How important is explicit sex content?

[Aferventus]

Hi,

I've been writing an interactive VN - I think it is a very good one - it has mystery, history, investigation, romance, sex, thrill hard choices and everything. But as I think about it more and more, I feel that while there is plenty of place for sex, it is a way to move forward the narrative, not the other way around. I mean the VN to be more serious, a little like Deprived Awakenings. In many popular games (VR)s in the genre I feel the story and the conversations are rather silly, the female characters are shallow and do not behave rationally. I think BADIK is very popular, because the characters are behaving as their nature and background dictate it, hence the emotions seem more real and it creates more immersion for the playerbase.
I feel, that shagging all women and girls the MC comes in a 10 foot radius does not serve my story setting. (Thinking about 4-5 romanceable characters and a few minor characters with explicit content (not necessary with the MC) over 8-10 chapters. It is like a Bond movie... the girls are part of it, important part, but it is about the mission.

So, my question is: how important is hardcore sex for the success for a VN? Do I need to put is memories, hookers or even purposeless scenes so that to serve my future fanbase?
I appreciate your feedback!

 

[moskyx]

Just do what you feel it suits the story better, since it seems to be a story-based game and not a fuckfest. If there's room for hookers or some other casual encounters, why not, but if they don't feel 'organic' some people will rightly complain those scenes didn't add anything relevant to the story and were just filler content. The important point here is not to derail the overall story or sacrifice characterization and narrative coherence just for the sake of adding another shoehorned sex scene.

Now, this is only my personal view. No one could really tell you In advance whether adding tons of 'unnecessary' sex scenes will actually hurt your game or make it shine over the rest

 

[Aferventus]

OK, probably I'm not alone with this approach. I would've gone with this approach anyway but I'd like to know how much flak I'm to expect

 

[anne O'nymous]

OK, probably I'm not alone with this approach. I would've gone with this approach anyway but I'd like to know how much flak I'm to expect

You will be decried anyway. Either by those who will think that there isn't enough sex, or by those who will think that too many of the sex scenes are just fillers. So, do it the way you want, at least you'll not be deceived and you'll take pleasure doing it.

 

[Sphere42]

Sex is an independent draw for some potential players/readers. I do not play exclusively hardcore sex games, but if a game does feature fetishes I like I will put up with much greater deficiencies in other areas e.g. characters, plot, language proficiency, gameplay, art quality, art style preferences and so on.

If you feel your story can stand on its own merit and does not need sex for specific narrative reasons then unfortunately you can still reach a larger audience by omitting sex scenes and marketing in a non-pornographic context.

 

[Lexie lecoeur]

Interesting topic,
For my part, I think it is important to respect the codes of real life. But obviously where it gets complicated is that in real life we don't fuck everything that falls within reach.
In my game "JASON" I make sure that everything is balanced.
It is necessary that the characters find common points and that they turn around to finally pass to the action.
The problem is that the players who play this kind of game want sex and the difficulty is not to fall into sex for sex by biasing the story.
A hard balance to find

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[Doorknob22]

Plenty of hardcore sex and good story are not a contradiction, they are a challenge for you to overcome.

I've been writing porn for 25+ years and the seed of every story for me is always the sex but in order to make the sex hot you'll have to make it believable. The plot and dialogs are there to establish believability and help your readers/players suspend their disbelief.

 

[Sheik100]

Im not interested if theres no lewd unless the game part is very good. If a creator is afraid to have any lewd things happening in my experience is the later sex usually isnt interesting. Which means my interest in her isnt going to be very deep.

The thing with that is lewd doesnt have to be explicit. Like, explicit doesnt have to just mean MC getting laid either. I like the softcore scenes the most anyway. If theres just a few interests, give them many different events. For example maybe her shirt gets wet and no matter how that plays out the players get something lewd out of it. Maybe youre studying together and theres a little down shirt shot for a moment where you see she isnt wearing a bra. Be creative.. lewd events help any story.

For specifically a James Bond setting Id expect at least 2 different angles of her body in that tight fitting clothing.

 

[IWillEatYourFace]

I 110% agree with Sheik. If you aren't into the idea of having a bunch of sex scenes it's probably gonna show in your work and the readers that you tried to draw in might leave disappointed.

 

[Aferventus]

I 110% agree with Sheik. If you aren't into the idea of having a bunch of sex scenes it's probably gonna show in your work and the readers that you tried to draw in might leave disappointed.

It is not about not having any sex or a few scenes only... of course there will be different routes and different opportunities. But for example the prologue is I think will start in a funeral. It is not the kind of the story I have in mind that the MC should shag a pretty mourner behind the coffin just because people will be upset otherwise...

