250: Slow Death In a Shady Glen
- Thread starter Rob Zacny
- Start date
I'm not quite convinced that hunting games are "conservationist". In fact, I'd call them the opposite. There's nothing conservationist about killing an animal, fundamentally. Yes, if they're a pest and they're killing something more endangered, I can see some good in the action, but I don't approve of killing and I don't see it as preserving nature when we are the real "pest" on the Earth and there's more of us than a lot of the other species that we can kill with a rifle.
While I applaud the idea that killing things in games doesn't mean killing something in real life, and some might get enough fun in the virtual version not to do the real thing, hunting generally causes as many problems as it solves. I can see that a lot of those playing it are real hunters or might be inspired to do real hunting recreationally, which may indeed lead to more "yahoos" with guns in the wild (something the environment certainly doesn't need).
I definitely think that it's important to encourage an ethical standpoint in thinking about what you hunt in this game and others like it, but at the end of the day you're still killing things. It sounds like a finely constructed game, but there's something too real about the theme for me. One thing I will say in its favour is that it isn't just another run and gun where you can kill without seeing the consequences. There's some decency in that.
While I applaud the idea that killing things in games doesn't mean killing something in real life, and some might get enough fun in the virtual version not to do the real thing, hunting generally causes as many problems as it solves. I can see that a lot of those playing it are real hunters or might be inspired to do real hunting recreationally, which may indeed lead to more "yahoos" with guns in the wild (something the environment certainly doesn't need).
I definitely think that it's important to encourage an ethical standpoint in thinking about what you hunt in this game and others like it, but at the end of the day you're still killing things. It sounds like a finely constructed game, but there's something too real about the theme for me. One thing I will say in its favour is that it isn't just another run and gun where you can kill without seeing the consequences. There's some decency in that.
I'm mixed on hunting itself too. But that's why they sell licenses; to make sure only a certain amount of people are hunting any given season. And hunting seasons are very short and conditional, so you don't end up killing a fawn's mother when it's too young to fend for itself and whatnot, or so you don't kill any more than the population can stand to lose.
They take population checks, and determine what number would be sustainable to take. If the population's low, then they place stricter number/age/sex limits until the population restocks properly.
Deer populations are exploding in some areas, mostly due to their natural predators unfortunately being run out by irate farmers and general city growth. Deer numbers getting too big leads to disease and starvation among the numbers as they vie for territory or resort to eating people's crops. Plus, with more of them around, there ends up being an increase in vehicle accidents, costing the lives of both the deer and the people involved, or at very least damaging vehicles.
It's our fault for encroaching so much on them, I know. But unfortunately it's happening, so managing their numbers is the only thing we can do in the long run. And as long as we eat them, then at least they die for a purpose, instead of slow starvation and illness or being splattered all over the road.
But I get where you're coming from and agree, even while I state these facts. And at least this video game is more realistic and doesn't promote the yahooism like many older games do. But, that's why it's important to instill from childhood onward, that games are games, and not real life. Most folks are fortunately smart enough to know that.
They take population checks, and determine what number would be sustainable to take. If the population's low, then they place stricter number/age/sex limits until the population restocks properly.
Deer populations are exploding in some areas, mostly due to their natural predators unfortunately being run out by irate farmers and general city growth. Deer numbers getting too big leads to disease and starvation among the numbers as they vie for territory or resort to eating people's crops. Plus, with more of them around, there ends up being an increase in vehicle accidents, costing the lives of both the deer and the people involved, or at very least damaging vehicles.
It's our fault for encroaching so much on them, I know. But unfortunately it's happening, so managing their numbers is the only thing we can do in the long run. And as long as we eat them, then at least they die for a purpose, instead of slow starvation and illness or being splattered all over the road.
But I get where you're coming from and agree, even while I state these facts. And at least this video game is more realistic and doesn't promote the yahooism like many older games do. But, that's why it's important to instill from childhood onward, that games are games, and not real life. Most folks are fortunately smart enough to know that.
Wow, this was a rapturously written article. It made me want to take up hunting, it sounds like the kind of thing I could get behind - it sounds like it requires a lot of discipline and patience and it would get me outdoors. Too bad there's no hunting in my neck of the woods,
However I think I might just see if I can pick the game up in either case. (So long as my PC can run it.)
