Young Gamers

[WlknCntrdiction]

Maturity and age are not mutually exclusive. I say it should be upto the parents to decide if their kid is mature enough to handle the game they want, but then most parents nowadays give into their kids whining and will buy the game just to shut them up, bad parents. So really the entire purpose is defeated.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Being a "Young" Gamer *I'm 15*, I think kids are entitled to play M-Rated games. As long as they're mature enough, sure. I played Halo CE when it released, and I was, what? 7-8 years old?

They just shouldn't be put online. Although I do have a Gold account, and I never yell or scream in the mic.

 

[Scrythe]

I generally avoid them like the plague, but what I really hate are the hackers script kiddies who insist that the current game sucks unless you cheat. You see this a lot on free games with high populations like MapleStory or Grand Theft Auto Online.

Another pet peeve with young gamers is when they can't admit they suck at a certain part of a game and claim that their opponent was cheating, as if it was impossible for them to have lost under normal circumstances. This one you see more with FPSs and MMOs.

 

[BolognaBaloney]

I'll just say that most kids I knew since 12 could handle M-rated games just fine. They really aren't that bad.

Annoying voices and immaturity abound in the online gaming world, age regardless.
But as far as younger kids, yes they should be kept away from M-rated games.
I don't believe it influences them, but I do believe it can desensitize them.

And what's wrong with that? I never got why desensitization's such a bad thing, especially if it doesn't influence them.

But I agree with you about online gaming, it doesn't really matter how old they are, people will be idiots, especially on Xbox Live.

Because there are some things, namely child-like innocence, that doesn't need to be stripped away by gaming. For once, I agree with the government, I'm glad we have rating systems, because most 12 year olds shouldn't be playing gta 4. With age comes better understanding, and more time to realize your own choices and preferences, when it comes to life or games.

The childhood innocence thing is what gets to me. Childhood innocence is ignorance, plain and simple. People stop being so "innocent" when they're older because they know more about the world and reality. As for the age thing, you have the right idea, but it's experience and learning that gives you a better understanding of yourself, and those don't simply come from age.

But like you say, understanding comes with experience and learning, and these things typically come with age, but when kids can access m rated games and r rated movies at younger ages, they begin to experience things they don't quite understand, and it could, not saying always, but could leave them confused, especially regarding moral ambiguity. I'm not saying 17 is a magical age where children begin to understand the world, it differs for most people. But as you have said, understanding takes experience, which comes with age, so parents need to know what age their children are emotionally. I guess it boils down to, if parents were more involved, this wouldn't really be much of a problem.

 

[BolognaBaloney]

I'll just say that most kids I knew since 12 could handle M-rated games just fine. They really aren't that bad.

Annoying voices and immaturity abound in the online gaming world, age regardless.
But as far as younger kids, yes they should be kept away from M-rated games.
I don't believe it influences them, but I do believe it can desensitize them.

And what's wrong with that? I never got why desensitization's such a bad thing, especially if it doesn't influence them.

But I agree with you about online gaming, it doesn't really matter how old they are, people will be idiots, especially on Xbox Live.

Because there are some things, namely child-like innocence, that doesn't need to be stripped away by gaming. For once, I agree with the government, I'm glad we have rating systems, because most 12 year olds shouldn't be playing gta 4. With age comes better understanding, and more time to realize your own choices and preferences, when it comes to life or games.

The childhood innocence thing is what gets to me. Childhood innocence is ignorance, plain and simple. People stop being so "innocent" when they're older because they know more about the world and reality. As for the age thing, you have the right idea, but it's experience and learning that gives you a better understanding of yourself, and those don't simply come from age.

Also, don't mean to double post, but that's why it's childhood innocence, yes children loose it as they get older and experience more, but as children, they are innocent until they learn otherwise.

 

[Fraught]

This was in skate.

Annoying kid: *talks to himself, uses alot of profanities to talk about nonsense I can't remember, then, all of a sudden says* I'm winning, I'm winning! (although he's the last on the scoreboard)
Me: Hey, you're not first, so shut up.
Annoying kid: You shut up!
Me: No, I've only talked once.
Annoying kid: Well, you're mom. I'm totally first!
And it went on and on.

