Shwarzenegger VS. EMA

[Shankifer]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/1961-Free-Speech

Anyone been keeping updated? thoughts?

Games are, now days, like alcohol used to be.
Remember? Government thought it was dangerous, people loved it, government banned it, people went apeshit, government allowed it again.

While I think that it would be within rights to make the proper age 18 because right now at 17 unless you have a State-supplied ID it is very difficult to prove you're 17.(Tried it with a permit once... don't recommend it  )

Aside from that Teen is hard to verify.

I believe that if they restrict the AGE, that the sales of games will not increase or decrease. If they choose to restrict it more-so, then there might be a problem. Not to mention if the games lose their protection under the first amendment, there will be thousands of lawsuits against game-makers.

I do not believe this will pass.

I also cannot believe that the f*cking terminator, of all people... who just played a cameo in the Expendables... is saying games are too violent. Seriously... if you take away games, movies will be next, then either music or literature. I doubt it will make it past games but still... I do not understand the reasoning to California's argument.

[Kudistos Megistos]

>I do not understand the reasoning

>government

I've found the problem

There is no reasoning behind government decisions to ban things, just moralfaggotry and attempts to appease moralfaggotry.

[Mako]

>I do not understand the reasoning

>government

I've found the problem

There is no reasoning behind government decisions to ban things, just moralfaggotry and attempts to appease moralfaggotry.

Reason being politicians need votes. In the process they end up looking like the white knight to save our poor children at the cost of the video game industry. Because most of those mis-informed middle age soccer moms unfortunately I call my friends, so I know there is no limit or end to there idiotic or ideas they toss around there perception of the gaming industry in the gaggle of small minded group as they struggle to form some opinion. /rant

[Senti]

I say we all storm the governor's mansion in California and play all the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies on a PA system as psychological warfare, complete with signs saying something like "Violent video games stemmed from violent movies".

[Shankifer]

Haha bad decision, government is dumb. Let me show you their math.

Games+Customers=Money
Debt=bad
Money+debt=less bad

Movies+Customers=Money
More money + Less debt = even less debt

Some kid kills peopl and "GTA *MADE* me do it!"+ General lack of good decisions from a majority of the  underage (-18) population= Games make kids do bad things.
Kids do bad things>Debt
Games=Kids do bad things
Games+Ban=Kids do good things (or stop doing bad things)

Games=Stemmed from movies
Games=movies
Movies=bad
Movies+ban=no bad. all good.

Society=Crumble. ^.^


Of course that was all for fun, but I think they see the movie industry as more secure, because they can restrict releases in certain places, which they haven't done yet to games, but it looks like it may be coming soon (what will walmart do without games? :O )

Of course just as (after 4 years) those crazy kansas-ian church-goers and that marine's father are finally going to court about saying his son died because god hates gays (actual statement, not mine, I support homosexual rights, no participate ) and whether they impeached the limitations of the freedom of speech. Same ideal issue going in with the gaming thing. Free speech.

[Senti]

Actually, most countries already severely limit the type of content which goes into their games. Such as Germany banning the sales of Command & Conquer: Generals due to the fact that it contained the Battle for Baghdad while the German government was against the American invasion of Iraq. As it stands now, the only reason retarded kids get their hands on violent video games is because of their even more retarded parents. I.E. 12 year old kid wants Rated-M game, parent buys Rated-M game not looking at the content. Kid plays Rated-M game with their own limited mental capacity to comprehend good from bad. Kid proceeds to recreate Rated-M game in reality because some equally retarded bully picked on kid. Kid gets caught and blames Rated-M game for actions.

It's not the gaming industry's fault that there are kids that take games too far, and the same can be said of movies. In fact, the real culprit here would be the parents who buy their children games well beyond their mental abilities. If your child can't understand the difference between reality and fiction, then it's your fault, not the games. The ESRB clearly labels what games are recommended for what ages, that rating is placed there for the parents to read, and it's not their fault if the parent is too retarded to pay attention.

