Why? This is not only morally terrible, but gives the government a whole new edge in their fight against free speech in games. What kind of sick individual would do this to his chosen form of entertainment? Is he stupid enough to not expect the amount of negative feedback and most likely threats that he'll probably receive? Things like this make me a little sick
Inside the Sick Mind of a School Shooter Mod
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
Can someone answer me this because after reading the article I've got one thought question floating in my mind
This mod isn't anything new, this isn't the first game of its kind nor will it be the last, why exactly is this one getting so much interest?
This mod isn't anything new, this isn't the first game of its kind nor will it be the last, why exactly is this one getting so much interest?
I'll most likely never play it, not only because I don't actually have any game that runs the Source engine besides Portal, but also because I haven't been a fan of any GTA game since the last overhead-view iteration for the PS1. This sort of game just doesn't appeal to me.
That said, I actually agree with every point that Pawnstick made... aside from "this is just what games are"
...really, it's just that in most cases within one specific genre... he's right, they're about brutally killing NPCs, whether in battle or by surprise.
That said, I actually agree with every point that Pawnstick made... aside from "this is just what games are"
...really, it's just that in most cases within one specific genre... he's right, they're about brutally killing NPCs, whether in battle or by surprise.
Well, this mod, your a kid with a gun.arragonder said:
In Prototype, you play a mutant with the ability to run up buildings, turn his body into various objects of carnage, shapeshift into other people, survive getting shot full of holes from countless soldiers, tanks, and choppers, and can consume living organic matter by touching it, and than you can become that person... oh, and he can fly around by shooting blood at high velocity out of his wrists like an emo rocketeer. I think there is a slight bit of difference between them. You know, the whole suspension of belief bit, as I doubt to many kids will end up like Alex Mercer (that the Prototype guys name, right?)
Context makes all the difference. What your targets represent is far more important than how they look. The fact that it's not real is beside the point, the player is still encouraged to gain enjoyment from a school shooting.dogstile said:
The idea that people should be allowed to produce whatever material they want and not have to justify it is a horrible idea. What the developer is doing here is communicating an idea to the world, of course he should have to respond to criticism. If you create something so obviously controvesial you can't ignore people's responses to it, and you'd better have some damn good reasoning behind your choice to create it. This guy doesn't have that. It would be better for him and I'm sure for many other people if he simply cancelled the project, though of course if he chooses to go ahead with it, he should have the right to. Equally, I should have the right to complain and protest against this, and I should have the right to a proper response to my criticism.
Oh, and you'd better be prepared to spend a long time arguing this point. You said something very contentious in a public forum, and now you'll see the results.
I think this sort of thing is not only perfectly acceptable but needed.
As an industry we continue to battle against the whole "Video games are murder simulators and training our youth to become serial killers" thing every day, so why not put our arguments and theories about Video game violence being entirely harmless because its fantasy up against the ultimate test.
If this actual murder simulator does not turn everyone who plays it into a serial killer, then nothing will and perhaps we can put the whole stupid thing behind us.
As an industry we continue to battle against the whole "Video games are murder simulators and training our youth to become serial killers" thing every day, so why not put our arguments and theories about Video game violence being entirely harmless because its fantasy up against the ultimate test.
If this actual murder simulator does not turn everyone who plays it into a serial killer, then nothing will and perhaps we can put the whole stupid thing behind us.
I advocate this game. It really is no different to mowing down the pregnant lady in GTA or the mission in MW2 where you can kill innocent people in an airport. It all boils down to whether you actually have the stones to stand behind games that are morally questionable. We were 'all' willing to stand behind the Taliban being in MoH which would have offended people like this game does.
If you play any game where you kill someone then you may as well play this. If there is anything that I know in this world, it's that killing mindless AI isn't morally questionable.
How many of you wanted to kill the kids in Fallout 3 because they were little cunts? I know I did. How many of you shot at civilians in any GTA game? I know I did. How many of you went into a town in Red Dead, shot a few civilians, robbed a bank and then proceeded to ride your horse out of that town shooting at the law enforcers who were just doing their jobs, had wives to go home to and were decent people? I know I did.
Now, how many of you have ever done that in real life? I know I haven't.
If you play any game where you kill someone then you may as well play this. If there is anything that I know in this world, it's that killing mindless AI isn't morally questionable.
How many of you wanted to kill the kids in Fallout 3 because they were little cunts? I know I did. How many of you shot at civilians in any GTA game? I know I did. How many of you went into a town in Red Dead, shot a few civilians, robbed a bank and then proceeded to ride your horse out of that town shooting at the law enforcers who were just doing their jobs, had wives to go home to and were decent people? I know I did.