However I think I might just see if I can pick the game up in either case. (So long as my PC can run it.)
"A quick snapshot at a running target, far from being the feat of reflexes and marksmanship that I thought it was, turned out to be irresponsible and cruel."
Good thing this idiot didn't have a real gun, because this is how to best shoot other hunters (argue for or against that as you feel necessary).
Habitat encroachment is the real killer, far ahead of anything guys with guns have done, even if they don't eat the meat.
Good thing this idiot didn't have a real gun, because this is how to best shoot other hunters (argue for or against that as you feel necessary).
Habitat encroachment is the real killer, far ahead of anything guys with guns have done, even if they don't eat the meat.
Well all I can say is the author really took some writing liberties with this article!!! I'm wondering if he was paid to do this?? Being one of the first few let into this GAME at the time of it's conception, I feel I should let others know that at first the intent of the GAME/SIMULATION was to be realistic as possible. Sure the high detailed graphics is pleasing at first, and the sounds also (at first any way) seem to be very realistic, but soon become very bothersome. The wind sounds more like a fierce wind storm CONSTANTLY. It does not come up and go down as in real life, it just blows gale force, in sound only. The leaves fall from tree's in the direction the wind blows, but they very seldom blow very far from the tree's.
The matter of The Hunter teaching ethics? Well I beg to differ what is ethical about being able to shoot as many deer you can in a two hour span of real time?? There is no limit to how many you are allowed to shoot!! It was mentioned that this game is FREE, well yes it is, to download and to shoot as many Mule Deer you want to. But that is where the free stops. You must pay for the licenses of other animals you want to be able to shoot. Other than basic equipment you must pay for every thing, ammo, smoke in a bottle, better weapons.
The game play itself well, there's no skill to it at all. Just walk the roads and watch the HUNTERMATE (The Hunters GPS and game interface that lets you know where a call came from and used for tracking and claiming your kills), when you hear a call and see where it came from, check the wind to make sure your not down wind of it and take a prone position and use your call. 98% of the time it will come right to you, offering it self up for the kill. If there happens to be a heard of them, just stay prone after your first shot and call BACK the rest of them and wipe them out. The Elk are especially DUMB, once you find a heard of them you can get every last one of them using the above procedure. In real life the animals around that whole area would be gone at the first shot, and it would take a very skilled person to call them back in.
ETHICS?? That does not even come close to showing true ethics, especially not ones that the Boone and Crockett Club supports with it's motto of "Fair Chase and Conservation", of which they claim to have their support.
It's a GAME. After playing for a short time you get tired of the HIGH graphic settings that you can turn down to a point of being able to see much better through the thick forest, the endless bug sprites that greet you throughout the island, the torrential rains that start and stop like some one has turned on a tap (while it's raining you can't hear a thing other than the rain falling and hitting the ground. I have NEVER heard rain fall like this in real life like it does in this game)and the lack of some good AI (artificial intelligence) of the animals, and it turns into just a game that I don't think too many people are going to pay $59.99 a year to play. Not to mention having to pay to replenish the ammo, smoke in a bottle (save your self money, just look at the direction the leaves are blowing in and leave the smoke in a bottle at the store), the numerous cover spray's and scents (that I can honestly say I'm not so sure do any thing other than eat into your VIRTUAL wallet). Oh yea you have to purchase em$ (we think it stands for EMOTE MONEY) at a rate of 500 em$ for $4.99. Sounds cheap but when you consider that the rifles range from $300 (em$) to over $700 em$ it adds up fast. One thing that really gets on my nerves is that they have invented a gun, not unusual for a game to do, but when they say they are the MOST REALISTIC!!!! The gun in mention is the lever action 30-06 (30 ought 6) with an icon showing a 1793 model lever action gun that was never made in this caliber, it has a tube feed configuration. This would be a very dangerous gun to operate as the BULLET configurations are pointed, this would cause the remaining bullets in the tube magazine to fire off when the trigger was pulled on the first round. It was brought to their attention many times but they ignore those types of suggestions. Oh yea and they stated that a scope could not be put on that type of weapon, at least the OLD owners of the game have stated that and the new owners (just a branch off the old owners) state it is now possible and are going to continue with this farce of being the most realistic hunting SIM with fictitious guns. LOL
Well anyway it's your money and I just couldn't see letting this very biased review go without giving you at least some truth into The Hunter venture. I still have my wardens membership which apparently, as long as it is kept in good standing should never expire!! Any one interested???
