Teen rating?

[Shuzer]

I got carded trying to buy HL at WalMart.. it made me giggle

..er, but anyway.. I don't care either way. Teen or Mature, both are fine with me.
But, my question is, if HL2 is rated Teen, why is Counter-Strike rated mature? They're both going on the "realistic violence" rating, I'd imagine.. that and blood. Does that mean CS:S will be rated T? Assuming that's sold as retail as well (I'm aware it's been confirmed it'll be included with HL2)

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

I dont like the idea of it being a teen rating.

Why the hell does it matter? Yet again its just a ****ing rating...are you not going to buy it if its a teen rating??? If you are then just shut up about it and end this stupid thread...

 

[EC]

Ok, I don't get why you people are not comfortable with it being rated teen. You're still going to get the exact same (for the most part, fixes, bugs, etc) thing you saw in the videos and screenshots. So why the big fit, just because of a label?

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a game by it's rating.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a game by it's rating.

I never look at a game by its rating...I don't think any other true gamer does either....they read reviews about it and if they like it, they just go out and buy it. Simple as that.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Ok, I don't get why you people are not comfortable with it being rated teen. You're still going to get the exact same (for the most part, fixes, bugs, etc) thing you saw in the videos and screenshots. So why the big fit, just because of a label?

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a game by it's rating.

The only concern we had was that Valve *MAY* have removed violent scenes to get a teen rating.

But Gabe has since confirmed nothing has been removed.

End of discussion!!!

 

[63]

Once again I can't believe how a silly little email could cause this much confusion..

Have you ever taken the time to stop and think of what an "M" rating would include? It would mean alienating a large portion of Valve's target audience, humanoids under the age of 17. Now I know what you are going to say - "omg mi parentz buy Hl2 for mi anywz, so me dun care if it iz teh m" - If so, then why is everyone so negative? Gabe has already stated that none of Half-Life 2's content has been removed/edited, so there is no problem..

I'm sorry I even bothered to inform you bunch, from now on I think I'll keep my replies (if Gabe hasn't blocked me by now ) to myself..

 

[cyborgguineapig]

Too be completely honest, I would not touch HL2 with a 10 foot pole if they decide to dumb down the violence.

 

[cyborgguineapig]

Once again I can't believe how a silly little email could cause this much confusion..

Have you ever taken the time to stop and think of what an "M" rating would include? It would mean alienating a large portion of Valve's target audience, humanoids under the age of 17. Now I know what you are going to say - "omg mi parentz buy Hl2 for mi anywz, so me dun care if it iz teh m" - If so, then why is everyone so negative? Gabe has already stated that none of Half-Life 2's content has been removed/edited, so there is no problem..

I'm sorry I even bothered to inform you bunch, from now on I think I'll keep my replies (if Gabe hasn't blocked me by now ) to myself..

Most HL1 fans are over the age of 18

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

Most HL1 fans are over the age of 18

Are we talking about normal hl1 fans, or the cs fans that just bought the game for cs??? I mean, I see more children playing cs than normal hl1.

 

[cyborgguineapig]

And also, how can a game like max payne be mature and HL2 teen? It does not make sense anyway. You would think a game with realistic physics where bodies limp and fly and cartwheel would get a higher rating then say Max Payne with its mediocre physics.

 

[63]

Most HL1 fans are over the age of 18

Yes, I agree, the majority of HL1 fans are legal adults, but what is Valve promoting? Not Half-Life.

 

[Letters]

And also, how can a game like max payne be mature and HL2 teen? It does not make sense anyway. You would think a game with realistic physics where bodies limp and fly and cartwheel would get a higher rating then say Max Payne with its mediocre physics.

Max Payne 2 had great physics! :O

And sex. :naughty:

And cussing!

 

[cyborgguineapig]

Well if you want to look at it that way... Look at the Star Wars series. They got gh*y because they started targetting child aduience, but not like I already disliked star-wars from the start. Just saying... I mean the first Star-Wars were like made in the 70's... Children seeing episode 1 were like 10 years old and had no ******* clue that there was a history too it.

