WARNING: Due to the nature of this topic, we predict occasional strong language in this thread. We advise parental guidance for any readers under the age of 13 [smile]. Over the holiday season, I've got a hankering to try my hand at writing up a game design for a platformer with a strong story component (in the "Metroidvania" mould). This will be partly for experience, mostly for fun, possibly to make some time in the future. The story is still very embryonic right now and may change considerably when further developed in tandem with the gameplay, but one thing I'm certain of is that the game will have a light-hearted, silly, Saturday-morning-cartoon feel in the art style, characterisation and plot. In keeping with this feel, violence will be cartoonish and non-graphic (similar to Mario or Zelda), and any mature story matter will be either absent or vaguely alluded to. However one thing I'm unsure about is the care that I need to take with bad language, given that I'll almost certainly need some form of exclamations, invective, emotional intensifier words etc. Given the comical subject matter I'm going to avoid excessive expletives and probably replace some of terms with words of my own, but I'm unsure exactly what words qualify as swearing these days. Another issue is that as an Australian I'm entrenched in a different culture and I have a different use of the English language than the average American (and to a lesser extent those in the U.K.). It's got me wondering exactly how, as a game writer, you can ensure that you are using appropriate language for your target domain. I'm going to focus on my target domain of fantasy cartoonish worlds, but I'm happy to extend the discussion to other domains if other people find that interesting. Here's a list of categories of taboo words and how I think I'd deal with them in my script:

• Racial slurs: I wouldn't even consider using these: not only are these most likely to cause offence, they wouldn't even make sense in my fantasy world. If the story went that way I'd make up my own terms to describe the fantasy races, but I don't think it would fit the feel of my game.
• Sexual terms: Very common class of swear words referring to either sexual acts, sexual orientation or genitalia. I doubt these would make sense in my world, so I don't think I'd use them. Strangely in Australian and British slang for homosexual acts like "bugger" and "sod" seem less offensive than heterosexual equivalents, and I'd be more inclined to seem them as acceptable for a cartoonish world (even though I'm unsure how well that crosses cultural boundaries).
• Scatological terms: This is where I start getting more unsure about words suitability. Is "shit", "crap" or "piss off!" still taboo these days?
• Intellectual/physical disability based insults: This blurs the line a bit more: I'm sure "idiot" and "moron" are fine, but what about things like "spaz" (short for "spastic" or those with cerebral palsy, considerably less politically correct in the U.K./Australia, less so in the U.S. I believe)? For some of these terms I don't know how offensive they'd be.
• Blasphemy: Words that are directly associated with a specific religion wouldn't make sense in a fantasy world, but what about words like "damn" or "hell"?

I've probably missed a few categories up there. Personally I think I'll attempt to avoid any taboo words or define my own classification of humorous swears that I can use as that makes the most sense in my script, however I'm fairly sure I'll let some "real world" mildly offensive terms slip through. I can avoid offending someone out there (it's a big world!) but where and how would you draw the line? (Open to discussion, and not necessarily staying to the cartoony or fantasy story worlds that I'd like to make).

Given the topic of your game, I'd say just avoid them entirely.

As for the subject of cursing in games at large, I think you need to consider both the audience you're targeting, and the topic of your material. A movie about soldiers in combat where nobody swears would probably be silly. Profanity is just another tool to use, and it's got its pros and its cons.

Also take note that when you try to please everyone, you please nobody. If you're really concerned about offending people, get some peer review of the material before you finalize it, just to make sure you haven't let your inner, irrational hatred of snail darter lovers or orthodontists sneak in somewhere.

If you remember the movie Lost In Space, where Doctor Smith told young Will Rogers that swearing is the sign of a lack of intellect, climbed the hill, saw the crashed Jupiter 2, and said "Holy Shit." The point is that there are just some situations where no other words are appropriate. So, yes. A bad word or two in exactly the right moment is perfect.

However, the rest of the time, bad language is just that. Bad. So, my advice is to go minimalist with it. Don't use it unless it's needed. And even then, see if there's an alternative word that would a lot better. There are more than just the Seven Bad Words we all know and love. Lots more.

