Grand Theft Auto, Promoting Bad Behavior? Options

[Paradox of Life]

Grand Theft Auto may be encouraging people to murder people, jack cars, consider policemen as bad guys, create gangs, graffiti, use weapons, use bad language etc. Although the game is rated M it may still be promoting bad behavior from people 17 and older or their younger siblings. Nothing can prevent younger children from watching their older siblings play or even play for themselves. Should there be stricter rules? Every person I know that has the game Grand Theft Auto is under 17. I know people the ages 9, 10 11, 12, 15, 16, and possibly more who have played Grand Theft Auto. Should it be banned from stores? The games feature the several cusswords (including Sh** and Fu**), multiple weapons (slitting civilians throats with daggers, guns), running from cops, stealing cars. Sure it's fun, but is it really worth it if people start turning into "bad guys"?

[azn_r4pf4n]

You make a good point. I heard somewhere that the government is trying to prevent all Rated M games being sold to children under 17 from a user who uses GTA. I also heard they can track you down somehow.

Ya, lots of cuss words. Cussing in different languages are in it also.

It promotes lots of bad behavior, true true. I've heard a case a while ago that this one kid claimed GTA caused him to commit crimes. i have to go back later to debate about this.

[ShEraBaRoO]

i agree with you on this. i was shocked when my seven year old neighbor was closely intent on watching sexual activity when playing this game. he even tried to "hump" me for fun.

[heyyfrankie]

if that is the case, than almost all games that use guns are setting a bad example. movies do the same thing.

[*kryogenix*]

http://www.mediafamily.org/psa/Kid30.mov
http://www.mediafamily.org/psa/PSA_56K6.swf

first is for broadband, second is for dialup.

At first, I started laughing, then I realized that it was for real.

[*Kathleen*]

I personally don't think so. I don't play that game, and I'd say I'm a pretty violent person. It's more like how you grow up that affects you to commit crimes and swear and whatnot. If your parent doesn't set those examples for you to tell you what's right from wrong, then I think your view of morals becomes distorted. Yeah...I kind of lost my train of thought. I just think that the only thing violent games promote is the increase in awareness of kids. People are just learning about things faster than before. You don't only see it in video games, but you see it with computers and just the increase of awareness from intelligence on medicines and health.

[sadolakced acid]

Video games should be considered an interactive media.

when i was a kid, there was no killing humans in the games i played.

but then again i didn't have a console...

M games should not be sold to kids.
should be enforced...

[ryfitaDF]

imma hafta play the "it's up to the parents to set kids straight" card.

[racoons > you]

i think it may be a contributing factor, but it cant be solely responsible. maybe if it is couple dwith aa shaky domestic situation, then yes, but if they come from a loving, stable fammily situation (by which i dont necessarily mean 2.4 kids and the parent still together, there are all kinds of love and support), then it should be fine

[nevernothere]

GTA is hilarious... and has an incredible amount of entertainment value... I love the tank... hahahaha. You shouldn't blame a video game... blame the kid's parents or something.

[azn_r4pf4n]

Hmmm.. imma bring an example of me playing a rated M game when I was 5/4 years old. (no lie)

I played Doom 1 (an OLD rated M computer game full of violent shooting and poor bloody graphics) when I was like around 5/4 years old and i almost beated it. only thing it did to me was give me nightmares and that's it, but i don't want kids to learn from what i did when i was 5.

[demolished]

yep, agree .. i seen a little 4th grade cuss alot 0.O .

[karrar]

You just need to get it through to your child that you are not allowed to do this stuff in real life . My 10 year old bro is crazy on the gta series just as i am . However he wouldnt take a 100 dollar bill if he found it on the floor . If you can get kid's to understamd that these kind of behaviers are not accepted in the real world . Then there should'nt be problem .

[mzawesome]

my brother plays that game he's only nine too =[ but i cant stop him from doing that my mom lets him play it..

[*xcaitlinx*]

i dont agree. Have any of you PLAYED video games? every single video game out there influences violence, drugs, alcohol, etc. There's no way around it---if parents dont want their kids playing those types of games, then let it be their decision.

[Trolling]

Well at least in Gta San andreas you can create a little gangster that looks like yourself? That should lower crime rates xD... But theres always gonna be these little thugsters everywhere...

[gigiopolis]

Grand Theft Auto, like tons of M rated video games and R movies, do have some sort of influence on children and their behaviour, but that's not to say it should be banned altogether.

Example: people suing McDonald's for making them fat and obese. Here's a question for you people: If it bothers you so much, why do you eat at McDonald's? If you're so concerned with your health, why not eat healthy in the first place? But it's reasonable to say that you never knew it was that unhealthy for you.

But M rated video games DO tell you it's rated M for Mature. Not sure what that means? Look in the dictionary. Don't have a dictionary? Ask a teacher. Because all the warnings are there, it's your responsibility to READ them.

