Jack Thompson Strikes Again...?<begin rant>
Linky Linky
Attack of the Show's 'The Loop' - Too Much Violence In Video Games?
First off, I'm also posting this on my site over at [link] as well. The news title will be the same as this journal entry. Ok, now I can begin what I want to say even if it is a very very VERY small piece of what I have to say and will say in due time.
Video games and violence. For the last few years it has been said that the violence in video games causes violence in real-life. If somebody wanted to really look up any of these keywords: "video games and violence", "violence caused by video games", and even "jack thompson" they would find a lot of interesting things scattered across the Internet. One of the people who have been pushing this thought has been a lawyer located out of Florida by the name of Jack Thompson. A man I do dearly hate not because he speaks out against video games but because of what he says. I wont go into detail on him right now as I have "few" things that I would like to say about him or maybe even snail-mail to him. I'd of course be the descent person that I am and not outly attack him. That's not a nice thing to do even if he attacked me back, it may be easier to get your point across when you threaten somebody but sometimes thats not the best course of action.
Well, back to the point. There is an amazing amount of talk about video games causing violence, mainly around the game series of Grand Theft Auto (and even some talk about mature content thanks to GTA:San Andreas). First off, I can really see where some people are coming about violence when they are talking about the GTA series. It is a violent series. Plain and simple, there's no doubt about that. Kids should not play this series, its not aimed at kids so it shouldnt be played by kids. Simple. Very plain and simple. (This doesnt mean that games that are aimed at kids cant be enjoyed by everybody else, hehe!) On a saracastic note, Poke'mon shouldnt be enjoyed by kids either. A game about large furry monsters that look all nice then beat the shit out of you shouldnt be in the hands of kids, that could be misleading!!!
BUT!!!!!! The thing that is very aggrivating to me is people blaming the large video game companies (its a corporation.... lets blame them!!!! ahh!! ahh!! ahh!!) for making and releasing the violent games. Games that are just violent for the sake of being violent arent games (but thats another topic for another day). It isnt the fault of these corporations that the games get in the hands of the youth of this country. Its not the fault of the ESRB, the monitoring board for video games - google it if curious, either because they give games the proper rating for its content (even if Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion went from Teen to Mature after a week of being out {on the note of Oblivion's rating change, one of the reasons was due to a third party mod to allow some characters to be topless.}). There are a few places that the blame could be laid. The stores that sell the games, the parents of the kids who play the games, and those damn hobos. It has to be the hobos fault because they are just an example of a scapegoat. Now... let me go into depth about those hobos.. I mean the stores and parents.
First off, the stores. Having been a gamer for more than half my life and having bought the games I pay for the last three years at the least (even if my dad was there too, last year havent) I know what happens when somebody buys a game at a store. They dont check your age. Now, I can see if a parent is there, sure, then its alright since the parent is there. They should know whats going on. But if its some little kid who is twelve years old trying to buy Unreal Tournament 2004 (a violent and gory yet enjoyable game of stragety in a first-person-shooter cake of joy) at his/her local gaming store. The clerk should look at the box and the kid and think in his head "No. This kid isnt old enough for the Mature rating, obviously. I can't sell him this game. That'd be morally wrong." and then tell the youngster that he/she can't buy the game. (I put in his/her and he/she not because its 'politically corrent' but because there actually ARE girl gamers out there. I know, its amazing.) That'd be the correct thing to do. But be it laziness or just frankly not caring, the clerk will simply sell the game and go back to work. I know this may seem alittle extreme but sometimes taking the mundane and expanding on it within reason helps push forth an idea to others.
Since I just talked about stores and their role, I'll expand upon that and include the parents. Yes, the parents. The first step, the kid wants to buy a game at the store but doesnt have the money so they beg their parents (mom or dad, doesnt matter. it happens both ways) to buy the game for them. The parent can either simply say No, buy the game for their child, or look at the game and inspect it, see if it is suitable for their child to be playing, then decide to buy the game or not to buy the game. I would bet that more often then not, the first two happens much more often then the latter. Parents seem to just be lazy about taking care of business when needed then they should be. I know parents can have a very full life. Not because I am one but because I watch. Life isnt an easy thing. But it just seems that the easy way out is taken by the parents. And the stores included. Cant forget them. Parents need to take an active role in their kids, and in this spot specifically because video games, just like sports and the books they read (if they do, that is) and the people they are around, affect their children. Maybe it looks like an indirect way at times but yes, video games do change us. That is, if we let them. And as we all should know, children are very impressionable. Any outward force can change them greatly. OK, now back to the main topic (there's a thousand small topics floating around, maybe.).
Parents and the stores have to work together. The store can do very little to say anything about the game directly (they cant have somebody standing there, talking bout their games and stores are out to make some cash in the long run but the parents can read the game box and even talk to the employees to really hear about the game (if the employees know the game, given that may not be the case). The parents can also check out gaming sites if they know about them. Ones such as GameSpot and IGN are good sites for information about a new video game. If parents knew about these sites, that could be helpful, no? Thats just another way to learn about the games and yes, another scapegoat. Lack of knowledge. Still no excuse. When in doubt, better safe than sorry, no? I've gotten by that way. My parents got by that way. My grandparents got by that way. Must work alittle bit.
All in all, parents need to work with their kids so that their kids get what they should and not some Hot-Coffee bullshit.
To finish, video games is being pinned as another reason for violence in today's society. Be it because of its violent content at times, or its supposed mature content, or its easiness to blame it, it is being said to be a cause. Thats what I think. Now, you decide. You can take what I've said as you will but dont follow something you believe blindly, form your own opinion. I encourage you do so.
Lastly, I found this interesting while I was searching for links. Sims 2 content "worse than Hot Coffee". I got a good laugh out of that. I stand on middle ground as I have not seen the Sims2 content but from playing the past Sims games, I'm certain that the body models are not that detailed. C'mon, its EA after all.
</end rant>
About that video (way at the top... way up there...), I applaud you Adam, I may disagree with you on most things but you did well against the Jackster.
OK, after all that ranting, lets here about some art updates.
These were all done on my new Wacom tablet (4x5 graphire4).
Tablet - SMB Sketches
Worms2 - Ride the Rocket
Worms2 - Ahhh... Shi.
My animation project hasnt progressed much since Tuesday. I film a movie tomorrow, play two parts in that, hehe. I'm working on a Super Mario World game hack to honor a great game. (yes, I honor it by remaking it with my and a friends creativity to play it once again) 7 1/2-Bit Cinema Episode 008 isnt done but I have storyline (I only update that at my site now). Other secret projects I shal'nt mention.
Peace all ya crazy peoples. This geek has a movie to shoot at 11am and needs to get some sleep... if possible. Damn my busy busy mind.
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-M. Kava
Writer, Gamer, Speaker, Movie Actor, Gamer, Artist, Reader.
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