[quote name='dmaul1114']See the thing is your bothered by the real images, replsed in fact it sounds.
But in playing the game you're doing hideous things to game versions of people, that's where the greater potential for desensitization comes in.
Not to mention brain imaging studies have shown that playing violent games activates the parts of the brain associated with aggression more than watching a violent movie does for just this reason. It's interactive, movies are more passive.
Also, I'd argue the "pixelized" argument is getting more moot with each generation and games getting closer and closer to realism. They're catching up to movies in that regard.
Now, don't take that to mean that I think there shouldnt' be violent games, or that violent games turn people into psycho killers.
Because I don't. I just think any negative effects violent media may have on SOME peolpe are certainly going to be greater for interactive media like video games, compared to more passive media like films.
But neither should be banned etc.[/QUOTE]
I'm not really bothered by violent movies... I think I'm more bothered by movies with a strong story behind them where there may be violence or injustice. Horror movies don't bother me (but they bore me, so I don't watch them anyway)... whereas a movie like Eye For An Eye made me angry when I saw it.
While I wouldn't doubt that games do raise some feelings of agression, I'm skeptical still about the movie argument. I also wonder, if they do, in fact, not stimulate those part sof the brain as much... is that proof that games are worse, or that we're already desensitized to movies? :lol:
The pixelated argument still works for me, I guess. I know we're not in the 8bit generation anymore, but things still don't seem anywhere close to real for me... now if we had lifesize, virtual reality sorts of games, then I might agree...
I wish I had time to look more into the research on this stuff right now. I'm itching to, but I have other stuff to look up... argh!
Like I've said, I wouldn't be bothered by the AO rating if it weren't effectively a ban...