There is no need for profanity in my opinion.

I have no problem with swearing in games. It's just like any other form of script writing in this regard; it must be used appropriately in order to feel natural and believable. I was trying to think of a good example, but I really struggled because so few games get it right. But then a good example, DID hit me; and that is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. There's a great scene where Nate and Sulley are being held at gunpoint. Complicated ally Chloe plays along with the bad guys for a bit before taking out the other captors, being grazed on the arm by a bullet in the process. When Nate asks if she is OK, she shakes her arm and goes "Ah, shit! Yeah I'm OK..."

It's not the kind of language used very often in that game, but when it is it is done so effectively. The game does a very good job of creating intelligent characters who can generally think of something more eloquent to say, but isn't afraid to drop a curseword or two when the time is right.

On the other side Uncharted 2 also makes fun at the overuse of that kind of language, with Nate making doodles of Sully in his notebook and labeling them: "Victor 'Goddamn' Sullivan!"

[color="#1C2837"]Racist words are NOT acceptable. PERIOD.[/quote]

Disagree. As with any form of media, its all about context. Personally I feel we'd all be better of using 'racist' terms in everyday language in a non-racist context in order to remove the offensive connotations from such words. But that's another matter, certainly in a game its fine to use those if done properly. If you have a racist character, it is suitable to use racist language. Roy Earl in L.A Noire is a prime example of some pretty good writing in that regard.

One final note: As much swearing as possible should be Battlestar Galactica swearing. 'Frak' is such an excellent fictional profanity

There is no need for profanity in my opinion.

There's no need for greed, corruption, violence, stealing, or many other things in the world, but the reality is that they are a part of it and aren't going away any time soon. If we want video games (or any of our forms of media entertainment) to reflect a perfect and distant world, then sure, profanity should absolutely stay out of it. On the other hand, if we want games to be able to feel like something real, in worlds and societies that we can relate to, then I think we need to find a way to insert these elements (including profanity) into games effectively.

Or we could, you know, allow games like Gears of War to set the example of how cussing should be handled in games, but I don't think anyone here wants that.

Well, Puciek, intelligent people can usually come up with a better word to describe the situation at hand without having to resort to swearing. Your right though,swearing is ok if there is a good reason for it, like spilling coke on your new keyboard

Your right though

You're*

You are always swearing.
Stop trying to look SMART. Wintertime Noob.

I tend to use the words "Freaking", "Crud", "Darn-it", "What the Freak?!", etc.

I don't like a lot of swearing, in real life or in games. I swear, and I don't mind people swearing. However, anything more than a few words every once in a great while seems 1) excessive and 2) immature.
Generally when I hear excessive swearing in games or movies, it comes across as artificial and trying to be "cool" and "edgy". I hear a lot of swearing around my army buddies (not that I"m in the Army, but they are) when they are getting back in training and tired and/or pumped up rather than in casual conversation. I go by the rule of cussing is expected when the speaker is 1) excited (happy, angry, fearful) or 2) tired. Those seems to work for me. Even my folks, who are both ex-military, find excessive cursing in movies to be artificial and stilted.

If you work in the private sector you're probably used to everyone being hush hush. This may make you feel more on the defensive side of the spectrum.

I found this amusing, given this mind set you wouldn't have lasted two minutes in the rendering team on my last project. Swearing was basically the order of the day at times... I'd give examples but I don't want to offend ;)

It would be intresting however to draw up a colleration between US vs EU or UK members when it comes to the 'acceptibility' of swearing. It seems that in this, as in many things, over in Europe we are a lot more layed back about it. *shrugs*

I think swearing used in games can help defining participating characters.

This. Just like in real life, not every character would be one to make excessive use of profanity. Too much of it will just make your game appear shallow and uninspired.

I think it depends entirely on the situation and characters. If, for example, I was a soldier in Iraq, I would probably actually swear all the time during a firefight. I probably would not be able to open my mouth without swearing with bullets flying by my head and explosions happening in close proximity.

It is odd that, while that is probably the most likely reality, we find it to ruin our suspension of disbelief when it happens in fiction.

It depends on the situation say its a fps with a bunch of marines than cussing should be used but parental controls need enforced