GoldenEye 007 Nintendo 64 Community, GoldenEye X, Nintendo 64 Games Discussion

[flopperr999]

WARNING: CONTAINS A SPOILER (WELL, I THINK SO ANYWAY)










Grand Theft Auto IV, released for the PS3 and the Xbox 360, was released April 29, 2008. GTA4, developed by Rockstar North, is, as many of you already know, a sandbox style game, with many freedoms to roam around a newly designed Liberty City (Strongly resembling a modern day NYC).

Despite the freedom to explore the city, there still is a storyline to follow, with objectives to complete. One of the objectives (or more than one; im not sure), is the drive somewhere while intoxicated. National organizations such as S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Destructive Decisions) are outraged by this. Being a proud member of S.A.D.D. myself, I feel the intoxicated driving scene(s) should be completely removed from the game. S.A.D.D. is in the process of contacting Rockstar North and ESRB (I think they did the rating of the game), and demanding either the game is recalled, reprogrammed to cut the scene, or to change the rating of the game to A for Adult (21+).

(The reprogramming/recalling/rerating of the game is a big deal for me, because I'm just a kid in high school. It may not be that big of a deal for the older members on this site...). I'm aware that GTA4 is a video game, only a video game, just a simulated version of real life, where chaos and destruction inside don't affect the outside world, but in my opinion, I feel, it does. Although Rockstar could just put a disclaimer on the front of the game: "Do not recreate any of these stunts or activities", I believe children would not apply that disclaimer, and still reinact those activities. They would see how "cool" it is, to get 5"stars" from the police, and have to jump into a bay to escape. I mean, is it really nescessary? Didn't anyone see how sucessful other games were? I'll give you a concrete example. Kingdom Hearts. Who knew you could make such a wonderful game out of Disney characters?

But now I'm getting a little off topic. Anyway, I think that the intoxication scene is wrong to have in the game. Drunk driving is 100% real. Every 33 minutes, someone in the US is killed because of a drunk driving related automobile accident. Every 33 minutes, guys. That's almost 48 people a day. Is exposing a simulated version of driving drunk to a child wrong? What do you think?

Last edited by flopperr999 on Fri May 02, 2008 3:14 am; edited 1 time in total

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[Dragonsbrethren]

I think it's pretty silly to recall a game over one action and ignore all the other crimes you can commit in the game.

[flopperr999]

Although people 17 and under can't buy this game, what about their older siblings? Or relatives? Purchasing the game for them as a gift would result in the person 17- being subjected to the material? At the very least, I think the rating should be changed to A for Adult, because what about the people who (in New Jersey, at least; the driving age limit is 17) have their license, but can't drink alcohol yet? The window of people between 17 and 21 who can drive but can't drink will still be exposed to intoxicated driving. (I'm not sure what the other state laws are for driving, or other countries for that matter, but I'm sure it's somewhere around 17).

[Wreck]

Kids, no matter their age, have a great way of getting a hold of "Mature" and "Adult" games. The title could be rated "S" for "Seniors" and they'd still sneak it into their console. The ESRB is only good for two things: notifying parents that a game may be too violent and / or graphic for their children, and for preventing store employees from selling them to those who are too young to grasp what is taking place within them. So if someone under the recommended age manages to get a copy, there's no one to blame except for them alone, as well as any other possible party involved who let them have access to it. Of course, it could even have been stolen, in which case you can't blame anyone but the thief themself.

My point is, even if you had the rating changed, it wouldn't make much of a difference. In fact, it'd probably only make it even more appealing to younger audiences. "This game must be really sick to get that rating!" Remember what happened after the whole "Hot Coffee" incident? Sales jumped after that was discovered, boosting it back up as an incredible success.

I agree, however, that drunk driving should not be represented in a video game. Unless, it's used as a tool to teach people not to do it. Funny how this becomes an issue, when pumping lead into police officers has been around for years...
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[flopperr999]

Wreck wrote:

Unless, it's used as a tool to teach people not to do it.

Lol, I don't think that'll ever happen, especially with a name like "Grand Theft Auto"

[zoinkity]

Actually, the rating would have an influence. Most stores, as a matter of policy, do not carry games over a certain rating. It would require an exception to be made. For most chains, this is something of a headache for the hundreds of secretaries under their employ. You could think of it as stimulating the coffee and aspirin markets, or conversely as contributing to the spread of acid-reflux.

Either way, I wouldn't cry much over the loss of this particular license. The violence is mostly a marketting hook, which in itself doesn't say much.
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[connery as bond]

You only get drunk if you go the the bar and then drive... it's not an OBJECTIVE to do so if you don't like it, then you can avoid it.
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[flopperr999]

So it's not an objective, it's, more or less, a feature?

[connery as bond]

It's a solemned used feature - say, you call your friends up in the game and you go to a bar.

The game basically shows you it is wrong because you can actually black out at the wheel and it makes it extremely difficult to drive as well as cops will chase you if they see you driving.

I actually see it as a tool to show you why not to do it. Plus, the blurred screen sorta gives me a headache. Like Rockstar said, however, "We have a great deal of respect for MADD's mission, but we believe the mature audience for 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content."
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[Kode-Z]

GTA games are made for sensible, mature adults - simple as that.

However I can see why people would make a fuss over drink driving (and with good reason) - but like connery as bond mentioned, it should be seen as a "Don't do this or you will face the consequences in real life..." thing.

There are loads of games that I can think of that have "features" that you don't have to do but can if you want to - for example breaking someones neck from behind in Metal Gear Solid 2.

At the end of the day, it is just a videogame.

[connery as bond]

The more I do it in the game - the more I don't due it. It just makes things harder overall.

That's why it's just a game at the end of the day.
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[connery as bond]

I also just wanted to mention that when you approach a vehicle after going to a bar with a friend, Niko will occasionally say things on how he shouldn't drive because he's intoxicated.

[Kastro187420]

Probably a little late to jump into this argument, but oh well:

Anyone old enough to buy this game, is old enough to know the difference between Real Life and a Video Game. To that end, anyone who's driving around Drunk on the game, is going to be intelligent enough to know that doing so in real life is illegal.

Trying to say that a game teaches bad values, isn't a fair statement, even if its drunk driving.

Quote:

Is exposing a simulated version of driving drunk to a child wrong? What do you think?

Like I said, a 17 year old isn't a child by any means, and is more than capable of understanding not to do it.

As Wreck said earlier too, no matter what you change the Rating to, people WILL find a way to get the game.

Look at Manhunt for example. That game was BANNED in I think 13 Countries for its content. Regardless of that, it was still sold here, and no great issues happened because of it.


While I'm no advocate for drunk driving, I'm also no advocate for removing content from games or movies simply because it touches on something a little new.

People already drive all sorts of crazy through-out the town, killing cops, hookers, and civilians. Is it really any worse to make the controls sway a bit making it a little more difficult to drive?

I mean in all honesty, ask yourself, or anyone you know, if they've ever went out and committed a violent or illegal act, just because they did it in a video game.

Give it an A rating, or removing the content, either way, theres going to be much worse things you can do in this game besides driving drunk. Solving one very minor issue in the game, won't fix the other things that are considered to be a problem.