[pyrozen]

i can see it now... groups of kids with black circles under their eyes... waiting in the alleys behind game stores. As you approach the door one breaks from the pack and nervously asks if you will buy him a copy of the new Call Of Duty. He's got $80 and he's telling you to keep the change because he is that desperate. Poor kids... makes me sad to see them like that...

[Shankifer]

i can see it now... groups of kids with black circles under their eyes... waiting in the alleys behind game stores. As you approach the door one breaks from the pack and nervously asks if you will buy him a copy of the new Call Of Duty. He's got $80 and he's telling you to keep the change because he is that desperate. Poor kids... makes me sad to see them like that...

Ahhh, this basically made my day, envisioning this. I thank you for this 

Actually, most countries already severely limit the type of content which goes into their games. Such as Germany banning the sales of Command & Conquer: Generals due to the fact that it contained the Battle for Baghdad while the German government was against the American invasion of Iraq. As it stands now, the only reason retarded kids get their hands on violent video games is because of their even more retarded parents. I.E. 12 year old kid wants Rated-M game, parent buys Rated-M game not looking at the content. Kid plays Rated-M game with their own limited mental capacity to comprehend good from bad. Kid proceeds to recreate Rated-M game in reality because some equally retarded bully picked on kid. Kid gets caught and blames Rated-M game for actions.

It's not the gaming industry's fault that there are kids that take games too far, and the same can be said of movies. In fact, the real culprit here would be the parents who buy their children games well beyond their mental abilities. If your child can't understand the difference between reality and fiction, then it's your fault, not the games. The ESRB clearly labels what games are recommended for what ages, that rating is placed there for the parents to read, and it's not their fault if the parent is too retarded to pay attention.

The fact that people in general just can't take a little responsibility. That's like a kid molesting their teacher then saying "He/She raped me!" you know what I mean? Let's not point the finger at the gaming industry, I think a rational solution would be to bring the age limit to 18, and force a bold disclaimer, which most games do. Something along the lines of: This game contains violence. Read the ESRB rating, that says MATURE, for those of you who failed the vocabulary section of your life, Maturity: a term in developmental psychology to indicate that a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. This means that in order to be eligible to play this game, your child, or yourself, must recognize that these depictions are fictitious, and that he/she/you is/are playing a GAME. Real life is cruel and unfair. So if you're going to kill/rape/steal, please blame it on something other than games (maybe yourself!). Thank you!

Yeah... I think it would get a couple soccer moms to say no! 

[Mako]

GOD! I have been not myself lately I've been very angry for no reason at all!. My previous post was not nice I apologize, Everybody has to put food on there table I guess MR. Arnold found a way to do that...

[Shankifer]

Meh, I didn't think what you said was that harsh. The game industry creates more jobs than anything Governor Schwarzenegger could hope to throw together. The game industry feeds thousands of mouths, not only the ones of the country who makes it, but also those of places that sell it. Someone has to be out there to market these games and count out change for customers. This government takes gaming too lightly, It has become an essential part of our economy. I cannot imagine life without them to be honest... it seems even if you ban them, a new way would come about to get them. Not to mention the resale value of all your MA games would skyrocket

[yoshi314]

Games are, now days, like alcohol used to be.
Remember? Government thought it was dangerous, people loved it, government banned it, people went apeshit, government allowed it again.

well alcohol is dangerous. because it makes people more aggressive. some games also do, but that depends on the person.

if parents took game ratings more seriously, we'd have less problems with that. the problem lies in the lack of attention to the kids, and tendency to addiction towards games.

[Shankifer]

well alcohol is dangerous. because it makes people more aggressive. some games also do, but that depends on the person.

They are (metaphorically) the same thing. Some people get enraged as they become intoxicated and want to fight, games, for some people, is a door to aggression.

It all comes down to the person that uses alcohol/games.

if parents took game ratings more seriously, we'd have less problems with that. the problem lies in the lack of attention to the kids, and tendency to addiction towards games.

