Are violent computer games harmless fun or a dangerous pastime?

hypersquirrel · 16-12-2012 4:46pm

Seems that they have dispelled most of these myths about video games already. Seems to me that a violent video game is actually much better for us then a violent movie.

Sofiztikated · 16-12-2012 6:20pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Kick, Punch its all in the Mind!.....:)

You b*stard. I'd just gotten the image of Chop Chop Master Onion out of my mind.

Maximus Alexander · 16-12-2012 6:22pm

I have been playing violent video games since I was a small child in the early 90s and I am not a violent man.

Ah Mortal Kombat on the SNES. Good times.

16-12-2012 6:26pm

Video games! I knew it was them! Even when it was the bears, I knew it was them!

ancapailldorcha · 16-12-2012 6:40pm

I'm amazed people aren't more concerned with gun control to be honest.

books4sale · 16-12-2012 6:45pm

Nodin wrote: »

~Lizard people? Mind control satellite? Flesh eating nanobot? Daily mail headline? People in the floor? Elephant in the room? bananas in pyjamas?

Yeah man, funny how you put it all together like that.

I can't understand people who live their lives looking for fantastical conspiracies in everything, its as if their own lives are so mundane and boring that they have invented some alternative reality to live in.

These are the real nutjobs of society who could snap at a moment's notice and take out a load of innocent people going about their business.

Kinetic Eye · 16-12-2012 7:03pm

I don't like games that are designed to be a close simulation of real-world violence. I mean specifically stuff like CoD and GTA. I don't find the idea of murdering someone appealing even on a fantasy level. It's a whole different thing from games where you're killing surreal monsters that have no connection to reality. I don't think these games are particularly harmful, just something that I find depressing on a personal level. Depressing how popular stuff like CoD is with all its military worship shite.

miralize · 16-12-2012 7:16pm

As Graham Linehan said

Here in the UK—no guns, no mass shootings. Give it a rest about ****ing video games.

ancapailldorcha · 16-12-2012 7:48pm

Kinetic Eye wrote: »

I don't like games that are designed to be a close simulation of real-world violence. I mean specifically stuff like CoD and GTA. I don't find the idea of murdering someone appealing even on a fantasy level. It's a whole different thing from games where you're killing surreal monsters that have no connection to reality. I don't think these games are particularly harmful, just something that I find depressing on a personal level. Depressing how popular stuff like CoD is with all its military worship shite.

There's always been films, novels and comics which have glamorised "military worship" as you put it. The market is there and it's common sense to cater to it.

Icyseanfitz · 16-12-2012 8:24pm

Kinetic Eye wrote: »

I don't like games that are designed to be a close simulation of real-world violence. I mean specifically stuff like CoD and GTA. I don't find the idea of murdering someone appealing even on a fantasy level. It's a whole different thing from games where you're killing surreal monsters that have no connection to reality. I don't think these games are particularly harmful, just something that I find depressing on a personal level. Depressing how popular stuff like CoD is with all its military worship shite.

have you ever played GTA? close simulation to the real world really isnt what its about

its a completely over the top game series with jetpacks and all sorts of wacky stuff, these games are as harmless as violent movies or books,

its not any particular medium to blame for these horrible shootings and killings its the people who commit these atrocities that are wrong in the first place

68Murph68 · 16-12-2012 8:34pm

Considering the total number of hours spent by youngsters playing violent video games, I wonder if there is an argument to be made that video games reduce real-world violence?

If you had a 100 lads who have all three consoles and an unlimited budget for games and you have 100 lads who have no access to violent video games whatsoever, who is likelier to be involved in real-world violence?

TheUsual · 16-12-2012 8:43pm

I lost months of my real life to that addictive World of Warcraft.
If you never heard about it, don't google it.

Games are dangerous when they take over living your life, even if there are less quests in real life.

StudentDad · 16-12-2012 8:52pm

The Xbox and I presume the other consoles have parental controls. The games are age rated. It's the job of parents to make sure their children are not playing adult games.

How many parents are gamers? I'm a gamer and my children game. There are lots of age appropriate games on the market. My youngest have profiles on live but the content they see is age specific. If they put in a game that's not suitable, it won't load.

Blaming games because little johnny has turned into a violent little **** by the age of 14/15/16 etc. has little to do with gaming and more to do with lousy parenting.

SD

VinLieger · 16-12-2012 9:27pm

TheUsual wrote: »

I lost months of my real life to that addictive World of Warcraft.
If you never heard about it, don't google it.

Games are dangerous when they take over living your life, even if there are less quests in real life.

Yes there are extreme cases of WoW addictiveness as with alot of other MMOs, but in the majority of these cases the people had an addictive personality to begin with, that or it was a way to escape real life which they didnt want to deal with.
There are ways to shield against this but advising people to not google it is just juvenile

My name is URL · 16-12-2012 9:38pm

I think the likes of GTA etc are very extreme examples to be using. A few weeks ago I was babysitting my 6 year old nephew and allowed him to play Angry Birds on my phone. When the battery went dead he got fed up of finger painting and started launching teddies at me.

18-12-2012 6:24pm

Here we go again:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4702951/dark-world-of-school-massacre-adam-lanza.html

Lanza, 20, spent hours playing bloodthirsty computer games such as Call Of Duty and obsessivly studying weapons in the basement at mum Nancy’s home. It came as the first funerals of the victims were held yesterday.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4702951/dark-world-of-school-massacre-adam-lanza.html#ixzz2FQQHVbAn

The headline on the printed version reads along the lines of ''Mass Killer Binged on Call Of Duty''.

It sickens me to read these headlines, let's disregard the fact the whole process couldn't be completed without the lax gun laws in the state. Or the fact the kid was a whacko(Morgan Freeman may have been onto something when he said its looking like these incidents are happening because of the media coverage. In cases where the guy may have just killed himself first, he knows he'll be immortalised by going on a spree first- or something along those lines)

davet82 · 18-12-2012 6:38pm

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Here we go again:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4702951/dark-world-of-school-massacre-adam-lanza.html

The headline on the printed version reads along the lines of ''Mass Killer Binged on Call Of Duty''.

It sickens me to read these headlines, let's disregard the fact the whole process couldn't be completed without the lax gun laws in the state. Or the fact the kid was a whacko(Morgan Freeman may have been onto something when he said its looking like these incidents are happening because of the media coverage. In cases where the guy may have just killed himself first, he knows he'll be immortalised by going on a spree first- or something along those lines)

Morgan Freeman didnt say those things, he was fraped or something...

still a good point though

ancapailldorcha · 18-12-2012 6:48pm

The weapons used by Lanza — a Glock, a Sig Sauer and a semi-automatic Bushmaster — were owned by Nancy.

Why would anyone be allowed to own 3 guns!!???

Video games like Call Of Duty can lead children to become more immune to violence and death.

They have 18 certs for a reason.

CRAZED gunman Anders Breivik played Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare to improve his shooting skills in preparation of his killing rampage.

I've practiced target shooting and playing games does nothing to help your aim. A bullpup rifle weighs much more than a small, plastic controller.

I really hate rags like this which look for easy targets instead of going after the US's dismal lack of regulation and awful education system. Surely there are deeper causes which need to be resolved.

Are violent computer games harmless fun or a dangerous pastime?

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