Super Columbine Massacre Game Contends for an Award

Super Columbine Massacre Game Contends for an Award

December 28, 2006
It's one of the most controversial games of all time - and it's not even a product of the commercial video game industry.

Now, Water Cooler Games (by way of Kotaku) reports that Super Columbine Massacre RPG, a free downloadable game created by would-be filmmaker Danny Ledonne, is up for an award at the Slamdance Guerilla Gamemaker Competition. Winners will be announced in late January.

Ledonne has produced a trailer for the game which draws upon media reactions to Super Columbine Massacre RPG.

Comments

I chuckle at how some guy claimed the game cost money and it was pure exploitation. It's free, you know.

Yeah, the game makes no effort to make the two look like heroes. They show just how disturbing the whole thing was, and the Hell section just proves how twisted they'd have to have been.
@Warren Lewis

I hope you're not suggesting that awards be given not based on merit but based on how the public reacts. It's important this isn't the case because any award that is given in such a way would be a sham.
I've played the game myself, and it's really not a good game from a design standpoint, even by SNES standards. When they do begin their rampage, you either slaughter some victims without much effort, or you may have some difficulty with the custodians and jocks at first, but when you level up they aren't difficult. Then when you get to Hell, the difficulty ramps way up. It kind of makes sense since it's Hell, but going from unstoppable killing machine to barely surviving even the weakest Hell enemies seems a bit disjointed. Also, it focuses too much on Harris, and Klebold is more of a 'supporting character.' So as far as an acutal game goes, no, it shouldn't win any awards.

However, that's not why this is one of the most important games ever made. SCMRPG is a game that actually takes its topic seriously. Whatever Ledonne's intentions were with this game, he made a huge stir by making a game that doesn't glorify anything about the killers. It is presented as a "this is what happened, this is some of the reason why, but we don't really know all the reasons." Some of the flashbacks in the game made me feel some degree of sympathy towards Harris, especially the scene where some of the jocks were harrassing him and then the subsequent beating in the locker room. It made him seem more human.

The bright colors also offered a sharp contrast to the very serious topic.

Also, this game akin to the episode of South Park entitled "It Hits The Fan" wherein they said "shit" on the air uncensored. Quoting Wikipedia: The creators of the show argued that they were angry because "if a drama or a serious show breaks the boundaries, it's 'bold' and 'artistic', but if a comedy show [like theirs] tries it, it's just stupid, or shitty, or bullshit.

Just replace "drama" with "movie" and "comedy show" with "video game," and I think you'll see what I mean.

And finally, it's odd that some of the people quoted in the video comment on the game "trying to cash in on a tragedy." I'd wager that Ledonne is losing money, as the game is free and the ad revenue is probably not enough to support his hosting costs. Also, the complaint about bringing up a recent tragedy, to me, seems flies in the face of two movies about the events of September 11, 2001. Yes, the studios behind the movies did donate at least some proceeds of ticket sales, but with the sheer volume of ticket sales, I'd wager that they did end up making a profit.
The comments on YouTube say enough, with everyone thinking the game is either fake or hurtful. They should try it first.
Muy intersante. So...you go into Hell afterwards? What happens there? How does it all end?

I remember a comment way back on the GP forums...one gamer had dled the game and played it, only get be revolted and disturbed by it. Now i'm thinking that that's what the author of the game intended.



Anyway, it's my 16th birthday:)
I lived near Columbine when that happend and I won't be playing it any time soon.
Great tralier. Did a very good job of promoting the game.

Also, is gameplay the main prequsite for this award? Does the winner need to play very well? Because from what I've heard, SCRPG doesn't.
There's nothing wrong with making a game based on the Columbine Massacre. It's just a game and it's only images on a screen. People need to realize that this is only a game and nothing more. It can't effect anybody. I think it's good that it may get an award because that will make anti-game activists upset and that's good. They need to be made upset.
@Thefremen

Nah, I was guessing what the anti-gamers would say. I havent played yet myself. I plan to when I go home and I can download it on my own computer. But no I'm not basing it on how the public reacts.

- Warren Lewis
I can just hear the game's critics now.

"They gave this horrible game an award?! What is this world comming to?! They might as well award those two boys for killing all those students!! Come on everyone! Lets start those petitions! Let's organize a boycott!!! How DARE they push this crap on our children!!"

I could maybe fill several pages on what the critics would say.
Thompson? An entire War and Peace sized novel.

(disclaimer - length and size of pages and book are greatly exaggerated but hopefully you get the point.)

- Warren Lewis
That was a very creative video for the game.
No matter the intentions of the devs, this is just fueling the fire.. something not needed atm.
Where is the fucking world going?????This game is morbid, sick.... And those people who can play that and enjoy it are sick people who need URGENT HELP!!!!And that person who has made this game... That person has no feelings.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 11/23/09 at 10:08am
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: http://tinyurl.com/ye6x9nv
Posted 11/23/09 at 10:08am
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: The very definition of "Lucky Shot":
Posted 11/23/09 at 07:56am
DarkSaber: http://tinyurl.com/yl2vfw6 Here's the link, good for conspiracy theories.
Posted 11/23/09 at 07:42am
JDKJ: Leaders never follow. Followers never lead.
Posted 11/23/09 at 06:48am
DarkSaber: Anyone been following this Hadley Climatic Research Centre server hack story?
Posted 11/22/09 at 11:48pm
ZippyDSMlee: AE:they feeding you well? I am enjoying win7 and heading to bed...uhg I need to get up early and start back to cleaning/painting blahg >< need tog et stuff done befor thanksgiving....
Posted 11/22/09 at 11:41pm
Andrew Eisen: Just got home from an eight hour recording session at Capitol Records. A lot of fun but damn exhausting.
Posted 11/22/09 at 08:44pm
BearDogg-X: 10 N. O. Who Dat?
Posted 11/22/09 at 09:45am
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I think doc phill is still sout about the break up with his wife he dose not fill holes as much as make them bigger these day
Posted 11/22/09 at 12:06am
JDKJ: You should get Phil McCraken to help you spackle those banisters.
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:57pm
ZippyDSMlee: Oh in the pirate hunter article I need my song ieda heckled DS,JD,Beemon sic im !!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:56pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:no I am tried from prepping the banisters for painting , worked on them from 12 to 4 and 6 to 8...after I got back from the store...got up early got ready...blah...been up all day..I need a nap...
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:42pm
JDKJ: No. You gonna stay up late tonight soldering?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:41pm
ZippyDSMlee: JDKJ:Don't you mean Mctite?
Posted 11/21/09 at 11:33pm
JDKJ: @Zip: Neil, Bob, and Lik McTaint. The McTaint brothers. LOL!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:44pm
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:41pm
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:38pm
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
Login or register to post shouts