This Movie Rated…
by Chris Hussey

Most RPGs can easily be considered PG-13, with a good chunk of those being considered PG, if you were to use the MPAA rating system. Some games with more mature themes police themselves as well, making note of the fact that they deal with such.

So when I set about to make the Skies of Glass Comic, I seriously took into account the world as I have come to understand it. The world of Skies of Glass is brutal. It’s post-apocalyptic. People are struggling and scraping to survive. Yes, there are many “safe havens” and areas where civilization and civil behavior continues, but outside of those regions, things aren’t so safe.

So, how much of that brutality do you let loose? How much do you really show? Is there a line that can be crossed where the violence or the graphic nature of world becomes gratuitous? It was a bit of a struggle because creatively you almost want to portray the world with as much realism as you can, or feel you need to do to make the points you want to make. Yet at the same time, you are designing a vehicle which will not only be used to help draw traffic to the site, but also serve as a vehicle to help spike interest in the eventual development of the game. Further, you are never 100% sure exactly what the age range is of those who read the comic, and where the comic is being read at. There is a certain sense of responsibility that must be maintained.

So what does all this mean? Dan and I talked about the issue and we decided that both a “PG” and an “R” rated version can be produced, giving the reader the option of deciding how much is enough for them, when it is necessary. So that is what we are shooting for. Does this mean every episode will be filled with graphic violence and sexuality? Not hardly. But as I’ve written the script, some more mature elements do exist, and will be handled carefully.

Development update. Don Higgins and I have set a timetable for production, as well as a release schedule. I’ve seen character sketches of all the main characters, and the first four scripts have already been written. You’ll be seeing some more here very soon.

Keep watching.