Re: My Game

[Mads Bondo Dydensborg <madsdyd@challenge.dk>]

On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, Mark Collins wrote:

> <snip>
> 
> To demonstrate how subjective these ratings are, language heard on BBC1 at 
> approx. 4PM yesrerday (when little school kids are getting home):
> HOLY SHIT
> HOLY FUCKING SHIT

In what sense are these considered inapropiate? Wouldn't you say that the
language were appropiate given the situation?

In Denmark, it has been a subject how to explain the event to kids, making
them understand why some people are performing terroist acts. The language
is not really an issue - the issues behind are.

Swearing express the feelings of people. Although it is considered rather
simple minded to swear, the _feelings_ are the essential thing, not the
language. I think kids should understand that, and that most kids _do_.
(At least most kids I know).

Since you are planning to set up a system to rate games, please make it
such that it is clear what kind of reference you have. Danes don't mind a
lot of stuff that would clearly horrify an american (parent). (This
includes nudity - beeing nude is such an innocent and basic condition that
it seem totally absurd for me to consider it rude or offensive. Granted,
people do not wander about nude in the streets, but they do on beaches,
even parks, and why not? In germany it is common to have "nude hours" in
public swimming pools, etc.)

> My point?
> 
> Unless clear guidelines are set, and not just vague descriptions, a 
> "self-certification" scheme is pointless. We need to know what people 
> consider suitable for different catagories, and if we are going to do this, 
> it might as well be worth something, and standardized.

And, what is considered suitable really depends on things like culture. In
many countries, it would be considered mildly offensive to depict women
without a scarf.

> Yes, I'm a fuckup, but I'm not the only one out there. I have no problem 
> letting little kids play mindlessly violent games, but, I would have no 
> problem using a well defined ratings system either, so people who don't agree 
> with my personality have a way of finding out before they are offended.

I consider violence mildly offensive. The attiude a guy like ESR has
towards guns stresses most (normally tolerant) danes.

I consider swearing, nudity and sex perfectly acceptable for any age
group.

Mads

-- 
Mads Bondo Dydensborg.                               madsdyd@challenge.dk
  7)  Sacrifice a small animal for Good Luck

 (step 7 of 8 in configuring the Open Source Global File System for Linux)