Quote: Original post by Beige
Given the topic of your game, I'd say just avoid them entirely.

After thinking about it a bit that's the direction I'm going in, although there's always a chance I'd inadvertantly slip a "bloody hell" into the game somewhere [smile].

Quote: Also take note that when you try to please everyone, you please nobody. If you're really concerned about offending people, get some peer review of the material before you finalize it, just to make sure you haven't let your inner, irrational hatred of snail darter lovers or orthodontists sneak in somewhere.

A good reminder - I probably should just do my best and eventually get some proof readers (preferably from different cultural backgrounds) to give their opinion on any snafus I'd make with the language in general (and not just for offensive content).

Quote: Original post by Inmate2993
However, the rest of the time, bad language is just that. Bad. So, my advice is to go minimalist with it. Don't use it unless it's needed. And even then, see if there's an alternative word that would a lot better. There are more than just the Seven Bad Words we all know and love. Lots more.

That's my view too - although it's knowing which of those alternative words are still appropriate in different cultural contexts is a problem.

Take Carlin's list of Seven dirty words. I don't know whether this is a U.S./Australia difference or just my confused perception of the word, but I wouldn't regard "piss" as a particularly dirty word - I'm sure I've heard it many times on Australian T.V. without it being regarded as particularly strong.

Bro it depends entirely on the writing. Bad writing with profanity is Bad writing. Good writing with profanity is Good writing.

Racial Slurs are probably going to offend whatever group they're attached to, however in a fantasy world they can serve a purpose. Remember in Willow when Madmartigan calls Willow a "peck"? Priceless, and it helped develop both their characters.

Sexual terms probably have no place in a cartoon setting, unless it's Leisue-Suit-Larry-esque.
Scatalogical terms are so prevalent that it depends on when/where you use them. Any grave situation that elicits a "SHIT!" usually makes me smirk.
disability based insults can be done humorously. If two characters are good friends then one might rag on the other in good fun. Kind of like Legolas making fun of Gimli's height.
blasphemy, like everything else on this list, depends on context.

I agree. It depends on the game and on the target audience. I for example, did write scripts for machinima; if it was based on the Morrowind platform, than the text was without any questionable expression. But, when I wrote a story for GTA Vice City platform, it was the other way around. So, there is no iron rule. Maybe only, that either you do it or not. I do not think there is an in-between in this case, i.e. a little bit of half-cursing :-))








P.s. anyone interested, what came out of my GTA script (yes, I am bragging) can check it at the below address. Beware, it is 15 min long and R rated.


http://www.machinima.com/films.php?id=5408

This about sums up my opinion on the matter:

Quote: I don't swear for the hell of it. Language is a poor enough means of communication. We've got to use all the words we've got. Besides, there are damn few words anybody understands.

Quote: Original post by Trapper Zoid
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seven_dirty_words&oldid=94779671">Seven dirty words. I don't know whether this is a U.S./Australia difference or just my confused perception of the word, but I wouldn't regard "piss" as a particularly dirty word - I'm sure I've heard it many times on Australian T.V. without it being regarded as particularly strong.

Well, that's 1972. Actually, Piss still isn't used on TV, but I don't think because it's a bad word. It's more that nobody really uses it anymore. Dick has made it to TV. Shit is starting to get in there, if you catch the right medical drama. I don't think Motherfucker will ever be acceptable, but we can all hope, right? :P

But, for the topic at hand, I'd say sit back and figure out what your own personal list of dirty words is, and then figure out what's a better alternative given contexts. Take the F bomb. "Dammit" would serve much better in most contexts.

Quote: Original post by Inmate2993
But, for the topic at hand, I'd say sit back and figure out what your own personal list of dirty words is, and then figure out what's a better alternative given contexts. Take the F bomb. "Dammit" would serve much better in most contexts.

"Dammit" is a good example - it's one of those words that I would like to use, think would fit my game and I think is unoffensive, but I'm uncertain as to how mild it really is. I'd be surprised if anyone did take serious offense to "dammit", but there's a lot of surprising people out there [smile].