Dopass.com

Columnist: GTA IV “Stimulates Dark Impulses” - In the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune, columnist Katherine Kersten has a lengthy whine about Grand Theft Auto IV:
Games like GTA IV stimulate and glamorize our dark impulses. They create a taste for the psychological thrill that can come from dominating and degrading others. They encourage us to strip our fellow human beings of their dignity, and view them merely as objects of violence or sexual desire.
The hazards of violent games will only increase as new, more advanced technologies like the Wii system take hold… you can act out a game physically.
The average 32-year-old man who plays violent video games — and spends his free hours fantasizing about murdering passersby and roughing up strippers — is likely to be someone’s husband and father. What qualities of character will his wife find when she looks to him for love, steadiness and fidelity?
And when his young son looks to Dad as a role model — well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? [Game Politics]

So... I happen to be 32, at least for a few more weeks... I also happen to be fairly average, at least in terms of a game consumer...

So, is it a surprise to any of you that I don't think of the GTA game world in that way, at all? I certainly don't fantasize about murdering passersby or roughing up strippers in my free hours... even when I'm playing GTA IV. So, who is she talking about, again?

I don't think someone with such dark thoughts is average, at all. Nor do I think that GTAIV generates those dark thoughts -- I think mental disorder causes those dark thoughts. At best - and I use that word with a wince on my face - GTA IV is a catalyst, and to that I can only say, "If it's true the same must also be said of books, television and movies -- violence is pervasive and part of the culture. You can't fix the problem by pointing at one specific form of media."

We need to grow up, we need to look at this stuff seriously and stop painting with such broad strokes. Games are not the issue; if an issue exists at all, we need to recognize that it's much, much larger than that and we need to act accordingly.

For my own part, I don't really think there is a problem. I think it's a clever device used by people who would like us to remain scared and paranoid because it makes things easier for them. No tin-foil hat stuff here, just some pragmatic politics. Complacent people don't want things to change, but scared people will allow any change that seems to assuage their fears. A LOT has changed in America in the last 8 years, and it's hard to deny that fear is the primary reason.

I think the way to deal with the "problem" of violent media is to admit that we're a violent people. The statistics on violent crime are sort of interesting in that regard. Generally speaking, we grow less violent every year. Who's to say that isn't because we're expressing our violence in non-harmful ways, such as through entertainment media? I won't and can't say either way, but I'm sure someone could make that argument.

Unlike our ancestors, we live in an age where we can be violent and no one has to be hurt as a result, surely that's better for the species than the alternative, right? I mean, the fact that we still fight wars at all suggests we're not done being violent beings, but we're further along the path away from violence than we were 32 years ago, when I was born. Aren't we?

I haven't seen a race riot once, in my life. They still happen - but none have happened in my vicinity the entire time I've been alive... can the generations that weathered 1969 say the same? Maybe video games had a part in that remarkable difference.

Realistically, probably not, but can you honestly say they've made us worse people? The numbers don't back up the claim, so why do people still insist on making it?

I guess, as a species, we still have a long, long way to go.

- Snipehunter

I saw this on Jake Simpson's Blog this morning:
Do's and Don'ts for Cinematics - Thinking more about what Bruce Evriss touched on the other day regarding cinematics, I put together a list of do's and don'ts for their implementation...

I won't reprint the whole thing - instead, I encourage you to read Jake's point on the matter. While Jake's points are golden, they aren't specifically what I wanted to discuss. Instead, I wanted to ask a more fundamental question:

What's the point?

Have you all read N'Gai Croal's recent interview with the MTV crew?

Oof. I feel sorry for Capcom. Let me be clear about that though - I don't think Capcom is in the right here. Far from it, in fact. I think that whether they meant to be racist or not they were obviously insensitive. That being said, I don't hate them -- I feel pity.

It seems unlikely to me that they deliberately set out to be asshats, but by simply not paying any attention, they created something that is highly offensive. It's not the first time for our industry, either...

Australian Advocate: Violent Games Will Turn Troubled Kids into “Lethal Killers” - The national spokeswoman for the Australian Family Association told ABC.net that violent video games can make existing mental health problems worse in teenagers - much worse.
Angela Conway said:
If there are problems with that young person already, then this technology will turn them into a lethal killer.
Conway’s comments came as Australian officials gather in Adelaide to discuss adding a new R18+ rating for games. Currently, games with content exceeding the MA15+ level are banned in Australia. 
The Melbourne Herald-Sun has more on the current political debate over games Down Under.
[Game Politics]

I could sit here and talk about how there's no real proof of games causing violence at all and I could point to recent studies or to Grand Theft Childhood and ask why these tired old stereotypical opinions persist, but today, I'm not going to do that. Instead I'm going to ask a simple question:

If the people you're talking about are already "troubled" - who takes responsibility for what they do, if they're set off?

