I Just Had a Video Game Debate With my Parents

[Cinnonym]

Are you kidding? I go to my mom's house to play video games, because she's got all the next-gen consoles and all I own in my own right is the ancient PS2 she no longer needs. She plays FarmVille in the morning and World of Warcraft at night, and the PSP in between. She loves JRPGs and hack-n-slashers, and anything with combat more complicated than square-square-square-square-square she enlists me to play.

And I'm going to have a grand old time watching HER play Fable III.

 

[Woodsey]

I wasn't really allowed to play GTA till I was 15 (legal age in aus). but I do think 10 years olds play that kind of game is just retarded

Gave me a chuckle; it's an 18 everywhere else yet they're "thinking of the children!" by not allowing an 18 certificate but still giving those games 15s.

I inherited my gaming from my dad. There's not much to discuss there.

Same.

 

[Aidinthel]

My first "serious" game was Warcraft 2, and I think I was about 8 at the time. My parents didn't really know what to make of it, so my dad stood and watched me play. I remember him laughing at the death animations, and commenting that the death groans sounded like burps. Since then they've pretty much let me play what I want.

Example: After playing about 3 hours of Fallout every day for about a month, I got into the habit of drinking from glass coke bottles and just storing the caps in my drawer.

Yeah, I remember getting really fascinated with bottle caps after playing it for a while. It was the strangest sensation. My subconscious actually placed them on the same level as money. It didn't happen with New Vegas, though. I guess I got over it the first time.

 

[Charli]

My mom was a huge JRPG gamer until arthritis made it painful for her to hold a controller for extended periods of time.

However, I did have to convince both of my parents that dungeons and dragons wasn't evil, and my mom DID make me return both Diablo and Mortal Kombat 3 (although I later reacquired Diablo)

Haha, my mom flipped her lid when she found out Black & White was a god simulator... I didn't have to return it but that was about the climax of her antivideogameness.

Fortunately, I ended up pretty well rounded, never did drugs only drank a few times completely done away with it now so she was always happy to buy me whatever game so long as I kept excelling in school and sports and I did. Until i graduated and couldn't afford college then video games were evil again.

Lol Black and White? My mum did the total opposite, Went: OOoo can I have a go? And then didn't give my computer back for the next 5 hours. I had to tell her to go install it on a different computer so I could get on with it.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

My dad gamed before I did, and my mom knows how much one can get into it, why it's amazing, and great things the games have done for technology. They only time she was mad over gaming was when the grades dropped a bit, but that wasn't for gaming reasons, that was for intensive classwork reasons.

 

[Cgull]

My parents were always laid back about gaming when I was young enough to be under their influence, probably more so than they were with films and books now that I think about it.

I'm thankful for the way that they always judged a game against whether they believe I should play it or not, ignoring age restrictions.* Whilst I don't ever remember them saying no, I'm sure that they would've done if they thought it would upset me/turn me into a serial killer/mentally scar me.

We've had a few debates on games before but never anything too serious as they're aware my knowledge of them far outstrips theirs. Much the same reason as I'd never have an argument with them about tax law/cabling/baking - I would lose. Badly.

* To clarify; They've both always been aware of age restrictions on games and would put actual thought into whether they thought I was 'ready' for any game out of my age bracket, they didn't just pick them off the shelf for me.

 

[UnwishedGunz]

my mom would willing buy me porn if i asked her, but theres no need thanks to the internet

 

[reddfawks]

My parents are okay with my gaming, but I was debating with my mum a while ago about the emotional impact of games.

She thought it was weird that I'll cry during a good, gripping game - but I'll stay dry-eyed through most sad movies.

I responded that it's because a movie lasts 2-3 hours at the most, there's not enough time to get emotionally invested. When you watch a movie, it's not often that you're made to believe that you are the character.

She responded by saying "They're animated characters - they're not even real."

I replied that most movie and T.V. characters aren't real either - they're just actors. She told me "That's different." I mentioned Up. Same reply.

Oh well, I plan to get her a DSi XL for Christmas so she can play puzzle games and Brain Age... Maybe I'll get her to cry at the end of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. I know I did.

 

[p3t3r]

well my parents are starting to get angry because all my 12 brother does is play cod. but my dad got a snes for a wedding present i think and a few years ago he tried super mario galaxy i think he got like 40 stars which was pretty good cause he couldn't walk in a straight line

 

[creothes]

i never bring up games with my parents it better that way

 

[UnwishedGunz]

Starcraft?

