Are computer games to blame?

wayneyboy1942 · #1 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 15:13

Just seen a game on the news that re-creates the shooting of JFK.
We've had Doom,grand theft auto,resident evil etc are these games a bit of harmless fun?
It's the same debate as the violent,horror films one. What do you think?
I think if a game or film is 18cert then it's up to adult people to make up their own minds. you can't help it if a small group can't tell fantasy from the real world.
It's the under age kids that get hold of them that bothers me,will they use this as an excuse to blame these things for turning them violent etc? :(

Mattylad · #2 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 15:25

It's the Americans that are getting worked up about this game.

Those same Americans that play games everyday that feature shooting almost every other culture around the world.
We don't get to hear of other cultures being peed off with it now do we?

As an exanple, Ghost Recon & Ghost Recon Island Thnuder feature shooting of people in the Balkans, Africans etc.
Do they complain about it? Nah, they have important things to think about.

It's a game..... thats all.

I think that they are peed off because a Scottish firm did it before they did!

I can bet on winning a bet that there will be a great many American's that play that game. maybe it will become an FBI training tool... lol

AFAIKR There is an Xbox game that features a US army training part weihtin it that can be unlocked.

#3 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 15:38

Don't know much about computer games such as you mention but are they of named individuals? I understood that it was the brother of JFK that was complaining and the makers saying it was a way to encourage children to understand history. To me it is a way of making money for the company pure and simple.

janet · #4 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 15:49

Playing games does not make you a violent person, you are like that to begin with, i am fed up of people always making excuses for bad behaviour. :stop:

dellym · #5 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 17:38

whilst i agree that games dont make you a violent person etc...i do find it disturbing when i see a child of 4 or 5 playing playstation games full of killing and blood n gore....thats not normal. Course that said its up to parents. But speaking as a parent im hoping not to even think of letting my little boy play on games til hes much older.

Col.Kurtz · #6 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 19:06

I can't see the attraction of the JFK game myself, I mean, is that it? Shoot the president the same way as Oswald? In terms of the subject matter, I do think it's a bit sick and lacking in imagination.
There will always be disturbed individuals who will blame violent films, games...erm heavy metal records played backwards...for their own actions - most adults are equipped to deal with the difference between fact and fiction.
Children should not be allowed to buy or play 18 certificate games - simple as that. Same as how they should not be able to see 18 cert films. These minimum age requirements are used to protect children from violent imagery, they are there for a reason - How long before we start hearing of compensation claims for post dramatic stress disorder from people who played these adult games as kids???
Having said that, kids can think up allsorts of violent/dangerous activities to amuse themselves, it used to be cowboys and indians/soldiers - I think it's WWF nowadays.

BTW - anyone know if Gran Tourismo 4 is ever going to be released???

dellym · #7 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 23:23

Thats How It Should Be...playing Cowboys Like We Did, Imaginative Play And Not Plonked In Front Of A Screen To Blow A Characters Brains Out. We All Say Its Wrong But Im Sure Im Not Alone In At Least Knowing Of Young Kids Playing Adult Games. I Used To Love Make Believe Games...kids Are Too Grown Up These Days And Stop "playing" Before They're 9!! Scarey!

wayneyboy1942 · #8 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 23:40

I may be getting an old git but I do think kids these days have no imagination.It's all special effects.Plus they always seem bored.
Dr.who,flash gordon,the old hammer horror films etc had very little spent on them and used the imagination of the viewer.

Col.Kurtz · #9 (**permalink**) 23-11-04, 23:59

I'm sure the kids today have just as vivid an imagination as we did when their age. It's can't be good to expose them to loads of violence that they don't fully understand.

grannyclaret · #10 (**permalink**) 25-11-04, 20:43

i remember tony my eldest son being terrified of a t.v film called the singing ringing tree ,he was only about 8 or 9at the time and it was on for children.nowadays it would be classed as very tame,he also cowered behind the chair when the darleks were on , :)

dellym · #11 (**permalink**) 25-11-04, 21:04

i was terrified of daleks,,still am lol!! i remember my parents taking me to the dr.who thing at blackpool and i remember going down some stairs when a dalek appeared and i screamed the place down and was inconsolable!! I was about 7 at the time and the fears still with me at 35!! lmao!

wayneyboy1942 · #12 (**permalink**) 25-11-04, 23:52

I showed Jasey dr.who on uk gold. He was faceing a nasty Alien type thingy who was going to take over the cosmos and everything.Jasey said it was just a bloke in a suit,kids today!

grannyclaret · #13 (**permalink**) 26-11-04, 10:54

when i was a kid i believed the woodentops were real (tongue in cheek)

TMC · #14 (**permalink**) 26-11-04, 11:07

i went to that doctor who thing at blackpool and my dad nearly broke his ankle cause i pushed him down the steps in front of me and there was quite a few steps when i saw the dalek at the bottom of the stairs no way was i going down there i was only about 8, not much braver now.