Game Politics ([info]gamepolitics) wrote,
2006-04-06 13:26:00
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IGDA's Brenda Brathwaite: Virginia Legislation a Matter of Inches

Hey, do you like that humongous ESRB label adorning the GTA San Andreas box at left?

Didn't think so.

But, as Brenda Brathwaite, leader of the IGDA's Sex in Games SIG, points out, that's exactly what M-rated games will look like if a bill currently before the Virginia legislature passes.

Senate Bill 368 requires that M-rated games bear a rating label which is "a square with sides not less than three inches long, and with type stating that the video game may be suitable only for persons age 17 or older that is not smaller than twelve-point type."

The bill's sponsor is Sen. Henry Marsh III (D).

Tags: brenda brathwaite, henry marsh iii, ratings, stupid politician tricks, virginia

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[info]fatcatlim

April 6 2006, 17:41:37 UTC 6 years ago

LOL Kinda reminds me of all those gruesome cancer patients' pictures on the cigarette packs in Singapore.

[info]madikai

April 6 2006, 18:05:29 UTC 6 years ago

Damn, and now I've got the Dennis Leary rant about the warnings on cigarettes going through the back of my head...


There's a guy- he's English, I don't think we should hold that against him, but apparently this is just his life's dream because he is going from country to country. He has a senate hearing in this country coming up in a couple of weeks. And this is what he wants to do. He wants to make the warnings on the packs bigger. Yeah! He wants the whole front of the pack to be the warning. Like the problem is we just haven't noticed yet. Right? Like he's going to get his way and all of the sudden smokers around the world are going to be going, "Yeah, Bill, I've got some cigarettes.. HOLY SHIT! These things are bad for you! Shit, I thought they were good for you! I thought they had Vitamin C in them and stuff!

Dennis Leary; Opening rant, no cure for cancer.

[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]phantompvp

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]synthiviper

6 years ago

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[info]madikai

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

April 6 2006, 17:42:04 UTC 6 years ago

How about

How about a government official standing by the till, who's job will be to slap parents who buy M rated games for their kids without first reading the box.

Or how about regulating the MPAA so you can actually READ their labels. Those guys use like 6pt font, which is ultra-tiny.

illspirit had a good pic of the comparison...

[info]jabrwock

April 6 2006, 17:42:55 UTC 6 years ago

link bad?

Sorry, your query could not be properly interpreted. Please use your back button and retry your last request

[info]jabrwock

April 6 2006, 17:47:22 UTC 6 years ago

fix

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+ful+SB368

Needs the +'s, not spaces to work for me. :)

[info]gamepolitics

6 years ago

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[info]wxdiva

April 6 2006, 17:44:32 UTC 6 years ago

I'll agree with that bill when they decide to put huge nutrition facts sheets on fast food. We all know that crap is more harmful than video games.

[info]sinistarfith

April 6 2006, 18:25:46 UTC 6 years ago

Get ready to agree, then

Just the other day, I was reading the Nutrition Facts on my carton of McDonald's french fries.

[info]wxdiva

6 years ago

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[info]giantmisgreat

6 years ago

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[info]gatz111085

6 years ago

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[info]cecil475

6 years ago

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[info]sundaos

6 years ago

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[info]darkshiver

April 6 2006, 17:48:05 UTC 6 years ago

Well, at least that way when any doofus parent tries to blame the video game industry for the corruption of their saintly child, the gaming industry can pull out a copy of their game and say..."See? See? It's in plain sight on the box. You'd have to be a moron not to know our game is Rated M for Mature."

[info]silver_derstin

April 6 2006, 17:49:22 UTC 6 years ago

And the emperor as no clothes...

[info]anticron

6 years ago

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[info]silver_derstin

6 years ago

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[info]anticron

6 years ago

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[info]skemodan

6 years ago

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[info]wxdiva

6 years ago

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[info]experimentego

6 years ago

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[info]bm03

6 years ago

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[info]experimentego

6 years ago

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[info]shadostahker

6 years ago

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[info]gargos

April 6 2006, 17:48:24 UTC 6 years ago

*Looks at his friend's game library*

"Dude! Why do you have so many copies of 'M: The Game'?"

