botticus
10-09-2007, 04:02 PM
Seems everything would be straightened out if adults simply stopped thinking that all games were meant for children.
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2007/10/09/the-danger-of-the-continued-infantilization-of-videogames-part-i.aspx
Full transcript:
CHETRY: Well, there's something new from the Nintendo Wii, but some are saying it really allows players to act out a murder and just how dangerous it is that for the young kids that are playing these games? We're going to talk to one of the few people who had a chance to preview, to play this game. How violent is it? We're going to take a look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, the Nintendo Wii has been a bona fide hit since its release last Christmas, allowing players to actually get up and move along with the game. Which is fine if you're playing tennis, right? Some say that a new game coming out is really close to a murder simulator. In Man Hunt II the player is playing the part of someone who escapes from an insane asylum and then brutally murders anyone who gets in his way. And N'Gai Croal, "Newsweek's" general editor for technology and he's one of the only select few actually to have played Man Hunt II. And N'Gai, thanks for being with us today.
N'GAI CROAL, NEWSWEEK TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Thanks for having me.
CHETRY: So, it's called Man Hunt II. It's going to be hitting stores, I guess, in time for Halloween. Violence in video games really is nothing new but is this more graphic than some of the other ones you've seen on the store shelves?
CROAL: It is more graphic than some of the other games, absolutely.
CHETRY: Why?
CROAL: Well, I think that it's -- I mean, first of all, they're trying to do something that's in the vein of horror movies like "Saw" and "Hostile," so, you know, most games have fantasy violence or they're World War II simulators and they've gone in a different direction and because of that it stands out.
CHETRY: The other thing is explain when you played the game. You're actually going through stabbing motions, shooting motions as you play?
CROAL: Well, the way the standard things in the game use buttons and things like that, but when you get in a position behind your opponent that's when you can carry out what they call the stealth kills or executions. In that case, a series of instructions will come up on screen, like directions, showing which way to move or swing the remote or things like that. And they roughly match what you're doing on screen. So if you're hitting someone over the head with, like, sort of the back of a toilet seat, then you would sort of swing the remote in that direction.
CHETRY: It does seem shocking, actually if you're not in the world of gaming, to see this. I mean, it's so realistic. There's blood on the people and you're actually -- the kids are moving their hands in motions that simulate killing. How -- when do you cross the line? This fantasy world becomes so realistic that it can't help but be damaging.
CROAL: The first thing I have to say is the game is like when you say kids, the game is "M" rated which means you have to be 17 years or older to purchase it. Obviously, that doesn't prevent some children from getting their hands on it but really I would say that's the responsibility of parents to make sure that they don't. As far as adults, I mean, you know, you or I can make decisions about what kind of entertainment we do or do not want. It might be to my taste, it might not be to yours but I feel like we should be able to make that decision.
CHETRY: Nintendo has primarily has been seen, at least in the past, as more of the family gaming. Is this a surprising move that Nintendo would go in this direction with the Manhunt II?
CROAL: It's not surprising because I think when the decision was made the Wii wasn't a success and Nintendo really wanted to attract some of the older audiences that were going after Playstation and X- Box. My guess is now they might have made a different decision. Keep in mind, Nintendo didn't make the game. The game was coming from Rock star.
CHETRY: But they're marketing it with their Wii, right?
CROAL: Right. The other thing is Nintendo tends to not really have that strict controls on what comes out on their machines. As long as you don't get an "AO" rating, they'll pretty much let you put it out.
CHETRY: Would you let your kids play it?
CROAL: I don't have children.
CHETRY: If you did? CROAL: If I did, no, I wouldn't let them play it if they were under age. But if they were, I would want to sit down with them and sort of talk them through what it was they were experiencing just to check in with them and make sure they understood the distinction between fact and fiction.
CHETRY: Well, that's very important, of course. N'Gai Croal here at CNN with "Newsweek," the technology general editor. Thanks for being with us.
CROAL: Thanks for having me.
CHETRY: By the way, we did check in with a spokeswoman for Nintendo who told us that the Wii does have parental control and also that Manhunt II will only be the seventh out of 80 Wii games to garner the mature rating that N'Gai talked about. We also invited Rock star to appear in our program, the makers of that video game, and have yet to receive a response from them. John.
