I have to disagree. Not because I'm offended at the sex scene, but because I'm offended at Take Two and Rockstar's stupidity.
The scene is definitely there. But when the rumors of it began to surface, they claimed it wasn't even there. That was just stupid. When they were found to be lying, they then said that it can only be found by breaking the license agreement. In an industry that regularly builds in easter eggs and special unlocks, that defense is tissue thin. Sure the method used to get to it was more than just entering a special code, but that's not uncommon these days. So even thinking that stance would fly is stupid. They know they create a controversial game. It's what they thrive on, why they make their money. The developers who created the scene undoubtedly knew they were pushing those limits further. And the removal of the scene from the regular gameplay supports that. But the fact that they left it in was the key. Somebody made a conscious decision to replace the scene but leave it in. Considering the popularity of the GTA series it's plain to see that the Mature rating didn't hurt it. Probably the opposite. Admittedly, based on the ESRB Mature rating, they were able to get into stores that wouldn't carry an Adults Only rating. By the time the PC version was released and easter egg was discovered, they had already sold hundreds of millions of dollar's worth. What their reaction should have been when the scene rumors first surfaced was to release a statement that did acknowledge the scene's existence, re-label the rating and offer an M version and an AO version. And to mollify outraged parents, offer a trade-in program to get the "fixed" M version for their accidental AO version. Basically embrace the scene as a developer easter egg and build a proactive business model about it. I think it would create a sudden demand for the AO version that would become more scarce in certain stores like Walmart and BestBuy. They would be able to discount the M version at the regular rate but keep the price inflated on the AO version. And by having the trade-in program, they would be seen as having a positive approach to the problem by parents that are concerned about such things. So I'm much more offended at the missed business opportunity than I am about the inclusion mistake or the ESRB rating. -Kevin On 7/21/05, Jim Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It's ridiculous. Simply stupid for so many reasons: > > 1) The scene can only be found by breaking the license agreement in the first > place making the very act of exposing it criminal in-and-of itself. There is > no way (at least yet discovered) to see this material without changing the > game code: whether or not it was "in there" or not seems to me to be > irrelevant. > > In effect it's a visual "comment" - could a software company be sued because > of material in closed-source comments? A LOT of games ship with unused > models, audio and dead-ends embedded in their code. But there's no way to > see this stuff without hacking around. > > 2) The scene itself is ridiculously tame and just plain stupid. GTA is a > great game, but it's graphics engine is at least three years out of date (I > continually snort when I hear some silly representative claim it's "high > definition") and just looks awful. > > The scene was obviously never completed since the main character doesn't > actually disrobe (although the "girlfriend" is topless - in that crappy, > blocky GTA graphics way). You see no genitalia, penetration or anything that > you wouldn't see in a "soft R" movie. > > 3) The game was given it's current rating with graphically violent murder, > too many other forms of violent death to mention, prostitution, talk of > "alien spunk", drug and gang warfare and language that would make a sailor > blush. But some BOOBIES and suggestive dry humping are the straw that breaks > the camels back?! > > Just plain stupid. > > Jim Davis > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Save $10 Download ZoneAlarm Security Suite http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=66 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:165997 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
