Blah, more controversy over video games...

[Subjugation]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/fun.gam...arc/index.html

Marijuana, as you light a virtual joint and take a long drag, causes the screen to become a hazy green. The drug slows time for criminals in the game, allowing your cop character to chase down and arrest them easier.

LSD helps differentiate friend from foe, so your character knows whom to confront; allies grow wacky court jester heads, and enemies become devil-headed cartoons. Trippy music and psychedelic colors accompany your computer-generated acid trip.

Other drugs in Narc include speed, ecstasy and crack. Crack, after the distinct sound of someone huffing on a pipe, gives players a one-shot-one-kill skill. Your crackhead cop character suddenly becomes an expert marksman.

Drug use may give you super powers in the game, but abuse can cause addiction. Protodone -- the game's version of methodone, can curb your cravings. Otherwise, addiction can lead to withdrawal.

But unlike real-life, you can kick your virtual habit after a few skillful clicks on the game controller.

Players can avoid all of this, however, by adopting a "just say no" attitude in the game. The illicit activity is all a matter of choice, says Steinberg.

"It's entirely up to the player. You can be a good cop, or you can be a bad cop, but there are consequences. I can use drugs or sell drugs to the citizenry. The thing is, there are random drug tests. I can get busted, develop addictions, or my fellow officers can come chasing me."

It's really going to suck for game designers when the legislature finally signs a bill into law that really hammers retailers who sell games with M-ratings to kids. I mean, sales are likely going to drop, and equate to less revenue for designers and distributors. I can imagine it would make for an even less creative marketplace, because it would be much harder for big design companies to justify taking risks on games that don't have mass appeal.

What do you guys think? Is the day near where legislation will punish retailers who sell M-rated games to minors? What do you think will be the effects of such legislation?

[Richard Creager]

Fuck them and their chances of a game being developed or published due to mass appeal.
Let them suffer so better companies can run this show. There's where your creativity comes in.

[Liquid Blue]

The effect of parents and the goverment trying to put a stop to any games they find offensive is already being felt; a stream of steady mediocre "safe" games. More and more companies are unwilling to take risks and put their necks on the line, so they make stupid, boring games that we've all played before with just enough variety to avoid copyright laws.

I honestly hope that it never gets to the point where companies can get punished for making M-rated games, I'm sick and tired of seeing parents try to blame everything but themselves for their kids bad behavior. Not playing GTA won't make your kid better in society, a lack of shitty parenting will. But yea, if it does happen we might as well say bye bye to creativity, originality and life on earth via games. Why life on earth? Because I'll be damned if I can only play Ape Escape or Spyro games, you fuckers are going to burn.

[Troll King]

I disagree. Parents not buying M rated games for their kids is part of that process of taking some responsibility for themselves and their kids. That's an example of good parenting. I'm not saying that's the end-all cure to make sure your kids turn out okay, but it's part of it. The Narc game for example sends a message that I probably wouldn't want my kids to receive. I'm not saying that the game shouldn't be made; I have no problem with a mature gamer buying it. That's the defence people use about other mature material: when there is mature content on a television show, they say that it's the parents' responsibility to not let their kids watch it if they don't think it's appropriate for them.

I would support a bill that punishes retailers for selling games directly to minors. That bill isn't a replacement for proper parenting, it's an important part of it because it places the ultimate responsibility on the parents. If a kid wants an M-rated game, they should get it only if their parents think it's okay for them.

I don't think that bill would significantly affect sales. Studies show that the video game buying market is predominantly adult with about 62% of the console market and 66% of the PC market (PBS) are over the age of 18. That's a healthy enough market for companies to produce M-rated games.

I also don't think that there is a trend towards mediocre "safe" games. There have been plenty of good M-rated games out recently such as GTA:SA, Halo 2, God of War, Half Life 2 and Doom 3. If you want to look at bad games, Narc itself is a good example. Reviews for it have not been very good: 6.5 by IGN, 5.6 by Gamespot. Even more telling is the price: a $19.99 ticket price for an M-rated game shows that even the publishers don't think it's a good game. At the same time, there have also been good "safe" games: no one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's not creative or original. Being an M-rated game does not guarantee that it will be good.

[scumbag]

If they dont like it, dont buy it, simple really.
same goes for people who complain about TV shows, the remote has buttons that change channels so you dont have to watch them, the miracle of choice.

[Sarien]

I honestly hope that it never gets to the point where companies can get punished for making M-rated games,

But yea, if it does happen we might as well say bye bye to creativity, originality and life on earth via games. Why life on earth? Because I'll be damned if I can only play Ape Escape or Spyro games, you fuckers are going to burn.

Why would a company be punished? The legislation is for retailers. Underage kids don't need to be buying rated M games. Period. At All. None. That way if a parent feels like their shitty kid is better than other shitty kids and can handle a rated M game, then that parent can buy said shitty kid the game. But the shitty kid can't manage it by himself.

Companies won't stop making rated M games even with giganto legislation about it. Why? Because people grow up. Lots of old gamers are over 21 now, I think me and TK in this thread at least are. We still want games, and may or may not be offended by rated M garbage, but at least we're old enough to make the choice for ourselves. The shitty kid market isn't the only one out there to market games to.

And while Spyro is garbage, don't be dissing Ape Escape.

[Liquid Blue]

Woops I read that part wrong, I thought he said for making M rated games. My bad.

And although Ape Escape was fun (only played the first one), I don't want all future games to have a kiddy aproach/theme like Ape Escape and Spyro.

[SaucyKing]

I'm surprised no one has protested MGS3 because of all the violence and tit-grabbing, and sexual references.

"Snake, look at your body!"

Snake looks down. "Yep, lookin' good..."

"Not THERE. It's covered in leeches!"

"Oh..."

[Credit Account]

So the marketing people thought:

'by having the character take drugs instead of powerups we can create controversy and generate intrest in the game. It really shouldn't matter too much if the game's shit or not, by doing this we create a bigger sales than this pos game would ever have had in the first place'

[Squeezer]

Eminem once said

"If you don't like or approve of my message, or other artist's messages, then don't buy their product. That way, you'll hit them hard where it counts, their wallets."

While Eminem isn't exactly a genius, he does have a point.

[bloodzombie]

no one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's not creative or original. Being an M-rated game does not guarantee that it will be good.

Katamari rocks.. I bought it new for $20, and it's one of the best games I've played for ps2. There's too much of the weird dialogue with the king, but once you get playing, it's great.

This Narc game sounds stupid and it sounds like they were looking for this controversy to sell games. I just hope they realize that they could end up making it harder for everyone else in their industry to make a buck. Why stoke the fire?

[Mr. Peanuts]

Trendsetting

[Abatis]

Katamari rocks.. I bought it new for $20, and it's one of the best games I've played for ps2. There's too much of the weird dialogue with the king, but once you get playing, it's great.

This Narc game sounds stupid and it sounds like they were looking for this controversy to sell games. I just hope they realize that they could end up making it harder for everyone else in their industry to make a buck. Why stoke the fire?

TK was saying it was good too, he sort of used a double negative *gasp*.
"no one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's not creative or original." is equivalent to saying "one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's creative or original." I misunderstood it the first time through too.

[bloodzombie]

TK was saying it was good too, he sort of used a double negative *gasp*.
"no one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's not creative or original." is equivalent to saying "one who's played Katamari Damaci will tell you that it's creative or original." I misunderstood it the first time through too.

Yeah, I was just agreeing with him.