It works to fool people and sell more papers. It works to spread fear,
uncertainty and doubt. Not to forward any cause using the truth.
We want parents to know that a violent game is violent. Not that it's
acceptable to blame violent games for psychotic episodes and bad parenting.
Send people on a next witchhunt.
And yuh know the mob mentality and nature of idiocy people generally have.
And again I'll say, this IT thing is bull.
Do you need an IT background to simply stand there and look at the game your
kid is playing? To implement surprise spot checks? To ask a store attendant
what kind of game it is before you buy it?
This is what a good parent is supposed to do. Doh make excuses for anything
less.
-----Original Message-----
From: gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt [mailto:gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt]On Behalf Of
[X]-Baego
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 8:26 AM
To: gatt@gatt.co.tt
Subject: Re: {GATT} "ManHunt" The Real Issue (for late comers)
it's called "shock reporting" and it works.
Your first blurb is probably going to be in the lower right corner of a
Digital Entertainment review section of a newspaper magazine segment.
(most parents will miss this)
The second will end up as a headline (most parents will see this and
that's what we want)
As for the IT background bit, it does.
Most parents have been to a bar, bought drugs and can find their way
around sex. On the other hand, most parents haven't played a game of Doom.
It's chalk and cheese.
Like my earlier example with the guy wanting to buy the game, as far as
he was concerned, it was a game, something designed for kids. He really
wasn't in the know as to how macabre these things could be and what sort
of content they have nowadays. Had he read the Playstation Causes Kid to
Slaughter Friend article, he may not have been so naive. Gone is the
Nintendo/Atari age of video game innocence.
To some parents it's better to chuck the "game station" in a room with
it's own TV/PC Monitor to keep lil johnny happy and away from their
precious cabletv / news box. What's the worst he could be doing with a
game station after all??
This is the reality.
little johnny was last seen downloading Dirty Crack Hoes 5 on Kazaa in
the background while playing Kingpin: Psycho Gangsters 2, featuring the
uncensored voice talant of eminem.
Kayode James wrote:
>The bad press that Manhunt deserves:
>
>"This game is ultra-violent, and somewhat disturbing both on its own merit
>and as an example of the direction that modern entertainment is headed in.
>Keep an eye on it, and keep your kids away from it."
>
>
>The bad press that Manhunt DOESN'T deserve:
>
>"MURDER BY PLAYSTATION - Psychotic Drugdealer Kills Friend, Videogame
>Companies To Blame."
>
>
>
>It DOES NOT take a serious IT background to keep on top of your kids
>videogame playing in your own house. A parent is the boss in the house. You
>keep your TV or computer in the common room, you DEMAND that your kid show
>you his games, you sneak and do spot checks if you have to. You do what is
>necessary. If yuh stick, yuh mc loss.
>
>(A minor point on this though: If you hadda go through all that rounds (and
>more) to keep yuh child from doing something yuh tell them not to do, or to
>find out what they're doing in the first place, the problem isn't
videogames
>nah.)
>
>What next, yuh need a medical degree to keep on top of yuh kids' potential
>drug habits? A bartending license to monitor your kids' alcohol
consumption?
>Bull.
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt [mailto:gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt]On Behalf Of
>[X]-Baego
>Sent: Friday, August 06, 2004 10:44 PM
>To: gatt@gatt.co.tt
>Subject: Re: {GATT} "ManHunt" The Real Issue (for late comers)
>
>
>They " the game industry" has done enough to not get sued.
>
>They "the parents in the game industry" like me, haven't done enough.
>
>Let us not protect such games from some bad press. Let the issue rise to
>the top and be dealt with. Ironically, the developers will see increased
>sales as a result, so you're not going to be doing any short term harm
>to 'em.
>
>We need to do more to sensitize the other parents out there who are not
>as clued in to this industry. Me sending a mail highlighting the issue
>on this mailing list might reach a couple. A big article in the press
>would be a better idea, where john doe parent will read it. Those are
>the ones really in need of the message.
>
>Brad doesn't have a computer in his private room. He only plays games
>(fps or otherwise) that I deem non too gory and twisted. He has played
>every traditionally "good" kiddie game out there on the Nintendo, Super
>Nintendo and Nintendo 64, of which there are TONS. (His favourite games
>are Kirby and Baby Mario aka Super Mario World 2Yoshi's Island, both
>VERY bad games btw) They are all on EuroTV as we speak.
