surf dtoid with 
Rising (10+)
People you follow
Interesting concept there, actually doing research. It's almost like people can think for themselves and make valid decisions based upon facts or something... nah
There will still always be those mums who know whats best for little Timmy.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've warned a parent that the game they are buying for their child is an 18, only to get the response 'Oh thats fine, he plays them all the time'.
I wish that reasoning worked on the police for Rape. "Its okay officer, I rape them all the time."
I've lost count of the amount of times I've warned a parent that the game they are buying for their child is an 18, only to get the response 'Oh thats fine, he plays them all the time'.
I wish that reasoning worked on the police for Rape. "Its okay officer, I rape them all the time."
Damn, someone being sensible? Giving good advice about parents and videogames? Awesome! We should applaud Ms. Blackmon
Some of it's good stuff; as per usual, a lot of it also isn't. The second to last is particularly grating, at least to me - since when is all video games do entertain? Video games have had the capacity AND the propensity for illustrating important cultural issues since the dawn of the new millenium...
"Pay attention to the video-game rating system. It is more complicated than the motion picture code. The Entertainment Software Rating Board explains the ratings."
Really? I think the ESRB is so much easier. I always forget if PG is worse than PG-13 but I know E for everyone is easy, T for Teens is simple, and going along those same lines, M for mature should be obvious.
Really? I think the ESRB is so much easier. I always forget if PG is worse than PG-13 but I know E for everyone is easy, T for Teens is simple, and going along those same lines, M for mature should be obvious.
@Twesterm
I understand what you mean with the PG/PG-13 rating but with the ESRB ratings the age limit is unclear.
I'm British so I don't fully understand how it works, T means Teens but how old is 'Teens' and M is Mature but how old is 'Mature'?
If im not even sure how it works how can they expect uneducated parents to acknowledge it?
I understand what you mean with the PG/PG-13 rating but with the ESRB ratings the age limit is unclear.
I'm British so I don't fully understand how it works, T means Teens but how old is 'Teens' and M is Mature but how old is 'Mature'?
If im not even sure how it works how can they expect uneducated parents to acknowledge it?
oh, and i don't care about the photo's age, it is kinda funny
it was just an observation
was shinobe any good?
it was just an observation
was shinobe any good?
"When at a gaming store, ask if you can play the game. If you are not a video game player, then ask someone who works there to demonstrate the game for you."
During the holidays, even with 2-3 seasonal employees on the floor, the chances of this happening are slim. When I worked at GameStop, I barely even had the time to think let alone demo games for people. Just asking the clerks about the game would be far more productive for everyone involved.
If you really need to play the game and the game you want isn't in the demo system, get a used copy. The return policy for used games is really loose.
During the holidays, even with 2-3 seasonal employees on the floor, the chances of this happening are slim. When I worked at GameStop, I barely even had the time to think let alone demo games for people. Just asking the clerks about the game would be far more productive for everyone involved.
If you really need to play the game and the game you want isn't in the demo system, get a used copy. The return policy for used games is really loose.
I rather like the Common Sense Media system of game reviews. It rates a game overall and in categories of questionable content (violence, language, sexual content, and message) green ("On"), yellow ("Pause") or red ("Off") based on the age group most likely to show the most interested to play it. "On" is a recommendation and "Off" is a warning, whereas "Pause" denotes a gray zone that may or may not be appropriate for the given age group, depending on the parents. The short Common Sense Notes for each title are very specific about the types of unfriendly content players will encounter and gives advice to parents regarding discussion of it. It's more exhaustive than the ESRB and I think more people should at least know about the idea.
As an example, here's the Common Sense Note for Mass Effect, which is rated Pause to 17+:
Parents should know Mass Effect is a robust role-playing game with an incredibly interactive storyline. Parents should know that this game has one brief sex scene involving an apparent female alien. The scene more alludes to sex as opposed to showing graphic acts. However, the encounter occurs even if you create a female character, which opens the door to same sex relationships. The in-game violence is on par with most shooters, but isn't gratuitous. This is a robust role-playing game with an incredibly interactive storyline. Players decide the dialogue of their character, and can traverse the galaxy as either a diplomatic hero or a renegade willing to bend the laws. The game is littered with moral choices the player must make, which have consequences.
