[Neurosis]

Which do you guys prefer?

The frag, drek, slot, slitch, hoop, etc. of 3E and earlier or the, well, real curse words of the modern era that have returned to prevalence in 4E. (You know which ones.)

Personally speaking, I always felt that frag and drek detracted from the game's more serious moments in earlier editions, and when roleplaying as someone angry or flustered, I would often let slip with the real thing, both because real curse words are ingrained in my manner of speaking, and to avoid defusing dialogue of its seriousness by using a silly euphemism. Especially when playing professional criminals and street toughs who tend to swear like sailors. So basically I thought the unexplainable and kind-of-hand-waved reemergence of 'fuck' in the sixth world was overall a good thing.

But....I do occasionally miss the old slang, purely out of nostalgia for a better, simpler time in my life.

What do you folks think?

Copious apologies if this topic has already been done or done to death elsewhere on these forums.

[FastJack]

Added a poll to the thread for ya... Should be interesting.

[Shinobi Killfist]

I prefer frag etc.  I think it really added to the setting and I never felt it reduced the seriousness of the game. Language especially slang changes over time, given the rather tumultuous times they had in 60 years I almost think they didn't go far enough with the slang.

[Bull]

I tend to be a bit more "American PG" with my writing and playing...  (So basically, Violence, OK.  Swearing and porn, not so much).  Just how I am. 

Se I prefer the old school SR slang.  Not only does it relieve the need to be outright excessively vulgar, but it added a lot of flavor to the game world.  One of many things that instantly said "You are in another time, another place". 

For modern Shadowrun, I prefer a mix.  The slang wouldn;t have just vanished, even if it did fall out of favor. 

[Onion Man]

I'm a mixed bag on the slang.  I like it because it adds a ton of flavor to the setting and gives you a way to self moderate if you want to be a crude, crass, or vulgar runner but have tender ears at or around the table, but as was mentioned above, if I'm in the moment and in character, there's a good chance some F-Bombs are going to fly (I'd like to pretend that my sailor-speak gets translated somewhere between my mouth and the land of make believe to be 100% in character and in period).

Also, I love the term bleeding-edge.  Etymologically, that's about as sound and likely of a prediction for the evolution of language that I have ever seen in any fantasy or sci-fi setting.

[CanRay]

When I write for public consumption I use the old "PC" terms to get around the "Adult" settings and allow people with no accounts to see it.

Otherwise, I typically use a mixture in my games, even if I get weird looks from my group...

[John Schmidt]

I prefer the old slang. It set it apart from other games.

Back in high school, a group was playing James Bond and the host's mom walks in just as I let loose with a choice profanity (I felt like such an ass). Really wish we would have been playing Shadowrun instead.   

[Critias]

I actually like a mix of both.  In some areas of Seattle and in some age groups, one way;  in others, the other.  I think in moderation the "made up" slang can be fun and add to the setting, but I also think that in moderation the "real" stuff can add a bit of emphasis and grit. 

[Neurosis]

I find myself using a mix too, with older runners using frag and drek and more up-to-date characters or characters who are OLDER STILL using the real stuff again.  So kind of like a shitdrekshit sandwich. One reason I never liked the old stuff, really (although it still makes me nostalgic) is because it really felt like a copout for ratings and to appease moral watchdogs and just 'soft', and I hate all forms of censorship, including self-censorship.

The official content uses a mix too, with characters like Bull.  Speaking of which...

I tend to be a bit more "American PG" with my writing and playing...  (So basically, Violence, OK.  Swearing and porn, not so much).  Just how I am. 

My writing is very heavy on violence and swearing; while there is no "porn", there is other mature adult content (drug abuse, sex, etcetera).

Speaking of which, I kind of call BS on this. SRM 04-01 which you wrote is very very very very NOT PG. And is probably well in the realm of a hard 'R' rating, content wise. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anyone.

I prefer the old slang. It set it apart from other games.

Mayhap, but it does move it closer to Battlestar Galactica, at least so I've read.

[Bull]

Well..  There's nothing totally explicit in 04-01 unless the GM wants to put it there.  But it's definitely set up for that and implied.  But, in that instance, it had to go there, for story purposes.  It had to go dark for that section to have the resonance it needs to have with the players and/or characters.

Bull

[Neurosis]

Oh, I approve of it, I'm just saying....the bunraku parlor scene...emphatically not PG. : )

[Bull]

Well, here's the thing.  As I said, American PG.  The scene I wrote you could show on braodcast TV.

As I said though, the secondary implications of the scene and what's being done...  Well, yeah.    It's a fine line.

Bull

[Trenchknife]

I'm perfectly happy mixing my euphemisms. 

[Crash_00]

I likewise prefer a mix, but to be honest I do it a little differently than most.

I take a firefly like approach to mine. Cursing with the newer SR slang is considered more acceptable and creative than using those old curses. Higher society will even use Japanese or for some odd reason French when being vulgar.

Oddly, I've actually heard people out in the real world using the old SR slang (its how I identified one of my gaming groups) and even other Sci-Fi slang (Gorram and Frailin being the most popular). Then again, you get a lot of weird customers at Walmart.

[FastJack]

Ironically, I think I love the old slang so much because it was reminiscent of the old Battlestar Galactica show.

Then the new show made me reminiscent about Shadowrun...