Parents do take the ratings seriously (most of them I believe). What they don't take seriously is their child's ability to comprehend the fact that games are games. I think a parent should be more involved with their child's gaming. I know that sounds like a joke, but I seriously think if a parent would sit down with their kids and maybe just have their child explain to them what their doing, it would make the child think a little more. It would make the brain think critically and carefully as the events of the *Story* are recalled to the surface of the mind. Granted, I believe this is how most things should work. I think parents should actively engage themselves in more things with their children, instead of letting their children separate themselves from the rest of the world.

It's my opinion though, and I understand how this concept really isn't appreciated by a lot of children and adults alike.

Of course none of the things I brought up could ever be challenged and made into law, but i think they should be kind of encouraged, not just with family games, family movies, or family anything, but with all things.

[Senti]

Yes, violent video games can provoke aggression in some, but for others, like me, it is a medication for aggression. I have psychologists orders NOT to quit playing violent video games because of my history of anger issues, and this is coming from an ARMY psychologist. Getting pissed off and want to kill someone? Jump in a game and do it! There are a lot of people out there like me who self-medicate on violent video games, it is a much healthier way for one to deal with anger compared to the alternative (getting a gun and going "postal").

[yoshi314]

Yes, violent video games can provoke aggression in some, but for others, like me, it is a medication for aggression. I have psychologists orders NOT to quit playing violent video games because of my history of anger issues, and this is coming from an ARMY psychologist. Getting pissed off and want to kill someone? Jump in a game and do it! There are a lot of people out there like me who self-medicate on violent video games, it is a much healthier way for one to deal with anger compared to the alternative (getting a gun and going "postal").

in my case it's not the violent games, but frustrating ones.

well, some are violent and frustrating - ever played ninja gaiden on ps3 ? :> ( god of war 2 is also very frustrating ). or gradius / ddr games at higher levels / gran turismo licence tests / wipeout hd racing at elite difficulty. or the games where even "normal" difficulty is way off the scale that are the most infuriating.

games with pointless violence are a different thing, though.

fortunately i always stop playing before getting really angry due to my continous failures. even when i am angry i never take it on anyone/anything. that's also a reason i prefer not to play online - i worry that i might actually get angry at somebody who beat me (because it would be obvious) or get seriously addicted.

i give such games a try once in a while to see how long i can keep my calm. and i'm slowly getting better at this, and it's a great anger management/patience exercise (if you can keep things under control).  it's all a matter of knowing your limits, and knowing when to stop, which is something many people don't do. and a matter of not taking a game too seriously, which is something even more people cannot do.

[Senti]

If you get pissed off at someone and want to blow their brains out, get on a game, like Delta Force Xtreme 2, jump on a server, and imagine that one of the people there is the person you're pissed at. Then go trigger happy, you'd be amazed at how well it helps to deal with the stress.

[yoshi314]

If you get pissed off at someone and want to blow their brains out, get on a game, like Delta Force Xtreme 2, jump on a server, and imagine that one of the people there is the person you're pissed at. Then go trigger happy, you'd be amazed at how well it helps to deal with the stress.

it only works if you are good at a game. and online games are full of those crazy no-lifes that will destroy you twice in 5 seconds. no fun in that

there is a problem of potential addiction to gaming (been there). and also a problem of potential loss of distinction between game and real life, which is what causes some idiots to go trigger happy in schools etc.

[pyrozen]

i find it impossible to believe that anyone could lose the difference between reality and a video game. I could see someone being frustrated at the lack of control over real life, but to truly disassociate REAL from FAKE would indicate a much deeper mental problem that would have surfaced regardless of video games or not. Lawyers just like to toss the "GTA made me do it" argument out there, just in case some ignorant juror is willing to bite.

I for one love video games to relieve stress. Anger is a good one for FPSs, though most of the time i can't shoot worth a damn if I'm truly pissed off. If i am that angry, i just turn off the games, open a beer and play guitar on the back porch The only people harmed from that are the poor saps close enough to hear me