squid5580 said:Well first off the whole 13yr old was a crack. A joke. A bit of a burn perhaps. But if we can't laugh at ourselves or at the very least let a minor infraction like that slide we have a problem. I mean there is a huge difference between this and say the Mass Effect Sex Box scandal, the kid who killed his family because he played Devil May Cry (even though he was imitating Neo from the Matrix) or a car accident being blamed on video games because, no word of a lie, there was a copy of NFS found in the car that caused the accident. Those are a good reason to get pissed off and rise to the defense of our beloved hobby. But Tyra's little comments there came from an obvious non gamer. One who doesn't care or really understand our hobby. Just like you can't understand your Mom playing Farmville for the past 2 years (for example) and "gamers" make cracks about that all the time. There is absolutely no difference between what she said and any comment making fun of something like that.connall said:Fair point, my problem with it however is this is just a snipet of what happens in my country where you can't seem to listen to a radio or watch tv without finding a channel that is debating video games and kids and that is what truly pisses me off but my biggest problem with this video is that they suggest that these video games are for children not men, and altough short,no-one disagrees with that. I will say that this isn't the worst video I have seen of video games being debated on tv but I am sure people will walkaway the worst impressions on video games. If it is any indications of what the threads above are commenting on then think what the people who watch these shows think. I think the reason we are insecure is that we are afraid that these people will find some way to censor games just because they don't understand them I mean look at the mass effect debate look how blown out of context that was and everyone was taking it on board as the truth even though there was somebody there to deny those allegations and I think that is what frightens us the most.squid5580 said:Look I know games sometimes get a bad rap in the media. But holy crap gamers hypersensitive much? Seriously getting all nerdragey the moment a bit of justifiable negative light is shed on our hobby is only enforcing the stereotype.
Right how dare she ask for you to spend some time with her. How dare she ask for a little attention to tend to her needs? Or did you completely miss the part where everyone agreed that it is fine he plays games. But maybe he should step away from the controller once in a while? That maybe it isn't all that healthy to neglect real life because I R GAMER derp.godofallu said:Wow Tyra is a total *****. Holy shit.
I would have slapped that whore of a girlfriend, called Tyra a jaded ***** and left.
If your girlfriend forces you to choose between your favorite hobby or her, she isn't the right girl.
Reading some of these responses makes me glad I am not a gamer. I am just a person who plays games quite regularly. Keeps himself updated on the gaming news. And has a general love of video games that he has carried with him since the days of Coleco. Being called a gamer I now take as a personal insult. And the media has nothing to do with that.
You play video games but you are not a gamer now I saw something very interesting on this and just wandering what you define as a gamer?
Also am I gaming obsessed? maybe I mean I play games I learn how to make games so I can secure a position in the games industry, but you know what I also involve myself in extra curricular activities spend time with friends. Do I have a girlfriend. No. Why? Because at the moment it isn't something I can really handle with so many things going on I don't really think I could spend anytime with a girlfriend that wouldn't cut into seeing my friends. I know that IF you do have a girlfriend you need to spend time with her but again I think a couple of these people may just be ignorant.
And you misunderstood a bit. By definition I am a "hardcore gamer". I am addicted to gaming. I just tried to quit. I went 5 months not playing any real games and ended up burning my free time playing casual games. And I was miserable. But as soon as I went over to a buddy's place and he shoved a controller in my hand to play some NHL 11 (and I HATE sports games with an absolute passion) I was much happier. It felt like coming home. But I come to a thread like this and I am ashamed to call myself one. Not because of the video but because of the responses like the one I quoted. We want our hobby or pastime or whatever you want to label it as to be taken seriously. To be able to enjoy it in relative peace. And I am all for that. I'd be the first to tell a guy like Jack Thompson to stick it where the sun don't shine (hopefully in a tactful and diplomatic manner). But responses like that are far worse than anything that went on in the video. And far more damaging since it is coming from an insider instead of one born of ignorance or a lack of interest of gaming. And if we ever want to break the stereotypes, if we want to ever be taken seriously, we have to start dissociating ourselves from this "gamer" mentality.
We are at war. Fight smart. We as a community need to quit loading the gun, flipping the safety off, and then handing the enemy the gun.
Interesting you have given me much to think about. Also you called my mother playing Farmville which I say Cudos.