The matter of The Hunter teaching ethics? Well I beg to differ what is ethical about being able to shoot as many deer you can in a two hour span of real time?? There is no limit to how many you are allowed to shoot!! It was mentioned that this game is FREE, well yes it is, to download and to shoot as many Mule Deer you want to. But that is where the free stops. You must pay for the licenses of other animals you want to be able to shoot. Other than basic equipment you must pay for every thing, ammo, smoke in a bottle, better weapons.
The game play itself well, there's no skill to it at all. Just walk the roads and watch the HUNTERMATE (The Hunters GPS and game interface that lets you know where a call came from and used for tracking and claiming your kills), when you hear a call and see where it came from, check the wind to make sure your not down wind of it and take a prone position and use your call. 98% of the time it will come right to you, offering it self up for the kill. If there happens to be a heard of them, just stay prone after your first shot and call BACK the rest of them and wipe them out. The Elk are especially DUMB, once you find a heard of them you can get every last one of them using the above procedure. In real life the animals around that whole area would be gone at the first shot, and it would take a very skilled person to call them back in.
ETHICS?? That does not even come close to showing true ethics, especially not ones that the Boone and Crockett Club supports with it's motto of "Fair Chase and Conservation", of which they claim to have their support.
It's a GAME. After playing for a short time you get tired of the HIGH graphic settings that you can turn down to a point of being able to see much better through the thick forest, the endless bug sprites that greet you throughout the island, the torrential rains that start and stop like some one has turned on a tap (while it's raining you can't hear a thing other than the rain falling and hitting the ground. I have NEVER heard rain fall like this in real life like it does in this game)and the lack of some good AI (artificial intelligence) of the animals, and it turns into just a game that I don't think too many people are going to pay $59.99 a year to play. Not to mention having to pay to replenish the ammo, smoke in a bottle (save your self money, just look at the direction the leaves are blowing in and leave the smoke in a bottle at the store), the numerous cover spray's and scents (that I can honestly say I'm not so sure do any thing other than eat into your VIRTUAL wallet). Oh yea you have to purchase em$ (we think it stands for EMOTE MONEY) at a rate of 500 em$ for $4.99. Sounds cheap but when you consider that the rifles range from $300 (em$) to over $700 em$ it adds up fast. One thing that really gets on my nerves is that they have invented a gun, not unusual for a game to do, but when they say they are the MOST REALISTIC!!!! The gun in mention is the lever action 30-06 (30 ought 6) with an icon showing a 1793 model lever action gun that was never made in this caliber, it has a tube feed configuration. This would be a very dangerous gun to operate as the BULLET configurations are pointed, this would cause the remaining bullets in the tube magazine to fire off when the trigger was pulled on the first round. It was brought to their attention many times but they ignore those types of suggestions. Oh yea and they stated that a scope could not be put on that type of weapon, at least the OLD owners of the game have stated that and the new owners (just a branch off the old owners) state it is now possible and are going to continue with this farce of being the most realistic hunting SIM with fictitious guns. LOL
Well anyway it's your money and I just couldn't see letting this very biased review go without giving you at least some truth into The Hunter venture. I still have my wardens membership which apparently, as long as it is kept in good standing should never expire!! Any one interested???
Love the game, I really hate to take a cheap shot but when i started I didn't know any better, I killed everything i saw; small doe, large buck, didn't matter, killed 12 does in 3 hours on my second hunting session. http://apostacious.thehunter.com/
I try to aim for the heart but most of the times hit the lungs and that ends up in that awkward moment where you have to put it out of it's misery.. A little disheartening but for the trill I'll do it over and over again always aiming for that perfect shot.
I try to aim for the heart but most of the times hit the lungs and that ends up in that awkward moment where you have to put it out of it's misery.. A little disheartening but for the trill I'll do it over and over again always aiming for that perfect shot.