Latest anti-video gaming news

[corruptrelic]

The game [GTA] trained him "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity," according to the suit.

According to the suit, plaintiffs' lawyer Jack Thompson was told by a sheriff's deputy that the game and a Sony PlayStation 2 were found at the ranch.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4213643.html

Decent sized article, it's about the kid playing grand theft auto and them blaming the game for the reason he killed his family.
Putting aside the fact that the kid was probably screwed up in the head long before he ever saw GTA, why were his parents letting him play this game when it's clearly rated Mature (17+) and the back of the box lists exactly what's in the game?
His parents obviously didn't deserve to die, but IMO, parents need to take more responsiblity for what their kids are playing so the likes of Jack Thompson can stop getting all this fuel to blame video games on violence.
And just for the record, I've been playing violent video games my entire life and I've only killed two people because of them! 
Seriously.. I still play GTA all the time, and any sane person can tell you that it's not the video games - it's the person.

[GGMark]

So, I am 33.  I have a copy of GTA.  If I happen to blow up/shoot up/chop up my family, is it becuase I play GTA?  Or will it go unnnoticed?

Its a witch hunt similar to the old D&D days when D&D was to blame for everything kids did.

Stop, and take some responsability for once, please.

[Creepy_Smell]

A quick test would easily destroy this myth, but none would read it since it wouldnt be sensationalism.

Grab a set of people who have never fired a gun before. Then split them into 2 groups, 1 that plays GTA and one that doesnt for a month. Then have them go shoot some guns and see how "extraordinarily effective" the GTA playing ones are now at shooting.

Though I have heard rumers that Colt is redesigning their guns to look like a PS2 controller

[CeeKay]

So, I am 33.  I have a copy of GTA.  If I happen to blow up/shoot up/chop up my family, is it becuase I play GTA?  Or will it go unnnoticed?

how the hell did I miss that mini-game?  was it modded in a la Hot Coffee? 

[Kobra]

A quick test would easily destroy this myth, but none would read it since it wouldnt be sensationalism.

+1.  Thats the problem with todays news.. Sensationalism..  Like how Pitbulls got a bad rep because some kid in Idaho gets mauled by one, yet the Collie attacks never get reported because it wouldn't be sensationalism.

Unfortunately, our entire news media in this country thrives off this bullshit these days.  What defies explanation is *WHY* people in this country buy into it!  They made playing "Cops and Robbers" at the playground at my sons school Illegal a few years ago, because they pointed to some goddamn obscure study that said kids that make their hands into a shape of a gun are 5 times more likely to kill someone.

WTF?

[Big Jake]

The game [GTA] trained him "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity," according to the suit.

Right now, all I can think of is Old Man Murray, and Erik saying, 'studies show playing FPS's has made me a super-killer, which I'd like to think is true.  Actually, it's taught me how to install software without reading a manual.'

[Gratch]

The game [GTA] trained him "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity," according to the suit.

By this logic, we should have at least a few million people ready to suit up for NFL teams each year.  If GTA trains you to be a killer, Madden trains you to play football.  Right?

[Kobra]

The game [GTA] trained him "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity," according to the suit.

By this logic, we should have at least a few million people ready to suit up for NFL teams each year.  If GTA trains you to be a killer, Madden trains you to play football.  Right?

Ahahahhahaha.. Well played sir.

[wonderpug]

You laugh, but after years of gaming I am damn good at opening crates and even better at collecting coins.

[Creepy_Smell]

You laugh, but after years of gaming I am damn good at opening crates and even better at collecting coins.

I think you've been eating to many mushrooms.

[CeeKay]

You know, I just want to see a soldier circle-strafing a terrorist to death.....