Are violent computer games harmless fun or a dangerous pastime?

GLaDOS

I knew it was the video games, even when it was Marilyn Manson I knew it was the video games.

Local-womanizer

Anyone wrote: »

I do think they can desentise them to violence and the consequences of violence, but that can also be said of all media these days.

That's why you heed the ratings and not let kids play them. Bad parents will also lay the blame at someone else's door.

How many millions play video games, it's the fastest growing entertainment medium in the world, yet we haven't got armed gangs roaming around running people over or beating prostitutes to death in an alleyway!

gobnaitolunacy

Casillas wrote: »

Im sure the First World War happened because of insults over headsets during a COD clan match.

No, it started when some bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry.

Casillas

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

No, it started when some bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry.

Cunning, very cunning

castletownman

I don't know. Whenever I played GTA I always payed the hookers promptly and never hit them from behind with a baseball bat

youreadthat

castletownman wrote: »

I don't know. Whenever I played GTA I always payed the hookers promptly and never hit them from behind with a baseball bat

A gentleman!

1ZRed

Not at all.

I just spend my days cruising around in my rhino tank picking up stars

Anyone

If Pac-Man had affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive electronic music

Skatedude

Anyone wrote: »

If Pac-Man had affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive electronic music

Damn, you just beat me to it

Lyaiera

I think we should start a campaign to stop all the murders caused by computer games. Every controller killed is some controller's child.

Anyone

Skatedude wrote: »

Damn, you just beat me to it

:pac:...................

TheDoc

I was allowed to watch 18's Sci Films and various other action films during the 80's from the tender age of 6.

I've been playing video games since I could wiggle my fingers. I have heard the same sort of debates and arguments for World of Warcraft, a game I've played for 8 years now.

Video game violence, and video games in general, are used as a very VERY LOOSE link to certain behavioural patterns and actions.

It gets more sound bites for politician to declare the reason for a young teen for going on a mass gunning spree was video games, rather then look into the individuals mental state and capacity, and learn there was something else, more sinsiter, more relevant.

It gets more sound bites from parents who claim World of Warcraft has turned their child into a zombie who doesn't do anything but play wow. Rather then focusing on learning if the individual maybe has an addictive personality, feels more comfortable playing games etc.

My parents have long since outlaid their concern with my gaming. They were not supportive when I tried to go full time proffesional with Warcraft III, and they felt my work within proffesional gaming was of no credit and a waste of time. My parents still go on about it.

But the fact remains I'm educated, I'm working a job at 24 where most my colleagues are 34, I played at the highest level of schoolboy football for ten years, I have a wonderful girlfriend of 6 years and I have a good group of friends.

It just so happens, that when I come home from work, rather then spend some hours watching TV, read a book, go for a walk, watch a film, listen to music, I like to play video games

TheDoc

I was allowed to watch 18's Sci Films and various other action films during the 80's from the tender age of 6.

I've been playing video games since I could wiggle my fingers. I have heard the same sort of debates and arguments for World of Warcraft, a game I've played for 8 years now.

Video game violence, and video games in general, are used as a very VERY LOOSE link to certain behavioural patterns and actions.

It gets more sound bites for politician to declare the reason for a young teen for going on a mass gunning spree was video games, rather then look into the individuals mental state and capacity, and learn there was something else, more sinsiter, more relevant.

It gets more sound bites from parents who claim World of Warcraft has turned their child into a zombie who doesn't do anything but play wow. Rather then focusing on learning if the individual maybe has an addictive personality, feels more comfortable playing games etc.

My parents have long since outlaid their concern with my gaming. They were not supportive when I tried to go full time proffesional with Warcraft III, and they felt my work within proffesional gaming was of no credit and a waste of time. My parents still go on about it.

But the fact remains I'm educated, I'm working a job at 24 where most my colleagues are 34, I played at the highest level of schoolboy football for ten years, I have a wonderful girlfriend of 6 years and I have a good group of friends.

It just so happens, that when I come home from work, rather then spend some hours watching TV, read a book, go for a walk, watch a film, listen to music, I like to play video games

Celly Smunt

Fifa causes aggression.

Where To

Anyone remember Daley Thompson's Supertest, where you had to vigorously shake your joystick?

Made me the total wanker I am today.

Tombi!

Where To wrote: »

Anyone remember Daley Thompson's Supertest, where you had to vigorously shake your joystick?

Made me the total wanker I am today.

The local priest used to tell me I had to help him with is joystick.

gobnaitolunacy

I used to like kicking people when they were down when playing Tekken.

I still do

CruelCoin

davet82 wrote: »

I'm a bit skeptical, i loved shoot'em ups as a kid (although with an 8bit console :pac: ) and it done me no harm... i think

It's only a danger if you have ****ty/absentee parents.
For all well adjusted families it's harmless fun.

