May 17, 2007 -
New York State Senator Andrew Lanza (R), who is spearheading efforts to pass video game legislation in the Empire State, has taken note of the V-Tech Rampage controversy.
Lanza told the Staten Island Advance:
There are certain things in life you don't make light of and should not be turning into a game. It's not a game, it's a tremendous loss of life.
Perhaps not grasping the amateur nature of the game, Lanza called on retailers, manufacturers and websites to boycott V-Tech Rampage. The newspaper also reports that Lanza compared the Flash game, programmed by an unemployed Australian man, to the upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV:
You've got Grand Theft Auto where you murder police officers. To me, I can't imagine people marketing and distributing it, and putting it in the hands of kids, but it's happening.
Comments
We are not gonna get peace until in 20-30 years when most voters have grown up with video games and know about them. Then we will be rid of these loons. I hope. >_
If I were a real a-hole, I'd say this Lanza joker was taking lessons from G.W.'s School of Misdirection, like how outrage over 9/11 and the Taliban somehow was parlayed into the U.S. Army going to Iraq for Saddam's totally unrelated head. Please stop finding phantom WMDs everywhere, politicians, you're the ones who're scaring the children (not violent games).
About Lanza's intervention, you can find worse on his website :
http://www.senatorlanza.org/press_archive_story.asp?id=16828
http://www.nyssenate24.com/press_archive_story.asp?id=16828
Read this excerpt, for example :
"The game is rated Mature on the website, but because it can be downloaded onto a personal computer, it can be accessed by anyone. Moreover because the present rating system on video games is voluntary, there is nothing to prevent this and other inappropriately violent games from being sold to children. 'This sick and twisted game which exploits the tragic events at Virginia Tech University further underscores the need to crack down on violent video games, and reduce children’s exposure to violent and inappropriate materials within these games,' said Senator Lanza. 'Although this is an on-line game, I sincerely hope that the video game industry, wholesalers, retailers and web sites refrain from advertising, selling or facilitating this game, or any game which exploits such a devastating tragedy," said Senator Lanza.'"
I wanted to contact him on his website in order to explain him (calmly, in a civilian way) how and why he was wrong. But it seems that only U.S. residents can email him.
I think while I'm at it, I might contact one of my (at least) local news stations. Most of them do local op-ed pieces and sometimes they get picked up by the nation-wide network.
Seriously, I can understand how politicians can screw up like this. With all the things they have to legislate, they can't know about everything. That being said, they should at least research and learn about the issues. In the case of things like video games, I think they should have to meet a time requirement for playing, and a lot of reading about things before they can even make public comments in passing.
And by the way, did anyone catch that this isn't the first time that kid tried to capitalize of a tragedy like this?
This guy really needs to shut up. This isn't even an industry product. It's an online flash game that wasn't even made here in the states.
That's very interesting. And by interesting I mean disturbing.
Was your letter offensive or inappropriate in any way? The shouldn't have any reason to remove it if you expressed your opinion and concerns in a mature fashion. Please do provide some details.
I was tempted to write my own letter when time permits... I wonder if mine would meet the same fate.
We should pull a "HD decryption key revolt" on this.
Post your letter en masse on the site and laugh as they truggle to delete it over and over again.
I love it when newspapers censor the public.
This guy must not have got the memo. GTA is rated M for Mature. Retailers are putting it in the hands of adults, not kids.
@ AnonAmbientLight: "Yea speaking of disturbing internet sites, 4chan is very very distrubing.
I wanted to check it out and my friend told me to go to section B because it was the “cleanest” section on there. Well, let me just say section B has scarred me for life, and that was the “CLEANEST” section."
Assuming that it happened exactly as you describe it, then your friend played you for a fool. /b/ is the, "Anything goes, no hold barred," section of 4chan, where none of the normal rules apply. It's far from the "cleanest" section.
A. It's happening less and less according to studies.
B. The games are not designed for children (one look at all the sexual inneundo in the games should convince anyone of that)
C. It sells like hotcakes everytime a new one is released (well maybe not VCS or LCS).
"Lanza called on retailers, manufacturers and websites to boycott V-Tech Rampage"
Retailers and manufactorers can't do anything about this since it's an online game, no one would pay money to play this game on consoles (and even if they would I don't think the creator is willing to invest that kind of money to make that happen). There are two websites that have it up newgrounds and the guy's own site, as a frequent visitor of newgrounds I can assure you they won't do so and this guy obviously isn't going to remove it from his own site.
Seriously though... I think that 'research' might be beyond their capability, so they just automatically assume its another one of those damn vidya games... I mean remember that bit on the Jon Stewart show? I might be misremembering the quote, but since when did that stop politicians?:
"And as I sat there, powerless... I can only wonder, when did we go wrong?"
I'm not american so I have no clue about this. Is there also a Senate Task Force on Youth Violence and Poverty? How about a Senate Task Force on Youth Violence and Drugs? Or a Senate Task Force on Youth Violence and Gangs?
Sure, I like to belive in the good side of humanity and not think that people are lying to me, but geez...
