Geeks go at it for a PS3Violence breaks out in frenzied queueBy Ian Williams: Thursday 16 November 2006, 16:55Click here to find out more!A WALMART IN Southern California had to be temporarily closed down when violence broke out between geeks queuing ahaed of the release of Sony's new console, the Playstation 3.Around ten thirty at night hundreds of gamers had gathered hoping to snag a PS3 at midnight. As the store only had 20 units to sell and the confusion of where the queue began and ended continued to rise, the mob was asked to leave the store and form a line outside.Mayhem was unleashed as police attempted to herd people outside, and the members of the group clambered over one another to be the first out in order to be at the front of the designated line.Order was restored to some degree when the store in question handed out vouchers to a lucky few, although it appears that others are still hanging around just in case. µ
Two armed thugs tried to rob of line of people waiting to buy the new Playstation 3 gaming console early Friday and shot one who refused to give up the money, authorities said.The two confronted a "bunch of people who were in line" outside a Wal-Mart store shortly after 3 a.m. and demanded money, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a spokesman for the state police. The new Sony consoles are selling for around $500 to $600."One of the patron's resisted. That patron was shot," Vance said.He said the two gunmen fled, and the victim was taken to University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. There was no immediate word on the victim's condition.
Violent computer games make you emotionalThey just do, ok?By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 29 November 2006, 14:16THE PLAYING of violent video games makes teens more emotional according to a report produced by the Indiana University School of Medicine.Medical boffins gave 44 teens a serious load of violent games to play and then stuck their heads into a magnetic resonance imaging camera to see what parts of the teens brain were firing, if any.The teens had no history of behaviour problems. Half of them played "Medal of Honour: Frontline" while the others played a non-violent game called "Need for Speed: Underground."Apparently, those who played Medal of Honour used the amygdale part of the brain more. The amygdale is stimulated when there is some sort of an emotional response. However, those teens' prefrontal portions of the brain, which are associated with control, focus and concentration were switched off.This of course worried the doctors because it is normally incredibly difficult to get an emotional response from any teenager other than a sulk or a pout.Vincent Mathews who headed the study said that playing a certain type of violent video game may have different short-term effects on brain function than playing a non-violent, but exciting, game.Of course, it does not mean that a teenager is going to rush out and hit someone with a softball bat. It just means that they are more emotionally involved in a game that involves blowing things up.
Louisiana video game law chucked outJack Thompson's law unconstitutionalBy Nick Farrell: Thursday 30 November 2006, 07:24Job searchTop INQ jobsSoftware Developers, SurreyMarketing Communications Specialist, BirminghamC, C++ DeveloperProject Managers, BristolSoftware Engineer, BournemouthSearch for a job: Job searchA LOUISIANA federal judge has thrown out a law written by video game critic Jack Thompson which would have prevented the sale of violent games to minors.According to Ars Technica, the law, which was passed by the Louisiana State Legislature in June, criminalised the sale of some video games to those under 18.However the Entertainment Software Association filed a lawsuit, which resulted in a temporary injunction against its enforcement.The law defined a violent video game as one which appealed to the minor's morbid interest in violence according to "contemporary community standards". A violent game would depict violence inappropriate to minors according to "prevailing standards" in the adult community, and lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.Judge James Brady was unconvinced from the start. In approving the temporary injunction against the law he said that the evidence that was submitted to the legislature in connection with the bill was sparse and unreliable.He heard studies about the connections between video game and real-world violence but dismissed these as tenuous and speculative.Now by making the injunction permanent, Brady has consigned the law to the dustbin of history. Thompson said that the Louisiana Attorney General's office efforts to defend the law was incompetent and compromised.
Unholy row about computer game eruptsWhy turn the other cheek when you can blast the heathen scum instead?By Nick Farrell: Thursday 14 December 2006, 15:25A COMPUTER GAME for Christian kiddies which encourages them to kill or convert non-Christians is coming in for a bit of stick across the pond.Left Behind: Eternal Forces is based on a series of novels, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. These books make use of a fairly creative interpretation of the book of Revelation mixed with a mish-mash of New Testament prophecy.The plot is that Jesus has come back and taken most of his followers in a first sweep, but carelessly leaves behind a few Christians who have to face the armies of the devil.In the game you have to kill or convert these forces of the anti-Christ. While players lose "spirit points" every time they gun down nonbelievers rather than convert them, they can earn these back by having their character pray. So praying with your finger on the trigger seems to be a perfectly good strategy.Ironically, not unlike Doom, you do not get spirit points for turning the other cheek, which was the way of most Christian saints. Nor do you earn points by sitting down and holding a Church fete which is the way of the Anglican Church.The main issue is that the game is getting mainstream distribution and is on sale in Walmart stores but opponents say it encourages religious intolerance. It also teaches kids to think that the secretary-general of the United Nations is the anti-Christ. Other bad guys include rock stars and people with Muslim-sounding names.Much of the opposition to the game comes from some liberal Christian groups who feel that mowing people down with guns is a not good way to get on the right side of God. One church has plans to picket Wal-Mart for flogging the game.However, it may take a spot of divine intervention to get any kid, Christian or otherwise to want to buy it. The game is reportedly full of bugs and reviews have averaged about three out of ten. The Maker of the game probably thinks the media is owned by the anti-Christ rather than conclude the game is pants.A spokesman for Left Behind Games said that the company's ultimate goal in offering the game was to bring parents and kids together to talk about the Bible. Odd really, last time we looked the New Testament was a bit short on turning guns on unbelievers. But, then again, it has been a while. µ
As the wise George Carlin (comedian) once said, 'religion is a disease'.
