Grand Theft Auto changed to an adults only game!

[Carolus Rex]

Originally posted by lord of the mark

Ive tried to avoid saying anything about the specific content of GTA, as i havent played it. It would be nice if those who havent actually parented would show some humility in regards to whats involved in parenting.

Well... Why shouldn't you be entitled to have opinions about GTA even if you haven't played it? I haven't played it either and any view I have on its gameplay (well, I have none) is necessarily less initiated than someone that has...

But we're talking about general principles here (censoring/rating games or not; the extent of parents' responsibility for their children's gaming habits etc)... We have the same right to participate in that debate as the worst GTA addict...

Carolus

[Imran Siddiqui]

for all the ESRB ratings have been problematic, I cant see that box art is a clear guide to content - i mean thats a couple of pics, and a brief description, of sometimes huge game worlds. I mean i dont usually buy this kind of game, but my general experience is that box are leaves alot to be desired in really understanding what a game is all about.

And of course doesnt help at all if youre buying a jewelcase edition, or whatever. And i hardly see how reading the marketing material on a box means being an involved parent - its not time spent interacting with your kid.

Also i fail to see how it addresses the issue in question here - the material that Rockstar failed to inform the ESRB about, it also failed to describe on its boxes, I presume.

I see you happened to neglect the second part of what I said (coincidentally?). Parents should be around at least a few minutes to see what kind of game their kids got. See if it is suitable for them. If not, you take it away.

In the case of GTA, if a parent is buying it for a 13, 14 year old, then they have failed as parents. I'm sorry, but when the box talks about being in a gang and engaging in gang wars. And then when you sit down for 10 minutes with the game you hear every curse word and drug usage and killing of civilians/cops/whoever, that should clue you in.

Rockstar's "mod" is also something that requires people to download a key to unlock.

[Dis]

13 or 14 is old enough for that game.

But what I hear is among 8 or 9 year olds, nearly all of them say their favourite game is GTA.

[Dis]

the lawsuits have begun.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/fun.games/07/27/game.lawsuit.ap/index.html

[Dis]

FTC is now investigating the game makers.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/fun.games/07/27/video.game.probe.ap/index.html

[Kuciwalker]

Everyone in the FTC should be lynched.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Dis
the lawsuits have begun.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/fun.gam....ap/index.html

Hehe, her grandson is 14 and it was previously M rated, and deemed suitable for 17 and over. Obviously the violence wasn't a problem.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, that lawsuit is dumbest thing I've heard of. I can imagine the judge saying, yes, the game isn't suitable to be marketed for 14 year olds... that's why it WASN'T! It was falsely misleading... I thought it was suitable for 17 year olds, but it was only suitable for 18+! My poor 14 year old was harmed!

[Dis]

yes but it's like a rated R movie. A kid can watch a rated R movie with parental consent. But cannot watch a NR or NC-17 movie at all.

not that I agree with this. As this would be akin to the movie shipping with the hardcore scenes in the container of the film, but not actually on the film reel. And the teenager would have to manually splice the hardcore stuff into the film itself. Yeah I'm stretching that analogy, but you get my point.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yeah, that lawsuit is dumbest thing I've heard of. I can imagine the judge saying, yes, the game isn't suitable to be marketed for 14 year olds... that's why it WASN'T! It was falsely misleading... I thought it was suitable for 17 year olds, but it was only suitable for 18+! My poor 14 year old was harmed!

It's your country, and your legal system, of which you are a part yes?

[Carolus Rex]

Before someone gives me the thread-necromancer card, check out the video below.

An interesting debate about censorship can be found here:

http://www.ifilm.com/viralvideo/collection/political

Scroll down to "Zappa on Crossfire"... It's about 21 minutes long, but I found it to be time well spent...

The Washington Post journalist makes a complete fool out of himself... Note also how Zappa says that the US is heading towards a fascist autocracy (IIRC) and how utterly ridiculous the other three find that statement...