It's not like these video games are forcing you to buy their product. You're buying them for their children and promoting violence, even though you KNOW it's rated M, and it says it on the packaging. It's no one's fault but your own.

[picaso_smile]

Constant exposure to vilolence desensitizes you it. This promotes that sort of behavior becasue it no longer seems to be a extreme approach.

It's a parents fault if young children see it. If someone 17 or older palys it and ends up as an ex murderer it's thier own fault. They chose to play.

[*kryogenix*]

I personally don't think so. I don't play that game, and I'd say I'm a pretty violent person. It's more like how you grow up that affects you to commit crimes and swear and whatnot. If your parent doesn't set those examples for you to tell you what's right from wrong, then I think your view of morals becomes distorted. Yeah...I kind of lost my train of thought. I just think that the only thing violent games promote is the increase in awareness of kids. People are just learning about things faster than before. You don't only see it in video games, but you see it with computers and just the increase of awareness from intelligence on medicines and health.

You are partially right. It is how your parent raises you, but also how your parent doesn't raise you. If your parent is not monitoring the content you are viewing, then videogames such as GTA are what is raising the child.

[mouse_3k]

I think its fine. Either way, the kids gon find out about that stuff sooner or later. It shouldnt be banned in stores cause what about the people that ARE old enough to play it? dang kids these days are already having sex at the age of 10 so it doesnt really matter since they already think they know everything anyways. its fun and it should stay in stores.

[Aesirus]

"Every normal man must, at times, feel tempted to spit upon his hand, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
--HL Mencken, the last wise man on Earth

Stealing cars is just the modern version of stealing frigates.

[*kryogenix*]

gta is not to be blames for swearing... kids WILL find out about these cusses n use them.

violence, maybe. i was violent way b4 i started playing this.

Yes it is to blame for swearing. Is it fair for someone to murder you because you WILL die anyway?

if you were violent before you started playing gta, you should seek psychological help.

  I think its fine. Either way, the kids gon find out about that stuff sooner or later. It shouldnt be banned in stores cause what about the people that ARE old enough to play it? dang kids these days are already having sex at the age of 10 so it doesnt really matter since they already think they know everything anyways. its fun and it should stay in stores.

see argument above.

  "Every normal man must, at times, feel tempted to spit upon his hand, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
--HL Mencken, the last wise man on Earth

Stealing cars is just the modern version of stealing frigates.

I don't understand your arguement at all.

That said this is my position.

I'm not against banning GTA at all, I'm against letting kids play GTA. If you are not mature enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality, and what is appropriate and inapproriate, you should NOT play the game.

[Aesirus]

Aw, but without GTA: VC, how would kids learn about self-defense and Hispanic culture?

If you can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, you have a lot more problems than can be encompassed in a computer game. If anything, that's more reason to let them play GTA... they will think that the fantasy of GTA is as good as the real thing, and won't think "Well, this is fake... I'd better do it for real."

Yarrrr...

[*kryogenix*]

i dont agree. Have any of you PLAYED video games? every single video game out there influences violence, drugs, alcohol, etc. There's no way around it---if parents dont want their kids playing those types of games, then let it be their decision.

You are wrong. Not every game has violence, drugs and alchohol. However, that kind of stuff is really marketable (hence Nintendo's "kiddie" reputation for lack of many violent games).

  Constant exposure to vilolence desensitizes you it. This promotes that sort of behavior becasue it no longer seems to be a extreme approach.

It's a parents fault if young children see it. If someone 17 or older palys it and ends up as an ex murderer it's thier own fault. They chose to play.

Correct. The US Army uses simulations that are similar to videogames to rid their recruits of the inhibition to kill. After killing thousands of virtual people, you are in effect training your mind to not feel bad after killing them. Parents should be more responsible.

Well at least in Gta San andreas you can create a little gangster that looks like yourself? That should lower crime rates xD... But theres always gonna be these little thugsters everywhere...

That's a terrible argument. If someone breaks a law, then enforce it better. Just because there's always going to be criminals doesn't mean that we should give up fighting crime.

  Aw, but without GTA: VC, how would kids learn about self-defense and Hispanic culture?Yarrrr...

You must be joking, hahaha.

Take self defense classes/buy videos. Because they instill a sense of discipline, while these videogames destroy discipline. As for Spanish culture, go to school.

If you can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, you have a lot more problems than can be encompassed in a computer game. If anything, that's more reason to let them play GTA... they will think that the fantasy of GTA is as good as the real thing, and won't think "Well, this is fake... I'd better do it for real."

Again, you must be joking, so I will not argue.

[Aesirus]

Why do video games destroy discipline? I've played GTA and it takes quite a lot of discipline to do some of the missions.

[largosama]

People who play it have no honor left... after killing thousands of people, blood is but a red substance and a human life is but a thing to rid the earth of. They'll kill people for being "disrespectful" when really they do not say, shake their hand while entering a party.

