Intermediate Content: Why and How

[nulnil]

Not sure which games do you actually refer to after remving:

• Visual Novels. They do not feature gameplay and are essentially a digital book.
• Sex Simulators. Similar to VN's, but they don't even have a story.
• Adult games. Sexual content may be present, but it is not attended to arouse like pornography does.
• Literal Sex Games.

Sidescrollers, RPGs, Real-time 3D combat games, and a bunch of other, more niche genres that would take too long to list all of them.

 

[nulnil]

if your game is just a shooter with reward sex scenes it's never gonna have an arc anyway. it's a shooter. I guess if you insist on making that kind of game fappable you'll just have to extend the sex scenes. but it'll probably ruin the rest of the game.

but if it has a more complex structure like an RPG you're by definition dealing with a story structure. having a more complex game structure in itself is a story, and you'll want to treat it as storytelling.

The root of the issue is that you can't write a video game like a movie/book when so much time is spent on gameplay. There just isn't time for 'frustration, blueballing, false starts' unless only maybe <35% of total time is spent on gameplay, but at that point you should just write a VN.

Even in a story-heavy RPG, you spend a large portion of time going around and fighting (or 'engaging in conflict' to be more accurate). And plenty of bare-minimum story RPGs exist, just search the site by RPGM.

 

[TAU9]

Yeah, maybe in like, a VN where there's only story, story, and more story. If I'm fighting aliens/orcs/zombies/bad guys between sex scenes, there's not going to be much building up unless we add sexual content in the gameplay.

Why should there be buildup? You said in the OP that it doesn't apply to heavily sexual games. If the point of the game isn't to arouse the player then the point of the game isn't to arouse the player - so the whole idea of keeping the player aroused is counterintuitive isn't it?

I could see eg. if you treated sexual content as a reward for gameplay but if it's a good game the gameplay is rewarding in and of itself right?

 

[nulnil]

Why should there be buildup? You said in the OP that it doesn't apply to heavily sexual games. If the point of the game isn't to arouse the player then the point of the game isn't to arouse the player - so the whole idea of keeping the player aroused is counterintuitive isn't it?

The Literal Sex Games I mentioned are literally just sex with gameplay aspects between them, completely different than your usual run-of-the-mill sex combat game. An example would be beatbanger, where an animation plays in the background while you try to time the beats right.

Though it's not the best way to make a porn game. It's usually quite difficult to enjoy the sexual content when you have to time all the QTE's and whatnot.

I could see eg. if you treated sexual content as a reward for gameplay but if it's a good game the gameplay is rewarding in and of itself right?

Good Gameplay doesn't equate to good porn. If I take your favorite game, throw a pornographic sex scene in there somewhere, it'll still have good gameplay (I assume your favorite game has good gameplay), but it's a pretty dogshit in terms of porn.

Anyways, Reward = Sex isn't enough on it's own. Should there be an option between in-game money or a sex scene, I'll take the sex scene, reload, and then take the money. Then there's the fact it can be quite limiting to only ever have sexual content shown as a reward.

 

[lolzorzs]

What compels porn addicts to write essays out like this regularly?

Well somebody has to do the thinking for the programming for you coombrains to have what to jack it off to, otherwise just go take a picture, it will last longer.

Don't confuse me with that other guy. He's full schizo.

And I took that personally.
And full imagination, don't you know us crazies have imagination to spare? we certainly don't steal popular words without pulling a spin on it. Oh you gen-Z(ombies) always too zoomed-in to see the forest for the trees. However if it's a well performed structured essay you're requesting then that's what you will receive from here on out.
You might beat me at the fine details and technical knowledge, but I will severely beat you at the imagination part.

Nulnip I will test you, so keep that in mind when I make my next post.

 

[lolzorzs]

These kinds of threads, right now. Also, this does not count as my next post; this is merely the intermission, the intermediate part, the appetizer — but merely looking at the appetizer, not actually tasting it.

 

[OsamiWorks]

Well somebody has to do the thinking for the programming for you coombrains to have what to jack it off to, otherwise just go take a picture, it will last longer.