[info]experimentego

April 6 2006, 18:08:49 UTC 6 years ago

Because your friend's got a Judi Dench fetish. :P

[info]tollwutig

6 years ago

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[info]silver_derstin

April 6 2006, 17:48:29 UTC 6 years ago

I wouldn't mind if the ESRB marker was on the plastic wrapping around the game, but on the box, something that size is just fucking stupid. I want a cover that looks good so I have an idea of what I'm buying, not a ZOMG NOT FOR KIDDIES box.

Why not cover the whole thing with a huge NOT FOR KIDDIES, while they're at it.

[info]jindewinter

April 6 2006, 18:00:01 UTC 6 years ago

That would actually be a good idea to use if this bill was passed after hell froze over, that way the games title is permantly covered by a huge ass M and this way it might make mom think before she buys the new Shooter Guy 2 for little Jimmy.

[info]madikai

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]lost_watcher

April 6 2006, 17:51:45 UTC 6 years ago

How can you miss it!

I pulled out my Halo Box and looked on the front.
Had a nice large M on it.
But when I pulled out Constantine, no R on the front.
So I checked the back of Each.
Halo:
Violence
Blood and Gore

Constantine:
It had the R on the back smaller than the M.
Also had:
Violence and Demonic Images

It takes alot more time to firgure out the ratings on Movies than Games, alot more.

[info]illspirit

April 6 2006, 18:46:19 UTC 6 years ago

Re: How can you miss it!

And, look, no warnings for tobacco use on Constantine either. Yet Keanu Reeves chain-smokes like two cartons of cigarettes in the movie. Where is the outrage? Where are the politicians crying out that the MPAA has failed us all?!

Deleted comment

[info]anticron

April 6 2006, 17:51:55 UTC 6 years ago

Required, because people are blind.

The rating is already significantly larger than the arguably more graphic movie ratings counterpart.

[info]origamifrog

April 6 2006, 18:02:38 UTC 6 years ago

You know... we keep saying that parents must be blind to miss the huge obvious M stickers on game boxes, but what about parents who actually are blind?

Should ESRB use braille or at least insist that the warning labels be beveled to aid game purchases who really can't see what they're buying?

[info]anticron

6 years ago

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[info]startropics

6 years ago

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[info]origamifrog

6 years ago

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[info]tollwutig

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]origamifrog

6 years ago

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[info]experimentego

6 years ago

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[info]jaykaos

April 6 2006, 17:56:44 UTC 6 years ago

They don't get it, do they.
Sigh.
The reason behind all these bills is the same reason parents keep buying M-rated games for their kids-
Society.
Society as a whole (or at least those > 30) still holds the view that games are something for kids, and just refuses to accept that games can be as mature an art form as any other.
So the parents don't believe any game can be so bad that they shouldn't give it to their kids, and go ahead and buy whatever.
And the legislators are shocked that anything that kids shouldn't see could possibly be in a videogame, so they up and shout censorship.

If we could just get over these damned antiquated views about vidoegames all this shit would go away.
But that won't happen until this generation grows up, takes charge, and kicks out the old fogeys.
Which can't happen a day too soon.

[info]jabrwock

April 6 2006, 18:00:11 UTC 6 years ago

RTFL!

Society as a whole (or at least those > 30) still holds the view that games are something for kids

They need the equivalent to RTFM... :P

[info]anticron

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]startropics

6 years ago

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[info]yoshiko34

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]yoshiko34

6 years ago

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[info]yoshiko34

6 years ago

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[info]sqlrob

6 years ago

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[info]jaykaos

6 years ago

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[info]enmitywithin

April 6 2006, 17:58:23 UTC 6 years ago

three inches by three inches!?

that's like what, a good 1/6th of the ps2 game case?

that's nuts, it's not going to pass.

why? because it's frivolous.

in the immortal words of dennis leary "you could have smokes that were the warning, and you'd still have people lined up around the block going "I can't wait to get my hands on these f***ing things. you probably get a tumour as soon as you light up!"

in other words. isn't going to work.