>
>His main FPS sweat is serious sam. It's incredibly fun, not at all gory
>(trinity loves it too), has coop gameplay and is very pretty, like a
>transformers meets power rangers kinda pretty.
>
>Same goes for a blood less Quake 3 and Unreal 2004. No more damaging to
>his already gun/sword glad brain than the average kid grown up on
>saturday morning cartoons.
>
>I have made very educated choices here. The average parent won't be able
>to tell the difference between a "Hippie Flowers" enabled Serious Sam 2
>and an Ultra Gore Doom III zombie fest. They won't be able to change the
>setting themselves as well intentioned as they maybe. It will take a
>serious IT background to keep on top of your kids in this regard. My
>parents couldn't and my mom has to be the most well intentioned parent I
>know, lol. She's still fighting that battle with Wolf to this date.
>
>Point is, we are in a serious minority here. The message and real issue
>about this manhunt thing is to send a signal and keep the public eye on
>high gore violent gaming as a possible point of destruction for young
>people. Sensitizing those who need it most. Not to lambaste the game, it
>maybe a great game...but that's not the point at all is it. Nor is just
>saying "well we're going to hell because 80% of marriages break up and
>lead to bad parenting" not to mention the # of single parents out there.
>It isn't easy for them, to bring up a young one, help with homework,
>keep food on the table and pay avid attention to the PC and console game
>industry. They need our help. This isn't as grand as the "Save your kids
>from Aids epidemic" but it is serious enough to warrant world wide
>attention.
>
>
>
>Kayode James wrote:
>
>
>
>>The videogame industry has put ratings on game boxes and ads, and many
>>companies have even made a point of placing large warning screens and
>>low-violence options in their titles.
>>The solutions to the problem are as simple as these two moves:
>>- The government has to create and implement harsher penalties for
>>retailers who sell or rent games to kids.
>>- The "well-intentioned" parents have to do their homework.
>>"Well-intentioned" parents who are too busy/dumb/religious/prudish to
>>tell their kids about sex end up with early grandkids and AIDS
>>cocktail vouchers.
>>The parents are complacent and stickin', Baego. The difference between
>>a good parent and a shitty parent isn't just attitude, it's actions.
>>Keep the computer in a common room, regulate the console usage, and
>>*DO SPOT CHECKS*. Do yuh homework.
>>This is basic, simple shit.
>>This issue cannot be totally or even majorly blamed on the gaming
>>industry and no one should expect them to make the most important
>>move. Parents do too much shit and then throw the blame on others.
>>I hate to bring this up dread, but...an example is when you let Brad
>>play FPS games without gore.
>>Pow pow pow, hahaha, pow pow pow, Look flowers comin' de man!! I could
>>play again!
>>According to your logic (and I tend to agree with this point), this is
>>desensitizing the boy to the true nature of gun violence. Especially
>>at his age. Mightn't make him into a killer, but it's a point of
>>concern. There are WAY too many better games for him to play at his age.
>>Wouldn't it have been better to invest in a lil modded Playstation and
>>hit him some Crash Bandicoot? Or a modded PS2 with some Jakk 2?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> *From:* gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt [mailto:gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt]*On
>> Behalf Of *Bellamy, Nigel
>> *Sent:* Friday, August 06, 2004 6:53 PM
>> *To:* gatt@gatt.co.tt
>> *Subject:* {GATT} "ManHunt" The Real Issue (for late comers)
>>
>> Lol @ late cobo
>>
>> The issue is not that there is a mechanism in place for such
>> things…it is that the mechanism is by large ineffective against
>> the problem.
>>
>> Problem: Under age kids being exposed to ultra violent gory media.
>> Bad because it can have an ill effect on those less strong minded
>> and morally sound.
>>
>> Current Solution: Place a Rating sticker on the box and sell it
>> over the counter to only people of the matching age bracket.
>>
>> I don’t know what the current penalty is for someone breaking this
>> rule, but a fair bet is no one has been charged for it.
>>
>> Consensus is that this solution is weak.
