NationStates Jolt Archive

Now, I personally belive that while video games do not cause violence, they desensitize us to it. I am a gamer, and no, I don't play pretty ponies of the rainbow forest thinking that anything else will cause me to go out on a murdering spree. I play violent video games a lot and I just wanted to see other peoples stances on this issue.

i think that violence much worse than grand theft auto or gears of war happens on the planet everyday.

genocides are occuring as we speak, and yet people are offended when some digital blood splatters on a digital screen.

all i am saying is that violent video games are not even half the problems with violence in the world, and IF ANYTHING, these games actually show that violent acts can happen, as opposed to complete unawareness of violent crimes.

violence is a fact of life, and video games have not even begun to fully show what violence means.

i am a gamer as well, but i do think that games can be fun without the violence... and i do agree that i have been partially desenseitized as a result of video games.

It's alright to be desensitized to violence, as long as you aren't going out and comitting the acts yourself. No one ever gained anything by wallowing in the despair over what a shithole this world is.

And yeah, I love violent video games, they're an outlet for my rage. One of my far off dreams in life is to create a school shooter video game...

genocides are occuring as we speak, and yet people are offended when some digital blood splatters on a digital screen.

Some people are more worried about the fake violence then the REAL violence.

One of my far off dreams in life is to create a school shooter video game...

<red flag pops up>
um... you may not want to advertise that...
and might want to get that anger thing checked out...

one of my dreams is to be a video game creator that can make great games w/out the violence. that would be cool.

Bad parenting causes violence, not video games.

Some people are more worried about the fake violence then the REAL violence.


thats what i mean!
someone kills a girl and her mother in africa, and it doesnt make the news.
then someone kills a digital stripper with a baseball bat in GTA, and the white house has a hissy fit.

Zaij;13238805']Bad parenting causes violence, not video games.

i agree,
i think that many severe crimes can be traced back to parenting methods, or lack thereof.

No no no, certainly not. "Video game violence causes real violence" is a scapegoat idea used by politicians and others in order to shy away from the real causes of violence in global society. These of course include; lack of education, poverty, deficiency in mental health care and ethnic tensions in our society.

I'd say the ignoring of the issue of lack of proper mental health care in western society is the most important aspect of violence that is often blamed on video games. The fact that depression is a real mental illness that should be taken as seriously as flu epidemics is something our politicians are seemingly incapable of recognising.

And yeah, I love violent video games, they're an outlet for my rage. One of my far off dreams in life is to create a school shooter video game...

Already been done. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCMRPG)

I've never played them, but I don't think so.

On the other hand, if there's a god, it might tell us something about why everything's so messed up.

i think that many severe crimes can be traced back to parenting methods, or lack thereof.
This is in part because of the government infantizing (if thats a word)everyone, and acting as the parent. Thus many parents expect the government to do the work for them. But thats another thread.

yeah, I think it densensitives (spelled wrong) to violence. but i think the real danger is that it locks kids out of reality in a world of entertainment for hours at a time. It's violent, unproductive, non-reflecting reality, and addicting.

But then again, I'm too lazy to do anything other than occasionally bitch about it. I play a shitload of MOH myself.

but i think the real danger is that it locks kids out of reality in a world of entertainment for hours at a time. It's violent, unproductive, non-reflecting reality, and addicting.

And TV is better?And you also imply that games do not reflect reality.On the contrary,many reflect reality quite accuratly.

On the contrary,many reflect reality quite accuratly.

Which ones?

Which ones?

Tetris.

Zaij;13238847']Tetris.

Thematically, perhaps.

Which ones?

Morrowind.

*draws longsword and rushes out the door*

Which ones?

You mean tanks dont come after you when you shoot five cops in a row?

And TV is better?And you also imply that games do not reflect reality.On the contrary,many reflect reality quite accuratly.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2582-Zero-Punctuation-MOH-Airborne

Owned (as shown to me by someone else on NSG). Games are known for their complete lack of reality. That is because reality isn't fun. If reality were fun, I would sign up for Iraq and have the time of my life. But it isn't. So I play a computer game about it instead.

Just as a side note, the only realistic 1st person shooter ever was a game called Operation Flashpoint. It was a flop because people complained about it being too real and therefore too difficult. You can by it for $5 at best buy.

You mean tanks dont come after you when you shoot five cops in a row?

