I was talking to my young nephew about which games he was looking forward to getting for Xmas and was pretty surprised at the detailed explanation he gave me about a game called 'Grand Theft Auto' in which you can hire prostitutes, smash up places and kill opponents violently!

I kept trying to move onto other games but he was telling me about others equally as violent! I had a word with his father who assured me he wouldn't be getting his hands on any of those and that he was copying things he'd heard at school.

I know that games do have certificates and ratings now but youngsters can get hold of them so easily, does anyone else think these could be harmful - mentally?

Its a worrying trend - i don't know how seriously retailers (and parents!) take the age-restrictions on games etc. - is it as hard to buy an 18-rated game as it is to buy a beer ?

Incidentally, how old is your nephew?

If all he wants to do is hire prostitutes and smash places up, he cant do much better than West St on a friday night ;) :o :rant: :loopy: )

Originally posted by Edd
Incidentally, how old is your nephew?
If all he wants to do is hire prostitutes and smash places up, he cant do much better than West St on a friday night ;) :o :rant: :loopy: )

I wouldn't mind but he's 7 - almost 8.

Originally posted by Edd
Its a worrying trend - i don't know how seriously retailers (and parents!) take the age-restrictions on games etc. - is it as hard to buy an 18-rated game as it is to buy a beer ?

Probably not, I see parents buying these games for young un's so they can't be that fussed unless they don't realise they're buying rated games :confused:

Originally posted by Edd
If all he wants to do is hire prostitutes and smash places up, he cant do much better than West St on a friday night ;) :o :rant: :loopy: )

Oh dear :shakes: You said you'd never mention that again!

Originally posted by Edd
If all he wants to do is hire prostitutes and smash places up, he cant do much better than West St on a friday night ;) :o :rant: :loopy: )
Thanks for the tip. :thumbsup:

As for the topic in hand, I've got a few GTA games, and other similar games. If any of my kids started playing them I wouldn't be too chuffed, I've found a couple of nephews having a sneaky play on them once or twice and they get a good dose of information launched at them.

I think most parents think they're only games and don't know half the times. I know a few parents have bought these type of games without even knowing what they are until they turn them on. With consoles being chipped now it only costs a couple of quid for some games so the kids can buy them from their mates easily too.

Having said all that, GTA is ace.

I used to work in a shop where we were instructed to ask who the game was for when selling C18 games. The number of grandparents who went skitz with us for asking was just unreal!

Was talking to a guy working in gamestation the other week and he was saying they have to be really careful cos apparently if they are found to be selling a certified 18 game to a minor its as bad as someone selling them a drink in a pub.

Susie
xx

Kids shouldn't be playing 18 rated games same as they shouldn't be buying booze or porn. It's that simple.

Originally posted by Agent Dan
Kids shouldn't be playing 18 rated games same as they shouldn't be buying booze or porn. It's that simple.


Of course once you hit 18 its open season! Wahoo! Everyone back to mine! :clap: :hihi: :thumbsup: :banana: :banana:

I suppose the difficulty of enforcing age limits on games (as compared to booze, which is tricky enough anyway) is that its MUCH more common to buy games for other people. I mean, when you buy a bottle of wine at morrisons, you dont get asked who it is for do you?

Has anyone ever heard of a retailer getting into trouble for selling games to underage kids? Would they get shut down?

I think the problem the computer games industry has is that computer games are still widely percieved by society as a whole to be for kids.
However, the highest percentage of games players are 18-24 year olds. Why shouldn't they have games such as GTA made for them?
I think the responsibility should lie with the retailers and parents to make sure kids don't get their hands on games like GTA. The games industry has no case to answer IMO - why not ban all movies and books then?! Even Tom & Jerry is ultra violent, but nothing is ever said about that!

Originally posted by bigrods
Even Tom & Jerry is ultra violent, but nothing is ever said about that!

Tom and Jerry dont take drugs, carry firearms, swear and then go curb crawling and have realistic looking sex scenes in the back of a car! although . . . . . how good would that be ( for Adults of course ) :P

Originally posted by Lestat
Tom and Jerry dont take drugs, carry firearms, swear and then go curb crawling and have realistic looking sex scenes in the back of a car! although . . . . . how good would that be ( for Adults of course ) :P

Itchy and Scratchy is a really good satire on Tom and Jerry, because on the face of it they are very similar, but they just push it ever so slightly over the edge.

