I just wanted a video game, not eternal damnation in hell.

[Mainframeguy]

Sorry Xie - speaking as a software developer I totally disagree. They will IMHO have fuly intended things to turn our EXACTLY as they have! There is some ignorance in your post, because if code is "commented out" then it only remains in the SOURCE and here we are talking about EXECUTABLES. The spource is never shipped and cannot be "turned on" or compiled.

So internally they will have implemented a switch or added branches to jump around the "hot coffee" executables, this in order that they are shipped but not executed (attaining the desired rating)... then later it is not hard to leak or have crackers discover the necessary alterations - removing Roxtars liability for the switching on and giving them tons and tons of free publicity.

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

Thats the way I see it the code was not active and you need to mode it out but they will say its not spose to be there in the first place, sucks for people that dont have the game yet cause they will have a hard time finding now........

 

[vern]

They rate the game. All of the game ... not what is "playable". The ESRB doesn't actually play the games, they are shown clips of different parts of the game and those clips are supposed to show what might be affect the game's rating. It is moot to try to protect Rockstar. If this was inadvertent, it only goes to show the level of quality control within Rockstar. They spend over a year on a game, and they can't take a few days to take content out? That is carelessness at best.

EDIT: Just to add some things.

Just to add ... the mod did not do anything with any source code. If you were to compare it to Windows, it would be compared to the Windows registry ... which can hardly be called "hidden". If you are familiar with all the trouble it took developers of the first GTA mod to disassemble and add multiplayer in the GTA3, then we'd all be a little more familiar with the fact that this was NOT hidden.

EDIT: adding a bit more

I feel however that the change in rating was an unfair move. I think it was only taken due to pressure from the powers that be and they wanted to make an example. That sucks, but they should have known better.

 

[Xie]

I have done a bit more reading and in doing so see that my prior post is really .. off/invalid.

Anyhoo I still believe that Rockstar shouldn't be getting the shaft the way they are. (I'm really not a Rockstar fan - other then the principle of the thing I could really care less) The game rating is based upon game content, aka playable situations. The "Hot Coffee" mod sounds more like a res hack that opens something that was turned off in the code when compiled executable, and thus not playable. This is only something because a certain Senator is looking to make a name as well as a platform for herself. It's really interesting that everyone has just caved on this ...

The fact that retailers have dropped, or are dropping, this game based on the game rating change is very silly. Instead of 17+, gamers have to 18+ now. It's a year difference!

 

[zeke_mo]

Hey man, a lot can happen going from 17-18 that would help make this "hot coffee" thing ok to see

 

[vern]

More BS ...

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/22/news_6129609.html

 

[Xie]

Hey man, a lot can happen going from 17-18 that would help make this "hot coffee" thing ok to see

I know that year can make a difference. I just don't think that it should make such a difference that now instead of just slapping a new sticker on the box retailers are dropping it. Is the "AO" really that much more taboo then "M"? According to the rating system they contain the same content, only "AO" contains a more steady degree of it.

Just a bunch of retailers trying to pretend like they had no idea what kind of content this game involved. Yet up until this they would have gladly taken anyones $ for it ...

 

[chastity]

More BS ...

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/22/news_6129609.html

yep. The guy as way too much time on his hands

 

[Grandmaster]

This is a game where you can kill hundreds, thousands of people over time and now there is an outrage just because of some sex? Heh.