Questions about violence in games

[Xan Krieger]

I'm in an english class in college and the teacher wants us to write argumenative papers about he topic of our choice. So I chose violent games as they're something I love and play every day. Specifically I'm writing about how I don't believe that violent games make kids violent. So I want to get some opinions on here. Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer.

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
3. What games have taken violence too far?
4. Is it the parents fault?
5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?

my answers
1. no
2. depends on the game. Violence can make a realistic game more realistic, make a horror game scary, or make a horror game funny (sticking a shower head in a zombies head in dead rising).
3. The blood series because some violence was unneeded, it didn't serve a point other then to shock the person playing it
4. Yes
5. sometimes I play fo stress relief (dead rising and saints row 2) other I play for the story (doom 3)
6. Yes, they do provide a generally fair rating, the problem is when nobody pays attention to it.

 

[daviejjd]

i agree with your answers generally and i also think one of the big problems is that parents will buy 18s for just about any aged child, i mean i had an 18 when i was 10, and i'm not messed up, much

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

No. Well once they know the games are different from reality they don't.

It depends on the game, Beyond Good & Evil had violence but didn't need it, many games are similar but you couldn't have a Mafia game, for example, without it.

I'm not sure it depends on the violence. Graphic and realistic is wrong and occasionally sickening, whereas graphic and cartoony (eg. Team Fortress 2) is funny.

If they're giving an 18 (or PEGI / ESRB equivalent) rated game to someone under the reccomended age then yes, of course it is. Blaming it on someone else because they're not actively checking what their child sees is lazy and bad parenting.

Because I love games, they're an escape from reality. Violent ones can act as stress relief or competition if online. Non-violent ones are just as fun but are different and offer no less competition.

I'm not sure. I think we have too many ratings groups right now and we need one worldwide organisation with clear symbols (look at PEGI's discrimination, which could be mistaken for multiplayer). Although I feel the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) do a decent job as they treat the game simialr to films. Would you let a 5 year-old watch an 18? No. So don't let them play an 18 game.

Good luck on your essay.

 

[MortisLegio]

1.NO
2.Both
3.um I cant think of any
4. yes
5.their fun
6.yes

 

[Ansem-The-Wise]

1. Not at all.
2. Depends on the amount. A good amount of violence can make a game better, but too much makes it just bothersome.
3. Madworld. Haven't played, but the videos I've seen have shown me how bloody it is.
4. Yes.
5. It's entertaining, and stress-relieving.
6. Yes.

 

[LeonLethality]

1. no, its sort of like the sugar thing, people say sugar makes you hyper they are WRONG in fact doing things like eating sugar before say a test helps you make thinking things.... ANYWAY how this relates is with sugar you are only gunna be hyper if you want to be hyper, in games, you are only gunna be violent if you are choosing to be violent its not the games fault

2. enhances games ment to be violent for example street fighter wouldnt be fun if you had to talk your conflicts out (wait maybe it could be i gotta try it) and a game like... pokemon puzzle league wouldnt be nearly as fun if you had to kill your opponent (or maybe im just deranged >.>)

3. none that I have played or at least I think none I have played... but if you mean the visual effects lots of games but you probably dont, core violence none that i have seen but they are out there

4. it can be the parents fault the child is violent i dont understand the question enough but if you mean the parents fault the game influences the child... no... i dont think so...

5. story, gameplay, fun, whatever humans are violent by nature lets kill virtual things always better than real, everybody (NOT EVERYONE SHUT UP IM PHRASING) wants to slay the dragon with there sword/s or kill the zombie horde but only in a video game in real life nobody could its an escape from reality have fun, imagine if you had to be violent in reality

6. well the ESRB's job is to rate games it rates them technicaly its doing its job and yeah i dont have to much of a word on it all they do is rate they are not enforcing there buying rules its the stores etc. so yes they are

hope it helps sorry for lengthy answers

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

1. They can.
2. It can do both
3. No games have ever taken violence too far. A game that sells itself on violence must include violence. If the player objects, the game doesn't sell and the developers will probably need a new publisher.
4. Every aspect of a childs life is the fault of the parent, especially birth. If people stopped producing babies, the world would be free of criminals in one generation.
5. I don't play games because of the violence. The violence should add to the immersion of the game, and if it is just there for the sake of the media spotlight to sell the game it generally detracts from any atmosphere that would otherwise have been created.
6. No, they don't rate online interactions. Bunch of n00bs... Still, they are much better than the Australian version who think it is perfectly acceptable to refuse a game classification, thereby refusing to do their jobs. Michael Atkinson could change the system, but he was elected on a platform of "if it is stereotyped as bad, it is evil! I love bandwagons!" Someone call the whaaaambulance before Yahtzee murders this guy... Seriously!

