I will never understand how americans keep demonizing nudity and glorifying violence.
It's okay for a little kid to see someone decapitated on tv, but seeing a bare breast (or two) is completely out of the question? It just doesn't make sense whatsoever.
I'm sure this game is bad, but saying 'degrading' and 'shameful' every other sentence just makes it clear this review was written by a preachy person who is scared of his or her own body.
I will never understand how americans keep demonizing nudity and glorifying violence.
It's okay for a little kid to see someone decapitated on tv, but seeing a bare breast (or two) is completely out of the question? It just doesn't make sense whatsoever.
I'm sure this game is bad, but saying 'degrading' and 'shameful' every other sentence just makes it clear this review was written by a preachy person who is scared of his or her own body.
Please stop using strawman arguments and refer to my post.
Originally posted by Jetrpg
These are not morals, they are ethical considerations; morals are universal.
I subscribe to the idea that the response to nudity and violence in the media are completely twisted. The strange prudishness the US in particular has to nudity is frankly confusing when quite obscene acts of violence seem to be standard fair on TV and in movies. Now I am not one for censorship of either but just wanted to note what an odd stance this is.
That said, imo Scarlet Blade has absolutely no merit whatsoever on any level, whether artistic, cultural or just as a fun time sink. The nudity is entirely gratuitous, in fact it is the only aspect of this game that is worthy of any note, whether good or bad.
I have no moral problem with that, if people want to watch strange nude cartoon pixels running about good luck to them. I am just confused as to why anyone would.
It's honestly fascinating just how many pages of identical...stuff...this title produces, every time a new topic is introduced.
If "any publicity is good publicity", you're doing a bang-up job, mmorpg.com.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
I will never understand how americans keep demonizing nudity and glorifying violence.
It's okay for a little kid to see someone decapitated on tv...
It is?
Let me know what channel shows decapitations because I AM SO THERE, BUDDY.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
While not the best review, it does inform the reader of what to expect from the game in a fair, although strongly opinionated way.
Make no mistake though, I fully agree with the reviewer on this game, and I personally would score it even lower on the visuals, gameplay, and as well as social aspects. But I must also be honest and mention reviews should be done based on a professional opinion and not a personal opinion, and in this review, the personal opinion of the writer was too strong in regards to the visuals that it kept appearing in each segment of the review.
But it's not easy to write on a subject when you feel strongly about it, and in this very situation I personally wouldn't have been able to do any better at writing the review; The game really is that disgusting.
I will never understand how americans keep demonizing nudity and glorifying violence.
It's okay for a little kid to see someone decapitated on tv...
It is?
Let me know what channel shows decapitations because I AM SO THERE, BUDDY.
To be honest you only need stay up after prime time to see such things... there are so many movie series just based on the damn thing to boot ( Night of the Dead has some pretty visceral scenes without getting eaten alive as a prereq, Alien and Aliens two classic movies have both implied rape and more than their fair share of gore, the SAW series is famous for the interesting ways people bite the bullet in it, Silence of the Lambs has a human being eating a cooked portion of his own brain, there was a british zombie mini series a few years back who at the end the principal idiot that caused the death of nearly everyone from the main cast gets pulled apart by zombies and eaten alive, to such graphic detail that he only actually stops talking when they pull his freaking head off).
Boobs get attention, violence has become an acceptable part of art. Not saying Scarlet Blade is art, far from it but the day a fantastic game gets put down for having tits out in it in a tasteful fashion (similar to the "porn simulator" that was Mass Effect 1 or so said the media) then I will literally get out a torch and pitchfork and start tar and feathering people who support this sort of twisted mentality.
Why do people care more about nudity than violence? The answer has been researched in a way. People are against nudity for many reasons. 1) their own insecurities over their own bodies, 2) up bring and shame over exposing their bodies is reflected in the fact that they believe others should not show theirs, 3) human nature is to cover exposed vulnerable areas unless you are desensitized, this then creates an uneasy feeling seeing other people exposed because one can feel embarrassed for them, 4) inability to control sexual desire, embarrassment from that desire, then ties back into 1 and 2.
Violence on the other hand effects different parts of the brain. The human brain actually can release endorphins to violence. The pleasure centers can be effected. It is different for all people. When the bad guy gets it many people feel good. Some people are actually excited by violence. Most do not relate the violence back to them selves like they do sexuality.
I don't know why so many have gotten so upset about this review, seriously, the reviewer has a right to an opinion. I agree that sometimes ethics and morals can get in the way of an objective review but the sexual nature that this mmo uses, effects morals set by our society so people (even reviewers) will be inclined to chastise or support it. So get over it guys it's an opinion nothing more. the review was fine apart from the moral/ethical talk.
