Gun Enthusiasts Complain About the "Call of Duty Effect"

[Spaghetti]

Ow. I just hurt my head banging it on my keyboard.

This doesn't particularly surprise me though. It's like people saying they know about Scottish history because "I've watched Braveheart" Although I don't think it's a case of idiocy, more naivety. I mean, I think I understand a little bit about fire arms, a little bit from video games, but mostly from books. But I'm level headed enough to know that the moment I ever pick up a gun, I'm gonna get egg on my face and a bullet in my foot.

But then of course, that's the argument for those who don't intend to actually shoot someone or "Cap some n00bs". Those that do are idiots.

 

[Tdc2182]

This is a reason why we should start having time limits on certain gamers

 

[Canid117]

I know random trivia about guns and probably more than the random idiot out of call of duty (I watched lots of the history channel specials on guns when I was a kid) but I would not pretend to know more than my local gun store owner because I play lots of tdm. I have had a brief safety introduction from an old family friend when he took me shooting about two years ago but I don't remember much so I am not going to go out and buy the nearest civilian version of the G36 and go to the range by myself. The point I am trying to make is, I have common sense so why can't these kids find some?

 

[warmonkey]

a well-regulated militia is in the parlance of the times (which is the only meaningful way to understand what they're talking about since the common definition of words changes with the time) a well-functioning body of armed private citizens.

regulated does not mean controlled. a well-regulated watch is an accurate timepiece not because it's tightly controlled but because it functions soundly. the militia itself was not a group or organization or club or any such thing, but was.. well, just a posse, really. It was you, and me, and our neighbor and his two boys grabbing the rifles and shotguns off the mantle and sallying forth to deal with the Big Bad Shit that's out there in the world trying to mess with us and ours.

So we have: A group of private citizens taking up personal arms in times of need is needed to ensure the safety of a free State, so the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

It's really very simple if you're not trying to inject your own personal beliefs and hopes into the mess.


Oh, and Grinning: Some states allow open carry, as well. I live in one of them. That means that, without any need of a license, I can strap a holster on my hip and throw some iron in there and walk down the street, legally.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

That's a little silly. I really don't think that video games could make a person a gun expert. Guitar Hero dosen't make you a guitar player now does it?

 

[Tdc2182]

I play MW2, and I know the only thing it taught me was what certain guns look like.
[/quote
I wouldn't even get to comfortable with that. IW took the most obscure model of each gun they could find. They tended to put camo plating on all the assault rifles too. Then again, it is suppose to take place in the future.

 

[z121231211]

That's pretty scary...Thinking of the n00b hunters buying REAL guns

I wouldn't be too concerned. Zero skill is required to kill in Halo and CoD (prove me wrong) with a sniper rifle, or anything really. They probably couldn't figure out how to LOAD the rifle to begin with! xD

I have zero skill, and I can't kill with just about any weapon in Halo, much less with a sniper rifle.

Sure, sniping in games is a skill unrelated to actual sniping, but still a skill.

 

[TMAN10112]

I've been complaining about this attitude for years.

It reminds me of a test I once did with one of my friends, just to see how much your average FPS player knows about guns.

One day while he was over, I took out my shotgun (a Mossberg 500) and 2 snap-caps (fake bullets used for safely checking that a gun feeds right). After giving him a quick rundown of firearm safety, checking and then re-checking the gun, I handed him the gun and caps to see if he could figure it out.

It took him 5 minutes and several hints just to get the caps into the tube, 10 to figure out how to chamber the first cap, 2 to find the safety, and then 15 minutes of me nagging to hold it (almost) right.

Playing a videogame teaches you as much about guns, as watching Dr. Phil does about being a parent.

RELATED SIDENOTE!

A thought occurs to me, mabye the Yanks on here can help me out:

You're allowed a concealed firearm, aren't you? If I had a poncho on and wore a hip holster that, if I hadn't got the poncho on, would be blatantly visible...does that count as a concealed firearm, or a firearm that happens to have a bit of material hiding it?

It varies greatly depending on what state, county, or city you're in.

For example; I live in New York, and in my county you can apply for a Concealed-Carry Permit (handgun safety course required) which lets you carry a handgun hidden on your person (not visible to others). However, it is illegal for you to carry it somewhere/how that it is visible to others, or even to have it somewhere in you car with the ammuntion readily available (it must be concealed on your person, or you could face heavey fines or even jail time).

In some counties it is extremely hard to get anything other then Range/Hunting Permits, which only allows you to wear your gun during the walk to your car and back (otherwise you would have to lock it up in a case each time).

In NYC it is impossible to (legally) own a handgun unless you are Cop, professional bodyguard, or famous.