What a dumb and narcissistic take

 

[lolzorzs]

I will utilize horror as a stand-in for porn since horror and porn have an unusual amount of problems in common.

Horror functions merely as a thematic element in video games rather than a distinct genre. A genre necessitates a defined set of rules, much like how FPS games require a first-person perspective and shooting mechanics to qualify. What specific gameplay mechanics does horror demand? None. The emphasis is consistently on its thematic aspects. The only gameplay elements commonly associated with horror are evading 1-hit KO enemies and solving puzzles. Sometimes with redundant letters spread throughout to reveal the backstory with no direct gameplay change.
Now let's take a look at hentai games, they don't even have those elements going for them. They don't even have a specific kind of story style and element going on. Porn games are the weakest link of the weakest group of digital interactions.


Occasionally in horror games, redundant letters are scattered throughout to unveil the backstory without any direct impact on gameplay. For horror to be recognized as a genre, the thematic elements must be seamlessly integrated with gameplay, making it impossible to separate the two.

For instance, the Harry Potter series transforms an adventure exploration game with light puzzles by incorporating shooting elements, encapsulating the essence of Hogwarts through secrets, hidden tunnels, and power-ups. Similarly, Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros exemplify this by embedding secret rooms and items into the gameplay itself. The environment, items, and shooter mechanics are all cohesively intertwined with the thematic elements.


Horror necessitates the simulation of sensations unattainable in the digital realm, such as the tactile feel, olfactory experiences, the cerebral sensation of impending faintness, the weakening of legs from fear, cardiac distress, and adrenaline surges. These sensations can only be indirectly emulated. Nevertheless, horror games seldom endeavor to authentically replicate these senses and physiological responses. Instead, most game developers resort to rudimentary methods, such as invincible "deathwall" enemies that cannot be dodged, fought, or outsmarted, coupled with simplistic puzzles that amount to basic fetch quests and password inputs, devoid of intellectual challenge or ingenuity.

Until these elements are accurately implemented, horror cannot be legitimately classified as a genre. Let alone American, European & Japanese porn games.




Shall I repeat myself but with more detail?
Horror: what does real life offer that digital formats cannot replicate? The five primary senses and their sub-senses: tactile sensations, balance, the gravitational pressure on your head, olfactory stimuli, taste, and environmental factors such as atmospheric conditions. Additionally, consider the emotional experiences: the sense of potential loss, the risk and gamble of survival, the adrenaline-fueled escape, the heart-pounding tension, and the profound relief and happiness upon surviving.

No single-player game has fully captured these experiences. However, certain old PvP MMORPGs and PvP RPGs have succeeded. Games like Runescape encapsulate the thrill of risking days' worth of effort for a fleeting adrenaline rush—the thrill of the hunt against cunning human opponents who can strike at any moment. Unlike hunting a predictable animal, the stakes in these games are higher, with the constant threat of losing everything if you fail to teleport at the crucial moment. The exhilaration of defeating another player and claiming their loot embodies a fundamental aspect that local single-player horror games fail to achieve. This element is crucial for evolving the genre.

Add this to your document.

Next, let's discuss the psychological aspects in steps:

1. Anticipation: The inevitable descent into peril, whether against your will or for the thrill of the hunt.
2. Looming Dread: The awareness of an imminent threat.
3. Mystery/Fear of the Unknown: The unsettling uncertainty of what lies ahead.
4. Thrill/Surprise: The sudden, heart-racing moments of unexpected events.
5. Horror: The peak of terror and shock.
6. Repause: A brief respite, allowing for a temporary sense of relief.
7. More Horror: A return to terror, amplifying the previous experiences.
8. Final Conclusion: The culmination of the journey, where the ultimate fate is revealed.

Anticipation is knowing you are destined for hell, whether unwillingly or in pursuit of a thrill. The looming dread is the awareness of an imminent, lethal threat.





Mystery: You are enveloped in uncertainty, your imagination running wild with worst-case scenarios. You calculate whether you are prepared to fight or must flee. This mystery, this anticipation, inexorably draws you toward it, yearning for a resolution and payoff. You can manipulate this by providing subtle hints of what it might be, yet never fully revealing whether it is a formidable foe, a harmless novice, or a cluster of bouncing baby bunnies.