Discipline is part self control, and killing someone for not shaking your hand is NOT self control. Discipline to complete the a mission in a game to kill does not promote real life self control.

[Aesirus]

Not necessarily. GTA doesn't require that you kill people for not shaking your hand. Video games can teach things like patience and discipline that are valuable in real life, just as self-defense courses do. The only advantage self-defense courses have over video games is that they make you physically more fit.

[sadolakced acid]

i agree. the self- dicipline required to move your thumbs so you run over a woman crossing the street is a good thing to learn.

[sm0kinm0nky]

pretty volient game lol i dont like it anyway, parents should be more responsible and see what games not to get

[largosama]

I agree ^. Violence is only a factor in this whole "grow up to kill" era. I still think that if parents are supporting and reasonable, the game will be that.. a game.

[espionage]

It's not really whether or not the game is violent .. it's whether it's corrupt or not. The Zelda series, for example, are all about Link being the moral, good guy, where the monsters are the bad guys. In GTA, the police are the bad guys, and the prostitutes and gangs are the good guys. That's what I don't like about a lot of today's video games ..

Super Mario! Woot. >_<

[*wind&fire*]

no... i enjoy hitiing prostitutes...

[WhiteLotus*]

Yes, I think it does promote bad behavior. Yes with all the car jakcings and the blood and..yeah =/ Sad thing is.. I know people in the 3rd grade playing it. <=[

[*kryogenix*]

It's not really whether or not the game is violent .. it's whether it's corrupt or not. The Zelda series, for example, are all about Link being the moral, good guy, where the monsters are the bad guys. In GTA, the police are the bad guys, and the prostitutes and gangs are the good guys. That's what I don't like about a lot of today's video games ..

Super Mario! Woot. >_<

Great observation. You'll see less objection to a plumber stomping on goombas then to mass hijackings and drive by shootings.

  Not necessarily. GTA doesn't require that you kill people for not shaking your hand. Video games can teach things like patience and discipline that are valuable in real life, just as self-defense courses do. The only advantage self-defense courses have over video games is that they make you physically more fit.

The only way you can learn discipline from GTA is by avoiding crime. Which defeats the purpose of the game.

[bellpepper]

I play GTA all the time and theres nothing wrong with me. I hope haha But I think it depends on the maturity level of the person thats playing it. I no not to go out in the street and just randomly shoot people to get there money. Its just a video game to take up spare time.

[blackxswan]

i think gta should be banned or at least have a higher rating on it. theres a lot of bad things in it (picking up hookers, stealing cars, guns, curses, i heard theres a dildo in the police station shower) young kids shouldnt get this game cause it has too much bad stuff in it. the parents of the kids should check it out before letting thier kid play it. and ive heard of second graders playing it =`[

[Chaos Bliss]

People get over it, its a god damn video game. The video game doesnt make people do that stuff, its the stupid kids who thinks its cool. And tell me how many people have stolen cars beat people up shoot them blow the up with rocket launchers? none

[*CrackedRearView*]

I don't know if it breeds violence so much as it breeds entertainment for me when my shift is over at night.

[iheartjohn]

You can't stop children from stuff that actually happens in the real world. I mean yeah, it's not every where you can hop into a car and drive off at 100 mph, but cursing, graffiti, drive-by shootings, and gangs are real.

[*wind&fire*]

it may pomote bad behaviour but its the player choice to do them in the real world...

when is this one set 80's?

[angel-roh]

Well I know I want to play those kinds of games cause when I'm in a bad/anger mood, I just want to hurt someone so bad. Just random people ya know? So instead of doing that, I play violence games to relieve my anger haha. I just play it just to relieve my anger. Hm, chlidren under 12. Wow, if they play it, I think they will play it and like learn from it. And when they grow up, I think they will really become one. I don't know, I still don't think they should banned that. It's a great game to relieve your angers.

[iheartjohn]

it may pomote bad behaviour but its the player choice to do them in the real world...

when is this one set 80's?

I think that's Vice City.

[fameONE]

Pornography is X rated and not intended for anyone under the age of 18 but those under 18 still find ways to access it. If GTA was truly restricted to the extremes of porn, it wouldn't be much of a difference. Kids would still get their hands on it.

I'm an avid RockstarGames (developer of the Grand Theft Auto series) and it was a shock to me at 11 years old when GTA was just a 16bit aerial view of violence. For anyone to blame their own wrongdoings on a game is a cop out unless they have some delusional issues. I don't want my 12 year old little cousin playing GTA and saying things like, "Grove Street Families, nigga!" because our family has worked too hard to get away from that environment. I've seen people killed, I've been aroun gangs, I've witnessed drug dealing and for it to be playfully emulated by kids evokes disgusts. With that said, it is entertainment just like Menace 2 Society, Boyz N Da Hood, Blood In Blood Out, X Rated Movies, Scarface, The Godfather, etc. The responsibility to restrict this lies within the hands of the parents.

