What's the general opinion of THR members on video games involving shooting?

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bigalexe

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What's the general opinion of THR members on video games involving shooting?

I'm asking not about how accurate the games are but from the political stance. Do you guys think there should be limitations on access to the games? Should developers be limited in what they can/can't produce?

The reason I ask is because being 21 I've grown up with video games, I played DOOM and Wolfenstein probably when I was 8. I've played various fiction games like I mentioned along with Duke Nukem, also I've played games intended to be semi-realistic like Medal of Honor, SOCOM, and Rainbow Six. I will also add to that list that I am a fan of the infamous Grand Theft Auto series but not really because of the guns in fact they really suck in those games.

Despite all this violent gaming I'm a pretty level headed individual, I don't even have a desire to carry a gun right now because of where I live. However according to Jack Thompson and fellow politicos I should be a raving gun crazy lunatic and also an expert sniper because of all my shooting experience I learned in games.

Whats your take?
 
I believe it's been shown that having ways to act out this side of human nature without actually hurting anyone leads to a lower incidence of people actually hurting anyone. Can't find the cite right now.
 
There are various concerns with them.

They probably have driven a few people who had terrible parents and/or a mental ilness to commit crimes, I don't think that justifies banning them though others might disagree.

They are also some moral concernes with them, I'm not sure whether or not that's worth restricting them, different people will have different opinions.

Except rainbow six. That's the among worst I've ever owned, and definantly needs to be banned. :neener:
 
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As it stands now, a lot of those so-called violent video games require you to be 18+, like buying an R-rated movie, so there are limitations in place.

I personally enjoy getting my game on in Call of Duty 4, or some Gears of War. But its never made me try to act out a match of Sabotage.

Oh, and in Stars and Stripes, there was a video game suppose to come out about the Battle of Fallujah. Some were for, some were against for various reasons. I could see both sides to it. In the end, it was decided to be made.
 
I'm ok with them. It's a parent's responsibility to decide what their kid can and can not view/play.

The way it is now the games are marked with a rating (like movies). This gives the parents the info they need to make an informed decision.
 
I thought, because we've been told, that video games are not a THR topic.

But since you asked...

Do you guys think there should be limitations on access to the games?
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Parental? Sure. Governmental? Nope.

Should developers be limited in what they can/can't produce?
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They are free to limit themselves for whatever reasons they like. I don't think government involvement solves a thing.

I know there are a few notorious members here who can't get enough government in their lives. They'll likely stop by to argue to the contrary as they have the utmost respect and trust in government. It's amazing.
 
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I'm asking not about how accurate the games are but from the political stance. Do you guys think there should be limitations on access to the games? Should developers be limited in what they can/can't produce?
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More governmental rules? Nope.
 
No restrictions.
If people don't like them, they don't have to play them (or let their kids play them).

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play RE5.
 
I don't think they cause people to go wacko, if someone is already mentally unstable, video games aren't going to be the tipping point for them. I've played violent games for a long time, and I'm a perfectly stable, well-adjusted individual. Okay, okay, a stable, well-adjusted individual with 20+ firearms....

Personal favorites: Rainbow Six: Vegas, Crysis, Punisher
 
I've played many of them. Loved most of them. Never once felt like going out into the real world and "acting out". That said, I think appropriate age restrictions might be a good idea ... I've watched this "younger generation" engaging in some pretty risky behavior that has made me question their ability to reason things through at such a young age. Many seem to believe they are "invincible" ... and behave accordingly. I'm not sure they actually understand death quite yet. Really, it all gets back to parenting. I certainly don't favor more government in my life.
 
I'm asking not about how accurate the games are but from the political stance. Do you guys think there should be limitations on access to the games? Should developers be limited in what they can/can't produce?

...

However according to Jack Thompson and fellow politicos I should be a raving gun crazy lunatic and also an expert sniper because of all my shooting experience I learned in games.
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No, not at all. I am OK with industry ratings (just to let parents know what's in the games and make informed choices), but most of the anti-video-game activists that I am aware of are either authoritarian control freaks, or moralists with little to no actual knowledge of the subject.

The First Amendment applies to video games just as much as it applies to movies, magazines, and books.
 
Like most anything manmade, these video games can be abused, they can cause a handful of mentally unstable individuals to go nuts and hurt people. But, that's why we have laws, courts and prisons to deal with that. Censorship is not American and not needed. Yes, there should be parental control and parents need to know what the game involves. There are games out there that make me wince and I have twenty eight years in the blood and gore of a real E.R. These are the games that my kids don't play.

The other thing about these games that is interesting is the weapons. I have an 11 y/o son who loves to play Halo with me. One of his favorite weapons is the shotgun. He also knows that I have the real thing in the gun safe, including a smaller 20 gauge. A couple of weeks back he wanted to try shooting the real thing. This is a big boy, just over five feet weighing around 104 lbs, so I figured 'why not?'. The look on his face when he touched off the light load of #7's and felt that recoil slam into his shoulder was priceless!! It really stunned him at the amount of recoil even a 20 produces, never mind a 12. Sure, he can handle it, but it sure did reinforce the fact that HALO is only a game and has little relevence to real life.
 
/

I think they turn people into mindless idiots. That is, if they weren't that way already.

On the other hand, is anything always and only bad? I don't think so.

But it is not something I wish to waste my time on. If they had a chess game where you could shoot at the other guys pieces, that would be cool.

/
 
im 23 years old and grew up with DOOM-Halo and such. yet i have no problems

im tired of people blaming video games for kids when the parents could involve them in the kids lives rather then being so involved with their own.
 
The thing is, kids want to play the video games and they are often their first choice of activities at home. No time to eat.... got to finish the game....
 
Man seeing tiny lil guns on a plastic screen really makes me want to shoot somebody :D

its a bunch of horse &*^% they tried to do the same thing with the power rangers and kids acting violent (by the way i would totally hook up the the pink ranger:cool:)
 
There is always somebody, somewheere, who can't bear the thought that people might be enjoying themselves.
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Good God, if only there wasn't always some group in the states on a crusade to take away everyones right to drink alcohol, or smoke in a bar, or play video games, or watch porn, or own an AR-15, and on and on. This country could be so much better if more people were of the live and let live mentality.

Some of my gun buying has been heavily influenced by video games. I got a 1911 due to Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, Brothers in Arms, etc. The desire to get a M1 Garand has also been growing on me for some time now.

Did some politician seriously say that a potential mass murderer would be a better shot due to playing shooting video games? :confused:
 
Did some politician seriously say that a potential mass murderer would be a better shot due to playing shooting video games?
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Don't quite know how true that is, but according to some "colleagues" here at THR gamers are:

Video games are for mall ninjas and ***** that can't read books
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and

I think they turn people into mindless idiots. That is, if they weren't that way already.
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So I guess all gun owners then are right-wing physco extremists who are willing to pull the trigger at the slightest inclination and so should have their guns taken away. :rolleyes:
 
My brother and I grew up playing cops and robbers and cowboys and indians, "shooting" each other with sticks then eventually cap guns. Boys will be boys, all the video games do is give the detail without using the imagination. I think the real problem isn't that it sends impressionable young minds on killing sprees but it turns them into fatty jelly rolls. Not too many kids play outside anymore. [/sweeping generalization]
 
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