The difference between teen and eroge rated?

[Kianaco]

Not sure if i'm posting this in the right forum so if anyone could move it to the right place that would be great.Right now one of the games I am working on has got me a bit puzzled.I want my game to be a teen rated game but a HIGH-TEEN rated game.Don't get wrong,The game is a semi happy game,But there will be real life situations,Like death,Slight sexual moments,and swearing.

Basically,I wanted to know what You can get away with in a teen game and what you can't.

[PyTom]

It's hard to state a line, since the 16+ rating is fairly inclusive. A sexual game that focuses on the genitals (in text or visuals) is 18+, and at least some guro is.

Based on what you're describing, I'd doubt your game is 18+ - and with the new rules, most discussion of an 18+ game can occur on the main forum.

[Kianaco]

It's hard to state a line, since the 16+ rating is fairly inclusive. A sexual game that focuses on the genitals (in text or visuals) is 18+, and at least some guro is.

Based on what you're describing, I'd doubt your game is 18+ - and with the new rules, most discussion of an 18+ game can occur on the main forum.

Good to hear I probably won't have to get rid of some content in my game just to lower the rating.It would have put a dent in the realism of my main game and some side projects I had been thinking of.

[SundownKid]

An 18+ game would probably have to have some graphic sexual content (visually or verbally described) or graphic violence. I'm not sure where partial nudity falls under in terms of age, but only full nudity would be 18+.

[Elmiwisa]

Um, anyone remember that The Hunger Game got 12+ rating? There is quite a fuss being made about that, but of course, there are children who are going to get upset, and there are those who can just watch it nonchalantly. Just like how in biology class there would be someone who cry at the sight of blood while someone else gleefully stab through the poor frog, educator can't really design a perfect syllabus that please everyone.
From what I notice in The Hunger Game and Harry Potter, and a few other controversies:
-Swearing immediately raise the age ranking very quickly; in fact, using taboo words in a non-swearing way would still raise the age rating. In fact, that easily push stuff into 18+. That makes no senses though, but since that is how they do it, it's probably best to avoid swearing.
-Violence get very lenient treatment. You can have on-screen violence, on-screen death, on-screen light torture, weapon sticking out of chest, gunfight, children with painfully broken bones, visible human skulls, etc. and still at the 12+ or PG-13. What would raise the rating would be stuff like visible blood, cruel and painful torture or death, painful scream, etc.; but even then, anything fantastical are usually exempted (so death by being mauled by a werewolf is probably fine, but by wolves is probably not).
-Sexual stuff seems pretty weird. Titanic get PG-13 despite a clearly nude scene for example, while some other got higher rating for just an implied sex scene.

As a result of such weird rating standard, I propose 4 new rating to be use:
-GWTW (Gone With the Wind rating): 18+, because of some swear words happened to get mentioned.
-T (Titanics rating): 13+, even though it has despite overt nudity and semi-explicit sex scene.
-THG (The Hunger Game rating): 12+, even though it contains a lot of overt physical violence.
-HP (Harry Potter rating): 13+, since all cruelty and violence are magical, so it's fine right?
Good luck!

[Kianaco]

While were on the subject,how old do you have to be to make an 18+ game?The main game I am working on I know cannot be 18 plus because I am working with people even younger than I am,But what if I have a little side project that just so happens to be an eroge?

I am 16,Which is what I think is the legal age in my state,Would I still have to wait the 2 years?

[Dream]

While were on the subject,how old do you have to be to make an 18+ game?The main game I am working on I know cannot be 18 plus because I am working with people even younger than I am,But what if I have a little side project that just so happens to be an eroge?

I am 16,Which is what I think is the legal age in my state,Would I still have to wait the 2 years?

I don't recall anyone making a big (legal) fuss over the participation of Hit-girl's actress in the movie Kick-ass, so i figure you should be fine. Do keep in mind i don't really know much about this stuff, though.

[ZeroExistence009]

I'm kind of interested in this topic.
Well, I'm wondering if slight sexual moments in a VN can be considered an eroge. I'm planning to make a VN that has a slight sexual contents like breast groping or something but the main act of sex will be excluded in the story. And it has no visual representation of the sexual act. It will just be narrated.
Do you think it can be considered as a for 13+??
And do you think it is just ok to use free assets for this kind of VN?? Well, I'm planning to use some free sprites for this VN but the term of use is 'no erotic games'.

What do you think guys??

[PyTom]

Depending on context, I'd probably call that 13+ or 16+. (If the focus is on titillation, go with the higher rating. If it's more of a slice of life thing, maybe 13+?)

I wouldn't use sprites in a context like that without the permission of the sprites' creator. When someone releases something for free, and you're not sure your use is in-license, the best thing to do is to ask them to clarify it.

[SundownKid]

I don't think romance, or minor sexual talk/actions would quality as an erotic game or eroge. AFAIK, an eroge would have to show graphic nudity, or detailed descriptions of sexual content, which would also make it 18+. But the entire thing is hazy, since full frontal nudity would usually be tolerated in an R-rated drama movie but usually is never shown in games unless they are explicitly erotic.

[pineapplepocky]

There's one more 'rating' that would probably be good to add. It's not a number, but something you should say if it's needed. It's wise to always note something like 'questionable behavior' or 'language' or stuff like that, just so people will be prepared. Mostly for the teen rated ones. I'm sure most people know what they're prepared for when they see a 18+ visual novel.

[fullmontis]

Abut sex scenes: if you could masturbate to it, chances are it is 18+ (unless you are into some weird fetish).

About violence: if you have to ask, it's probably not 18+. That's because if it was 18+ you would already know. Ratings are weirdly permissive for fictional violence.