To be honest, I don't know. I've never tried it.

On the other hand, I *do* know that however hard I try, however much intelligence I have, I cannot cast fireball. :(

Which ones?

it is the object of designers to imitate reality as much as possible, as least in the games that involve semi-real-life situations.

like all the WW2 games, for example.
they attempt to imatate historical events, with all the bloodshed and explosions that may be a bit stretched, but still acurate.

also, any game with a good physics engine.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2582-Zero-Punctuation-MOH-Airborne

Owned (as shown to me by someone else on NSG). Games are known for their complete lack of reality. That is because reality isn't fun. If reality were fun, I would sign up for Iraq and have the time of my life. But it isn't. So I play a computer game about it instead.

Just as a side note, the only realistic 1st person shooter ever was a game called Operation Flashpoint. It was a flop because people complained about it being too real and therefore too difficult. You can by it for $5 at best buy.

ARMA:Armed Assault is a spiritual successor to OpFlash, and is super-real too.

like all the WW2 games, for example.
they attempt to imatate historical events,

While the historical details may be quite accurate, I have a hard time believing the combat is.

You mean tanks dont come after you when you shoot five cops in a row?

of course not!

first the swat teams come, then a helicopter follows you around, then the undercover agents show up, THEN the tanks.

it is the object of designers to imitate reality as much as possible, as least in the games that involve semi-real-life situations.

like all the WW2 games, for example.
they attempt to imatate historical events, with all the bloodshed and explosions that may be a bit stretched, but still acurate.

also, any game with a good physics engine.

yes, true, but I would hardly call the parts where you jump up, kill twenty nazis in a row, charge into a machine gun nest and take it out (while taking twenty rounds to your torso), and then going in solo to take out a FULL artillery battery complete with 40 more germans and several tanks as accurate.

Physics engines, weaponry, and some of the senarios may be accurate, but that's where the accuracy ends. To be fun, it has to be unreal.

Already been done. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCMRPG)

Well shit man, that was lame. I hated that game.

I want to create a high graphic, FPS game. Somewhere along the lines of you being a "rage demon" and posessing bodies about to commit massacres.

The hypothetical game would include Columbine, V-Tech, and Jokela, but I would also include things like the 9/11 hijackings, the Haditha massacre, and a lot of other violent events in recent history.

It would basically be a realistic killer game based on real events.

yes, true, but I would hardly call the parts where you jump up, kill twenty nazis in a row, charge into a machine gun nest and take it out (while taking twenty rounds to your torso), and then going in solo to take out a FULL artillery battery complete with 40 more germans and several tanks as accurate.

Physics engines, weaponry, and some of the senarios may be accurate, but that's where the accuracy ends. To be fun, it has to be unreal.

all too true, im pretty shure its physically impossible to carry 400lbs of ammunition on your back whislt holding a 12-guage shotgun in each hand, and running through a field in wich 50 people are trying to kill you.

also, a war game that was actually realistic would be a very, very, VERY short game.

all too true, im pretty shure its physically impossible to carry 400lbs of ammunition on your back whislt holding a 12-guage shotgun in each hand, and running through a field in wich 50 people are trying to kill you.

also, a war game that was actually realistic would be a very, very, VERY short game.

Yeah, in Ace Combat I got my plane to carry 140+ missile on it and still had the manuevribility to take out the elite enemy squandron by myself. That's one big ass plane :D

Everyone wants to blame everyone else but themselves for their actions. :mad: Video games do not cause violence, people do. :eek: Guns don't kill, people do. :eek:

Zaij;13238805']Bad parenting causes violence, not video games.

No, many good people have bad parents. Blame yourself not others or circumstances for violence.

No, many good people have bad parents. Blame yourself not others or circumstances for violence.

No kidding. The message you quoted was an excellent example of the errors of that particular individuals thinking.

People who betray their religions cause violence.

So do politicians who start illegal wars.

Are there legal ones?

People who betray their religions cause violence.

So do politicians who start illegal wars.

Are there legal ones?

Rarely, but....

So do politicians who start illegal wars.
Was that meant to be a cheap shot at Bush? Keep this to the subject please.

People who betray their religions cause violence.

So do politicians who start illegal wars.

Some people who hide in their religion cause violence. Pedophilia and terrorism anyone?:mad:

Nah.

Well, that's pretty overwhelming....

