Curse

EternalTempest · May 03, 2006, 10:24 PM // 22:24

Breaknews in the game world..

http://digg.com/gaming/Breaking%3A_O...g_Changed_to_M
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12604

Quote:

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has just sent word that the rating assigned to Bethesda's and 2K Games' The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has been changed from T (Teen 13+) to M (Mature 17+). "The content causing the ESRB to change the rating involves more detailed depictions of blood and gore than were considered in the original rating, as well as the presence of a locked-out art file or 'skin' that, if accessed through a third party modification to the PC version of the game, allows the user to play with topless versions of female characters," said the ESRB in a release.

Hmm I seem to remeber what would happen in ElderScrolls II - Daggerfall when you took of clothing..

Mister Overhill · May 03, 2006, 11:51 PM // 23:51

Well, the modders had a field day with Morrowind, and the graphics in Oblivion are way beyond that, so ....

Lasher Dragon · May 03, 2006, 11:57 PM // 23:57

I wondered how they had gotten away with a "T" rating. I mean, did they even play the effin game? Between cold-blooded murder and the ability to "play" with your victims corpses, it seemed pretty obviously NOT a teen game.

Don't get me wrong, I love the game.

Just not sure if I would let my kid play it.

Ju_Smurph · May 04, 2006, 12:50 AM // 00:50

I'm sure they ill love this publicity

tommarrow · May 04, 2006, 03:50 PM // 15:50

It seems that the amount of violence involved does not matter as long as there is no blood. GTA San Andreas has something like 50% curse words in the game, plus you have to kill untold amounts of people, but it was not a problem until the characters were having simulated sex.

Lasher Dragon · May 04, 2006, 04:30 PM // 16:30

There is blood.

sh4ft3d · May 04, 2006, 04:59 PM // 16:59

ALOT of blood.

Omega_2005 · May 04, 2006, 05:28 PM // 17:28

Wonder if PEGI will slap it a 16+ or an 18+ now? :s

Corinthian · May 04, 2006, 05:45 PM // 17:45

"If it bleeds, we can ban it." -ESRB

Lasher Dragon · May 04, 2006, 05:46 PM // 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by sh4ft3d

ALOT of blood.

Well, I don't know if I would call it ALOT... hey, what's cool about the ratings change is maybe they will make an official mod for MORE blood! Yes, arterial spray everywhere!

Yeah I kinda doubt it, but I would buy it. Oooh especially if they added in limb severing/decapitation!

~ Star Maiden ~ · May 04, 2006, 05:53 PM // 17:53

I've been following this news and discussed it with a couple friends who are also gamers and I can understand if they bumped up the rating solely due to the level of graphic violence, but this whole "nude feature via third-party mods" is ridiculous. If they really revised it to an M based on that, it's wrong IMHO.

The devs can't be held responsible for a program or code written by someone else that allows gamers to manipulate aspects of the original game. It's not their fault, for one thing, and almost *any* game can be altered by someone with enough time and effort.

There are tons of meshes and skins that allow hacked Xboxes to depict fully nude DOA girls in DOAXBV. Did the ESRB revise the rating of that from M to AO (Adults Only)? No.

As much as there's a need for a ratings board, their inconsistency and the fact they really don't seem to understand videogames sometimes really irritates me.

Lasher Dragon · May 04, 2006, 06:06 PM // 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~ Star Maiden ~

I've been following this news and discussed it with a couple friends who are also gamers and I can understand if they bumped up the rating solely due to the level of graphic violence, but this whole "nude feature via third-party mods" is ridiculous. If they really revised it to an M based on that, it's wrong IMHO.

The devs can't be held responsible for a program or code written by someone else that allows gamers to manipulate aspects of the original game. It's not their fault, for one thing, and almost *any* game can be altered by someone with enough time and effort.

There are tons of meshes and skins that allow hacked Xboxes to depict fully nude DOA girls in DOAXBV. Did the ESRB revise the rating of that from M to AO (Adults Only)? No.

As much as there's a need for a ratings board, their inconsistency and the fact they really don't seem to understand videogames sometimes really irritates me.

I agree 100%. It is incomprehensibly ignorant to punish game developers for something beyond the scope of their control. I mean, imagine if this type of practice were to be used in other forms of media?
- All movies are rated X, because anyone could draw some nekkid people into the scenes.
- All music would have to have a parental advisory, because someone could remix the tracks with any filth they wanted to.

It just really makes me wish I could smack the crap out of the people responsible for this type of legalese garbage.

Sir Skullcrasher · May 04, 2006, 06:23 PM // 18:23

I agree, developer have done everything they have to ensure that no bad contents (such as nuditiy, violence, language) is released. But the thing is, there is no protection from modders who want to have a field day with screwing up a game's coding. Look at GTA: San Andreas, someone who have enough time and knowledge of programming/coding. Took apart the developer's restriction and open up the "Hot Coffee" mod within the game. Granted, that the developer should have remove that option in the beginning but think about it, some developers are strict with time and release a game on-time is far more valuable than making it bug-free and exploits-free.

~ Star Maiden ~ · May 04, 2006, 06:23 PM // 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasher Dragon

I agree 100%. It is incomprehensibly ignorant to punish game developers for something beyond the scope of their control. I mean, imagine if this type of practice were to be used in other forms of media?
- All movies are rated X, because anyone could draw some nekkid people into the scenes.
- All music would have to have a parental advisory, because someone could remix the tracks with any filth they wanted to.

It just really makes me wish I could smack the crap out of the people responsible for this type of legalese garbage.

I'll join ya for the smacking, as long as we can smack Jack Thompson three times.

D.E.V.i.A.N.C.E · May 05, 2006, 01:54 AM // 01:54

I cant belive that nude patch came out in like a week...

They should put AO ratings on any Online Game that has a community, people have potty mouths and we cant have our childrens minds corrupted by toilet humor and sexual innuendos. but decapation and massive gore is fine at the M level.

sh4ft3d · May 05, 2006, 05:05 PM // 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasher Dragon

Well, I don't know if I would call it ALOT... hey, what's cool about the ratings change is maybe they will make an official mod for MORE blood! Yes, arterial spray everywhere!

Yeah I kinda doubt it, but I would buy it. Oooh especially if they added in limb severing/decapitation!

HAHA just had a flashback to the old starwars games where you could put in a code so you could sever limbs... That was SO much fun.

Omega_2005 · May 05, 2006, 05:10 PM // 17:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sh4ft3d

HAHA just had a flashback to the old starwars games where you could put in a code so you could sever limbs... That was SO much fun.

You could do that in Soldier of Fortune and Blood...

sh4ft3d · May 05, 2006, 06:15 PM // 18:15

I never played Soldier of Fortune, though my father did alot when it came out.

~ Star Maiden ~ · May 05, 2006, 06:57 PM // 18:57

Someone needs to make a nude patch for Princess Peach in Mario Golf to see if the ESRB will slap that with an M rating too

lol