Thrill/Surprise: The moment arrives when you encounter it—or rather, it finds you. You have no time to register what is coming at you. Overwhelmed and taken by surprise, your instinct is to panic. You try to reassess the situation and evaluate your options.

Horror: The terror escalates as your heart races and adrenaline surges. Your options are to fight, flee, or die trying. The prospect of death is a stark and uncomfortable truth. You run frantically, driven by the desperate hope of escape. In this moment, survival becomes your sole reward. You pray for deliverance, craving only the chance to live another day; the promise of gold or other rewards is no longer relevant.

Repause: You need a moment to breathe, collect your thoughts, and allow your adrenaline to subside. It is here that you begin to regain your daring, believing you might still seize that treasure before the alien captures, violates, and devours you.

Recurring Horror: Despite the previous terror, you gamble with your life once more, ignoring the unfavorable odds. You could not resist the temptation of risking everything again.

Final Conclusion: Did you survive with or without the treasure chest? Did you make it out alive? What is the ultimate outcome? The suspense is unbearable. You are desperate to know the conclusion. What is it? WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION?

 

[nulnil]

Quite a lot.

There's a key difference between horror and porn games, and it's that porn games do not need nearly as much immersion to get their desired emotions from the player. Horror games almost always have the player in first person and almost always aim for photorealism. But that's not the case for porn games, otherwise almost every game here would be a first-Person 3D game with a photorealistic artstyle. Not to say immersion can or should be dumped entirely, but you don't need VR-Horror levels of immersion to give someone a boner.

Furthermore, porn games aren't just a genre like FPS or RPG, they're a 'sister-media' to video games, like what TV shows are to movies. Porn games have essentially all the same genres that video games have, but the addition of pornorgraphy creates siginificant changes to the format. For a porn game, a milestones and sometimes other in-game actions show sexual content, preferably in such a way that the player doesn't lose their boner between pieces of sexual content.

 

[lolzorzs]

There is a key distinction between horror games and pornographic games: the level of immersion required to evoke the desired emotional response from the player. Horror games often rely heavily on first-person perspectives and aim for photorealism to create a deeply immersive experience. In contrast, pornographic games do not necessitate such a high degree of immersion to achieve their intended effect. If they did, we would see an overwhelming prevalence of first-person, photorealistic pornographic games, which is not the case. While immersion in pornographic games should not be entirely disregarded, it does not need to reach the same intensity as in VR horror games to be effective.

Furthermore, pornographic games are not merely a genre like FPS or RPG; they are a parallel medium to video games, similar to the relationship between TV shows and movies. Pornographic games encompass all the genres found in traditional video games, but the inclusion of sexual content significantly alters the format. In these games, milestones and various in-game actions reveal sexual content, ideally in a manner that maintains the player's arousal between instances of explicit material.

Rewrote your post more eloquently.

Additionally, another user has expressed frustration with dismissive responses to valid posts, not due to emotional sensitivity but because it leads to confusion and attempts to meet unclear standards. Providing context and clearer explanations would be more constructive than implying inadequacies. It feels like talking to a wall and there is no chemistry, I am better off bouncing ideas off of myself.

Despite the argument that pornographic games do not require as much immersion, one could contend that they necessitate even more immersion due to their focused nature. Pornographic content hinges on precise elements that are challenging to replicate. Meanwhile, horror games have a broader range of elements to engage the player and evoke reactions. Thus, the precision required in pornographic games arguably demands a nuanced approach to immersion that is distinct from, but no less important than, the immersion in horror games.


Referring to them as Sister-media is less than ideal and implies they should be just like mini-games; extra fluff content to facilitate the main content, unless that's your stance and not just implying it. I believe "just" a mini-game or a TV Show that is so well polished and imaginative can become the main media rather than an intermission and a support for the main genre. I'm an idealist. Less like a tiny supporting symbiosis or a parasite, a style/a flavor/a theme and more like its main genre. As such I can evolve the discussion, at least with myself, if you wish to hear my erotica genre-defining ideas which elevates erotica beyond flavor and supporting mini-game.

