Games growing up...

[lord_cack]

I am sure everyone has seen the controversy lately on either news or on the web about Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas "content" and subsequent re-rating.

I think that law makers are attacking this situation all wrong. I know alot of gamers get real sensitive about this subject. Im sure there is a fair amount of people who think that games have gone to far with content. As I am just as sure there a many people who think that they haven't.

ESRB should take alittle more care with how they rate the games this is true. But, I personally think that parent don't do enough to keep these games out of the hands of there children. They give them there allownce or whatever and send them off to the mall unsupervised and then are shocked when they find them blowing someones head off on GTA.

I don't think it should be up to designers to decide what the gaming community should and shouldn't be playing. Because everyone has different tastes. The gaming community is aging and a percentage of that community (I include myself in this percentage) want games created that are more adult. Which means things like violence, adult situations, and maybe even sex. The movie industry has dealt with this situation for years. But, I bet that most of those kids who are playing GTA have seen there share of R rated movies while sitting in there living rooms with there parents.

I think that M+ rated games should be treated like adult movies. Put behind the counter and require ID checks. They should also only be sold in game stores, such as EB or Gamestop. Most people get all up in arms about saying they should require an ID check but, you gotta get your wallet out anyway. The problem isn't that game makers or lawmakers. It is an issue of enforcement, firstly by parents and secondly by store clerks. Its not that much of a burden or responsibilty to say "Can I see some ID." say it...it takes what...2 seconds.

None of this will ever happen because money makes the rules in most cases. I am sure that many people wouldn't agree with my strategy. Either because they don't think they should have to show ID to get a game or because they think that games shouldn't be sold only through specific retailers.

[akamichi]

I pretty much agree with you about checking ID and about parents should parent more instead of having more legislation.  This kind of nonsense has been going on since the beginning of the gaming industry.  Older games that triggered the same responses are Mortal Kombat and Night Trap.  It's stupid.

The gaming community is aging and a percentage of that community (I include myself in this percentage) want games created that are more adult. Which means things like violence, adult situations, and maybe even sex.

I don't consider myself wanting "more adult" games.  I just want to play some fun games.  It would be nice to have some decent mature games once in a while, but not a requirement by any means.  Basically if your tastes aren't in the mainstream (FPS, RTS, driving/sports), then you might as well program your own games, because that's the only way you'll play games you'll like.

[Ninja Spirit]

Or just switch to Japanese gaming where genres are still more ecclectic than America like I did.

[twor2005]

Yeah I don't really have a problem with checking IDs, and I doubt it will go much farther than that. I don't see why it would matter where they sell them, unless you're talking about toy stores not selling them which makes perfect sense. But like you said, money talks... and makes the laws. I wonder if Toys R Us sells M rated games? I know KB does.

Having said that, most M rated games are anything but mature.  

[nodtveidt]

People are missing the point of the controversy over GTA:SA. It was not that the game was re-rated due to violence...Americans can watch violence all day long and it doesn't phase them in the slightest...in fact, it seems to be accepted by the culture. It was re-rated and pulled from a few chains (WalMart being one of them) because it has some small sexual situations in it. In the USA, you can blow someone's head off and people will say "whatever", but don't you dare let someone see a nipple because the "wrath of God" will be upon thee!

f*cking hypocrisy and moronicism, redoubled by a society dumb enough to actually believe that babies come from storks holding AK-47's.

[esteban]

ahhhh, let me share this with you....   this is a tangent....

"photorealistic" violence / sex is really creepy to me. especially the simulated sex (GTA: SA) -- it's not titilating, it just is surreal and creepy.

BUT,

more stylized bloodshed and sex (i.e. handdrawn) -- well, it doesn't creep me out, even if it is more hardcore than the photorealistic stuff.

many movies, for example, have a very stylized aesthetic that makes the violence / sex seem more like a gruesome painting instead of a gritty, real-life documentary (i.e. Mario Bava's films, Dario Argento's films).

back on topic...so, GTA:SA creeps me out -- not simply because it is photorealistic... but because you are the "actor" performing the violence / simulated sex.  The difference between passively watching a film (voyuerism) and actively committing simulated acts (gaming) is somewhat important for me when it comes to the "creepiness" factor.

and yes, I know that many folks would consider the stylized sex / violence to be just as creepy as their photorealistic counterparts.  

