|
addict
|
OP
addict
Joined: Oct 2004
|
I said after GTA:SA, that next in line could be Sims, since it had blocks that blur out nudity. And yes, there are mods out there to remove the blurs, of course. And like most games that modders get a a hold on, they alter game content w/ their mods. Now, look....This is getting rediculous now: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/0...amp;amp;tag=gs_news&subj=6129609Sims 2 content "worse than Hot Coffee" Miami attorney Jack Thompson claims cheat codes make EA's life sim a pedophile's paradise by showing genitalia; calls for ban on T-rated game.
How do you like your hot coffee? If you're Jack Thompson, you like it scalding game publisher's laps. The Miami attorney and antigaming activist has done his share to see that games don't fall into the wrong hands. And lately, those hands have belonged to almost everyone.
Thompson was among those who spearheaded the recent effort to slap an "Adults Only" rating on Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and he's often been on the forefront of many other gaming issues, several of which have targeted the crime-spree-based GTA franchise. In the past, he's represented defendants who have been the victims of GTA-inspired crimes, including the triple homicide of three police officers by an 18-year-old boy in Alabama.
His beef with San Andreas? Unused code in the game that depicts sexual acts. These minigames can be unlocked by using game-cheat devices or patches available on the Internet.
Thompson is on a roll...and he's not done yet. His latest goat is a game that doesn't involve guns, carjacking, or prostitutes: He's going after Electronic Arts' The Sims 2.
In a manifesto sent today to press outlets, Thompson focuses on dismantling the Entertainment Software Ratings Board and exposing what he calls the industry's "latest dirty little secret." The secret's out now, and it involves nude sims.
In the statement, Thompson says, "Sims 2, the latest version of the Sims video game franchise ... contains, according to video game news sites, full frontal nudity, including nipples, penises, labia, and pubic hair."
The Sims 2 is a "life simulator." In the game, players steer their digital beings around their cyberlives. Actions include everything from the spectacular (getting married, having children, receiving promotions at work) to the mundane (cooking microwaved meals, going to the bathroom, mopping the floor). Such activities, as in real life, sometimes require nudity. EA circumvents inappropriateness by "blurring" out the nether regions, almost to a comical sense.
Knowing that the game is popular among all ages, EA has even taken steps to ensure that Sims fans aren't exposed to indecent depictions. In the recent expansion pack, The Sims 2 University, gamers can send their teenage sims off to college. However, instead of packing the expansion with "keggers" and "reefer," EA chose to use juice and bubble blowers.
Thompson doesn't seem to care. He cites a cheat code that can remove the blur that covers the nether regions. "The nudity placed there by the publisher/maker, Electronic Arts, is accessed by the use of a simple code that removes what is called 'the blur' which obscures the genital areas. In other words, the game was released to the public by the manufacturer knowing that the full frontal nudity was resident on the game and would be accessed by use of a simple code widely provided on the Internet."
It's not just the adults that are liberated from their wardrobes. Sims kids can also be nudified, "much to the delight, one can be sure, of pedophiles around the globe who can rehearse, in virtual reality, for their abuse."
Were this to be true, Thompson would have his smoking gun, and EA would be forced to recall all copies of The Sims 2. However, it's what's under the blur that Thompson's after. And what happens when the blur is lifted? A simple mannequin-esque smooth body, according to EA.
Jeff Brown, vice president of corporate communications at EA, in response to the accusations, told GameSpot, "This is nonsense. We've reviewed 100 percent of the content. There is no content inappropriate for a teen audience. Players never see a nude sim. If someone with an extreme amount of expertise and time were to remove the pixels, they would see that the sims have no genitals. They appear like Ken and Barbie."
Thompson doesn't buy it. "The sex and the nudity are in the game. That's the point. The blur is an admission that even the 'Ken and Barbie' features should not be displayed. The blur can be disarmed. This is no different than what is in San Andreas, although worse."
The last time we checked, The Sims 2 was rated T for Teen by the ESRB, which means that anyone 13 years of age, with $50 to spend, can purchase the game.
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
|
The thing that makes me *really* sad & angry is that all this violence is instead allowed ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it. --Dilbert cartoon
"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2004
|
It's like porn in the us, THAT is not allowed, but they send executions in TV...
Übereil
Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think.
Ambrose Bierce
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
|
The porn business is one of the biggest in the US, if a kid wants porn, he won't buy the sims to get it, or GTA, he'll just download it from the internet.
These poeple just want to ban stuff, looking for reasons to be the good guy that helped parents by banning games. pathetic, there is no stopping kids from seeing porn or voilence, give it up, rate the games and let the parents decide. It's their job to controll what their kids get to see.
They could keep banning games, they'll show up on teh warez network anyway.
It's a futile thing to do.
It's one of these days...
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
|
I saw this image a couple of time. Don't want to make a statement but it's getting a bit ridiculous. ![[Linked Image]](http://paulm.com/pix/2004/11/04/usc_jesusland.jpg) So a game that steals kills slaughters people no protest but ohh the humanity if their is a nipple. their are worse things in GTA then a nipple. /best games ever <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />
Not in the mood for cheese? That excuse has more holes than a slice this fine Gorgombert!
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2004
|
/best games ever <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> ...PLANESCAPE:TORMENT <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />! Übereil <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think.
Ambrose Bierce
|
|
|
|
addict
|
addict
Joined: May 2005
|
I know this is off subject, but you really like Video Games, don't you MysterD? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Killerzzz
Those penguins will take over the world!