 

[lolzorzs]

I won't dismiss your idea of an intermission and I'll respect your grounded, responsible approach. However, I believe my direct problem-solving method, which I call "bullseye reviewing," is superior. Bullseye reviewing means addressing issues head-on and resolving them at their core, rather than opting for temporary solutions or saying, "it cannot be done."

Make no mistake, I'm not your average person; I'm neither delusional nor afraid to tackle challenges directly.

Intermission and Equivalency in Media
Multimedia franchises often revolve around a central theme, which significantly influences the associated media. For example, Pokémon started as a monster-collecting RPG and expanded into toys, a collectible card game, a manga, and an anime, creating a broad multimedia presence. However, video games, particularly Kingdom Hearts, tend to require additional media to fully understand the lore and story. This is exemplified by the use of intermediary titles like "1.5" rather than straightforward sequels. Then we have Megaman which literally spins off into a large amount of developed sub-branches, focus being on developed.

Moving on to another issue, the Pokémon anime deviated significantly from the game's core objectives, which involved catching monsters and becoming the best. Ash Ketchum and Team Rocket often ignored these principles, using more than just Poké Balls to capture Pokémon and Ash releasing fully evolved Pokémon back into the wild. This approach conflicted with the core concept of the game, much like a toy cartoon occasionally attempting to be something else. This shows a misunderstanding of the toy collectible genre, something other Japanese cartoons excelled at.

In contrast, shows like One Punch Man, Mob Psycho, and Scissor Seven successfully parody anime tropes by focusing on different themes, such as social struggles, rather than the typical "save the world" narrative. If Ash Ketchum had managed to punch and catch Mewtwo, it would have fit a parody mold, much like how Fillmore and Kids Next Door took their genres seriously despite their seemingly trivial themes.

Japanese collectible toy cartoons like Beyblade, Yu-Gi-Oh!, B-Daman, and Kaijudo: Duel Masters fully embraced and defined their genre. Drawing inspiration from Spaghetti Westerns and Kung-Fu films, they revolved around duels, tournaments, and classic tropes. These combined swimmingly.

I understand and acknowledge your perspective on intermission and its relevance to our discussion. If anything is unclear, feel free to ask for further clarification, and I will adjust my explanations accordingly.
Therefore, I inquire once more: do you wish me to diverge from the thread's grounded subject matter and discuss my methodology here, or shall we relocate that discussion to my thread instead? Game Design Document GDD | F95zone

 

[nulnil]

Additionally, another user has expressed frustration with dismissive responses to valid posts, not due to emotional sensitivity but because it leads to confusion and attempts to meet unclear standards. Providing context and clearer explanations would be more constructive than implying inadequacies. It feels like talking to a wall and there is no chemistry, I am better off bouncing ideas off of myself.

My post begins with describing what I mean by "porn game", which goes as far to exclude visual novels. The reason for this is because visual novels share almost nothing in common with any other genre of video games, they are infact, much more like a book. Point is, most videogames have very limited time to tell a story, so traditional techniques that you'd use when writing a book don't apply. There is no time to write a greek epic about how the protagonist manages to get laid.

Referring to them as Sister-media is less than ideal and implies they should be just like mini-games; extra fluff content to facilitate the main content, unless that's your stance and not just implying it. I believe "just" a mini-game or a TV Show that is so well polished and imaginative can become the main media rather than an intermission and a support for the main genre. I'm an idealist. Less like a tiny supporting symbiosis or a parasite, a style/a flavor/a theme and more like its main genre. As such I can evolve the discussion, at least with myself, if you wish to hear my erotica genre-defining ideas which elevates erotica beyond flavor and supporting mini-game.

Maybe type is a better word that 'sister media'. Like TV shows and movies are a type of animated media, and porn games and videogames are a type of interactive media. What makes porn games different than regular video games is that the focus switches from fun to sexual enjoyment. Games like GTA let you hire hookers for sex, but it's not really arousing or pornographic, and even games that do make it more sexual don't dedicate a large portion of screentime to it. Then you have porn games, like Alien Quest Eve where there's highly detailed sex animations that happen to Eve every couple minutes paired with the even more detailed game over animations. These animations don't make gameplay more satisfying, but the enhance the sexual experience of the game.

