I'm impressed with how unusually tasteful and tactful the use of nudity was in this game. It feels to me that you're doing something unique that fascinates me, but I can't put my finger on it well enough to discuss it intelligently. I can try though.

It strikes me that the female nudes in the game are (with some notable exceptions) not sexualized at all. Both human breeding instinct and years of developing "game genre savvy" make me want to, on initial impression, assume that any nude female figures are intended to be sexualized, so I should try to figure out what the gameplay clue should be. Nude females are a powerful motivator for most male players, creating artificial feelings of sympathy, desire, or longing; or when she is a tragic figure they can evoke loss, sadness, anger, rage, or revenge.

I'm positive the designers of The Void anticipated this effect -- and they expertly subverted it. Follow your blind instinctive need to win favor with the pretty naked ladies and you will die.

I'm fascinated with all of this, and would love to learn more about what went on behind the scenes as the game was being developed. First, do the designers even agree with my assessment of what nudity in games usually accomplishes? I might be totally off the mark, and would be glad to hear how wrong I am.

Culturally, is nudity in media not as shocking in Russia? I was for example shocked (but intrigued) that the conference "like GDC but in Russia" on the bonus torrent had a booth with a nude model. Clearly there are some cultural differences I wasn't aware of, and I'd love to hear about these differences.

I debated even mentioning this, but: Yani looks rather young. Does she just have an unusual body type, like someone whose physical development is slowed by a medical condition, or was she really intended to appear as an older teen, not yet an adult? If she was indeed intended to look younger, was that meant to be shocking to the player? Is that also a cultural difference I wasn't aware of, where a Russian audience wouldn't find anything amiss but that a Western audience feels disgusted because she looks too young?

Most games with female nudity that I've played treat nudity as only a visual signal and precondition to sex, and worse, treat sex as an end goal, a player reward. You unlock, earn, or win sex. You don't share it, and I think that's a huge wasted opportunity. Wouldn't it be interesting to create a game that explores the vast relationship drama possibilities that can unfold in a sexual relationship? It's a dangerous game genre to try to do business in, but if anyone could do it successfully I think Ice-Pick Lodge could.

Anyway I'm a huge fan of the game and look forward to whatever projects you take on in the future.

(As an aside, don't you think these sisters would enjoy their eternal undeath a bit more if they had female reproductive organs? I know I'd hate to spend all eternity as a Ken doll or a Barbie doll. (heh) )

I direct you to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9250 where some fairly constructive discussion has been going on regarding this topic.

A couple of points - it seems a little odd that you applaud the use of nudity, so long as its applied to adult women, yet seem quick to decry it when applied to a younger character. Many of the early renaissance (?spelling) painters such as Raphael, Michelangelo and so on often used cherubs to depict innocence - mostly it was nude boys and girls with wings, although many artists applied fig-leaves to their subjects. Was this done to avoid offending the viewers? Doubtful, tbh. If Yani had been behaving in the same manner as Ava, I'd be more concerned but as the character is now, I see no real problem with it. As you yourself said - nudity does not equal sex. A fact that the western world could really do with being reminded of.

As for your tongue in cheek comment at the end, I think the Sisters made the right judgement, given that before you turned up, potential lovers ranged from a guy with huge metal spears for limbs, a giant tank and a guy with a gogo cage for ribs. My knowledge of female sexual tastes is sadly limited but nothing there floats my boat. =p

I wasn't looking to debate about Yani -- just discuss. I am curious if the developers were already aware of that western (American only?) bias. I don't come here to praise, defend, or demonize that bias -- just curious if the bias was known, and what was thought about it if so. And what does the Russian side of that bias look like present-day?

I remember that thread you linked. I found it interesting, but I didn't want to hijack it with my curiosity for feedback directly from the developers.

Maybe I should've sent an email instead? I don't know.