Matthew on 12/6/2007 at 15:09
Did anyone happen to see (
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/101/19) this Escapist article yet? It seems that our friends at the ESRB re-rated Oblivion from 'T' for Teen to 'M' for Mature based on the contents of a third-party mod, a la San Andreas.
Do you think this will cause various publishers to think twice before releasing mod tools for their games?
Jeshibu on 12/6/2007 at 17:23
Maybe, but they'd be wrong. This was for "locked-out" content, like the whole Hot Coffee thing was. If I recall correctly, both male and female models use the same chest textures, so the nipples were already there, waiting for someone to release them from their unsightly cloth-bra prison.
People spraying goa‎tse all over de_dust aren't going to get Counter-Strike re-rated.
I still disagree with rating locked out content too, because you need to deliberately hack the game, but at least the ESRB are consistent here.
Matthew on 12/6/2007 at 17:28
I think Counter-Strike is a bad example, as that falls under the 'Experience may change during on-line play' caveat that such games usually have.
Keeper_Andrus on 12/6/2007 at 21:49
experience may change as a result of downloading mods?
Renault on 12/6/2007 at 21:53
How could I not click on this thread
Gingerbread Man on 12/6/2007 at 22:39
So now anything with an SDK or unencrypted texture files is going to be one step closer to being rated M?
Or is this:
Quote:
There is no nudity in Oblivion without a third party modification. In the PC version of the game only - this doesn't apply to the Xbox 360 version - some modders have used a third party tool to hack into and modify an art archive file to make it possible to create a mesh for a partially nude (topless) female that they add into the game. Bethesda didn't create a game with nudity and does not intend that nudity appear in Oblivion. There is no nude female character in a section of the game that can be "unlocked." Bethesda can not control tampering with Oblivion by third parties. Bethesda is taking steps to ensure that modders can not continue to hack into Oblivion's art archives to create partially nude figures.
a suggestion that developers and publishers are going to have to decide whether they want an M rating or a modding community?
Because if these are the sorts of guidelines and precedents being used to decide things, we'll start seeing Zoo Tycoon, The Sims, and Civilization with Mature ratings from the ESRB.
Matthew on 13/6/2007 at 08:23
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
Or is this:
a suggestion that developers and publishers are going to have to decide whether they want an M rating or a modding community?
Exactly my question, though you phrased it much better. I was wondering if we think there could be a chilling effect on the release of tools for, or restrictions placed on the feasibility of, modding.
Jeshibu on 13/6/2007 at 12:54
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
So now anything with an SDK or unencrypted texture files is going to be one step closer to being rated M?
Or is this:
a suggestion that developers and publishers are going to have to decide whether they want an M rating or a modding community?
Because if these are the sorts of guidelines and precedents being used to decide things, we'll start seeing Zoo Tycoon, The Sims, and Civilization with Mature ratings from the ESRB.
But games can have both an M rating and a modding community :confused:
Countless games have had tits
added to them, but none of them have been re-rated for that. What the ESRB is doing is re-rating for content hidden in the game, requiring only removal of certain code or slight hacking to unlock in the game.
Like I said, I still disagree with it because it requires you to actively seek out those mods, thereby indicating that you know what you're doing, and not that little Jimmy who got GTA for his birthday (even though he shouldn't have) is suddenly going to get a faceful of sex.
But they're not inconsistent, nor is there any reason for any game-developer to panic (as long as they don't leave tits on the disc).
The_Raven on 13/6/2007 at 13:07
This topic, I believe, is a year old. Even then, it is still one worth discussing. When this broke out, John Romero posted an article on his page about how modding is killing games. :rolleyes:
Matthew on 13/6/2007 at 13:16
Quote Posted by The_Raven
This topic, I believe, is a year old.
I was hoping no one would notice that, you fiend. :p
