This comes about after seeing a thread over at Big Purple on Apocalypse World, which apparently utilizes F*** as part of its bread-and-butter, so to speak. Probably not surprising, given the game's author and mechanical bonuses for boning another character, but it made me think: do we have more or less profanity in RPGs now than we did 10 years ago? 20 years ago?
 
Also, I think profanity at my gaming table has cut down, as the ages in my gaming circle have become more varied and I set about the task of raising 3 kids. Being a military vet, F*** used to be a noun, adjective, verb, and everything in between, but that's obviously changed a bit.
 
I don't know—the whole overabundance of being a pottymouth in your game writing thing just seems a little like this to me.
 
I'm not trying to be a prude or tell anyone else to play, but it almost feels like kids gleefully dropping f-bombs because they just figured out their parents aren't around to hear them. There's still going to be cursing at my table, and I'm sure there's a place for it out there, but I can't see myself running something like this given my current group demographics.

Bah I'm British! We use swearing as punctuation!

I usually try to avoid profanity when I'm at a game table, especially when I'm the DM.

In my experience, I've noticed individuals who constantly use profanity all the time, are frequently trouble at the gaming table.  (ie. Every second or third word they say is "fuck", "shit", etc ...).  These particular individuals I knew, were typically also very angry all the time too.  It's as if their constant use of profanity, was their way of "projecting" their anger in personal face to face conversations.

Profanity in a printed game book and profanity by participants at the table are completely different to me. Acceptable every day speech has a lower bar to clear than published material in my opinion. I'm not going to buy a book that is littered with profanity, but I don't care if people are swearing at my table. Also I prefer my television and movies to be uncensored, so Deadwood or Game of Thrones instead of Narnia family approved.

I don't use profanity a lot. I use more than some, and less than others. I use a lot more when I stub my toe. In RPG's? Not so much. I've made that mistake. (Admittedly it was a 24 hour rpg, and I was awake too long before that.)

Really most games don't need it, not more than I as a writer use in my normal language. A game which uses more than that, I'll suspect it trying to hard.

I swear a lot at the table, but it's mainly exuberance or trash-talking. In a book, outside of in-character speech, it's a bit of a waste.

I only play with adults. Adults don't curse all the time but they also don't get offended when someone uses a "swear word".

I've always found the concept of "swear words" a bit ridiculous. A bunch of people convincing themselves that certain words can actually in some way cause them harm.

That said, I like to buy game books written by people who at least make an attempt at being professional. Trying to be "edgy" in an RPG book is like painting racing stripes on your pocket protector.

I first noticed the word "fuck" in an RPG when I first looked through Shadowrun 4th edition. I was surprised at first, but honestly I thought it added to the atmosphere (it's only used in the flavor text).

Other than that example, I do not believe I've seen any swear/curse/four-letter words in any other RPG material.

As a GM, I try not to use those words as they generally break the atmosphere of the games I've run recently. However, back when I ran Rifts and Robotech, I didn't really see an issue with them (however, I was in my teens and early 20's, so maturity might have had something to do with it). But it doesn't really seem right for Castles and Crusades, so I try to be more creative.

Who the fuck cares?

I can see profanity being used for in-character comments in rulebooks, especially if the book has a strong street gang or cyberpunk vibe.  Other than that, it doesn't belong.

Swearing happens all the time at the gaming table. No big deal. I'd rather hear "Fuck" than yet another Monty Python tangent.

Quote from: Ian Warner;464915Bah I'm British! We use swearing as punctuation!

Really??

You fucking forgot to swear in that post then.

- Ed C.

FraQnabbing son of an Eggless Dragon! - May Kahless curse him.

Quote from: danbuter;464956I can see profanity being used for in-character comments in rulebooks, especially if the book has a strong street gang or cyberpunk vibe.  Other than that, it doesn't belong.

Swearing happens all the time at the gaming table. No big deal. I'd rather hear "Fuck" than yet another Monty Python tangent.

No shit.  Honestly, I thought quoting Monty Python was getting pretty old way the fuck back in 1991 or whatever when I was in junior high.  Now I just give a look of contempt when someone does it that says, "Seriously?  In the last 35 fucking years you couldn't find one new funny movie to like?"


As for swearing, I have no issue with it at the game table.  I have no issue with it out of the game table.  The only thing I don't like is when someone whines about other people swearing.

I'm with TristamEvans, the very concept of "swear words" seems absurd to me, and has been since I was like 12.  One of my favorite forms of hypocrisy is when people use substitute words to swear without technically swearing - someone please tell me how that makes any sense or is in any way less offensive.

But as Dan says, it doesn't belong in a book outside of in-character dialogue.  And that's because no conversational voice belongs in a rulebook outside of in-character dialog, swear words or no.  Manuals should read like manuals.

I don't swear much in real life and don't tend to swear in games, but it's no big deal. Use of profanities could potentially put me off buying a game, but then so can lousy art.  

A just for the sake of comparison, the sheer amount profanity didn't affect my enjoyment of The Wire or the Sopranos in the least. It does bug me a bit in Game of Thrones as, no matter they try to dress it up as adult drama, it's still about dragons and zombie and a lot of kids would actually enjoy it given half a chance.

You'd also have to...you know...cut everything else out of GoT, at which point you'd just have The Chronicles of Narnia.

Game of Thrones is not written for little kids, so I'd hate to see a TV show about it that was.