European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Not the violence in video games like mortal combat above and night trap which carries a for mature audiences Label has led to cries for a rating system. For now by Evan Ramstad the associated press he video game Industry s drive to police itself is a Jumble of initiatives that will take months to sort out. At least three Broad efforts which enjoy varying degrees of support among companies will have to come together in order to meet Senate goals for a system that helps parents decide which computer games Aren t for children. Last week at the Winter consumer electronics show in Las vegas the software publishers association proposed a four tier system based on age categories similar to the Way movies Are rated. Game developers praised the proposal. Most were pleased that the Trade group did t Call on companies to wait for an Independent Board s rating before Selling a new product. Instead the group proposed that makers suggest ratings and face penalties later if the panel s evaluation differs by a wide margin. However several companies later held a closed meeting with representatives of the better business Bureau whose division that reviews child advertising has taken an interest in the Issue. Some companies want the motion picture association of America which rates movies to step into the fray since More movie studios Are also developing computer games. Sega corp. Of America the leading seller of video games started rating its games last summer. Several smaller makers followed suit. For example id software of Mesquite Texas puts a pc meaning profound carnage on the Box and advertising of its violent games. The broader Effort comes after Sens. Joseph Lieberman d-conn., and Herb Kohl d-wis., threatened to legislate a rating system if the Industry did t come up with one. Top Selling games such As mortal combat and night trap have angered members of Congress and others for their violence. A Bill introduced by Lieberman and Kohl would give the Industry a year to come up with its own system. During the software publishers association meeting a member of Lieberman s staff John Nakahata told the companies that there would be another hearing in Washington on March 4 to gauge their Progress. The real Bottom line is the rating Board has to be Independent. Insulated from Market pressures in a Way the Public can Trust Nakahata said. Congressional complaints have already had some effect. This week Sega said it would Stop Selling night trap a video game in which hooded killers Drain blood from a scantily Clad woman. The company announced monday that it would release a new version of the game once an Industry wide ratings system is in place. Sega spokesman Richard Brudvik Linder said critics the wide availability of games makes Access easy for players of All Ages not took the game which carries the company rating for adult audiences too seriously. The perception of the game became different from what we had intended Brudvik Linder said. Our intention was to Lampoon and create a parody of a Grade horror movies. I think that s not the Way people took  by pulling night trap Sega Hopes to quell controversy that could hinder Industry consensus in producing a movie like rating system Brudvik Linder said. The Trade group proposed ratings based on age categories similar to a system 3do co. Will Start using in March. Under 3do s system games that can be played by everyone will get an a rating. Those needing parental guidance for children 12 and under will get a "12," and those deserving caution for 17 and under will get a "17," games for adults Only will get an to designation. Disagreements remain however. Some suggested at last week s meeting that ratings should state whether a game is violent or sexual in nature rather than simply recommend age limits. Sega and Nintendo corp., while saying they Are open to alternatives have supported a full review before a game goes to Market. Other companies say that would be impossible with 1,200 game titles produced last year and several thousand expected annually by the mid-1990s. It s unrealistic to think you can do prior review with the number of titles that will be produced Over time said Hal Josephson director of Industry relations for 3do. It s not economically  also unresolved Are the questions of who will rate the games How Long the evaluations will be allowed to take How will they be paid and How game makers will share the costs of the rating system. Any information we can pass to the user is a Good thing said Jay Wilbur chief executive of id software. Proper implementation is the  female players not getting. Share of heroes 16 the stars and stripes saturday by Tamara Starrs the associated press n the world of children s video games inhabited by fierce warriors superstar athletes and fearless adventurers Are girls getting an equal share of the heroes no say both critics and video game makers. But the Industry is starting to Eye the potential of a largely untapped audience the message is video games Are primarily made for boys said Marsha Kinder professor of critical studies at the University of Southern California in los Angeles. That s very disturbing because