I know it's not as worse as some others have had experiences, but I usually don't listen to what any of them say, so I don't have any other examples.
I do hate them though, and it's ironic, considering I was probably at the same age as that kid, though my voice is a bit deeper than most of my age.

 

[Valkyira]

Because they have squeaky voices and insult you for no reason. They try to make out that they are amazing at whatever game you are playing, and they have a habit of playing awful music down the headset. I don't really have a problem with kids playing games they are too young for but it pisses me off when they start talking shit or being annoying

 

[Soxafloppin]

I played mortal kombat for most of my childhood... im perfectly fine *twiches*

 

[DazZ.]

I dont mind children playing games that are aimed for older audiances (I grew up on such games), and I dont mind playing with them if they know what they are doing and dont spam voice chat.

Recently on Left 4 Dead I had a kid running around straight forward going "come on keep up" in a voice which only my dog could hear properly. (Running forward fast as possable on your own is a pretty fail plan in L4D)
Then when firing his gun going "bam bam bam bam bam bam bam... YEAH!".
Then shouting at everyone for not being able to save him. (not that I tried to be honest, thought if hed die hed shut up, but no...)

Its not because he was a kid I had a problem, if an adult did that id have been just as annoyed, but it seems to be kids that do it more.

 

[FoOd77]

A lot of those young gamers can be annoying, but not all of them, I once had a friend on LIVE who was VERY young, I think under ten, but was the most polite, laid back kid I've ever met. So now I know that they aren't all bad, that some are actually more mature than the people above 18.

And really, I think all this hatred towards young gamers only makes the problem worse, it's like we're causing them to develop a Napoleon Complex, they feel like they've got something to prove.

 

[Prowers]

(studies have shown that hand deformations are actually quite possible from too many games).

Well, any musician would have a quite interesting one; Brass tubes and valves are not formfitting, they manipulate your fingers until they are...

 

[NotAPie]

I played mortal kombat for most of my childhood... im perfectly fine *twiches*

You know I played Mortal Kombat too.
As a matter of fact it was the game that I first played.
D:< AND DON'T YOU TWICH.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I played mortal kombat for most of my childhood... im perfectly fine *twiches*

You know I played Mortal Kombat too.
As a matter of fact it was the game that I first played.
D:< AND DON'T YOU TWICH.

I actually still play MK2 and MKT

 

[Manhattan2112]

Ok, I've got a response to this:

First of all, the 'M' Rated games thing. Children who are immature obviously can't handle the violence. But that doesn't mean you should outlaw the whole thing. When I was 6, I played my first videogame. Resident Evil. I'm not scarred for life, or anything. I can differentiate between fantasy and reality. However, most unfortunately, many children in the world cannot do this. But the responsibility should lie with the parents. If little Billy goes on a killing spree because he saw it on Grand Theft Auto, the parents don't have any right to sue Rockstar. No company can make sure that there aren't any children playing their game. And I think Yahtzee said it best in one of his videos, (I'm paraphrasing, 'cause I don't know what he said word for word) that "they try to keep these games away from 12-year-olds, but nobody's really into this kind of thing except for 12-year-olds anyway". It's not the game manufacturers fault, OR problem if little kids are playing their game. They just make it. If the parents know the emotional limitations of their children, then they should know what's right or wrong for them in the videogame world.

And about the kids with squeeky voices, that's not exactly an age thing. I'm 14, and people say I sound like I'm in my 20's. I can put up with the voices of the 12 year olds. It's the REAL little one's that I hate. I met this kid on Team Fortress 2 the other day, swear to God he had to have been 7. AND retarded.

 

[shotgunbob]

For instance in my first clan we played CoD1 and one members younger brother was always on and he was like 11 and whenever he died he would ***** and moan and claim you hacked

 

[IntoxicatedKnight]

Should M-rated games be better kept from children (meaning 12 down or so)?

Why are children so widely disliked on Xbox Live, especially voice chat? Admittedly, I'm also annoyed by whining 12 year olds, but I actually can't really justify my dislike.