With parental restriction, an end can be put to this problem. I fear two things; God and my mama. If my mother told me to stop listening to Public Enemy because it causes me to think bitterly about the government, then I'd stop. (My mom wouldn't do this because she loves Chuck D, but you get the point).

GTA is intended for adults. Bottom line.

[fameONE]

kryogenix,

What is your issue with the game? No disrespect but you seem like you're firmly against not only GTA, but all leud, violent and ill behavior in video games in general. That's fine and I totally support your right to put it all on blast even though I don't completly agree with your views. If this is the case, how do you feel about movies? How do you feel abou Schwarzeneggar going through clip after clip and killing senselessly? How do you feel about violence and bigotry in hiphop (not all hiphop is like that, might I add) or the clear and obvious marketing of whores in all things pop? Is this a stand for justice of morality or is this an attack solely on GTA?

[*kryogenix*]

kryogenix,

What is your issue with the game? No disrespect but you seem like you're firmly against not only GTA, but all leud, violent and ill behavior in video games in general. That's fine and I totally support your right to put it all on blast even though I don't completly agree with your views. If this is the case, how do you feel about movies? How do you feel abou Schwarzeneggar going through clip after clip and killing senselessly? How do you feel about violence and bigotry in hiphop (not all hiphop is like that, might I add) or the clear and obvious marketing of whores in all things pop? Is this a stand for justice of morality or is this an attack solely on GTA?

I am not so much against GTA as I am against bad parenting. Parents should not let kids under the mature age play GTA, because it is a bad influence to those who can't tell that "it's just a game."

Violent movies are bad too, but videogames are interactive.

I'm firmly against most of the hip-hop and pop music videos and lyrics we see today.

[fameONE]

I am not so much against GTA as I am against bad parenting. Parents should not let kids under the mature age play GTA, because it is a bad influence to those who can't tell that "it's just a game."

Violent movies are bad too, but videogames are interactive.

I'm firmly against most of the hip-hop and pop music videos and lyrics we see today.

Parents need to do their jobs. Agreed.

As much as I love hiphop as a genre, I think pop culture is in the sh!tter. My sister idolizes this teen sensation named JoJo. Thats fine, but the singer is 13 years old, sings songs about infidelity and live-in boyfriends, and is marketed like a whore. Not cool. Along with that, everyone's all over 50 Cent and his 'beefs.' Beef killed Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, I'm not impressed so I do agree with you there.

Back to Grand Theft Auto...

It's not just a game, it's interactive entertainment for adults and if parents make the mistake of letting their children play the game, then they're the ones who deserve punishment.

[CreateBlob]

I'm firmly against most of the hip-hop and pop music videos and lyrics we see today.

I fully agree with that.

What is your issue with the game? No disrespect but you seem like you're firmly against not only GTA, but all leud, violent and ill behavior in video games in general. That's fine and I totally support your right to put it all on blast even though I don't completly agree with your views. If this is the case, how do you feel about movies? How do you feel abou Schwarzeneggar going through clip after clip and killing senselessly? How do you feel about violence and bigotry in hiphop (not all hiphop is like that, might I add) or the clear and obvious marketing of whores in all things pop? Is this a stand for justice of morality or is this an attack solely on GTA?

Regarding Schwarzeneggar and the other various violent movies, it depends. Grand Theft Auto has ill and violent behavior, whereas, for example, Saving Private Ryan only has violent behavior. Okay, maybe the bad guys in Terminator have ill behavior, but they set the impression that those bad guys are .. bad guys. The point of Terminator can be interpreted as war always being bad, because the machines were built as power-hungry - programmed by their makers; the good guys have to use violence to fight back, because there's not much you can do when you're looking at the end of a gun. Thus, there is violence in the story of Terminator.

I think we all need to observe the degree of violence in media; or actually, the immorality as a whole in media. Police have to shoot people sometimes, right? Are parents letting their children witness gruesome shootings, though? No. If a child were in Iraq, would it set a good impression to let him or her see everyday attacks (A small point here: a documentary, for example, should be allowed. Although it may contain disgusting images or other things, as long as it's on the right side, it's history.)? Of course not. But it's inevitable - the terrorists, extremists, gangsters, and whatnot are purposely causing such things. They kill out of cold blood, and develop horrible torture methods. If a game or whatever-media-type allowed the viewer to be on the "bad guy" side, then it definitely goes against morality rules.

Of course, media regarding soldiers in wars, police in car chases, and anti-terroists should be avoided for the sake of impression. Again, our parents wouldn't want us to witness a shooting right outside the window, right? Even if we think that we won't be affected and influenced to becoming like an antagonist, we obtain that information. Someone who knows what a prostitute is, or knows one, for example, would naturally be less pure than someone who doesn't. As humans, we sympathize. Putting us on the wrong side makes us influenced; people employed by Hitler never knew they were on the bad side.

[fameONE]

CreateBlob, you still have to recognize that it's up to the parents to shelter their children from a game like GTA.