I've often wondered what you would feel watching Itchy and Scratchy if it wasn't a spoof.

I don't think GTA is anything special in terms of it's content, the fighting is no worse than in Tekken or one of the wrestling games, the gun use (and associated special effects) is much less gory than in Halo or Doom 3 and the language isn't as bad as some other games I've played.

GTA3 is a great game.

nothing would happen to the retailer. It's a voluntary system of age ratings, not a legally enforced one.
Since most retailers are responsible and games are played in the home, the onus is on the parents not to buy and not to allow their children to play games that they don't think are appropriate.

Originally posted by Cyclone
nothing would happen to the retailer. It's a voluntary system of age ratings, not a legally enforced one.
Since most retailers are responsible and games are played in the home, the onus is on the parents not to buy and not to allow their children to play games that they don't think are appropriate.


Some games only have a voluntary rating but more extreme games like GTA use the same classification as 18 rated films and carry I believe the same penalties.

GTA put me in a bad mood for a month, since I’ve discovered animal crossing I'm like a whole new happy person, get your kids to play that.

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
GTA put me in a bad mood for a month

It realy cheers me up, stealing a convertable and going for a ride in the country and perhaps an armed robbery :0)

My son has Grand Theft Auto. He's a loving well-balanced lad of 14. He has other hobbies like drawing and playing board games, football, snooker and a whole lot of other stuff. If I thought he were spending all of his day and night playing on any game on his PS2 I would be worried. I know through working with kids what they get up to and I'm lucky that my son is a good 'un. Some of them come to school half asleep because they have been awake until the early hours of the morning playing in their bedrooms on computers and games consoles. So long as they are shown love and taught manners and values then you can't go far wrong with them.

When I was a kid we played with cap guns and it hasn't turned me into a gun-toting maniac. The nature/nurture debate could arise from this.

Originally posted by nick2
It realy cheers me up, stealing a convertable and going for a ride in the country and perhaps an armed robbery :0)

but does it? what happens when the car breaks? you steal another? and when that breaks?

How do you get away from the cops? shoot them? How many police are you going to kill? when will it ever end.............is this really happiness?


have you got the hot air baloon?

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
but does it? what happens when the car breaks? you steal another? and when that breaks?

How do you get away from the cops? shoot them? How many police are you going to kill? when will it ever end.............is this really happiness?


have you got the hot air baloon?

I know * sob * I just can't stop myself * sob *.

It started with Mario Cart, but I just wanted more speed, more thrills, more danger, and less princesses and dancing mushrooms.
I got in with the wrong crowd and before I knew it I was playing Gran Turismo, then it just spiralled out of hand, and I ended up where I am now.

* sob *


p.s. I haven't got to the hot air baloon yet, or the jet pack :0)

I think the certificates should be adhered to and more parental awareness should be created. There's one child I work with very regularly, he's 8 and addicted to games on his playstation.
For one he has few social skills, two, he mimics the phrases he hears on the games he plays. ( I won't repeat them, they aren't suitable for the forum) and three he is developing no other skills or interests because he's in front of the tv playing games all the time.
It drives me crazy to hear him talk and compare life experiences to his games but I'm not in a position to say anything. I just refuse to have him playing playstation while he's in my care. We read, make things, play games, go out, climb trees etc.
I think something should be done to further warn parents and enforce the rules, although I'm at a loss as to what could be done.

The simple question is............do kids really believe what they are seeing is true and will they copy it? There has always been something kids shouldnt be doing. I think that the older generations just panick because they are so out of touch. If they dont like the game dont buy it.

There is a Peter Pan film on tv today......watch out for kids jumping out of windows...........



Ill make sure my son leaves his guns and "NO" boosted car at home just in case he feels like running over a few prostitutes.

Normal kids dont believe what they see on the screen and normal kids dont go out copying actions they see in violent games/movies etc.

Its the yobbo kids with parents that could not give 2 ****s about them that cause all the problems.

Also- I find them trying to ban certain games like Manhunt quite funny really- as if you actually ban the game - it will be available on the internet to download very quick indeed on certain places such as Kazaa or Emule so it wont actually stop people playing it.