The launch of a new political campaign in the UK has illustrated once more that many people associate violent videogames with yob culture - but the responsibility for controlling the media children access must be undertaken by parents, says Rob Fahey.

Quote: Originally Posted by GamesIndustry While the United States of America has Jack Thompson on hand to provide whatever cack-handed, uninformed moralising is required over mature content in videogames, the UK's tabloid press has yet to find such a consistent champion - but it's not for want of trying. While UK legislators have to date been much more receptive to the messages of the interactive entertainment industry and significantly less prepared to listen to the largely groundless demonisation of the medium by its detractors than their US counterparts, that doesn't stop our radically right-wing tabloid publications from taking a pop every time they get a chance. Full story at GamesIndustry

You know it is a damn shame that someone has to make this comment:

Quote: the responsibility for controlling the media children access must be undertaken by parents

Like it is some revelation or something. Anyone who cannot grasp this most basic of conepts, needs to be sterilized.

I agree with you Foe. And nice article find NCXCstud. The parents are ruining the gaming industry for us. I like the violent war games where I blow someones head off. It is fun entertaining and a stress relief after work...lol. But I would never in my wildest dreams would ever commit such a crime. And I would never let a child of mine if I had one play any type of game like this! Parents need to step up and control there under aged children. There just to lazy like the title says.

People blame the gaming industry because its an easy target. But the real truth is games dont make people go kill people. Dont they think something phychological goes on inside a childs mind that makes them want to kill? Maybe it was because they were never made to fit in a normal society in the first place, thus murderers and rapisit and other bad people are born...

EDIT- But you know, now that I think about it, games like fear, doom and quake 4 are really bloddy, gorey and well..just plain disgusting at times. For me theres a certain point where I can take so much of it and not notice (but I do relize I am in a 3dworld killing things that dont exsist) it around me. Once that point is reached it becomes pretty disturbing, and if someone at that point doesnt feel disturbed at all (IMHO) then maybe they need a check up...

Heres why I think that, if I were to kill someone, I would have to see those blood, guts..adn everything else. At that moment I would be reminded (mind you this is before I kill someone) of the disgusting and horrible things I have also seen in that game. As humans we attache emotions to memorys. So once that memory is recalled, I will remeber feeling that way and put off killing all together. But mind you also, this would be real, so the effects will be magnified and increase the chances of me not kill someone.

Then this goes back into what I said about feeling emathy,remorse (well physco stuff...)

Quote: Originally Posted by Nerdz EDIT- But you know, now that I think about it, games like fear, doom and quake 4 are really bloddy, gorey and well..just plain disgusting at times. For me theres a certain point where I can take so much of it and not notice (but I do relize I am in a 3dworld killing things that dont exsist) it around me. Once that point is reached it becomes pretty disturbing, and if someone at that point doesnt feel disturbed at all (IMHO) then maybe they need a check up...the chances of me not kill someone.

This is were the parents need to take some responsibility and not let there kids play these types of games. I agree some of them are a bloody mess. But thats what happens when you get shot at point blank with a sawed off shot gun, am I right...lol. And I agree with you. The gaming industry is an easy target for sure. Like the recent one....GTA San Andreas...the pethitic attempt to make the characters have sex..it showed nothing and yet the parents went off because there kids found this coffee cheat code....but take a step back...WTF is the "kids" playing this game for in the first place???

Give that man a cigar! I do not support cencorship, but i do support giving parents the tools to help regulate what their children are exposed to (ratings, the ability to block channesl, content, etc). I think the article is dead on: what we're seeing is a lack of backlash against parents who allow their children to do whatever they wish. Supervision and an active interest in what a child is doing is what is called for, not some hair-brained plan to censor an entire industry.
I'm beyond sick of reading and hearing about how "we have to protect the children" without a single d4mn mention of what parents need to be doing or what their responsibilities are. It's not the job of the videogame industry (or any other) to raise your children.