Re: My Game

[Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.net>]

Mark Collins wrote:
> 
> Warning: This email contains a joke that is very bad taste. You have been
> warned....

(You certainly got an M rating for the email :-)

> I don't think this should be limited to OpenSource. Self-regulation of the 
> entire industry would be a much better aim here. With the recent lawsuits 
> over things like this (how long till MS is sued over Flight Simulator? The 
> amount of times those damned towers got in my way flying over New York.... 
> *grin*), I think the industry as a whole is more than willing to accept this 
> idea with open arms.

I don't think the industry can be trusted vith a voluntary self-regulated
system.  When there are gazillions of dollars at stake because if your game
gets an M rating, you'll only sell a tenth of what you could with a T rating,
there will be a terrible tendancy to let profits win over morals.

In OpenSource-land (well, strictly-speaking in "FreeSoftware"-land), there is
no profit motive - to the contrary, most people are simply trying to do something
cool either for fun, for ego or to advertise their skills.  In none of those cases
is it in your interest to deliberately fudge the results...to the contrary, it's
in your interests to be scrupulously careful and honest about your self-rating.

If someone truly does want to sneak out a game to his or her teenage friends
that's a bit riske or violent - then in all probability they'll just ignore the
rating scheme anyway.

> If that is the case, a more formal system is needed than "Well, according to
> this paragraph, I fit into this catagory".

If it went out to the commercial world, then I'd agree with you - but I think
the ESRB scheme is working just fine.  As a parent, I've never found an E
rated game that I wouldn't want my 10yr old to play, when I see a T sticker,
I look at it carefully and think about whether it's a good idea...and every
M-rated game I've ever seen has without doubt been completely unsuitable.
In a year or two, I'll have no concern about him playing T-rated games.

>  3) Have a clear guideline showing detailed criteria for each catagory.

Sure - of course.

But writing that in a totally rigerous fashion is going to be hard.

  "If the number of red pixels drawn upon the death of a character
   exceeds 10% of the pixels that make up that character then you
   get an M rating"

...I don't think so.

  "If there is excessive blood depicted then it's an M"

...still hard.
 
> If someone complains about a rating, then action is taken about it.

Um - OK.
 
> The problem with descriptions is that they are subjective. A checklist with a
> scoring system would go a long way to clearing up any problems that people
> may have when deciding a rating.

Perhaps...although that's going to be hard to establish.

The ESRB web site is down - but the Amazon.com site has:

EC : Early Childhood
     Titles rated Early Childhood (EC) have content suitable for children ages 3 and older and do
     not contain any material that parents would find inappropriate.

E : Everyone
     Titles rated Everyone (E) have content suitable for persons ages 6 and older.
     These titles will appeal to people of many ages and tastes. They may contain
     minimal violence, some comic mischief (for example, slapstick comedy), or some
     crude language. This rating formerly was known as Kids to Adult (K-A).

T : Teen
     Titles rated Teen (T) have content suitable for persons ages 13 and older. Titles in this
     category may contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.

M : Mature
     Titles rated Mature (M) have content suitable for persons ages 17 and older.
     These products may include more intense violence or language than products in
     the Teen category. In addition, these titles may include mature sexual themes.

AO: Adults Only
     Titles rated Adults Only (AO) have content suitable only for adults. These products may
     include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adults Only products are not intended to be
     sold or rented to persons under the age of 18.

RP: Rating Pending
     The product has been submitted to the ESRB and is awaiting final rating.

----------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------------
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