[info]experimentego

April 6 2006, 18:11:10 UTC 6 years ago

Re: three inches by three inches!?

The solution? Manufacturers should make BIGGER game boxes! Make them the size of laserdiscs or LPs, so that it offsets the size of the warning label by percentages! That'll show them! XD

[info]lost_watcher

6 years ago

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[info]origamifrog

6 years ago

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[info]experimentego

6 years ago

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[info]blackwolfga

6 years ago

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[info]shadostahker

6 years ago

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[info]experimentego

6 years ago

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[info]shadostahker

6 years ago

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[info]kroninokiller

6 years ago

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[info]xlorep_darkhelm

April 6 2006, 17:59:12 UTC 6 years ago

The next logical step is to make the entire case be the rating label, and the actual case art, name of the game, and other factoids fit into the size of the old rating label.

[info]seifd

April 6 2006, 21:31:48 UTC 6 years ago

I might be giving politicians bad ideas, but here's what it'll be like.

Front: The whole thing will the regular M.

Back: A small icon for everything in the game that politicians don't like.

Along with having it printed, it's in braile and there will be a button to have it recited out loud. When this happens, they'll try to ban the game.

[info]experimentego

April 6 2006, 18:06:19 UTC 6 years ago

I know this has nothing to do with the "important issue" (no snideness in those quotemarks intended) at hand but one thing I've always wanted to see done with the ESRB labels is some creative subversions that entertain without getting in the way of informing.

Seriously, I mean we've seen rap albums with tongue-in-cheek appropriations of the "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" label and ironic jibes at the "Approved by the Comics Code Authority" branding on comics, but why hasn't this happened with games?

[info]startropics

April 6 2006, 18:12:36 UTC 6 years ago

I don't think that's fair at all.

If this passes, we should be allowed to put huge stickers on politican's faces that state "WE ARE AGENDA PUSHING TROLLS" in giant, Pricedown typeface.

[info]experimentego

April 6 2006, 18:30:18 UTC 6 years ago

Re: I don't think that's fair at all.

I suggest we take this idea a step further and create a whole regulations committee to rate each politician and develop a letter-based sticker system. There'd be "J" for Jackass, "IW" for Indecisive Waffling and of course, for rare occasions, "H-AL" for Honest, like Abe Lincoln.

[info]warpstarmstr122

6 years ago

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[info]dan888

6 years ago

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[info]heimdal00

April 6 2006, 18:19:27 UTC 6 years ago

Ridiculous!

I don't buy anything, or even support the purchase of anything, without at least a few seconds thought about it's function or contents. I thought this was common sense, but I guess common sense isn't all that common.

If parents wanted to know the rating, they could easily find it already. What good is making it bigger if they already don't care? This whole idea requires the assumption that people are inept; its condescending garbage at it's base.

For some reason I liken this to speaking louder to someone who's blind. They can hear just fine, that's not the problem!

[info]hotrodnothing

April 6 2006, 19:33:54 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Ridiculous!

I fully agree with this notion... yelling at blind people, how accurate.

[info]xlorep_darkhelm

6 years ago

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[info]lost_watcher

April 6 2006, 18:22:19 UTC 6 years ago

Have an odd feeling but...

Stores in VA might start supplying LARGE stickers just to place on the wrapping of the boxes.

[info]slayemin

April 6 2006, 18:26:17 UTC 6 years ago

I don't care, do you? I buy games because I want to play them, not because they have a pretty box. If politicians think this is "good and better" like the warnings on cigarette cartons, let them think they matter.
An interesting point to bring up is: "What about games which can be bought online, like Half-life 2 via steam?" (credit card required?) and what about games which can be downloaded for free, or games like runescape which don't even require a download or age verification to play?

[info]howdoyouplead

April 6 2006, 19:41:50 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, and people will still be able to buy the regular boxes in online stores. It just shows how ignorant these politicians are about the industry they are trying to regulate.

[info]xlorep_darkhelm

6 years ago

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[info]jabrwock

6 years ago

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[info]x_vader_x

April 6 2006, 18:26:43 UTC 6 years ago

Grand theft... Grand Theft..? What kind of title is that?

