[E] OMG AN ESSAY. Violence in Videogames - Final Fantasy Republic Forums

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[E] OMG AN ESSAY. Violence in Videogames
04.15.03, 02:39:17

Post #1 (permalink)

[color=navy blue]OMG AN ESSAY!!!

Hehe, it's been a while since anyone posted an essay

so i decided i'd post my sophomore project. It's about violence in videogames. The sophomore project is supposed to be the most feared assignment in our (Kevin, Cory and my) highschool career...it was a group project by the way, i worked with some other people from my class. so here we go...

**please don't complain that it is too long...it ended up being 8 pages...and 7 was the minimum. so don't read it if you don't want to. it took me a long time to write this damn thing...**

Violence in Videogames

“You know how the technical specs of Metal Gear were sold on the black market after Shadow Moses?” asks General Roy Campbell. “Ocelot needed some pocket money…” replies Solid Snake. “Exactly, and now every state, group and dotcom has its own version of Metal Gear.” The conversation is soon ended by Snake’s sighting of a solider in camouflage. The solider slits the throat of guard on the ship. There is blood on his clothes and he falls to the ground. The soldier finds another guard and kills him in the manor. There is blood all over the body. Then Snake notices two helicopters over head unloading many more soldiers who begin to search the deck of the ship, executing anyone who may be there. Snake tells the General that the ship has been taken over. Snake quickly finishes his conversation and leans up against the wall to hide himself as well as he can from a soldier who is coming his way. Solid Snake waits for the right moment…turns the corner, and shoots the camouflaged soldier and then drags the body off so that no others will know someone is there. The violent content in videogames has long been in question. Violence in videogames has become more prominent as the years go on. Many believe that video game content is to be blamed for the actions of trouble youths. Others, however, disagree. There are people who believe that violence in video games do not cause violence in minor, and believe that children who are committing crimes are already violent by nature. Some people believe that the excessive violence or realism in videogames today causes corruption in kids. Because of these beliefs, videogames have a rating system that has been made up by parents, and others. Sometimes, videogames are censored or not even allowed into the U.S.

When members of the government think that a game may be too violent or contain too much mature content, they may resort to censorship. By definition, censorship is the agency that prevents unpleasant ideas, memories, etc. from entering the consciousness in their original form. “Censorship is when the government places a restriction on free speech or expression, based on the concept that certain kinds of speech are of such low social value or are so harmful, that they deserve no protection by the First Amendment,” (Violence and Electronic Games). Members of the United States government do not allow certain things in games to be permitted. If they believe that a game has poor values, the scene, section, or game may be censored from the public. The First Amendment in the Constitution of the United States states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” (U.S. Constitution – Bill of Rights). Video games can be exempt from this right if the content in the game is seen as unsuitable for the citizens by the government. When the government censors a game, it may be for excess violence, or because it may teach minors to use violence as a way of releasing their anger. Several people also wonder what else the government is doing to keep violent or mature content of video games away from minors.

The government has realized that kids are able to rent and purchase video games that have a mature rating or content. Members of the government have been trying to make it so that retail chains and companies cannot legally sell mature rated games to kids. “In a continued effort to combat the sale of violent, adult-rated video games to minors, Sen. Herb Kohl on Thursday joined two Senate colleagues to urge retailers to uphold the industry’s voluntary rating system and to announce legislation to prosecute those who market adult-rated entertainment to children,” (Vekshin). Senator Kohl and his colleagues have been trying to stop retailers from selling mature video games to underage children. They want stores to enforce the rating system and not to market video games that include mature content. He wants to make it so law can prosecute companies who sell mature forms of entertainment to children. “In most cases, kids can walk in, buy an m-rated game, and walk out of the store without a hitch,” Senator Kohl point out. A study that was conducted by the Fifth Annual Video and Computer Game Report Card revealed that Funcoland and Target were the only companies who enforce the rating system, (Vekshin). Out of all the retail chains in the United States, there are only two who do not sell mature rated games to minors without parent permission. Many people have wondered why it even matters that minors can get hold of mature games.

Many believe that video games promote violence or can teach people to kill and use weapons. The co-author of Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie, and Video Game Violence, Dave Grossman, writes in support of this point that, “I have been predicting for close to a year now that the next major school shooting will include bombs. How could we have known that? Well, because if you want to get up to the upper levels in a video game and get that high body count, you have got to have instruments of mass destruction,” (69). People know that minors are becoming more violent and are using more destructive weapons to inflict harm/pain on others. They think that video games influence the kids and teach them to use weapons that will hurt more people. Attorney Mike Breen, who represents the families of three high school students who were shot and killed by Michael Carneal, who attended Paducah, Kentucky High School, testifies that, “Michael Carneal clipped off nine shots in about a 10-second period. Eight of those shots were hits. Three were head and neck shots and were kills. That is way beyond the military standard for expert marksman ship. This was a kid who had never fired a pistol in his life, but because of his obsession with computer games had turned himself into and expert marksman,” (Hanson). Video games that are violent can teach kids how to use weapons and kill others with accuracy. A boy who had never used a gun, picked up a pistol and shot nine bullets in ten seconds, eight of them were accurate, and three of them were kills. This kind of accuracy was better than expert marksmen in the military. According to Mr. Jerry Davis, who has served in the military for many years says the military standards for an expert marksman is twenty-six to thirty hits out of forty bullets fired. This is a three to four ratio. A boy was able to shoot better than an expert shooter because he was obsessed with violent video games. Video games can teach people to use weapons in an accurate and deadly manor. Some have become deadly killers just by playing video games. Some people, however, believe that violent video games are not the reason for violence in reality.

