Help! Understanding Age Ratings!

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


The education system has been the tool that teaches your kids how to be factory workers. They haven't changed the formula since WWII.

As for gaming studies. Any time you spend focused on anythign, you are going to change something. I think it comes down to how well adaptable your kids are, along with what kind of environment/education they are getting at home.

Stable home/education/parents, usually results in stable children.

~Tenth

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Stable home/education/parents, usually results in stable children.

Or as I put it...consistency, consistency, consistency.

Many thanks for your, and everyone else's, input. Very much appreciated. I am suitable reassured, even if I am still undecided about Halo4

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


Halo 4 Vs any other shooter, I pick Halo.

There's not even any real blood in it. Or cursing lol

Now let me tell you something if he's going to play Online (xbox live) with other people make sure to mute the voice from the other players because they are VERY bad people outhere (I know because I am a gamer myself) they insult people for no reason and are very mean... If he's only going to play the Singleplayer the story is about John-117 aka masterchief a Spartan 2 Super Soldier. He's trying to save Cortana they have been together for 7 years now and she is dying, and he will do what ever he can to save her, its all about friendship and love. You use guns to kill the Aliens and some Robots The Halo Universe is deep and offers a really good story and if he likes the game you can also buy him the Books. now if he is mature enough to know that you don't shoot people with guns IRL then I say he is mature enough to play a video game.

I have been playing games since i was 7 years old. And my first game was a 18 rated game..

I am now 21, i am working full time in business, and i have a clean criminal record.

No damage has been done to me, if anything it has taught me more to understand violence.

Anyway, Halo 4 is a game in which you fight Aliens. Honestly get the kid the game, he will only find a way to play it somewhere else.

reply to post by HopliteStatue


That is very interesting to know. I got him XBox Live membership for Christmas, but so far he hasn't really delved too far, and I am ALWAYS in the room with him when he is gaming with that anyway...so can jump in as and when I am needed to. However, I don't know, is killing humans any different to killing aliens? I have taught him that it is wrong to kill any living being and that it is wrong to judge 'difference'...wouldn't that be confusing the issue?

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


Not really, I mean he's not technically killing anything.

That's where the reality, vs fantasy comes in right?

Knowing the difference between snuffing out a pixelated being and real being is quite profound.

I make the difference because he's never going to look at a human and have thoughts of shooting one, if he's only ever shot aliens. At least he should't.

WIth other shooters, where humans are involved, it's possible he may day dream about that stuff.

Its no different than getting him a game that lets him use and a sword and shield to kill monsters is it?

I think as parents sometimes, we put too much emphasis adn what COULD effect our kids badly, as opposed what is most LIKELY to effect them.

~Tenth

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


I think you are over analyzing this, it's just a video game and he should know that the two (video games and Real life) are completely different things!

reply to post by tothetenthpower


You are sooo in my head! I am entirely worrying about the reality versus fantasy thing because I, personally, see a very, very fine line, BUT that is because of the way I am wired. I am wondering what happens in the future when aliens make contact and we have programmed our kids to kill them on sight I over intellectualise everything and this, of course, is no exception.

reply to post by godofme


Too true. His best friend has it. And to extent I don't mind that aspect of it because his friend's Dad is responsible and is a gamer. It is more my ignorance, I think, that I am concerned about when it comes down to it.

I think there is no other solution, I am going to have to start gaming.

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


That' a girl!

Gaming is GREAT actually and can be a raelly good bonding experience with your kids, depending on what both interests you of course.

THere are hundreds of multiplayer games like Mario Party and stuff to play together and Kinect games for the 360.

I'm sure you'll find something that you enjoy

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


What you should be more concerned about are the other gamers. Xbox gamers are notorious for their especially foul behavior and bad sportsmanship. If you beat somebody on Xbox, 1% of the time, the player will say it's because you were better. The other 99% of the time, it is because of "that's bullcrap". If your son is particularly gifted at FPS games, he will always be "gay" to the other Xboxers.

If he plays on Xbox Live, he's already been exposed to much worse than Halo.

You son can play anything up to Teen.

Teen rating would have mild violence, not always bloody, some language nothing too vulgar.

14+
Both of these are just incrementation on the Teen rating, bit more violence, bit more language.
16+



Mature has Adult oriented things, sexual reference, boobs, drug usage, gore, decapitation, corpse... so pretty much everything except sexual intercourse involving/showing genitals.

Not all Mature has Sexual reference, but they definitely have violence, these games are also have critical thinking, where some young ones won;t be interested in.

Adult: Sex games = porn movie.



Halo, is mainly violence, shooting, and i don't think it has any nudity. I have not played Xbox since first Halo.

PS3 FTW!

reply to post by KilgoreTrout

The ratings pretty much say it how it is on the labels, games now a days are pushing the boundaries so ya some games you really want to look at the rating label and maybe check it out online to see whats it about. Believe me I know some games are not for young children, I pretty much played enough videogames to know whats what.

As for Halo 4, I have the game, its not a bad game and other then the whole cortana AI is kind of you know revealing for a digital construct that is, and the fact that its a first person shooter. The game is really for kids, there is no blood in it like most first person shooters, for its genera its a toned down game, there is nothing in the game that would make anybody stop and go WTF, or see anything they have not seen anywhere else such as in movies or shows or even read in books. In fact in the online multilayer with real people your bound to run into more potty mouthed dudes, and hear more swear words and crazy things then in the actual game itself, I know because I play Halo 4 online sometimes and I played the Halo series from the first one way back when online. Oh and the funny thing is most of that, the # talking is coming from kids because they know they can get away with.

