Smut VS No Smut: Where Do You Stand On the Matter?

[AlteredTundra]

We've all seen it in the 1x1 section. Either people would mention it right off the bat on whether or not they want to include smut(sex ICly) or not. They either say that they want it right away(as in making it the focal point of the game) or they want it to be weaved in naturally via the characters. Some are comfortable with doing it and some aren't. Some don't mind flaunting their literary penis/vagina in full form and some have a huge problem with putting themselves out there like that.

My question to you, RPG, is where do you stand? Are you on the side where you want the smut? Are you on the side where you NEEED IT? Are you on the side of people that, regardless of the story or genre, that the naughty nighttimes is what should happen?

Or, are you on the side that can do without it? Are you on the other side of the tracks where, ideally, you and your partner can focus solely on the story and not have all that kinky, sexysexy time?

OR, are you squarely on the tracks? That meaning, are you on that thin margin of people who doesn't give two shits about sex ICly? Do you not care if it happens or not? Is it not the most important thing when discussing the specifics with a possible partner? Do you simply don't mind either way and just want a good story?

Whereever you stand on this matter, let your voice be heard and possibly your inner-pervert be revealed!

[The Mad Hatter]

I'm somewhere in the middle of it all. It depends greatly on the specific RP. Some RPs more or less revolve around the "Sexy Time", some of them are like "if it happens, it happens" and some of them I would just not want the sex to actually played out, if it should happen.

I enjoy writing sex scenes, reading sex scenes and roleplaying sex scenes. I actually watch quite a bit of porn, also, so it's not really that surprising. Hell, anyone who has ever held a conversation with me here, IRL or even over freaking Facebook or something know that I'm a huge pervert and I've never really done anything to hide it; I like to flaunt it.

I enjoy writing "different" sex scenes the most. Things such as Man-on-Man action, since that's something I'll never try IRL (unless I get a sex change and all that). Rape scenes, however morbid it might be, is also one of my favorites, although I can't really say that it's not something I could experience IRL, it's not something I really want to experience, but it's fun to play with the idea of it in a controlled setting where nobody actually gets hurt.

With all of this being said, I would like to mention that despite my love for (basically) porn, I actually do have a very active sex life IRL. I try to say this without sounding like I'm bragging, but I get laid pretty much every day, sometimes multiple time a day and with a record with my current partner of six times in one day. The only reason we don't have even more sex is because I have a daughter who requires attention, so we can't just screw like bunnies all the time.

I find it necessary to mention (for scientific purposes) that I am female, in the middle of my twenties and from Denmark.

[Vilageidiotx]

I think that it all depends on what works for the story, and that when it comes to storytelling sometimes sex is better than no sex. For instance, if you were in an RP where one of the characters were like The Mad Hatter right above me here, and you were exploring what that character would be like in whatever the context of the RP is, then avoiding 'smut' would be prudish and out of character. On the other hand, if you are RPing about a colony of Shakers fighting off a zombie apocalypse, 'smut' could very quickly hurt what you are trying to do.

Personally, I think the rules of this forum help quite a bit in moderating the use of sexuality exactly as much as it should be moderated, because I feel that sex-scenes have to pretty much always be treated with a light touch. If this were a more culturally advanced world and we had the enlightened view on sexuality that The Mad Hatter has, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. But since the subject is still shrouded in taboos and old social mores, most people will probably react to sex scenes awkwardly. I don't mean that everyone is prudish, but rather that most people will be quick to see sex scenes as silly and cheap.

So what I do is this; don't use sex words. No throbbing cockmonsters or wet pussy-cracks. No nut-fucking, or brown starfish, or triple-fist butternut squashing. Not unless you want the scene to seem awkward or silly, that is. If you want it to be taking seriously, however, you avoid porn-words as much as you can while still making sure it is pretty clear what is happening.

[Mixtape Ghost N]

My outstanding morals prevent me from writing sex scenes, or any of the sort. So, I demand that everyone fades to black.

