Fair point. Until AI is properly implemented it would make sense to have a setting, much as exists virtually everywhere else, to have degrees of censorship, thus allowing for hunting down the rogue attempts at... alternate spellings or to just ignore them (at least the more clever ones). After all, even search engines have a 'moderate' setting. Still, it is what it is. As you said though, this is off topic. Appreciated.
- Mar 22, 2022
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When you control the input, it's a lot easier to control the output: you could replace all instances of words with a unique symbol, for example "{ass}", which is always translated, but depending on whether the censor setting is enabled or disabled, it will be translated either into "ass" or into "bum". That way, you don't have to worry about other unrelated words that contain the censored word being caught in the filter. This approach is pretty foolproof when you're the one that writes all the text in the game and can always guarantee that it will be written that way...assuming you don't make any mistakes, anyways.
This whole thing is just that Sam_Tail was probably doing this in a hurry since the whole feature was clearly an afterthought. I'm sure in the next version it will be fixed, but I wish it weren't, because I love the idea of bambi sammy being like my elementary school friend who was so afraid of saying "god" that he said "bleepfather" instead. Also I just watched the Big O and I like your avatar.
I think the idea of bambi Sammy being so repressed she won't even say naughty words as part of other words is pretty fitting given that bambi Sammy is supposed to never adapt to the world she lives in at all and just becomes progressively more traumatized as the game goes on. The whole game is basically the Haven bad end for bambi Sammy. I think it's super fucked up and I can't imagine being into it, but I am not going to judge, since I'm sure that I'm an unforgivable degenerate to most people too.
edit: btw the friend said bleepfather instead of godfather when talking about the movie, iirc he would just say bleep instead of god.
- Mar 22, 2022
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I'd personally prefer it if more restrictions were enabled (e.g. tying being able to masturbate to how high your level of desire is like it used to be, and making sure your level of desire goes down by an appreciable amount when you do it so you can't just keep doing it...maybe also being unable to permanently obtain the Slut/Whore traits). But sandbox games tend to stop being as compelling or interesting for me as soon as you have the ability to do anything you like, so...so I like the game to keep trying to challenge me. It's also another reason why I'm not a huge fan of all the different ways that Sammy will just suddenly start drinking alcohol with zero input from the player, especially when you're playing a personality type that literally starts out with the lightweight drinker trait (which would seem to suggest that she's not supposed to be a drinker, but which works in the inverse manner because when she inexplicably does decide to start drinking, she's much more affected by it than other personality types). The game gives you plenty of options to break Sammy's restrictions if you really want to, but the game itself will suddenly break them for you and now Sammy is doing all the things that she's not supposed to even though you didn't really take any explicit action towards doing so. You can just be in school and get punched by the bullies, take a huge penalty to your happiness, and now she's forcibly day-drinking at school and accepting random prostitution propositions. Don't really love that design philosophy, but what're you going to do?
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This has not remotely been my experience so far. Bambi Sammy starts out wanting nothing to do with all of this and being terrified, which I believe makes sense for someone suddenly waking up in a town of effectively legal rapists. To compound the problem, a town without legal birth control. An even greater degree of panic makes sense if the male beginning is chosen as the character would have gone from primarily being a target of violence to a more-or-less defenseless target of sexual assault. And they would have to worry about pregnancy for the first time. Just seems like a lot for someone to take in. No?
Regardless, as sexual act numbers increase, Bambi Sammy starts to swing into it just fine. Her perk stat values mean she is more likely to be groped on the bus and she is held back from being full-on sex crazed 24/7, but she completely adjusts. It just takes longer. The only trauma that hit for me on the day-to-day experience was from the bullies and not the world, and that's avoidable by getting in with the soccer players early. I suppose if you were playing thoughtlessly and hanging out late at night being assaulted left and right... but that's player choice, not the route. And if you end up with the bully trauma or from another source, once it passes Numb kicks in. No more trauma even possible.
I know you weren't judging, but if what you said is your impression of the route, then it is simply incorrect. Instead of viewing Bambi as an endless path of despair and emotional destruction, think of it as hard mode. You have to work more to progress Sammy along to the point that she adjusts instead of having her shrug and say, "Huh, everyone is assaulting me. Ah well, what are you going to do". Can it be a terror? Yes, but that just means the player chose poorly (unintentionally or not). Or I suppose just got really unlucky with the RNG.
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Patrons in the pub are incredibly tricky. I had one take Sammy's panties when I had intentionally gone out on the floor not wearing any. When they asked to buy them Sammy correctly informed them she wasn't wearing any, but they were removed from inventory anyway and had to be repurchased.
- May 16, 2024
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Gotta say, this game has one of the most intriguing story settings (societal collapse, but not outright apocalypse from virus), that I've seen in a porn game.