All I can say is that I'm not a big fan of "photorealism" in general: it always seems like a poor imitation of life... there is always something "awry" and "off" that turns me off. I'm talking about CGI in movies (special effects) as well as games.

sorry for the tangent....

[Keranu]

Reading your tangent was enjoyable and I understand what you mean, but I don't think I get this "creepy" feel much or at all. Then again I haven't played enough games like that beyond Leisure Suit Larry (which is one of my all time favorite games ). By the way, I HATE CG in movies. I'm all against it and all for props and puppets!

[zborgerd]

People are missing the point of the controversy over GTA:SA. It was not that the game was re-rated due to violence...Americans can watch violence all day long and it doesn't phase them in the slightest...in fact, it seems to be accepted by the culture. It was re-rated and pulled from a few chains (WalMart being one of them) because it has some small sexual situations in it. In the USA, you can blow someone's head off and people will say "whatever", but don't you dare let someone see a nipple because the "wrath of God" will be upon thee!

f*cking hypocrisy and moronicism, redoubled by a society dumb enough to actually believe that babies come from storks holding AK-47's.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=ticket_to_hell

[akamichi]

Or just switch to Japanese gaming where genres are still more ecclectic than America like I did.

Yup.  That's exactly what I did simply because I had easy access to Japanese games and hardly any access to US stuff.

"Domestic" games for me are Japanese games.  

Bring back 2D games like Contra and Double Dragon.  hehe

[KingDrool]

I think it would be naive to suggest that Rockstar didn't hide this content in there knowing hackers/cheat devices would eventually find it.

[GUTS]

Yeah but I wonder if it was a case of Rockstar actually knowing about it, or just some employee who thought it would be hilarious to leave it in there.  Either way it's pretty ridiculous, the game is already filled with enough violence, outright sexuality and innuendo, and crass dialogue that I don't see how anyone can be shocked.  f*cking retarded.

[Ninja Spirit]

I just read an article in the latest Reader's Digest about this. Usual story about a guy who gunned down 3 police officers in the police station Grand Theft Auto style.

*sigh* I haven't set foot in an EB Games or Gamestop in a long time cause of monotonous shit the American game industry puts out. I find Japanese gaming more civilized than this. AFAIC, the people that like to act tough throwing insults such as "anime fag", "otaku" "mentally ill japanophile" can shove the insults right up their ass.

Can you believe that sometime soon there's gonna be a game called "Bully" where you simulate being a campus badboy?

Oh and 50 Cent gets his own game too. *shrug*

[nodtveidt]

I was reading an article on my wife's computer earlier today about how youth violence has plummetted over the last few years, and how it's an amazing coincidence that the drop began at the same time as the PSX originally appeared. While it could be dumb luck, logical thinking says that the two could easily be related. Kids need an escape, and if they're at home playing video games, then they're not on the street committing crimes...the escape video games gives them releases any tension they may have already...those who commit violent crimes do it because of that tension and desire to cause harm. Give these violent people some video games. The media blitz is simple bullshit...for every hour you play a video game, that's an hour you're not watching their horseshit...they need a scapegoat, and what industry better?

[Blasta_Mazta]

yea, PLAYSTATION saved the world! NO. I THINK NOT. kids have been softened up, that's all. back in the days they beat up and killed queers in the hood, now they're accepted. it all has to do with kids being softened, which nothing to do with grand theft auto, which is definately not postive for kids to play.

it would have been ashame if i played games like that as a kid. pre 13 kids should play games made by companies like nintendo. games like zelda, final fantasy and blaster master.

[lord_cack]

yea, PLAYSTATION saved the world! NO. I THINK NOT. kids have been softened up, that's all. back in the days they beat up and killed queers in the hood, now they're accepted. it all has to do with kids being softened, which nothing to do with grand theft auto, which is definately not postive for kids to play.

it would have been ashame if i played games like that as a kid. pre 13 kids should play games made by companies like nintendo. games like zelda, final fantasy and blaster master.

  Am I missing something or are you saying we should beat up and kill homosexuals....did I miss something

I think that vilonce issues are well over rated, I think that kids aren't softened up....I think that parents have stepped out and allowed the government to control there lives....you look at some of the laws in the US and tell me that the govenment doesn't set all the laws as to what I am allowed to do and what I am not allowed to do freedom is dying and we are killing it...