Forum Post: It's time to address violence in video games
Posted 11 years ago on Dec. 19, 2012, 3:01 p.m. EST by stevebol
(1269)
from Milwaukee, WI
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
We have to address this from the viewpoint of parents whether we're parents of not. I'm not a parent. First thing is, get your kid to spend less time on the computer or Xbox if they're playing games. It's not healthy to spend too much time playing games. The next thing is, how do we reduce the amount of violence we see in video games? The short term solution is censorship. I don't see how this can work. The other solution is long term and more complicated. Video games, like movies start with a story. Reducing the amount of violence means replacing it with better stories. In a movie a series of events takes place until the conclusion but a video game can be much more complex because it's interactive. There can be multiple narratives with different outcomes that rely on the actions of the player. This requires a style of writing that can't be studied in school at this time. Universities can't turn someone into a good writer but they can teach structure. You can take courses in screen writing at this time but the concept is dated. There is more money at stake in gaming than there is in movies now.
First Person Shooter games are under attack now and they should be. They sell because there's a simple formula to producing them, they can be done quickly so they make use of the latest in computer hardware. They are a cop-out and gamers know this. At this time it takes about 5 years to produce a game that has a decent story with character development and good ones are very rare.
Universites should at least attempt to offer something that can teach the style and structure of writing that video games require. They did it with movies so why not games.
In the meantime, tell your kids to stop playing video games all the time.
Actually, there is a pretty high rating system. But, the problem exists when you have parents that allow their kids to play those first shooter games. So, you have to let the parents decide when it is ok. There are parents that refuse to allow their kids to play the games and the kid goes to a friend's house and can play what he wants there. Believe me---there is all kinds of drama with that.
We like quest games. Some are pretty violent as far as I'm concerned. We do play them. My son plays Black Ops but not with me. That was one of my aw........hell no. His father decided that it was ok.
Is he on it all the time? Nope and definitely not during the week.
Let the parents parent.
That was my point. I'm not a parent so my perspective is different and not as broad.
There is already a rating system for these games. In additon there is this thing known as "parental guidance." Sandy Hook looks like it is being used as a tool to promulgate laws that take away our freedom.
I am an individual that would rather take my chances with the freedoms out there than give away my control to someone else. To put controls on games, firearms, etc is an implicit admission that this is not a nation of law-abiding citizens; that this is a nation that cannot take care of themselves or hold responsibility for their own actions.