 

[IWillEatYourFace]

It is not about not having any sex or a few scenes only... of course there will be different routes and different opportunities. But for example the prologue is I think will start in a funeral. It is not the kind of the story I have in mind that the MC should shag a pretty mourner behind the coffin just because people will be upset otherwise...

Right, so my useless advice was to stick with what you wanna do instead of writing in scenes like you described cause it sounds like you aren't into it and that might affect the quality of said scenes. However you end up doing things, best of luck to you and your project

 

[Adabelitoo]

How important is explicit sex content? Well most people are here just for that so I'd say it's super important, but explicit sex content doesn't mean plenty or full of sex content. Not everyone want games where you lift a rock and there is a hot naked chick offering her pussy to you. Context means more than content itself.

If you can add a sex scene in X moment, and it makes sense, and you feel like doing it, then yes sure, if you don't, most people won't even think of it as a missed opportunity.

 

[Banality]

in short words: a good story needs no porn
a good porn needs no story
It depends on what you want to deliver. But be aware: if you gonna add Sex scenes to it be prepared for long and annoying "NTR-Discussions"

 

[fitgirlbestgirl]

In many popular games (VR)s in the genre I feel the story and the conversations are rather silly, the female characters are shallow and do not behave rationally. I think BADIK is very popular, because the characters are behaving as their nature and background dictate it, hence the emotions seem more real and it creates more immersion for the playerbase.

BaDIK is literally a prime example of exactly the thing you were talking about. But I guess there is no accounting for taste.

 

[Sheik100]

It is not about not having any sex or a few scenes only... of course there will be different routes and different opportunities. But for example the prologue is I think will start in a funeral. It is not the kind of the story I have in mind that the MC should shag a pretty mourner behind the coffin just because people will be upset otherwise...

What kind of story is it, like the setting? Because I have to be honest starting on the down note of a grieving widow doesnt exactly draw my interest in her or the story. Actually this might make something to break up the gloomy atmosphere more important. Do you get the opportunity to comfort her (are you close enough to hug her)? Are there other interests there that you might be meeting with after? Just to stress it again it doesnt have to be sex, seeing a bit of skin or even a compromising posture say at a bar or something after shows us what you have to offer. And builds our interest in the characters. If you did start right off the bat with sex it tells me there probably wont be much softcore content (what I like the most).

If you dont show anything in the prologue, definitely show some skin in ch1.

Whats the word.. I think its endearment. Showing their soft/ feminine/ cute side is how females endear themselves to the players and it builds our interest. Theres also context, what kind of person she is/ temperament, and other stuff that builds your interest. Its like tension, you need to have events build up to make it worth chasing her if that makes sense. I wouldnt mind if it took 3 chs to get a simple blowjob if there were lots of lewd events along the way. I mean Im here on f95 to play a lewd game.

 

[CowgirlDev]

I'd personally rather play a game with no sex scenes but a good sexy story/characters over one that's all sex scenes and no substance. VNs have the opportunity to seduce the player and should aim for that.
As for the cliched concept of fucking every girl the MC meets, I think it has a more net good than negative. Players want to pick their best girl and aim to fuck her. If they prefer a girl that you've decided the MC can't fuck, then they'll have a worse experience in the game. Even though it messes with normal storytelling, it's easier to give less screen time to girls who can't be fucked.

 

[Aferventus]

What kind of story is it, like the setting? Because I have to be honest starting on the down note of a grieving widow doesnt exactly draw my interest in her or the story. Actually this might make something to break up the gloomy atmosphere more important. Do you get the opportunity to comfort her (are you close enough to hug her)? Are there other interests there that you might be meeting with after? Just to stress it again it doesnt have to be sex, seeing a bit of skin or even a compromising posture say at a bar or something after shows us what you have to offer. And builds our interest in the characters. If you did start right off the bat with sex it tells me there probably wont be much softcore content (what I like the most).

If you dont show anything in the prologue, definitely show some skin in ch1.

Whats the word.. I think its endearment. Showing their soft/ feminine/ cute side is how females endear themselves to the players and it builds our interest. Theres also context, what kind of person she is/ temperament, and other stuff that builds your interest. Its like tension, you need to have events build up to make it worth chasing her if that makes sense. I wouldnt mind if it took 3 chs to get a simple blowjob if there were lots of lewd events along the way. I mean Im here on f95 to play a lewd game.

Not like that. MC's uncle dies, and going through his things with her nurse (whom you just met, and might get involved in the story gradually) you find things that start the the MC's story. But thanks for the advise you and I believe look for the same thing in VNs.

 

[BluePuffin]

Personally, I don't play vns without sexual content. However, if you don't feel it fits, then don't shoe horn it in.

 

[Biceptual]

In general, I would say sex scenes in fiction and entertainment are unnecessary. Unless it's porn, and I come here for porn. Can a good story enhance the experience? Yes, but don't let it get in the way.