Violence in video games

[Mr.Vicchio]

I've been playing Counter Strike, Battle Field and Doom games for YEARS.

And my temper has not changed, in the least.

Now, posting on political boards like this? Yeah, that affects my temper something fierce.

[bishop]

i've been playing video games for over 20 years and don't have any problem with esrb ratings.. at the same time, the twits advocating censor-esque ratings are WAY over the top when they allege that video games turn people violent.. you want to see real violence? turn on the evening news and watch them glorify "shock and awe", replaying bombs being dropped in civilian areas for several weeks straight. the f'ing hell with violence in a ficticious video game.. mainstream society glorifies the real deal every single day..

let parents buy the games for the kids if they want too.. let older siblings buy them for their younger siblings.. let the government impose the rating system, but don't enforce it whatsoever.. anyone who thinks that video games lead to violence is a bloody fool. you think people 100 years ago needed a video game to amp them up for some bloodshed? hell no..


and that said, i recently bought a used copy of "manhunt" for my ps2.. this is by far the most violent game ever made. the damn game's premise is you are a convicted murderer who's sent around different places, killing people to make snuff movies.. game's damn good too, and i don't get any urge to go out and play executioner myself.

these game ratings really are a huge waste of time.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: bishop these game ratings really are a huge waste of time.

Actually, gaming itself is a really big time waster.

[bishop]

entertainment isn't a waste of time, unless you think all there is to life is work, etc..

[kubedawg]

Quote by: Flip Jackson I am in incredibly experienced and hardcore gamer and feel I can put in my two cents here. While I know it is certainly the responsibility of the parents to moniter kids and regulate what they do and see, I do think video games have a horrible habit of using excessive violence and sex to sell their products. I think there should be regulations, because it is impossible for a parent to keep track of every game a kid plays. Kids play what they can get ahold of whether a parent knows or not. I think instead of the ESRB, the games should have a detailed list of everything questionable in the game. It should say there is swearing, sex, violence, gore, and whatever. ESRB does this to an extent, but parents should have a better idea of what a game contains. I don't know if we should have T or M rated games, but parents should look at what a game contains, and decide if they want their kid to play that. Those of you who claim violent games have no effect on kids have got to be joking. I myself a gamer, recognize that certain games have either hardened me against certain things or made me get angry easier. I have seen this in fellow gamers as well. Gamers have a tendency to learn lose their temper, especially those who like violent of competitive games.

I would definately have to agree with you there because a lot of my friends, and I'm not just sayin 2 or 3, but I know of at least 15-20 of my friends get pissed when losing in a video game. Some people just take it way too seriously. But that happens with all kinds of games. But, you know the feeling of trying to spend hours mastering a game and have a buddy come over and kick your ass at it. Yeah... That feeling... Just makes you wanna throw things, hey whataya know, I have a controler in my hand!

Anyway. Video games are fun, it's the best form of entertainment. But there has to be limits set on how old kids should be able to view/play games like this. Same thing goes for movies as well.

Hell I watched rated R movies when i was 10 years old and I'm sure lots of others do as well, but some kids just plain cannot comprehend these things and it causes bad things to happen. I agree on whoever said that we need to have kids learn these things when they are able to comprehend them. thats the only way. I was taught about death at a very young age, my parents didn't BS with me, they told me the truth, that my grandmother died and went to heaven. And I believe that may ave helped me understand at an early stage that people die, and my uncle taught me the difference between real life and games because he was the one that introduced me to them.

People have different backgrounds and different stories, but how do we set the par?

[bishop]

some kids are just morons and protecting them from bad words and violent video games can't cure them.

[Cephus]

Quote by: Sonart I disagree. These games, are, in effect, combat training and desensitization. If you have any doubts, just ask the military... they're frantically redesigning first person shooters into contemporary combat training tools..

Just because you can use a computer to launch nuclear weapons doesn't mean a computer has only that one use. A video game is entertainment. It can also be used for training. It can also be used for education. Just because you don't like one of the various uses doesn't invalidate all the others.

[belverron]

Yay for Final Fantasies.... Not much gore there, of course. The enemies just kinda disappear.