I mean, there are disturbed people who get enraged at the site of a woman and will attack her, right? Is it the woman's fault? Do we blame the woman when she's assaulted by the crazy woman-hater? What about the child that is abused by its parent? Is it the child's fault?

At what point did the human race abdicate personal responsibility? I think we need to seriously examine ourselves and the direction our cultures are heading if this type of misplaced blame is going to continue to be suborned in our legal systems and prevailing attitudes. When this type of thinking was applied to gender or race, we were diminished as a people, were we not? Here in America we felt so strongly about it that we amended our constitution to make this type of thinking illegal.

I guess it only matters when we're talking about people. I guess I can even see why, from a real abstract level, but it seems to me that prejudice is bad no matter what it's aimed against - that it demeans us; not just those who have a passion for the thing you prejudge, but the entire damned species. It offends me, how small minded these prejudices make us humans look. It really does.

- Snipehunter

Roleplayers Seek Removal Of Nerf Gun Ban - An anonymous reader writes "LARP fans at Bowling Green State University may have to contend with a crippled game of Humans vs. Zombies after the University banned Nerf guns on campus. In the live-action game, players are either humans or zombies. The goal of the game is to change all the humans into zombies, or for the humans to evade capture by zombies for a certain amount of time. To defend themselves against zombies, humans may use Nerf guns. Players (most likely the human ones) are petitioning the University to lift the ban. The game had troubles back in 2006, when participating students were arrested. That issue has since been cleared up."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
[Slashdot Updates]

In true /. fashion I haven't RTFA, but the premise here is a little absurd. I mean, really... nerf guns? That's where we're at, now? Freakin' nerf guns?

Everyone knows guns won't stop zombies! You need nerf bats! (Double damage to undead, you know!)
- Snipehunter

Prof: Game Industry Barbaric, Continually Chooses Violent Themes - A McGill University professor has slammed the video game industry for producing violent games.
As reported by the Montreal Gazette, Prof. Michael Hoechsmann said:
The game industry is not doing us any favours by continually choosing subject matter and adventures that involve guns, violence and warfare.
Hoechsmann was responding to a reporter’s question about Army of Two, a third-person military shooter set for release in March. 
[Game Politics]

*sigh* Really? I mean, that's were we are in this cultural conversation, name calling? Well in that case, I guess I'll just have to fire back, "Yeah, but you're a poo-poo head!" I mean really, why don't you just be honest with yourself Professor Hoechsmann and say, instead, "I hate games! I don't understand gaming and gamers and I'm afraid of them!" It would be a more honest answer...

Obama Campaign Theme: Video Games as Metaphor for Underachievement - Unlike rival Hillary Clinton,  Democratic presidential frontrunner Barack Obama does not have a significant track record with regard to video game content issues.
His speeches, however, often contain a reference to parents making their children “put away the video games.” For Obama, video games seem to serve as a sort of metaphor for underachievement.
The Illinois senator repeated the theme last night in a victory speech following his big win over Clinton in the Wisconsin primary. As reported by the Washington Post, which carried a transcript and video of the speech, Obama said:
I know how hard it will be to alleviate poverty that has built up over centuries, how hard it will be to fix schools, because changing our schools will require not just money, but a change in attitudes.
We’re going to have to parent better, and turn off the television set, and put the video games away, and instill a sense of excellence in our children, and that’s going to take some time.
A day earlier, speaking to a college crowd in Youngstown, Ohio,  Obama made similar remarks. The Youngstown Vindicator reports:
[Obama called for] investments in early childhood education to close the achievement gap, but with an added emphasis on poetry, music and art, not just academics. Obama admonished parents to do their part by turning off the television, putting away the video games, and instilling in their children a desire to get a good education.
Nor is this a new theme for Obama. GamePolitics reported on similar comments as far back as April, 2006.
[Game Politics]

You know... I've been a hardcore gamer for so long, that I only vaguely remember the times when I wasn't one as a sort of "age of myth and legend." I mean, I remember that there was a time when we had no video games, and I know I was alive back then, but what was it like? I'm not so sure I could actually tell you. Why do I mention that, you ask?

Well, in the event that you weren't just asking sarcastically, I'll tell you...

This is a rare one for me: I'm gonna talk about a topic in the news without linking an article. You know why? I don't want the PTC to get back links from me. They're not worth it.

Here's the deal: Right now, as I type this, the Parents' Television Council (political action group) is calling for game legislation that would limit and restrict the distribution and content of video games. On top of this, they're actively targeting politicians that the Entertainment Software Association have made contributions to for slam ads and ridicule.

