Age Rating?

[2005Guyver02]

I've had this game for quite a while, but there is one thing that never bothered me until now.

There is no age rating to be found on the game. I was wondering if the game would be rated 12+, 16 or 18?

For those who make gaming videos:
At the start of 2020 YouTube is going to make it difficult for people that make gaming videos, where we/they have to add an age rating to all hundreds/thousands/millions of their videos, or get fined per video.

[TwitchyJ]

Well it would be rated Teen most likely just because of the minimal blood from shooting things. Anything that has at least some blood gets that rating.

Now if we start seeing blood appear on surfaces and the ground then that's considered gore and would bump the rating up to Mature. We don't have that though (although the blood on our screen when the player takes damage could potentially fall under that).

Unsure of the future. It all depends on what changes are done to the game. At this point in time Teen is the most likely rating.

From what you are describing though it sounds like the video creator for Youtube is the one that has to assign a rating to the video. So that would also depend on their commentary, not just the game they are playing.
I haven't done any reading to confirm or deny your issues though.

[Sabaithal]

I doubt most teens would have the patience for this game though, mostly due to a majority of them being in the mindless CoD shooter demographic.

[Cosmoros]

Totally +18. We need hentai in-game!

[The Big Brzezinski]

Well Empyrion certainly has its share of Technology Porn[tvtropes.org].

Honestly, the most objectionable thing associated with Empyrion is the swearing over suddenly being surrounded by parasite-laden aliens.

[Pembroke]

Don't the age-limits depend on where you live? Some countries can't understand why desensitizing kids to violence could be bad as long as you don't show any red stuff but will give a big no-no to any nudity or swearing no matter the context. Other countries have this reversed and will mercilessly x-rate violent content regardless of how humorous it might be presented but draw the "nudity line" only at porn and can't fathom what's the fuss about swearwords. Yet other countries will have some other combination of "red-lines".

Now, of course, there being an age-rating that depends on your locality is absolutely doable but the point is, it's a global world and a global gamer audience so any age-ratings must then come from *local* sources, private or public, however it's done in your country. I don't think Steam will object to these things and will most likely cooperate where required or even just asked but the initiative must come from a local interest group and it will always apply just to that locality.

To OP: If you're 2005Guyver01 of SpaceEngineers/Empyrion fame then thumbs up for you actually considering these things but also note you do have an international audience and their mileage varies. Which doesn't mean you can't design the suitability of your content the way you see appropriate. Just pick a yard-stick *you* think content should be rated by, explain it on your channel, rate your content, and then just stick to it. Your viewers will understand (and thank you).

[piddlefoot]

How are utube going to fine people on a per video offence.

They have no legal grounds to do it.
What has to happen first, is they have to get YOU to AGREE to a new set of end user agreements.

If you fail to agree, its likely Utube wont run for you, they are likely to put some code it to stop it running on your PC, so its agree and comply or be gone effectively, but they wont say that because it could cost them numbers.

The catch is, if you agree, you agree to go back and edit every video you ever posted, and if you dont you have effectively signed off on them charging you on a per offence system.

It should be illegal to bring in such new rules, photobucket did the same thing, when they launched they promoted how good the system was, free storage with the promise of no fee EVER, and now we get hit with monthly fees just to do the same thing and bring in them millions in advertising revenue, yes you should feel cheated over that.

So read any new end user agreement very carefully, they can be more important than you think, they ARE a contract between developer or seller and user.

[Cosmoros]

Originally posted by VoltiacSynapse:

Originally posted by ☢︎ℕo!ᗫєα†h☢:

Totally +18. We need hentai in-game!

You mean more than what we see on Steam on the weekly release currently. I almost feel bad for anyone who buys those types of games at this point seriously.

MOST of that games are trash AF

[Cosmoros]

Originally posted by VoltiacSynapse:

Originally posted by ☢︎ℕo!ᗫєα†h☢:

MOST of that games are trash AF

Agreed, but someone's buying them I might make one just to get a quick buck LMAO!

Yea. Hentai is trash, most porn is trash, porn games and hentai trash majority.

[Marcus Suridius]

I let my 7 year old nephew and niece play it, the game is fantastic for their creativity and problem solving.

[piddlefoot]

I dont think it has an actual age rating.
I couldnt see one on store page but I may have missed it.

