Submitted by Helpless Kitten - May 5, 2008 at 11:25 am -050074.85.18.195
Just recently I finally had an opportunity to watch someone else play GTA.
The guy who was playing shot a man off of a motorcycle and I was amazed to watch as the victim crawled to the side of the road begging for mercy. What really amazed me was that other "civilians" in the area started running towards the injured man, yelling for help and trying to do what they could to aid him. This was some rather impressive crowd behavior in my opinion and I realized at that moment that I simply could not play this game the same way I see others playing it. I also realized that I did not have to play the game the same way he was playing it.
GTA provides an amazingly open environment in witch to act but the thing I noticed was that mindless violence and murder were not, in fact, rewarded in any way. From what I could see killing "civilians" and causing property damage is a choice, not an objective. And while I was disgusted with what the player was doing that was something he was choosing to do, much like someone choosing to unleash a tornado on their "SimCity".
There is a lot more thinking I need to do on all of this but I am hoping that I can eventually come to a better understanding of both sides of the issue of game violence.
Posted 07/09/08 at 12:40am Jack Wessels: @PHOENIXZERO: Do you really think that would stop him?
Posted 07/09/08 at 12:29am PHOENIXZERO: Wonder if Jack ever got the memo that attacking a judge, especially the one who presided over your own hearing will only make him look worse.
Posted 07/08/08 at 11:10pm Shadow Darkman Anti-Thesis of : Dennis you should post that story about JT insulting Judge Tunis. There might be more you could find that Kotaku missed.
Posted 07/08/08 at 08:32pm lordlundar: Jack should realize that when you call everyone crazy, then the only crazy one is the you.
Posted 07/08/08 at 06:06pm DarkTetsuya: @GP I just fear for the safety of your fax machine cause you didn't post it :P
Posted 07/08/08 at 06:02pm PHOENIXZERO: @Krono Yeah, that's probably where it came from. Don't remember if a source was mentioned. Other than it being called a "story" or "study".
Posted 07/08/08 at 06:02pm PHOENIXZERO: Because I was bored and channel surfing. =(
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:59pm GRIZZAM PRIME: PHEONIXZERO, Why the hell are you watching CNN's sodomy butt baby(HLN)?
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:53pm Krono: @PHOENIXZERO: Would that be the AP story about how schools should teach 11+ year old how to avoid abusive datings relationships?
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:34pm PHOENIXZERO: Oh joy, new subject and they bring out Cooper Lawrence who takes a mention about videogames. It's a segment called "Sex Normal for 11-Year-Olds" having to do more so with mental and physical abuse in "relationships" of 11-14 year olds and not sex. >_<
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:28pm PHOENIXZERO: Certainly a stupid segment with their "adolescent psychologist" and a game is different than a movie. Two callers, underwhelming. >_>
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:24pm PHOENIXZERO: CNN has wanted to be Fox Jr since Fox started spanking them in the ratings and Turner was removed from power.
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:11pm PHOENIXZERO: UGH, they have the CT AG on there... He sounds like Jack.
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:09pm PHOENIXZERO: >_> You can call in 1-800-TELL-HLN.
Posted 07/08/08 at 05:09pm PHOENIXZERO: CNN HLN is doing a segment on Beer Pong with their other "morality" blowhard Mike Galanos.
Posted 07/08/08 at 03:47pm Jabrwock: This just in! Jack insults someone. News@11
Posted 07/08/08 at 03:44pm mogbert: I think we can skip that story, we can't cover JT every time he insults someone, we would run out of server space...
Posted 07/08/08 at 03:43pm gamepolitics: nah, intentionally didn't post that... it's just a publicity grab... I only have so much JT tolerance, save 4 more relevant news
Posted 07/08/08 at 02:57pm Xlorep DarkHelm: Dennis doesn't post every little tidbit of information about Whacky-Jacky.
Posted 07/08/08 at 02:52pm DarkTetsuya: freak4all: I just posted that ... but yeah they did
The guy who was playing shot a man off of a motorcycle and I was amazed to watch as the victim crawled to the side of the road begging for mercy. What really amazed me was that other "civilians" in the area started running towards the injured man, yelling for help and trying to do what they could to aid him. This was some rather impressive crowd behavior in my opinion and I realized at that moment that I simply could not play this game the same way I see others playing it. I also realized that I did not have to play the game the same way he was playing it.
GTA provides an amazingly open environment in witch to act but the thing I noticed was that mindless violence and murder were not, in fact, rewarded in any way. From what I could see killing "civilians" and causing property damage is a choice, not an objective. And while I was disgusted with what the player was doing that was something he was choosing to do, much like someone choosing to unleash a tornado on their "SimCity".
There is a lot more thinking I need to do on all of this but I am hoping that I can eventually come to a better understanding of both sides of the issue of game violence.