 

[Disconnected]

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
No. That's like saying hearing about crimes on the news makes people commit them. If these kids go out and think it's okay to beat up people, there's clearly something broken in them to begin with. Violence has always been around. In fact, centuries ago challenging people to duels and murdering them in your family's honour would probably have been normal, nowadays that would be an atrocity. Violence has nothing to do with videogames. ("I dueled and killed him because I read it in Shakespeare", let's see what the public says to that!).
If anything, I think violence in games, movies, etc, removes violence in real life. If people couldn't do it games or watch it on TV, where do you think they'd go? That's right, they'd outside to do it. This is assuming everyone who plays violent games is a genocidal maniac, which is obviously not true.

2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
Depends. If it is a game that involves fighting, it seems pretty logical to include realistic violence. If it's a horror game, having it without gore takes away some of the horrific factors of it, thus deeming it pointless.

3. What games have taken violence too far?
I've never played a game where I think "Wow, this game is disgustingly violent".

4. Is it the parents' fault?
No. It's the kid's fault. Like I said, if "these kids go out and think it's okay to beat up people, there's clearly something broken in them to begin with". If the parents were particularly violent around them, I guess, but if they were just like regular parents then the kid should get responsibility for committing violent crimes, or whatever act of appalling violence started the whole "video games are what Satan plays" argument.

5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
Sure, as long as a game doesn't go out of its way to include violence because blood is "cool", I have no problem with slaughtering people.

6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?
Yes, a little too well, if you asked me. Zelda: Ocarina of Time was a SIXTEEN due to violence (in realistic graphics, they were laughably called. I guess since alot of games were cartoony whereas LoZ:OOT went for realism, it was considered worse)... yes, you slash a rectangular wolf or something and it flashes white with a hint of pale red. Seriously? Do you think a 15 year-old is going to wet themselves with horror at that? I think an 8 year-old would be considered a wuss if they even flinched at it.
P.S. If someone asks me to prove this, I'm afraid I don't still have my original OOT game or its packaging. If you do, however, feel free to look the label on the box and you should see the rating is something like 16 and it warns of violence, gore, danger, (I don't know the specific wording, of course) or something of the like.

P.P.S. Sorry for the wall of text, if you read this, here's a sticker for you! Congratulations!

 

[AceDefective]

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?- well i am a kid and well i dislike violence outside the video game world so no it does not.
2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?-no
3. What games have taken violence too far?-yes
4. Is it the parents fault?-well tricky they dont affect me but my parents buy me them so yea uhh i guess for other kids who get violent over games
5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?-i play if the game is fun as simple as that
6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?- yes there not out to hurt the gaming industy (as far as we know) i might want to be on the esrb when i grow up sounds like an ok job

 

[ssgt splatter]

You are absolutely right with all your answers. I agree with you completely

 

[DerpyDerpyDerp]

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
3. What games have taken violence too far?
4. Is it the parents fault?
5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?

1. No.
2. Depends on the game you are playing. I usually have no scruples with it, though.
3. None. You can't take violence too far. That concept is ridiculous and subjective. If you don't like it, walk away.
4. Fault for what? What did they do? I suppose it comes down to them whether or not the child gets a certain game, but as I already stated games don't really have an impact on a child, I don't see why it matters?
5. I play them because I am a gore hound and enjoy violent movies and video games. There really is no reason other than that it is just the medium I find most enjoyable.
6. Yes, it tells parents who really care enough to check what is in the game. That is ALL it should do.

 

[Clirck]

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
3. What games have taken violence too far?
4. Is it the parents fault?
5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?