Conversely, it's all about where and how you grew up. Grand Theft Auto does little to shock me because I've seen a lot of the situations in real life.

[CreateBlob]

CreateBlob, you still have to recognize that it's up to the parents to shelter their children from a game like GTA.

Yes, but I can't see why people with a conscience won't stay away from things like GTA. Seriously, don't they have any eye for morality?

[*wind&fire*]

haha my cousin (12) bought it and his parents too it away cos he shot a guy in the head for a bike (san andreas)

[fameONE]

Yes, but I can't see why people with a conscience won't stay away from things like GTA. Seriously, don't they have any eye for morality?

If thats your argument, then it seems as if there's a subtle implication thats its wrong for a responsible adult to play the game

[pandamonium]

GTA is a very violent game and i think its way too late to stop anything. we already have so many things influencing little children these days. all of us are already used to violence and sex it runs through our minds.

When was the last time you were upset about a murder on the news? it just crosses your mind like anything else. its not important to you because it didnt happen to you and that is all that matters.

If GTA is not sold to minors that is good but there is still so much we can do to prevent them from hearing or doing things like violence. Then we would have t enforce not seeing rated R movies even with an adult, or strictly banning websites..

so Not selling GTA to minors is taking a stand but its not big enough of a stand to me.

[fameONE]

GTA is a very violent game and i think its way too late to stop anything. we already have so many things influencing little children these days. all of us are already used to violence and sex it runs through our minds.

When was the last time you were upset about a murder on the news? it just crosses your mind like anything else. its not important to you because it didnt happen to you and that is all that matters.

If GTA is not sold to minors that is good but there is still so much we can do to prevent them from hearing or doing things like violence. Then we would have t enforce not seeing rated R movies even with an adult, or strictly banning websites..

so Not selling GTA to minors is taking a stand but its not big enough of a stand to me.

Thats a valiant effort on your part to take a stand, but the fact of the matter is that our society is in the crapper and to blame GTA for the violent and hateful crimes of the world would be ridiculous. I said it once and I'll say it again, it's up to the parents. If my mother told me today that she didn't want me playing GTA, I wouldn't play it.

Violent games have been around and violent games adapt and change to suit the times. From Doom to Mortal Kombat to Shinobi, games are violent and they'll influence children. Think about how many kids tried to imitate Scorpion and say "Get over here," after hours upon hours of Mortal Kombat, which was then rated MA-13. No it's not right, but history is simply repeating itself. No one should dare be so hypocritical to say that the level of violence and degeneration in GTA is the lone cause of this outrageous behavior imitated by children. If the children really are everyone's primary concern, then f#ck the game, we should be discussing how parents have failed the youth of our generation. We should be discussing how people in power set bad examples for the youth.

Blaming Rockstar Games for corrupting the youth with violence and sex would just be a cop out. I'm done.

[CreateBlob]

If thats your argument, then it seems as if there's a subtle implication thats its wrong for a responsible adult to play the game

Well, that is my implication. >_<

A child kills someone. An adult kills someone. Both have done something wrong, no?

Thats a valiant effort on your part to take a stand, but the fact of the matter is that our society is in the crapper and to blame GTA for the violent and hateful crimes of the world would be ridiculous. I said it once and I'll say it again, it's up to the parents. If my mother told me today that she didn't want me playing GTA, I wouldn't play it.

But aren't there possibilities of children getting such media by secretly importing it in? If there was no porn at all, for example, children would never get it. If there was porn on some subtle, distant website, children could sneak into it without their parents knowing.
One does not know what sex is until they are exposed to it (..via sex-ed, perhaps).

[pandamonium]

But aren't there possibilities of children getting such media by secretly importing it in? If there was no porn at all, for example, children would never get it. If there was porn on some subtle, distant website, children could sneak into it without their parents knowing.
One does not know what sex is until they are exposed to it (..via sex-ed, perhaps).

yea your right if a child is exposed then it turns dangerous.. but like what i said. if you do things like that you would have to ban everything. like if we didnt want our future generation of kids doing the same stuff that we do now, we have to be strict and ban everything from internet, video games, tv, and or even books. i dont really agree that its the parents fault cause kids are curious and the happen to soak information. the only thing by preventing bad knowledge to leak out like that is by taking a strict ban..

im not saying that we should start now by not watching tv but i dont think we will ever reach that point. the only way of letting our kids now know about sex drugs and violence is by being strict and i doubt that will happen. if it does then think about it we can probably reach a utopia of no violence.

[CreateBlob]

Good point .. in regards to my (..espionage, my abandoned username) point, if there was only Mario on games, we'd be triplejumping on people and tackling them, and swinging guinea pigs around by the tail.

Corruption is human nature, yes .. but idealistically, can't we all just get a resolution to stop the CURRENT events of new corruptions?

