About fetish in games, hard limits?

[xxx3me]

I'm working hard on my first game/interactive story and always looking for people's ideas and suggestions. It's not like I'm going to do a 180° because of it, but I don't want to screw things up from start, right? ^^

Since I've played a lot of games like mine, I know that what I'm doing is not far, a pretty decent level to be honest. I'm confident about it, but what worries me a little bit is about limits. Aside from xit using kids, what is clearly unnaceptable (not that I have interest, to be clear), what do you guys feel like "sensible" topics?

Things like interracial (white submission, QoS, etc), corruption and coercion/blackmailing are considered bad, do they have negative reception, generally speaking? And female protagonists? Any other you feel like a "hard no"?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Papa Ernie]

The only fetishes that I've witnessed as a hard no for most people is graphic, unavoidable rape of an mc's love interest and unavoidable scat.

 

[Agent HK47]

For me, personally, anything with transgender/futa or similar. I might be old fashioned, but if it has a dick or in any way resembles a man (muscle girls included) then I am simply turned completely off. Not interested in M>F or F>M transformations either. My "subjects" needs to have been born as females and stayed that way.
Sissification and furries would be another 2 no-no's. I think that's it from the top of my head. There are obviously other tags I don't like, but they don't send me running away on their own, so I won't add them here.

 

[Jofur]

Hard no:
Scat/Pee
NTR/Cheating/Cuckold (though I have no issues with harem games and the player being a bit "cheaty")
Gay/Futa/Trap/Trans/Gender Bending
Race Play/Blacked type stuff
Furry
Bestiality
Necrophilia
Gore & Vore

Don't like but I can force my way past if the rest of the game is great:
Female Protagonist
Foot stuff
MMF
Monster stuff(like tentacles and centaurs, humanoids like orcs or goblins I quite enjoy however)
Sissification/Femdom(Not too familiar with sissification, but I assume it's basically extreme femdom?)
Transformation(if it's about changing genders and stuff it's a hard no)
"Extreme" Violence(I like the rough stuff, but I don't get any pleasure in a character just beating or strangling someone as part of a sex act, this might be a hard no depending on how gratuitous it is.)

Does nothing to get me off, but not actively annoying:
Corruption
BDSM/Spanking
Pregnancy
Possession
As for Loli/Shota, I'm not gonna pretend that it offends me or especially bothers me. As long as the characters don't look realistic and it stays in the cartoon/anime territory I don't mind it any more than the stuff above.

Rape, blackmail and other forced content is probably the only major controversial fetish I actively enjoy and seek out when it comes to games(other than incest but I'm not even sure it counts as controversial anymore).

 

[Pretentious Goblin]

These are the things that will put me off a game entirely if I see them in the tags:

Unavoidable gay (not lesbian, though I prefer hetero)
Unavoidable scat
Unavoidable involuntary gender-bender of the MC (and other types of body transformation), especially MtF
Unavoidable rape (defined as forced physical violation, not including coercion, mind-control and other non-con or dubcon), whether perpetrated by or against MC
Unavoidable futa/trap, especially with male MC
Unavoidable furry
Unavoidable drugged sex (alcohol, roofies etc.)
Majority of content is monster girls
Loli

As for the fetishes I am into, there are certainly ways to get them wrong. The game Corruption is a bad representation of its namesake fetish imo. And Jobeo's games seem like a parody of BMWF interracial tropes. You have to have somewhat believable characters and exercise some restraint.

 

[elizzyviolet]

I would try to put "adjacent" fetishes in your game addition to the "main" fetishes: people who like femdom tend to also be fans of BDSM and spankings, while there's less correlation between people who like femdom and something like farting or whatever. Try and figure out what fetishes are "adjacent" to your main one and add those.

It's okay to have a game that has blackmailing as a prominent element, but it's not okay to have a game that consists of wholesome consensual sex and romance and then bam blackmailing and subsequent sexual exploitation comes out of nowhere; this is because the two things aren't really adjacent.

