Any THR members act as Missionaries to the Gamers?

[MatthewVanitas]

Greetings,
Reading a recent HALO-inspired post in praise of the AK-74 as a sniper rifle, I found myself wondering: how many THR members promote THR on video-game boards?

For those that play shooter games, do you find yourself drawn into technical firearm discussions on Gamer Forums? Are many gamers at all receptive to learning about real-life firearms, or interested in learning how to shoot? Are gamers a potential source of real-life RKBA supporters?

I'm not a gamer myself, don't follow their boards, and my l33t sp34k is still limited to asking for directions and buying bus tickets, so I'm unable to figure out these cultural trends for myself. I'd be interested in hearing from THR members in the gaming community (sorry, teh gaming community), especially those who started with game guns and moved into real-life guns.

Your armchair anthropologist,

-MV

 

[cracked butt]

Been there. done that. Not worth my time.

You'll get a few people who are interested in the guns or have the guns themselves.

You'll get a lot of 12-25 year olds who already know it all from playing counterstrike.

You'll get a whole bunch of Candians and Europeans who say that all guns should be illegal, except for in video games of course (most of the 12-25 year olds fall into this category as well)

 

[lance22]

Video Games Been Good To My Family

These games teach many good lessons:

(1) Use of Hard Cover
(2) Survivability of "camping"
(3) Tactical advantage of certain weapons to certain situations
(4) Tactical advantage of elevation

These games have also got my kids interested in shooting "fun looking" guns. It also gives me a chance to discuss the dangers of "house sweeping" / survival tips with the kids. All in all it's been very good because it gives you an excuse to bring up "the subject" without appearing off topic.

I've never tried to evangelize others in the games, save for a time or two that I've referred a few people who claim to be 'gay' to the Pink Pistols website ... but for me and my house I think the games serve a good purpose.

 

[hillbilly]

Ah yes....counter-strike kids.................

Don't they hang out with the same kids who want to duct-tape trauma plates to their backs in case they're in a firefight and start taking .308 rounds from an unseen shooter to the rear?


hilbilly

 

[jsalcedo]

The prodigious use of aim bots makes online shooting games and any perceived skill or advantage moot.

The programmers try to do a good job in creating game guns and their effects
to be as realistic as possible but "game balance" always comes first.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

jsalcedo: Not at all trying to argue that gaming improves gamers technical skills, just wondering if game-playing causes them to become interested in real firearms or gun politics. The consensus thus far seems to be tragically negative. I've heard similar complaints about paintballers and Airsofters.

It just seems odd that people would think that mowing down opponents in the computer world is great, but that being prepared for real-life contingencies is evil. -MV

 

[Zundfolge]

I used to be one of the moderators over on the Infiltration forums.


I did my time in the missions field ... back in the day we used to bitchslap the little eurotrash socialists all over the place over there ... they pretty much run the show there now (which is one reason why I don't post over there much anymore ... that and I haven't had Infiltration installed since I dumped Windows a couple of years ago).


But I do know several folk who where antis (and a boatload who where fence sitters) that where introduced to real guns by the video games. I've even seen a Frenchman converted to pro-RKBA over there.

 

[Spiggy]

I've been there and they end up with "You mean they make these for realz!?" My freind had never fired a real gun before, so I figure I let him try out my crossbow as an example(I didnt want to let him shoot a live one). Well he was confused... "Where's the crosshair?"

hold on, let me find the movie of another freind hitting himself in the face when he shot a DE in .357

Needless to say: "PWNED"

 

[Moonclip]

I once had the misfortune of getting involved with such on a GTA forum. It's sad what you can see over there especially from the anti gun foreigners. Also I get told how the TEC 9 is the deadliest gun in the world and police are terrified of them even more than a AK47

Most of these people, even the adults have never touched a gun let alone owned or fired one except for maybe airsoft.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I recall back in High School or early college one of my buddies who bragged about his 'superior hand eye co-ordination' from playing video games.

