Porn Game Tropes: The good, the bad, and the fugly

[Dragon59]

Here's some more boner-killing tropes that I think should be avoided. Though depends on the game I guess:

• MC shouts "I'M CUMMING!!!" like he needs to announce it to the world. I've only had an average number of sexual partners in my life, but I've never felt the need to announce this like Jerry Lawler.

• Girl: "You're way better than the last guy who fucked me" or "You're way bigger than my ex-boyfriend," and of course we can't forget "You're the best I've ever had!"

I get you're trying to stroke the players ego, but people generally don't like to think or hear about someone's sexual endeavors when banging each other. Just think about this in reverse and ask if she'd want to hear this: "Your pussy is way tighter than the last girl I fucked!"

You forgot the corollary:

• Woman: "You're bigger than your father."

 

[Quaszog55]

...I just wanted to point out the drama that emerge every time a male character has a slightly approach with NPC females. Dev must burn in hell because he didn't inform about this. I wasn't thinking in the variety of ways that two people can share his sex life with others.

Well, they are kinda related. Due to 3d-pornomics every character in the game is a potential object in an on-topic scene. So yes, Red-shirt 34 that said: 'My name is...' must be considered a contender/pretender for the Crown Princess' Peach. If the genre was older, we would have clear Virtue-signaling

Some that pop up a lot the last few years (especially in some sandbox or tangential visual novels) are the meta or guide girls:

Well, they are either wish fulfillment or the stand-in for that chic who popped you cherry and showed you the ropes. If you are the nerd-beta or simply gay you might have encountered her for real. Sadly these females never stick around and become your BFFs.
Most likely the pornomical variant of the old mentor. Why have a witty old uncle (NTR-lert!) if you can have the school slut? In truth both would fit in every game.

Some Russian Guy's Midnight Ego Fantasy:

We've all encountered games that read like a midnight action-hero fantasy where the main character (the writer) is the Bruce Willis of porn novels and he's about to "kick ass, take names, save the world..." and there may be one or two lewd scenes so it can be classified as a porn game (for revenue purposes, of course). Ahem, I meant: "Fuck bitches!"

Usually has some edgy name like "Redemption." Almost always shows a closeup of a male DAZ model's menacing face surrounded by girls in the banner... and someone holding a gun.

---

I'm not going to name any of those games though since I myself am a developer and have no interest in throwing shade at others. Besides... while I haven't read the entire thread, I'm sure I've been roasted already.

Now as for the topic... I think some tropes can actually be a good thing, though, it's usually dependent on how they're executed. For example, there's only so many ways you can "accidentally" land in an erotic situation (whoops, dropped the fork! or -- oh no, the bathroom door doesn't lock!)... but I am of the belief that "lewd" moments should be frequent and plentiful in these games. So as long as we at least try to be creative or add our own unique spin to them it's okay to use tropes.

Plot tropes are a bit different in that they are far harder to execute properly and, if not done well, can be far more annoying.

For example, how many of us just outright refuse to play games because the premise is that you're an introverted 20-something returning home from college. Or you're a no-life 18-year-old with perverted fantasies of his family. When an idea has been done so much that it is practically run into the ground, many people will avoid it which is why you should try to add some sort of creative spin from a plot perspective, or not bother at all.

A lot of games with a mafia, mercenary or meta-human angle morph into these type of story heavy gun-porn fantasies.

I agree that knowing tropes as a kind of tool-kit is helpful. Copy-pasting them is what brings us to where we are now. Keeping the development of the market in sight also helps.
Some of us started playing in the 90s, which may make some of us close in on retirement or at least DILFs. Tastes change. Ero-games have been around for 30+ years now even if the Renpyrian Explosion is only a decade old.

Age wise we have (for male MC):

-Teenage/Shota Rebel without a Cause
-Handsome and Charming Prince on his Quest for Manhood
-Worldly Young adult returning from the Desert
-30s something Uber-dad slice of life hero, fixing the universe one disfunctional Mother and Daughter at a time.
-Middle Aged Tyrant (40-50s)
-Silver-haired old fart finally getting his <plot-point aka story-arch>

Age wise we have (for female MC):

-The virgin girl on her (reckless) path to <insert fetish tags>
-The cloistered young adult on a cautious journey of self-discovery
-The neglected Mom / Desperate Housewife in reformation or second bloom

Not found as MC (for female MC):

-Cougar prowler (MILF+) / Nymph Shark (ara-ara Onesan) out for <victim tag>
-The Soul-catching old hag (GMILF, Corpse-bride)

Male MCs in incest games hate their father.
MC is the only man in the game who isn't an asshole.

