Jae Onasi Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 People fear what they don't understand, so video games = the devil's candy, and gamers = crazy nerds (okay, so that part is true, but they're not killers... is the percentage of gamers who are killers any higher than among non-gamers?). Heh, true.... They were saying the same thing about Dungeons and Dragons 25 years ago. "You'll end up running around in the sewers turning into Satanists doing magic and get eaten by alligators like that group of crazy geek kids did in Florida one time." My parents were genuinely worried about it and wouldn't let me play D&D in high school. Then I went away to college, made friends with some people who played regularly, sat in while they played, decided it was no more dangerous than playing Chutes and Ladders, and made a character for the next gaming session. We had a fabulous time and kept it all in persective (e.g. we didn't game during mid-terms and finals, encouraged each other to get the course work done first, and so on). People who are going to get addicted to a game likely have an addictive personality, and would have been addicted to something else if the particular game hadn't come out. If game-playing or any other activity is done so often that it affects your family life, your health, your relationships, your job/school work, or your ability to separate reality from the game, then you're playing it to much and you need to cut back or quit for awhile and probably get some help. As long as you know it's a game and that it's not in control of you and it's not an escape hatch from life, have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTV2 Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 on a side note there was also a kid who had some how died from playing the same game (on a computer this time) for 72 hours non stop. I'm not sure that is even possible. So in short: CSI say "games kill people". there have been people who have died from playing games non-stop for an extended period of time. Reality: these 2 kids were driving really fast and racing all around Vancouver and they had a playstation in the front and were playing NFS: Most Wanted and were trying to recreate what they were doing in the game. and i think 1 of the kids was killed and the other seriously injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurgan Posted September 14, 2006 Share Posted September 14, 2006 there have been people who have died from playing games non-stop for an extended period of time. Reality: these 2 kids were driving really fast and racing all around Vancouver and they had a playstation in the front and were playing NFS: Most Wanted and were trying to recreate what they were doing in the game. and i think 1 of the kids was killed and the other seriously injured. True, bad things have happened to gamers and bad things have been done by gamers. The trouble is, to draw from this that gaming is an inherently dangerous activity would be a hasty generalization. Yes, it's important for people to know the risk factors. That's why most games have a warning in the instruction manual or on the game box to people with epilepsy for example, because it has been deteremined by experts that there is a small chance that the flashing light patterns might induce a seizure in a small number of individuals. Typically also it advises people to take breaks every hour they play. There's also rating systems to help parents deteremine if certain games are appropriate for their children. But of course, not everyone pays attention to such warnings. When evaluating the violent or criminal actions of gamers it's important to take all the factors into account, not just that they played video games, to avoid assigning a false cause. For example the various people who have died in Korea is shocking and sad, but one must also consider that there are millions of Korean gamers. Most of them haven't died from playing too many games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Jimmy Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Reality: these 2 kids were driving really fast and racing all around Vancouver and they had a playstation in the front and were playing NFS: Most Wanted and were trying to recreate what they were doing in the game. and i think 1 of the kids was killed and the other seriously injured. Well seriously, Who's fault is that? if they're dumb enough to try and re-create NFS then that's their fault. Had it not been for the game, My guess is that they would have killed themselves doing something equally as stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWally Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Agreed, it's not that gamers do stupid things, it's that stupid people do stupid things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoxStar Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I found something about Koreans dieing playing MMORPGs so it seems I was wrong about that, I can't see it happening with GTA though, I would be bored out of my mind after an hour or so. My main problem is that people who watch CSI often think it is realistic, they are going to believe that games can do that because they saw it on CSI. Talking about CSI not being realistic, they did that "Zoom in on that part of the photo" thing again. Reverse CSI and Videogames, and you get the point of view of the masses. I'm not quite sure that I believe either. Gamers: Games don't cause violence! Masses: But kids have fun shooting people! Gamers: *condescending voice* they're just polygons >.> I have to admit I'm literally in the middle on this issue. I honestly do think that young kids shouldn't play videogames. I cite my younger brother as evidence. He shouldn't know the proper pronounciation and specifications of "UMP", "SPAS", "M4", "AK", etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWally Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 haha I think you mean "shouldn't" Rox. And it kinda freaks me out when he talks like that >.> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiE23 Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Lol, Canada is going to butt **** us, huh? http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/14/columbine-game-scapegoated-for-montreal-shootings/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toms Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Canada Rocks! lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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