Violence and Video Games (PLEASE, ALL READ)

[A2597]

PLEASE, AT THE VERY LEAST VOTE IN THE POLL.

The poll is used as a statistic from gamers that I plan on using in my paper, MORE VOTES=BETTER

I'm doing a rather large (9-12 page) reseach paper for school on violence in videogames and it's impact on society.


I need peoples opinions on violence in videogames, is it a problem etc.

I'm supporting violence in video games, and well...ever try finding websites that SUPPORT violent video games? I've looked, and not found a one. thousands opposing, and none aproving. Ergo, in order to find support, I'm left with personal opinion (Not at all credible) and finding alot of people that play violent games showing they are NOT violent people

I think that most here will agree that the violence in same games is ment for a mature audience, GTA3, UT2k3, etc are NOT ment to be played by 9 year olds, things like that. But I need a good poll and some good quotes that I can use in my paper. Leet speak need not apply, It's a critical paper on a collage level, so I'm really only looking for well thought out replys, something to show that people that play these games ARE educated, and not a bunch of kids that get a high off of disemboweling people in a virtual world.

Thanks!

 

[Prince of China]

Did you put this in the Unreal 2 official forums?
I read one there.
Anyways, I don't believe video games make you violent.
It's just a game, you have full control of your action, not a video game.
Only your mind can influence you not a game.

 

[brink's]

NO its just a way to pass time.

 

[SidewinderX]

A good source the the entertainment software associasion (formerly the IDSA)

http://www.theesa.com/

 

[LoneDeranger]

I think movies do a much better job at encouraging violence then video games do. I'm not sure why, but if you watch movies like American History X, you'll know exactly what I mean.

I'm not saying movies are bad either, they are just much more emotional then games are.

 

[The Dark Elf]

The poll might be a little biased, unless you intend to do the same poll with people who don't play games. I'd imagine most who do play them will be intelligent enough to realise its only a game and far removed from reality. I've always got the impression those who consider violent video games to blame for school shootings and things like that, have little experience or understanding of the games their accusing. I wouldn't be surprised if many have never even seen what Doom for example looks like, yet will regularly blame it for kids who pull a gun on their school mates

It would be interesting, if for your paper, you interviewed people who considered violent games a problem. And if they cite Doom as a problem game, show them some pictures of screenshots, with no text to give anything away, and see which they pick as Doom. Perhaps mix in a few none violent game screenshots in there, it would be interesting to see if these people pick out the correct game or end up picking out some puzzel game without realising it.

 

[Pauly]

i think it depends on the person..and if they are mature...thats waht i think but i would think NO...unless theres a game that says if u do this and this its cool

but its usually just for fun

 

[Shuzer]

Ahaha.. I voted yes, and I was the only one to vote yes..

I'd of voted no, but, I know people who are influenced by games.. sad, really, but it's true for the lesser-intelligent..

 

[The Terminator]

Arent you afraid your answers will be a LITTLE biased on a message board for a first person shooter? Just A LITTLE??

 

[Pauly]

i know what u mean shuzer i was skeptical

 

[Lil' Timmy]

WELLLLL.... the way you set up the poll is a bit unfortunate, because i know that I'm not affected by pseudo-violence in these children's games. however, i also know that i'm smarter, better, smarter and more intelligent than your average 'gamer'.. so if you had given me the proper choices, id est (that's right..), to denegrate those filthy little monkies that sit there drooling on their keyboards as they whack another "terrorist" in the latest tom clancy porpaganda bullshit, then, believe you me, i'd be like, "hell yeah those little leptons are affected by video games!! they can't tell reality from the games, b/c they're stationed in front of their monitor fuggin' 24/7!! that is their reality!! GOD, i wish, oh how i wish, i could hunt them down like so many vermin and cap their little asses. dude remember in 'full metal jacket' when the dude is 'leading' the women and children? it'd be just like that.. hahaha god.. that'd be awesome. or like in that aliens vs. predator game? i'd be all in the trees and be like, 'three red dots on yo fo-head, beeyatch!!!' " yeah. that'd be badass. so, no, video games don't make me more violent or desensitized, but they sure as hell affect all of these damn human sheep that surround me. JEEZUS! i wish i could just take a crowbar to the little bastards faces.

so i hope that helped, oh and, you're welocme!

 

[Pauly]

EXACTLY LIL TIMMEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dfc05]

I don't think they make people more violent. You've gotta already have an at least somewhat violent personality, otherwise you'd have (or, I hope you would have) enough sense to not just pick up a gun and start shooting everything. I know several people that have played violent games since pre-elementary school and are no more violent than other people.

 

[Pauly]

u need a depends poll option

 

[CyberSh33p]

I don't think so. Despite my somehwat crazy outside, I'm a quite collected and calm individual inside, and I have no reason to be judging by most of my life. I think violence in movies, since movies have popular icons that can sway the easily swayable, popular actors etc. Games don't really have these, you're sort of in the game, so you are the popular icon. Movies can glorify it a lot better than games can I think.

Aside from that, it could be the parents fault. Everyone should be clearly taught right from wrong at an early age. Or trauma in life, girlfriend breaks up with you, you';re a sad man who will never have anyone else, so you shoot up your office and that guy across the street delivering a pizza. Stuff like this. I think the post office has caused more violence in people than violent games.

 

[A2597]

Well, it is ment to be a poll of gamers. If a person never played a game in their life their opinion is worthless on this, I need people that actually play violent games to give a self analisis of themselves. So yes, the poll is fair.

thanks guys! and keep it up!