Violent video games do not cause violence, but as an outlet for those whose twisted minds would permit them to inflict it on others, it eases their path slightly if they are able to simulate their actions.

I mean, when I took the GRE exam this fall I took practice tests that were exactly like the actual test. The reason was to simulate the situation, so that I could be more comfortable with what I would be facing.

I'm actually doing a research paper on this subject.

The conclusion I've drawn is that there is no real link between violent media and violence in the real world. Of course, going to anywhere where there is no media and seeing violent acts immediately disproves the theory, but nobody wants to hear that.

Of course, going to anywhere where there is no media and seeing violent acts immediately disproves the theory

No, it doesn't.

The theory does not state that every act of violence is caused by violent media, just that violent media is a contributing factor to some acts of violence.

It isn't the violent video games that cause the violence.
It is the violent video-game designers.
dun dun dunnnn....

No, it doesn't.

The theory does not state that every act of violence is caused by violent media, just that violent media is a contributing factor to some acts of violence.

Yeah, the problem is that violent media's contribution to acts of violence is very much akin to a single rain drop's effect on an ocean, if that. And if it was only "some" acts of violence, tell me why banning violent media has been trumped up to be a cure all.


Medication, social rejection, and mental illness of the individual play a far more significant role.

Um, no, violent videogames is just a reflection of how violent everyday life can be... atleast, that's what I think.

All I know is that people did not throw waffle irons which were plugged in and brought to temperature at one anothers face before Tom & Jerry came out.

Well, Fallout quite accurately shows what happens when you walk up right in front of someone, pull out a minigun, and pull the trigger.

Have you field-tested that theory?

Which ones?

Well, Fallout quite accurately shows what happens when you walk up right in front of someone, pull out a minigun, and pull the trigger.

Have you field-tested that theory?
OOHHH!!! OHHH!! I HAVE!!! They took me to a big place and gave me a neat jacket with little duckies on it! And then they gave me my own padded room!

One of my far off dreams in life is to create a school shooter video game...

Create that video game and I will buy it. Seriously, I will. Hell my gf will buy one. High School and Middle School sucked for both of us.

Was that meant to be a cheap shot at Bush? Keep this to the subject please.

I regret to inform you that Bush's mind-numbing stupidity DOES call violence -- just ask the iraqi widows and orphans.

I find it funny when the Jack Thompsons out there say "Impressionable young children can't distinguish between a game and reality."

Oh yeah,like some kid is gonna wake up one morning,thinking that he is playing GTA and walk around and shoot his family,steal and a car and all the while thinking "HOLY CRAP,GTA IV'S GRAPHICS ARE AWESOME! IT'S EVEN GOT MY TOWN AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN IT!"

If you think shooting up a school or wrestling a baby to near-death is a good idea, you were messed up before you started playing video-games.

Also (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2048-Zero-Puntucation-Manhunt)

Was that meant to be a cheap shot at Bush? Keep this to the subject please.

It was a shot but it didn't seem cheap, to me. He should see them coming by now.

I don't personally see how violent video games cause anything, even desensitivization to violence. Never did that to me. Sure, they did desensitize me to video game violence, but not real violence. Real violence is still a completely different ball game.

Even though I've been desensitized to seeing 3D models of things that simulate mangled human corpses, I can't really get myself to watch pictures of *real* mangled corpses. And it'd be even worse if I'd actually be there to SEE the corpse. Even with my supposed "desensitivization to violence" through computer games... It'd still freak the shit out of me. The very THOUGHT of it already causes discomfort.

Now let me state for the record that the whole game rating system is messed up. You can't even really enforce the rating system because i remember when i was 8 i was playing games with violance and gore and watching horror movies when i was 2. Video games do not insite violance its the people that do if you a stupid parent and havn't already told your children that this is not realy by the time they pick up a violant game etc and they grow up around seeing video game reality as real life reality(it does happen my friend john is a prime example) than why blame the games. It all comes back to the fact as human beings and people we gotta listen to that little voice in our head that says is it really video game violance causing this or humanities own ignorance and utter lack of responseability and that is the real debate everyone needs something to blame it on. As far as real life violance goes if someone died or a natual cause or was murdered i am not sure if i seen the body if it would really effect me on the other hand seeing someone get run over or blown up and gore factor is entirely differant its in human nature to kill each other and you gotta see a few dead bodies more than once in your life time so.

