Adult and Mature Games
As there seems to be ever-lingering confusion about Adult and Mature games and what the responsibilities of the GMs and players of such games are, we thought we'd take the time here to try to explain some of it.
What is Mature Content?
What we consider to be Mature Content is spelled out in our
Mature Games Policy (located in the FAQs area under Site Policies). Please read them carefully and rMail the moderators if you have any questions.
Do I have to hide or restrict access to Mature game materials?
No. We consider "Mature" simply to be a warning that some may consider the game "too intense" or that the GM is expecting a high level of quality and maturity from their players. Mature materials however are merely that: mature. In no way should content be included in a Mature game that younger audiences should not read. At no time should the content of a Mature game go beyond what could be printed in a common periodical, such as a local newspaper.
What's the minimum age required to play in or run a Mature game?
Because there is no Restricted Content (as defined by our
Policies) permitted in a Mature game, there is no need for a minimum age. The GM of a game is, of course, allowed to set a minimum age for their game and enforce it as they like. If, however, the
content of the game is such that children should not be exposed to it, the game must be rated
Adult, without exception.
Why are you so strict about Adult Content?
On RPoL we take Adult content very seriously. This is one of the few things that could cause us (and those participating in games which include it) serious legal issues should children and minors be allowed to access it. Due to this, we're quite strict about it and can be somewhat unforgiving of those who show themselves to be irresponsible with their access to adult materials.
What is the minimum age for access to Adult materials on RPoL?
This is eighteen years of age, no exceptions, not even by a day. GMs found to add players who they know are not 18, for any reason, will be banned from running adult games on this site.
Are there other requirements besides age?
Yes. Not only must a participant be at least eighteen years old, they must also be legal to view adult materials in their place of residence. The GMs of Adult games are responsible for asking all game participants about this legality since some jurisdictions restrict the viewing of adult materials to those older than 18.
Does my game have to be Adult if the Adult content is in Private Messages only?
Yes. An Adult game is a game with any Adult content in it whatsoever. No matter where that content is, how little of it there is, or how few people in the game can see it, the entire game must be rated Adult and all players must be both 18 years old (or older) and legal to view adult materials in their place of residence. There should never be any case in which Adult materials are permitted in a non-Adult game. Therefore, GMs of games are considered to be responsible for all content of their games, even that in Private Messages.
Can I have a separate group for Adult content and only check ages for players who have access to it?
No. If there is any adult content anywhere in your game, the game must be rated Adult. Those without adult access could not see your game regardless.
What if my players write Adult materials without my permission?
Move the Adult content so that no other users can see it, and inform us immediately using rMail. All the GMs of a game are responsible for its content, even that in Private Messages, so games being found to allow adult content outside our rules will cause problems for all the GMs. Likewise, players of games should report any Adult content they find in any game which is not rated Adult: we consider it the responsibility of every user of this site to work with us, not to assist others in breaking our rules.
What other requirements are there?
In an Adult game, any part of the game which contains Adult content must be out of view of the casual user. This means that all threads with Adult content must be in groups other than 0 or public (since anyone can view threads in those groups). Likewise, games are never permitted to have Adult content in the Game Intro or Character Description areas since all visitors to the game can see these items.
Are there other responsibilities for the GM of an Adult game on RPoL?
Yes.
The GM has the responsibility to ensure that those in their game are indeed mature adults, no matter what age they have said they are. If a GM has any reason to believe a participant in their game is not actually an adult, or is not mature enough to be there, they are required to remove that person from their game immediately. Remember that players must not only say that they are adults, but they must behave as responsible adults as well. No RPoL user, regardless of age, has the "right" to participate in adult games on this site.
The GM is responsible for controlling the content of their game so that it fits within our rules. Even within adult games, there is content which is not permitted: graphic sex involving minors and graphic sex involving force or coercion are just two that are frequently ignored or misconstrued.
Every GM of an adult game is responsible for knowing our
Adult Games Policy, for policing their game's content, and for working with the moderators to ensure that violators understand our policy and do not violate it again.
Where can I see what content is not permitted on RPoL?
For the full Adult Games Policy and list of Restricted and Prohibited content, see our
Adult Games Policy.
Updates to this FAQ:
- 12 October 2018: Long overdue minor modification of adult requirements to fit with changes on how adult access is granted.
- 17 September 2015: Modified the responsibilities of a GM due to RPoL now handling age statements.
- 22 June 2012: Added the question, "What makes a valid statement for admission to an adult game?"
Last updated: 18:33, Fri 12 Oct 2018.
Direct link: http://rpol.net/help/?t=faqs&page=adultfaq