rantrantrantgta5rantrantrant

[Fruity Insanity]

Oh look. I was just thinking about GTA V when I opened SF and saw a GTA V ad. -_-'

Anyway, did anybody here get GTA V? (I didn't...)

I mean, the huge world, beautiful graphics, and wonderful story are good and all... which is why it sold a record-breaking $800 million worth of copies in 24 hours (and another record breaker: $1 billion in 3 days... outselling Black Ops 2), but I found, at least from what I read (because I haven't played the game), that the game is sort of... disturbing...

It takes violence to such extremes... And I don't have anything against kids who are actually 17+ playing the game, but I'm pret-ty sure a lot of kids who aren't 17 are playing the game, too. That said, they're being exposed to one of the most violent and graphic games of all time. (Like torture, seriously?)

I dunno... I just feel uneasy about the whole thing...

Look at it this way.

Let's say the PS3 has sold around 80 million consoles to-date. Also, let's assume that the Xbox 360 sold roughly the same amount. That makes the combined total of consoles out there about 160 million.

$800 million was made in one day; $1 billion in three. The game costs $60, so divide $1 billion by 60. That's about 16.5 million copies. But take higher prices in Europe and import costs to those abroad into account, and lower the sales count to what R* says they sold: about 13 million copies. Nearly one in ten Xbox 360/PS3 owners have GTA 5.

BUT... you also have to consider the fact that Japan has a large chunk of those PS3s. And the fact that the game didn't really, uh, release there yet? So that means more than one in ten people have it.

THINK OF ALL THE DEFILED CHILDREN!!! ;~;

Someone contradict my statement and argue, please, because I don't want to be right in this regard. At all...

I mean, GTA is one of Britain's greatest cultural (and probably commercial?) exports, but is that good?

Violence up to a certain point is okay (I have absolutely no problem with games like COD, or Battlefield, or Halo, or other FPSs...). But GTA takes violence to a whole new level. *sigh*

[euklyd]

Someone contradict my statement and argue, please, because I don't want to be right in this regard. At all...

No.

I mean, GTA is one of Britain's greatest cultural (and probably commercial?) exports, but is that good?

It's very bad. How could the brits be beating us yanks in any way when it comes to exporting violence?

[Fruity Insanity]

No.

It's very bad. How could the brits be beating us yanks in any way when it comes to exporting violence?

PLEASE!

That's not really what I meant by "Is that good?" :P

I meant "Is such an export good? Is such a game an image Britain wants to represent?" (Not saying Britain's name hangs on a video game, mind you), not "How could they beat us?"

It's not a matter of competition but morality.

I can accept that this world is changing in ways never seen before. In fact, I'm known to fling my doors open for them. But some changes seem forced... or unneeded at the time... or even extreme.

Not saying that GTA specifically fits into any one of those categories, but it's it seems rather over-done.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Fruit Ninja

[Phoenix Wright]

i played so much gta when i was little. i don't harm animals (even flies) or people in daily life. those kids are fine, unless some other factors make them not fine.

[Knight]

Personally, I don't advise anyone under 13 play a game like GTA. Honestly, there's a lot of stupid kids out there, people vary in how much influence they take in from something, and I just don't advise it.

[Fruity Insanity]

i played so much gta when i was little. i don't harm animals (even flies) or people in daily life. those kids are fine, unless some other factors make them not fine.

That's not the problem. I agree with you in that GTA probably won't cause violence in later life.

But think of it this way:

Humans can grow "immune" to things they see or experience, provided that they're exposed to it enough.

Pornography and drugs are example of that. One's a psychological immunity. One's a physical one.

After viewing copious amounts of porn, one can grow too accustomed to it. Why? Because the enjoyment of it. The brain's release of dopamine hooks him to it. You don't need a lot of drugs at first, but when you constantly use them, your body requires more... and that can kill you.

Granted, GTA is not the same, I admit that.

But perhaps it desensitizes children today from violence.

And even if that's true to a small extent, results, in my opinion, won't be good.

Mostly because if they lose sensitivity to such things, later on, they may have slightly skewed ideas of what's "right" or what's "wrong."

Also, it could affect how they respond to certain aspects of life...