[Mr.Vicchio]

Look, Gaming is a cost effective way of entertaining yourself.

Let's say you buy a DvD for 20 bucks. You watch it what? Once.. twice? That's 4-5 hours at best, of entertainment.

I spent 70 on HL2. It took around 20 hours to beat, plus the countless hours (that would be in excess of 100) playing Counter Strike Source.

That's worth it.

I could drop 20 bucks to see a movie at the Theater, a drink and maybe a popcorn for 2 hours entertainment. OR I could drop 14.99 on WoW and get 50 hours a month of Fun.

I bought GTA:SA. 50 bucks. I have 35 hours playing and counting.

Cost, effective.

[Osborn F Enready]

Flip said:
I am in incredibly experienced and hardcore gamer and feel I can put in my two cents here. While I know it is certainly the responsibility of the parents to moniter kids and regulate what they do and see, I do think video games have a horrible habit of using excessive violence and sex to sell their products. I think there should be regulations, because it is impossible for a parent to keep track of every game a kid plays. Kids play what they can get ahold of whether a parent knows or not.

I say:
So you are saying all of the people should suffer, because you want to protect kids? You are saying that adults aren't responsible enough to be held for their actions? Kids smoke pot, smoke cigarettes, play show and tell, have underage sex, plot about how they would like stick bubble-gum in mary-janes hair, and plot how to best place a firework in a mailbox to acheive greatest explosive benefit. NO SHIT! Kids will be kids, and it is the ADULTS RESPONSIBILITY to ENSURE they are teaching their kids the limits of play. If one kid has a cool parent who lets their child get the game nobody elses parents will let them get, what do you think is going to happen? THEY WILL ALL GO PLAY AT HIS HOUSE.

Parents are responsible for the little monsters they create. If you can't monitor your kids, you should have them taken away, instead of taking away all entertainment venues for adults in the name of "protecting" the kids. That mentality is flawed beyond belief.

Flip said:
I think instead of the ESRB, the games should have a detailed list of everything questionable in the game. It should say there is swearing, sex, violence, gore, and whatever. ESRB does this to an extent, but parents should have a better idea of what a game contains. I don't know if we should have T or M rated games, but parents should look at what a game contains, and decide if they want their kid to play that.

I say:
I think ESRB is more than enough, and it was done VOLUNTARILY by the gaming industry. People are responsible enough to understand what the rating means by READING it, and if parents want to know more before they buy, they can always play the demo BEFORE purchasing the game for little Johnny.

Flip said:
Those of you who claim violent games have no effect on kids have got to be joking. I myself a gamer, recognize that certain games have either hardened me against certain things or made me get angry easier. I have seen this in fellow gamers as well. Gamers have a tendency to learn lose their temper, especially those who like violent of competitive games.

I say:
Yea football is not a violent fiercely competitive game, nor is soccer, nor is hockey, nor is DODGEBALL. GET REAL HERE!!!!! LIFE IS A COMPETITIVE GAME THAT PUTS ANY VIDEO GAME TO SHAME.

You have to compete for every thing you do in life. Life itself is competititon, and it is one of the main forces that contributed to the creation of this nation, as well as the American Dream. People who are trying to Politically Correctionalize the world are the ones with the problem, because they can't accept they are responsible for their own actions, and the kids they bring into this COLD HARD COMPETITIVE WORLD.

Kubedawg said:
I would definately have to agree with you there because a lot of my friends, and I'm not just sayin 2 or 3, but I know of at least 15-20 of my friends get pissed when losing in a video game. Some people just take it way too seriously. But that happens with all kinds of games. But, you know the feeling of trying to spend hours mastering a game and have a buddy come over and kick your ass at it. Yeah... That feeling... Just makes you wanna throw things, hey whataya know, I have a controler in my hand!

I say:
If you can't control your emotions when you lose, it is sportsmanship you need to work on, not limiting everyones type of entertainment. Stop pushing of responsibility on everyone else and step up and realize rage doesn't excuse your violent reactions, nor does LOSING.

Kubedawg said:
Anyway. Video games are fun, it's the best form of entertainment. But there has to be limits set on how old kids should be able to view/play games like this. Same thing goes for movies as well.