Families can talk about how Mass Effect compares to other role-playing games. Did you feel conflicted making some of the moral choices in the game? Should more games involve equally engrossing storylines where you decide your character's reactions?
I haven't read many specific reviews but looking at the more recent titles they seem to know what they're talking about (at least more so than certain other media sites oriented for parental education regarding media). Feel free to criticize me for bringing this up, but I've never seem them brought up before and I thought at least the idea of this kind of rating deserves consideration.
As an example, here's the Common Sense Note for Mass Effect, which is rated Pause to 17+:
Parents should know Mass Effect is a robust role-playing game with an incredibly interactive storyline. Parents should know that this game has one brief sex scene involving an apparent female alien. The scene more alludes to sex as opposed to showing graphic acts. However, the encounter occurs even if you create a female character, which opens the door to same sex relationships. The in-game violence is on par with most shooters, but isn't gratuitous. This is a robust role-playing game with an incredibly interactive storyline. Players decide the dialogue of their character, and can traverse the galaxy as either a diplomatic hero or a renegade willing to bend the laws. The game is littered with moral choices the player must make, which have consequences.
Families can talk about how Mass Effect compares to other role-playing games. Did you feel conflicted making some of the moral choices in the game? Should more games involve equally engrossing storylines where you decide your character's reactions?
I haven't read many specific reviews but looking at the more recent titles they seem to know what they're talking about (at least more so than certain other media sites oriented for parental education regarding media). Feel free to criticize me for bringing this up, but I've never seem them brought up before and I thought at least the idea of this kind of rating deserves consideration.
Im still not sure how the concept of
Ec= for Early Childhood
E= for Everyone
T= for Teens
M17+= for Mature players aka those 17+
is exactly a hard process with the corresponding letters and all, but thats just me...
Ec= for Early Childhood
E= for Everyone
T= for Teens
M17+= for Mature players aka those 17+
is exactly a hard process with the corresponding letters and all, but thats just me...
finally somebody speaks some sense... sadly this won't be publicised nearly as much as any random rant made by mr Thompson...
i'm still trying to figure out why that pic has 2 rows of Super Monkey Ball for the GC mixed in with the PS2 section...
employees not knowing their games also seems to be the problem with awareness.
I really wonder when the government will realize a letter with some small print letters above that big letter will realize not all parents read above the big letter. People hardly read well now. Just stick the age and things change completely.
and it also doesn't help that if a parent is buying a M game for their underage child, the register and or cashier will think it's for them or KNOW they're smart enough (which they aren't) to give it to the right age group. Cause registers still ask if [insert random b-date] was born before this date.
employees not knowing their games also seems to be the problem with awareness.
I really wonder when the government will realize a letter with some small print letters above that big letter will realize not all parents read above the big letter. People hardly read well now. Just stick the age and things change completely.
and it also doesn't help that if a parent is buying a M game for their underage child, the register and or cashier will think it's for them or KNOW they're smart enough (which they aren't) to give it to the right age group. Cause registers still ask if [insert random b-date] was born before this date.
Some of it's good stuff; as per usual, a lot of it also isn't. The second to last is particularly grating, at least to me - since when is all video games do entertain? Video games have had the capacity AND the propensity for illustrating important cultural issues since the dawn of the new millenium...
That's not good advice at all. Hasn't anyone ever thought that maybe it's best to not take games seriously enough to have to do research into whether or not it's "appropriate" enough? The whole "research what you buy for your kids" concept is garbage. WHen I was 10, I missed out on so many awesome games because of bullshit game ratings. It's a shame that people can't get over it.
Yeah but for those parents who are "too busy" to shop around they never even put thought into what the kid says
What game do you want? Fuck that... we got you this"
What game do you want? Fuck that... we got you this"
follow