 

[Doorknob22]

In addition to to straight, consensual sex, my game has (optional) rape, (optional) gay, (optional) bestiality and (optional) gay but as you can see, players can always choose to stick to the vanilla path if they wish.

 

[Jofur]

In addition to to straight, consensual sex, my game has (optional) rape, (optional) gay, (optional) bestiality and (optional) gay but as you can see, players can always choose to stick to the vanilla path if they wish.

Optional is always preferred to forced, but it does run into issues where you feel you are constantly missing out on content and not getting the same amount of attention, I mean you do kind of have to double the content every time you make it optional to even it out after all. I suppose it depends on how much of a specific fetish you have, if it's a major focus I say go full force into it, for example I doubt that many people are gonna want to play a non-con heavy game even if it's optional, but if you want to have a single rape scene in an otherwise vanilla experience, it should 100% be optional.

That said, optional also sometimes messes with your mind. Like that random out of nowhere futa moment in Summertime Saga. Even if it's optional and I've never chosen it myself, I can't stop thinking about that character as being "the dick girl character" and it kind of ruined her for me.

 

[Hagatagar]

I guess I've been spending too much time on the internet to have many hard limits. With most stuff it's more of a 'meh' and I move on or ignore that.

But anyway, here's my 'Nope-list':

Scat, especially coprophagia (The consumption of feces)
Gore, (e.g. any kind of prolapse) and certain kinds of body horror
Urethra insertion (putting stuff inside a pee hole)
Oversexualized or glorified sexual violence, especially in combination with snuff
(Intentional) sexual injuries (tissue damage, open wounds, permanent or prolonged damage)
BDSM is okay until someone starts bleeding
Super oversized (sexual) body parts (e.g. gigantic tits)

Furthermore, I feel uncomfortable with 'interracial' stuff where you can sense a hidden racism.


It also makes a big difference how it is presented (real, 3dcg, drawn). With real stuff, my list would be much longer.

 

[Ramsay_Bolton]

Unrealistic boobs
Trans/Gay/Futa
Scat.
Stupid/illogical/lame MC, like in Professor
Ridiculous writing - there are so many titles with good graphics but scenes that make no sense. I just quit early.

Everything else is fine by me.

 

[UpAfterTen]

The best way I've seen developers handle this is to clearly mark when a decision will open the door to a particular fetish. If you don't want to go down that path you can make the other choice and that part of the game is forever locked off and doesn't affect your enjoyment of the rest of the game.

Also NTR seems to be very divisive around here.

 

[Ross_69]

Generally if it's avoidable, it's all good.

Personally the only things I can't stand are:

1. Scat.

2. Gore.

3. Gimp Suits on girls. It makes them look bald, and I generally don't find that attractive.

I also kinda dislike unavoidable NTR, even tho I'm NTR enjoyer. I like it if, after I already enjoyed the whole NTR stuff, I can finish the game with some wholesome ending route that leads to happy ending for MC. Or alternatively finish the wholesome route first so that the NTR hits more.

 

[Jaike]

Most of the main controversies have been discussed pretty extensively; NTR, scat, furry, futa, necro, gore/mutilation, sissification/gender transformation, are all unpopular, especially among normies. Corruption and blackmailing aren't really controversial. Female protagonists are overall less popular than male ones and there's also a bit of a hatedom around it. 'Interracial' isn't that controversial as long as you stay clear of hardcore raceplay. I personally have a hard time seeing any black-white pairing as kinky or daring though.

One thing that hasn't really been mentioned yet is that many of the people who hate NTR have a very wide definition of it. They more or less see it as a love interest having been soiled by sex with someone else. So if a girl is in a relation with somebody else or a bit promiscuous at the start of the game, you will get flak for that. No, it doesn't matter to them that she isn't in a relationship with the MC yet. And even if the NTR is completely avoidable and not canonical, some will still see the love interest as forever ruined. This is mostly a problem for developers working with a male protagonist, if you have a male protagonist you really have to pick and stick with an audience.

