Everyone knows about Gran Theft Auto: San Andreas, but look at this!

[wannab@dis]

I understand where you're coming from, but the fact is that many parents don't take the time to keep up with the games their kids are playing. I'm just saying that some games are "intended" for adults, but that doesn't mean that kids don't get them all the time and play them.

 

[CrashNet]

Many games, many you probably would never expect, have source code hidden in them that was and will never be used. Usually they are ideas that because of demanding deadlines, were scrapped. Because of a strict budget, those pieces of code are simply locked out and hidden. The same was the case with GTA I'm sure, but as Dan said, there are quite a few people out there that go out of their way to illegally tear apart source code and find these things, then make hacks for them so others can easily access them. Thanks to them, it looks like the ESRB is going under heavy scrutiny by the federal government and there are going to be a LOT of changes to the rating system. Looks like GTA is gaming's Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction". Its going to change how games are made from now on. Cheers to Big Brother!

 

[CaptainMichael]

I understand where you're coming from, but the fact is that many parents don't take the time to keep up with the games their kids are playing. I'm just saying that some games are "intended" for adults, but that doesn't mean that kids don't get them all the time and play them.

How is it the game developer's fault then?

 

[NowInc]

Sorry..but theres no way a kid is going to get the money on his own to buy a game..the parents provide them with the money..so they know when he/she is going to buy a game..and they should monitor what type of things he is buying. Dont push off lazy parenting as the game industrys fault...

 

[NowInc]

Interesting read::

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion...0,1432940.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

 

[wannab@dis]

How is it the game developer's fault then?

Again, I didn't say it was. But truth be told, the game developers KNOW that kids will buy/rent their games. They gear the advertising and the artwork to bring in the kids. Bad parenting aside, their lame excuse that it wasn't meant to be seen is empty. It was in the game, so therefore it was intended to be seen or had been planned to be seen.

I'm glad that the industry will be under more scrutiny if it will push them to follow some guidelines. I play FPS, but some of these games are going to far.

 

[wdwishes2005]

actualllllllllly...

in the case of GTA - they put them in..yes..then realized how inappropriate it was so they literally LOCKED IT OUT..no code could unlock it..it wasnt even TALKED about. They didnt delete the code...yes..but on the same note...it wasnt like they WANTED it to be discovered. It was in fact unlocked by someone HACKING the game essentially.

imho rockstar should sue the idiot who unlocked it...

 

[Testtrack321]

My art studio is 2 blocks from Jack Thompsons office..and ive been tempted on quite a few occasions to egg his windows...that guy needs to give it up already..he blames EVERY ONE of the worlds problems on videogames.

I'll fly down and buy the eggs....

God, Jack, he'll try to get money out of everything.

 

[CrashNet]

imho rockstar should sue the idiot who unlocked it...

Actually wdwishes2005, if they can track down the person or group that did make the original hack, they may try to sue them or have them arrested for copyright and terms of service violations. On the console front, they are already sueing the companies that make those cheat addons, like Gameshark, for allowing the use of codes that alter (by this I mean unlock locked and sometimes hidden code) copyrighted material.

 

[figment1988]

I guess nobody knows that mods change the game from the way the creators wanted it to be played. Don't blame the manufacture of the game but the people who mod the game. Jack Thompson and hillary Clinton should be worry about more important topics than video games. :fork:

you know, you may be right ToT. jack and hillary are going berzerk over this just like joe lieberman did when mortal kombat came out. as for my 2 cents, i ask this question to the parents: have you ever thought about simply turning off your kids' game systems, sitting with them, and giving them a serious talk that involves putting things into context?

 

[TheOneVader]

Again, I didn't say it was. But truth be told, the game developers KNOW that kids will buy/rent their games. They gear the advertising and the artwork to bring in the kids. Bad parenting aside, their lame excuse that it wasn't meant to be seen is empty. It was in the game, so therefore it was intended to be seen or had been planned to be seen.

I'm glad that the industry will be under more scrutiny if it will push them to follow some guidelines. I play FPS, but some of these games are going to far.

There is absolutely no arguement against the developers. They aren't making Teletubbies games with shotguns and nudity, now are they? No, they're making games that specifically say they're for 17 years olds, with shotguns and nudity. If the parents let them play it, it is the parents' fault. The game developers aren't giving copies of GTA to children. And them knowing kids will play it is not an excuse either. You're basically saying, just because there are kids in the world somewhere, no one can swear or take off their clothes, EVER, because some kid might see it.

