Violence in Games--What's Your Stand?

[prolific_rhapsody]

Correct, Greed.

In my opinion, I think that going and killing people over a game is just plain wrong, but that if you are strong enough to handle it it may be Okay. But like my Dad says: "Once it goes in you can never get it out, no matter what."

 

[Sankari]

Since Halloween just passed, I thought of something: the horror genre of video games.

I know violence and such can be tolerated with just enough exposure, but games that are psychological and meant to mess up your head...those are games that are not meant to even be made (that is, unless, you are completely oblivious to horror)

For example, Silent Hill 4--the game rated the creepiest of all the games. My dad was playing this game, so I became interested. A man wakes up one day in his apartment and discovers that his telephone doesn't work, his windows won't open, and his door is in chains. Creepy things happen in his apartment as the game advances, such as notes carved into the wall, pictures being shifted, and, to be on the grotesque side, hauntings. By "hauntings", I don't mean little trasparent figures floating around and moaning warnings, but I mean H-A-U-N-T-I-N-G-S. You hear a knock at your door and look through the little peek hole, finding your character's face looking at you all "eviled up" as my step-mother said. Your shoes are sometimes in a different place. You sometimes would walk into your living room and hear the meow of a cat...and discover the shadow of child in you closet sometimes, hearing the moaning and crying of one. Zombie/ghosts struggle through the walls to try and get in...and it's just plain WRONG.

Anywho, I was plagued with nightmares after witnessing this horrid game. I watched it when I was eleven, and I am sorry to say I STILL sleep with my light on. Games like this should not even be put on the racks...it's psychologically disturbing. Sorry, but it's true. Case closed. I hate you, Silent Hill ;;

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Parents who buy the game for their children are too blame yes. But the developers aren't saints either, you know. I don't Jack Thompson too much because of how's he's approaching this, but that doesn't give Take-Two and Rockstar the right to call him a "bisexual pediphile" on their website. There's propaganda on both ends, and neith side is just.

These games do have an effect. Several gamers who play these games have since given Thompson death threats.

I'm sure I'm not alone in the idea that the majority of these violent games should not have been made in the first place or had to be as graphic as they were. One the main things that made GTA3 such a success was the innovation of having an open-ended world. And since then other more family friendly games have done the same idea. Now why wouldn't such an idea work in a family friendly game such as Spider-Man 2 before GTA3 did it?

Not all of them are bad. The horror games, you know what you're buying. It's no different that watching a horror movie. But I'm sure we'd agree that there are some movies that just should not have been made (due to violence, not it being boring or not), and the same applies to games.

It's an industry bigger than Hollywood and the companies wish to expand the user base beyond the hardcore gamer. They want more female players, they want moms, dad, grandparents, dogs. And unless the market starts going back to the majority of games being family friendly, that goal will not be accomplsihed. You can have great graphics, sound, level design, and innovative ideas in a non violent game. I just wish developers would learn that. All that effort goes into the violent games. Reviews for it soar, people will buy it more. Put all that effort into a friendly game and you'll seem similar sales. Make it and they will come.

 

[Yuna-chan]

Ive always said Violence in games is ok, it's just a game. Anyone who transfers that same violence into the real world needs to be locked up in an insane asylum, it's not the game devs fault a moron bought their game and went nuts, or just used it as an excuse to get off easy (insane asylum and not death/life in prison) for whatever crime they commited. As for horror games, Ive never been much into scary stuff... but if thats your thing I don't see a problem with them.

I say it's perfectly fine to have a violent game, but make sure whomever gets the game (IE: Parent buying GTA for a child) is mature enough to realize it's just a game.

 

[Sankari]

Parents who buy the game for their children are too blame yes. But the developers aren't saints either, you know. I don't Jack Thompson too much because of how's he's approaching this, but that doesn't give Take-Two and Rockstar the right to call him a "bisexual pediphile" on their website. There's propaganda on both ends, and neith side is just.

These games do have an effect. Several gamers who play these games have since given Thompson death threats.

I'm sure I'm not alone in the idea that the majority of these violent games should not have been made in the first place or had to be as graphic as they were. One the main things that made GTA3 such a success was the innovation of having an open-ended world. And since then other more family friendly games have done the same idea. Now why wouldn't such an idea work in a family friendly game such as Spider-Man 2 before GTA3 did it?

Not all of them are bad. The horror games, you know what you're buying. It's no different that watching a horror movie. But I'm sure we'd agree that there are some movies that just should not have been made (due to violence, not it being boring or not), and the same applies to games.

