Castle Paradox

Dr. Baconman · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 27 Location: The Base, TN

I'm just curious of whether Castle Paradox has a Safety Rating system, and if so, then what the ratings' guidelines are.

[I'm talking about things like ESRB ratings]

The Wobbler · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 2221

Iblis · Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

There's no rating system like that, no.
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Inferior Minion · Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject:

There have been a few talks about an ESRB like system by different users, but nothing has ever been implemented or carried through. For the most part, games with mature content make mention of it in their description or can be determined by the game name (i.e. Hentai Quest)

After my little brother, age 9, decided to skim through the site (he knows I run it out of my room and finally realized the web address was that last part of my e-mail) the idea of a rating system hit home. I kinda wished there was a way to bring up a list of "age appropriate" games, so he wasn't randomly clicking through the gamelist bringing up screenshots like Hentai Quest and OMFG TIZ ROXORZ (Special Edition) (I know, they're really not all that offensive, but he's 9). It wasn't so much the screenshots as it was the content. I wouldnt' let him play any of the No Ingles series by Giz. Luckily, the only game he checked out was Don't Push the Button which amused him for a few hours. It'd be nice to have some sort of ratings, but to actually set up such a system and rate the 700+ games is a huge undertaking.
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Gizmog1 · Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject:

I've objected to the idea of a rating system for a long time. I guess maybe I've changed my mind, but I still don't like the idea of a third party doing it. I think a person should rate their own game, not on a series of MPAA or ESRB type things, but maybe on a list of tags of "Lots of Blood" "Swearing" "All out Fucking" etc., with an optional box for suggested age. If, the game designer lied about the content of his game, then I can fully understand moderator action being taken, and his game be rated by a panel. As for games that currently lack rating, we could probably get by with only having the ones that've been reviewed rated.

By the way, I've gotta say OMGTIZROXORZ Special Edition seems to pop up an awful lot on the random list, and that screenshot ALWAYS makes me smile. Understandably, the parents of a nine year old (Or hell, probably even my parents) wouldn't be quite as thrilled. I still think kids are gonna lie, and they're gonna use the filter to FIND the kind of games their folks don't want 'em to play, but those kind of kids will find their porn one way or another I guess, and if there really are people like IM's little bro who're monitored good enough, I guess we might as well make it easier on the good parents.

I forget if there was anything inappropriate in Don't Push The Button. I'm also disappointed he was amused for HOURS, instead of say, 30 seconds before he pushed the button and learned the ways of the world, but such is the bane of sandbox game design.

The Wobbler · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 2221

Inferior Minion · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:06 am Post subject:

Don't worry, Giz. He pushed that button plenty of times. Then he started teasing my sister, which led to her screaming "JUST PUSH IT!!"...it was hilarious. He especially enjoyed reading the taunts.

Self-rating sounds like the right thing to do, maybe even double up on it with user recommendations and/or the ability to rate the content of games you've reviewed. I'd like to make it as painless as possible for everyone involved. Obviously, there would be reprocussions for lying, but being able to single out games based on content would be a nice feature to have. It doesn't stop anyone from accessing any game on the gamelist, but it does give people some insight into the game prior to downloading it.

I don't know what the average family rule is for the internet with kids, but my brother is basically locked out of every website except for those approved by myself or my parents. When he does want to "search the web" for class or after seeing an ad on Cartoon Network mentioning a new flash game, he has to come to one of us, who will sit with him and make sure he's not going anywhere he shouldn't. It was while sitting with him on CP that I realized I didnt' know enough about games from the description to determine if it was appropriate for him. For instance, Super Mario & Friends Adventure would have perked my little brother's interest, given his love of Mario games. Prior to that review by Dr. Baconman, I would have let him download it, with similar expectations as Dr. Baconman only to regret it after the first swear uttered by Yoshi.
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Artimus Bena · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:42 am Post subject:

Inferior Minion · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:19 am Post subject:

eldritch · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 5:14 am Post subject:

I'd be all for self-regulation without any penalties. This makes a lot of sense. I was there when CN put together his hentai game, and I have to say, if it had an odd title, I'd sure want to know if it contained something I don't want to show around my family.
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Moogle1 · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:25 am Post subject:

At the very least games with inappropriate screenshots should be taken out of the random game rotation. (For that matter, games with no screenshot shouldn't display a broken image.)
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Gizmog1 · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 10:11 am Post subject:

On that note, I'll fix Halloween No Ingles' image to not show the nudity (Albeit maptiled) that it does now. I mostly even put it there to win a bet with a pal of mine, and I think 2-3 years is good enough to win the bet.

Agreeing with Moogs , it's definitely a good idea to make sure that there's some kind of tag that the Random Game thing knows to not show a game with an a-dult screenshot.

Jes42 · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:29 am Post subject:

I think a system which just warned you about content would be sufficient. I would not want to see or let young kids anything disgusting enough to be given a high age rating. At the moment it is reasonably easy to tell if I would not want to play a game but a proper labelling system would mean I would not miss out on games that were OK or play ones that weren't. There is no need to restrict people because of their age as long as they are given the chance decide for themselves.

Raekuul · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:39 am Post subject:

Well, the current version of BLB on the gamelist has only implied explicit content, except for the swear-word laden letter... and the hero pics... and the "equipment"...

Okay, so maybe it dosent. ^^; But still, Ihave to agree with IM when he says that he (or any other adult that deals with kids on a daily basis) would

Joe Man · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:16 am Post subject:

The suggestion I've given was to add a subjective age rating to the review form. While it wouldn't appear as the objective A+ through F- it would be useful. Maybe an 'appropriateness' box would be sufficient for the reviewer to say why he thinks the audience should be restricted.

...Anyways, my point is that I think reviewers should be responsible for rating since it's pretty much a volunteer job in this community.
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Last edited by Joe Man on Fri Dec 13, 1957 1:21 am; edited 2,892 time in total