[games_access] IGDA GA-SIG DVD and age rating

[d. michelle hinn]

We have similar laws here for certain titles. E 
for everyone, T for Teen, etc...I think 17 is the 
earliest you can buy a game that is rated M for 
Mature (I'm too old to keep tabs on it! :) )

I think what Mark was saying was that the DVD we 
give out is to DEVELOPERS and not the gaming 
public. So we make this DVD to hand to a select 
number of game developers and designers (we can 
only afford so many!) at game developers 
conferences. So we'd probably never give this 
away at a trade show where minors were 
present...and even if we did, they aren't the 
ones we are trying to influence. We want 
developers to see the kinds of tools, mods, 
controllers that are out there so that they have 
a better understanding of what disabled gamers 
face depending on disability.

So while, yeah, we do have to be concerned about 
content, our content isn't being handed out to 
anyone under the age of 18 because of where we 
hand them out at.

It does raise an interesting note, though, for 
GDC Europe in Germany this fall if we gave some 
out. Again this would be a non-teenage crowd but 
we may want to include a sticker on the back of 
the DVD envelopes that some content on the DVD is 
rated M for Mature in the US and then let the 
individual country laws interpret that.

We do not demonstrate the DVD during talks so no 
one in our audience sees anything on the DVD -- 
it is simply something we hand out with 
information about game accessibility. So 
everything on there is designed to be viewed at a 
company meeting or design studio meeting.

Seriously? All game titles in Germany can only be 
sold to those over 18, even Pokemon games?????? 
But philosophically speaking...what prevents a 
teen from getting even more violent and/or 
sexually oriented gaming material in a 
downloadable game?

Michelle

>Hi Mark,
>
>Germany:
>All Games are only for people who are over 18.
>(Exception: Learning and Information Games.)
>(Exception: Games you can download and Browsergames)
>
>People over 18 should not have the possibility to see someone playing
>and should not have the possibility to see videos of the game.
>
>When you want the games also for people under 18 you need an age rating.
>When you want to show games in public area you need at least USK6.
>Events can get a special allowance for USK12.
>
>At the moment (again) we have discussion to forbid games like Counterstrike.
>(Imagine Crytek would have to leave Germany. 
>This was also a discussion long ago)
>
>Problem is: we have no easy age rating process 
>like PEGI (for some Europe Countries)
>For example I needed a whole year to get them 
>understand that we have a new kind of games.
>Games that are already installed on a PC and the PC is sold to the customer.
>
>
>Add Ons need also an age rating.
>Advertisement have also special rules. But I did not yet learn about this.
>
>Mark did you see our very very large age rating symbol ?
>http://www.sporle.de/bilder/media_mahjonnggdsbox.jpg
>
>(Of course without guarantee, I am also no lawyer)
>
>Best regards,
>Sandra
>
>
>Mark Barlet <ioo at ablegamers.com> schrieb am 14.03.2009 23:52:27:
>>  So playing doom is not okay, and watching someone play doom is also 
>>  not okay? Wow, what happens if you see an ad for doom, or I say doom?
>>
>>  For real? I am not a lawyer, and even further, I am not a German 
>>  lawyer, but this sounds like a non issue.
>>
>>  Just my 2 euros.
>>
>>  Mark
>>
>>  Sent from mobile device.
>>
>>  On Mar 14, 2009, at 5:57 PM, Sandra Uhling <sandra_uhling at web.de> wrote:
>>
>>  > Hi,
>>  >
>>  > I just watch the Doom Videos.
>>  > In some countries the DVD should not be accessible to young people.
>>  >
>>  > In Germany this DVD would be only for people who are over 18.
>>  > This is also important for presentations!
>>  > I do not know about GamesCom. But it would be better to ask the 
>>  > responsible person
>>  > if the content in the presentation is ok.
>>  >
>>  >
>>  > Best regards,
>>  > Sandra
>>  >
>>  > 
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