I am happy i moved to North Carolina ((RIGHT below Virginia)) but if this law passes ((Whitch i highly doubt since it should be done on movies and music also)) then they should just put it on the outside plastic wrap or something... Hell you cant even read game so how am i suppose to know this is good or not?

[info]yoshiko34

April 6 2006, 21:28:40 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Grand theft... Grand Theft..? What kind of title is that?

The only problem is that some stores have to take off the original plastic wrapping around games to be able to them out on the floor.

[info]tollwutig

6 years ago

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[info]akbarthegreat

6 years ago

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[info]empress_tigress

6 years ago

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[info]skemodan

April 6 2006, 18:34:19 UTC 6 years ago

Throwback to the first Bush administration

Remember when UPC bar codes became mandatory on all products? Of course you do. Remember when MAD Magazine released its first issue after the mandate? They put a big UPC sticker as the cover of the magazine with a short bitch-blurb about how ugly the bar codes were.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[info]shadostahker

April 6 2006, 21:26:51 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Throwback to the first Bush administration

Yes, but UPCs are at least functional, and speed up the purchasing process, as well as incredibly streamlining the inventory process. What once took weeks, now takes hours.

These are just ugly. I don't mind a larger sticker on the outside of the plastic shrink-wrap, but not a permanent thing on the case.

[info]father_time89

6 years ago

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[info]cactusjack1999

6 years ago

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[info]tsknf

April 6 2006, 18:34:50 UTC 6 years ago

Imbecile parent: "Oh! Grand Theft M! That sound slike a nice alphabet learning game for little Timmy!"

-_-'

[info]aismodel

April 6 2006, 18:35:16 UTC 6 years ago

Dual Covers?

If this passes, perhaps they will just insert a cover which fits the requirements onto of the actual box and seal the whole thing for retail. They currently do this in Canada where they insert a cover (which is literally a piece of loose paper with slightly modified stuff of the original cover, once you take away the plastic wrap) which is printed in both English and French....

Aism

[info]garbagepa1lk1d

April 6 2006, 18:36:30 UTC 6 years ago

I'm curious, how do you think this would stand up if it were challenged in court?

[info]jindewinter

April 6 2006, 18:37:37 UTC 6 years ago

Damn the fact that I am at work >.< I want to e-mail Sen. Henry Marsh III and kindly explain that no matter the size of the warning lable parents will still ignore it and buy the game for little Jimmy. Why? because parents/granparents are sometimes uneducated on the ratings and think Video games are still for kids, or they have a brat on their hands that will whine and complain until the newest game is theirs because the kids no the parents have no spine and will cave because they don't know how to tell their kid no because they don't want to look like the bad guy.

Guarenteed you could place a M rated game surrounded loud speakers saying "This game is not for kids" The box could be nothing but a Rated M for Mature Logo with a list of everything the game contains and the parent will still buy it for their 10 year old.

[info]xlorep_darkhelm

April 6 2006, 19:58:32 UTC 6 years ago

How about a big neon holographic sign that reads "This game is not for your f***ing kids, you go***amn stupid mother-fu****!!!!"

Oh, wait.... they'd probably still miss it.

[info]bm03

April 6 2006, 18:50:33 UTC 6 years ago

Bonus points for choice of tags.

/b

[info]rsteinke

April 6 2006, 18:51:46 UTC 6 years ago

That's actually a great solution for stupid people

Novel idea for stupid parent's who can't say 'NO!' to their stupid children. I'm 23 and I put all my PC games in a CD binder anyway and all my XBox and PS2 games are on a DVD shelf with their spines facing out. They can feel free to do it for all I care, mabie the parents will wise up and Jack Thompson and his ilk will shut up.

[info]xlorep_darkhelm

April 6 2006, 19:53:27 UTC 6 years ago

Re: That's actually a great solution for stupid people

By definition, stupid people wouldn't know what you are talking about, much less how to go about doing it.

[info]sir_bissel

6 years ago

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[info]rsteinke

6 years ago

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[info]madikai

6 years ago

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[info]rsteinke

6 years ago

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[info]madikai

6 years ago

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