Violent computer games (e.g. GTA)

[ChrisCooper]

These sort of discussions have gone on for ever. When I was growing up it was "video nasties" that lead to us all going out and killing younger children (the James Bulger murder was blaimed on that by many). Before that it was the rock music. Earlier still it was the theatre or books.
Of cource throughout time it's been the religious who have tended to get on their high horses most about these things, depite the Bible being on of the most violent bits of writing ever. It's also something along with other similar religious and none religious texts that has lead to many people going out and committing terrible crimes often on massive scales. I can't think of a single computer game that has inspired war and genocide even amongst a nutty minority.

 

[starrymarkb]

GTA is the most common argument, but there are a lot of do evil RPGs out there - Overlord has minions who rob and steal...

Would TF2 count as violent - I do have a desire to aquire a sentry turret...
[youtube]S19GO3Xgz2w[/youtube]

Though I don't want to Jarate anyone

 

[Tracked]

"If I commit a crime, get caught, and claim in court that it was the fault of playing GTA, will I get a reduced jail sentance?"


I wonder how many of the criminals described as "being influenced by the naughtynaughty computer games" have actually been trying the above.

edit: also, it's probably not easy to say that it was the game which was the direct cause of commiting the crime rather than general lifestyle leading to crimes being comitted that would have been even if the game hadn't been played, it's all a bit more complicated than that.

Though I do wonder if the figures for the following are available:

1 - Criminals Who Have Played GTA
2 - Criminals Who Haven't Played GTA
3 - Non-Criminals Who Have
4 - Non-Criminals Who Haven't

 

[ainsworth74]

In relation to the topic I think that violent games can sometimes impact people (particularly children.) Parents have a very fine line to tread when deciding what is acceptable for their children to play, and a good start is not buying kids games that are vastly overage.

Well if parents are unsure if a game is suitable for their child they could look at the rating that it's been given by the BBFC (the same people that rate films). For instance GTA and COD are all given a rating of 18 meaning they are unsuitable for people aged under 18 so that should suggest to the parent of a 14 year old that perhaps their kid shouldn't be playing it...

To be honest I think one of the main problems is image caused by the word 'game'. Parents see the words video game and don't quite realize just how violent these games are but still buy them because they are after all 'games', it would do a lot of good if parents started looking at the box that says 18 on it and think "there is a reason this game is rated 18 maybe I should check out why before I buy it for my child". It's all well and good blaming games for the exposure of young people to violence but it's worth remembering these games are not supposed to be played by young people in the first place! So rather than banning them or censoring them we should perhaps be trying to get parents to be a bit more involved and realize that an 18 label on a game means it's unsuitable for someone under that age.

 

[HST Power]

I saw a mother buy her son (who looked about five, maybe six) a fifteen game in Blockbuster a couple of months ago. He asked her if he could have it and she said yes without even looking at the cover. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that if it keeps the child quiet, some parents will go with it. (I stress some here)

 

[deltic1989]

This kind of argument has been raging for yeras before computers and games consoles were generally available it was violent films that were to blame. The simple fact of the matter is that violent video games come with a 18 certificate, now i know that people under the age of 18 play games like GTA and COD, and such, (you should hear the language they come out with on xbox live), the blame for these kind of games being available to a child of say...11 is that thier parents buy them for them, without thinking that a young child will have difficulty processing the fact that what they are doing in the game shouldnt be carried onto the street, and also that if you die you don't re-spawn. Rioting and the like cant be blamed exclusively on video games, for example i'm 22 and have played every GTA game ever released, im sat in my home im not out on the streets looting so the games havent affected me, simply because i know to leave the violence in the game where some people may not.

 

[chris89]

The majority of all game players can tell realitly for the fictional world that appears in games.

Those who have gone on to due some truely evil crimes and say they were made to by playing 'x' generally have an underlying mental health problems and so on.

Games i play range from the violent to the pleasent and 'niche'
For example 'violent' games i play are: Killing Floor, Red Orchestra, Fallout 3/ New Vegas and sometimes when i want to GTA IV/ Episodes and GTA SA.

But others that could be considered since involve killing people is IL2 Sturmovik 1946.

Whilst in comparision the normal non violent games i play are: Railworks, Rollercoaster tycoon, Trackmania, FSX.

My parents when i was a lot longer never really let me play violent games such as GTA well i was banned from playing it, but things like Doom 1/ 2 were fine for them.

For people buying games under the age limits thats the problem with online shops and even services such as steam as you can just put in a fake age if needed. For retail the amount off times i've seen childern less younger the 14 being brought 18+ games by their parents is quite high.

Overal from the games i've played i could never think of doing what i've done on those in real life, like on FSX i know the basics of how to fly but wouldn't know my way around the cockpit of an Airliner or even really an EMU/ DEMU's etc. As in all games are a hobby to me as i enjoy building computers and do it as a lesuire activity.

Chris

 

[N Levers]

I played left 4 dead for 6 hours. Now i want to go out with a shotgun and shoot big groups of people who might be zombies...

 

[Hydro]

shoot big groups of people who might be zombies...

There's been plenty of them around.

 

[HST Power]

Could it be time that has the affect on whether or not the games take their toll on you? Perhaps if there was more emphasis not on the age ratings, but the time a child can actually spend playing a violent game, there would be less need to have concerns that after two hours solid hijacking cars and selling crack cocaine on GTA, the child would feel the need to repeat the actions.

 

[imagination]

Could it be time that has the affect on whether or not the games take their toll on you? Perhaps if there was more emphasis not on the age ratings, but the time a child can actually spend playing a violent game, there would be less need to have concerns that after two hours solid hijacking cars and selling crack cocaine on GTA, the child would feel the need to repeat the actions.