It's an industry bigger than Hollywood and the companies wish to expand the user base beyond the hardcore gamer. They want more female players, they want moms, dad, grandparents, dogs. And unless the market starts going back to the majority of games being family friendly, that goal will not be accomplsihed. You can have great graphics, sound, level design, and innovative ideas in a non violent game. I just wish developers would learn that. All that effort goes into the violent games. Reviews for it soar, people will buy it more. Put all that effort into a friendly game and you'll seem similar sales. Make it and they will come.

Nicely sad! Games do not have to be violent. We could do without it. It's games like Ratchet&Clank, Sly Cooper, and Jak&Daxter which keep me satisfied. All of the games I play are not violent...or realistic, for that matter. That's why I'm happy =D

 

[Samurai X]

This is an interesting topic and all I have to say is that violence in video games is OK.

Unless you're a psychopath you're not going to go out and kill people a la GTA.

 

[FireEmporer]

Anywho, I was plagued with nightmares after witnessing this horrid game. I watched it when I was eleven, and I am sorry to say I STILL sleep with my light on. Games like this should not even be put on the racks...it's psychologically disturbing. Sorry, but it's true. Case closed. I hate you, Silent Hill ;;

Have ya ever considered the people who like a good scare? That's really just the same as saying "Get rid of things that scare me!"

I'm not the world's biggest scary-thing fan, but occasionally being scared is fun.

 

[Lord Nidokingu]

I'm sure quite a lot of you will have heard about Jack Thompson. Also known as the World's Biggest Moron, he has made it his life's mission to prove that all video games are evil, warp children's minds and should be banned. He enjoys attacking Rockstar for their GTA games (claiming that murderers use them to practise on. Come on, how many of the world's guns require you to hit the X Button to fire?) and has attacked other games like Killer 7 (citing its none existent explicit scenes) and The Sims 2 (claiming it encourages paedophilia).

Recently, he told the press that if someone would "create, manufacture, distribute, and sell a video game in 2006" one of his ideas, he would donate $10,000 to charity. The game basically involves a disgruntled father of a killing victim who takes his revenge upon the games industry, which he blames for 'training' the man who killed his son. The father begins a spree of murders in retaliation, attacking the offices of "Take This," who made the game, and killing the chairman "Paula Eibeler" and her family. The father then begins a road trip across the states, back to Los Angeles, then assaulting the law firm "Blank, Stare" who represent "Take This" and various gaming arcades and games stores before arriving at E3 and completing a "monstrously delicious rampage" on the participants. I'm not sure why he wants this, since it sounds considerably violent, but then who knows how the minds of complete idiots work?

Then of course several companies actually offered to make his game. Jack then turned round and said his proposal was "Satire" and refused to donate the money. As the people of Penny Arcade said (after donating the money under Thompson's name), "We must conclude that his financial offer was also satire, some new breed of satire apparently that I'm sure is just hilarious to people in need."

Now Thompson is threatening to sue Penny Arcade for "activities of harassment". God, what a moron. And in case anyone here is siding with him for some reason, he also stated that he believed all gamers were druggies. What a f***ing moron.

Please, do the world a favor and check out Jack Thompson on Wikipedia.

And it doesn't stop there. If he ever had his way, ALL games that feature weaponry of any kind would be banned. Not to mention that the "List of Controversial Games" (- Wikipedia) would be severely looked at. Pok?mon is on that list, btw. And he is immensely religious, so I doubt getting rid of Pok?mon would be under him.

 

[SBaby]

Yes, I totally agree with you. Jack Thompson needs to not be taken lightly. He just might be one of the Video Game Industry's biggest threats.

I once read a study that predicted by the year 2008, 40 percent of all registered voters are going to be gamers. That's what people like Jack Thompson are afraid of. They're afraid they won't have a chance in the polls when they run for office, so they're trying to get games banned before they are played and enjoyed by us common people. Before we realize what's going on.

But, people, 40 percent is a big number!!! And it's growing every day. My suggestion: send these people a message in the polls, not on the boards. Protect your rights to game. Know where politicians stand on violence in games.

Now I usually don't like to talk politics, but this is something that we, as gamers, need to be aware of, now above any other time. We have the power, not them. It's just a matter of whether or not we use it.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Yes, I totally agree with you. Jack Thompson needs to not be taken lightly. He just might be one of the Video Game Industry's biggest threats.

I once read a study that predicted by the year 2008, 40 percent of all registered voters are going to be gamers. That's what people like Jack Thompson are afraid of. They're afraid they won't have a chance in the polls when they run for office, so they're trying to get games banned before they are played and enjoyed by us common people. Before we realize what's going on.