Now let me state for the record that the whole game rating system is messed up. You can't even really enforce the rating system because i remember when i was 8 i was playing games with violance and gore and watching horror movies when i was 2. Video games do not insite violance its the people that do if you a stupid parent and havn't already told your children that this is not realy by the time they pick up a violant game etc and they grow up around seeing video game reality as real life reality(it does happen my friend john is a prime example) than why blame the games. It all comes back to the fact as human beings and people we gotta listen to that little voice in our head that says is it really video game violance causing this or humanities own ignorance and utter lack of responseability and that is the real debate everyone needs something to blame it on.

You're perfect. May I sketch your nude form?

Sorry mate only my wifes got the honor lmao

Everyone wants to blame everyone else but themselves for their actions. :mad: Video games do not cause violence, people do. :eek: Guns don't kill, people do. :eek:Mate, you're so wrong! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv-2XYOtgCg)

If i went out and killed 150 people right now and went on a rampage then surrendered and claimed that video game violance and troubled childhood caused it guess what. Within a week there would be posts in newspapers about what video games i played as a child etc and some therapist would try to rationilze the behavior by saying this caused this people blame materialistic objects and nonsense for the things that go wrong with theirs lives people have been known to qote books and authors for inciting thier murdering sprees so people blaming other people sounds good to me. First i would like to blam Capcom fro making perhaps one of the best third person shooters ever resident evil four then i would like to blame Command and conquer for saying its okay to start a war then i would like to blame the Hitman series for telling children being a hitman is a good choice to make in life not only do you get to kill people but you will make morons write papers when your caught about your life and how you just made the games that made you snap just a little more famous. So you see there is no wrong opinion here but the fact is if your gonna tell me people blame people and go into guns don't kill people do racket again then i gotta say alot of people deserve to be behind bars because alot of people aren't mentally stable period and to sit here and debate this is pointless. Most people would like to see a big label on video games say this 18 and older all youth caught with this game shall be charged and put in jail so i could rant all day and night about this because i get very worked up everything was fine and dandy when things were 8 bit and mario was THE video game to own. However now that the gaming industry and crime has built up people connect the two togather because of games like GTA which is one of the best franchise games to date. Bottom line if you think video games incite violance too bad your not gonna change a industry thats world wide if you don't like guns too bad your not gonna get rid of those either you want people to stop blaming things and other people go to a paradise city if you want peace on earth and no more fighting you better wake up because its not games and violance thats destroying the world its the mentallity the people in it have if you know nothing but violance your going to commit it if all you know is drugs thats what your gonna do think my points well made now.

No, many good people have bad parents. Blame yourself not others or circumstances for violence.

Right, but who DOESN'T ingrain morals and ethics into these violent people. This is why the think violence is OK and they use violence to get what they want. It's your thinking and that of the dude under you that's faulty.

Sorry about the rant people just relieving some tension in a creative way anyways sorry again.

I am dead this topics dead and the worlds gonna die drop it and move on with life this publice service message has been brought to you by.
A DGENERATION X fan

If i went out and killed 150 people right now and went on a rampage then surrendered and claimed that video game violance and troubled childhood caused it guess what. Within a week there would be posts in newspapers about what video games i played as a child etc and some therapist would try to rationilze the behavior by saying this caused this people blame materialistic objects and nonsense for the things that go wrong with theirs lives people have been known to qote books and authors for inciting thier murdering sprees so people blaming other people sounds good to me. First i would like to blam Capcom fro making perhaps one of the best third person shooters ever resident evil four then i would like to blame Command and conquer for saying its okay to start a war then i would like to blame the Hitman series for telling children being a hitman is a good choice to make in life not only do you get to kill people but you will make morons write papers when your caught about your life and how you just made the games that made you snap just a little more famous. So you see there is no wrong opinion here but the fact is if your gonna tell me people blame people and go into guns don't kill people do racket again then igotta say alot of people deserve to be behind bars because alot of people aren't mentally stable period and to sit here and debate this is pointless. Most people would like to see a big label on video games say this 18 and older all youth caught with this game shall be charged and put in jail so i could rant all day and night about this because i get very worked up everything was fine and dandy when things were 8 bit and mario was THE video game to own. However now that the gaming industry and crime has built up people connect the two togather because of games like GTA which is one of the best franchise games to date. Bottom line if you think video games incite violance too bad your not gonna change a industry thats world wide if you don't like guns too bad your not gonna get rid of those either you want people to stop blaming things and other people go to a paradise city if you want peace on earth and no more fighting you better wake up because its not games and violance thats destroying the world its the mentallity the people in it have if you know nothing but violance your going to commit it if all you know is drugs thats what your gonna do think my points well made now.