I threw him a pencil and challenged him to 'draw my face.'

He couldn't hit a moving target with a real shotgun either.

But man was he good at video games.

 

[SomeKid]

I recall back in High School or early college one of my buddies who bragged about his 'superior hand eye co-ordination' from playing video games.

I threw him a pencil and challenged him to 'draw my face.'

He couldn't hit a moving target with a real shotgun either.

But man was he good at video games.

After spending a few hundred rounds at the range, I almost feel as though you are speaking of me...but my targets weren't moving.

 

[Charles W Webb]

I remember this gameing forum where everyone would agree that guns are bad and we need to follow England in their footsteps for a safer country.

And they allways said England hasn't had child shootings in a long time cause..oh wait, they have better gun laws! I left that place so fast it wasn't funny.

Also their 1337 h4x0r(did I do that right?)talk is annoying. That is why I love watching this counter strike cartoon.http://www.pwned.nl/
It's funny untill the end when the kid shoots every one at school for losing at a game. That part I really don't like.

 

[chink]

Most of the people that I talk to who are avid gamers are very interested in my guns. I happen to have some of the guns that are used in counter strike and they are all interested in seeing how they shoot in real life.

 

[Kurush]

I admit it, I have a thing for WW2 action games, especially the ones with realistic sight pictures. The recent game Sniper was very interesting, not only doesn't it have auto aim but you actually have to account for bullet drop and wind drift on 75-250 meter shots. With no range finder.

Very neat game. I think people who play that would be recruitable.

 

[trickyasafox]

im big into call of duty and America's army. we play them at my work study job. im the only actual firearm owner there, but have said if anyone was ever up to my hometown i'd be more than happy to introduce them to the sport. none were against ownership, and many seemed interested. though they had questions as to why i needed them, they werent mean to be demeaning or belittling, but rather they were geniunely curious. so i tried to answer as best i could. i stated that the first amendment rests firmly on the shoulders of the second, and they all seemed to agree.

i even made up a few dummy *read no powder no primer* rounds for my boss who seemed genuinely interested. he asked me if i could to get him brass in different cal's from now on when i was home. and to be honest, im more than happy to.

 

[jefnvk]

I find the only game that comes somewhat close to showing real firearm usage is Call of Duty, Americas Army, and IIRC Ghost Recon (haven't played that in a while).

Games like CS are so unrealistic with guns, its usually not worth it. When a DE shoots better and hits harder across a map than an AUG or Steyr Scout, and people believe that in real life it is the same, they just don't listen.

Not to mention that the same round out of different guns can do completely different damage.

 

[Wasz]

Players of WWII style games tend to know about the war weapons of the era, to a degree... Some of the facts they have quite wrong. Those games tend to be played by a bit older crowd it seems though. In general I dont think gaming really causes anyone to consider learning how to shoot for real.

 

[MountainPeak]

God I feel old!!!!! Well I guess I am!

 

[Dragun]

i have been into first person shooter games since they came out. i am currently in a 'clan' that plays competition matches and informal scrims, for practice, with other clans. there are about 25 guys in my clan and membership (i am a server admin) does not allow anyone under 25 or so, to keep the game hacking code kiddies out. anit-cheat software in installed on the server and all client PC's. i'm 46 and not the oldest guy in the clan (almost tho). members are from all over these united states. maine, michigan, illinois, missouri, texas (you know these guys are armed well), tennessee, alabama, washington state, oregon, California, and arizona. all 3 of us from Michigan own guns with 2 of us CCW (lots of guns and totaly RKBA). 1 guy in alabama has more guns than the 3 of us put together, lol. the guy in illinois has many including a full auto (no papers, yikes). 1 girl in kali has a handgun and her hubby is in the service (just got back home about a week ago). the rest do not have any but most (not all) are interested when we post pics in the clan forums. the kali guys just drool at our ak's sks's etc. oh yea, 2 guys from canada (poor deprived sob's) interested too but without much hope of owning any. i use every chance i get to promote the 2A and have pasted info from THR, but don't think i have ever linked to any posts here. while i enjoy greatly this message board, sometimes individuals get a little out of control and i would hate to tip a clan fence sitter the wrong way. no offense intended to anyone here.