I say:
They have them. Its called ESRB rating system.

Kubedawg said:
Hell I watched rated R movies when i was 10 years old and I'm sure lots of others do as well, but some kids just plain cannot comprehend these things and it causes bad things to happen. I agree on whoever said that we need to have kids learn these things when they are able to comprehend them. thats the only way. I was taught about death at a very young age, my parents didn't BS with me, they told me the truth, that my grandmother died and went to heaven. And I believe that may ave helped me understand at an early stage that people die, and my uncle taught me the difference between real life and games because he was the one that introduced me to them.

I say:
So put the blame on where the blame is due. PARENTS NOT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN IN A RESPONSIBLE FASHION.

Kubedawg said:
People have different backgrounds and different stories, but how do we set the par?

I say:
You set the par, by following the law. If your child is under 18, and you want to buy him/her and adult rated game, you had better explain why you are letting them get it, what is important to know, and that you will take it away if any irresponsiblity starts to surface from them. You become an active parent in raising your child, ensuring they are learning all you can teach them about life, and their rights.

You don't do that by taking away the rights of all adults.

[Sonart]

Quote by: Osborn They are an excellent training tool Sonart, but what does that have to do with the point of freedom to produce a game for the public, just not kids?

Did I say anything whatsoever about the freedom to produce games? I just said I believe they promote violence in impressionable minds... if you think companies should be free to make money by promoting, training and desensitising certain young minds to violence, by all means, go make blood money.

Quote by: Cephus Just because you can use a computer to launch nuclear weapons doesn't mean a computer has only that one use. A video game is entertainment.

And just because something is entertainment doesn't make it harmless, Cephus. I was heavily involved in the sport of paintball for about ten years, the last five playing at the tournament level. I used to defend the game as simply a sport. However, after all those years of watching people play, and as much as I loved the sport, I am now convinced that it trained people in the use of firearms for combat, made them at ease in the role and desensitized at least some of them to the consequences of using weapons against people.

Simply saying that something... games, movies, music, etc. .. is entertainment doesn't mean that it doesn't have an affect on some people's willingness to commit or accept violence. Certainly it probably won't affect the average person dramatically or with lasting affect, but enough particularly impressionable young ones out there who will absorb the wrong lessons.

.

[Chris]

My take:

Lame

[Osborn F Enready]

Sonart said:
Did I say anything whatsoever about the freedom to produce games? I just said I believe they promote violence in impressionable minds... if you think companies should be free to make money by promoting, training and desensitising certain young minds to violence, by all means, go make blood money.

I say:
Ouch, seems like I struck a chord there Sonart. I think companies should be free to make any damn game they so desire, and label it accordingly. It is the parents responsible for the "blood money" if they irresponsibly let their children play and buy whatever they want, with no regard to maturity.

Don't blame the gun, blame the man holding it.

[Flip Jackson]

I didn't say anything about adults rights.

Here is the deal with video games. Most sports and real life competitions are regulated. If you get angry, through a fit, attack someone, badmouth people, or whatever, you get in trouble. In gaming circles, anything goes. Swearing, tantrums, thowing things, and all sorts of junk because there is no regulation. Especially when a person is playing with people online. No one can stop him from getting angry, so he never learns that he shouldn't.

I am not trying to restrict adults, but just telling things the way they are. Video games have a way of affecting people. I don't know if it is the violence in games so much as the nature of gaming itself. Although, the more sex and swearing and violence there is in games, the more some gamers think it is acceptable. I see a trend in the way my gaming buddies see women, aggression, sex, swearing, and respect in general. The more junk a game has in it, the more that stuff will transfer to the players. That's just how things work.

[Osborn F Enready]

Flip said:
I didn't say anything about adults rights.

I say:
No actually I thought you did. You want to limit the rights of companies to produce certain types of games, right? Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, the game that brought most of this to the latest surfacing. That game came FROM THE COMPANY with a 17+ age rating. 1 year away from adulthood, and old enough to join the military with parental conscent and a GED. Congress is pissed, and they have decided to make it 18+ years to purchase. BIG DEAL, WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL THIS MAKE? NONE!