I'm no professional in this, so this could all sound nonsensical coming from a 17-year-old, but I'm just, y'know, saying... -_-'

(Maybe I shouldn't have put this in FFTF...)

[Icon of Sin]

I mean, GTA is one of Britain's greatest cultural (and probably commercial?) exports, but is that good?

i am amused that you think that britain has nothing better to export culturally than this

clearly britain is backwards in many aspects of culture such as music, arts, cinema, television and litterature

i mean fuck, who are the beatles, jk rowling or jrr tolkien

Edited September 21, 2013 by Woodshooter

[Fruity Insanity]

Personally, I don't advise anyone under 13 play a game like GTA. Honestly, there's a lot of stupid kids out there, people vary in how much influence they take in from something, and I just don't advise it.

Exactly.

Yet I assume the number of kids under 13 is not insignificant. Yes, most of the players are older, but those young children who are exposed to such a game... *shudders*

Even I don't want to play it... (Well, actually, the only reason I'd want to play GTA is to run over people, steal cars, and explore... relatively "simple" things..." Granted, that's perhaps the reason why many people play the game. But because of the other parts...)

[Fruity Insanity]

i am amused that you think that britain has nothing better to export culturally than this

clearly britain is backwards in many aspects of culture such as music, arts, cinema, television and litterature

i mean fuck, who are the beatles, jk rowling or jrr tolkien

I never said Britain has nothing better.

I simply stated that GTA is among those great exports that gained significance internationally, especially given that it broke the record of entertainment sold in one and three days... by far...

I'm aware of Britain's influence on the world in the past and today. Perhaps I'm not particularly educated in that particular area of world history (I haven't even taken AP Euro Hx), but I wouldn't say I'm ignorant about it either.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Fruit Ninja

[Icon of Sin]

perhaps but i'd hesitate to call a game where you can beat hookers, gangbangers and fbi agents to death with a pink dildo "culture" compared to just about everything the country has produced, or even just video games as a whole

financially successful, no doubt however

[Fruity Insanity]

perhaps but i'd hesitate to call a game where you can beat hookers, gangbangers and fbi agents to death with a pink dildo "culture" compared to just about everything the country has produced, or even just video games as a whole

financially successful, no doubt however

Actually, yes, I'd hesitate, too. I guess you're right. In which case, I'll clarify. It's one of Britain's greatest modern cultural exports.

I know, right?

[Phoenix Wright]

i don't know man, for the standards of anyone here, my parents were a far-cry from being responsible. my dad passed long before we could have any serious talks about anything, and my mom was either working or i was asleep. i never saw much of my parents, to be honest. i knew video games were a work of fiction at the age of 5, as did my other brothers (my younger brother didn't play until he was 6 or so, though). i am not desensitized one bit, and my brothers aren't either. i don't think video games really have the capability to affect children so extremely. i feel

the same way towards music, books, and movies.

edit: reading it over, it seems that mentioning my parents is a little weird. what i'm trying to illustrate is that video games don't even require an adult's aid to understand they're not real, and that nothing that happens in there should affect how you act as a person.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Phoenix Wright

[Nobody]

I WANT GTA5!!!!!

Sadly I have to study =/. And them there's pokemon in less than a month, which is my priority. I think I will only play gta in december or so =/

Who cares if it's violent. No sane person goes to the street murder prostitutes just because they saw it on GTA. Half the people I know played GTA san andreas when they were twelve and we're all fine.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Nobody

[Fruity Insanity]

i don't know man, for the standards of anyone here, my parents were a far-cry from being responsible. my dad passed long before we could have any serious talks about anything, and my mom was either working or i was asleep. i never saw much of my parents, to be honest. i knew video games were a work of fiction at the age of 5, as did my other brothers (my younger brother didn't play until he was 6 or so, though). i am not desensitized one bit, and my brothers aren't either. i don't think video games really have the capability to affect children so extremely. i feel the same way towards music, books, and movies.

Hm, perhaps. I guess having grown up in a relatively strict (but not too authoritarian) household, my standards may be different from others.

People know that porn is "bad." You're "cleaner" if you don't view it. (I'm using apostrophes to indicate that "bad" and "clean" are subjective to the person, but, in my opinion, that's the standard the general public has. No porn, good; porn, not so good.) People also know that drugs are bad.