I personally don't like the way they exploit sex to try and entice an audience. It could be forgiven if the game was any good (for eg: TERA and it's sexually suggestive characters) but this really is a cheap tactic in this instance. The images are done really well (from a guy point of view :P) but in an mmo I am attracted to the quality of the game not it's private bits . :P
Boobs get attention, violence has become an acceptable part of art. Not saying Scarlet Blade is art, far from it but the day a fantastic game gets put down for having tits out in it in a tasteful fashion (similar to the "porn simulator" that was Mass Effect 1 or so said the media) then I will literally get out a torch and pitchfork and start tar and feathering people who support this sort of twisted mentality.
The thing is, when a game does it "tastefully" and doesn't just use it as a selling point or marketing gimmick, it doesn't get heavily demonized. At least not by people who know anything about games (i.e. not the media, why attack everything including violent games). The Witcher games and Mass Effect games do just fine with minimal attacks about the nudity and sex.
I also want to point out the flaw in what you said about TV channels, the guy said "ok for kids to watch" so stating "you only need stay up" doesn't really count. The whole reason those things are on so late is in hopes that kids DON'T see them.
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Why he is pointing out his thoughts of morality on the matter, I am really shocked by the lack of morals, and indecency on a lot of the post on this thread. Honestly if you read some of the post in this very thread, there is no wonder why our society has degraded to this point that it has.
It shows one thing morals and decency seam to no apply to a lot of folks now days, and folks wonder what is wrong with society. I point at some at this thread and go there is your problem.
Also why should it matter the age of the writer in pointing out morals, you either have them or you don't.
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Why he is pointing out his thoughts of morality on the matter, I am really shocked by the lack of morals, and indecency on a lot of the post on this thread. Honestly if you read some of the post in this very thread, there is no wonder why our society has degraded to this point that it has.
It shows one thing morals and decency seam to no apply to a lot of folks now days, and folks wonder what is wrong with society. I point at some at this thread and go there is your problem.
Also why should it matter the age of the writer in pointing out morals, you either have them or you don't.
I bet many of the people here supporting the nature of this game would not be caught dead out in a public place watching a porn. Yet here they will talk about how fine it is and how morality should not come into it.
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Did not know you owned the license for morality and decency.
I own the license to be offended. it is kinda popular
Can I be offended or not?
/sarcasm off
You are kinda pointing the finger at the wrong person. I am not the one that is lecturing about what is decent and what not. you should ask somebody else about your funny license.
I haven't read the article, but I probably agree with a lot of what was said in there. At this point though, it doesn't seem likely that there's anyone who doesn't know about the game, or doesn't know that it's offensive to a large number of people.
The common thread I've seen running through reviews, other than the obvious hot button issue is that if you removed all the stuff that is getting people worked up, there's not much of a game there. If you ignore the all female cast and the under dressed characters, it's a cr@p game. Nobody that I'm aware of has really disputed this.
Which says a lot about the developer's expectations of gamers. They expect gamers will pay for and play a total cr@p game if you show enough virtual skin.
You see, this sounds like very good way to write up review. Not to highlight dubious negative things about the game. Much more importantly point out: this game is crap. But if you say "disgraceful" and "shameful" in almost every paragraph, I'll definitely take your opinions with huge grain of salt, because they are no doubt very biased.
All in all if you wanted to make people interested in this probably crappy game, good work. As they say a negative marketing is still a marketing.
I don't have a problem with nudity. Hell, Age of Conan is one of my favorite games and it's LOOOAAADED with nudity, but that's part of REH's lore.
What I do have a problem with is pedophilia, and this game really straddles the borderline between normal male infatuation with naked women and pedophilia. Some of the characters definitely look old enough to be legal and some of them are extremely questionable in age range.
If the developers would remove every doubt that these "women" are women by maturing some of the character models, then I say game on and enjoy your boobies.
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Did not know you owned the license for morality and decency.
I own the license to be offended. it is kinda popular
Can I be offended or not?
/sarcasm off
You are kinda pointing the finger at the wrong person. I am not the one that is lecturing about what is decent and what not. you should ask somebody else about your funny license.
no you can't be offended. i mean. the writer of the review isn't so why should you?
Worthless review written by someone that was not the target audience and no doubt for some reason still loved Age of Conan that had bare boobs, depicted rape, and overall stated that women were nothing more than items to be used and discarded...and that game was serious about it unlike this one which is all humor based.