Yeah, 'cause that'll turn you into a murderer -_-

You'd be amazed, hon. People get killed over looking at someone the wrong way nowadays.

i know what you mean, i got into a fight with some guy at school cause i said hi to my ex gf and his current gf. people can be so territorial

 

[Something Amyss]

I was wondering if anyone else has ever tried to civilly discuss video game censorship etc with their folks and what parents other than my own have to say on the subject.

My parents were bizarrely cool when I was a kid. At least on this front. I listened to rap growing up, in part because my father believed what I was hearing wasn't any worse than what I heard on the playground.

My dad made sure my brother and I got plenty of exercise anyway, and it didn't hurt that both my parents knew I was a major bookworm. It's not like video games were coming at the expense of other hobbies at that point.

My mom even got me Doom for Christmas one year. Granted, I was like 17 by the time I got it (SNES, because we didn't have a decent computer, and I didn't get it when it first came out), but still. That's my parents in a nutshell. Ironically, they're still bothered by sex. So whatever.

Anyway, the point is I'm on slightly different grounds with my parents on the concept of censorship in games, because there weren't many chainsaw beheadings or hot coffee mods when I was first playing games. And we had to walk fifteen miles, uphill...Nevermind. My parents weren't even too bothered by Mortal Kombat, possibly in part because my brother and I never showed much interest.

But these newer controversies, their kids are grown up, so they may have a slightly different perspective due to no dog left in the fight. Still, they're both anti-censorship, and I have had adult discussions with them on it. I'm not sure I'd have that same footing if I was 16, 13, or any other age similar.

The "Think of the children" fear is strong.

 

[F-I-D-O]

Starcraft?

Yeah, 'cause that'll turn you into a murderer -_-

I know right? And by 16, I already knew I was a pacifist. Still am. Always will be.

Well, you'll be the best type of murderer. Siting in an armchair trying to command random passerby to gather food/money and attack someone.
If that worked...
You're parents seem to be picking a fight. If you have a good relationship, say that you don't want to discuss it. Or don't respond. If they persist, respond with valid points. It's hard to argue with rational thought. And if they won't let you play Starcraft at 16, I'd direct their attention to the T for 13+ on the box.
I feel lucky. My earliest gaming memory was DooM. Next was Halo 1.
My parent's didn't like me playing the newer, more violent games at first, but after awhile I showed them that I was mature enough to handle it. I held their hand on the way in, let go, and both my parents enjoy games and let me play them. There's still the "You need ANOTHER?" statement (I have a huge gaming library) but that's resolved easily. Try getting some good, fun, and easy co-op games to play with your parents. I suggest Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light, even the original Halo. Something will click, and hopefully they will learn. If not, only a few more years till:

Spoiler: Oh, and it invading every aspect of your life

 

[dancinginfernal]

My dad used to be an Arcade Nerd, my mom bought a Genesis for him and he gave it to me and refuses to admit it was ever his because he wants to be known as the Arcade Lover.

He bought me Twisted Metal Black, my first M game. My mom has always accepted she doesn't understand them and leaves it to my dad.

 

[Brightzide]

My parents have never cared. Mum's a casual gamer ( Professor Layton and the like, she's mad for puzzles ^_^ ) , Dads about as hardcore as I am...being, pretty heavy on gaming. My little brother is a gamer too, hell he's probably better than I am by now. My little sis is the only one who doesnt play games regularly. I started off with Sonic the Hedgehog on the 32 bit megadrive. And before you know it, I'm on Unreal, Quake and so on gunning stuff down. And im better for it. It's what I use to relax and unwind. And in total I'm a lovely guy, from a terrible area and im not violent at all, I'm just quirky and happy. Games dont ruin you, your environment and influences do more. I'll put it in perspective, Me and my best friend are the only 18-20 year olds within a 2 mile radius who finished High School education and didnt decend into drugs and gangs ( what with Chav culture these days )....I blame the excess of violent games...Thanks Video game industry...you saved my life

 

[Twitchy Racoon]

My dad likes to watch me play Dead Rising, he finds it hilarious when I through a cash register a group of zombies but finds games such as halo frustrating to play but he dosent give me a hard time about playing violent games or how long I play as long as its with a friend.

 

[Sephychu]

My pa' introduced me to Metal Gear Solid and the Oddworld games when I was about four, fucking me up beyond belief. As a result, I'm mentally stable and little imagery has ever affected me. My parents don't care much, they know I can draw the line, but they hold some hope of my brother being normal.

 

[Baneat]

Starcraft?

Yeah, 'cause that'll turn you into a murderer -_-

Given Korea, it's possibly one of the most likely to turn you into a murderer, sadly.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc