InsaneJournal

The Difference Between R and NC-17
I'll start off by saying that I am aware this is probably perceived differently for each and every player here. We come from different cultures, different backgrounds - sometimes tv ratings aren't even the same for us. But in CU, there is a particular rating system that i've mostly figured out.

I'll include G, PG, and PG-13 here as well. Keep note - this is just for the game, to make sure that things have a more organized rating list. Also, I welcome questions or requests for further clarification - feel free to describe a scene and ask about what ratings it might have as an example, too. I'm just having trouble thinking of good examples right now.


Rated: G
G in CU means that this is safe for all player's eyes. There is no swearing, no real violence, and generally is just a fun, cute thread. This might mean that characters had a simple conversation over coffee, Dr. Cox spent his time figuring out how to repair Jazz's body, or even Metatron giving someone flowers and confusing them.

Rated: PG
PG means that there's a little bit of swearing, a little bit of violence, or even a tiny bit of sexual hinting. What this means is that most threads will probably be of PG or PG-13 rating. An example of a PG thread might be one where Mitchell and Balam curse at each other in anger, but end up calming down and focusing on other things. Another good example would be a thread like the one where Strix just busted through a window and scared the daylights out of Dr. Cox early in CU, if I recall correctly. There was nudity in that thread, but it wasn't sexual or anything of the sort.

Rated: PG-13
Here is probably where the majority of threads will be, folks. PG-13 isn't...really PG-13 in CU, but it works as a familiar rating name. It means that when you click on that thread, you might end up reading a lot of swearing, some violence, and/or sexual situations that don't become a sex scene. If you mark anything as PG-13, you're probably safe. PG-13 generally means that it's more than PG, but not quite R, either.

Rated: R
There are a few things that instantly earn an R rating no matter what. These things are sex, drugs, and detailed torture. This is more than simply kicking someone around and making someone feel miserable - that'd be PG-13. Rated R would be Sal dragging someone around by the hair, ripping their hair out, carving out fingernails and generally terrifying some poor soul to death. However, one can't go too far either - or else you hit the NC-17 rating, which is not allowed. R means there is either sex, whether it's sweet, rough, or whatever; drug use in any sort of manner (as far as the illegal substances go - or even medication if it's used that way); or torture rather than simple fighting. Heavy, dark fighting might also end up earning an R rating, but it depends on how violent the situation becomes.

Rated: NC-17
This is the area you don't want to hit, because your thread will either be deleted entirely or you'll be forced to rewrite it from this point on in Chaos Unraveled. The game allows R-rated content, not what CU itself considers NC-17. NC-17 includes dismemberment (exception: you MAY request permission from the mod to specifically have your character lose a certain limb, but this MUST be a request, with explanations of why) as dismemberment in almost all cases would be permanent; mutilation; heavy drug use; rape; extreme methods of torture that include sexual harrassment such as forced piercings, limb removal, poisoning during rape, cutting up parts of someone and sewing them back up, or marking up one's own or another's genitalia; the pedophilic style of hurting someone yet manipulating their body in such a way that forces them to enjoy it even though they are completely humiliated and their psyche destroyed by it; pedophilia (of COURSE this is not allowed); and other such extreme measures.

Exceptions to the rule:
You might, if you discuss with the mod and explain the entire plan, be able to garner permission for an almost-rape scene, or overly extreme torture session where a character is likely to have such a terrible experience, but only if they are going to be rescued during the beginning moments of such an event. This is because the interruption would, in the mods eyes, make it R, and it would allow an opportunity for characters to unite and work together to save someone. However, do not take this exception to mean that permission for such a plan will be likely - the mod in no way desires for this exception to become "common practice."

The NC-17 list may be added to or altered. Also, you may comment to this thread and discuss with the mod, and others (via this thread please) if you would like more examples, any questions, if you have a hypothetical thread summary you are wondering about and want to know what it might be rated, or simply if you want to see more things added or removed from the NC-17 list.

Please keep in mind however, there are dozens, dozens of roleplaying groups that allow the content not allowed in this game. This roleplaying game was never meant to be a game where the major source of entertainment comes from the self-destruction of characters tearing themselves and others apart, if that makes sense, though in-character drama is always welcome. I, personally, have always wanted to see a variety of different things in roleplaying games, and too often do I see only the NC-17 stuff listed and other extreme dramatics focused on. This game is meant to be something where light and dark plots can unite, without the darker plots being allowed to run entirely rampant and destroy the light parts of the game.