This article was more shameful than the game...BTW, pornographic? Seriously? Is this the 1960s? Nipples are not porn.
There's a BIG difference there. In AoC that was all in the context of an existing complex and brutal world. Bioshock infinite features some pretty intense racism, but I don't think anyone is going to argue the makers are racist.
What the reviewer forgot to mention in his "Shameful and Degrading Experience" review was that even Scarlet Blade has a setting and a world that explains why there are only female characters.
In Scarlet Blade the Earth has been invaded by an alien race, humans have been almost wiped out and took refuge in undeground Arks for several centuries before attempting to reemerge again.
The player characters are genetically enhanced warriors created to battle the remaing aliens on the surface, plus the mutated fauna and humans that couldn't take shelter from the nuclear fallout from the last desperate attack unleashed upon the invaders; as stated in the backstory, only female specimen adapted to the extensive genetic and cybernetic enhancements, thus why the limited gender choice.
About the amount of exposed skin, anyway, it's just about average in terms of korean MMOs, so deal with it.
I was just talking to a friend earlier about something similar. Were both American but living overseas in Australia. Personally I couldn't be happier that I left all that mandatory etiquette and fear of hurting anyones feelings behind. Americans in general just aren't very nice people. Sure they open the door for you, they act all polite and sweet to you. But none of it is sincere, and just as disingenuous as this review.
We Aussies (yes I throw myself in with their lot now, with no small amount of enthusiasm) may not have pretty faces, but at least we only have one each.
I'm not at all surprised that the problem has gotten progressively worse in my 4 year absence.
Don't you guys ever get tired of the liberal media castrating you via osmosis?
Boobs get attention, violence has become an acceptable part of art. Not saying Scarlet Blade is art, far from it but the day a fantastic game gets put down for having tits out in it in a tasteful fashion (similar to the "porn simulator" that was Mass Effect 1 or so said the media) then I will literally get out a torch and pitchfork and start tar and feathering people who support this sort of twisted mentality.
The thing is, when a game does it "tastefully" and doesn't just use it as a selling point or marketing gimmick, it doesn't get heavily demonized. At least not by people who know anything about games (i.e. not the media, why attack everything including violent games). The Witcher games and Mass Effect games do just fine with minimal attacks about the nudity and sex.
I also want to point out the flaw in what you said about TV channels, the guy said "ok for kids to watch" so stating "you only need stay up" doesn't really count. The whole reason those things are on so late is in hopes that kids DON'T see them.
One of my first girlfriends back in my high-school days was a girl who could stay up until 3-4 AM and function perfectly the next day getting up at 8-9 AM so the "hopes that kids don't see them" card is rather...pointless considering she was by no means a unique case. Kids will see what they want when they want it ergo one should not shield children from life to such a massive degree past a certain, objective, age because it does no one any favours (I get that children ages 0 to lets say 12 do not need to know that the world is a fucked up place where dreams 99% of the times die unless you're willing to put other people's dreams into the ground to fulfil yours but when they start hitting puberty parents should start taking an active interest in teaching their kids about sex and life in general to do otherwise is to handicap them severely for a good chunk of their lives).
Originally posted by erictlewis
Originally posted by n3v3rriv3r
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Why he is pointing out his thoughts of morality on the matter, I am really shocked by the lack of morals, and indecency on a lot of the post on this thread. Honestly if you read some of the post in this very thread, there is no wonder why our society has degraded to this point that it has.
It shows one thing morals and decency seam to no apply to a lot of folks now days, and folks wonder what is wrong with society. I point at some at this thread and go there is your problem.
Also why should it matter the age of the writer in pointing out morals, you either have them or you don't.
Society has not degraded due to the lack of "morality and decency" it has degraded because morality has been surpassed in terms of societal evolution and parenting has not caught up and looks to be lagging farther and farther behind in a majority of cases while decency as a whole was always an illusion (lets be honest here decency amongst humans is as common as unicorns in the real sense of the word, people have and always will backstab each other on individual, cultural and political levels so decency in terms of sex is like... using a toothpick to stop a tsunami).
Humans by nature are amoral and indecent beings, we will do what we want when we wanted if we're allowed to, the only way you can combat this nature is by educating kids from a young age to be considerate towards, at least, other people and to think calmly logically because morality itself has too many "cause I say so" points and children are smarter than most adults give them credit.
Comments
I will never understand how americans keep demonizing nudity and glorifying violence.
It's okay for a little kid to see someone decapitated on tv, but seeing a bare breast (or two) is completely out of the question? It just doesn't make sense whatsoever.