1. No
2. No
3. None
4. No
5. Entertainment ?
6. No

Haha a really mean opinion

 

[LordSnakeEyes]

I don't believe kids become violent as they play these games because, using myself as an example, I used to play Turok as a child and nowadays, I'm a pacifist who enjoys violence in my videogames (Fallout3 anyone?).

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
I don't believe kids become violent as they play these games because, using myself as an example, I used to play Turok as a child and nowadays, I'm a pacifist who enjoys violence in my videogames (Fallout3 anyone?).

2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
I believe violence enhances the gaming experience because it enables us to do something we wouldn't do in real life. How many people actually will kill someone in their lifetime? I'm pretty sure that's a minority. I gaming were about, let's say sex, people wouldn't be gaming much since most people could just be having sex in real life. Gaming is supposed to bring adrenaline pumping action into our lives and since very few things get adrenaline pumping (IE violence, sex and sports) the point of gaming pretty much has to be about violence to be interesting since we could just do both of the latter in real life.

3. What games have taken violence too far?
None that I know of, but I think that violence can never be taken much farther than when you commit the murder of an innocent soul, so it becomes nearly impossible if not impossible to exaggerate violence in gaming.
P.S. Killing children, although a disgusting thought, should be possible, if not only to help immersion. (Not Because I'm as Sadistic as that might make me sound)

4. Is it the parents fault?
If children are violent, blame the parents (psychology 101)

5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
For one, it allows me to vent my violent tendencies by beating or blowing up other things whereas I would not do these things in real life.
For two, although probably caused by some latent sadism, it's flat out fun.
For three, it offers a change of pace by comparison to everyday life where it isn't perfectly normal to violently beat up a man at the corner of the street because he won't give me the chiken foot needed for that little 5 y/o to give me the other trinket leading to the ultimate weapon. (which btw, I never understood why I can't just kill A chicken and I need THAT chicken foot)

6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?
No, otherwise it would promote sex as a healthy and natural thing for kids to learn about. It wouldn't say, "Full nudity = PG 18 whereas Mass Murder = PG 14)

 

[Ganado_Headshot]

I think anyone who believes video games turn kids violent aren't watching the other aspects of that person's life. Movies and TV can also be an influence.

 

[Rakenshi1243]

I would recommend posting this in a second forum, maybe one consisted of overprotective mothers.

Asking these questions in a forum intended for gaming.. Well you get the idea.

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent? No, but it does desensitize the child.

2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them? Detract, there is nothing fun about watching a continuous bloodbath on your screen.

3. What games have taken violence too far? Mortal Kombat is one series that instantly is brought up in my mind. Actually, many players just play for the sake of violence.

4. Is it the parents fault? No, I feel the fault lies with the developers, it just seems that they're not creative enough to motivate players withought the use of violence.

5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games? I NORMALLY don't play violent games, I just simply don't enjoy it.

6. Is the ESRB doing it's job? Only when enforced by the markets.

To be fair, there are different levels of violence when it comes to video games.

 

[Remleiz]

violent games do not make violent people

if violent games make murderers, then will making murderers play games about grooming ponies make them nicer? no of course not

 

[Neonbob]

1. Do you believe violent games make kids violent?
2. Does violence enhance games or detract from them?
3. What games have taken violence too far?
4. Is it the parents fault?
5. Why do you (or do you not) play violent games?
6. Is the ESRB doing it's job?

1: NO.
2: It depends on what the game is about. I generally think it enhances games, though.
3: None. If anything, they haven't taken it far enough.
4: Only to a point. If their kid is a little bastard and goes unpunished for it, then the blame can be placed squarely on their shoulders. If, however, the kid goes out of his way, keeps his games and behavior a secret, and then screws the pooch, the parents cannot be faulted.
5: I play violent games because I enjoy them, and they occasionally let me blow off some steam (Painkiller!)
6: Yes. It's job is to provide parents with the information about a game's contents. If a parent chooses to ignore the information provided, that is their decision.

 

[Meta Like That]

Sure would've been nice if the escapist forum was around when I needed to bullshit my homework.

 

[CRAVE CASE 55]

1.No
2.it makes realistic games more realistic
3.Blizt the league 1&2
4.yes
5.yes