About TIGRS™During a discussion on the IndieGamer forums, it was brought to my attention that many independent developers were looking for a usable and accessible content rating system for their games. After a lot of discussion, I decided to take it upon myself and design a system for the guys to use.
After many (many, many) hours of work, I came up with the first design and system.
It was simple, elegant, and most
importantly, usable by anyone without fees or restrictive requirements. The system was designed
with the understanding of self-regulation among games developers and publishers. The ratings have no formal
power and should be respected as such. Just like a dollar bill, these ratings have no inherent value.
Their value lies entirely on their intention.
Some time after the first release of TIGRS, I formulated a more accurate, intricate system for developers
and publishers to use. The new system incorporated a new design that clearly enumerated what types and what
severity of content parents and discerning consumers could expect to find in the games.
Unfortunately, many developers and publishers were reluctant to use the new system because they felt it was too complicated and would only serve to confuse their customers. Additionally, because the new system incorporated a very strict formula to calculate the categorical severities, many developers disagreed with the ratings the system generated for their games and refused to adopt it. 
In response to the critical outcry, I set about to create a highly optimized and effective new
design and system that would appeal to developers, publishers, and their customers alike. Over
a year in the making, the design was tested with many gaming and non-gaming audiences for appeal,
attractiveness, and its ability to communicate clearly what the viewer can expect to find in the game.
Additionally, after polling several successful developers and publishers for their needs and expectations, the system was redesigned to be highly flexible and dynamically respond to their needs. 5 years of service to the gaming community and I'm proud to proclaim that this is just the beginning. Here's to many more years of responsible publishing by the independent game development community!  Daniel Kinney Founder of TIGRS™ |
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Copyright ©2005-2010 Daniel Kinney. All rights reserved.
The TIGRS™ name, logo, and ratings are trademarks of Daniel Kinney. Their use is prohibited except as outlined in the usage guidelines. Legal Information |