So, I've been without an internet connection for a couple of weeks now. I have to admit, in the way an addict sheepishly admits he has a problem after almost dying from withdrawal, that it's been a strange couple of weeks for me. Normally, I spend my spare time playing MMOs or playing xbox live, but this past few weeks I've spent a lot more time watching DVDs from my collection and catching up on that reading I kept telling myself I'd do. It's been interesting... and leant me an interesting perspective that I didn't have before.

So, I read an article on Next Gen today where the head of Ignition talks about how Japanese game makers are afraid to take risks - preferring sequels to new IPs... This lead to an interesting thought... well OK, first it lead to me laughing because if he thinks Japan is alone in that fear, he's grossly ill informed... but after that, it lead to a thought:

Isn't all this sequelitis riskier than they think?

Concerns raised over Taser safety - As Taser begins to market its product to the general public, human studies are finally addressing the health effects of being "tased"
[New Scientist - Breaking news]

Don't tase me, Bro! I find it funny that that's the "quote heard round the world" right now. I'm not even going to sit here and debate the finer points of the whole tasing incident (dude...

Common Sense Media: Manhunt Decision Threatens Ratings Credibility - Non-profit group Common Sense Media has released a new statement on the ESRB's down-rating of Rockstar's Manhunt 2 to M, clearing it for release, saying that without disclosing the reasoning, the board "threatens to undermine" the entire ratings system. The statement was made by Common Sense CEO James Steyer, long a supporter of California State Senator Leland Yee's own anti-violent game efforts. Yee himself has spoken out on the matter, calling for an FTC investigation ...

[Gamasutra - News]

I swear, I'm going to have to create a new category here called, "How you bastards get away with trampling on my rights" or something. ;)

Read the wording, there. They call Grand Theft Auto irresponsibly violent. Irresponsibly violent. I'm the type of guy that finds humor in everything, which is a real problem for me, here. I mean, where do I begin?! I have so many choices, ranging from angry to funny:

I was cruising the web for a few minutes between bouts of writing for my current project, when I hit Gamepolitics and came across a reprint of some of Dr. Phil's comments from his Larry King appearance, recently. The article where they were mentioned was in relation to Dr. Phil's recent efforts to approach people like Jack Thompson and "parents of teens addicted to Second Life" in relation to an upcoming show, which many believe will air next week.

You must watch. It's really that simple.

- Snipehunter

NY Bill Makes Felony Out Of Violent Game Sales To Minors - Politically energized website GamePolitics has reported on a New York State specific video game bill newly proposed by the state Assembly that is designed to make the sale or rental of games with mature themes to minors a felony, punishable with time in jail. In fact, the A08696 bill was approved today by a vote of 130-10, just five days after it was introduced, and mere hours after it was considered in committee, according to ...

[Gamasutra - News]

For the record: I'm not opposed to legislation that restricts the sales of games to minors.

However, that's a qualified remark...

Gamers want shorter, better games - Dyack - "I don't care how good the game is," Silicon
Knights president Denis Dyack tells gi.biz, "I don't want to
play something that's one hundred hours long." [GamesIndustry.biz news]

Well, if nothing else, I suppose it's good to know what Denis Dyack doesn't want to play...

Student Arrested for Making Videogame Map of School - tanman writes "A student at the Houston-area Clements High School was arrested, sent to an "Alternative Education Center" and banned from graduation after school officials found he created a video game map of his school. School district police arrested the teen and searched his home where they confiscated a hammer as a 'potential weapon'. ' "They decided he was a terroristic threat," said one source close to the district's investigation.' With an upcoming May 12 school board election, this issue has quickly become political, with school board members involved in the appeal accusing each other of pandering to the Chinese community in an attempt to gain votes."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
[Slashdot Updates]

I have a hard time expressing myself here, there's a lot of inarticulate rage involved due to past baggage that has nothing to do with video games. So, while I close my eyes and think of England for a moment, why don't you read the article.

Here's the crux

Please understand when you read this, that this was written with my tongue planted firmly in cheek and my tin-foil Napoleon hat cocked at a raucous angle. This is satire.

This is the story of what's Really Going On, the RGO of the industry arch-nemesis and champion for constrained speech, Jack Thompson...

Eidos holding off on release of most PS3 titles until
2008 - Eidos has confirmed that it won't be releasing
most of its major PS3 titles until next year, stating that
the console's installed base will not be high enough before
then. [GamesIndustry.biz news]

Huh, that doesn't bode well for the early life of the PS3, does it? I frequent a few places on this here Internet where fellow game devs hang out and the PS3's launches worldwide have so far, been the topics of lively conversation.