I'm sure this game is bad, but saying 'degrading' and 'shameful' every other sentence just makes it clear this review was written by a preachy person who is scared of his or her own body.
Please stop using strawman arguments and refer to my post.
Morals are most certainly NOT universal.
I subscribe to the idea that the response to nudity and violence in the media are completely twisted. The strange prudishness the US in particular has to nudity is frankly confusing when quite obscene acts of violence seem to be standard fair on TV and in movies. Now I am not one for censorship of either but just wanted to note what an odd stance this is.
That said, imo Scarlet Blade has absolutely no merit whatsoever on any level, whether artistic, cultural or just as a fun time sink. The nudity is entirely gratuitous, in fact it is the only aspect of this game that is worthy of any note, whether good or bad.
I have no moral problem with that, if people want to watch strange nude cartoon pixels running about good luck to them. I am just confused as to why anyone would.
It's honestly fascinating just how many pages of identical...stuff...this title produces, every time a new topic is introduced.
If "any publicity is good publicity", you're doing a bang-up job, mmorpg.com.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
It is?
Let me know what channel shows decapitations because I AM SO THERE, BUDDY.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
While not the best review, it does inform the reader of what to expect from the game in a fair, although strongly opinionated way.
Make no mistake though, I fully agree with the reviewer on this game, and I personally would score it even lower on the visuals, gameplay, and as well as social aspects. But I must also be honest and mention reviews should be done based on a professional opinion and not a personal opinion, and in this review, the personal opinion of the writer was too strong in regards to the visuals that it kept appearing in each segment of the review.
But it's not easy to write on a subject when you feel strongly about it, and in this very situation I personally wouldn't have been able to do any better at writing the review; The game really is that disgusting.
To be honest you only need stay up after prime time to see such things... there are so many movie series just based on the damn thing to boot ( Night of the Dead has some pretty visceral scenes without getting eaten alive as a prereq, Alien and Aliens two classic movies have both implied rape and more than their fair share of gore, the SAW series is famous for the interesting ways people bite the bullet in it, Silence of the Lambs has a human being eating a cooked portion of his own brain, there was a british zombie mini series a few years back who at the end the principal idiot that caused the death of nearly everyone from the main cast gets pulled apart by zombies and eaten alive, to such graphic detail that he only actually stops talking when they pull his freaking head off).
Boobs get attention, violence has become an acceptable part of art. Not saying Scarlet Blade is art, far from it but the day a fantastic game gets put down for having tits out in it in a tasteful fashion (similar to the "porn simulator" that was Mass Effect 1 or so said the media) then I will literally get out a torch and pitchfork and start tar and feathering people who support this sort of twisted mentality.
Why do people care more about nudity than violence? The answer has been researched in a way. People are against nudity for many reasons. 1) their own insecurities over their own bodies, 2) up bring and shame over exposing their bodies is reflected in the fact that they believe others should not show theirs, 3) human nature is to cover exposed vulnerable areas unless you are desensitized, this then creates an uneasy feeling seeing other people exposed because one can feel embarrassed for them, 4) inability to control sexual desire, embarrassment from that desire, then ties back into 1 and 2.
Violence on the other hand effects different parts of the brain. The human brain actually can release endorphins to violence. The pleasure centers can be effected. It is different for all people. When the bad guy gets it many people feel good. Some people are actually excited by violence. Most do not relate the violence back to them selves like they do sexuality.
I don't know why so many have gotten so upset about this review, seriously, the reviewer has a right to an opinion. I agree that sometimes ethics and morals can get in the way of an objective review but the sexual nature that this mmo uses, effects morals set by our society so people (even reviewers) will be inclined to chastise or support it. So get over it guys it's an opinion nothing more. the review was fine apart from the moral/ethical talk.
I personally don't like the way they exploit sex to try and entice an audience. It could be forgiven if the game was any good (for eg: TERA and it's sexually suggestive characters) but this really is a cheap tactic in this instance. The images are done really well (from a guy point of view :P) but in an mmo I am attracted to the quality of the game not it's private bits . :P
The thing is, when a game does it "tastefully" and doesn't just use it as a selling point or marketing gimmick, it doesn't get heavily demonized. At least not by people who know anything about games (i.e. not the media, why attack everything including violent games). The Witcher games and Mass Effect games do just fine with minimal attacks about the nudity and sex.
I also want to point out the flaw in what you said about TV channels, the guy said "ok for kids to watch" so stating "you only need stay up" doesn't really count. The whole reason those things are on so late is in hopes that kids DON'T see them.
Certain people play the "I am offended" card so easily. Well, lets try to be offended.
