In June, the VR short film "ABE" by the British virtual reality content company Hammerhead VR was rated by the British Film Rating Council (BBFC) level 15 (for teenagers and adults aged 15 and above). It is also the first VR work to be rated. This sci-fi horror video "tells a story about a misguided robot (ABE) seeking unconditional love for humans, at any cost." The entire process did not directly use the violence, but it successfully created a strong tension. And a sense of terror. The traditional version of this short film was also rated 15th by BBFC, but the two were based on different standards: 2D version is limited by a strong threat story, VR version has a more "bloody scene" evaluation. The two VR games "Batman: Arkham VR" and "PlayStation VR Worlds" (game collection) under the PSVR platform were also rated M by the ACB (Australian Rating Board) and ESRB. It can be seen that as VR enters the mainstream implementation, the grading organization also begins to include VR content in its scope of investigation. Batman: Arkham VR Obviously this is just the beginning for VR content ratings. On each gaming platform, there are already a significant number of VR games, and many of them are quite irritating and are free and/or unrated. If a lot of content can only be said to be commonplace in the traditional 2D form, once the VR helmet is worn, the player may face a completely different situation. Take the horror game as an example. In the case of a frightening plot, you can't easily turn your eyes away when you wear a VR helmet, or instinctively retreat to avoid the "shock" of the picture. When players experience horror games, they are often "jump scare" to literally "jump", throw away the handle, try to avoid the horror picture in front of them and fail, and then think of it to tear off the helmet. Some "selling meat" content that is considered to be "acceptable" in traditional games will also be magnified in the VR experience. The "Dead or Life" series has always been known for its edge-balling elements, and the VR gameplay of "Death or Life: Beach Volleyball 3" has immediately attracted a lot of controversy: in the game, players can manipulate some props to touch women. The character's body, or the direct movement of the VR helmet to achieve "buried chest", even if the character has a clear escape, refuse to respond - to put it bluntly, you can in the VR in a very aggressive way to the female character " Sexual harassment. Dead or Born: Beach Volleyball 3 This kind of gaming experience is obviously not so easy to reach in traditional media, and if it is still rated as T or below, it is somewhat unacceptable. The biggest difference between facing the screen and using VR devices is that the former feels like manipulating the game characters (even the first person perspective, there will still be a proper sense of distance), while the latter is more like becoming the characters themselves, implementation and Suffering from violence, horror, and suggestive behavior are like the players themselves. Therefore, when grading a VR game, it is also necessary to take into account the difference caused by this change in perspective. At present, the rating agencies ESRB and PEGI both believe that their existing standards - mainly based on game content - are enough to deal with VR game ratings, but also acknowledge that VR's formal changes are likely to affect its rating. This means that in the case of content with the same level of stimuli, games presented in VR form may receive a higher rating in the current rating system than in traditional games. The previous discussion is about the grading of VR content, but in fact, for the device itself, Oculus, Gear, Vive and PSVR limit the age of users of their current VR devices to 12 or 13 years old, and beyond this age. Children should also be used under the supervision of an adult. The manufacturers who give these limitations are mainly considered from two aspects: the VR experience may have adverse effects on users with weaker body (or still in the growth stage); the VR experience may cause adverse psychological effects, such as addiction. Confuse virtual and reality. This kind of worry does make sense. The immersion sensation provided by VR equipment is both a selling point and a source of risk. Children are more susceptible to simulated real-world images than adults, especially when the current VR content market is still full of ungraded horror, violent blood, and pornography. These may lead to an increase in heart rate and adrenaline rush. People bring more harm. However, there are voices that do not support this view. David Schwebel, a psychology professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, believes that VR devices do not require additional restrictions for children as long as the content is appropriate. Previously, he had exposed hundreds of children aged 7-8 years to VR in an experimental setting without seeing negative reactions. Other studies have shown that children adapt to VR faster than adults, and can master the skills of using vr more quickly - just like teenagers who have been exposed to PC equipment since 80s and 90s can master desktop operations earlier than their elders. Adapt to the 3D game screen. The existing grading system is mainly aimed at the establishment of content. For a long time, this system has not encountered any major problems. But considering the particularity of VR, perhaps we need to consider the user's condition in the grading system, for example, by comprehensively scoring the user's physical condition—such as providing a set of self-evaluation criteria—and then This standard sets the appropriate score domain for the content, minimizing the physical and mental risks that users may face when using VR. Therefore, the future VR rating system may not only set the user's age limit, but also set the age limit. However, this restriction (if it appears) is clearly only a guide or suggestion, and adult players still need to make their own judgments and be responsible for the experience of their choice. AUTRENDS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED , https://www.petspetsdoggze.com
The first rating VR horror film "ABE" What kind of grading system should it face?