 

[Pauly]

/me shoots u....lol...thats a form of violence.......GL wit ur report thou

 

[A2597]

Ow...hey...that hurt man!

so far, in poth forums I've posted this in, I've gotten a total of 68+ 30 = 98 votes...almost 100. Can we get two more votes please?

Thanks!

 

[Maskirovka]

videogames only make certain people violent...these are the people who couldn't tell the difference between reality and imagination in the first place...so therefore it isn't the videogames' fault...

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

Oi A2597 m8, always happy to help a fellow... I think gamers are like the calmest people of all. As far as I can tell the violent ppl rockers/ppl that goes clubbing just to get into fights/gangmembers etc. doest really play alot of games, so maybe games are like a way to get rid of your frustrations... I think Ive seen some test with thet same conclusion but theres also tests with the opposite conclusions... I guess it depends on the *scientists* own opinion, a bit perhaps?

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

Originally posted by Maskirovka
videogames only make certain people violent...these are the people who couldn't tell the difference between reality and imagination in the first place...so therefore it isn't the videogames' fault...

And those people should have someone to help them with what to buy/play

 

[iamironsam]

No, watching football makes you a violent person.

 

[Element Alpha]

I don't think videogames brings violence in you at all. I think a lot of worries from anti-gamers are also about how games make you much more insensitive to violence. But that's bull too, since an explosion in a game/movie really doesn't have the same effect as it does in real life. I'm sure all the gamers that were at the twin towers were pretty shocked, scared and surprised when the planes crashed, even tho they saw a thousand virtual explosions before. I think whatever happens on a screen is felt at a very very platonic level.

Isn't the problem more with fooling one's self? Believing your own lies(or imagination) to justify your actions?

 

[Damaged]

I do not beleave that a videogame could MAKE sombody violent, no more then a book, movie or just plain old TV could. Humans are violent by nature, but most of us have learned to hold it in because it is not soicaly exceptable behaviour.

If sombody is going to be a violent person, it stems from all media, as well as the caregivers. (parents, teachers, relitives)
We never hear people crying out about parents raising violent teens, because there is such an easyer thing to blame, videogames. By blaming videogames, the parents have a scapegoat so they dont have to start blaming themselves.

I myself have played many violent videogames, as have my friends, and none of us are violent. Also, I am in no way desensitized from real life violence, videogame and movie violence yes.

 

[synth]

I think that large communities of gamers such as this one is enough evidence by itself that the gaming industry isn't hurt by opposition to violent games. Granted, you do have the occasional mentally disturbed person who can't draw the line between reality and games, but the vast majority of people in this large industry are mature enough to realize that games are for entertainment - violent games, though bloody and gory, are just another genre of fun. Games are being accepted by the current generation, and the people who oppose these games will soon be overtaken by the videogame generation. This is just another small transformation in society. Violent video games are here to stay.

^^^ YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT IN YOUR PAPER IF YOU WISH ^^^

 

[crabcakes66]

Games are being accepted by the current generation, and the people who oppose these games will soon be overtaken by the videogame generation. This is just another small transformation in society. Violent video games are here to stay.

Very true.

 

[phantomdesign]

Movies & Video Games don't make a person violent, but rather offer an alternative. I think video games offer a unique oportunity to develop skills (of sorts).

 

[Echelon]

computer games don't make ppl voilent, unless they're already mentally ill or something like that, maybe too young, too. if games would have the ability to make ppl violent then books and the tv could do so ,too. i remember a text i read once, which read that many decades ago, when books became public for many ppl, they were blamed to make the ppl violent, strange , lazy and so on...same goes for tv and later for the vhs. today computer games are "guilty".

another point: most violent ppl i know are lucky if they can find the power switch of a pc, hence many of em don't play computer games. admittedly i don't know many violent ppl, mabe i generalized them, too.

one more: the small sticker, from the pegi(?), fsk, usk, ESRB, and what these organizations are called, aren't decoration for the cd case. ppl should stick to the age restrications for games. if 14 year old guys play hl, postal2, blood 1-2 etc.. it ain't the childrens fault, if they are influenced by these games and develop crazy, ill ideas. it's the parents fault, not the game's. it's the parents duty to educate and raise their children, not the computer's.

the television might keep the children busy while mummy or daddy is busy with what so ever (watching tv ...) . for some reason the computer/ tv isn't capcable of raising children. the parents should have a look at what their children are watching and if they allow them to look/ play violent things, they've to talk to their children in order to figure out whether they're able to deal with what they've seen.

many politicians wan't to deal with the problems the easy way instead of the (maybe) better one. outlaw a game: fine, violence's gone ... this way it's easier than telling the parent's that they're infact responsible for what their children do, responsible for raising them.

next one: the media, it's hella biased. i remember when a guy in germany shot several pupils in erfurt. they wanted to outlaw counter strike afterwards as consequences. later someone found out, he didn't even have cs. but the press of course didn't care anymore, the already wrote their articles about cs ("your goal is to kill as many innocent school girls as possible" ..that really was in an article, i'm serious. the pictures they showed were pictures from doom and SOF2 ... besides some, they in deed showed some counter strike models. the hooker models which replaced the scientist hostages...i wonder where the author of the article got his infos from ...

anyway, i agree, computer games will eb as normal in the next generation as the tv is today. and books and vhs, too...

<edit> til now i haven't seen ONE serious long time study(?) about the violence in computer games. i read sonething about some, though. one consisted of a 2 x 15 minutes long test and afterwards the prof. claimed to have found out, that computer games make ppl violent. and in addition to that, i know ONE public study claiming that games don't make ppl violent. but no one really cared.

most people, politicians, teachers, what so ever never really dealed with games, are uneducated concerning this issue, never really played at least tetris but claim to be able to judge, whether a game can be bad.