I wanted to check it out and my friend told me to go to section B because it was the "cleanest" section on there. Well, let me just say section B has scarred me for life, and that was the "CLEANEST" section. :(
Id love to see our politians shut that down. Hehe, too bad you cant defeat the Anonymous Legion.
However I am against these politicians who continually step up on their soap box as soon as they hear anything relating to a violent video game; Industry game or not they still have a knack for spreading misinformation about how games create a race of ultra violent killers.
The pure ignorance of these people is enough to induce a 30 min long brain freeze.
Based on that, I demand reparations from anyone who's ever done a WWII/Holocaust movie. Speilberg, I'm looking at you.
The fact that V-Tech Rampage is in bad taste, or too soon, or whatever is a moot point. This really is a first amendment discussion. Just because what this opportunistic shit head put out as a game is actually a worthless peice of crap doesn't mean he didn't have the right to make it. Absolutely, call it what it is, an atrocity, but it's still his right to make it and try to profit from it, even though his reputation is clearly inexorably tarnished.
Really, where? I want an copy of GTA4 before it comes out too! Damn kids...
tollwutig Says:
Just so you all know it’s happened. Fox News has picked up on the story, and of course is relating it to the Commercial Video Game Industry. ....
When was this? I just hope Fox doesn't call up one of their "experts" again for comment.
@ Xander
You misjudge Ron Paul, he leans more libertarian. Where on earth did comment come from anyway?
"Politician compares battle in streets of Fallujah to a session of GTA VI or Counterstrike."
contents of the report:
Thanks to continued training of military personnel using FPS shooters, such as America's Army (TM), endorsed, funded, and supported by the US Government, our soldiers are more than well prepared for urban combat. Congress has decided to not supply ammunition and armor to the soldiers for their mission, as PLENTY should automatically spawn at select locations throughout Iraq. Fear not citizens, for should our soldiers fall, they will reappear after a designated penalty time at a predetermined respawn point.
If only real life were like a game.. we could more easily justify the complete stupidity and ignorance of politicians.
"In regards to your recent interview concerning V-Tech Rampage:
Perhaps you should learn more about the industry your are trying to legislate. Your proposed legislation would not protect children from games like V-Tech Rampage as they are not created by the video game industry, nor are they sold through distributors. This game was made by an unemployed Australian man and is distributed freely on the internet. Either you are uninformed, or you are choosing to distort the facts (ie LIE). I choose to believe the former, so I have taken the time to try and educate you. If you persist in using V-Tech Rampage as an excuse to push your legislation, I will now be certain you are no better than the man who chose to use abuse a national tragedy for his own pathetic ends."
Because if he had played the games he would know that the missions based in these games are missions that involve the Mob or rival gangs trying to take over these cities/counties.
Yes being able to cops is an option but it is NOT the main objective and that is what Jack Thompson and these politicians are failing to realize. That is my two cents worth.
Naw, I think Thompson is barred from saying anything about Rockstar's games, so this idiot has to take his place. Gah, I can't believe this guy is an elected official.
I think that if a game developer takes the trouble to advertise and get the game rated, then they deserve to be called industry. This VTRampage game has done neither of those things, so should not be called industry.
Or if they create it as means of income or profit it could be industry. Even this if they want to be serious, will at least advertise the game.
So to me the original mod version of Counter-Strike is not an industry game but became one as soon as they took measures to advertise and make it a stand alone game.
Armadillo Run, Bejewelled, Counter-Strike, Darwinia, Defcon, Desktop Tower Defence, Doom, Garry's Mod, Geometry Wars, N, SCMRPG, Starscape, the VT massacre game
Mentally divide them into "industry" and "not industry," with justifications. It's not so easy, is it? Some points of interest:
Popcap has free demos of its games that you can play in your browser. Are those demos industry?
Doom was distributed as shareware across countless campuses originally. Was it industry back then? Did it become industry?
Garry's Mod and Counter-Strike started as mods and became products for sale. Are they industry now that their names are registered?
Darwinia is available boxed in the shops, but Defcon (the next game by the same people) is not. Does not being in shops make it not industry?
Is it wrong to enjoy laughing at someone's stupidity? I laugh at darwin award nominees and honorable mentions.
Maybe I should send him an email that he's likely to someday be a darwin award nominee if he keeps up his stupidity.
The problem lies with that the willfully ignorant, politicians massacre chasers and the like will be using this as ANOTHER example as to why video games need to be legislated. I think it's the only medium they don't yet takes bribes from or control
Actually, I've always LIKED GTA on that point, because it's got a pretty clear message on the cop-killing angle: Start killing cops, and you'll end up dead pretty quickly, unless you have the "Lower Police Aggro" powerups nearby... and real life doesn't have powerups.
Why does he get his employment status next to his name every time he's mentioned? "Hey check it out... he's unemployed! See, he really is a bad person."
this man makes me angry, his incompetence that thinking that v-tech game is in retail stores, and that GTA is marketed for children are reasons why this man (how he ever evolved from apes i don't know) should have been allowed to take office.