My little brother bought Half-Life 1 on his steam account, which was a while ago on Half-Life's 10th anniversary when it was only a dollar. I have the original version of Half-Life from 1998 on a CD so I am quite familiar with the original game. When I saw my little bro playing his new version however, the soldiers were replaced by robots, and the gore has been significantly reduced. I can't help but wonder what this is all about. Robots?!?!?

interesting, idk
I played the old half-life too not the new one though
and those soldiers were not robots when I played it

Content lock was enabled. When that's turned on, all grunts turn into robogrunts.

"Content lock was enabled. When that's turned on, all grunts turn into robogrunts."

Valve released a heavily censored version in Germany to get a lower rating, replacing the soldiers with cyborgs, and editing out all the gore effects.

If you shoot one of the scientists, they sit down, shake their heads and then slowly fade away. I wish I was kidding here.

This version still received a 16+ rating.

What you describe sounds like this version, or a similar one. You mention your "little brother's steam accountt". How old is he? Maybe it's somehow linked to the age you set in your steam account? (I don't know if there is such a thing. I don't use steam.)

You can see it here:

http://schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3232

"You can see it here:

http://schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3232"

i was just posting it because of the pics. The text basically just describes what's shown on the pictures.

As to "why": When the first Half-Life was released, titles that received an 18+ rating could very easily be put on the index if they were deemed "Jugendgefährdend" (harmful to the youth). If a title is put on the index, it can be sold and bought legally - But advertising in any way is forbidden.  So many publishers censored their games in order to get a 16-rating. As you know, in Europe violence and gore have the same effect on ratings as sexual themes and nudity have in the US.

So valve replaced blood with nothing, death with "fading", men with machines and guts with gears.

Publishers still do this quite regularly, although laws have been changed a bit. Nowadays many violent games don't get an "official" german release at all and publishers just up the number of austrian copies - Selling, buying and playing these uncensored copies is legal, unproblematic, and circumvents the german ratings board.

Why should the game developers even give a fuck about Germany then?

Doesn't all that stuff go away if you turn the content lock off?

"Why should the game developers even give a fuck about Germany then?"

"Doesn't all that stuff go away if you turn the content lock off?"

I actually bought half life 1, when it was on special as well. Haven't actually gone back to play it, will look into it sometime tonight.

"Relys said:

"Why should the game developers even give a fuck about Germany then?"

It's the biggest gaming market in Europe? The UK has a higher percentage of gamers, but sales-wise, it is. There's a second big yearly games convention about to launch. Especially  in PC and MMO, Germany is by far the most profitable market in Europe.
There's a lot of ridiculous legal bs about "protecting the youth" from the portrayal of violence in the media, but developers (publishers) give a fuck and often invest quite a sum of money to make elaborate versions with the violence turned down because there's a huge friggin mass of paying customers there.

And Germans do have quite a bit of money to spend.

Edit: What do you know, it seems my numbers were a little outdated. The UK reclaimed that throne a while ago. Presumably with the steep rise of console gaming. So it's a 2nd biggest."

I always knew Germany censored games but I never thought Half-life was that violent.

"I always knew Germany censored games"

"mracoon said:

"I always knew Germany censored games"

Publishers censor games. To increase sales. Because German law makes sure that violent games don't get into the hands of minors."

that is weird

Wow, that's pretty neat, kinda like the gibs in TF2 and the balloons....

" Meowayne said:

"You can see it here:

http://schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3232"

I think everyone here at GB can obviously read everything since we all master of the german language. Right?Still I could understand the differences by looking at the pics. I don't get why though. "

The only thing the Germans hate more than Robots are the Jewbots.

" @Snail said:

" I think everyone here at GB can obviously read everything since we all master of the german language. Right?Still I could understand the differences by looking at the pics. I don't get why though. "

ermmm...the whole point was the pictures. "

" Meowayne said:

"mracoon said:

"I always knew Germany censored games"

Publishers censor games. To increase sales. Because German law makes sure that violent games don't get into the hands of minors."

It's probably me thinking wrongly, but it seems like a bummer to the mature audience over there.

I always wondered where that Robogrunt multiplayer model came from.

" @CL60 said:

" @Snail said:

" I think everyone here at GB can obviously read everything since we all master of the german language. Right?Still I could understand the differences by looking at the pics. I don't get why though. "

ermmm...the whole point was the pictures. "

No joke genius.Still I was expecting to read something about it. "

I think Valve were taking the piss when they made the scientists sit down, shake their heads and dissapear. I bet they were laughing when they were told they had to code that.

Don't hate on the fine people at "schnittberichte.com" - it's a valuable and accurate source. I am sure the government would like to shut it down, but  they are operating in a grey area.
 
if you want to see a really ridiculous case of German censorship, check out how they butchered Soldier of Fortune 2. They simply set the whole game in a parallel universe and replaced the humans with robots - which means they just colored them silver and put knit lines on them. It's hilariously stupid.

" mracoon said:

"I always knew Germany censored games"

Publishers censor games. To increase sales. Because German law makes sure that violent games don't get into the hands of minors. "

" Valve released a heavily censored version in Germany to get a lower rating, replacing the soldiers with cyborgs, and editing out all the gore effects. If you shoot one of the scientists, they sit down, shake their heads and then slowly fade away. I wish I was kidding here. "

" @Snail said:

" @CL60 said:

" @Snail said:

" I think everyone here at GB can obviously read everything since we all master of the german language. Right?Still I could understand the differences by looking at the pics. I don't get why though. "

ermmm...the whole point was the pictures. "

No joke genius.Still I was expecting to read something about it. "

Use babelfish you lazy bastard. "

" @Snail: One month and four years ago, eh? ;) "