Often, those are the reasons why people don't, or attempt to not engage in such activities.

But one question that comes about is how one can gauge whether he or she is desensitized or not?

To do that, one must make comparisons...

Also, character differs from person to person, so measuring such influences can be difficult.

I just find it hard to believe how it can't influence you.

Because things you spend a lot of time on really tend to do just that.

I WANT GTA5!!!!!

Sadly I have to study =/. And them there's pokemon in less than a month, which is my priority. I think I will only play gta in december or so =/

*facepalm*

[Nobody]

Hm, perhaps. I guess having grown up in a relatively strict (but not too authoritarian) household, my standards may be different from others.

People know that porn is "bad." You're "cleaner" if you don't view it. (I'm using apostrophes to indicate that "bad" and "clean" are subjective to the person, but, in my opinion, that's the standard the general public has. No porn, good; porn, not so good.) People also know that drugs are bad.

Often, those are the reasons why people don't, or attempt to not engage in such activities.

But one question that comes about is how one can gauge whether he or she is desensitized or not?

To do that, one must make comparisons...

Also, character differs from person to person, so measuring such influences can be difficult.

I just find it hard to believe how it can't influence you.

Because things you spend a lot of time on really tend to do just that.

*facepalm*

I can't believe you're comparing GTA and porn to drugs lol.

You can die if you do drugs, you can't die from watching porn or playing GTA.

HAHA, I think most people would disagree that porn is bad, BTW.

BTW, haven't you realized that you actually kill more people in Fire Emblem than in GTA :P

Edited September 21, 2013 by Nobody

[Fruity Insanity]

I can't believe you're comparing GTA and porn to drugs lol.

You die if you do drugs, you don't die from watching porn or playing GTA.

True, it may be an inadequate comparison.

But you have to realize how I'm not comparing them as a whole. Of course, they are not on the same level in that sense.

I'm talking about how people view them and their how they can desensitize, not how bad each of them may be individually.

HAHA, I think most people would disagree that porn is bad, BTW.

BTW, haven't you realized that you actually kill more people in Fire Emblem than in GTA :P

Maybe. I'm not too informed on the topic. But you have to agree on the desensitizing part, right?

It's not the number of deaths, it's the method. You can never pinpoint a certain area of discussion and make a good argument. That makes it just look like your trying to point the finger in another direction.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Fruit Ninja

[Phoenix Wright]

~snip~

it's highly possible that i wasn't as impressionable as most children. but i doubt that because my brothers were the same way.

i can confidently say that i haven't been desensitized because i can't even kill a fly without feeling remorse. i don't like to kill things. i don't like to hit things. my younger brother is quite the temperamental fellow; he's been that way for as long as i can remember. video games did nothing to him.

95% of dudes watch porn on a regular basis, and i assume a similar majority of females. abrahamic religions see them as bad, not the general populace. i still do not watch anal/gangbang/etc. after 7 years of porn watching. i can't stomach it.

if you ask me, people become desensitized by becoming curious and engaging in those uncomfortable activities on a regular basis until it becomes a comfortable activity.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Phoenix Wright

[Fruity Insanity]

it's highly possible that i wasn't as impressionable as most children. but i doubt that because my brothers were the same way.

i can confidently say that i haven't been desensitized because i can't even kill a fly without feeling remorse. i don't like to kill things. i don't like to hit things. my younger brother is quite the temperamental fellow; he's been that way for as long as i can remember. video games did nothing to him.

95% of dudes watch porn on a regular basis, and i assume a similar majority of females. abrahamic religions see them as bad, not the general populace. i still do not watch anal/gangbang/etc. after 7 years of porn watching. i can't stomach it.

if you ask me, people become desensitized by becoming curious and engaging in those uncomfortable activities on a regular basis until it becomes a comfortable activity.

Ah, I see. Then perhaps it's a characteristic of you as a person. I'm not disregarding the fact that it didn't influence you, I'm just saying that I find it hard to believe that such a game could leave on marks behind... please understand. Also, GTA back then is quite different from GTA now, I believe.