[Gowi]

Smut is excessive and contrived, but I do not view all sexual content as smut since there is a big line between smut material and sensual material. Sex scenes are something that don’t tend to be scenarios I want to write and I find a tasteful fade to black might make things flow a bit better. I’m not out to write erotica and I never will.

[tsukune]

I'm not out to write erotica and I never will.

@Gowi

Second to this.

I roleplay to help me develop un-Sueish characters, not to throw them into a mindless sexual bliss. I do not imagine my characters doing any sort of those stuffs with other people's characters, and I ask that you keep your sick fantasies to yourself.

Personally I find smut nothing but pure fanservice that serves little to no purpose with moving the plot forward and character growth. There are many ways to portray a possible romantic development between characters without going into excessive skinship.

[Vilageidiotx]

I find the 'strongly opposed' opinions very odd. Do yall think that absolutely no character or plot development can ever happen without clothes?

[tsukune]

I find the 'strongly opposed' opinions very odd. Do yall think that absolutely no character or plot development can ever happen without clothes?

@Vilageidiotx

Not that I 'strongly opposed' the idea of having sexy moments thrown into the game, but on the instances I allowed this most of my partners took my leniency for guaranteed. If my partner can really convince me that s/he is capable of writing decent sex scene without compromising plot and character, by all means. Otherwise I have to say no.

Also, like Gowi has said, there's a very clear line between smut and sensual interaction. Just sayin'.

[Ellri]

We don't mind people writing about it, but detailed stuff in our opinion should stick to private. Even when you do describe it, there are many ways to go about it. There's the "porn"-like ways of describing the way the normally concealed organs of the involved people interact and what they look like, focusing most of all on that, and then there's the more "natural" way of describing how the individuals get to know each other, not focusing on the point(s) they are joined together.

In RPs, we personally think that attempts at reproduction can spice up stories, but that they should be vague. if the involved parties want more detail, they can perhaps write that out offsite or in PM. If others (players or readers) want to see such descriptions, there's always the option of making a small note that said detailed stuff can be made available at request.

The reason we feel this way is not really personal feel that such should only be private, but more that we don't want the guild to turn away those who do not desire detailed descriptions of reproductive attempts, like certain types of people and the adsense bots, the latter who at least in part fund the guild's server.

Personally we couldn't care much about how detailed people want to get on it. Some things would turn us away, others wouldn't. But the guild's rules are clear because of adsense, so we think that should be stuck to. We've occasionally written stuff that would've been undesirable by adsense, but seeing as they've not been written on the guild (or in the eye of the public for that matter), that matters little.

A small [url=ooc-post with note's url][sup]*faded to black*[/sup][/url] should be sufficient to refer to non-faded content

[AlteredTundra]

We don't mind people writing about it, but detailed stuff in our opinion should stick to private. Even when you do describe it, there are many ways to go about it. There's the "porn"-like ways of describing the way the normally concealed organs of the involved people interact and what they look like, focusing most of all on that, and then there's the more "natural" way of describing how the individuals get to know each other, not focusing on the point(s) they are joined together.

In RPs, we personally think that attempts at reproduction can spice up stories, but that they should be vague. if the involved parties want more detail, they can perhaps write that out offsite or in PM. If others (players or readers) want to see such descriptions, there's always the option of making a small note that said detailed stuff can be made available at request.

The reason we feel this way is not really personal feel that such should only be private, but more that we don't want the guild to turn away those who do not desire detailed descriptions of reproductive attempts, like certain types of people and the adsense bots, the latter who at least in part fund the guild's server.

Personally we couldn't care much about how detailed people want to get on it. Some things would turn us away, others wouldn't. But the guild's rules are clear because of adsense, so we think that should be stuck to. We've occasionally written stuff that would've been undesirable by adsense, but seeing as they've not been written on the guild (or in the eye of the public for that matter), that matters little.

