So here’s something new, at least to me! Sociolotron, that, from what I can gather is an S&M MMORPG. Just to enter their website you have to agree to a disclaimer, which I thought was quite interesting:

• 3) You are not offended by reading about a highly politically incorrect form of rolepley involving sexually explicit situation, roleplay of crimes, vamipirism, demonism and any other adult fantasy.
• 4) You will leave the site or quit playing the game if you encounter any topic that offends you.
• 6) You are not employed in law enforcement acting in any way in connection with your duties or what you see as your responsibilities as law enforcement

4 and 6 just blew my mind away! Firstly they tell you to leave a place you pay to be in if you’re offended – which seems kinda bizarre…but I’ll come back to that because they actually have a government! But nr. 6…is that possible? Can you actually just say “Hey! All ‘real’ government keep out!”?

Hmmm…makes me wish I had some internet game content lawbook implanted in my head! I’m gonna have to look this up and investigate further!! I really should have the answers to these questions by now!

TerraNova has a post (which gruesomly reminds me that I haven’t been by the State of Play III proceedings properly yet) about a Supreme Court ruling entailing child pornography laws in games. I’m really suprised that this seems to be the ‘main issue’ when discussing ‘real’ life laws, especially after the stuff that’s going on in Korea. I was also extremely numbed by the comment: “Considering that so often when people talk about the “magic circle” and the need to keep laws out of games…”! Really?!! This has just passed me by! I’m presuming they’re talking about Zimmerman and Salen’s ‘magic circle’ and I’ve completely dismissed this idea when it comes to MMORPGs! Probably extremely foolishly but I’ve really tried to put the gameplay of MMORPGs within a ‘magic circle’ and after a few frustrating tears and some good conversations with Klabbers, I’ve come to the conclusion that it can’t be done!!! Hmmm…wondering if I’m answering my own dreaded question here. Maybe that’s just it…MMORPGs are virtual worlds that include gameplay, but aren’t necessarily games? Which kinda brings me back to the MMORPGs are social playgrounds not games metaphor.

Huh…well…it’s 3 o’clock in the morning and my braincells might not be up to standard…wondering if I’ll feel the same tomorrow or if this is all more jibberish! And I’m feeling so unbelievably ashamed for not being up to date on this!! Ooohhh…but it’s so good to have a blog to talk to! ;)