Hm, I never knew that. I'm surrounded by religious people, primarily, so I can't vouch for that. So I'll take your word for it. Perhaps that wasn't the best example.

But you do agree on the desensitization??? I mean, your definition seems like mine. You do it until it becomes comfortable, which isn't necessarily good...

[Nobody]

Ah, I see. Then perhaps it's a characteristic of you as a person. I'm not disregarding the fact that it didn't influence you, I'm just saying that I find it hard to believe that such a game could leave on marks behind... please understand. Also, GTA back then is quite different from GTA now, I believe.

Hm, I never knew that. I'm surrounded by religious people, primarily, so I can't vouch for that. So I'll take your word for it. Perhaps that wasn't the best example.

But you do agree on the desensitization??? I mean, your definition seems like mine. You do it until it becomes comfortable, which isn't necessarily good...

Do you have scientific evidence that GTA influence people to commit crimes or be violent? Because I'm pretty sure the people playing gta aren't the ones murdering others.

If anything, I'd say that 99% of the murderers here where I live haven't ever played GTA because they don't have money to buy it.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Nobody

[Phoenix Wright]

But you do agree on the desensitization??? I mean, your definition seems like mine. You do it until it becomes comfortable, which isn't necessarily good...

well, yeah, i guess. that's what desensitization is.

but what i'm really saying is: banging a hooker and killing her to take her money after in gta does not mean a child will do that in real life, ever. i know plenty of kids (because of they're older siblings) that play the call of duty series and aren't more prone to being violent because of this exposure.

perhaps small-scale influences are possible, sure.

[Fruity Insanity]

Do you have scientific evidence that GTA influence people to commit crimes or be violent? Because I'm pretty sure the people playing gta aren't the ones murdering others.

If anything, I'd say that 99% of the murderers here where I live haven't ever played GTA because they don't have money to buy it.

I never claimed I did, nor did I claim that murders or acts of violence were linked to GTA. All the things I asserted, I made clear was an opinion of mine and what I assume, which is the assumption that it influences somewhat, depending on the person, not that it turns people into psychopathic serial killers. /exaggeration

[Fruity Insanity]

well, yeah, i guess. that's what desensitization is.

but what i'm really saying is: banging a hooker and killing her to take her money after in gta does not mean a child will do that in real life, ever. i know plenty of kids (because of they're older siblings) that play the call of duty series and aren't more prone to being violent because of this exposure.

perhaps small-scale influences are possible, sure.

And I agree with you on that~ ^^ I don't mean to say that it influences a person so much that it makes a person attempt to emulate the game in real life, I just mean that, like you said, small-scale (and arguably, negative) effects may occur.

[Nobody]

What I don't understand is why this bothers you. Do you want people to stop liking it? Or maybe do you think people bellow a certain age should be forbidden from playing it?

[Thor Odinson]

People who kill people after playing violent games are probably mentally unstable and/or violent to start with

This is not to say that parents shouldn't teach their impressionable kids that shit on games is not something you should replicate in real life or to watch what their kids consume

But really most people who play violent games aren't gonna actually replicate what's in game

You don't see me stabbing people in the neck (outside of jokingly in pure textual situations) because I played far too many hours of Assassin's Creed

Edited September 21, 2013 by Ezio Auditore da Firenze

[Redwall]

It's not the number of deaths, it's the method.

In spite of the similar methods (guns etc.), there is a difference between GTA and (say) Call of Duty, as you suggest: in the former, you're stealing cars and shooting bitches (in GTA3, the developers pass off the protagonist's shooting of his girlfriend as some bad misogynist joke: “I broke a nail, and my hair is ruined! Can you believe it? This one cost me $50!” [Gunshot]); in the latter, you're fighting for your country (a bit more noble obviously). I don't think the methods themselves are very influential, if at all.

I don't know if the desensitization you speak of even exists for GTA, at least for well-socialized people (including younger gamers). If the player derives pleasure specifically from the act of stealing cars (note I've never played GTA or similar games), then one would suspect GTA to have a deleterious effect on society, but that's very different from deriving pleasure from (say) getting the highest score possible (something arising as a consequence of stealing the fanciest virtual cars). The latter I don't think is really harmful.