I watched some guys playing computer games....

[MK]

.....and it was ugly. The game was Halo 2...or something like that. The graphics have come a long way in these games....but the sound was even more impressive. The part that bothered me was the players had machine guns and the object of the game was to slaughter as many people as you can.

Now....I am not an alarmist or a gun control whack-o. In fact I am a gun owner and strongly support the second amendment. I played cowboys and Indians when I was a kid. I had toy guns. I have watched some very violent movies....

...this is different. In a movie the violence is part of a plot and the film maker....hopefully...has set up justification for violence....if not the person who is violent is punished for his actions. When you played war, or cowboys and Indians with your friends, you cared about them and would feel bad if they really got hurt, much less killed.

There is no caring...no humanity to the carnage inflicted on these pixel persons. Also there is no real point or motive to killing them except the challenge to see how many you can mow down.

I remember when I was a teenager and in my twenties, there were kids who were major players of pinball and later video games. Some of these kids would spend a lot of time on these games. They would get very angry and emotional when they finally lost. Many would yell at the machine, slap or kick it. Some went so far as pounding or rocking the machine. They were way to emotionally involved. It was disturbing. They seemed a bit dysfunctional.

Fast forward to today. It worries me that young guys are so into these killing games.

Does this concern anyone else or am I just getting old?

 

[Panamabob]

Ah, the 2nd Amendment.

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.



History teachers, not to mention attorneys and judges, have a whale of a time with the second amendment.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Personally I have no problem with computer games. For sane individuals, it is simply a way to unwind and have fun. It is not hard to distinguish between real violence and the computer game variety. In fact, many of the more intellectual plot-driven computer games show the effects of violance, rather than just mindless killing.

Of course there will be those deeply disturbed individuals who get obsessed with them (Columbine) but still, I don't think the computer games caused that incident.

In fact, computer games (although not provided Americans with much-needed exercise) are in many ways less violant than popular sports like football, boxing, and hockey.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have an X-Box.

I wrote this poem about it earlier this year. I was playing Star Wars: Jedi Outcast II at the time.

Like heroin but without the... no wait, it's just like heroin.

Microsoft X-Box
By Matt Deckard

It draws me in with a malevolent glow, this box before me has something to show.
An addiction ensues, insidious can’t snooze, it wants me awake and my will starts to lose.

Fighting false foes in a battle with no woes, I can’t tear away as the box story flows.
This game has to end, this box is no friend, I can’t let it control my day to the end.

I awake in a state, my mind a clean slate, nothing but the story of the game to translate.
Battle after battle the moves become nature, the inside of the game becomes nomenclature.

I pause for some food, the world is so rude, nothing is open but places for crude.
The sun will rise soon and work will ensue, will I be conscious for this afternoon.

Back to the game, this time it’s insane, a battle for something that’s truly mundane.
When this fight is won, there’s no sense of fun, just taxing relief from an addiction begun.

Like a heroin strung addict I stroll into work, eyes bugged hair shrugged, looking like I’ve been mugged.
The day takes its time, my brain can’t unwind, the anticipation of works end weighing on my mind.

I head in the door, it’s plugged in on the floor, the box is turned on and ready to roar.
One level to go, the game starts to flow; so tired I’m ready to hit the pillow.

Game over I read as my lips start to recede, the smile of a battle fought without any need.
I sleep silently, no malice in my soul; I reached my goal and it’s time to unroll.

 

[Dismuke]

I have an X-Box.

I wrote this poem about it earlier this year. I was playing Star Wars: Jedi Outcast II at the time.

Like heroin but without the... no wait, it's just like heroin.

Cool poem, Matt. You have articulated exactly why I have always refused to even give computer games even so much as a try. I know myself too well. I can see myself really enjoying them to the point of suddenly looking up and realizing that I have lost track of several hours. And for what? It is not like I am already lacking beneficial and enjoyable things that I could be doing to fill those hours. So my thought is: why even open that can of worms in the first place? I am sure someone could say: "you don't know what you are missing." Quite true - and I am probably much better off not knowing.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Jedi Outcast eh?

