Games on RPoL may be rated either Adult or Mature to signal that they are not suitable for all site users.

Mature games are games which have (as some minor portion of them) mature themes, strong language, drug use, and/or extensive violence.  Mature games use the Mature Content flag to warn potential readers that some of the game material may be considered offensive.  Despite this flag, Mature Games must remain suitable to all ages.

Adult games are games which have as part of their content graphic sex or graphic and gratuitous violence.  Though their story and plot may be very strong and elaborate, they detail sex and/or gore in a way to which children and teens should not be exposed.  Adult games are restricted in access to those who have specifically requested access to Adult games and provided consistent truthful age statements for each adult game.  In no case are Adult materials permitted in any public area of RPoL: GMs of Adult games must take care that only those users who are members of their game can view the Adult materials contained therein.

The difference between a Mature game and an Adult game is the descriptive level and the amount of mature content in the game.  Games which focus exclusively on mature content for their plot or which describe such content in graphic detail are required to display the Adult rating.

Even within the Adult forums, there are depictions which are considered to be outside the acceptable community standard and which are not allowed.

If a game exists for the sole purpose of describing or playing out graphic sex in conjunction with crime, cruelty, or violence, it will not be permitted.  Likewise, games are not allowed which exist for the sole purpose of the graphic depiction of:

• crime and gore;
• ethnic, religious, or racial intolerance;
• sexual assault;
• torture;
• dehumanizing murder; and/or
• the abuse of children.

The Artistic Merit caveat (below) exists to allow some of these materials as non-gratuitous plot and character development devices within game Content.

Games are not allowed to exist -- at all -- which graphically describe:

• non-consensual sex, sexual assault, or rape;
• the taking of life for sexual arousal;
• incest;
• bestiality;
• necrophilia;
• sexual acts involving children under the age of 18, or
• the sexual exploitation of minors.

The Artistic Merit clause (below) does not apply to this content ever.  While a character's story or history can involve these themes, and games can refer to them as plot points, they are not permitted, under any circumstances, to be graphically role-played or detailed on the site.

Characters involved in any graphic sexual situations must be 18 or older with all modern, real-world expectations: that is, they must be at least 18 in appearance, behaviour, emotional capacity, and so on.  If the character does not absolutely meet this standard (i.e., they look younger, act younger, are child-like, they have another personality or form that is younger, &c.), then the character cannot be involved in graphic sexual situations on RPoL.

Material which, alone, would offend the community standard may be permitted within a game if it is required for the serious treatment of a game plot.  This material must have a justifiable role in advancing the story and, considering the game in its entirety, must have a legitimate, non-gratuitous purpose.

Note that this clause does not in any way permit the graphic role-play of non-consensual sex, the exploitation and/or abuse of minors, or any other content previously noted as disallowed on site.

Non-human characters are permitted in sexual situations in Adult games, but they must have sentience and the ability to communicate consent.  Games set in a fantasy realm or historical era where the Restricted Content items (above) would be considered normal or acceptable may contain them, but in no circumstances will the graphic description of Prohibited Content be allowed.

Because sexual assault has been a historical consequence of violence, this section attempts to clarify what can often be a matter of contention.  Games that exist for the sole purpose of the depiction of sexual assault are strictly prohibited.  The Artistic Merit clause applies to this within reason, such that it permits (within limited scope) scenes which are not the purpose of the game, which are not graphic, and which do not glamorize what is a tragic and brutal act.

If problems arise, Moderators will take a fair look at the game in question and will take into account the primary GM's track record and the maturity shown by all involved as well as  the content and purpose of the game as a whole.  Long-standing members of the RPOL community will generally have more benefit of doubt than do new users.

GMs are often offered the chance to amend or adjust their games as necessary if they are found to be outside these rules.  Where it is clear that the actions of a user have occurred without GM consent, action will only be taken against the offending user, rather than the other users in the game or the game as a whole.

Players in Adult flagged games must be of the age of majority in their place of residence or eighteen years old, whichever is higher.  RPoL's rules say all adult materials must go in Adult games, and the Adult games are clearly labelled, saying that no minors are allowed.  There are no exceptions.

The important point is that even in cases where it is sometimes legal for a minor to consent to sexual contact, it is still not legal to allow them access to what many would consider to be pornography.  It is up to each participant of Adult games, and especially those games' GMs, to understand this policy and to enforce it.