Anyways, I don't.. exactly understand how your other comment connects to this, but if what you're trying to say is that there are ways to enhance the theme of sex within porn games, I guess that is true. But ironically, most porn games don't really have a story theme relating to sex, it just kind of happens so there's porn. Even when if there is an internal reason for it to happen, it's often left shallow and ultimately just an excuse for the sexy stuff to happen (like how the porn actress never has any money to pay the pizza guy). They don't actually go into the details of what a world where everyone bangs constantly would look like.

 

[DuniX]

This is exactly how I like my porn discussion threads.
110% concentrated pure autism.
Well done OP.

 

[seifukulover]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I'll chime in anyway. There are two types of games that we mean when we say 'eroge': 1) games about sex and 2) games that have sex in them.
The first type means when you play the game correctly you're rewarded with sex, and you get nothing when you lose.
The second type means that the gameplay is about something else, but you can get the sex too if you want it.

I think of a game I've played recently called Sexual Sealing Dungeon Eronest, an example of the latter type. It's an action-platformer with your typical "play as a girl, get violated when you lose" setup. First of all your character is very sexy and well-animated, and it's fun to just watch her bounce around even before you encounter an enemy; you might consider this a form of Intermediate Content since it builds the anticipation. But the beauty of this game is that you choose your reward: either you fight the monsters well and get experience and items, or you lose the battle and get rewarded with a scene of your heroine being brought to climax in some unique way. It's easy enough to run past most enemies, but it's always more fun to stop and fight them, because you're rewarded no matter what. It also means you get to choose how long it is between each scene, whether they're more frequent or more spaced out.

So these latter games are probably the ones you want to play if you're looking for Intermediate Content.

 

[lolzorzs]

I think I'm going to make a thread on my own that actually panders to normal ideafags. Since the current thread would only attract high IQ thinkers, but at the same time we get lost in generalities and trying to attribute too much meaning to niche words nobody understands. Your OP actually does mention combining gameplay and porn , but at the same time you seem to want to limit it to a very specific kind of connection/transition? I myself mistook intermediate/a medium/a translation for intermission/transition.

Here it is; It's kind of a work in progress.
Let's invent the porn genre / Proper Porn Gameplay Ideas. | F95zone

 

[nulnil]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I'll chime in anyway. There are two types of games that we mean when we say 'eroge': 1) games about sex and 2) games that have sex in them.
The first type means when you play the game correctly you're rewarded with sex, and you get nothing when you lose.
The second type means that the gameplay is about something else, but you can get the sex too if you want it.

I think of a game I've played recently called Sexual Sealing Dungeon Eronest, an example of the latter type. It's an action-platformer with your typical "play as a girl, get violated when you lose" setup. First of all your character is very sexy and well-animated, and it's fun to just watch her bounce around even before you encounter an enemy; you might consider this a form of Intermediate Content since it builds the anticipation. But the beauty of this game is that you choose your reward: either you fight the monsters well and get experience and items, or you lose the battle and get rewarded with a scene of your heroine being brought to climax in some unique way. It's easy enough to run past most enemies, but it's always more fun to stop and fight them, because you're rewarded no matter what. It also means you get to choose how long it is between each scene, whether they're more frequent or more spaced out.

So these latter games are probably the ones you want to play if you're looking for Intermediate Content.

While I like your positive outlook on things, if we boil things down to their basics, having the sexual content only be shown as a punishment (i.e. gameovers, rape grabs) is a bit counter-intuitive. On the other hand, making all sexual content a reward heavily restricts where you could put sexual content in a game. Basically, it's best when sexual content exists in a neutral state where it's found as both a reward and punishment, that way sexual content is always being shown no matter what.

 

[lolzorzs]

Bump and I wanted to know if this is what you seeked out of interMEDIATE content (not interMISSION)

Let's invent the porn genre / Proper Porn Gameplay Ideas. | F95zone

Or is this completely different from your thread's idea?