 

[jefnvk]

Oh, great story I forgot to share. Took a CS-playing buddy of mine to shoot my AR. Give him the rundown of the usual stuff, safety location, mag release, bolt release, etc. Must have forgot charging handle. I told him to go ahead, pull it back and load a round. He desperately starts to pull back on the forward assist, because in CS that is what is pulled back to chamber a round :banghead:

I have my laugh, he takes it well, then proceeds to have fun dumping a mag into the target

 

[AnnaTrocity]

Playing first person shooters (specifically Action Half Life, The Specialists, and Soldier of Fortune 2) is what got me interested in firearms. Prior to that I had pretty much no interest in guns whatsoever.

 

[ny32182]

My brother plays in a Soldier of Fortune 2 clan... it has the most realistic depiction of firearms that I have seen in a video game. Not perfect, but better than most. Then again, I haven't really played that many video games.

 

[Arkady]

As a shooter and a gamer, I try.

Most of you have no idea how hard it is. A lot of gamers take what they see in game as the gospel truth about firearms. I've watched gamers at the range who were new to guns trying to pull off the same stuff they can do in game--most of them seem surprised when they have to pull the trigger each time, and try to do it the same way they would use the mouse.

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

I think that most--80% of gamers--just don't think about real guns much. It's a game of skill, and guns are just a tool or a hook to get you interested. Knowing where on the map to move, whether to run or stand still, and the ability to put your crosshairs on your opponent before he does the same to you is what you need to think about to win. Playing CounterStrike, I feel the same way--there's almost a complete disconnect between it and real shooting once you figure out how to play. The only realistic thing about it is that semi-auto/shooting while standing still is more accurate than full-auto/shooting while running. On the forums I've seen, I've never even seen RKBA issues brought up. I would sometimes go by the handle "2nd Amendment" and no one ever voiced any opinions either way, probably because many if not most didn't know what it is. CounterStrike is a fun-oriented game whose main audience is 15 year-old kids. http://www.pwned.nl/ mentioned a few posts back is a CounterStrike parody if you don't know. If CS players want to do something hands on, they do airsoft. I only know a handful who shoot real guns.

There's a more realistic first person shooter called Operation Flashpoint. It's more adult. On a popular Australian-based fansite's forum, someone (an Australian) did a poll asking "Should there be more gun control or less" and it was about 50/50. The crowd is about 50% British Empire, 25% US, 25% Rest-of-World (mostly other European with a few Arab's/Paki's, Pacific Islanders, etc).

In general I'd say real guns are only something to mention occasionally to games, and then in passing, and it's not worth your time unless someone is already interested.

jefnvk, CS Source now has you pulling back the charging handle with the m4.

 

[NickEllis]

Aa

my brother spends a bit of time on American Army, and likes it and the people on it. Its a bit of a waste of time, that I will admit.

However, it has had the advantage of getting him really into shooting. First gun he bought last year was a mini-14, and loves to shoot the thing. Hitting things out at 500 yrds now, and getting better. He's thinking about getting a Rem700 when he can afford it. The kid is only 14 and shooting better then I am now with open sights at long range. I've been impressed.

I'm sure most don't work out this way, but its nice to see this one. Actually, Deer Hunter 2 was what got him into deer hunting. I took a nice 10 pointer last year with him over my shoulder, and he was more excited than I was. He's going out with the 30-30 this year. Too bad he lives in Brazil with the folks, or he would be a posterchild for the gun/hunting movement. One day, he'll come back for college... perhaps he will convert more gamers. Here's hoping.