Carolus

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

for all the ESRB ratings have been problematic, I cant see that box art is a clear guide to content - i mean thats a couple of pics, and a brief description, of sometimes huge game worlds. I mean i dont usually buy this kind of game, but my general experience is that box are leaves alot to be desired in really understanding what a game is all about.

And of course doesnt help at all if youre buying a jewelcase edition, or whatever. And i hardly see how reading the marketing material on a box means being an involved parent - its not time spent interacting with your kid.

Also i fail to see how it addresses the issue in question here - the material that Rockstar failed to inform the ESRB about, it also failed to describe on its boxes, I presume.

I see you happened to neglect the second part of what I said (coincidentally?). Parents should be around at least a few minutes to see what kind of game their kids got. See if it is suitable for them. If not, you take it away.

In the case of GTA, if a parent is buying it for a 13, 14 year old, then they have failed as parents. I'm sorry, but when the box talks about being in a gang and engaging in gang wars. And then when you sit down for 10 minutes with the game you hear every curse word and drug usage and killing of civilians/cops/whoever, that should clue you in.

Rockstar's "mod" is also something that requires people to download a key to unlock.

I dont know whats on the box. It may well be that the box for GTA clearly indicates whats inside. I dont know thats true for all games, and i dont see a reason not to have ESRB ratings.


As for parenting, its not nearly as easy as you seem to think. We have no issue with games - but we do have these manga. Ive watched Inuyasha, and Ranma - which we did NOT buy, it was lent to POTM by a friend. Im not wild about either - though i dislike Ranma more than Inuyasha. But this isnt something I want to go to war over - you pick your battles - and i dont want to seperate this child (who has had issues with social anxiety) from her friends, any more than necessary. So ive focused on talking about why i like Inusha better, and trying to subtly discourage Ranma (with little success so far) and encouraging an interest in real Japanense medieval history (yes, shes soon going to be subjected to Kurosawa )

I suppose if I had a boy who was too immersed in GTA, the best counter would be to have them read realistic articles on problems of ghetto violence, and get them to think about how this relates.

But most partents dont do this, unfortunately.

Im not sure what the solutiuon is. But taking away ESRB ratins does not seem like the right answer.


Of course games are free to go to market without an ESRB rating, just as movies are sometimes released unrated.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


I dont know whats on the box. It may well be that the box for GTA clearly indicates whats inside. I dont know thats true for all games, and i dont see a reason not to have ESRB ratings.


As for parenting, its not nearly as easy as you seem to think. We have no issue with games - but we do have these manga. Ive watched Inuyasha, and Ranma - which we did NOT buy, it was lent to POTM by a friend. Im not wild about either - though i dislike Ranma more than Inuyasha. But this isnt something I want to go to war over - you pick your battles - and i dont want to seperate this child (who has had issues with social anxiety) from her friends, any more than necessary. So ive focused on talking about why i like Inusha better, and trying to subtly discourage Ranma (with little success so far) and encouraging an interest in real Japanense medieval history (yes, shes soon going to be subjected to Kurosawa )

I suppose if I had a boy who was too immersed in GTA, the best counter would be to have them read realistic articles on problems of ghetto violence, and get them to think about how this relates.

But most partents dont do this, unfortunately.

Im not sure what the solutiuon is. But taking away ESRB ratins does not seem like the right answer.


Of course games are free to go to market without an ESRB rating, just as movies are sometimes released unrated.

That point sure was a long time coming.

[child of Thor]

why has braindead chat show and reality tv swamped our tv?

games like GTA are in the same mold i think. As is the reason people seem happy to let their kids watch/play it. Failed parenting seems a mass cultural problem right now?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by child of Thor
why has braindead chat show and reality tv swamped our tv?

games like GTA are in the same mold i think. As is the reason people seem happy to let their kids watch/play it. Failed parenting seems a mass cultural problem right now?

"Fight, fight, the dying of the light"