[Levy2k6]

i dont think games affect anyone, its more of ur surrondings.. like i a nice "catholic" school boy could play the game and enjoy it but still go back to praying afterwards.

if a guy in the ghetto were to play the game, he probaly learn a trick or two that he could use in the real world to shoot someone but idk. its just me.

[CreateBlob]

^Of course, there are the exceptions. People who have gone through strict discipline will be able to control themselves. Still, though, there's always the breaking point - we're definitely not impervious and perfect.

[Paradox of Life]

People who have gone through strict discipline will be able to control themselves.

I guess it's about time I posted. I read through most the posts already. I think he has a point ^. My own opinion is that I don't think GTA is causing most crimes, but it is kind of encouraging them. My dad (who knew nothing of the game GTA) heard on the news that someone confessed something about GTA encouraging him to do crimes. I think that it's the own kid's choice and it takes discipline. It may also be the parents' responsibility as well.

[CreateBlob]

And also the developers' responsibility. Then again, maybe their parents impressed it on them... =D So it all depends on the parents, but the children have a choice, and hopefully, will distinguish what is right without their parents telling them.

[fameONE]

So, let me get this straight, people...

Making GTA harder to access than porn or banishing it altogether will put an end to violence and degeneration? Ok, riiiiight, and North Korea isn't armed with nukes, right?

We already established that it's the parent's fault but to go and bash the publishers who put food on their on tables would be a bit unfair. You make your own choices. If you're weak minded or impressionable enough as an adult to make a decision based on a video game fantasy, then you deserve the full extent of whatever punishment is trhown your way. Playing GTA doesn't make you a bad person, it just needs to be kept out of reach when it comes to kids.

Besides, any publicity on such a controversial game does nothing but boost sales.

[Levy2k6]

stopping the game or blaming him or her isn't gonna stop the violence.. nothing will stop it. we live in america (or i do).. everybody is pissed and ticked and there is always someone read to blow... you never know. one day a guy might go into school and say "i cant take this anymore, die mofo's!" and bust out with guns and stuff and kill everyone... and he might have never played the game. lol. but yeah.

stopping things like this doesn't stop it but more of "prevent" like...

hybrid cars.. they arent gonna stop pollution but there helping prevent enviromental stuff.. get what i mean?

[fameONE]

stopping the game or blaming him or her isn't gonna stop the violence.. nothing will stop it. we live in america (or i do).. everybody is pissed and ticked and there is always someone read to blow... you never know. one day a guy might go into school and say "i cant take this anymore, die mofo's!" and bust out with guns and stuff and kill everyone... and he might have never played the game. lol. but yeah.

stopping things like this doesn't stop it but more of "prevent" like...

hybrid cars.. they arent gonna stop pollution but there helping prevent enviromental stuff.. get what i mean?

Agreed. I see where you're coming from.

[*nightmare4taki*]

I play this game all the time, and never have I felt the rage to go around killing people. I would actually have a tough time killing a person that is trying to kill me. Anyway people have been killing people since the beginning of time. Using GTA is just an excuse. People think they can use a video game or music as an excuse because they believe they can manipulate the justice system and are not man enough to own up to their own actions. Why are people over seas killing each other everyday, answer me that. They dont play Grand Theft Auto because they live it in reality.

[smile4me]

oo..we had this discussion in gov class...

i dont think it promotes bad behavior.

and like levy said, bad behavior is always going to be here.
violence isn't going to rise because of a video game. its like saying violence will occur because people listen to the news and imitate it.

this is like when people were trying to ban comic books. they said comic books promoted cannabalism because there were monsters that ate ppl. T_T

side note: dont u get caught at the end? so like...doesnt that just say that good always conquers evil..?

[fameONE]

oo..we had this discussion in gov class...

i dont think it promotes bad behavior.

and like levy said, bad behavior is always going to be here.
violence isn't going to rise because of a video game. its like saying violence will occur because people listen to the news and imitate it.

this is like when people were trying to ban comic books. they said comic books promoted cannabalism because there were monsters that ate ppl. T_T

side note: dont u get caught at the end? so like...doesnt that just say that good always conquers evil..?

No. At the end of each GTA, it ends happily in some way or another.

In Grand Theft Auto III (the first release of GTA on a next generation system), the main character sought vengeance from his Cartel running ex who kidnapped his current "love interest." In the end, he saves her but she talks to much and a gunshot is heard and you no longer hear her voice. It adds to the allusion that he killed her. To me, thats blatant violence, however, it's also a twisted from of 'mindfuck' comedy intended for the few people that have the personality to understand (like me).

In GTA Vice City, the main character Tommy Vercetti was being used as a pawn to hadnle a drug deal for a mafia don. He was set up, he loses the drugs and the cash and the entire game has a Scarface/Miami Vice-like storyline in which Tommy is trying to get the money back while taking over the city. Along the way, he makes friends, loses friends and ends up killing the mafia don. The end of the movie gives you the satisfaction of Scarface (if it ended happily, that is).

