[Craig]

I was browsing Flipboard earlier this weekend and something caught my eye in the Technology coverage section - it was the release of a book, surrounding the censorship (of sex in particular) of Grand Theft Auto games, notably San Andreas and the controversial inclusion of Hot Coffee, which spawned public and media frenzy when it was uncovered.



Full Link

QUOTE

Sex in San Andreas “We have to have retail tell us what games to make?,” Sam Houser wrote in an e-mail. “That’s nonsense. Freedom of speech? Isn’t that how the country is justifying the invasion of Iraq and other places? We must expose such flagrant hypocrisy. Boundaries need to be stretched. This is key. Ultimately it looks nothing like the real world, so if movies do it, which are obviously more realistic, it just doesn’t make sense if we can’t.”

I may well end up buying this, as I find the subject hugely interesting. I didn't see a topic on it and the release of the book is relatively new, though the game by now is a tad dated. I'm not sure if this is all it covers, but either way I think it'll be a promising read.

[AlexGTAGamer]

That was an interesting read. I laughed at the fact that Spain, Italy and France allowed most of the sexual content that was a huge no go in the States.

I may consider buying this book too to find out more of the story around the "Hot Coffee Scandal" and other issues Rockstar had with Congress.

[GTA-Bobski]

The book could be a nice read, I'll keep an eye out for
the epub version.

Interesting how Sam Houser sparks up on those restrictions
in 2004.

But then with GTA IV, and Rockstar being part of Take Two,
things changed a bit. Big money had won that argument before
it even started. They told us themselves ingame:

[Iminicus]

Been reading up on the book and it seems it is a complete fabrication. I don't know what to trust, the author or the people saying the book is bullsh*t.

[Gtaghost22]

Very interesting read.. i may end buying this book, does anybody know the exact release date?

[illegal_luggage]

Well I'm glad I didn't see all them sex scenes as I was like 9 years old when I bought SA Still the game was explicit and they done a great job. I wouldn't be interested in playing a sex minigame. In GTA IV they toned up the sex with prostitutes as you could see them actually moving now where as in SA they just sat still in the car

[GTA-Bobski]

QUOTE (Gtaghost22 @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 09:17)

Very interesting read.. i may end buying this book, does anybody know the exact release date?

It already is.

http://www.amazon.com/Jacked-Outlaw-Story-...t/dp/0470936371

This guy also wrote "Master of Doom", another good read if you're
interested in the subject. A used hardcopy sells for less then $3.

[Indi]

I read this book a few days before the official release in the UK by buying it on Google Play. It took me about 3 days to read and boy does it explain a lot of things about Rockstar. Since Rockstar are so very secretive with their company. This book kind of does expose a lot of things that Rockstar wouldn't dream of exposing. The book is pretty much comprised of interviews of ex-devs of Rockstar and people who have strong connections to Rockstar.

It is a really great book, the Hot Coffee fiasco was pretty much done with and how Rockstar reacted to it and how they dealt with it in this book; and why they left the code in.

[Toup]

Though why were there tons of graphical scenes in TBOGT? Were they allowed in 2009, only?

[Canoxa]

QUOTE (Toup @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 16:02)

Though why were there tons of graphical scenes in TBOGT? Were they allowed in 2009, only?

I can't recall any at the moment. The closest we got was a penis modelled in all its glory in TLAD.

[ThePinkFloydSound]

QUOTE (Toup @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 16:02)

Though why were there tons of graphical scenes in TBOGT? Were they allowed in 2009, only?

I'm guessing for the same reason The Doors weren't allowed say 'higher' in the song Light My Fire on T.V. back in the late 60's but now you can get away all sorts these days.

A lot can change in 5 years.

I don't really know. Just guessing.

EDIT: Haha, I remember my dad walking in on the blowjob scene in TBoGT - he was probably thinking.."What the f*ck is my son playing" lol

[Craig]

QUOTE (Iminicus @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 09:05)

Been reading up on the book and it seems it is a complete fabrication. I don't know what to trust, the author or the people saying the book is bullsh*t.

I'm curious, so I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to counter you, but where did you read it was fabrication or suggested at being so? If there's one thing I like more than explanation, it's a good debunking.

While we're on the subject, the blowjob scene(s) in TBoGT just made me feel uneasy, like they were trying to be edgy with it. I don't know.

[Tyler]

The only graphic scenes in TBoGT were heavy petting and some under the skirt action in a bathroom. Bit surprising, but TLaD has that stuff beat.

EDIT: Blowjob scene just looked like she was licking your zipper.

[Craig]

Seeing someone's dick in TLAD seemed like a joke in itself, because the entire cutscene involving it seemed to dance around showing it for a good few minutes. Every time we got close, the angle would change or an object would get in the way, and then in the very last scene we were shown this wide shot with everything hanging out, no shame. It was funny to the point of it not feeling forced, whereas the scene where you see a woman's sex tape showing in Star Junction on the big screen just felt pushed and forced.

[Canoxa]

Oh, yeah, the blowjob. That scene was slipping my mind, but it was barely more realistic than what we had already seen in San Andreas.

[Toup]

Even if it's something over the skirt it's not something you would see 5 years ago.

http://youtu.be/HhB2ig9P-hY

[Canoxa]

Joni is one of the best drawn models, and one of the worst in-game character models in the 10 years of 3D Grand Theft Auto history.

[Iminicus]

QUOTE (Craig @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 08:19)

QUOTE (Iminicus @ Monday, Apr 2 2012, 09:05) Been reading up on the book and it seems it is a complete fabrication. I don't know what to trust, the author or the people saying the book is bullsh*t. I'm curious, so I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to counter you, but where did you read it was fabrication or suggested at being so? If there's one thing I like more than explanation, it's a good debunking. While we're on the subject, the blowjob scene(s) in TBoGT just made me feel uneasy, like they were trying to be edgy with it. I don't know.

Well, some of the comments on your link suggest it is a fabrication. Like I said, I'm not sure what to believe in relation to it because on the internet everyone knows someone who works at Rockstar.

[The Killa]

But surely if it was a fabrication, Rockstar and co would make massive noise about it considering it's still quite a touchy subject.

[Lightning Strike]

It was a very interesting read, I still find it hard to believe that a gamer sent a packet of tampons to Jack Thompson's house. He had balls. Some things in the book do deserve a mention though, like how in the hell Jack actually convinced any judge or jury of anything, pressing the "Triangle" or "Y" buttons on a video game controller is no where near the same as actually grabbing a car door, punching the glass out of the window, unlocking the door from the inside, hot wiring it and then driving away.


I'd also like to know how this guy acquired the information in this book, for example how did he know that the Hot Coffee mini game was in the game the whole time and not created by the modders; R* made a Jigsaw puzzle gave it to the modding community and they put the pieces of the puzzle together and yet R* tries to blame them for the inclusion of sex in their games. It is, at least for me quite difficult to understand how he obtained this information, information that very, very powerful people have tried access and they couldn't, but for some inexplicable reason he did? it's driving me crazy.


Then there's the fact that Jack Thompson thought he was on a crusade from god, this idea was given to him by a U.S war veteran; how in the hell did this author get that information? I don't think Mr Thompson would just give away like small change to a beggar, if this book is to be believed then there's information here that six years ago would've left R* "up sh*t creek without a paddle". Journalists, Politicians, Civil rights groups, they'd all have loved to get their hands on this info, and yet these people failed to acquire it but this guy managed to know all the hidden secrets of R* that others would've died to know.



I can't really tell if the book is a farce or not.....Guess I need to go read it again.