Now, how many of you have ever done that in real life? I know I haven't.
Someone like this isnt helping games or the game industry at all. Not only will it bring attention from the media, but this will have serious political implications. Expect many countries/ states to start campaigns to find another way of censoring the arts all in the name of child safety. Children arent idiots, and while none should ever play something like this, games like GTA and COD arent, contrary to popular belief corrupting their minds. Anyway I've gone off topic but this game's wrong, but cant not be made, and we need to stand up for the medium in the face of the incoming controversy.
Heh, this article reminds me of Encyclopedia Dramatica's 'offended' page.
But seriously, put it this way I think. He has every right to do this. The question is - why is this being done? For me really it boils down to the following: either a) he's genuinely sincere about this and just wants to show people that the world won't end with a game like this and that there's even room for this sort of thing on this planet or b) he's doing it strictly 'for the lulz'. To reflect these motivations, one of two things will happen (or who knows...perhaps has already happened) from this point on:
If it really is a matter of a), then it should be launched with the same kind of marketing as is standard for this type of product. If it does so, without any bombastic pandering, then honestly maybe people should learn to stop being offended this easily. If everyone is tip-toeing oh so carefully in the name of trying to present gaming as 'respectable', then please if asked about this product just state that it is most certainly not one intended for the mass market in any way. I doubt anyone will have a problem agreeing with that much - after all, it's not like the mass market would be interested in a movie about Columbine or such either at this moment, nor is watching guro artwork popular, yet it still exists for those few that might find something in it, right?
b) He'll decide to deliberately seek to stir every bit of controvesy and take every opportunity to troll his detractors. He'll take every chance he gets to shout out his beliefs to the heavens in the style of 'You can't tame meh!!!' and generally be an attention whore, all in the name of 'fighting for the rights of his game.'
If a) happens, then people might want to get off their moral high horse in this case and just move on with their lives. If you truly detest this sort of game, ignore it - in that way you do the most to sap it of it's power. Don't like it, don't buy it/play it or even talk about it. That'll be a lot better than covering its controvesy which, by the way, will fuel it to heights you might never have wanted it to reach with this peice in the first place.
If b) happens though heh...well, then all I can say is double the former. Because scrotum-suckers like that just thrive off the attention that is given to them. Penny Arcade made a comic I think about one such case, where the best way to deal with it is not to give much thought to something that stupid at all. Although I am certain that most people will rather protest this thing 'on principle', unwittingly helping to make this thing into some kind of statement for 'the true nature of videogames' (which this most certainly isn't - it's just another facet of videogames, nothing more or less really).
Either way, I honestly wonder how much The Escapist will keep covering this thing. Because believe me when I say that covering this sort of thing in more than one article can easily serve to propagate more of such things in the future, especially by vehemently spitting bile against it and thus galvanizing the opposing side (yes, there actually is one and no, despite the article's subtitle, it did not offend 'everyone').
But seriously, put it this way I think. He has every right to do this. The question is - why is this being done? For me really it boils down to the following: either a) he's genuinely sincere about this and just wants to show people that the world won't end with a game like this and that there's even room for this sort of thing on this planet or b) he's doing it strictly 'for the lulz'. To reflect these motivations, one of two things will happen (or who knows...perhaps has already happened) from this point on:
If it really is a matter of a), then it should be launched with the same kind of marketing as is standard for this type of product. If it does so, without any bombastic pandering, then honestly maybe people should learn to stop being offended this easily. If everyone is tip-toeing oh so carefully in the name of trying to present gaming as 'respectable', then please if asked about this product just state that it is most certainly not one intended for the mass market in any way. I doubt anyone will have a problem agreeing with that much - after all, it's not like the mass market would be interested in a movie about Columbine or such either at this moment, nor is watching guro artwork popular, yet it still exists for those few that might find something in it, right?
b) He'll decide to deliberately seek to stir every bit of controvesy and take every opportunity to troll his detractors. He'll take every chance he gets to shout out his beliefs to the heavens in the style of 'You can't tame meh!!!' and generally be an attention whore, all in the name of 'fighting for the rights of his game.'
If a) happens, then people might want to get off their moral high horse in this case and just move on with their lives. If you truly detest this sort of game, ignore it - in that way you do the most to sap it of it's power. Don't like it, don't buy it/play it or even talk about it. That'll be a lot better than covering its controvesy which, by the way, will fuel it to heights you might never have wanted it to reach with this peice in the first place.
If b) happens though heh...well, then all I can say is double the former. Because scrotum-suckers like that just thrive off the attention that is given to them. Penny Arcade made a comic I think about one such case, where the best way to deal with it is not to give much thought to something that stupid at all. Although I am certain that most people will rather protest this thing 'on principle', unwittingly helping to make this thing into some kind of statement for 'the true nature of videogames' (which this most certainly isn't - it's just another facet of videogames, nothing more or less really).
