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dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 7:27 am
by jack1974
In some of my upcoming games, like Amber's Magic Shop, but also Queen Of Thieves, there are more dark themes. There are funny, cute scenes, but also more dark stuff.
Obviously I don't want to get into "Game Of Thrones" territory :lol: but I think in some stories certain situations could fit (like deaths, oppressive tyrants, etc).
I am curious about what people will think of the two games above once they're out. Personally I felt I needed to explore a bit the "darker side", to see what would happen. There will be more grey characters (especially in Amber, in QoT basically the girls are "good" :)).
Loren was already a bit darker with several things, like killing a character/beast (poor Trouble), sacrifices, etc. SOTW went even more into that especially in the DLC where you could have to make some really tough choices, and I think people liked it overall.
In the two games above there are some more mature/dark scenes as well. So was wondering what do you think about darker themes? I think for certain stories to be told you need to go into some darker stuff. I understand some might not like it, of course.

Obviously, I will still have fluffy/cute things in future like the C14 Dating, so those who like that, no worries, there'll be more of it :)

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 7:54 am
by Harbinger1975
Dark themes, when done right, add an air of emotional depth to the game. In Seasons of the Wolf, Charrissa (I think I said her name right) had that air of darkness about her. But it wasn't overbearing. It was just enough to make you wonder about her, could she be trusted. And depending on the choice you made you either faced that darkness in its true form, or you had to fight the woman you loved (if you played Althea). And the death was more than enough to pull on the heart strings to make you hate who controlled her.

Done right, and done well, I don't think dark themes are a bad thing. I think they add more to the feeling of the story. But that's just me.

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 11:02 am
by Franka
I prefer dark themes myself, but I'm also a sucker for a happy ending!

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 11:53 am
by SimonStardust
If not overdone I'm very fond of having dark themes in works of fiction. As a writer myself I especially love to focus psychologically on every sick mind the characters might have or plot twisting decisions which could lead to a disastrous outcome.
Although... when it comes to romance... I'm pretty sure I want at least a happy ending. xD

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 3:04 pm
by fleetp
DArk themes are good. There were murders and a suicide in your Vera Blanc stories.

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:35 am
by DarkWolf
Depends from what you have on mind when you say dark themes, I myself hate bad ending and games that only have bad endings and I want at least a bittersweet ending if not happy, but other then that I love more serious and dark themes true I think that for them to be good they need to be more gray and to leave to a reader to decide what is good and what bad and not to force writers sense of good and bad on readers. Also dark and serious themes require a lot more skill to be written/good then easygoing/cute/funny stories.

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 7:09 am
by jack1974
Yes I agree that dark themes/stories are harder to write than cute/happy/funny ones. Though doing fun comedy writing is also a skill, since it's not easy to make something really funny and not "stupid/wacky" (sorry I don't know how to write it better myself haha).
Dark themes doesn't necessarily mean bad/unhappy endings. Though some endings of Amber are VERY sad :lol:

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 10:58 am
by mastro
I think the worse is misleading players/customers: you want a dark/gorey/whatever game? fine, as long as it's clear from the beginning.
I don't like nudity but in Loren for example it was clear from the main menu which game was about.
Same for other games like C14 Dating or Nicole - they're clearly "safer".
It's the same for series too, really. Game Of Trhones, Dexter, etc. You know what you're getting into. You don't like? OK, you don't watch it. But if you watch, then you must not complain if something "it's too much".
I believe the worst is "cheating" on the users, making them think that the game is someting, and then they discover is very different. That is offensive and would make me very angry.

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 1:47 am
by BobTheMob
I think Dark can be cool, just as long as it isn't overdone or if it's tempered by more comedic/happy things. :)

The different endings of Bionic Heart, for instance: there were some things in that where the endings were VERY Dark, and tragic...but there were the more lighthearted endings as well. (I prefer the latter, but if Dark is included that there at least be room for both, as there had been there. :) )

Or w/ the Bad Blood DLC to SOTW: (for those who haven't played)
Spoiler:
Rowinda apparently dying, but in the final scene a hint that she might yet still be alive.


My favorite kinds of things are comedy, though, such as Roommates. Are there any other WW games like that/more in the future? :)

Re: dark themes in games/stories

Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 6:50 am
by jack1974
Yes there'll be more like Roommates. If you talk about fun stuff, even the upcoming games have some very funny scenes/situations. Queen Of Thieves has both very dark stuff (killing, etc) but also some really hilarious moments, in particular the sisters attacking each other verbally :)