Controversial Themes : How much is too much?

Perhaps, but that theme is very much in vogue right now, what with the Left Behind books and the newest release of Risk (Godstorm). I think most people will see the fantasy element in your theme and be okay with it, regardless of their actual beliefs.

Remeber "Wife Swap" on ABC, oh wait it is on now! And for some reason people watch it.

I guess my point is that there is always someone trying to push the envelope and with that comes risk, success and failure. You just never know what the public will want, until they buy it!

If you'd like to discuss how to handle potentially controvercial themes in game design, please feel free to continue. Let's not turn this into a morality debate (again). We already know how that turns out- I'm right and everyone else is wrong, yet they still insist on arguing!

Thanks,
Seth

Hello

The question should be: How conventional ("moral right") do the game have to be?
With the right balance on the edge, the theme will be interesting (thrilling) part of the game (and maybe you get free publicity). If you cross the line, the game will be offensive, and it doesn't matter if the mechanism is the best ever made.
On the other hand, if you try to be too conventional or "politically correct", the game can be really boring and nobody will remember the game.

Some examples:
When RPG really come to Sweden, the first Swedish variant that hit the market was called "Dragons and Demons". The debate where high and the company sold a lot of game on the debate.
After some years, the same company tried to do the same thing again and launched Cult (The world is just an illusion and it's naturally evil). With this game together with the semi "Live RPG" game Killer, we had a new debate. This time did RPG lose . It has taken over ten years to get back on track.

Can you do a game about hell? Yes: no problem. One way is to remove all the parts where you try to corrupt humans and just deal with the fallen ones. Hellgame is a good example of a game that balance on the edge.

Corruption and disloyalty can also be a theme. Both Kremlin and Junta are examples of game that balancing ion the edge, but there are done with humour and therefore they succeed (also, it is not the corruption in the own country that is on stake).

"Spank the Monkey" is an ordinary party game with no "moral" issues in the game (try to catch the monkey). I believe that the game sells a little better because of the name. Nobody would remember the game if it weren't for the name.

Steve Jackson Game "Chee Geek" (probably the wrong spelling) is balancing on the edge (with drugs, booze, nuke and slack). Personally I think that this game is over the edge and I don't find the game funny. The game sells (with several expansions) so there is a lot of people that think this are a great theme.

Go for any theme you want, but you have to be prepared to defend the game when you talk to "politically correct" peoples or with people that think that they have higher moral that you.
If you are way over the edge, be also prepared that you have to defend the theme yourself (you will be all alone).

// Johan

If children had listen to there parents, we would still living in the stone-age.

Where else are we psychos to get our practice?

(Just kidding, Jeff) ;)

Excellent point though, that the justification is what matters. If a controversial theme is justified then by all means, use one. If not, then steer clear.

- Seth

Right, I looked at it like 'if you can justify the theme then people might be interested instead of turned off'.

- Seth

First, let me say that I agree with FastLearner that you dont need to justify anything. If you are an artist(or creative) person and want to test the population on a very edgy game topic. Go for it! As with any game some will like it some will hate it.

Also keep in mind the population of the world. I am amazed at how people are intrigued, even drawn, to controversial subjects. You can see it when it comes to so many aspects of life: tv (reality tv these days), art, music, video games (GTA), rpgs (when D&D first came out).... and one reason these controversial subjects succeed, everyone has a different perspective as to what is "over the edge". Or what they are willing to deem "ok".

Now let me also state that I dont know the bounds to which I would personally push the envelope when it came to such "edgy" topics. But again this is up to each person/designer/player to decide for themselves. And once again, if you feel comfortable enough to develop/play a game about rapists or abortion or killing defenseless POWs, go for it. Not sure why, but some people might play these type of games. And think about it, if a game about serial rapists focused on killing these rapist for "doing the immoral act", to me, it would be very different then playing a rapists and commiting these "immoral acts".

Anyways just my two pointless cents....

Right, I looked at it like 'if you can justify the theme then people might be interested instead of turned off'.

- Seth

Thomas

Yeah I noticed I went off topic a little with that post, but the subject has turned this way and that way. So I figured "what the heck" post the thoughts in my head.

As for D&D, my understanding (from talking with many players of all ages, over many years, and please note this is from hearing people talk, and some various reading about the game "back in the day") was that the game was controversial because of the "demon/cult/spellcraft"" aspect of it. Many parents did not support the idea of their childern playing with these "evil" aspects of the game. So at first the game content was deemed "immoral or bad" by many.

But somehow, and I dont know personally why, this "controversial" matter of demons/cult/spellcraft seem to slowly fade away and the game became acceptable to more of the population. Even today I know parents/people that think that game might promote evil ideals, but D&D by far is very trival "controversial" case these days.

I would agree that the intent of D&D was not to push a controversial game into the market, but it did contain controversial topics "in it".

I guess that is part of my point.

The reason D&D was controversial, was a result of the audience that deemed the content to be "immoral" or "controversial" from their point of view. Obviously the creators did not view the theme offensive (maybe they did, but I dont no many people that would force themselves to work on a subject that offended them).

So in the effort to make my post focus back on the topic, how much is too much? I guess it all depends on how you feel about the subject YOU are targetting. If you dont mind diving into all the details of a "controversial" topic, my guess would be that the topic is not the controversial for you. As a result you can put pretty much anything you want in the game.

Now the side note, how to figure out, what level of detail on such a "controversial" topics is acceptable by the current "social morals" of your intended audience. But again this is another matter, but does factor into the "how much is too much", since your players are the people that have to accept all the controversial theme contained in the game.

I have nothing in this area either, but I am going to go out on the edge here and say that most game companies dont attempt blinding push "controversial" content to hard, to quick. Keep in mind the big boys have money to research theme/content of their games. And they also do this research to get a feel as to what the public wants. Bottom line is a company is a company, and they will target their game in whatever way results in generating money, controversial topic or not.