Lest thou forget the no-show no-feels dad that (most likely) died during the title crawl.

 

[toolkitxx]

With regards to the MC - father relationship: This is very much less of a trope than actual reference to how things mostly work in family relations. In halfways 'normal' functioning families sons more often than not have a better relation to their mothers than their fathers and vice versa with daughters. Hating them goes beyond that and thus works a bit like a parody element of reality.

 

[Losersriot]

About women's games:
1) It is impossible to get rid of your default boyfriend/husband.
2) On a double date, my friend always gets a strong black guy, and I get a skinny white squishy.
3) If there is a rich sugar daddy in the game, he is either a pervert, or married, or does not want me.
4) All guys are cowards. I've never seen a guy rape me.

 

[Rafster]

Middle Aged Tyrant (40-50s)

I'm gonna use that for my second game, a 40 years old dude. Banging every man that goes across town. It will be a blast.

In halfways 'normal' functioning families sons more often than not have a better relation to their mothers than their fathers and vice versa with daughters.

Heh, yeah, that's the relationship I have with my father, we barely talk anymore. And with me being gay, of course, incest is with the father, and is a kink that I can't get myself into writing. It's hot to fap on other people's games, but if I have to write about it, I can't get to write something.

That's why I killed the dad years before the MC started in my game. I didn't want to deal with the incest kink. I know, I'm losing A LOT of potential patrons/players because of that, but it is what it is. My writing would suck way more than usual if I tried.

3) If there is a rich sugar daddy in the game, he is either a pervert, or married, or does not want me.

Or it's gay. The first Love interest in my game is precisely a rich sugar daddy

 

[Doorknob22]

The masturbating mom landlady clearly and loudly states the name of the person she is currently fantasizing about.

 

[Hildegardt]

The masturbating mom landlady clearly and loudly states the name of the person she is currently fantasizing about.

Followed by longingly questioning what her son tenant is doing to her, because the first time this fully grown woman felt arousal was after seeing his Pringles can sized erection with skin texture so stretched that 4k turned into 360p.

 

[Shirourin]

Awesome thread, guys. Thanks to Burt Reynolds Mustache and anyone else posting tropes in here. I didn't laugh this much in quite a while.

 

[Quaszog55]

Waifu Dreams

So turns out you are back to being a 30s uber-dad with a Prince Puckler Harem of daughters, with a pairing of Deredere and Tsundere sisters and sprinkle of nieces and your mom as the 'Bottom Bitch' topping. Maybe you are one of The Fosters' or just collect stray girls like Pokeballs. Your house is a cornucopia de femme. Their female guardian? Divorced, deceased, deleted, deranged or lost in the multiverse on Earth-69. Story par excellence!
Mon dieu! But how to achieve the 100% penetration score now? Fear not mon bro. The Solution: Waifu Dreams!

Instant Relieve Girl, Confidant, Legitimization and best of all: Inconsequential. Just dream her up for that talk about your daughter's craving for your Magic Dick (Teacher's Pet) or get approval to bang your Twin-sister after getting dream drained by your astonishingly open wife (My New Memories).
Who knows, maybe she returns from writers limbo after you got your girls all giddied up, ready to accept the new normal. If you are lucky she even got amnesia or just put her in the basement with her meddlesome mom. Until then Waifu Dreams got you covered.

 

[Silvious]

This is one I see more often in Hentai, but applies often enough in games. I like to call it:

Chekhov's Asshole

If the animators or artists at some point have the female displaying the lower half and you see that there is an asshole rendered/drawn, you know for a fact, that it will be fucked. If there is no asshole, for some reason the animators/artists just decided that the girl is just incapable of taking a shit, you know that sex with the female character will only be vaginal, oral, or a titfuck. Either that, or they just don't understand biology.

 

[redsling]

Male MCs in incest games hate their father.
MC is the only man in the game who isn't an asshole.

Facts, most of the time it is because he is working to provide for the family. what in the Boruto. LMAO

 

[redsling]

The masturbating mom landlady clearly and loudly states the name of the person she is currently fantasizing about.

Yea, and you already know what name she gonna say after she sees the MC big dong at 7AM in the morning while he comes out the shower.

 

[Serupiko]

Male MCs in incest games hate their father.
MC is the only man in the game who isn't an asshole.