Either way, I honestly wonder how much The Escapist will keep covering this thing. Because believe me when I say that covering this sort of thing in more than one article can easily serve to propagate more of such things in the future, especially by vehemently spitting bile against it and thus galvanizing the opposing side (yes, there actually is one and no, despite the article's subtitle, it did not offend 'everyone').
I couldn't even finish the article.
This mod had better tank. And it had better tank HARD.
2) Because the ESRB already rates games, and M or higher rated are already illegal to sell to anybody below 17. So this would target T or E games like (as you mentioned) Uncharted or Pokemon.
This mod had better tank. And it had better tank HARD.
1) Because if video games are on the same level as movies or books, then this impedes on freedom of expression. And many people believe that, while a younger medium, games have the same rights.Dawkter said:
2) Because the ESRB already rates games, and M or higher rated are already illegal to sell to anybody below 17. So this would target T or E games like (as you mentioned) Uncharted or Pokemon.
I find it interesting how you accuse me of attacking you (which I didn't), then go on an aggressive rant.La Barata said:
Anyways, I graduated last year out of a school where the staff successfully defused no fewer then four bullies groups in three years. I even was involved mere weeks ago in a defamation via Facebook case where fifteen people got a warning, one got a two day suspension, and another got a five-day suspension. So no, the administration was awesome.
Still, did you get your parents involved?
Did you consider switching schools?
Did you consider psychological warfare?
Were you friendly to everyone else?
Did you stay in good status with the teachers?
Did you consider hiding in a closet and reading, since you claim to have had no friends?
Did you react to them?
Did you withdraw into an easily prodded shell?
Seriously, if you did the last two and almost none of the others, then no wonder high-school sucked.
I guess I have to be careful about arguing that these sorts of games have no utility... this one, for instance, seems to be working quite handily as a sociopath detector.
I suppose he has the right to create this, but having the right doesn't mean that it's necessarily good to do so. I doubt anybody can argue that the Westboro "Baptist" Church is performing a valuable service.
I do have to be careful, though, as I can't watch video here in the office so I'm only getting a partial idea of what's going on. I'll try to reserve judgement until I know more... but it's tough on an issue like this one.
-- Steve
PS: insert another ritual damnation of reCaptcha here
I suppose he has the right to create this, but having the right doesn't mean that it's necessarily good to do so. I doubt anybody can argue that the Westboro "Baptist" Church is performing a valuable service.
I do have to be careful, though, as I can't watch video here in the office so I'm only getting a partial idea of what's going on. I'll try to reserve judgement until I know more... but it's tough on an issue like this one.
-- Steve
PS: insert another ritual damnation of reCaptcha here
ok so after watching a video of this mod, albeit from july of last year, i can say its pretty pathetic. it just halflife 2 survival mode. you start off in a room with gordons shotgun, and his smg then, after killing some of the civilians and scientists and barney (tear for barney) from the opening of hl2, some combine come in and you survive as long as possible. you can even still see the stock orange color where he didnt texture the walls. i didnt see any points, or options to kill myself, or one liners, or even kids. face it mr. tito, you got trolled, bad.
its rather stupid. this **** saying his game would be good and whatever else is an idiot troll.
the only thing that is objectionable about this game is the title and that hes using hl2 for such a shit mod. what a complete troll.
its rather stupid. this **** saying his game would be good and whatever else is an idiot troll.
the only thing that is objectionable about this game is the title and that hes using hl2 for such a shit mod. what a complete troll.
Actually save for the FO3 kids, I never did any of those things... God... not even the Fatman can kill those bastards...The Unworthy Gentleman said:
He makes fair arguments, but that doesn't stop me feeling ill when I read this. You can't compare Bulletstorm to a school shooting simulator and claim they're one and the same. And what he says about creating a game for gamers who enjoy shooting helpless NPCs who can't fight back.... is that--I mean, does anyone actually want to do that? Is this just an excuse or is he designing for an actual audience? There's a difference between having that be a level in an otherwise fair-sided shooter, and it being your entire game.
Why is this ANY different to games where you murder anyone? I think if there's one thing that this highlights, is that there's something wrong with a country where someone going around a school with a firearm can be considered "realistic". I don't condone the mod, but I do ask people who find nothing wrong with shooting foreigners or adults to reflect upon their attitudes and beliefs.
And in the long run? Perhaps if the assholes from the American school shootings could play this game, the disasters may have been averted
And in the long run? Perhaps if the assholes from the American school shootings could play this game, the disasters may have been averted