 

[Jofur]

They more or less see it as a love interest having been soiled by sex with someone else. So if a girl is in a relation with somebody else or a bit promiscuous at the start of the game, you will get flak for that.

I think the keyword here is love interest. I assume most people don't mind a slutty/promiscuous character having had a partner if she's more just a side-piece or non-romantic character. While you are right it isn't actually NTR/cuckolding, I think a lot of men in general tend to prefer more innocent true love "you are the only one for me" fairy tale romances while a lot of women prefer more steamy and realistic, "which man will win my heart" type romances.

Then again maybe I'm just projecting since personally I rather enjoy characters who start out as virgins. It's just draws me in and gets me excited, especially in harem games. It's one of those escapism elements that you rarely, if ever, get to experience in real life(doubly so if you aren't in high school), much like screwing a teacher or maid. So it's just appealing to me.

 

[Trapitalism101]

Sexual violence, trauma, gore, scat, and necro are all things that are huge turn offs in general.

I don't mind gay, trans, femdom, harem, cucking, monsters,and a lot of other fetishes if they are done well.

The one fetish I despise is loli/shota because of how uncomfy it makes me feel.

 

[Jaike]

One thing about the corruption/blackmail genre that is at least a little unpopular is the subgenre, mostly consisting of Japanese shovelware, where a completely clueless female protagonist is degraded through the most unconvincing means thinkable.

I think the keyword here is love interest. I assume most people don't mind a slutty/promiscuous character having had a partner if she's more just a side-piece or non-romantic character. While you are right it isn't actually NTR/cuckolding, I think a lot of men in general tend to prefer more innocent true love "you are the only one for me" fairy tale romances while a lot of women prefer more steamy and realistic, "which man will win my heart" type romances.

Then again maybe I'm just projecting since personally I rather enjoy characters who start out as virgins. It's just draws me in and gets me excited, especially in harem games. It's one of those escapism elements that you rarely, if ever, get to experience in real life(doubly so if you aren't in high school), much like screwing a teacher or maid. So it's just appealing to me.

Yes, I think you're right about it chiefly being about love interests and I think the preference for virgins is widespread. However, I'm sure some people will skip any side characters if they aren't virgins or mothers. It would also be helpful if people would use a different term for it than NTR.

Personally, I like it if at least a few female love interests are sexually experienced but aren't village bicycles without any standards. On another note, I find innocent true love and harem games not very compatible, although I can understand how harem games and a more down-to-earth kind of romance can fit together.

 

[Trapitalism101]

One thing about the corruption/blackmail genre that is at least a little unpopular is the subgenre, mostly consisting of Japanese shovelware, where a completely clueless female protagonist is degraded through the most unconvincing means thinkable.



Yes, I think you're right about it chiefly being about love interests and I think the preference for virgins is widespread. However, I'm sure some people will skip any side characters if they aren't virgins or mothers. It would also be helpful if people would use a different term for it than NTR.

Personally, I like it if at least a few female love interests are sexually experienced but aren't village bicycles without any standards. On another note, I find innocent true love and harem games not very compatible, although I can understand how harem games and a more down-to-earth kind of romance can fit together.

How do you feel about bisexual, fuckbuddy harems?

 

[Jaike]

How do you feel about bisexual, fuckbuddy harems?

I'd see that as great stuff, regardless of whether the MC is male or female.

 

[Trapitalism101]

I'd see that as great stuff, regardless of whether the MC is male or female.

I see you are a person of class and taste

 

[Lorric17]

In addition to to straight, consensual sex, my game has (optional) rape, (optional) gay, (optional) bestiality and (optional) gay but as you can see, players can always choose to stick to the vanilla path if they wish.

Optional gay twice?

As for your question, I'm pretty damn vanilla these days and if I see a game with those tags, I'm not even going to bother reading the rest of the post. I also avoid blackmail games, and even more so with a female protag. "Retard in lechertown" and the stupidest of blackmail plots (i.e. most of them) really turn me away. Another thing that can make me delete a game is that one domination-oriented love interest that can be either dom or sub, but not avoided or romanced. That's probably just me though.