Do you think it's a major physical problem for kids playing hours and hours of videogames? (studies have shown that hand deformations are actually quite possible from too many games).

-Shotty

1. Yes, desensitisation is steadily becoming the norm.
2. They're widely disliked because they think that they're better than everyone and believe it's 'cool' to swear, make everybody's online game unbearable and call you the 'n' word.
3. Hours and hours of gaming for kids is also a growing concern, they need exercise as well dammit!

 

[ace_of_something]

My nephew is 13 years old and is not allowed to own any M+ rated games. His father (my brother) does own a few though. He keeps them in a combination safe (alone with the more 'hard R' rated movies and bullets to his gun). He has a 360 but his dad took away the headset when he caught him cussing into the thing. (among other punishments).
It's just kids shouldn't talk like that. Hell, adults shouldn't talk like that it's just a game.

Realistically my newphew has played many M games and seen many R movies because his friends have those things and... *ahem* his uncle might not be stopping him from playing the occasional game of Resistance 2.

 

[Manhattan2112]

The childhood innocence thing is what gets to me. Childhood innocence is ignorance, plain and simple. People stop being so "innocent" when they're older because they know more about the world and reality. As for the age thing, you have the right idea, but it's experience and learning that gives you a better understanding of yourself, and those don't simply come from age.

Yes but what are children without that ignorance? Fucked up, is the answer.

I'm not saying kids are going to go insane if they play violent games - far from it, I doubt it would affect most too much, and it's not actually something I care about much anyway.

It is only the fact that you seem to think this ignorance better removed that impelled me to post.

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Manhattan2112]

My nephew is 13 years old and is not allowed to own any M+ rated games. His father (my brother) does own a few though. He keeps them in a combination safe (alone with the more 'hard R' rated movies and bullets to his gun). He has a 360 but his dad took away the headset when he caught him cussing into the thing. (among other punishments).
It's just kids shouldn't talk like that. Hell, adults shouldn't talk like that it's just a game.

Realistically my newphew has playd many M games and seen many R movies because his friends have those things and... *ahem* his uncle might not be stopping him from playing the occasional game of Resistance 2.

Wait, so this kid's dad is putting 'Bullets' on the same destructive level as 'R Rates Movies' and 'M Rated Videogames'? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!!! The kid (I don't mean to offend) Would have to have some kind of issue where this was necessary. Like, ADHD, or something. Anything that would even cause him to think, 'In GTA4 I ran over this guy and it was funny. So I'm going to go on a killing spree!'.
Some people, man

 

[darkfire613]

I myself am 14, so consider that I might be a bit biased in this instance.

I feel that it does not depend nearly as much on age as it does on maturity. For example, staying civil-tongued on Xbox LIVE, sticking with a team, and playing smartly. High pitched voices do not bother me much unless they're extremely loud, have tantrums, etc.

I got Left 4 Dead right around when it came out (for 360), and I feel that in most games I played online, I was a valuable addition to the team-the people I played with were for the most part respectful, and it was fun. I stopped playing for a couple months, and when I came back to it, I got put in a match where there was what sounded like a 7 year old, who would just run off, get hit by a tank and incapacitated, then whined incessantly for someone to revive him. This is the only issue with age I have.

What really bothers me is how on some sites, the majority of people think that children and teenagers should be banned from all games, because they're stereotypically immature. I don't think age is a very good thing to base game choice off of, I think maturity plays a much larger role.

EDIT: Oh yes, the desensitization thing. Video games don't desensitize kids, the WORLD does. On the news, it's always murder, violent theft, and some country bombing some other country. In my 8th grade language arts (I'm technically a high school freshman, just finished 8th grade) we did whole units on slavery and the Holocaust. People attack video games for desensitizing kids, but when it's in a classroom it's suddenly just "oh it's education, kids need to know this stuff." So we get to the point where we have teenagers seeing all this violent history in school, when games like 6 Days in Fallujah get dropped by publishers for being too "controversial" when they are also about (much more recent) history which people ought to know about.