In GTA San Andreas, its like playing a 2 week movie. This is the most raunchy, violent, and off the wall GTA by far, but sadly, most of the unfortunate events in the game actually happen. At the end, there was a distinct serving up of justice and everyone is happy.

Not like you really cared but I thought I'd share that...

For all of you opposers of the game, stop your mitchin' and boanin'. Complain about Hollywood before you complain about the videogame industry. Complain about failed American parenthood before you complain about Hollywood. And do something about yourself before you fix your lips to judge others.

[medic]

This falls in the same line of the whole gansta rap thread.

http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91312

There will always be people that take things to the extreme, it does not matter if its a Video Game or a song. If a game should be censored so that these things don’t happen, then the songs, movies, and TV shows should fall in the same place.

[Paradox of Life]

This falls in the same line of the whole gansta rap thread.

http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91312

There will always be people that take things to the extreme, it does not matter if its a Video Game or a song. If a game should be censored so that these things don’t happen, then the songs, movies, and TV shows should fall in the same place.

Um, I made this before that thread was made. Look at the date.

[medic]

I was referring to it, so don’t worry about it. Plus your the one that posted this link in the other thread about GTA. So I just put what I said there in here because a mod would have closed the other one, is that ok with you?

[sadolakced acid]

can't you have virtual sex in GTA san andreas?

[*RockizLife*]

Simple solution. Parents: Buy your kid a Nintendo

[pandamonium]

Simple solution. Parents: Buy your kid a Nintendo

ahahhah funny.

[fameONE]

The difference between gangsta rap in the traditional sense and gangsta rap now is that before (see: ICE T and MC Eight), it was a tool to inform those of what really goes on. Now, its just an excuse to degrade women while celebrating acts of senseless violence and material things.

In contrast to videogames, the primary function of the game itself is entertainment and that has yet to change. Unlike in the days of Mario and Sonic, the entertainment is evolving into more advanced forms meant to target age groups from toddlers to 'grow folk.'

Rating are in place for a reason. GTA doesn't promote any more bad behavior than The Matrix does with a kid thinking he can run into a building weilding dual Tec9s and murdering every form of life in plain sight.

GTA warrants artistic merit. Don't believe me? Listen to a radio station. Pure genius.

The unfortunate thing about this is that the developers at Rockstar North are not making up what goes on in the game. Our society is being satirized to sadistic extremes in the game. Hookers have been killed in reality, as well as drug lords and crooked cops. Even in the hilarity of in-game radio commercials and pedestrian dialogue, the satire oozes through your speakers.

There's always more to the surface than meets the eye. Instead of griping about how GTA is demoralizing our society, try playing and beating the game. Then find a surgeon to take the foot out of your mouth.

[sadolakced acid]

^
or, you could just play GTA to have virtual sex.

[sw33t_rouge]

it teaches you how to drive

[*mipadi*]

Drive illegally, that is.

[technicolour]

Teaches you to drive wild and crazy like a maniac. Gees. I can do that without the video game thank you very much.

[*CrackedRearView*]

Well, no one can deny the fun level of the game.

I can't, at least.

[Joss-eh-lime]

i just saw on the news that Grand Theft Auto San Andres isnt supposed to be sold to people under 18 or something. i dont really care because i dont play video games, but i dont think 10 and 11 year olds should be playing that one.

[*RockizLife*]

^Uh, I believe all M rated games aren't suppost to be sold to kids under 18.

[*mipadi*]

The new Grand Theft Auto is now rated AO (adults only).

[AngryBaby]

it got pulled because of the hot coffee mod or somethin' i dont care cause i had that game along time ago. its fun, people that naver played the game are the ones that think its only about driving crazy and killing and hookers

[*mipadi*]

its fun, people that naver played the game are the ones that think its only about driving crazy and killing and hookers 

So what else is it about? What other tasks in the game are there, that don't require driving crazy or killing people?

[sadolakced acid]

The new Grand Theft Auto is now rated AO (adults only).

first one with that rating!


haha nice. it's a deathblow. no major retailer will stock it now. well, at least, walmart won't.

gotta get your GTA from online now.

[Aestuarium]

The rating is M for mature, so you shouldn't play it if you're not mature, and if you're mature, that means you won't let it affect you.

[AngryBaby]

So what else is it about? What other tasks in the game are there, that don't require driving crazy or killing people?

first of all GTA is a game not a how to guide to committing crimes.
what u need to think about is out of how many people that buy GTA, one of the most highest selling games in history, commited any crimes that they say they got the idea from the game. out of the the rest that didnt.
sry to tell u, ya cant blame crime on a game, marylin manson,rap music.


here are some comments that politicians and people like u made.
and here are the responses.


During a public hearing, Love held up a held up a copy of the popular game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, in which a character named CJ goes on a barrage of shootings, heists and dalliances with prostitutes.