But, people, 40 percent is a big number!!! And it's growing every day. My suggestion: send these people a message in the polls, not on the boards. Protect your rights to game. Know where politicians stand on violence in games.

Now I usually don't like to talk politics, but this is something that we, as gamers, need to be aware of, now above any other time. We have the power, not them. It's just a matter of whether or not we use it.

Heh...now people, don't get mad at me.

If you want to keep playing games than vote Republican, because Thompson and Clinton are Democrats.


...

Anyway, a few of the comments in here are uncalled for I think. This is a warning. Tone it down, act intelligent.

 

[flashfox]

Jack Thompson is a hypocrite and a lier. That being said, he is right on certain things. GTA is purely crap, and the things it portrays must be toned down or something. I mean seriously, look at the things hitting the market. GTA. Bully. Hitman. I'm all for violence in hypothecial situations, but when putting it in a real setting and ballooning things out of proportion, they might distort reality. I mean, he might be taking it too far, but he raises a flag that must be answered. >.

 

[Charon]

Violence in video games is okay. I mean, for twenty years there's been beat-'em-ups in the arcades. The thing I don't like is how gory they're making them now, and how it almost seems like a reward for the kids playing these games to see blood fly. I grew up on a nintendo. My life used to revolve around hitting things with a sword (LoZ:LttP). I haven't grown up violent!
It's just the attitude producers today take towards blood shed that's wrong.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Violence in video games is okay. I mean, for twenty years there's been beat-'em-ups in the arcades. The thing I don't like is how gory they're making them now, and how it almost seems like a reward for the kids playing these games to see blood fly. I grew up on a nintendo. My life used to revolve around hitting things with a sword (LoZ:LttP). I haven't grown up violent!
It's just the attitude producers today take towards blood shed that's wrong.

Even if the amount of violence is about the same in theory. Say...Super Smash Bros. vs. Super Smash Bros. Melee, or Donkey Kong Country vs. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. As the systems become more powerful, the graphics become more realistic, and the more a punch looks like a punch than arms flaying around the more violent it is considered and the higher rating it gets. Hence why Melee and Jungle Beat got Teen ratings. Nintendo has said that they wouldn't be surprised if Twilight Princess earned a T based for the reason I just stated.

There are violent games, and then there are games that portray small violence realistically. A line has to be drawn (and it has to an extent, I love this idea of the new E10+ rating), and for the purely violent games they have to be toned down considerably. You can punch a guy, you just don't need to see his eyes fall out as a reaction. (I don't think that's happened in a game, but I couldn't think of an example, but you get the point.)

 

[NiNGi]

*doesn't bother to read the first post*

Violence in game for t3h win! =D
The more blood there is, the more fun! xP

 

[Sankari]

*doesn't bother to read the first post*

Violence in game for t3h win! =D
The more blood there is, the more fun! xP

Oh, wow O.O [sarcasm]You are so right.[/sarcasm]

Third page! W00T! I'm on FIRE! XD

 

[flashfox]

I think the view of animated violence and "real" violence needs to cleared up. LoZ and DK games are more or less animated violence, less real almost. And they usually aren't against other humans.

Compare that to the bloody games, or games such as Parasite Eve or Re4, I think that is where the line needs to be drawn. Sure, people still go to R rated movies or such, but I guess.. just something needs to be done. Ah wellish.

 

[SBaby]

Heh...now people, don't get mad at me.

If you want to keep playing games than vote Republican, because Thompson and Clinton are Democrats.


...

Anyway, a few of the comments in here are uncalled for I think. This is a warning. Tone it down, act intelligent.

Ok. Maybe that (my last post) was a bit uncalled for. I wasn't intending to offend anyone by that post. I'll steer clear of the politics thing from now on. I'm not trying to make anyone (especially Mods) angry.

As for my above post, I apologize, and it won't happen again.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Ok. Maybe that (my last post) was a bit uncalled for. I wasn't intending to offend anyone by that post. I'll steer clear of the politics thing from now on. I'm not trying to make anyone (especially Mods) angry.

As for my above post, I apologize, and it won't happen again.

Err...that wasn't directed at you. Sorry if it sounded that way. The offence comments comment was based on what I saw other people write, not you. o.o Sorry.

 

[SBaby]

Oh! I assumed you meant me, because I did come on a bit harsh with my post... Um... Hmm... This is awkward... Ok... Well, if I offended anyone else, I apologize, I guess. Um...

Don't really know where else to go with this... Um... So, what did you think about the special regarding Violence in Games on G4?