Wow. And THAT was EDITED.

No, Junior, your point is anything BUT well made.

Two things games AREN'T helping: language skills and self-control.

Good luck with that, pal.

Two things games AREN'T helping: language skills and self-control.

That's not true! Games made it a lot easier and faster for me to learn this eeeeevil language they call English. Well, that, and an interest in the language at an early age (which was admittedly related to my gaming hobby). One thing I dislike about not being a native English speaker is, however, that time and again I see that I'm not as good at using eloquent language in the ar pees around here than those who actually speak it as their native language. That is if those native English speaker types actually know how to type, which many don't seem to.

So in my case, games DID help my language skills. Even though the language was a foreign one! :p

Although, I gotta admit, MMOs taught me how to speak "retarded".

hay is am u gief muny? ned muny fro armur n wapoons palz!!!!

It is an impressive and frightening weapon when used correctly.

That's not true! Games made it a lot easier and faster for me to learn this eeeeevil language they call English. Well, that, and an interest in the language at an early age (which was admittedly related to my gaming hobby). One thing I dislike about not being a native English speaker is, however, that time and again I see that I'm not as good at using eloquent language in the ar pees around here than those who actually speak it as their native language. That is if those native English speaker types actually know how to type, which many don't seem to.

So in my case, games DID help my language skills. Even though the language was a foreign one! :p

You only make my point. The run-on nightmare paragraph I quoted was posted by a native speaker of English.

Of course things like games and music and other cultural cognates can help you learn a foreign language. I'll never forget setting Worms Armageddon to any of its several languages and learning what "FIRE!!!" was in each of them. While games can certainly be a big help in acculturating yourself to another language, that help is limited by the scope of the game itself (kinda like how learning a language based on watching TV limits you to only what the program is about, who it's aimed at, and so forth).

Although, I gotta admit, MMOs taught me how to speak "retarded".

hay is am u gief muny? ned muny fro armur n wapoons palz!!!!

It is an impressive and frightening weapon when used correctly.

Again, you make my point for me. Thanks!

The answer is no, they don't.

Scientific studies have shown that there is no link between violent media, be that Movies, Music or Video Games and people actually committing violent acts.


People who do commit such acts are already predisposed towards it, and in some cases they may act as something of a trigger, but no more than seeing violence in life generally.

Zaij;13238805']Bad parenting causes violence, not video games.


If that is a blanket statement I disagree. You can't always blame the parents. Sometimes people just snap and sometimes people are just mean, period.

No, many good people have bad parents. Blame yourself not others or circumstances for violence.

And many 'bad people' had good or at least a decent home life .. upbringing (most of the time a hell of a lot better than the average person .. who does not end up going on a rampage or becoming a rapist or killer).

People have been trying to decipher why for many years. Examining the surroundings and upbringing of killers.. even to the point of trying to find abnormalities or whatever in the brain. No go. It's no one thing, or this thing or that thing. It might possibly be all sorts of things for this one, but none fit that one. One kid might draw pictures of a person being blown to bits and they never harm a soul .. then another be a 'goody two shoes' who ends up knifing their mother.

Tho I do think weak minded/psychologically fucked up people can get too 'involved' in real life role play scenarios/role play games. But .. again they are screwed in the head.

One thing I would take seriously if I had a kid.. was if I saw my kid abusing or torturing animals. That to me would be a BIG sign that something is not right.

Although, I gotta admit, MMOs taught me how to speak "retarded".

hay is am u gief muny? ned muny fro armur n wapoons palz!!!!

How I mine for fish?

Do violent video games cause violence?
No, they don't, in my opinion. Similarly, I don't believe that the much-hyped "video nasties" of the 80s caused violence.

It's just another scapegoat. That the perpetrators of school shooting X were found to have been playing game Y a lot means nothing at all, and to say that it does ignores the glaring fact that the other thousands of people who were playing game Y a lot didn't go out and massacre their peers.