Everyone had to know this was going to happen. How could it not? Within the first day of the Creature Creator release, it was already starting to spread across the web. I am of course talking about Sporn. In case you haven't heard, this is one of the first controversies that came up in regards to Spore. Sporn is a popular internet term combining Spore and porn. When the Creature Creator was released, Will Wright and his team were hyping the fact that you could make any kind of creature you had the creative ability to make. And they meant ANY creature. If you visit YouTube, any other video site, or type "Sporn" into a Google search, your monitor will be filled with walking testicles, breats, and "phallic fornication machines." Naturally, it was not Wright's intention to have Spore turn into a creative porn expo, but there's no way that the design team didn't see this coming. In fact, Wright designed the game knowing that he had to expect the unexpected. In an AP statement made in late August, Wright even acknowledged the fact that a lot of the Sporn creations online are actually pretty creative (view article). I have to admit, after looking at a couple of videos, I raised an eyebrow, but was pretty impressed by how detailed and creative some of these creations were.
The question is, is Sporn a serious issue or just harmless fun? From my perspective, it seems like it's just something fun that a group of immature people decided to do. I've read some reviews on this subject and there are a good number of people who believe that Sporn is a very serious issue that is just as bad as child pornography. This issue frequently comes up for debate when brought into the realm of video games. Second Life is a good example because in this MMO game, users are able to read cyberporn magazines or have sex online with other avatars. Again, you give the users control over the gameplay, you're going to see things like this. I don't believe Spore can be placed on the same level with Second Life though. In Spore, if you design your creature to look like a naked man/woman, this in no way changes how the creature behaves or interacts with other creatures. In Second Life, if you present yourself as an avatar with sex in mind, other players can respond to that in different ways (On a quick side note, I've never played Second Life so if I'm getting this wrong or if you can add more detail, please let me know). This is why Sporn doesn't seem so harmless. It's more about players getting a laugh out of the fact that they are able to create something that they haven't been able to do normally in other games. PS: There are a lot of immature folks out there. We all know what it was like to be a hormone-driven teenager, and for some, that mentality sticks for a long time. There was a CNN article I read about Sporn where a 37-year old "Spornmaster" was interviewed about why he created these obscene creatures. Response: "It came up simply as something silly and juvenile to do." The majority of comments I've read on blogs concerning Sporn have the same idea in mind.
Regardless of whether or not it is offensive or simply childish, EA has taken steps to make sure that people don't have to be exposed to this content. Players have the option of playing with no outside content, all outside content, or content from specifically-chosen users. Just as you have options for adjusting settings on your computer to filter out porn sites or other questionable material, you have this same ability in Spore. In other words, it's extremely easy to avoid seeing Sporn in the game or online, so if you are offended by it, you need to take steps to avoid seeing it. EA also makes sure to regulate incoming content and follow-up on complaints in order to remove some of the Sporn that comes in. Wright wants to make it clear that even though players can be creative and make whatever they want, but it shouldn't ruin the experience for others. Well said Mr. Wright.
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2 comments:
I'm reminded of two things:
Sperm whales and Superbad.
It's sometimes amazing to me that even the hint of anything involving genetalia or naked bodies is distrusted and unnatural. Even in a game whose theme is biological life and its perpetuation and variation. From a scientific standpoint it's wholly unsurprising that people's interest in and expression of sex is so frequent and varied, and that much of the way we even view other aspects of life is couched in terms of sexuality. Today we have not only the history of recognition, in many ways brought to light by Kinsey's famous report, but absolute frankness in the form of rule 34.
That said, practically and politically, we Americans still are looking to sterilize our experiences, especially when it comes to pop culture (and videogames are one of the most sterilized of all media). Rating systems, search engine filters, v-chips, are all technologies to separate us mainly from sex. Of course, it's not all of sex, just some of it.
How does the controversy over sporn, either its terms or history, help us understand this larger issue?
Sporn is definitely just another way in which we are trying to remove ourselves as far as possible from anything that makes us feel that familiar cringe of embarrassed discomfort. It's incredible to see how far parts of our society have gone to label naked bodies and sex as something that should never be presented in any way, shape or form outside of the bedroom. As you mentioned, rating systems and v-chips are some of the more recent ways we've tried to shelter our kids from sex in the media. The whole time I've been writing and considering this blog subject, the big thing I was reminded of was the Janet Jackson Superbowl boob scandal. My God, you would think the world was going to end after people were exposed to 1.5 seconds of flesh. No kidding. Sporn is the same way. Since it is our job to protect our children from anything indecent (in the eyes of society), there's no way Sporn wouldn't have caused a riot. Especially since it's the kids themselves in this case who could be making these creatures behind their parents' backs. It just goes to show you that sexual expression will never be acceptable in society or the media as long as parents have something to say about it. Rather ironic, I'd say.
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