No. Like I said, the people who spend their lives on computer games are too busy playing computer games to bother going out and rioting.

 

[trentside]

It just so happens that I've recently completed a project centred around the effects of violence in the media on children's behaviour. I won't bore you by quoting various studies I read about, and other reports I read. What I will tell you is that from the reading I did, and studies that have been conducted there is strong evidence that video games do have some effect on short term violent behaviour in children. Violence in these is often glamorised through reward, for example in GTA receiving money or other reward for committing violent acts and/or criminality. If anyone is familiar with the work of Bandura, he showed that children will repeat violent behaviour they have witnessed if they believe it leads to reward.

I don't believe video games are solely to blame, however. Did you know that children's television programmes are some of the most violent? I didn't. A study was conducted some years ago, which showed a mixed class of children an episode of 'Power Rangers' - said class have approximately seven more violent incidents than a control group that were not shown the show. Increasingly, with children of all ages having access to television in their rooms, away from parental control, there is even more opportunity for them to be exposed to unsuitable content - outside of the children's channels.

Obviously, my response is focused on children and teenagers. I don't think it is right to solely blame violent media for what has occurred in the past few days, as there are many factors at play, but in the context of this discussion I hope I've raised some interesting points.

 

[90019]

There's been plenty of them around.

Well, I'm sure that Leicester City Council will be prepared for a zombie attack now.

 

[Yew]

that can help to influence the weak minded.

These aren't the droids you're looking for...

 

[ChrisCooper]

Well, I'm sure that Leicester City Council will be prepared for a zombie attack now.

They seemed to do alright last night on the whole.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Increasingly, with children of all ages having access to television in their rooms, away from parental control, there is even more opportunity for them to be exposed to unsuitable content.

This is a very valid point that you have introduced into the discussion, which has also been highlighted in debates on children in such circumstances being groomed by evil individuals.

 

[Smudger105e]

I play CoD (Call of Duty for those not in the know) which is a shoot 'em war game, and has an 18 certificate. It can be played on line against other people, and you can use a microphone to talk to other people as you play. I am rubbish at it, as my reactions are far to slow these days, I see someone, aim, pull the trigger and they have already shot me!

Two points regarding this, first is that I am constantly surprised at the number of 18+ year olds whose voices have not yet broken.

Second, and my sons agree with me on this point, when looking at buildings etc. in real life after playing it for a while, you start to think 'that roof would make a good sniping spot' and similar things, although that does not mean I am even remotely tempted to get a gun and shoot anyone!

 

[GB]

Did you know that children's television programmes are some of the most violent? I didn't. A study was conducted some years ago, which showed a mixed class of children an episode of 'Power Rangers' - said class have approximately seven more violent incidents than a control group that were not shown the show.

What was classed as a "violent incident" and what time frame was the study conducted over?

 

[DarloRich]

I played left 4 dead for 6 hours. Now i want to go out with a shotgun and shoot big groups of people who might be zombies...

now that is a good game! nothing better than blasting Zombies - it is very violent but is clearly a made up world. I love it but i dont feel the need to arm myself and start blasting people (Just in case)

 

[Minilad]

I have just played pac-man for 8 hours solid.
Now I can't stop eating bloody Smarties

 

[trentside]

What was classed as a "violent incident" and what time frame was the study conducted over?

This link should explain in more detail. I will admit to quoting from memory as I'm away from home and the original article I read about this study in.

http://clem.mscd.edu/~sandersc/3310 power rangers.htm

 

[Mike395]

I've cleaned up a few off-topic posts - back on topic please

 

[Drsatan]

Having read this thread, I think it's ultimately up to the child's parents to decide whether he or she should allow their children to buy violent video games such as GTA. If an impressionable 12 year old boy is bought GTA IV and then commits violent acts, then to an extent his parents should be partly blamed since they allowed their son to play the game on the grounds he wouldn't be enticed to commit violent acts. After all, it's the parent's fault for allowing him to play it, because it depends on the mental capability of the child to realise that shooting people, carjacking and throwing grenades from rooftops aren't acceptable on the real world. Obviously some children are better than this at others due to their age and cognitive ability. As a young adult, I play GTA SA (the only GTA game I've played) and know that in the real world, I cannot knife people, I cannot steal other people's cars, and that if I shoot down helicopters with shoulder-launched missiles I will end up in prison for a very long time.

But at the same time, if violent video games are made unavailable to children, then they will become even more tempting to play, and children will think of new ways of getting hold of them. This reminds me of the time when one school banned junk food on premises and a couple of 13 year old kids bought kebabs from the local kebab house and sold them onto other kids at a profit through a hole in the school fence.

 

[yorksrob]

Booze is embedded in the warp and weft of British culture encompassing anglo saxon, viking and celtic culture.

Look into any aspect of British culture, from Chaucer, to Shakespeare, to Hardy .... you will find the alehouse and booze.

Violent computer games are essentially modern tat.

 

[thefab444]

Just because something is an ancient practice, or part of a "culture", doesn't make it a good idea.

You could argue that that means things have always been so bad in this country that people, especially in the working classes, have always found a need to drown their sorrows in <insert appropriate period beverage here>.

 

[43021HST]

Its probably been mentioned before but for some reason I find GTA a great way of relaxing and letting all the mental stresses of the day out in one long car crashin, heli copter exploding, pedastrian slaughtering burst.

By the way I have been playing the Grand theft auto line of games since I was 12 and I have never looked at a building thinking that would be a good snipers nest, or dreamed of mass genocide. the gorier the game the more relaxing I find it unless I'm online. Then its just one big headache.

Only thick, sorry I mean impressionable people try to imitate video games, most people find video games a nice way of escaping from the real world.