(So, I've been thinking about doing/starting a series exploring some of the major tags used to identify fetishes, features and themes explored in games posted at F95 Zone.
The general idea is to lay out the basic characteristics of things falling under the tag classification, aspects of the tagged theme, types and varieties, common scenarios involving the tagged theme, and perhaps a few observations on how to write/develop games with the tagged theme. People who enjoy the theme are welcome to discuss why they do and what they like to see. People who dislike the theme are probably better off not posting rants herein about why they don't like the theme, though a discussion of poor implementations of the theme seems fair game.)
DEFINING THE TAG
For purposes of the theme, "incest" includes romantic/carnal relations(sex) with "family" members, usually blood relations but not limited thereto. It can include half-blood relations, cousins/aunts/uncles, step-relations, adoptive relations, foster relations and sometimes even in-laws. Sexual relations with parties who "feel like family" are not, properly speaking, incestuous for purposes of this tag theme.
ASPECTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TAGGED THEME
First and foremost, incest is a real world social, cultural, religious and legal taboo. It is a longstanding prohibited activity(with notable exceptions) among almost all developed cultures and civilizations. Incest is considered deviant, "perverted" behavior by normative social mores, and in the case of relations between parents and children, a form of child molestation/abuse(even if the child is of legal age of consent).
Incest is associated with a risk of genetic defects in "inbred" offspring, social ostracism and even criminal punishment. The taboo aspect of the incest theme/fantasy is "hot" precisely because of its forbidden/violative nature. Another characteristic is the need for continuing secrecy of incestuous relations--either nobody can know, or nobody outside the participants and perhaps a few trusted confidants. Seductions tend to be covert, as do assignations(i.e., sexual activities). The inherent difficulty of such seductions, to the extent a game is semi-realistic, is markedly higher than for more conventional seductions and may require creative improvisation by the player/MC. Usually the MC is the party actively pursuing such liaisons in the face of (rational) resistance by the objects of seduction.
TYPES AND VARIETIES OF THE TAGGED THEME
There are 3 basic types of incest, for game purposes: Parent-Child, Sibling, and Other. Parent-Child is subdivided into Mother-Son, Father-Daughter, Mother-Daughter and Father-Son. Sibling is subdivided into Brother-Sister, Sister-Sister and Brother-Brother. Other includes all other types, such as Aunt-Nephew, Uncle-Niece, Grandparent-Grandchild, etc. Games which center around a specific relationship, such as Mother-Son, often also include other forms of incest such as sibling and other incest. Games can involve heterosexual relations, homosexual relations, transgender relations, bisexual relations, or all of the above.
A key variant, besides the gender and family position of the MC, involves the age and birth order of the sibling MC--be they shota age, late high school age, college age or even a bit older. Typically a "son" MC in a game involving mother-son incest is under the age of 30, presumably so that the mother is no older than her late 40s (and, if the game involves impregnation, still fertile).
There are games involving step-relations, adoptive or foster relations, and games where birth relations are revealed or disovered later in game. Some players do not consider carnal relations between non-blood relations to be incestuous, though IRL the law makes no such distinction(which makes the relationship still nearly as taboo and violative of the family heirarchy/relationship dynamic).
COMMON SCENARIOS INVOLVING THE TAGGED THEME
The most common scenario involving the incest theme is the "typical suburban household" setup--the MC is the son or father in the household, which is also occupied by the mother and, typically, one to three daughters/sisters. A common theme is that the personalities of the sisters/daughters are somewhat flat or cliche--the youngest is innocent and naive and adores the MC; the oldest is bratty and bitchy and dislikes the MC--and that the mother is either overly nurturing and needy, or she's a bit cold and controlling. The father(if he isn't the MC) is either present and one of a few basic types--alpha male with no time for his family; submissive husband who is clueless about what's going on; an abusive dickhead--or absent due to abandoning the family, dying or being away on a very long trip.