Flip said:
Here is the deal with video games. Most sports and real life competitions are regulated. If you get angry, through a fit, attack someone, badmouth people, or whatever, you get in trouble. In gaming circles, anything goes. Swearing, tantrums, thowing things, and all sorts of junk because there is no regulation.

I say:
Actually, you are wrong again. The online games that I play are in private servers owned by an individual, and that individual sets the RULES for HIS server. I can't swear, spam, recruit or do anything they find offensive in their RULES OF PLAY ON THEIR SERVER. Not all games are the same, but many are run off of independent owners servers. If it is a one player game, is it not ok to be mad when you can't advance past a certain point? Have you ever hit yourself with a hammer, and cursed and had a temper tantrum?

Flip said:
Especially when a person is playing with people online. No one can stop him from getting angry, so he never learns that he shouldn't.

I say:
If parents were RAISING the kids, instead of leaving them alone to play the games, they would know if the child had problems dealing with losing, or bad sportsmanship. Don't try to offset the blame again please.

Flip said:
I am not trying to restrict adults, but just telling things the way they are. Video games have a way of affecting people. I don't know if it is the violence in games so much as the nature of gaming itself. Although, the more sex and swearing and violence there is in games, the more some gamers think it is acceptable. I see a trend in the way my gaming buddies see women, aggression, sex, swearing, and respect in general. The more junk a game has in it, the more that stuff will transfer to the players. That's just how things work.

I say:
That is how YOU SEE things, and the way YOU PERCEIVE that they work. Facts are useful when making points such as this, and you have none to back up your case. It is YOUR opinion, and I have noted it, but disagree entirely, thanks.

[Cephus]

Quote by: Sonart And just because something is entertainment doesn't make it harmless, Cephus. I was heavily involved in the sport of paintball for about ten years, the last five playing at the tournament level. I used to defend the game as simply a sport. However, after all those years of watching people play, and as much as I loved the sport, I am now convinced that it trained people in the use of firearms for combat, made them at ease in the role and desensitized at least some of them to the consequences of using weapons against people.

Hey. I played paintball for years too and was even a competitive player back in the days when those lightgun games were popular in the late 80s. I do not own a gun today, nor do I like guns, nor have I ever had the interest to shoot anyone outside of a game. Seems like your claim doesn't stand up.

[kubedawg]

Walmart has TV's setup where you can actually listen to the music and watch the video before you buy. Wouldn't it be great if they had the same thing for video games? They have demos of the games, but only a select few. You should just be able to scan a game and tell whether or not it is suitable for whomever is going to be playing it.

But, still, parents will always make bad decisions, a kid will go over to their friend's house and play the game there, all kinds of scenarios come into play still. But, I don't feel the ESRB ratings are cutting it.

[Mr.Vicchio]

Actually, that's BS Flip. The CS:S server I play on has a VERY strict rule set. If you curse, act like an ass or the like, you are toast, gone, banned. No if and's or butts.

You make a general statement with very little in the way of actual experience do you?

[mr.perfecto]

Most of the gaming communities I hang around are well regulated. To keep a strict authoritarian type like myself around, they have to keep the filth away. You can really tell how health a community is by how vigorously its rules are enforced.

The idea of suing game companies over this is a bit strange to me, but then again, it would be funny to see a parent sue and instead of winning the case they get sent to jail for providing their kids with the games they want to sue the company over.

[7 Swildo 7]

Quote by Vicchio:

I don't think it's a big deal if they pass laws making INDUSTRY rated games age based for purchase. But I do think it's BS for game makers to get sued because of the content of the games. If parents are stupid enough to just buy any game thier kid asks for, then they have to suck it up for being shitty parents. End of Story.

I completly agree. Sometimes i think parents use violent games as an explanation to why their kid shot someone.....but of course it could NEVER be because they were bad parents. (Sarcasm)

I too play video games... a lot of them. I play the Halos, i have played delta force over the net, My favorite games are shootem up kinda games. But never would i result to killing someone because of what i saw on a game. that would be rediculous. I like the violent games..in fact every game i own is violent.....but i am nowhere near a killer, and i would never think of it.