Age of Consent is entirely about the consent to have physical sex.  What people do on RPoL is not sex.  Even if it is possible to have sex online, it's not what RPoL's for, so RPoL should not be used it for that: We simply don't want to host it.  Working around our willingness to host it is considered to be a serious violation of the site rules and Terms of Use.  RPoL is for role-playing, full stop.

Adult games involve their players creating and receiving adult materials.  Minors are not legally allowed to do this.  Furthermore, it's against RPoL's rules.  In no case can a minor's parents give them permission which voids this rule.

Adult gaming on RPoL requires extra dedication and responsibility on behalf of the players and GMs.  Every participant should be familiar with this policy and willing to speak up should they see it violated.  Note particularly that:

• GMs are not required to perform any age checks before admitting a player to their game as the site automatically handles age statements.  GMs may, solely at their discretion, continue to ask prospective players for their age and may refuse access based on the response (or any other reason, it is their game after all).  GMs (and all members) are required to watch out for any actions or statements that may bring doubt to any other member's age or maturity.  Any suspicions should be reported to the moderators for rMail.
  
  
• All participants of an Adult Game are responsible for ensuring its content does not violate our policies.  Violations should be reported to the game's GM and to the site Moderators.  Ignoring violations is not an option.
  
  
• All members of Adult games are considered to be participants so long as they are members of the game.  This means that any user who no longer wishes to participate should speak to the GM and have themselves removed from the game.

Anyone unwilling to accept these responsibilities should refrain from Adult gaming on RPoL.

When you first apply for an account on RPoL, you have to supply your month/year of birth.

An application for adult access is generated the first time you apply to join an adult game. This application has to be processed manually by site moderators and might take a couple of days to be approved (/rejected) depending on how busy we are.

Note that there is a two week waiting period on adult access for new accounts - a) new users need time to familiarise themselves with the site and the adult games requirements and b) to reduce the incidence of users creating multiple accounts to work around the rules or circumvent a ban.  There is no way for us to reduce this two week waiting period as it is built into the system and can't be overridden.

Where we detect discrepancies in the month/year details provided by the user then restrictions on adult access will be applied until the user meets the age qualification plus 5 years minimum.  This is intended to reinforce how seriously we take the granting of adult access, while still allowing a path to have the ban eventually lifted.

EG: where the user is 16 years old in a jurisdiction where it was not legal to view adult content until the age of 18, they would be subject to a minimum 7 year ban ie 2 years underage and an additional 5 years, so they would unable to access adult content until they were 23 years old.

Note also:

1. We do not accept documentary evidence of any kind as proof of age. There is no way for us to determine that such documents actually belong to you and/or the images have not been modified.
   
   
2. We understand if some people prefer not to give their real month/year of birth for privacy reasons, however providing false details will result in a minimum 5 year ban.  If you don't want to provide your month/year of birth, then don't ... BUT you must stick to the non-Adult games.
   
   
3. Creating multiple accounts in an attempt to get around adult access restrictions will result in an additional 5 years ban.
   
   
4. Donations to the crowd-funded 'send bigbadron to space (and bring him back again) appeal', while always welcome, will make no difference to any decision.
   
   
5. As always on RPoL, the moderators' decision is final.

If your adult access has been restricted due to age discrepancies then you will need to apply via rMail for the ban to be reconsidered, once you meet the following conditions apply:

• You MUST now be at least 23 years old (ie 18 plus 5 years).
  
  
• If you live in a jurisdiction which specifies an age higher than 18 years old to view adult materials then you must be at least that age plus 5 years.
  
  
• The existing restriction on your access to adult games MUST be due to a detected age discrepancy. If you have been banned from Adult games FOR ANY OTHER REASON the ban will NOT be lifted.
  
  
• If the ban was for providing incorrect details of your month/year of birth, and we have no other doubt that you were old enough at the time, then at least 5 years must have elapsed since the ban was imposed, or 10 years if you created multiple accounts in an attempt to get around the original ban.
  
  
• You MUST have been a community member in good standing in the period since the ban was imposed - ie not had constant run-ins with other players and/or moderators in that time as we also require users in adult games to demonstrate that maturity.

This policy change will be monitored closely and if there are any problems in its operation, we will revert back to the original policy which provides for restrictions to continue indefinitely until such time as jase implements a robust method of checking age.

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

• sexual assault: any non-consensual sex act.
  
  
• incest: sex between people who are too closely related to marry (people in their direct line of descent, as well as uncles, aunts, and first cousins).
  
  
• necrophilia: sex with non-sentient dead bodies.
  
  
• pedophilia: erotic contact with children under the age of 18.
  
  
• bestiality: sex with non-sentient animals.