I am really offended that a 20 year old reviewer on a gaming site is lecturing its readers about morality and decency.
Did not know you owned the license for morality and decency.
Why he is pointing out his thoughts of morality on the matter, I am really shocked by the lack of morals, and indecency on a lot of the post on this thread. Honestly if you read some of the post in this very thread, there is no wonder why our society has degraded to this point that it has.
It shows one thing morals and decency seam to no apply to a lot of folks now days, and folks wonder what is wrong with society. I point at some at this thread and go there is your problem.
Also why should it matter the age of the writer in pointing out morals, you either have them or you don't.
I bet many of the people here supporting the nature of this game would not be caught dead out in a public place watching a porn. Yet here they will talk about how fine it is and how morality should not come into it.
I own the license to be offended. it is kinda popular
Can I be offended or not?
/sarcasm off
You are kinda pointing the finger at the wrong person. I am not the one that is lecturing about what is decent and what not. you should ask somebody else about your funny license.
You see, this sounds like very good way to write up review. Not to highlight dubious negative things about the game. Much more importantly point out: this game is crap. But if you say "disgraceful" and "shameful" in almost every paragraph, I'll definitely take your opinions with huge grain of salt, because they are no doubt very biased.
All in all if you wanted to make people interested in this probably crappy game, good work. As they say a negative marketing is still a marketing.
I don't have a problem with nudity. Hell, Age of Conan is one of my favorite games and it's LOOOAAADED with nudity, but that's part of REH's lore.
What I do have a problem with is pedophilia, and this game really straddles the borderline between normal male infatuation with naked women and pedophilia. Some of the characters definitely look old enough to be legal and some of them are extremely questionable in age range.
If the developers would remove every doubt that these "women" are women by maturing some of the character models, then I say game on and enjoy your boobies.
uff wall of text
tl;dr
no you can't be offended. i mean. the writer of the review isn't so why should you?
What the reviewer forgot to mention in his "Shameful and Degrading Experience" review was that even Scarlet Blade has a setting and a world that explains why there are only female characters.
In Scarlet Blade the Earth has been invaded by an alien race, humans have been almost wiped out and took refuge in undeground Arks for several centuries before attempting to reemerge again.
The player characters are genetically enhanced warriors created to battle the remaing aliens on the surface, plus the mutated fauna and humans that couldn't take shelter from the nuclear fallout from the last desperate attack unleashed upon the invaders; as stated in the backstory, only female specimen adapted to the extensive genetic and cybernetic enhancements, thus why the limited gender choice.
About the amount of exposed skin, anyway, it's just about average in terms of korean MMOs, so deal with it.
I was just talking to a friend earlier about something similar. Were both American but living overseas in Australia. Personally I couldn't be happier that I left all that mandatory etiquette and fear of hurting anyones feelings behind. Americans in general just aren't very nice people. Sure they open the door for you, they act all polite and sweet to you. But none of it is sincere, and just as disingenuous as this review.
We Aussies (yes I throw myself in with their lot now, with no small amount of enthusiasm) may not have pretty faces, but at least we only have one each.
I'm not at all surprised that the problem has gotten progressively worse in my 4 year absence.
Don't you guys ever get tired of the liberal media castrating you via osmosis?
Ain't that the truth lol
One of my first girlfriends back in my high-school days was a girl who could stay up until 3-4 AM and function perfectly the next day getting up at 8-9 AM so the "hopes that kids don't see them" card is rather...pointless considering she was by no means a unique case. Kids will see what they want when they want it ergo one should not shield children from life to such a massive degree past a certain, objective, age because it does no one any favours (I get that children ages 0 to lets say 12 do not need to know that the world is a fucked up place where dreams 99% of the times die unless you're willing to put other people's dreams into the ground to fulfil yours but when they start hitting puberty parents should start taking an active interest in teaching their kids about sex and life in general to do otherwise is to handicap them severely for a good chunk of their lives).
Society has not degraded due to the lack of "morality and decency" it has degraded because morality has been surpassed in terms of societal evolution and parenting has not caught up and looks to be lagging farther and farther behind in a majority of cases while decency as a whole was always an illusion (lets be honest here decency amongst humans is as common as unicorns in the real sense of the word, people have and always will backstab each other on individual, cultural and political levels so decency in terms of sex is like... using a toothpick to stop a tsunami).
Humans by nature are amoral and indecent beings, we will do what we want when we wanted if we're allowed to, the only way you can combat this nature is by educating kids from a young age to be considerate towards, at least, other people and to think calmly logically because morality itself has too many "cause I say so" points and children are smarter than most adults give them credit.