 

[nulnil]

Or is this completely different from your thread's idea?

Yes, it is.

Porn isn't a genre of video games. At least, not practically. Essentially, reading a game's genre should let you know what the game is vaguely about. It's effectively the reason why things are sorted into genres anyways.

It's like saying 'game with guns'; that could mean anything from FPS's to turn-based RPGs. You can see how two genres can portay guns differently:

Guns in an FPS:

• Quick, responsive.
• Used almost constantly.
• Interactive, often features reloads and aiming down sights.
• Very quick to kill (compared to other genres)

Guns in a Fighting Game (like HFTF, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat)

• Slow, can't be aimed usually.
• Infrequently used depending on character, sometimes not at all.
• Very little interactivity.
• Takes ages to kill, often needs other attacks to be used with it in combos.

It's the same logic with sexual game mechanics, or as they're referred to as in my post, mechanical Intermediate Content. The way they function differs between genres. However, there are a few genres of videogames that are sexual in nature which are also underdeveloped, such as strip games, breeding games and those literal sex games I mentioned at the beginning of my post.

To be more clear about what those literal sex games are, they're basically games where there is little to do besides interact with sexual content. There are still game mechanics in those games, so they aren't just a sex simulator, but it's essentially just sex scenes with interaction. I could go into further detail, but it's a kind of you'll know it when you see it kind of deal.

 

[lolzorzs]

Quoting myself from the other thread with a rewrite. Perhaps some of these ideas can help with your intermediate content? let me know.

4.5) Goal-Oriented Challenges for Rewards

Instead of simply losing to access explicit content, players must complete specific goals to unlock it. For example, you must evade a pursuer for 5-15 minutes to avoid a game-over screen. Successfully surviving this chase rewards you with scenes where the character gets caught, resulting in explicit content.

5) Relevant Themes and Stories

Themes involving exchanging favors for sex or playing as a prostitute, secretary, or boss are historically relevant yet rarely explored in adult games. Most narratives lack depth and genuine anticipation, focusing more on quick completion than engaging storytelling. Horror-themed adult content is also underdeveloped, often failing to create genuinely intriguing scenarios. Furthermore, the portrayal of a world where everyone is sexually open often feels shallow and unrealistic. For a believable sex-positive world, characters must be laid-back, charming, and gender roles should be thoughtfully reversed, such as women approaching men or normalized prostitution. A realistic sex world would not have religion and would feature dynamic societal elements like active protestors instead of passive characters.

5.5) Video Game Concepts Suited for Adult Themes

A) Wrestling

Wrestling can blend well with adult themes. South Park humorously called real wrestling gay porn and fake wrestling melodrama for rednecks. Some wrestling games allow custom move creation, which could be adapted for adult content. These games often have automation options, making them hands-free, where players combine elements and watch the results.

B) Voyeurism

Playing as a photographer or cameraman with tools like telescopes or binoculars can offer a slow, calculated game of observing targets. Alternatively, a more active approach might involve following targets using parkour and spy techniques. This could be combined with playing multiple characters, such as the partner of the person being watched.

C) Super Kidnapper

A character like Spiderman could serve as an excellent kidnapper, capturing NPCs and engaging in explicit scenes on rooftops at night, similar to elements found in certain genres and anime like "Rapeman."

D) Stealth

Stealth mechanics can be paired with various themes such as voyeurism, vampires, and corruption. These elements naturally complement kidnapping scenarios and characters like Incubi or Succubi.

E) Hitman/Seduction Game

This concept involves manipulation and pretending to be different people, both physically and mentally, akin to a sociopath’s game. The player must convincingly adopt different personas to achieve their goals.

F) Shapeshifter/Time Reset

A shapeshifter theme could involve resetting time or alternate universes for a fresh start. The challenge would be hiding your true identity while dealing with characters who remember past traumatic encounters, affecting their behavior in new interactions.

 

[DinksterRinger]

My preference is realism because real life isn't only sex. You have to survive in between the sex. I sincerely attempt to comprehend the story in between scenes to maximize immersion