.

In short, if you’d do it in real life in front of your friends i heartily agree with you. If you wouldn’t, it requires similarly delicate treatment in an RPG.

By: gopal

gopal — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 07:25:14 +0000

Tremendous

By: Treasure Tables » Give Sex a Chance

Treasure Tables » Give Sex a Chance — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 01:39:09 +0000

[...] that tends to get swept under the rug in RPGs, in sex, Sex, and SEX! (with one NSFW image). Permalink | Posted in Miniposts | [...]

By: Arref

Arref — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:34:44 +0000

Genre has a lot to do with sexual story threads in a game.

D&D, with its episodic style and tactical origins doesn’t lend itself to an easy transition to mature relationships. IMHO.

I like the examples you use.

And several links here:
http://www.skyseastone.net/itsog/shadows/000819.html

By: Miriam Bracca

Miriam Bracca — Wed, 26 Oct 2005 18:09:58 +0000

Fair points all, and in the main, I totally agree. I game with a small group of mature players–meaning they are adults, at least in terms of their attitudes and responsibilities–and we approach the table to have fun, but to tell the best story/game we can collaboratively. Some of the characters have sex, and that is part of our gaming.

I do take issue with the assessment that the Book of Erotic Fantasy was pandering; while it may be a failed experiment in the attempt to approach the topic maturely, I do not think it panders–like almost every supplement we use, there are take-it or leave-it elements to be found, some of them more useful than others. My group has actually found some pertinent and useful stuff in BoEF, as opposed to, say the online UCK supplement and similar books.

By: Martin Ralya

Martin Ralya — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 14:34:03 +0000

I don’t have anything to add, except to say that I like this post, and I wish this kind of coverage appeared in more games.