>>
>> Just yesterday a guy walked in to buy Grand Theft Auto for his 9
>> year old kid. We wouldn’t have known that it was for the kid if we
>> didn’t small talk with him a bit.
>>
>> As is, it’s even less likely a parent is going to take the fall
>> and be convicted for buying an adult game for a young kid.
>>
>> Inadvertently, they will do it. Not even paying attention to that
>> little sticker. If not the parent, the more liberal grandma,
>> aunty, uncle, etc…as a birthday present, Christmas, for getting
>> good grades, you name it.
>>
>> Don’t even talk about the ones savvy enough to get it from their
>> peers or download it via the internet.
>>
>> To make matters worse, unlike mature music, where they may hear
>> the cussin and know their kids are listening to “bad tunes”, most
>> well intentioned parents won’t sit down and get into a game with
>> their kids. Never becoming aware of the situation until serious
>> exposure has been “enjoyed” by the young ones.
>>
>> The world of the infamous RPG Ultima had a profound effect on me
>> growing up as a kid in my parents home. They still don’t know what
>> Ultima is, by the way and couldn’t tell it from Starcraft nor do
>> they even know how I came into possession of same.
>>
>> I know that same scenario is being played out right now in homes
>> all across the world. My greatest concern is the games being
>> played aren’t the happy go lucky super Mario brothers three and
>> moral building Ultima’s of old. My fear is that ManHunt and Grand
>> Theft Auto will be on the gaming roster of Generation Digital
>> during their minds’ most formative time.
>>
>> In a perfect world, we wouldn’t crave gory media and there would
>> be none to worry about. This isn’t a perfect world.
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>--
>
>
>> *From:* Corbeaux [mailto:corbeaux@gatt.co.tt]
>> *Sent:* Friday, August 06, 2004 6:07 PM
>> *To:* gatt@gatt.co.tt
>> *Subject:* RE: {GATT} Intriguing "Manhunt" case development...Copy
>> of game found...
>>
>> Yes, yes I am late with the reply as usual. Doom II is an evil
>> master and since I started serving it, I had difficulties opening
>> Outlook.
>>
>> I think most of the “newer” media houses recognizes that the old
>> farts at The Daily Mail made an excessively big deal about nothing.
>>
>> Like I said before, they put a label on it for 18+ and if
>> anything, the parents should be held liable. WTF, did they never
>> learn to read? Did they not know that the game was for 18 years
>> and over? They chose not to get involved in monitoring what their
>> hell spawn ward was playing/looking at or whatever, they should
>> accept their blame instead of trying to throw it off on nice
>> cuddly Rockstar Games. Then again, it’s just human nature to blame
>> someone else for your own shit.
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>--
>
>
>> *From:* gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt [mailto:gatt-admin@gatt.co.tt] *On
>> Behalf Of *Kayode James
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 03, 2004 9:34 PM
>> *To:* gatt@gatt.co.tt
>> *Subject:* {GATT} Intriguing "Manhunt" case development...Copy of
>> game found...
>>
>> In the bedroom of the **VICTIM**.
>>
>>
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/08/03/ne...ws_6104067.html>>
>>
>> *UK police find Rockstar's action game in the victim's
>> home, raising questions about parents' allegations.*
>>
>> New developments may stir things up in the recent allegations
>> <http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/07/29/news_6103718.html> that
>> Manhunt had inspired the murder of a 14-year-old boy in the UK.
>> Local police announced today that they had indeed found a copy of
>> the action game, but it was found in the victim's bedroom.
>>
>> **The development could raise several questions concerning Mr. and
>> Mrs. Pakeerah's claims, such as how did their son come into
>> possession of the "M"-rated game and who bought it for him.**
>> However, such questions are probably irrelevant to the case,
>> according to police. **“We haven’t connected the game with the
>> murder...the motive was robbery," said local police spokesperson
>> Narinder Pooni.**
>>
>> The games-cause-violence story sent the UK media into a frenzy
>> last week. The /Daily Mail/ lead the charge, running the headline
>> "Murder by PlayStation" and starting a sensational campaign to ban
>> violent games. Pooni stated that the police had already announced
>> that the game was not involved in the murder, but that "some
>> sections of the media chose to ignore it."
>>
>> What has irony done to deserve this sort of treatment?
>>
>>
>> _____________________________________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
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