The whole "Doom causes kids to kill" thing is also BS. Think of it this way. What if a kid was really angry? He felt like killing something. He even thought about it. So he did... On a game. See? He got to vent his frustration, but he didn't hurt anyone except some pixels. Games are great substitutes for doing the real thing.

Sorry to sound rude, but I'm just fed up with these morons who are against video games. To quote the Daily Show, "Are we protecting our children by censorship, or are we just raising a nation of sissies?"

 

[CaptainMichael]

There is absolutely no arguement against the developers. They aren't making Teletubbies games with shotguns and nudity, now are they? No, they're making games that specifically say they're for 17 years olds, with shotguns and nudity. If the parents let them play it, it is the parents' fault. The game developers aren't giving copies of GTA to children. And them knowing kids will play it is not an excuse either. You're basically saying, just because there are kids in the world somewhere, no one can swear or take off their clothes, EVER, because some kid might see it.

Thank you!!!! :sohappy:

The whole "Doom causes kids to kill" thing is also BS. Think of it this way. What if a kid was really angry? He felt like killing something. He even thought about it. So he did... On a game. See? He got to vent his frustration, but he didn't hurt anyone except some pixels. Games are great substitutes for doing the real thing.?"

Again thank you! My mom is part of that crowd. She still won't let me play violent games even though I'm 18. Oh well, that changes when I go to college! I really don't plan on killing anyone in real life. I know the difference between fiction and reality.

 

[Mr Bill]

There is absolutely no arguement against the developers. They aren't making Teletubbies games with shotguns and nudity, now are they? No, they're making games that specifically say they're for 17 years olds, with shotguns and nudity. If the parents let them play it, it is the parents' fault. The game developers aren't giving copies of GTA to children. And them knowing kids will play it is not an excuse either. You're basically saying, just because there are kids in the world somewhere, no one can swear or take off their clothes, EVER, because some kid might see it.

The whole "Doom causes kids to kill" thing is also BS. Think of it this way. What if a kid was really angry? He felt like killing something. He even thought about it. So he did... On a game. See? He got to vent his frustration, but he didn't hurt anyone except some pixels. Games are great substitutes for doing the real thing.

Sorry to sound rude, but I'm just fed up with these morons who are against video games. To quote the Daily Show, "Are we protecting our children by censorship, or are we just raising a nation of sissies?"

I've used Doom to take out frustration on more than one occasion myself. How much could a game that does most of the aiming for you and features such realistic weapons as the "Plasma Rifle" and "BFG 9000" teach children about killing.

 

[TheOneVader]

Thought you guys might enjoy this...

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/?t=archives&date=2005-08-08

 

[CaptainMichael]

Thought you guys might enjoy this...

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/?t=archives&date=2005-08-08

Very funny!

 

[TheOneVader]

Hehehe...

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=158

 

[CrashNet]

Hmm...looks I started a debate. I can understand where people are coming from when they say games are going a little too far. But put into perspective, the origin of all of this controversy came from a part of the game that was hidden and was never meant to show its ugly head. With that in mind, I think the developers are at least realizing to some extent where the line is and what is crossing it, but just like any other type of media (music, movies, etc), the industry is "fondling" with all kinds of ideas, kindof like standing on one side of a line you are told not cross, but you look at the line, sneak your foot across and touch the other side with your toes, whip your foot back to the other side, and snicker. What was taboo less than a decade ago is now fine. I did a doubletake the first time I heard the word "______" (cuss word for butt if you can't read it) show up on network television.

One thing I will say though: these games are designed for the audience that the rating represents. If it says M for Mature 17+, it means that, and since you can no longer buy mature rated games unless you are 17 or an adult buys them for you, there is no one else to blame but the parents of the children. Doom didn't cause Columbine anymore than Mario Kart caused the drivers of America to speed and be overly agressive on the highways.

Developers, whether they like it or not, are going to have tougher rules to follow now, and even if they don't, they just stepped one or two steps away from the line with a frightened look on their face.

 

[Halfling418]

Being a female gamer, I get upset at some (a very small bit) of what I see in things like GTA. People can play whatever they want, but I find games that objectify women hurtful. But it's a free country, so go on decapitating all the prostitutes you want. After all, you do need that money back, don't you?

Maybe that's why I stick to adventure RPGs.