A small [url=ooc-post with note's url][sup]*faded to black*[/sup][/url] should be sufficient to refer to non-faded content

@Ellri

I should clarify that I wasn't meaning if you guys prefer smut onsite or in pms. I was meaning for you guys personally. I know with the google adsense that the site has, the most we can get away with is probably a few rounds of kissing, maybe some groping if worded correctly. Of course, not all of it can be moderated, so there might be some shit that the mods don't see. From what I've seen, however, there are indeed some instances where smut goes undetected.

<Snipped quote by Gowi>
Second to this.

I roleplay to help me develop un-Sueish characters, not to throw them into a mindless sexual bliss. I do not imagine my characters doing any sort of those stuffs with other people's characters, and I ask that you keep your sick fantasies to yourself.

Personally I find smut nothing but pure fanservice that serves little to no purpose with moving the plot forward and character growth. There are many ways to portray a possible romantic development between characters without going into excessive skinship.

@tsukune

I think -- at least the way you were explaining it -- that you personally don't care for it yourself and not because it "adds nothing to the character development/plot". If the rp that people are in call for explicit, raunchy details, then I think it can be justified. For example, maybe a rp that centers around a Bonnie and Clyde duo. The two of them are obviously attracted to danger. As such, they use that as a means to engage in sexual acts. It's within their respective character personalities and so it's justified.

Now, I do agree that some smut/sex can come off as purely fanservice-ish. Coming from someone who has been on both sides of this situation, I can attest to that. But I do not think that it should be completely written off as something that "adds nothing to character development/growth". Because, from where I stand, it's simply not true.

I actually do have a very active sex life IRL. I try to say this without sounding like I'm bragging, but I get laid pretty much every day, sometimes multiple time a day and with a record with my current partner of six times in one day.

@The Mad Hatter

>mentions sex life
>says he's not bragging

Okay, I was confused there.

[Vilageidiotx]

When the group of RPers I am with moved to this site, the first thing we did was get a clarification on the rules. I wouldn't consider myself an erotica writer, but the way i've always approached this shit is with the assumption that saying I am uncomfortable writing something is saying I am weak or incompetent somehow, so I do like the ability to practice writing whatever type of scene I think fits best in any given situation.

Anyway, like I said, we made sure to get mod clarification before we all joined the Guild, and according to Lilian Thorne, the most important thing to avoid is stringing together overtly-sexual buzzwords. You theoretically could write anything so long as you were delicate with the language. So that is how i've been approaching the subject ever since.

In regards to smut vs tasteful vs fade to black, I think each has its own place. Its like violence. Sometimes an over-descriptive violent scene is preferred, sometimes a tamer version is better, and sometimes it is better to mention 'off-stage' so to speak. If you are RPing about something violent, like gangs or war, than avoiding violence all together might come off as cheap. Similarly, if you are RPing about relationships and avoid sexuality all together, it can very easily look goofy.

[Ruby]

So long as nothing graphic sees the public light, live and let live.

[The Mad Hatter]

<Snipped quote by The Mad Hatter>

>mentions sex life
>says he's not bragging

Okay, I was confused there.

@Altered Tundra

*she

I admit, that did come off as sort of weird but the reason that I found it something to mention was actually because lots of people tell me that I "need to get laid" or something of the like quite a lot because of my pervertedness (<--that's not a word) perverseness. Quite a lot of people seem to think that the peopl who like to read and/or write erotic scenes, whether they are in roleplays or in novels/short stories, are people who are sexually starved.
I just wanted to point out the fact that I am in no way sexually starved and, well, it came off awkward because I'm weird like that

[tsukune]

...I should have italicized the word 'mindless' to emphasize my point more accurately - if the sex scene is necessary or helps greatly in RP development, I have no probs with that; only when it snowballs into painfully detailed smut which goes on for pages and the other party refuses to drop that is pushing my limit too far.

[AlteredTundra]

<Snipped quote by Altered Tundra>
*she

I admit, that did come off as sort of weird but the reason that I found it something to mention was actually because lots of people tell me that I "need to get laid" or something of the like quite a lot because of my pervertedness (<--that's not a word) perverseness. Quite a lot of people seem to think that the peopl who like to read and/or write erotic scenes, whether they are in roleplays or in novels/short stories, are people who are sexually starved.
I just wanted to point out the fact that I am in no way sexually starved and, well, it came off awkward because I'm weird like that

@The Mad Hatter

My apologies. It's kind of hard to tell who is male or female or trans over the internet. I made a guess and I guess it was the wrong one haha.