I haven't played Bambi because it's kinda the opposite of the appeal of the game for me, I was just going off of the impression that other people have given me in this thread about it. Also rape isn't effectively legal in the setting as far as I can tell, it's just that the game takes place in a failed state, so the concept of legality isn't relevant.
It didn't become legal, it's more like the police, if you can call them that, are focused in other more major things. Also, the police in this setting are little more than thugs on a leash and repopulating is a priority in the world, so they turn a blind eye.
It is scarcely any better in a lot of countries, for instance my country has a rape conviction rate of only 1.9%, so the vast majority of rapes are unrecorded because the victims don't bother to report them, because there is a systemic culture of non-belief for the victims, or if they are believed and the rapist caught (pretty unlikely) the victim is then subjected to extremely hostile cross examination, which has (in the past) engaged in such delights as victim blaming....
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That's what I said. Also police are already just thugs in most of the world.
Agreed. Which is why I described it as 'effectively legal'. It's not legal, but no one stops it or punishes anyone who commits it. Even bystanders just shrug it off. If a law isn't enforced, and breaking it is socially tolerated, is it actually a law? Sure on paper, but in effect on society not really.
I think there is a big difference between something being effectively legal and just living in a failed state like this game takes place in. Legality implies that a group with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force has approved of it, while being in a failed state means that there is no group with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. That may seem like a distinction without a difference from the ivory tower of living in a functional society, but to most of the world that is a very pointed difference. In a failed state the government isn't there to protect you, but also doesn't protect your attackers, and even if they are part of a larger armed group, you can probably get away with defending yourself with the utmost use of force. In a situation where something like rape is legal or de facto legal, then self defense against it is illegal or de facto illegal, so a group with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force will automatically be your enemy if you assert your right to sexual self determination.
A lovely example of his in game, one of the methods to deal with the bullies is to let them steal poisoned beer, which has no negative consequences for the MC (currently at least). It's pretty obvious what government there is doesn't want people getting murdered, since they care more about repopulation, but if you're not going on a murder spree and its relatively discrete, no one will care enough to investigate.
I hear what you're saying, but I have to disagree on some points. Yes, a failed state is essentially a state of nature. You are free to do whatever you want so long as no one can stop you, and they are free to do anything they want to prevent you from doing it. In effect, everything is legal. Sure, not technically as there are still laws on books somewhere, but as you said, there is no authority to enforce said laws. To those residing in the failed state there is no practical difference. Everything is permitted. The ultimate freedom, and the ultimate vulnerability. So on this I agree with you. Of course, in such a situation, it's not that rape isn't effectively legal, it's just that rape and vigilantism are both effectively legal. Because everything is effectively legal. However, this is irrelevant as the town isn't a failed state. The country around it is, but not the town. The Institute has a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, and thus the town doesn't qualify as a failed state by your own definition. This is without question their town, and everyone lives here at their indulgence. If for example you steal from the casino, set fire to neighborhoods, or start shooting up the school they will come for you. They have laws for living in the town that are enforced. It's part of the reason Jaylee doesn't live in town. It's more of a city-state. They just don't enforce any law in regards to sexual assault or vigilante reprisals. They have effectively decided that both are legal, at least for the moment, because they ignore both. Part of the flaw in your thinking is that you believe that legality is an either-or (if rape is legal, stopping one from raping you is illegal). From trial by combat to violent land disputes and everything between, "sort it out yourselves" has plenty of historical precedence. It seems insane to us now, but again, that's our ivory tower existance that you mentioned. The Institute, regardless of what they have on paper, has effectively taken the stance that in the case of rape it is up to those involved to decide. Both rape and defense are permitted, because they have chosen not to intervene in either case. They have the power to do so, just not the interest to exert the effort or spend the resources. Hence, effectively legal for both. They have effectively approved the state of nature in this set of circumstances. Again, that doesn't mean it's actually legal, just that they have the means and choose not to do anything about it.
Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good conversation, but can we take a minute to enjoy that this discussion has come from a porn game? Unexpected doesn't even begin to cover it.
- May 10, 2020
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The government, interestingly enough, does have some dictatorial traits: They want to appear as the ones in charge, and the prevailing doctrine is that while life in the city is bad, everywhere else is far worse (though people aren't allowed to leave to check) and the city is surrounded by enemies (that no one ever saw) and they're the only ones keeping said enemies out of the city.
Similarly, the Institute isn't interested in policing the city (read: spending resources on something they have no return of investment in) but they do have the ability to enact a fair amount of force once something does involve itself in their business. In that, they are no different than Haven which also has its own security guards and enforcers and limited community infrastructure for its members.