If that is heroin, the you might want to stay away from Knights of the Old Republic. I have played Jedi Outcast (plus all the previous Dark Forces/Jedi Knight games) and KOTOR is the equivilant of crack cocaine. Once you start playing, you just can't stop.

I think they made an x-box version, too. You might want to give it a try if you have 45 hours to kill.

 

[farnham54]

I've been playing games now since I was six years old, and I don't think I've killed THAT many things because of it. ;P

Just kidding, of course. I don't think video games are any worse as far as "meaningless" violence then any other medium--particularily movies. Actually, if anything, they justify the violence in most cases even more because you are actually rather involved.

The thing is, video games are just like movies as far as quality goes. For every Saving Private Ryan, you also have a Windtalkers. In video games, for every Half Life, you've got Kingpin. I think all these kids that are supposedly being "warped" by video games need a bit more parenting--the ESRB is there for a reason, yet most parents completly ignore the ratings.

Cheers

Craig

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Oh no, not Kingpin! I remember when that came out and they put the demo on the PC Gamer CD and whatnot. That was a really messed-up game!

 

[farnham54]

It was indeed; in my opinion very distasteful. But, that is why the ESRB rated it accordingly, I think here in Canada it's rating was shared only by 3 other games in history.

There is another side to computer gaming I'd like to mention, one I think a lot of people here can appreciate. Games like Brothers in Arms really show the kind of stuff those guys in WWII went through. After playing Medal of Honor, I had a renewed respect for veterans of the D-day landing--The game was nowhere near as horrible as the actual event, obviously, but it set the mood and gave a taste of what it was like. Games are a medium, just like anything else, and some people will tastefully use that medium, others will not.

That being said, MK, you are bang on with the violence in SOME video games. It is unessecary and excessive, designed for immediate Crash Bang Wow as opposed to a tool used to tell a tale. That, personally, I don't like--but I've grown beyond playing games like that anyway. Its not enough--my games have to have genuine story, at least that of a good movie, often moreso.

Cheers

Craig

 

[Biltmore Bob]

I have'nt played anything since the origional Mario Bro.s on the first Nintendo.

 

[ITG]

Ha BB! Me too...except that I have a couple of other Nintendo games other than Mario Bros. and my Nintendo is hooked up to my tv as we speak. The old stuff is very nonviolent. Since I don't have an Xbox or PS2 or whatever is the newest version, I'm pretty out of the loop on home video games. So I haven't seen the games y'all speak of, but then I don't even have a desire to play them.

 

[scotrace]

One more thing

All your base are belong to us.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

When I was twelve I was wandering the woods with a real rifle. All my friends had real guns. Sometimes we would even walk to the Hardware Store in town to buy ammo with our rifles over our shoulders. We used to hunt the rail road tracks through town for bunnies too. Sometimes the Deputy or Sheriff would stop an say howdy. I used to take a jack knife to school and we would play mumblypeg at recess. My father spoke of bringing his 20 gauge shotgun and hunting on the way to school. He would take his gun to the office and pick it up on the way home.

I thought Atari Pong was the coolest thing ever.

 

[Mr. Sable]

Killing in videogames makes it easier to make a guiltless soldier... and a more deadly accurate one.

just my lil conspiracy theory.

...and they probably get gold medal Olympian pole vaulters working for The Company because they can get over embassy walls quickly and easily. Don't even get me going on the telemark guys... skiing snd shooting... c'mon!

I'd better go take my pills now...

 

[CoffeeDude]

MK, I’ll give you the Reader’s Digest of my reply to this thread.

“It worries me that young guys are so into these killing games.�

Your tag line is “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing� So it begs the question, What are you going to do about it?

It's something that we all need to seriously consider when worried / dismayed about issues in this world. What are we as individual going to DO?

Here's a response to Edmund Burke’s quote that just popped into my pea brain. "Taking no action against evil is not good. Therefore, a good man who is does nothing is no longer good." And you can quote me on that one.

 

[jamespowers]

Your tag line is “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing� So it begs the question, What are you going to do about it?

It's something that we all need to seriously consider when worried / dismayed about issues in this world. What are we as individual going to DO?