I've heard that way up-state (Dover county & such) the police don't generally enforce some laws, so even though it's technicaly illegal, no one's really going to bother you so it's pretty much open-carry.

And lastly, some states are much looser in general, only requiring you take a short course for full-carry privelages.

 

[SimuLord]

This is one case where video games have absolutely, positively, without question ruined young minds.

It's not the violence that bugs me in video games. It's the way gamers act like douchebags when they think they're "experts" at something just because they saw it in a game.

 

[Sparten0515]

WELL SHIT IM GLAD SOME PEOLPE FEEL MY PAIN!! Im a gun enthusiast, and a hunter. Until call of duty 4 came out, i was one of the only ones in my circle of friends who knew or gave a dam about modern weapons. Now everyone knows about them. I don't mean to over react or anything (even though i probably just did), but its kind of annoying when a whiney 12 year old knows as much as i do just because they got Modern warfare 2 for christmas.

 

[dmccune]

The cultural shift of firearms into entertainment is really kind of twisted when you realize they're built for the sole purpose of killing other human beings.

No they aren't. They aren't built for the "sole purpose of killing other human beings" any more than a bow and arrow, a knife, or an explosive is built for "the sole purpose of killing other human beings". Guns are built to propel a projectile in a (reasonably) straight line for a determined distance, with a degree of force.

Certainly, they *can* be used to kill human beings, and do a very good job at that, but they can also be used for hunting or target shooting or even admired for their aesthetic purposes. Hell, the Katana was a military weapon o' death and now we romanticize them (and other swords) as art pieces.

And lets not forget, there's an olympic sport which features GUNS.

Now, none of the above to to say everyone should just be able to buy a gun from their local walmart. Their should of course be regulation given the fact that these are weapons that can kill easily, but to summarize them as existing "solely to kill human beings" is ignorant and hyperbolic.

 

[SimuLord]

WELL SHIT IM GLAD SOME PEOLPE FEEL MY PAIN!! Im a gun enthusiast, and a hunter. Until call of duty 4 came out, i was one of the only ones in my circle of friends who knew or gave a dam about modern weapons. Now everyone knows about them. I don't mean to over react or anything (even though i probably just did), but its kind of annoying when a whiney 12 year old knows as much as i do just because they got Modern warfare 2 for christmas.

If that 12-year-old "knows as much as you do", that doesn't reflect well on you.

This is further proof that games like MW2 and Halo should NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE be sold to anyone under the age of 18.

Parents should not be allowed to buy these games either. They just end up in the hands of bratty 12 year old xbox 360 users.

are you michael atkinson?

You don't have to be Michael Atkinson to know that giving little 12-year-old fucktards M-rated games is a Bad Idea?.

 

[Revolutionary]

Wow, that last conversation is acutally kind of scary.

 

[Lunar Shadow]

My only problem with the COD Effect is people think bigger bullet= better gun. I can make you dead just as easily with a .22 long as with a .50. The .50 is just liable to injure me as well.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I like to think I'm not "gun illiterate" from playing "vidja gamez", so I try not to be like that, but some of the information given by video games is useful.

Gun names, calibre, rough aproximation of their real-life use.

Video games can inspire people to go actually learn things about the weapons for real, though the majority of us seem quite happy just accepting things how games portray them because a lot of us don't actually use guns, I imagine.

Now, none of the above to to say everyone should just be able to buy a gun from their local walmart. Their should of course be regulation given the fact that these are weapons that can kill easily, but to summarize them as existing "solely to kill human beings" is ignorant and hyperbolic.

You're just arguing about words there, the point of a gun is this: Deliver a metal projectile at a lethal velocity.

That is not a good thing, unless used on zombies or hostile aliens... but what are the chances?

 

[vasudean]

What? Now all that has to happen is for them to stick their eye just a little too close to the scope while firing and the idiot will realize two things. One: Guns are very loud things, and two: scopes hurt.

 

[SimuLord]

You're just arguing about words there, the point of a gun is this: Deliver a metal projectile at a lethal velocity.

Can't remember where I heard this, but "Guns don't kill people. Bullets kill people. Guns just make the bullets go really fast."

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

It's pretty messed up, why the hell are guns still legal in America? Kitchen knives are only sold to over 18s over here.

I remember doing this when I was 5 and with swords, "Am an ecs pert daddy, dats a brawd sord!"
That's as well and good when your 5 and weapons are illegal but at an age and place where its legal to 'headshot some noobs' that's fucking awful no matter how much experience hes had with guns he can and wants to kill people and it's all so easy to aim and pull a trigger, I did targets with a pistol in scouts, I officially know how to kill people but I don't want to.