Which leaves the city's general population in a position where laws exist, but there isn't really anyone to enforce them. Rape is illegal, murder is illegal, underage drinking is illegal, but no one ever does anything about these things because the government has its hands full paying clerks, teachers and heavily armed border guards and the organizations in power won't move if there's no clear benefit for them in doing so. If public order was their main concern the Institute could wipe out Haven in a couple of hours, but they don't because that would upset the balance of power in the city -- there's a reason they sent the MC to investigate, who isn't overtly connected to the Institute, and even then after having her appearance reworked: They simply do not want to get in a territorial dispute with Haven because it would not be advantageous to them. Even the Brothel Raid from the Slave (soft) bad end was only to retrieve their 'property' (Sammy's body), not to remove the brothel with all its implied forced prostitution from (the outskirts of) the city.
That's what the Institute 'made' Sammy for, a means to increase their sphere of influence without openly stepping on anyone's toes. Sammy is a trial run to see if it's viable to have more agents than just her in the future, that's likely why they put some rando kid in the new body. They paint themselves as the good guys while she helps them work out the kinks in the system, but in the end all she is to them is the asset that is her body. Sammy the person means nothing to them.
Similarly, the Institute isn't interested in policing the city (read: spending resources on something they have no return of investment in) but they do have the ability to enact a fair amount of force once something does involve itself in their business. In that, they are no different than Haven which also has its own security guards and enforcers and limited community infrastructure for its members.
Which leaves the city's general population in a position where laws exist, but there isn't really anyone to enforce them. Rape is illegal, murder is illegal, underage drinking is illegal, but no one ever does anything about these things because the government has its hands full paying clerks, teachers and heavily armed border guards and the organizations in power won't move if there's no clear benefit for them in doing so. If public order was their main concern the Institute could wipe out Haven in a couple of hours, but they don't because that would upset the balance of power in the city -- there's a reason they sent the MC to investigate, who isn't overtly connected to the Institute, and even then after having her appearance reworked: They simply do not want to get in a territorial dispute with Haven because it would not be advantageous to them. Even the Brothel Raid from the Slave (soft) bad end was only to retrieve their 'property' (Sammy's body), not to remove the brothel with all its implied forced prostitution from (the outskirts of) the city.
That's what the Institute 'made' Sammy for, a means to increase their sphere of influence without openly stepping on anyone's toes. Sammy is a trial run to see if it's viable to have more agents than just her in the future, that's likely why they put some rando kid in the new body. They paint themselves as the good guys while she helps them work out the kinks in the system, but in the end all she is to them is the asset that is her body. Sammy the person means nothing to them.
A failed state is not anarchy or a state of nature, since there is still a government, it just lacks the state capacity to enforce its policies. This is important for a number of reasons, for instance it means that if anyone else tries to form a state or operate as a government and enforce laws, they will be killed by the state. A state is not the same thing as a government, historically the vast majority of people did not live in states, but governments were fairly common. A state is when a government lays claim to specific territory and manages to convince everyone that their violence is legitimate, and they are the the sole source of legitimacy for violence there. A government is really just a gang, they are just set apart by the perception of legitimacy.
Also a few posts about state capacity and failed states are nothing, this thread has like 5 pages about homemade firearms manufacturing, and a few more about the nature of value.
Sure, in a failed state government technically exists, but without ability to enact any type of policy or control. For those living in it the difference between a state of nature and their daily lives would be negligible. "In a failed state the government isn't there to protect you, but also doesn't protect your attackers, and even if they are part of a larger armed group, you can probably get away with defending yourself with the utmost use of force." Your own words. Action without consequence beyond might makes right. Sounds pretty anarchic to me. They can't form their own government. I'll give you that. That makes a difference in people's daily existence how? They have larger problems, like surviving the day. And even the "legitimate" governments ability to stop people from operating as a de facto government and enforcing laws depends greatly on how far it has failed and how much power it can exert in a particular region. It's failing to see the forest because of all the trees in the way. Of course none of this matters because the town isn't a failed state.
"A government is really just a gang, they are just set apart by the perception of legitimacy." It's all perception, exactly. ISIL (despite what they thought of themselves) was an insurgent organization, not technically a state. Didn't make much difference to those under their domain though, did it? If they had held their territory longer, who knows, the world may have been forced to accept them as a state. In this game, The Institute isn't technically a state. It does, however, have ultimate authority over the town and according to the intro have more power than the national government (or at least it, in alliance with other companies controlling other towns they do). For the lives of people in that town, it is the state. It is the legitimate source of violence, recognized by both citizens within their territory and the controlling companies of other towns, and even the federal government can't and won't interfere. Sure, on paper they're not a state. But we all know what words on paper are worth.
Five pages on zip guns? Impressive. And the nature of value... I'll have to go find that. Thanks for letting me know.
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