Opinions wanted! (Wow!) Need to gauge effect of writing- WARNING: MATURE CONTENT

Guys, these missions have been cut from SS because of your responses. Your input does matter!

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Good call, guys. More kudos to you.

Remember your target audience, and you can't go wrong!

Dave @ ATMOS

I realize you decided to cut this already, but I was thinking about it some more, and have just a quick bit more to say.

First, if you wanted the pilot (player) to realize that they are vulnerable off-ship as well as in space, you could have them simply be mugged. Make this scene into armed robbery, and you aren't alienating so large an audience.

Second, the phrase "mature content" doesn't usually equate to what we'd like, and in no way implies inherent sophistication. Having multiple versions, or a "rated-R patch" would automatically undermine its intended purpose. The "grittier" version would far overshadow the "acceptable" one, and in people's inane lust for the morbid, your entire original vision and voice would be lost on the crowds. This has been said in various ways already, but having part of an epic-scale production be controversial will cause people to forget the rest of the game even exists. You have to pick your battles wisely, else risk losing your credibility.

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- o n y x -
"I dn't type. I'm a kybard artist "
(url="http://"http://www.pacifier.com/~kkey/shipyard/index.html")Onyx's EV Shipyard(/url)

I should check the EV DC every day to do not miss this kind of thing (no, not the porn, I'm 19 and I've seen enough, but the opportunity to react to such an important thing); anyway, I would just like to add that in EVs and especially in EVN you have too much of a feeling of unvulnerability, i.e.: "I'm in my overpowerful ship and even though various govts do not like me and there are "special interests" group who want me dead I can mock them and continue plundering ships: "Born to be wiiiiild!"" when anything can actually happen to you in the spaceport. I think players (and especially younger ones) are kinda used to have important events all too clearly shown to them so that they realise something important (i.e. death, collapse of reactor core, Vader blowing up a planet again )has happened (with cinematics, game stopping to clearly show them, etc...) so the description that are in EVN are I think not enough for the events involved: some people do not even realise after the drop bear attacks they have been to hospital and quite some delay has passed!

However, with rape you enter taboo material that can get you worries, Ambrosia worries, shock people, etc, so the above does not apply. If it wasn't for the protection of the younger audience I would like to see some serious adult stuff in plugs. But please show the player of SS it's not healthy to have too much ennemies and/or landing on a spöb that does not like you. In order for it to be acceptable by the community, arrange yourself to have the player at least mugged and that as a consequence (s)he loses some money, oddly people just remark it much more when it comes to money 😉 (remember Capt'n hector stealing you money in the unregistered Override).

Wow, when I clicked on this topic as I do for every single EVDC one I thought the "mature content" would be, if not pretty harmless, only some just-not-for-the-kiddies-stuff and that you put "mature content" just for sakeness's sake... judging from the reactions it is INDEED mature content and I wouldn't have had the nerves to post it here or post a link here to my page showing it...
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(This message has been edited by Zacha Pedro (edited 01-16-2004).)

It had it's moments, Zacha. While it wasn't supposed to be porn- and I think someone would be really hard pressed to label it as such- but it was a bit overly graphic in it's descriptions.

As has been mentioned before, this particular scenario has been dropped (for the time being- you never know). It is definately vital to pick and choose your battles, and consider your target audience. Interestingly, almost nobody said that we should not be dealing with themes on this order- no problems with "taboo". However, if we do, it needs to be for more than just atmosphere- it can't be a stand alone peice, it has to mean something. This was a very important fact to be gleaned, and will definately be kept in mind. We have other "mature" topics and themes that will be explored, but we will be sure that each event has a meaning, or at least some continuity.