Another scenario involves a MC who is just returning to such a household after a long absence, thus undermining the natural familial mechanisms that tend to prevent incestuous relations and feelings from developing. There's also the young adult MC living on his own or with a sibling, where the mother occasionally visits. Or the single dad MC trying to reunite with his wife and kids, where his daughters have grown into a very precocious and confusing/vulnerable age.
Other tagged themes that often "co-exist" with the incest theme include Milf(Big Ass/Big Tits), Dilf, Shota, Loli, Impregnation, Mind Control, Corruption, Blackmail, Cheating, NTR, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Harem, Sleep Sex, Groping and, well, Rape.
WRITING AND DEVELOPING FOR THE TAGGED THEME
Writing and developing for the incest theme is trickier than first appears. It's more than just putting an older female model and two younger ones in a suburban household set with a big-dicked young MC. A few basic observations and tips:
1. Establish the family relationships and dynamics first--how does the MC fit into the family situation? How does the mother show her love and concern to her kids? How does the MC show his love and familial responsibility to the rest of the family?
2. Show a transition point where the MC decides to break the taboo. Do his feelings overwhelm him/her? Has he wanted it all along and a means of achieving the impossible finally presented itself?
3. Try to do something original--maybe the mother is more interested than she first appears(ala Milfy City). Maybe the MC is the bratty, bitchy one and the sisters are actually pleasant to interact with. Maybe the youngest is the bitchy one! Maybe one of the family members becomes a co-conspirator in seducing the rest of the family.
4. Try to model the family dynamics semi-realistically--eventually a secret relationship inside a tight knit household will be discovered. That's an interesting scenario to play out. Let it happen. Think through how the characters will react and how the MC might be able to resolve any challenges posed by discovery.
5. Think past the point of conquest. How will the relationship develop further, once the characters have broken the taboo fully and had sex? Will there be a harem/poly incest scenario? Will one of the characters go "yandere" and lead to a dark ending? Will the women wind up bearing the MC's children? Will the family expand to include other conquests of the MC? What will the household/family dynamics look like with everything out in the open?
(that's it for the first entry. <dons flame retardant gear> now open for feedback and commentary!)
The general idea is to lay out the basic characteristics of things falling under the tag classification, aspects of the tagged theme, types and varieties, common scenarios involving the tagged theme, and perhaps a few observations on how to write/develop games with the tagged theme. People who enjoy the theme are welcome to discuss why they do and what they like to see. People who dislike the theme are probably better off not posting rants herein about why they don't like the theme, though a discussion of poor implementations of the theme seems fair game.)
DEFINING THE TAG
For purposes of the theme, "incest" includes romantic/carnal relations(sex) with "family" members, usually blood relations but not limited thereto. It can include half-blood relations, cousins/aunts/uncles, step-relations, adoptive relations, foster relations and sometimes even in-laws. Sexual relations with parties who "feel like family" are not, properly speaking, incestuous for purposes of this tag theme.
ASPECTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TAGGED THEME
First and foremost, incest is a real world social, cultural, religious and legal taboo. It is a longstanding prohibited activity(with notable exceptions) among almost all developed cultures and civilizations. Incest is considered deviant, "perverted" behavior by normative social mores, and in the case of relations between parents and children, a form of child molestation/abuse(even if the child is of legal age of consent).
Incest is associated with a risk of genetic defects in "inbred" offspring, social ostracism and even criminal punishment. The taboo aspect of the incest theme/fantasy is "hot" precisely because of its forbidden/violative nature. Another characteristic is the need for continuing secrecy of incestuous relations--either nobody can know, or nobody outside the participants and perhaps a few trusted confidants. Seductions tend to be covert, as do assignations(i.e., sexual activities). The inherent difficulty of such seductions, to the extent a game is semi-realistic, is markedly higher than for more conventional seductions and may require creative improvisation by the player/MC. Usually the MC is the party actively pursuing such liaisons in the face of (rational) resistance by the objects of seduction.