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2007/10/09/the-danger-of-the-continued-infantilization-of-videogames-part-i.aspx
Full transcript:
CHETRY: Well, there's something new from the Nintendo Wii, but some are saying it really allows players to act out a murder and just how dangerous it is that for the young kids that are playing these games? We're going to talk to one of the few people who had a chance to preview, to play this game. How violent is it? We're going to take a look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, the Nintendo Wii has been a bona fide hit since its release last Christmas, allowing players to actually get up and move along with the game. Which is fine if you're playing tennis, right? Some say that a new game coming out is really close to a murder simulator. In Man Hunt II the player is playing the part of someone who escapes from an insane asylum and then brutally murders anyone who gets in his way. And N'Gai Croal, "Newsweek's" general editor for technology and he's one of the only select few actually to have played Man Hunt II. And N'Gai, thanks for being with us today.
N'GAI CROAL, NEWSWEEK TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Thanks for having me.
CHETRY: So, it's called Man Hunt II. It's going to be hitting stores, I guess, in time for Halloween. Violence in video games really is nothing new but is this more graphic than some of the other ones you've seen on the store shelves?
CROAL: It is more graphic than some of the other games, absolutely.
CHETRY: Why?
CROAL: Well, I think that it's -- I mean, first of all, they're trying to do something that's in the vein of horror movies like "Saw" and "Hostile," so, you know, most games have fantasy violence or they're World War II simulators and they've gone in a different direction and because of that it stands out.
CHETRY: The other thing is explain when you played the game. You're actually going through stabbing motions, shooting motions as you play?
CROAL: Well, the way the standard things in the game use buttons and things like that, but when you get in a position behind your opponent that's when you can carry out what they call the stealth kills or executions. In that case, a series of instructions will come up on screen, like directions, showing which way to move or swing the remote or things like that. And they roughly match what you're doing on screen. So if you're hitting someone over the head with, like, sort of the back of a toilet seat, then you would sort of swing the remote in that direction.
CHETRY: It does seem shocking, actually if you're not in the world of gaming, to see this. I mean, it's so realistic. There's blood on the people and you're actually -- the kids are moving their hands in motions that simulate killing. How -- when do you cross the line? This fantasy world becomes so realistic that it can't help but be damaging.
CROAL: The first thing I have to say is the game is like when you say kids, the game is "M" rated which means you have to be 17 years or older to purchase it. Obviously, that doesn't prevent some children from getting their hands on it but really I would say that's the responsibility of parents to make sure that they don't. As far as adults, I mean, you know, you or I can make decisions about what kind of entertainment we do or do not want. It might be to my taste, it might not be to yours but I feel like we should be able to make that decision.
CHETRY: Nintendo has primarily has been seen, at least in the past, as more of the family gaming. Is this a surprising move that Nintendo would go in this direction with the Manhunt II?
CROAL: It's not surprising because I think when the decision was made the Wii wasn't a success and Nintendo really wanted to attract some of the older audiences that were going after Playstation and X- Box. My guess is now they might have made a different decision. Keep in mind, Nintendo didn't make the game. The game was coming from Rock star.
CHETRY: But they're marketing it with their Wii, right?
CROAL: Right. The other thing is Nintendo tends to not really have that strict controls on what comes out on their machines. As long as you don't get an "AO" rating, they'll pretty much let you put it out.
CHETRY: Would you let your kids play it?
CROAL: I don't have children.
CHETRY: If you did? CROAL: If I did, no, I wouldn't let them play it if they were under age. But if they were, I would want to sit down with them and sort of talk them through what it was they were experiencing just to check in with them and make sure they understood the distinction between fact and fiction.
CHETRY: Well, that's very important, of course. N'Gai Croal here at CNN with "Newsweek," the technology general editor. Thanks for being with us.
CROAL: Thanks for having me.
CHETRY: By the way, we did check in with a spokeswoman for Nintendo who told us that the Wii does have parental control and also that Manhunt II will only be the seventh out of 80 Wii games to garner the mature rating that N'Gai talked about. We also invited Rock star to appear in our program, the makers of that video game, and have yet to receive a response from them. John.