MC is never the asshole. He might spy on his family and friends, deceive, lie, blackmail, drugs, impersonate others, and a long list, but obviously the bad guy is his mommy's bf bob that made the sin of wanting some milf pussy for himself

 

[Doorknob22]

The hardest materials known to man, ranked:
5. Diamonds
4. Kevlar
3. Carbon Fiber
2. Graphene
1. Mattress in a 3d render

 

[Segnbora]

Yee-Haw, Dad's Dead!​

Was it a mysterious illness? An industrial accident? Something that happened while you were in a coma? A mafia hit? Whatever it was, your father's believed to be a corpse. And whether he left you a company, or an inheritance, or crushing debt, or an apparently insoluble mystery, one thing is absolutely clear: you will have to turn his wife — your own mother — into your personal cocksleeve in order to get over your father's absence and move on with your life. His daughters probably need a good, solid dicking as well. It's just common sense, really. One of the essential stages of grief.

 

[Zero1994]

Male MCs in incest games hate their father.
MC is the only man in the game who isn't an asshole.

In all porn games, the male characters other than the main character are stupid, cowardly, asshole, preverted, ugly, etc. or all dead or missing while he has all the most beautiful women in the world in the power of the MC

Greetings

 

[GNVE]

Keeping your hands strictly to yourself
Whether friends family or lovers touching each other is an absolute no-no. People keep at least 2 meters distance unless they are fucking of course. I don't know about other cultures but hugging or small platonic touches are quite common between friends, family or lovers here (even if the actual expression differs depending on the type and closeness of the relationship.) In VN's however when greeting people it's usually just a handwave while a hug is generally considered more intimate than a BJ.

 

[MrLakes1579]

Keeping your hands strictly to yourself
Whether friends family or lovers touching each other is an absolute no-no. People keep at least 2 meters distance unless they are fucking of course. I don't know about other cultures but hugging or small platonic touches are quite common between friends, family or lovers here (even if the actual expression differs depending on the type and closeness of the relationship.) In VN's however when greeting people it's usually just a handwave while a hug is generally considered more intimate than a BJ.

I think this might just be a limitation of the art programs used. Physical interaction between characters is hard to do right and not worth putting effort into if it's not for sex.

But yeah forgetting that fact it could be jarring.

 

[Doorknob22]

Are you sitting for dinner with your (all women) family? Have them all stare at the camera like a bunch of fascinated emus...

 

[OhWee]

Keeping your hands strictly to yourself
Whether friends family or lovers touching each other is an absolute no-no. People keep at least 2 meters distance unless they are fucking of course. I don't know about other cultures but hugging or small platonic touches are quite common between friends, family or lovers here (even if the actual expression differs depending on the type and closeness of the relationship.) In VN's however when greeting people it's usually just a handwave while a hug is generally considered more intimate than a BJ.

I think this might just be a limitation of the art programs used. Physical interaction between characters is hard to do right and not worth putting effort into if it's not for sex.

But yeah forgetting that fact it could be jarring.

It's not so much a program limitation as it is a workload thing. Whenever two characters are touching, at least in 3D rendering situations, you have to pay close attention to make sure that arms, heads, feet, etc. aren't embedding inside of each other, making fine adjustments to the poses for this. And in more 'bendy/twisty' situations, also that it doesn't look disturbing (say appearance of a broken neck, dislocated shoulder, etc. when trying to align things). Well, unless disturbing is the look you are going for...

So it's just easier to keep a bit of distance between the characters. Also, if you are doing the 'overlay character sprites over background' thing, you'd have to render or draw the characters intertwined, which is again extra work that may not be worth it for 'simple' conversations.

Also, when rendering/drawing and then showing characters separately, if you can see their ground shadow, you want them far enough apart so that the shadows don't overlap, otherwise the shadow overlap might look weird...

And when drawing them, again if the perspective doesn't look right between characters that are in close proximity, it can be jarring, so it's easier to just keep the characters separated. I'm referring more to a 'sprite' situation here, not a 'drawn/rendered together in one pass' characters with background thing.

So yeah, it's more of a 'reduce workload/time management' thing, not so much a limitation.

If you want a silly explanation, though, you can justify this as a health consideration. By not touching each other all the time, you aren't spreading germs. At least six feet/two meters separation at all times, three feet is too close! Separate rooms are better...

Edit: I don't like posting in the trope thread without relevant pics, sooo...