Although there are many that do believe video games have an affect on minors, some are not convinced. People think that the effects of video games on children are exaggerated. Gary Chapman is the author of a column for the Los Angeles Times called the “Digital Nation.” Chapman writes, “Defenders of the scapegoated influence point out that millions of people are exposed to the same influence but do not become criminals,” (79). Video gamers believe that people use video games for a reason to blame something on the problem of troubled youths. People who are in defense of violent video games believe that games do not have an effect on others. They have realized that millions of other people play the same games and do not turn to violence as a way of releasing anger. Chapman also states that, “We need a far more sophisticated discussion about the link between simulated violence and real violence,” (80). There are some people who think that when there are discussions about the violent content in games in relation to violence in real life, it isn’t analyzed enough. They believe that discussions about violence in video games need to be considered more carefully and have more in depth questions about the connection of video games and real violence. Author William Pollack states: “I do not believe that a boy who feels truly connected and loved and who has safe settings where he can express his emotions will be motivated to violence by exposure to violence in the media,” (Chapman). Pollack believes that when a person is loved by someone or has a connection with another person where they can talk about their emotions,. will be less prone to violence in real life to deal with their problems. By saying this, it means that violence in games will have a less profound effect on the kid’s mind. Having a secure family life will allow kids who play video games to not be affected by the images they receive from the games they play. However, if video games really do teach kids to be violent, it could be because video games are becoming more realistic, and more interactive.

Through the years, video game technology has risen considerably and has become more interactive. This allows the player to get a more realistic feel for the game. The Playstation and Playstation 2 makers have produced a new controller called the Dualshock analog controller. This new piece of technology has “pressure sensitive” buttons with two hundred and twenty five levels of sensitivity. These new controllers can also vibrate. The controllers vibrate when there is an explosion, gunshot, the main character is hit, or there is a tremor (Dualshock Analog Controller). “This could mean surgical precision as you accelerate, decelerate, or maneuver through a course. Or, even more fighting moves and secret weapons available as you battle the forces of evil,” (Dualshock Analog Controller). When people play video games, the pressure sensitive buttons allow them to move faster, slower, or move more easily through a level or a course while racing. In fighting games, there are more options and more things to do, which could make a game more interesting or interactive for the player. Vibration in a controller is a good way to get the gamer more into the game by letting them “feel” the game. Playstation 2 makers have also come out with another way to get the players more into the games. In 1989, the most powerful system was the 16-bit SEGA Genesis. A bit, according to the Britannica World Language Dictionary, is a single unit of information; specifically, on of the coded digital signals forming part of a complete message in the operation of an electronic computing machine. This soon graduated to a 32-bit system also by SEGA. In 1995, Nintendo came out with it’s own 64-bit system, called the Nintendo 64. In 1998, however, SEGA came out with yet another system, known as the Dreamcast, which was a 128-bit console and the faster 128-bit system for Sony, the Playstation 2, (The History of Video Games). With the increase of bits in a gaming system, the graphics become, better and more clear. Some of the games have been made 3D. Characters for games like Final Fantasy X for instance, have facial expressions, and their lips can twitch when they are angry. Characters now have individual strands of hair, or their clothes flow in the wind. SEGA and Nintendo have now come out with new pieces of technology that have voice recognition, (gamespot.com). Now people with this new kind of equipment, can “talk” with the characters in the games. With the constant upgrades, videogames are becoming more life like for people. With the rise of technology, interaction and enhanced graphics, the video games become more life like for the player.

When violent acts of aggression occur in minors, the topic of violence in video games is often brought into question. Members of the government and activists have held conferences about what should be done with minors buying violent video games. On the other side of the fence, there are some who do not believe that violence in video games can affect a person enough to want to kill someone by means of aggression. In cases where acts of aggression were linked to violent video games the minors who preformed these actions were emotionally unstable. Government members have tried to resolve this problem by censoring the content in games that is seen as having little or no social value. What should be done with violent or mature games is still highly debated on. As the technology advances, people have been trying to come up with better and more effective ways to deal with the violence. Some government members want to make it so retail chains can be prosecuted for selling mature games to children. This way, the whole gaming industry would be changed. What will be the fate of video games in the future? The end result to this must be something that gamers and the government can all agree on.[/color]

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