TYPES AND VARIETIES OF THE TAGGED THEME
There are 3 basic types of incest, for game purposes: Parent-Child, Sibling, and Other. Parent-Child is subdivided into Mother-Son, Father-Daughter, Mother-Daughter and Father-Son. Sibling is subdivided into Brother-Sister, Sister-Sister and Brother-Brother. Other includes all other types, such as Aunt-Nephew, Uncle-Niece, Grandparent-Grandchild, etc. Games which center around a specific relationship, such as Mother-Son, often also include other forms of incest such as sibling and other incest. Games can involve heterosexual relations, homosexual relations, transgender relations, bisexual relations, or all of the above.
A key variant, besides the gender and family position of the MC, involves the age and birth order of the sibling MC--be they shota age, late high school age, college age or even a bit older. Typically a "son" MC in a game involving mother-son incest is under the age of 30, presumably so that the mother is no older than her late 40s (and, if the game involves impregnation, still fertile).
There are games involving step-relations, adoptive or foster relations, and games where birth relations are revealed or disovered later in game. Some players do not consider carnal relations between non-blood relations to be incestuous, though IRL the law makes no such distinction(which makes the relationship still nearly as taboo and violative of the family heirarchy/relationship dynamic).
COMMON SCENARIOS INVOLVING THE TAGGED THEME
The most common scenario involving the incest theme is the "typical suburban household" setup--the MC is the son or father in the household, which is also occupied by the mother and, typically, one to three daughters/sisters. A common theme is that the personalities of the sisters/daughters are somewhat flat or cliche--the youngest is innocent and naive and adores the MC; the oldest is bratty and bitchy and dislikes the MC--and that the mother is either overly nurturing and needy, or she's a bit cold and controlling. The father(if he isn't the MC) is either present and one of a few basic types--alpha male with no time for his family; submissive husband who is clueless about what's going on; an abusive dickhead--or absent due to abandoning the family, dying or being away on a very long trip.
Another scenario involves a MC who is just returning to such a household after a long absence, thus undermining the natural familial mechanisms that tend to prevent incestuous relations and feelings from developing. There's also the young adult MC living on his own or with a sibling, where the mother occasionally visits. Or the single dad MC trying to reunite with his wife and kids, where his daughters have grown into a very precocious and confusing/vulnerable age.
Other tagged themes that often "co-exist" with the incest theme include Milf(Big Ass/Big Tits), Dilf, Shota, Loli, Impregnation, Mind Control, Corruption, Blackmail, Cheating, NTR, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Harem, Sleep Sex, Groping and, well, Rape.
WRITING AND DEVELOPING FOR THE TAGGED THEME
Writing and developing for the incest theme is trickier than first appears. It's more than just putting an older female model and two younger ones in a suburban household set with a big-dicked young MC. A few basic observations and tips:
1. Establish the family relationships and dynamics first--how does the MC fit into the family situation? How does the mother show her love and concern to her kids? How does the MC show his love and familial responsibility to the rest of the family?
2. Show a transition point where the MC decides to break the taboo. Do his feelings overwhelm him/her? Has he wanted it all along and a means of achieving the impossible finally presented itself?
3. Try to do something original--maybe the mother is more interested than she first appears(ala Milfy City). Maybe the MC is the bratty, bitchy one and the sisters are actually pleasant to interact with. Maybe the youngest is the bitchy one! Maybe one of the family members becomes a co-conspirator in seducing the rest of the family.
4. Try to model the family dynamics semi-realistically--eventually a secret relationship inside a tight knit household will be discovered. That's an interesting scenario to play out. Let it happen. Think through how the characters will react and how the MC might be able to resolve any challenges posed by discovery.
5. Think past the point of conquest. How will the relationship develop further, once the characters have broken the taboo fully and had sex? Will there be a harem/poly incest scenario? Will one of the characters go "yandere" and lead to a dark ending? Will the women wind up bearing the MC's children? Will the family expand to include other conquests of the MC? What will the household/family dynamics look like with everything out in the open?
(that's it for the first entry. <dons flame retardant gear> now open for feedback and commentary!)
