Re: RFC - first batch of OGRE images

[ajr@ecs.soton.ac.uk]

On Fri, Sep 14, 2001 at 09:56:58AM -0500, Steve Baker wrote:
> Mark Collins wrote:
> > 
> > > The point being that - just like the ESRB ratings scheme, all you need is
> > > a big, bold capital letter 'E', 'T', 'M', 'AO'.  Everything else is just
> > > for cute effect.  People can click on it if they want explanations...once
> > > it's recognisable as a 'rating', the letter is sufficiently familiar to
> > > people who actually care about ratings that they'll know.
> > 
> > As a non-USain, I have no idea what those ratings mean. The UK system is
> > prolly much better:
> > U (universal), PG (Parental Guidance), 12, 15 and 18. While the first two
> > are  a little vague, the numbers are clearly what the minimum age is.
> 
> Oh - somehow I thought the ESRB scheme was in use in Europe too. Is this UK
> system actually an EEC standard?  (You'd expect it to be given the community
> free trade laws).

The ratings mentioned above are the ratings used for movies, but the
organisation which handles them, the British Board for Film Classification
or something similar have been making moves towards games. They had a
stand at ECTS with a propaganda movie trying to persuade everyone that
they are the best people to rate games.

On an international basis I think the UK scheme has some similar problems
to the american one, in particular the problem that different cultures
thing that different things are suitable for different ages.

> 
> If it's only a matter of painting another Ogre with a banner, we *could*
> support both systems - but it would quickly get out of hand if every countries'
> standard labelling scheme had to be accomodated.
> 
> I posted the meanings of the ESRB ratings last week - they aren't as finely
> divided as the UK system evidently is.  I think it would be very hard for
> an amateur to rate their game between (say) 15 and 18 ratings...I'd have no
> idea where to put (say) a somewhat violent game.  The US (ESRB) system would
> probably put Universal==E (everyone) and PG,12 and 15 into 'T==teen' with 18
> being 'M==Mature'.  We also have the 'EC' (Early Childhood) which is mostly
> there to protect innocent 10 year olds from the horrors of Teletubbies and Barnie.
> (you should have to prove you are UNDER 6 years old to be allowed to purchase
> EC products...with *stringent* legislation protecting older siblings from
> accidentally seeing the game or (worse) hearing the theme music).
> 
> There is also 'AO' (Adults Only) which probably equates to 'X' in UK - although
> it *might* mean the same as your '18' rating.

In the UK an 18 year old has the full rights of an adult, so 18 is the same
as Adults Only. 

> 
> To repeat, the full ESRB system (which is what I propose we duplicate) is:
> 
> 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.
> 

As I mentioned above, and I think in a previous mail, I think that assigning
specific ages or age ranges to ratings is the wrong aproach for a global
system. The ratings need to be descriptive enough to allow parents to make
an informed decision.

Al