 

[cyborgguineapig]

Max Payne 2 had great physics! :O

And sex. :naughty:

And cussing!

I said Max Payne, as in (1) Max Payne 1. I don't believe bodies even gibbed and i think it got a mature rating.

 

[Top Secret]

I'll say this:

If I go to blow away a Combine soldier, and I see puffs of blue cotton candy coming out of him, I'll scream so loud and beat the shit out of my computer so bad you don't even know. :|

Max Payne 2 had great physics! :O

And sex. :naughty:

And cussing!

And the F word every 3 seconds. :naughty:

*Edit*

Which goes under cussing.... :hmph:

 

[cyborgguineapig]

Maybe they are giving HL2 leway, something like was done in the Titanic movie where there was nudity but rated pg-13.

 

[63]

Maybe they are giving HL2 leway, something like was done in the Titanic movie where there was nudity but rated pg-13.

You'll see more nudity in any music video aired on MTV..

 

[Shuzer]

You'll see more nudity in any music video aired on MTV..

er.. point out one full fledged topless shot in an MTV music video and I'll agree

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

er.. point out one full fledged topless shot in an MTV music video and I'll agree

Well mtv had there hands in with that superbowl 2004, michael jackson booby shot....with just timerlake...

 

[63]

er.. point out one full fledged topless shot in an MTV music video and I'll agree

Well, ok, I worded that incorrectly, what I meant to say is you might not see a topless shot, but you will see lesbians dry humping eachother (why am I complaining?) prostitution, shooting, more lesbians dry humping, multiple situations depicting drug and/or alcohol use as well as midgets fighting in ranch salad dressing.

/me wonders why he bothered writing this..
/me runs off to watch MTV..

 

[Shuzer]

Well mtv had there hands in with that superbowl 2004, michael jackson booby shot....with just timerlake...

You mean Janet.. er.. not that they look a whole lot different these days.. :x

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

You mean Janet.. er.. not that they look a whole lot different these days.. :x

No I mean Michael jackson! Damn child molester! :hmph:

 

[BlumenKohl]

OK guys, name me one game with rag-doll physics (that actually works) that received a T rating?

Also, no, companies DO NOT send games to the ESRB. Well not technically anyway. What they do send, is footage of the most "intense" points of gameplay etc.

Then, there's a group of people who work for ESRB who review the footage and give a rating. These "reviewers" are a gaming-retarded group of people who don't even know what Half-Life even is. Then Valve or the distributor gets the ratings and puts them on the box, when the game is ready to ship.

An example of the final game and box are sent to the ESRB for review to make sure it meets what the ESRB said, and then the game comes out.

 

[Sai]

OK guys, name me one game with rag-doll physics (that actually works) that received a T rating?

psi ops, there you go

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

psi ops, there you go

Thats sexbox!

 

[Sai]

shit, it's rated m isn't it?

/me hits myself with the psi ops box he has in his room with the big "M" plastered on it

 

[gunstarhero]

Everyone is getting so bent out of shape about this whole rating thing! I am sure Gabe would not sacrifice his artistic vision and be pushed around by a bunch of politically correct (insert derogatory name here)s.

 

[BlumenKohl]

Everyone is getting so bent out of shape about this whole rating thing! I am sure Gabe would not sacrifice his artistic vision and be pushed around by a bunch of politically correct (insert derogatory name here)s.

Don't be so sure. Money does things to people.

And as for Psi Ops being rated T...

Uh...maybe in an alternate universe. I don't know what you've been playing. Psi Ops = M.

Regardless, I don't buy it one second that HL2 will get a teen rating, with an interrogation scene, watching people being mistreated by police, a dark atmosphere, blood, ragdoll, etc.

 

[gunstarhero]

Don't be so sure. Money does things to people.

check this out http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1298&page=43&pp=15

Hello,
I'm from HL2.net and have read that in addition to VALVe aiming to RC
at the end of July (great news), you are also aiming for a teen ESRB
rating. I'd like to know what your thinking is behind striving for
the rather average content rating. I'm not questioning your move, but
fans may feel better knowing no HL2 material is being sacrificed.