And it doesnt really matter does it, its not a porno and doesnt have body parts being torn off in graphic bloody detail, it doesnt promote religion, it does not promote any type of political ideal, so its really not a needed thing.

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by piddlefoot:

I dont think it has an actual age rating.
I couldnt see one on store page but I may have missed it.

And it doesnt really matter does it, its not a porno and doesnt have body parts being torn off in graphic bloody detail, it doesnt promote religion, it does not promote any type of political ideal, so its really not a needed thing.

I got one: Whenever you reach the age of having patience for learning this game's system, and how to operate it. Also what an Early Access game actually means.

Since a lot of people seem to be having trouble with that last one. And apparently the first, since the CPU did that O so horrible thing where it requires you to slightly tweak your blueprints now.

[Nylan]

Regardless of how age rating on this game goes wont matter if its on YouTube.. whoever posts the video hits a flag that says "yes this is for kids" or "no this is not for kids" when they post it. Then YouTube gives the approval of the video and off it goes. Catch is if they lie then the FTC can go after not just YouTube but also the video poster. At least that's my understanding of it, based on what i saw in this guys video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v61-HoOeUqs

Pretty informative, and doesn't sound like it'll be a big deal if people check the right boxes and such.

[ml58103]

Originally posted by Dorrin:

Regardless of how age rating on this game goes wont matter if its on YouTube.. whoever posts the video hits a flag that says "yes this is for kids" or "no this is not for kids" when they post it. Then YouTube gives the approval of the video and off it goes. Catch is if they lie then the FTC can go after not just YouTube but also the video poster. At least that's my understanding of it, based on what i saw in this guys video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v61-HoOeUqs

Pretty informative, and doesn't sound like it'll be a big deal if people check the right boxes and such.

Actually, the issues are a bigger deal than you realize. The FTC doesn't care what box you check. That is all YouTube. If you check the box for This video is for children than YT won't have tracking cookies etc on your video. Otherwise they will have tracking. If you have tracking and the FTC decides that your video is of interest to children under 13 you are in violation of COPPA and subject to a fine. The criteria for content that is of interest to children is very vague and broad things like Animation, toys, gaming, Sports etc are listed as examples. So you are totally at the mercy of the FTC deciding weather your video somehow appeals to children and if they are tracked by Yahoo you are on the hook for the fine. Note that the thumbnail you used could be enough to get you in trouble.

The other issue is if you check the box for children's content your video won't be monetized, it won't be recommended or have notifications.

Maybe the FTC won't be aggressive on enforcement here but there is nothing stopping them from doing so. Your also dealing with people that assume only kids play video games or watch animation.

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by ml58103:

Originally posted by Dorrin:

Regardless of how age rating on this game goes wont matter if its on YouTube.. whoever posts the video hits a flag that says "yes this is for kids" or "no this is not for kids" when they post it. Then YouTube gives the approval of the video and off it goes. Catch is if they lie then the FTC can go after not just YouTube but also the video poster. At least that's my understanding of it, based on what i saw in this guys video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v61-HoOeUqs

Pretty informative, and doesn't sound like it'll be a big deal if people check the right boxes and such.

Actually, the issues are a bigger deal than you realize. The FTC doesn't care what box you check. That is all YouTube. If you check the box for This video is for children than YT won't have tracking cookies etc on your video. Otherwise they will have tracking. If you have tracking and the FTC decides that your video is of interest to children under 13 you are in violation of COPPA and subject to a fine. The criteria for content that is of interest to children is very vague and broad things like Animation, toys, gaming, Sports etc are listed as examples. So you are totally at the mercy of the FTC deciding weather your video somehow appeals to children and if they are tracked by Yahoo you are on the hook for the fine. Note that the thumbnail you used could be enough to get you in trouble.

The other issue is if you check the box for children's content your video won't be monetized, it won't be recommended or have notifications.

Maybe the FTC won't be aggressive on enforcement here but there is nothing stopping them from doing so. Your also dealing with people that assume only kids play video games or watch animation.

We really should come up with a name for this 2010s 'child proofing' everything. I'm thinking...pussification. Definitely seems appropriate given the age we are living in.

[hound]

Deeper layer...Utube got in trouble for mining data on children and got fined.
They they and the FTC got together and made up this "feature".
I can't wait until the first fine is levied and someone goes to court....utube will have to pay again.