Anyone that plays games - petition

[HarryW]

http://www.petitiononline.com/game/

There is a petition in relation to violent computer games and their effect on gamers at that address. 17000 people had signed last time I checked. If you feel that the computer games industry is being made into a scapegoat for the violent crimes such as school shootings in recent years, then go vote.

[HarryW]

I also just came across this website: www.gunsforkids.com , which seems relevant

[Static]

HARRY! OMG!! That guns for kids site is AWFUL!
I am absoultely appauled at the comments!

This just goes to show what todays society has created..

Lack of parenting...lack of morals....etc...

I in no blame video games..I have played them for as long as I can remember them being around..including MANY Violent ones. I have NO URGES WHATSOEVER to go out and Kill anyone! That is just the way I was brought up...to solve problems with my head...not by fighting or killing. That is how my son will be brought up as well.

[HarryW]

Hehe, well you have to admit it's kind of funny in a sick way I mean it's only a pisstake.

[SurfDemon]

Look, if any of those b*stards say that video games are making me violent one more time I'll bloody well go round there and kill them, their families and then dance on their graves. The world would be better off with out them and their limp wristed pansie assed views.

SD

P.S. For the sarcastically challenged out there, this was a joke

[Technocrat]

Great site Harry.
I wish I were rich so I could try to order something off that site. I wounder what they would do if I wanted that machine gun

[simonm]

Did anyone see that program (UK) a year (or so) ago about the effects of computer game violence? They were trying to show that after playing a game (I think it was doom) they were more likely to interpret situations in a violent or aggressive context.

I didn't find the program that convincing to be honest.

[SurfDemon]

I find the whole theory laughable. Everyone I know has played a Doom/Quake sort of game and none of them have turned violent. Everyone plays them, the proportion of the population that go out and commit violent crime would have done that anyway, even if they had grown up playing hop-scotch. In many ways it's keeping them off the street. Hell my 65 year old dad is hooked on Unreal Tournament. He's hardly a phsycotic..... yet!

To use the same logic we could say that all of these people use a Windows machine, therefore Windows is encouraging violence Or that they use telephones (the instrument of satan himself!!!)

SD

[simonm]

I think violence (and sex for that matter) is becomming more of an issue in games mainly because they are becomming more and more realistic.

Back in the good old days when characters were just a few pixels, it wasn't a problem. Now, with the increasing sophistication of game technology, reality is beginning to blur into fantasy. i.e. it's becomming increasingly difficult for younger children to differentiate between the fantasy world of the game and reality.

[HarryW]

it's becomming increasingly difficult for younger children to differentiate between the fantasy world of the game and reality.

Maybe, but the games aren't marketed and 'younger children' and if they're playing games that aren't suitable for them then who is responsible for that? The games companies or the parents/guardians who aren't keeping an eye on them? I was watching very violent movies well before my teens, and maybe I shouldn't have, but I don't think that it has had any kind of negative effect on me.

I see it as just a case of finding a scapegoat for the tabloids to complain about and for middle-aged over-concerned under-educated housewives to get militant over. It's a bit of a farce, and it's the kind of thing the media thrive on.

I read recently that the widow and two stepdaughters of one of the teachers killed in a school shooting had filed a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against a group of around 25 games and media companies. multi-billion dollar. The games weren't trying to aid the killers, I don't believe that they did particularly but that's open for debate, and they were at most just an added factor to a kid's already messed up life. Does this really warrant a multi-billion dollar lawsuit? It's not like games give you cancer and the games companies have known about this for years but denied it.

[scoutt]

Well if the person that is playing the game doesn't know the difference between real life and just a game then they have mental problems.

[chrisjk]

Originally posted by scoutt
Well if the person that is playing the game doesn't know the difference between real life and just a game then they have mental problems.

Funny you should say that. The other day after hooning around in GTA 2, I went out for a drive and everytime I knocked over an old biddy a yellow banner showing "1000 Points" came out the ground.

[scoutt]

you have that problem too

[chrisjk]

Yeah. I had the cops on me in no time, but I was able to run a few over (double points!!) and steal the patrol car. Unfortunately, the government declared martial law.

[Pix]

Originally posted by scoutt
Well if the person that is playing the game doesn't know the difference between real life and just a game then they have mental problems.

But it is real! You'll be saying Santa doesn't exist next

[scoutt]

yeah I hate when that happens

[chrisjk]

Which computer game does santa appear?? I must have it.

Hah, I've remembered. Sanat'a Bowling has santa in it. Cooool <goes and plays>