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
|
If GTA3 isn't safe, then what is ?In this discussion I've stated my own, very personal point if view. Some might find it "extreme", but that's my very own opinion. Anyway, I will apologize if I've nurt anyone with my opinion. I try to be reasonable, but in some cases I can do nothing else than shake my head, sorry. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" /> (Urgh, how I hate these discussions !)
When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it. --Dilbert cartoon
"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2004
|
Who are you btw? Don't see the name Alrik anywere...
Übereil
Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think.
Ambrose Bierce
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
|
Not to mention this damage the dev / modders relationship
Ban Hillary from the senate unless she comes with AO rating <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/memad.gif" alt="" />
Damm hate to be an American now. On the right Christian conservatives on the left Hillary and Lieberman. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad.gif" alt="" />
What ever happened to the land of the free?. A moderate, a moderate my kingdom for a moderate.
/ Lewis Black/Jon Stewart for prez: Simple platform, idiots will not be tolerated
@Alrik: Yeah it's the point I was making Violence good sex bad. Now I am a great fan of the gta series but I also realise that it is violent and that it isn't for children but for adults who have solid moral compasses. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Not in the mood for cheese? That excuse has more holes than a slice this fine Gorgombert!
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
|
Well, I was playing Dark Forces as well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
I only wish there were far more interesting non violent games out there, like Adventures for example. I'm longing to play such games ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />
When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it. --Dilbert cartoon
"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
|
Grand Theft Auto 1. This is a violent game which portrays prostitution, drugs, and beating people to death with baseball bats as a worthy goal. This is quite different from what you find in DD, D2, or NWN. It deserves to be adults only based on these despicable values alone.
2. It is my understanding that the game was published with code in it that depicts frank sexual content, which could be accessed with an appropriate mod. If the publisher or developers had been straightforward about the sexual content in the game, it would have cost them money due to a change in the rating. It appears therefore, that they deliberately misrepresented the game.
The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? ~Jeremy Bentham
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
|
That is just wrong Cleglaw. No dev should ever have to justify a 3rd party mod no matter if the mod just changes a line of code. if we follow that logic we can ban the sales of pillow since some "modders" could use it to suffocate some one.
Last edited by Morbo; 23/07/05 06:12 PM.
Not in the mood for cheese? That excuse has more holes than a slice this fine Gorgombert!
|
|
|
|
addict
|
OP
addict
Joined: Oct 2004
|
The porn business is one of the biggest in the US, if a kid wants porn, he won't buy the sims to get it, or GTA, he'll just download it from the internet. He could buy Singles 1 or 2 online too, eh? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
|
That is just wrong Cleglaw. No dev should ever have to justify a 3rd party mod no matter if the mod just changes a line of code. if we follow that logic we can ban the sales of pillow since some "modders" could use it to suffocate some one. "Rockstar's parent, Take Two Interactive, also admitted for the first time Wednesday that the sex scenes had been built into the retail game — not just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles." from: Yahoo news
The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? ~Jeremy Bentham
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
|
That is just wrong Cleglaw. No dev should ever have to justify a 3rd party mod no matter if the mod just changes a line of code. if we follow that logic we can ban the sales of pillow since some "modders" could use it to suffocate some one. "Rockstar's parent, Take Two Interactive, also admitted for the first time Wednesday that the sex scenes had been built into the retail game — not just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles." from: Yahoo news no matter if the mod just changes a line of code the mod according to my knowledge just changes a line of code to enable those scene they had hidden.
Not in the mood for cheese? That excuse has more holes than a slice this fine Gorgombert!
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
|
That is just wrong Cleglaw. No dev should ever have to justify a 3rd party mod no matter if the mod just changes a line of code. if we follow that logic we can ban the sales of pillow since some "modders" could use it to suffocate some one. "Rockstar's parent, Take Two Interactive, also admitted for the first time Wednesday that the sex scenes had been built into the retail game — not just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles." from: Yahoo news no matter if the mod just changes a line of code the mod according to my knowledge just changes a line of code to enable those scene they had hidden. My point is that it was wrong for them to hide the scene. Either they should have left it out, or been straightforward about hidden sexual content being present. They did neither.
The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? ~Jeremy Bentham
|
|
|
|
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
|
I just guess we have to disagree on this. I believe that they did enough to hide those scenes
/has major fun playin GTA SA without the mod
Not in the mood for cheese? That excuse has more holes than a slice this fine Gorgombert!
|
|
|
|
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Nov 2003
|
GTA is fine the way it is...I've no desire to see the coffee scenes. Pixel porn does nothing for me!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
Sounds like the thompson guy has gotten a rush of blood to the head from his 'success' to raise the GTA game rating, and banish it from the a lot of shelves (because most stores wont carry an adult rated game).
This just sums it up: Jeff Brown, vice president of corporate communications at EA, in response to the accusations, told GameSpot, "This is nonsense. We've reviewed 100 percent of the content. There is no content inappropriate for a teen audience. Players never see a nude sim. If someone with an extreme amount of expertise and time were to remove the pixels, they would see that the sims have no genitals. They appear like Ken and Barbie."
Thompson doesn't buy it. "The sex and the nudity are in the game. That's the point. The blur is an admission that even the 'Ken and Barbie' features should not be displayed. The blur can be disarmed. This is no different than what is in San Andreas, although worse."
What on earth is thompson talking about here? So that means that all ken and barbie dolls should carry an adult rating too?
That all DOLLS should be banned because it gives the pheophiles something to practice on!!! HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD? No....just thompson!
|
|
|
|
addict
|
OP
addict
Joined: Oct 2004
|
I think Thompson is $-hungry for his lawyer fees....
|
|
|
|
|