The Daily Show is great. This little piece was referenced in a post on GamePolitics.com today and I had to share it.
Author: mrkniceguy
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Mass Media and Video game “reports”
There was a time, long ago, that reporters for news networks and newspapers went out into the field and researched the news they were bringing to the people. Whether it was news from front lines of war, or news from a natural disaster, or some amazing thing that happened to a family in peril. The reporter went and talked to the people who knew. The Solder at the battlefront, the eye witness of the crime, the father of the family. But lately it seems those days are gone. Now hearsay and “I heard” seems to be the research for so called “reporting.” Is it so hard to get the news from the source anymore? Or do these reporters even care? For some it’s just a matter of viewers. How many eyes can I get…
That, I believe, is the case for Mr. Glenn Beck. Jumping on the “video game” bandwagon with apparently no expertise in the area he has called on some “sources” for comment on the GTA:IV controversy. Let’s take a look:
Yes, I know what you are thinking. These two “sources” know about as much about video games, especially the game mentioned, as I do about breeding penguins. But that doesn’t stop Mr. Beck. He is not interested in what knowledgeable sources have to say, he is interested in being on the “bandwagon.”
Mark Methenitis is one of my favorite blog writers as he has experience in both playing video games and legal matters. Why Beck hasn’t had Mark on his show should be no surprise; Mark will not bow to the “popular” view but prefers to think for himself, analyzing the facts and responding most eloquently I might add. Please take the time to read his response here.
I was going to respond to the above video but Mark does such a great job, his post stands on its own.
Today a new interview surfaced between Dr. Cheryl Olson, who is the co-author of a book called Grand Theft Childhood, a book with actual research done in the world of video games and violence. Watch his face as he realizes she is not going to bend over and agree with every little thing he says.
But wait, did you hear that?
“I will tell you that all these video gamers: they’re bloggers, as well as video gamers – they’re writing all kinds of stuff about me [that] I’m the enemy now of video gamers. I could care less about video games. Video game bloggers? They’re losers”
Not that I care at all what Mr Beck thinks of me or “video game bloggers” in general, is this the kind of rude, blanket statement we can expect from CNN reporters now? I don’t have cable television, but I do know people who (as of now) watch his show. Now I know what I have not been missing.
On the topic of GTA. I have said it before and I will say it again. This game is made for mature adults. Just as I would not let my child watch The Godfather or Platoon I would not let my children play or watch this game. That is why I was asked for ID when I purchased it, despite looking way over 17 years of age. The issue at hand has to do with parenting, not video games, music, books, movies or television. It has to do with parents being involved in their children’s lives. Ask you child about the games that they play. Watch them play them if you have trouble with the controls. You cannot pass the responsiblity to monitor your child’s media habits to the 18 year old clerk at GameStop or Blockbuster. You have to take action to raise your child.
MKG out.
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Worth every penny.
I’ve spent about 3 hours exploring the GTA IV version of Liberty City and so far it is amazing. The initial missions are the usual training mode but like the GTA’s before, it doesn’t feel like it. The game does a great job of blending the tutorial between driving, walking, mini-games, shooting and location interaction (the need to eat food to restore health is back and better than ever). All aspects of LC say “come and explore!”
The new targeting system so far is the highlight for me. [LT] locks on the target and you can gently press up on the [RS] for a headshot, quickening the pace in battle. Cover is introduced as well as the [RB] will pull you up against a wall for some protection from the bad guys. Free aim is easy too as a half press on the [LT] or [RT] will let you aim where you want.
The driving is pretty different from GTA:SA but it’s a good thing. The physics are incredible as you run into objects and are more likely to spin out of control if you drive beyond your skill. Turning is more realistic in that you have to brake a little before making a turn at high speeds. The benefit to the physics though, is when you smash into another car and velocity pushes them out of the way and slows you down. It feels like you’ve hit an object. For driving in GTA IV, Rockstar has taken the realism to a whole new level.
The game plays like a great action flick. Only, this time you are in control. As usual the GTA story propels the game forward as you want to find out who the other characters are and what they do in Liberty City. The main character Nikko is fresh of the boat from Eastern Europe and looking for a fresh start. But before he knows it he is thrust into sticky situations with the “help” of his bumbling cousin. Will you help him? Or go to the beach? You decide.
And as we all know, GTA is no stranger to controversy in the past. With the freedom to do almost anything in the playing environment it has been the focus of questions regarding violence and video games. But these views are distorted by so called “reports” by people who have not even played the game. So far I have not been forced to as part of the story to attack law enforcement officers, deal with prostitutes or kill innocent people (although these are things you can do in the game). Perhaps that will change but Rockstar has never pushed the GTA story into those areas in the past. But more importantly, this is a video game. It is not real life, nor is it meant to be viewed as real life. The game simply wouldn’t be as fun if it felt too much like the real world. And more importantly, this game is made to be played by mature players. That doesn’t mean by a certain age (although it says it on the box) it means the person playing it needs to be mature enough to separate reality from fiction.
All that said, GTA IV is everything I’ve hoped it would be. And that’s saying a lot.
MKG out.