Xbox Live recently released a ‘do not do’ list for indie developers who would like to include Live avatars in their games. Some might call these restrictions stifling or censoring, but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Live avatars are Xbox IP, and they do not belong to the players or the community. I’m surprised that Xbox Live even allows this type of partially moderated use of their IP as it is. Also note that this is not “here are the few things that you are allowed to do”, it is instead “here are the few things that you cannot do”. With that in mind, all of the rules really boil down to three basic tenets of avatar use. I’ve categorized the rules below. You can check out the original post to the developers community here.
CB "TheButterflyman" Droege
The avatar is the player
- Player interacts with their avatar as if it’s a separate character
- Player’s avatar talks
This one should be sort of obvious to any developer, except that unfortunately, the definition of the word “avatar” has been mostly forgotten. All that Xbox is asking here is that the purpose of an avatar be observed. Miriam-Websters gives us the clues we need: “a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity” or the more modern “an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user (as in a computer game)” The key here is that an avatar is always representative of the player themselves, and thus should never do anything that they don’t tell it to do. Even allowing the avatar to do something simple like be your guide or tutorial in a game would break the illusion. Giving it its own voice, even just in speech bubbles, would undermine the function of the avatar at its core.
Brian "SM Prime" Ambrozy
The avatar’s body is sacred
- Replace Avatar features
- Avatars proportions are modified
- Violence which causes blood, gore, dismemberment, decapitation, maiming, or mutilation
These don’ts stem from a desire to preserve the sense of aesthetics and ownership that each player feels toward their avatar. Some people spend lots of time picking out the facial features and clothing for their avatars. Changing the clothing, adding facial elements, making the head too big or too small, or mutilating the avatar would be unpleasant to such a person. In addition ensuring that developers don’t drastically modify the avatars creates a greater sense of consistency between games. Players can really feel like it is their avatar, the one they designed specifically for themselves, whch is traveling from game to game, not just bits and pieces of their design.
Rob "GHoosdum" Updegrove
The avatar is someone you would introduce to your parents
- Acts of sexual innuendo or mildly explicit sexual descriptions or images or sexual posturing
- Glamorized criminal act
- Acts of an aggressive or threatening manner
- Vulgar or profane act
- Excretes obscene bodily fluids or substances
- Use of controlled substances
This is the category with the most rules, and for good reason. I’m sure they’ll probaly find an avatar in a game somewhere doing something unpleasant that they hadn’t even thought of. This category is also the one that might get the most derision from the developers. It seems like censorship or fun-governing to put so many restrictions on the behavior of avatars. Most of it boils down to a desire to keep the avatars family friendly, and not to ever have them seen as acting like a jerk. So, no robbing banks, flipping people off or pooping on stuff. Okay, but what about that last one; “controlled substances” according to the original post does include age inhibited products like tobacco and alcohol. At first glance, this seems like a step over the line until we remember that even “M” rated games can be purchased and played by people who are under the drinking and smoking age restrictions. Showing their personal avatars smoking or drinking in-game (especially keeping in mind the definition of “avatar” above) when they are not yet old enough to do those things themselves does seem a bit irresponsible.
Overall, it just seems like Xbox would like to keep a loose leash on the Avatars, and make sure that they get used for the right reasons. Let us know in the comments: Is there anything that you would be disappointed or upset to see your avatar doing in an indie game?
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