I have heard that from a lot of people too. Usually, those who do write erotica stories and/or scenes can be a bit on the perverse side, but that's not always the case. Most of the time I've found that those people are simply mature writers and they like to explore the more adult-oriented aspects of writing. Though, as @Gowi mentioned, there's a difference between smut and sensual sex scenes.

Oh trust me, I'm weird af too. Sometimes, I often am surprised that my family and friends don't disown me due to how out of control my weirdness can get.

[AlteredTundra]

@tsukune
Oh okay. I think I understand now. Thanks for clearing that up. :)

[The Mad Hatter]

<Snipped quote by The Mad Hatter>

My apologies. It's kind of hard to tell who is male or female or trans over the internet. I made a guess and I guess it was the wrong one haha.

@Altered Tundra

I find it necessary to mention (for scientific purposes) that I am female, in the middle of my twenties and from Denmark.

The Mad Hatter

I am female

The Mad Hatter

Yes, I see how I made my sex impossibly hard to guess /playful sarcasm

I have heard that from a lot of people too. Usually, those who do write erotica stories and/or scenes can be a bit on the perverse side, but that's not always the case. Most of the time I've found that those people are simply mature writers and they like to explore the more adult-oriented aspects of writing. Though, as @Gowi mentioned, there's a difference between smut and sensual sex scenes.

@Altered Tundra

I suppose I do lean mostly towards the "sensual" type of erotic writing, in most cases, but I can admit to going full on smut in some cases. I have a character who originated as a silly NPC for an RP I did who ended up occupying my mind a great deal and whom I am currently attempting to (and have been trying to for a while) get some tough loving for no other purpose than the fact that I want to write some greatly detailed sadomasochistic sex scenes. I focus just as much on the mental aspect of it all, though, so it might not be considered "smut" even though it is highly detailed sex (or as detailed as it can get when I don't actually know what it's like to have a real penis).

Oh trust me, I'm weird af too. Sometimes, I often am surprised that my family and friends don't disown me due to how out of control my weirdness can get.

@Altered Tundra

I feel the same way sometimes. At one point, my little brother refused to speak to me for a week because I was weird (it wasn't even that weird), but that's the most extreme they've done

[Dinh AaronMk]

I'm personally not opposed. But it depends on how it's written. I've certainly read my comically bad RP erotica before. Orbital clothes comes to mind. Hell, I'm not opposed to at least writing about my character's nudity. Push comes to shove I've done it before to test and see if anyone's reading my posts.

I've always considered it rather amusing people will freely write about dismemberment and violent death but shy back from sex. This goes back to when I read and wrote fan-fiction on the Runescape forums. People were willing and open to writing an reading brutal death and drunkeness. But break out the titties and someone gets banned. I'm sure I could have drawn and quartered and skinned a character alive and no one would have batted an eye.

[Vilageidiotx]

I've certainly read my comically bad RP erotica before. Orbital clothes comes to mind.

@Dinh AaronMk

And there was that one hilarious headbanging BJ in PoW.

[Foster]

For a short RP where it isn't the basis of the story, I tend to keep it vague with just enough detail to know what is going on should something happen suddenly in the RP, allowing the minds of the reader (for example, TMH) to go wherever it goes when reading such so they can imagine an idealized situation and the story can progress from there without a lot of trial and error (mostly error).

Fade to black and head-tilt worthy noodle-incidents are for when those details are of minor importance except that "something" happened. A nine month timeskip usually follows shortly afterwards for some reason.

But sometimes it *IS* important to the plot...

I take a similar approach to gore and dismemberment, since if the person's body isn't recognizable, there isn't much point of the narrator deciding whether what the character is looking at is a finger, or a toe.