Here's a response to Edmund Burke’s quote that just popped into my pea brain. "Taking no action against evil is not good. Therefore, a good man who is does nothing is no longer good." And you can quote me on that one.

Quite simply, change begins at home. If your children are not allowed to play such games and their friends aren't either when they come to your house then you are doing your part. If everyone did their part then it would make all the difference in the world. Unfortunately, in a free society where some think there should be no boundaries, it is tougher to effect change except in your sphere of influence.
Then again, you have fools that censor old Looney Tune cartoons because the characters use guns and shoot things, roughhouse with each other and might be meeeaaaan to each other. Funny thing is that we never hit each other on the head with a hammer, never shot each other and for the most part could handle such things in a comedic arena.
I suppose it just depends. Maybe some are more prone to react to this violence or maybe they would have done those things anyway. This is not to say that I approve of such violent content for youngsters though. I am just not sure what damage it causes or any at all. There is however a march toward upping the ante and increasing this stuff well beyond what we were exposed to when young. Being a parent has its challenges.

Regards to all,

J

 

[CoffeeDude]

Yes I agree that change begins at home, but is that where it ends too?

 

[farnham54]

A video game developer once said the following in an interview:

Interviewer: Do you think its wrong that there is so much violence in video games?

Game guy: Nah, not at all. I mean, its supply and demand, Right? The violence is there because people want it. I do find it kind of wrong that people want it though!

I always thought that an interesting observation on the part of someone involved in the industry (the 8 billion dollar a year industry!)

Cheers

Craig

 

[BellyTank]

Danger!

I think a more measurable an apparent danger is a generation of youth who play computer games most of their waking hours- getting too little sleep, having no 'real' social engagement, awareness, etiquette or abilities.
A socially inept breed of addled teenagers and young people who simply cannot communicate, are cranky and have developed attention disorders and desensitisation in certain aspects of their lives. This, in my opinion and some others, is what leads some of our youth to become violent and display psychopathic behaviour-
-maybe not JUST the violent content of the actual games but the psychological and desensitising affects OF game-playing.

I used to play 'Quake', for a bit when it first came out- spending hours and hours in front of it- 'oh, it's getting dark, I should stop or at least eat- oh, it's 11pm, I should stop now- oh, it's 2am-... 5am-... oh it's getting light.....'
I did notice that my frame of mind was changed and my consciousness twisted. I didn't keep that up for too long.

Whichever way you look at it, lengthy exposure to game playing is definitely bad for a young person who is still developing a mind, a personality and a set of social skills and boundaries. I have met teenagers who are virtual hermits and cannot mix socially or converse well. Computer time, email, chat and messenging are also undermining written communication to an alarming degree-
I'm not so sure that the violence is the biggest threat-

B
T

 

[jamespowers]

I think a more measurable an apparent danger is a generation of youth who play computer games most of their waking hours- getting too little sleep, having no 'real' social engagement, awareness, etiquette or abilities.
A socially inept breed of addled teenagers and young people who simply cannot communicate, are cranky and have developed attention disorders and desensitisation in certain aspects of their lives. This, in my opinion and some others, is what leads some of our youth to become violent and display psychopathic behaviour-
-maybe not JUST the violent content of the actual games but the psychological and desensitising affects OF game-playing.

I used to play 'Quake', for a bit when it first came out- spending hours and hours in front of it- 'oh, it's getting dark, I should stop or at least eat- oh, it's 11pm, I should stop now- oh, it's 2am-... 5am-... oh it's getting light.....'
I did notice that my frame of mind was changed and my consciousness twisted. I didn't keep that up for too long.

Whichever way you look at it, lengthy exposure to game playing is definitely bad for a young person who is still developing a mind, a personality and a set of social skills and boundaries. I have met teenagers who are virtual hermits and cannot mix socially or converse well. Computer time, email, chat and messenging are also undermining written communication to an alarming degree-
I'm not so sure that the violence is the biggest threat

This just can't be! I agree with everything you wrote and you have hit on quite a few things that are wrong with today's youth experience. The desensitization point and social ineptness are very apropos. The Lounge has had a good influence on you.

Regards to all,

J