Check the games you buy I would say, some games are really far out there, but there is a whole bunch of different genres out there anything from horror, to sports, to shooting, to strategy games, to role playing games, to story driven games literally like books, to adventure games, puzzle games, to survival games, and even plain wacky and silly games, and even plain nutty games, the types of videogames out there are really varied its not all the shoot them bloody types. Those are just more popular now a days with the kids, from all the genres and games I played I would say there not even the funnest games out there or the most interesting, but they have there moments.

And yes there are even some far out games such as "postal" if you never heard of the game look it up, and even newer games like the new devil may cry 5 which came out a day ago. I would say is not for everyone, its got swearing, blood, sexual themes, and just plain gross stuff, and much more, but all of that is on the label. Really just look the game up and you will find all and much more of whats in it and about. Halo 4 is one of the more mild shooter games out there, I do not think its going to ruin your kids mind, in fact hes probably seen more stuff, and heard more swearing at school or hanging around with his little friends, or in the books you read to him or the movies he seen, there is about as much if not more violence and sexual themed innuendos, in the James Bond movies then in the whole Halo games.

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


If more parents were like you, the world would be a better place!!
I play Halo 4 and out of all the First person shooters(FPS) Halo is the least gory and violent compared to most of the military type shooters.

If you want to checkout a game, watch youtube for actual in game footage, so you and your son are less likely to be shocked.

I've been a gamer for over 25 years and was one of the first to set up Doom as multiplayer lol, those were the days!! One thing I will suggest, if your son is going to play on-line then maybe be around the first few times he tries it, people on-line can be very nasty at times so maybe learn how to mute other players who are irratating or using bad language, and also teach him to ignor and not to react to people,. I'm still horrified when playing Battlefield 3 and get a torrent of abuse from a 10 year old who's playing an 18 game because I got a higher score!

Originally posted by luciddream
Halo, is mainly violence, shooting, and i don't think it has any nudity. I have not played Xbox since first Halo.

Thanks!

I am much less concerned about nudity than I am about violence. Seeing a naked body isn't going to do much more than give him a thrill, it won't give him nightmares.

reply to post by galadofwarthethird


Yeah, I've checked out loads of demos and clips on You Tube. Nothing has overly jumped out at me as being inappropriate for him, but it is difficult to gauge the overall 'intensity' of the action/experience. As others have recommended, I think the best thing is for me to get hands on, and play the game with him, as alien as that prospect is to me, it seems to be the only solution, and I have to admit, I am kind of looking forward to it. So we are going to go and get it this weekend

BTW Cortana's not his type, he has a very firm preference for blondes, has done ever since he could walk...though, Cortana has got big boobies...and he does like the boobies

reply to post by Kurokage


You could tell me I was the most beautiful woman alive and I wouldn't bat an eyelid, but compliment me on my parenting skills and I go to mush

Thanks for you advice, appreciated.

Originally posted by Cuervo
reply to post by KilgoreTrout

 

What you should be more concerned about are the other gamers. Xbox gamers are notorious for their especially foul behavior and bad sportsmanship. If you beat somebody on Xbox, 1% of the time, the player will say it's because you were better. The other 99% of the time, it is because of "that's bullcrap". If your son is particularly gifted at FPS games, he will always be "gay" to the other Xboxers.

If he plays on Xbox Live, he's already been exposed to much worse than Halo.

Sorry missed this reply...I don't ever let him engage in any media without being present so I am not too concerned about that aspect of it. I am always in the room. We have had talks about swearing and he knows I have a zero tolerance on it, he can hear swear words, and I will explain their meaning to him, but the minute he repeats them...he is not allowed to use/watch etc, that application or programme. Seems to work. Same goes for 'labels' such as 'gay'...he knows I don't agree with labelling...and he will gets a thoroughly detailed lecture on those labels when and if he uses them. Kids hear these things all the time, but don't understand the context, give them the context and they understand how pathetic they are.

reply to post by KilgoreTrout

The Halo series is probably for him, it's got violence but even that pales in comparison to other games in the first person shooter genre, that is its got no blood, or gory parts flying off which is pretty standard stuff in other like games. The game is short however, I mostly play PRG's so I am used to putting hundreds of hours in some games, but I think I beat Halo 4 it in a day or so, and games like Halo were really made for the greater part to be played online against other player, or to play with friends in fact most FPS were made for that purpose, and the story mode is kind of just tacked on. Really back when the first Halo came out that is what I got it for, so I can play with people I knew online and shoot the # out of them.

Like I said the worse you would have to worry about is that he may hear somebody say a pooty word online, dont know about you or any of that but I heard plenty of more stuff in real life from people, then I heard from online people. In fact one of the dudes I used to play Halo 2 and 3 with on the X-box was one of those dudes, the kind that just could never shut the hell up and always insulted people just because he could, no joke the guy got banned over 6 times because of it from the x-box live, but that was years ago, by now he has had like over 10 or so different accounts. Every time he get's banned he just gets another account, I asked him once why he just talks so much #, he said and get this "to demoralize the opposing team and to get under there skin so that they make mistakes" And lets just say he called people pretty much all the names in the book, and insulted everything there is to insult people on, from there mothers to even insulting there pets, anything to get under there skin. Oh ya some people really do take those games seriously.

Don't know if your son will run into people like that, or if he will even like the whole online thing. But don't be surprised if he does, if anything its just a game and it will teach him not to take things to seriously. You do seem pretty stringent on that sort of stuff, I am pretty sure he will stay in line, if anything just eyeball him if he gets out of line and I am sure he will totally be scared. To bad I don't have the time, or play those types of games as much as I used to anymore, because I would totally pawn you two noobs on it if I could, or if ever ran into you both that is. Oh well carry on.