| Ever since video game designers were able
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| | Whenever some young person somewhere
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| to put red pixels on their imaginary
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| | commits a violent crime these days it
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| characters that had recently deceased,
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| | seems to get blamed on a video game, from
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| there have been people crusading against
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| | "Duke Nukem" and "Quake" being accused
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| their subversive ways. The outrage at
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| | for the Columbine High massacre, to a
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| video games seems to be cyclic, fading
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| | more recent incident involving a group of
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| very briefly before exploding into the
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| | minors attributing their violent actions
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| public eye once more with renewed frenzy.
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| | to the "Mortal Kombat" video games.
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| The controversy seems to have sparked up
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| | Without any solid evidence either way
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| again in recent times, with numerous
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| | it's hard to say whether or not video
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| crimes being blamed on the corruptive
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| | game violence actually has much of an
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| influence of video games. There have also
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| | influence on players. To really be sure
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| been various "controversies" surrounding
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| | you'd probably have to have a control
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| recent video games and their content in
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| | group of isolated children that have
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| the areas of both violence and sexuality.
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| | never seen a violent movie or played a
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| The first game to receive widespread
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| | bloodthirsty video game. History does
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| criticism and media attention was the
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| | however show that brutal crimes were
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| martial art fighting game "Mortal
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| | committed long before video games or even
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| Kombat". This game included large spurts
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| | movies came into existence.
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| of blood emitted from attacks and also
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| | Children are quite easily influenced by
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| "Fatalities" that could be performed on
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| | something that they're excited about and
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| stunned opponents after their defeat.
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| | I've seen this happen a lot. Playing a
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| These Fatalities were gruesome animation
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| | wrestling video game with a group of
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| sequences showing the victorious player
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| | eight year olds often leads to the eight
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| killing their defeated opponent in a vast
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| | year olds screaming raucously and trying
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| variety of ways. Gamers revelled in this
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| | to pin each other down on the ground.
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| new experience and the controversy
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| | Pre-teens will often punch and kick their
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| surrounding the violence caused mass hype
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| | way out of a cinema in terrible combat
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| that informed the less informed gamers
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| | stances after having viewed a martial
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| that the game was out there. Consequently
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| | arts movie. The current content rating
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| gamers played the new game just to find
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| | system in place is not geared towards
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| out what all the talk was about, thereby
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| | consumer restriction; it is largely aimed
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| greatly increasing revenue.
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| | at simply informing the public about what
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| One of the largest sparks of controversy
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| | they are going to experience. Legal
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| has been the recent "Hot Coffee"
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| | restrictions are not actually put in
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| modification for "Grand Theft Auto: San
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| | place until the higher, more severe
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| Andreas (GTA:SA)". This involved
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| | ratings like in x-rated films. Parents,
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| unlocking a sexually oriented mini-game
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| | guardians, and society in general need to
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| that had been removed from the game
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| | start taking an interest in who is
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| before release, although evidently not
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| | viewing certain types of content. Instead
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| from the source code. The creators of the
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| | of complaining about the entertainment a
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| game, Rockstar Entertainment, obviously
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| | child is enjoying, the parent could be
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| realised that this particular part of the
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| | there at the beginning looking at the
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| game was not appropriate for the video
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| | rating that is printed clearly on the
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| gaming public and removed access to it.
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| | packaging of all entertainment. A simple
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| An enterprising fan of the game found out
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| | "I don't think that's suitable, how about
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| and modified the original code to give
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| | this game? It has a lizard!" distracts
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| access to the content once again.
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| | the child a surprising number of times.
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| Lawsuits were brought against Rockstar
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| | In my experience, children genuinely just
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| for including such content in their game,
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| | want people to take an interest in what
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| although the validity of the lawsuit has
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| | they're interested in, not just murmuring
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| to be questioned. If the game is simply
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| | indistinctly, "Yes dear, that's nice." as
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| purchased and played as intended by the
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| | the child installs the newest violent
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| developers, this admittedly tasteless and
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| | game.
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| inappropriate mini game would never be
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| | What about the children that are playing
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| encountered. It is not until the
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| | the games in the restricted ratings
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| user-made modification is downloaded and
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| | categories? The only way that they can
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| installed that the player is able to
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| | even get the game into their possession
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| access the content.
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| | is if a parent (or someone of legal age)
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| Regardless of who's to blame, "GTA: SA"
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| | purchases the game for the child, or if
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| was re-rated in America and banned from
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| | the store disregards the rating
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| sale in Australia. Oddly enough the
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| | guidelines in place and sells it to them
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| gratuitous and encouraged violence in the
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| | regardless. Either way the fact that a
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| game went largely unnoticed in the wake
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| | game's content has fallen into a minor's
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| of the "scandalous" sex scenes involving
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| | hands is not the fault of the game
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| clothed, cartoonesque people.
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| | developer.
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| When examined objectively almost all
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| | I'm not out to defend the integrity of
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| games contain a certain amount of violent
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| | artistic vision presented in video games
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| content. The kid-friendly bright and
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| | as many other gamers are. Frankly there
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| colourful "Mario" games by Nintendo
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| | seems to me to be little artistic
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| feature a character stomping on animated
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| | integrity in rendering blood that is ever
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| creature's heads. In fact the majority of
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| | more liquid in appearance. I do however
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| games, even children's games, involve the
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| | enjoy playing some games that are quite
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| protagonist crusading against an enemy
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| | violent in nature and in many cases the
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| horde of some sort and generally
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| | violent nature of the game increases my
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| "disposing" of them in some manner,
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| | enjoyment. Video games are escapism,
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| whether it be striking them with a weapon
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| | there's (arguably) no point in playing a
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| or body part (feet, hands, possibly a
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| | video game that simulates something you
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| tail depending on the nature of the
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| | can just walk outside and do (and yet
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| character). The only real stand out
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| | sports games somehow consistently sell in
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| difference is that in a children's game
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| | large numbers... curious...).
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| the 'bad' characters will generally
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| | Interestingly I have never yet felt the
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| bounce backwards in a cute manner and
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| | overwhelming desire to break down into a
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| explode with a humorous puff sound (or
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| | kung fu stance and commit murder. Perhaps
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| simply disappear) whereas in a game
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| | more important than simply banning
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| oriented towards older mature players,
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| | questionable content in video games would
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| the characters are more likely to be
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| | be studying why this content is so
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| (somewhat) realistic, spraying a gusher
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| | appealing to today's society?
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| of red upon their demise.
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