A nice article on the effects of violence in games...

Post by **G.Silver** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 1:56 pm

http://gr.bolt.com/articles/violence/violence.htm

I'm not especially up in arms about this or anything, but I think this one is worth passing around. The linked article about the little girl who was <a href="http://www.overcriminalized.com/studies ... ">arrested for eating french</a> fries is also entertaining.

Post by **Segaholic2** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 2:14 pm

http://gr.bolt.com/articles/jack/jack.htm
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/com ... t-opinions
http://economist.com/printedition/displ ... ID=4246109
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/30/healt ... 0real.html
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3143349

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 2:58 pm

This is totally nothing new. It's been proven again and again and again, statistically, that there is absolutely no link between media (of any kind) and civilian violence (of any kind). It's a proven fact, based on official numbers from government sources.

The hysteria about videogames specifically is certainly to be expected, and in reality, the game industry doesn't have it nearly as rough as the film industry had it back in the 20's and 30's.

Cuckooguy · Post by **Cuckooguy** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:07 pm

Jack Thompson makes me laugh.

Post by **Popcorn** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:08 pm

You know what, though: as of recent times-- or rather, as of working in a shop that sells games and DVDs to idiots-- I am beginning to think that a lot of media has a harmful impact on society as a whole, and... I've just realised how obvious a statement that is, so I guess I'll just try saying it again but disguise it with bigger words.

I do think that the endless stream of video games that feature grunting men covered in blood killing prostitutes is actively harmful to the sort of demographic that enjoys them. I'm not opposed to violence in games at all, but I'm increasingly wary of many games' 'attitudes'. In Gamestar, that certain sort of hell I worked in for nearly three years, our biggest and most persistent sellers, excluding the FIFA games, all involved grunting blood-covered men killing prostitutes, pimped out rides, or some other variety of tedious 'urban' component that I think is actually harmful to society. I mean, this 'urban' shit-- the glorification of the 'gangsta' lifestyle with all its sexist, racist, violent baggage attached-- is just a stupid craze, and it's leaking into all forms of popular media, but it genuinely troubles me. It can't be good for people.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to get at here.

Ngangbius · Post by **Ngangbius** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:28 pm

Actually, this glorification of the 'urban gangsta' lifestyle was before GTA and it's clones--like early 1990's. I blame MTV and BET. =P

The Doc · Post by **The Doc** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:51 pm

This is why we have the ESRB. They put ratings and restrictions on games that are overtly violent so that kids can't get their hands on them directly. They make a game with a guy shooting an arrow into a 67-year-old woman's larynx, then they put an 'M' rating on it, which forbids someone under the age of 17 from buying it. As long as that type of purchase restriction is in place, the video game industy is NOT at fault. The blame goes to whoever buys the game, then lets a minor get their hands on it.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:53 pm

I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to get at here.

An altogether different form of evil, not one that instills real life violent tendencies in its audience, but encourages, perhaps, ignorance and the support of very base forms of "entertainment", far removed from anything that can and should be considered art. I totally know what you're talking about, and Grand Theft Auto is still a load of bullshit and extremely damaging not to the minds of children, but to the integrity of the medium. That shit is all you see now, and that's the main reason I've turned my back on the industry. Creativity is dead, all you need to do to make a game sell is create a generic, bald, sweaty, muscle man who may as well have been pulled from a fifth grader's doodle pad, add some guns, blood, and repetitive gray textures, and call it something like "Blood Warrior" or "The Will to Kill" or "Extreme Death Troops". If you want to be edgy, you give it a generic "anime-inspired" look and cel shade it.

The heart and soul has died.

Post by **Popcorn** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:42 pm

Green Gibbon! wrote:
I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to get at here.
That shit is all you see now, and that's the main reason I've turned my back on the industry. Creativity is dead, all you need to do to make a game sell is create a generic, bald, sweaty, muscle man who may as well have been pulled from a fifth grader's doodle pad...

Absolutely. It frustrates me how so many people perceive video games to consist of nothing but shooting prostitutes, but in truth I absolutely cannot blame them.

...add some guns, blood, and repetitive gray textures, and call it something like "Blood Warrior" or "The Will to Kill" or "Extreme Death Troops".

Post by **Delphine** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:53 pm

Is RAPE BITCH MURDER STEET an actual game, or did you make it up? Because, quite sadly, I can believe that someone would make that.

Adam Adamant · Post by **Adam Adamant** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:21 pm

I agree this whole thing about violence and video games is crap and has no real base to it.

That article about the french fry girl is amazingly funny and scary at the same time. Of particular note, the kids suspended and arrested for weilding toy guns. That is, one made of paper and the other from a GI Joe.

Seems like a bad time to be an American.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:24 pm

Is RAPE BITCH MURDER STEET an actual game, or did you make it up? Because, quite sadly, I can believe that someone would make that.

Right click --> Properties, you dumb bitch.

Up until that one, though, it seems like an entirely plausible list so much that I had to make sure it was a gag, which is itself a testament to the current squalid state of affairs.

Post by **Delphine** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:10 pm

Green Gibbon! wrote:Right click --> Properties, you dumb bitch.

Because there is NO POSSIBLE WAY an actual list could have been photoshopped!!

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:45 pm

KEEP OPENING YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO PUT IN IT.

Omni Hunter · Post by **Omni Hunter** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:51 pm

I find it benign that the powers that be use media itself to claim that media is bad. Oh the ironing.

Adam Adamant · Post by **Adam Adamant** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 7:03 pm

Delphine wrote:
Green Gibbon! wrote:Right click --> Properties, you dumb bitch.
Because there is NO POSSIBLE WAY an actual list could have been photoshopped!!

Or you could have followed the URL and read the joke article that accompanies the joke list. Crikey and Jesus!

I mean if you actually had a brain you'd realise they're all made up titles just from looking.

Post by **Delphine** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:02 pm

Adam Adamant wrote:Or you could have followed the URL and read the joke article that accompanies the joke list. Crikey and Jesus!

I mean if you actually had a brain you'd realise they're all made up titles just from looking.

Wow, you're an asshole.

Ritz · Post by **Ritz** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:35 pm

Get the Prozac, she's lost it again. :(

Post by **Popcorn** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:16 am

Delphine wrote: Wow, you're an asshole.

Del "what's a joke?" Phine wins again! calm down, love!!

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:58 am

You forgot In The Company Of Bands Of Heroic Men Who Are Also Brothers.

Post by **G.Silver** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 11:25 am

Ah, good ol' Trenchfoot Pete.

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 11:59 am

Hang on, wasn't there already a game called 1942?

Post by **G.Silver** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 12:04 pm

<a href="http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?let ... =6766">You bet</a>. I think this is supposed to be a take on <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&c ... attlefield 1942</a> (and it's billion spinoffs), though.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 12:49 pm

Hang on, wasn't there already a game called 1942?

Not only that, but it also really had sequels called 1943 and 1944, and a prequel called 1941. And just for good measure, one called 19XX.

Dash · Post by **Dash** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 2:03 pm

*looks at the BF:1942 page*Holy shit. Battlefield Vietnam:World War II Mod? Not only is that some kinda time paradox, it just makes no fucking sense. You buy a Vietnam War game only to use a mod to make it like a WWII game? Madness!