A few of you recommended muggings, and that is a very good idea- already on the drawing board, in fact. Other "random" crimes that can happen to you include Identity Theft, fraudulent sales (Want to buy a bridge?), and some others that I can't remember. A major goal for this project will be to enhance the RPG aspects, and make you think twice about going into bad places unless you know what you're doing. Hopefully, we will be able to show your character as vulnerable both in and out of your ship, and make the character realize it. The Drop Bears are a perfect example- I think it would have been much better if there was a chance that the darn thing kills you. Game over man. It would make you think twice about going to Aurora space during mating season, and make you read the news. And although I know people are going to hate us for it, we aren't going to be pulling any punches. You'll never be killed without a reason or at least an option, but basically it comes down to the fact that long life and happiness is not assured- be smart, or be dead. Pick your enemies wisely- and your friends. I have no qualms about sending the player, in a freighter, against a pirate fleet and instant death if he happens to have pissed off those pirates enough. There are things you could do to avoid it- you have options. Hire escorts! Wait in the bar for things to blow over (a possibility)! Run the hell away! Arm yourself! Work it out! Give them what they want! Options!

Of course, this is a two way street- you should be able to play smart and see rewards. Also, your life IS a glamorous one- indy ship captains, even of rusting hulks, are the the heros and villains of the day. Larger than life, and most definately rich compared to the average Arcoslave. Your character can have fantasies about blasting people with your ship's laser batteries, you have resources at your disposal. This includes the ship's crew. While not as developed as Uncle Twitchy's "crew" outfits, having NPC crewmembers has been in there since the very beginning. Also, your assumed crew is a resource- for some missions planet-side, you might take your crew with you. Boom. Instant gang. Your ship itself has RPG-relevant facilities onboard. Unused cargo holds, kitchens/mess halls, sick bays. If your character goes to the hospital, he/she probably recovers onboard your ship.

OK. I've ranted incoherrently long enough. I'm not sure what any of this has to do with anything, really, so take it all with a grain of salt.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

I, for one, will be glad to see that the phrase 'whore yourself out' in one of the Design Documents will never come to fruition. There are many ways to express a story without being as graphic as this, and some things that might just be too much effort to be worth it (effort in this case dual-content plugs, Ambrosia approval, controversy, etc).

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Here's an old thread on the subject, started by thedecline (does anyone remember him?). It may prove to be a good resource, or it may not. (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/003948.html")http://www.ambrosias...TML/003948.html(/url)

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Visit the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=20&SUBMIT;=Go")Chronicles(/url) today! Be sure to read the short story ' (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics &number;=20&forum;=*EV/EVO+chronicles&DaysPrune;=100&article;=000262&startpoint;=")Fiery Descent(/url)'!
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Quote

Originally posted by UE_Research & Development:
**Here's an old thread on the subject, started by thedecline (does anyone remember him?). It may prove to be a good resource, or it may not.http://www.ambrosias...TML/003948.html

**

Yes, thedecline, who andrew IP-banned for pirating Nova. Woo.

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Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**A few of you recommended muggings, and that is a very good idea- already on the drawing board, in fact. Other "random" crimes that can happen to you include Identity Theft, fraudulent sales (Want to buy a bridge?), and some others that I can't remember. A major goal for this project will be to enhance the RPG aspects, and make you think twice about going into bad places unless you know what you're doing.

**

I always thought there should be some cheap ships that are complete swindles, that can be avoided by checking carefully the ship info dialog (they cannot lie), but some unattentive people may still get caught. For each, make two of those ship swindles: one pretty rare with tech level the same of the normal ship, and another of a special tech level found in shady places and more common in terms of avail%. Some outfits and weapons too, that seem to be complete bargains but actually do not work well, found only in shady places (and the player is expected to realise in space that his wonderful shield recharger is moot). I am nasty, I know. I think that when you go almost anywhere (outfitter, shipyard, etc...) in a shady spöb you should be proposed some shady deal to really show the guys in the spaceport are not clean, in Nova in the shady spöbs you just have the desc telling it and some illegal items.

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Already done- but no, you don't have to reveal anything in the shipinfo dialog you don't want to. Exxx and it's bretheren are your friends. But very good idea, Zacha.

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~Charlie
Sephil Saga Homepage: (url="http://"http://www.cwssoftware.com")www.cwssoftware.com(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Masamune:
**Exxx and it's bretheren are your friends.Posted Image

**

I don't want to play Sephil Saga anymore...

ph33r.
~ SpacePirate

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Eat blazing electric death!

I myself have been thinking about making a plug like this for a long time, and would back you whole heartedly if you did decide to make it. Helping however I can.

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Prime...Awacins