Cheers & best of luck
Ryan


Gabe's reply:
No HL-2 material is or was being sacrificed. That just looks to be the rating they are going to give us.

 

[dscowboy]

Don't be so sure. Money does things to people.

Well, money can do things to organizations too, like Vivendi's money and the ESRB organization. In the movie business, studios will lobby and barter with the MPAA to get the rating they want. I'm sure it happens with games too.

And remember this: There are no strict rules on what content gets a T rating and what gets an M. If there were, we wouldn't need a committee to pass judgement, it would be a simple equation. Ratings boards will ALWAYS rate content on how 'wholesome' they feel it is, a totally subjective measure.

One more thing - the ESRB is young, it needs time to solidify its rating philosophy. As more people become gamers the Joe Leibertwits of the world will slowly lose their audience and stay-at-home moms will tire of freaking out about videogame content that's no worse than the TV and movies their kids watch. The ESRB ratings will slowly come into alignment with mainstream culture and the 'M' will become equivalent to 'R'.

If you haven't noticed, the MPAA does not give out 'R's for namby-pamby stuff like KILLING PEOPLE. I'm sure we can all agree that people taking their clothes off or saying four letter words is the REAL evil in society, not delightful saccharine things like murder and hatred.

 

[crownest]

That sucks, that means no gore like in the orginal half life :flame:

If there was gore, it would be an M 17+ rated game

 

[Shuzer]

That sucks, that means no gore like in the orginal half life :flame:

If there was gore, it would be an M 17+ rated game

Got any evidence to back this up?

We've seen.. detatched limbs hanging from a rope, zombies get cut into bloody pieces, also zombies on fire screaming in agony. We've seen antlions gibbing, we've seen ragdoll ragdolling, uhhhhm.. yeah, suffice to say, HL2's style of gore is more logical than HL's (I didn't know you could have two skulls)

 

[Chris D]

Probably already been mentioneed but I doub't it's anything to worry about as certification laws seem to be getting more and more lax as the years go by. Some films that would have been a 18 certificate 10 years ago would be a 15 certificate now.

I assume the same is happening for games.

 

[Feath]

Probably the difference between an "m" rating and a "t" rating is who you kill. In Half-Life you killed soldiers, who were definately human. It's not sure whether the Combine are human are not, and if they're alien, then, it's not as bad. As for people getting beaten up in their apartments, I don't think that includes intense violence. Limbs being ripped off is intense, hitting someone with a stick isn't.

Anyway, it's not an issue in the UK because they've got to submit the game to the BBFC now.

Rating games with higher ratings doesn't make a big difference like it does to films. You can actually check the age of someone going into a cinema, but someone else can just buy the game for you if you're too young.

Anyway, Gabe said they haven't cut content, so stop getting angry at Valve for no reason.

 

[ray_MAN]

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! All of you are crying in agony because HL2 recieved a T rating. How does that affect how a game plays?

 

[lans]

OK guys, name me one game with rag-doll physics (that actually works) that received a T rating?

ROFL...just cause a game has rag dolls it has to be M...rofl.

Calm down guys - HL2 content isn't going to be sacrificed. Gabe says that what ESRB is thinking to give - have you read the new interview @ gamespot from the head of ESRB? They're becoming slightly lax nowadays.

Only one bad thing with HL2 getting a teen rating - no alyx pr0n

 

[PatPwnt]

grr... I hope they didn't cut gore out.

 

[Feath]

grr... I hope they didn't cut gore out.

They didn't.

 

[Stingey]

omg if it doesnt have a teen rating my mommy wont let me have it.

 

[Gorgon]

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! All of you are crying in agony because HL2 recieved a T rating. How does that affect how a game plays?

cause when a game has teen rating that makes all the hardcore scens such as blood, pron, gore and etc..to be cut out.