video games provide an entry into the world of  Kinder author of playing with Power in movies television and video games from muppet babies to teenage mutant ninja turtles said Young girls Are offered two Stock video game characters with whom to identify. They Are the Princess who is weak and Waits to be rescued and the androgynous twin who takes on exaggerated male traits to compete with male characters. If you want to be in an empowered position you have to adopt a male position Kinder said. Being feminine and being empowered seems to be an oxymoron in video  some companies that make the games Are beginning to question the logic of making products that Appeal to Only half the population. In the role playing game Lucia & the fortress of doom offered by Taito America corp. Of Wheeling iii., half the band of do goobers is female. The Mam character Lucia and her half human half Elf Friend Jerin work with two male characters to Battle goblins and gargoyles zombies and beetles. Lucia is the Only game our company has with a woman As the main character said Toni Jordan who Heads consumer sales at Taito. I guess we re guilty of that  Taito also makes several games based on popular cartoons that have female characters including the Flintstones and the Jet sons. But Many of the More popular female characters Are patterned after their male counterparts. Street fighter ii for instance features Brawny female characters who fight against muscle men martial artists and miscellaneous meanies. In the game s new Arcade version Chun i previously the game s Only female Warrior is joined by Cammy whose slogan says it All your missing Teeth will remind you of my  Chun i s become one of the most popular characters not Only with girls but also with Young boys which is kind of unusual said Erin Shiba spokeswoman for Santa Clara  Cap com which makes the Street fighter series. Sega offers video games with gender Neutral Appeal some tied to such popular children s characters As Barney the Little Mermaid and Tom and Jerry. Sega s most popular character sonic the hedgehog appeals to both boys and girls said Janie toll a Sega spokeswoman. Sonic does have a girl Friend who debuts in the upcoming cd game. Her name is Princess Sally. I would t Call her a Girlfriend. She s just a fellow hedgehog toll said. 15, 1994 some experts say game makers must change their thinking if they Are to Market successfully to girls. Girls Are perceived of As being this hidden untapped and potentially wonderful audience but Many companies Aren t sure How to reach them said Amanda Lathroum a product manager at digital pictures of Palo Alto Calif girls often lose interest in games because they can t relate to the heroes most of whom Are male or the Standard female characters she said. Girls did t immediately gravitate to this Industry said Lathroum. And because they did t gravitate to this Industry the Industry completely alienated  giving female characters More meaningful roles in video games is an important step says or. Mark " Walker a psychiatrist at Northwestern University medical school in Chicago but More needs to be done. I think girls would respond better if there were fewer games based on the violent Conquest of people. But i Don t think they should push that kind of thing on boys either he said. Critics say software makers must make changes to draw More girls into their games. Not Carmen Sandiego a female spy turned thief is a Central figure in a series of educational games. Software program strikes new chord aware of the outcry Over sex and violence in interactive video games some software developers Hope to Channel male adolescent fantasy toward nobler pursuits. Like being a Rock Star. Virtual music a computer game still under development by the Start up company ahead inc. Of Newton mass., teaches players the virtual guitar by having them play with a group of video recorded studio musicians. Although greater Levels of musicianship Are supposed to be designed into future versions of the system the current one allows the player to control Only the guitar s rhythm and dynamics by strumming and picking. Chords and Melody Are already programmed in. Underlying the game is software created by ahead that synchronizes the virtual guitar player s efforts with music recorded by the real band whose members appear on screen and offer Praise when appropriate Stop the action to Correct mistakes or in the Case of the rhythmically deprived banish the player to a gig in the polyester lounge. This is not a no fault experience you can do wrong said ahead s president Alex Donnini who demonstrated virtual music at this week s consumer electronics show in Las vegas. He Hopes to have a product ready to sell by next fall pricing the guitar at $69.95, and each virtual music software title three to six songs each somewhere Between $40 and $100. The company has obtained rights to develop games from any title in Emi s music Library. Although ahead plans eventually to bring out a Sega video game version of virtual music the first products will be for personal computers running Microsoft windows and equipped with a cd rom disk player and a sound blaster compatible sound card. The new York times the stars and stripes 17