No he doesn't. The person playing GTA can choose to move CJ and chooses what CJ does, using the controller. CJ himself does not do anything. CJ can be a very civil citizen if the controller is in the hands of a person who wants CJ to be a civil citizen. Now in movies, which are completely different, a person cannot choose anything, and there a character named CJ might indeed go "on a barrage of shootings, heists and dalliances with prostitutes." In a video game however, CJ cannot do that unless the player wants to.

'Kids these days ... are wasting their spare hours ... with immoral trash like "Grand Theft Auto." As Sen. Hillary Clinton explained last week at a forum hosted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, "They're playing a game that encourages them to have sex with prostitutes and then murder them."

Hilarious Hillary. At this point I would like to quote a webmaster at GTANet: "You know I've played through that game twice now, and I've never ONCE picked up a hooker! Nobody does. It's just one of those small things that some people do when they're bored." Don't they just love to go on about the prostitutes? For heavens sake! I've played all three games in the franchise and I can safely say that the game is NOT about encouraging players to have sex with prostitutes and then murder them. A game encouraging such a thing does not exist.

As criminal Tommy Vercetti in the video game "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," players roam 1980s Miami killing, stealing and hiring hookers in search of drug money.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
GTA Vice was NOT about "roaming Miami," killing hookers in search of drug money. You weren't searching for anything. You were performing jobs for the underground and earning money. "Killing, stealing and hiring" hookers did not take place. There even is no stealing hookers in the game. The day that these people will play GTA and stop talking out of their backsides will be the day that I calmly sit on my couch and lay an egg.

Have a nice day.
im gonna play gta now

[*mipadi*]

here are some comments that politicians and people like u made.

The reason why your argument ad hominem is amusing is because you accuse me of making comments that I don't believe I ever made. You also seem to assume that I have never played the game, which is also grossly inaccurate. While I don't play them often, simply because they are not my style, I certainly don't find games like GTA to be disgusting (for players of the appropriate age range). However, I think we should stay clear of arguing that there is more to GTA than killing and violence, because really, there isn't a whole lot more. You can make the argument that the violence isn't dangerous to a player of age, a statement with which I wholeheartedly agree, but the fact is that it's still there, and that's definitely a focus of the game.

A tip, though: you shouldn't make assumptions about a person in a debate, or attribute to them statements that they never made.

[fameONE]

If I'm old enough to get drafted, I'm old enough to buy a GTA, gotdamnit.

[*CrackedRearView*]

How stupid. Games rated 'M' are directed toward people 17 years of age and up.

Games rated 'AO' are directed to people 18 years of age and up.

The ESRB is truly saving our moral youth by doing this...

[*mipadi*]

An AO rating is much worse than M, actually. Most retailers, like Wal-Mart, for example, will sell M-rated games; but almost no retailers will sell AO-rated games. One report suggests that Rockstar's parent company, Take Two, stands to lose $500 million over the recent GTA scandal.

[AngryBaby]

ya he's right^
my dad works for Best Buy and he said they wont sell it again.
on mtv news they said the sex sequence was no worse than thatn anything you would see on late night cable or a rated R movie.

[sadolakced acid]

but the difference between a movie and a videogame is in a video game YOU make the action. the character on the screen is YOU.

a movie is lucky if you even sympathise with the charaacter on screen.


so the 12 year olds playing GTA who download the hack that opens up the sex scene- the twelve year old is thinking "i'm having sex"

the 12 year olds who download porn are thinking "that guy's having sex"

see the differnece?

[AngryBaby]

but the 12 year olds wouldnt jack off to the grand theft auto sequence. lol
but who knows. lol
the point of that is that they still wouldnt see it as real. because i know when i was 12 i wouldnt be aroused by video game sex,and i knew less about sex than any of my friends. we were all 12 once would you be all corrupt by it.lol
it wouldnt make me any less or worse of a person to see it. and besides i wouldnt even have a clue of how to get to that sex scene.( i still wouldnt) if i wanted to see a sex scene then i would of just pulled out some movie or somethin'.
i dont think u can control CJ in the sequece can you?
they're making grand theft auto harder to access than porn.
why didnt they do this with "State of Emergency" that game was totally only about killing and much more gorey.

[*mipadi*]

No, you do control the main character. It's a mini-game. Something happens when you make him hit the "excitement" bar high enough.

[AngryBaby]

lmao thats sounds fun^ well i didnt know that. lol
but how do u even get the sequence? most people dont know how to get to it anyway. lol

[sadolakced acid]

it was an impossible to get to mini game on the PS2.

then the PC version came out an people figured out a hack.

you download it and it's unlocked for you.

[AngryBaby]

then why are they taking off all versions?

[*mipadi*]

Because the ESRB gave them an AO rating for putting that content in the game.

[AngryBaby]

but its not in the ps2 and xbox versions. why didnt they just take the pc version?

[*mipadi*]

It is is in the PS2 and Xbox versions, too, but it's just not (as easily) accessible.