Here Come The Pretzels

I think there are games like Portal, Braid,Little Big Planet etc which would actually help stimulate a young persons creativity and what not. I doubt if most parents are aware of these games though, and they just cave and buy them non age apropriate titles like COD.

ancapailldorcha

I never understand parents who complain that their kid does nothing but play videogames. Who bought the console, the game and allows it to happen? My Da kept threatening to throw mine out the window if I was at it too long for his liking and I knew he'd do it as well.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

I've been playing GTA since I was about 10 I'd say and I'm the finest.

c_man

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

Now, I spend time aiming for the civilians I see on the paths. At the moment, I have the army after me.

You'll be fine. After the shootout and your death, you'll emerge from the hospital with the only casualty being your weapons and cash.

Akrasia

Playing video games causes violence towards me.

Playing Battlefield 3 for about 9 months,
I've been stabbed,
shot,
blown up,
napalmed,
run over by cars,
run over by tanks,
crashed into by helicopters,
thrown off the side of aircraft carriers,
squashed by bits of collapsing buildings
double crossed by my own team-mates,
committed suicide,
drowned,
burned to death,
been kicked,
wounded,
shot, then brought back to life, then shot again
and burned to death with a welding torch,

But I have never, not even once been successful at causing any violence to anyone else.

gbee

It depends, most crime comes from God for instance, we don't have too many saying that Rockstar Games told me to do it.

--Kaiser--

“But I am convinced that the graphics in computer games are now so realistic that children can’t tell if they are computer generated or not and that’s what causes this behaviour.”

What moron said this and where does he live so I can run him over with my car?

c_man

Parappa the rapper made me the Gangsta that I am today.

Anyone

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

What moron said this and where does he live so I can run him over with my car?

Your car? Tut,tut....first you steal the car, then you phone in and they will give you his name and address. Then you drive to where he lives, making sure you dont attract the attention on the police....then you can run him over. After that, take the car to the chop shop.

Tombi!

Anyone wrote: »

Your car? Tut,tut....first you steal the car, then you phone in and they will give you his name and address. Then you drive to where he lives, making sure you dont attract the attention on the police....then you can run him over. After that, take the car to the chop shop.

Don't be stupid!
First off you nick the car (after pressing triangle to stop yourself getting into the car), kill the driver with a giant pink sex toy. Then you get into the car, run over the police man chasing you (because you only have one star). Get two stars. Then you go over to the gang-banger's house (he's always a gang-banger), go into the highlighted area so you can enter his home.
Shoot him, use the baseball bat a few times when he's dead.
Go outside, get back into your car with the FBI on your tail and just swerve into the local garage and get your car spray-painted and you're golden.

H3llR4iser

TheDoc wrote: »

...It gets more sound bites from parents who claim World of Warcraft has turned their child into a zombie who doesn't do anything but play wow...

Parents that, in most cases, do nothing but lay on the couch and soak up crappy TV shows every single second of their free time; An activity that involves nothing - no muscle, no brain, no conscience. Who's the zombie now?

This is an argument that keeps coming and going, it's usually brought forward by other media and entertainment sectors that feel extremely threatened by videogames, usually citing some very dubious or otherwise biased study. As a matter of fact, the whole topic is starting to grow less and less prominent as the videogaming industry grows and game studios are becoming multi-billions dollars enterprises.

When I was a child, "Rambo" was the devil that made children into violent criminals, so draw your conclusions

Duggy747

“But I am convinced that the graphics in computer games are now so realistic that children can’t tell if they are computer generated or not and that’s what causes this behaviour.”

"Children" are a lot more tech-savy than people would give them credit for and thus would understand what the whole concept of graphics and gaming engines are. When I was a kid it was all about 16bit this and 32bit that with sprites and pixel shìt and *HOLY SHÌT!* 64bit machine...........woooooaaaahhh!!!

The mammy hated meself and the brother playing games, despite him having been an all-Ireland winner who won loads of Nintendo gear, games and consoles.

"They're no friend of God" I used to hear and that I'd amount to nothing with computers. Fast forward a decade later and I'm running an IT shop :pac:

I generally find that people who believe these studies that games cause anger issues and that only lonely, socially inept people over 16 play games are people who don't play games themselves..................and playing shìtty apps on your phone / tablet / Facebook doesn't give you authority about the gaming industry as whole.

Usually on these "arguments" I expect a mother to come along and say ".....as a mother......." which somehow becomes a valuable basis that the gaming industry should be changed / regulated rather than her, as a parent, do her fùcking job and don't let their kids play games that aren't designed for them.

They wouldn't let their children watch Saw (I hope not anyways :pac:) but games are ok because they still have the mentality that they're for kids. Games have been for "kids" for decades now and those "kids" have grown up, still play them in their 30s and 40s which the industry has reflected to aim at, and even work in the industry now.

Anyways, I have to lay low for a while. Waiting for my 5 stars to disappear.....