Duncan Smith: 'Nobody cares about age ratings'

Eighthours wrote:Duncan Smith seems to be blaming the videogames themselves for this state of affairs, which is a bit bizarre. The age ratings exist - it's the retailers and parents who need to enforce them.

Quite right. It's about parenting. The consoles have age controls, even PCs have age ratings these days, you can set it in the windows' games browser so any GFW titles won't run if they are too young for the game to be suitable.

It is simply parents being too lazy to see what options they have available to themselves. It doesn't take long to set a parental control password on a PC, Xbox, Wii or PS3.

IDSDGI

Cal wrote:I have to say I have a friend just two years younger than me (he's 44) with a 13 year-old son. He allows his son to play MW2, L4D2, etc. The worst thing about it? Because my encyclopaedic knowledge* of all things videogame-related is well known to him, he comes to me to ask' advice' about whether I think such-and-such a game would be 'suitable' for his boy. This has led to a situation where his son now knows if he can 'get' to me first and bring me 'on-side' before his Dad asks me about a certain game purchase, he can virtually secure his new game, no matter the age-rating.

Because of me, this young child is playing age-rated games deemed unsuitable for him, potentially even corrupting.

I done a bad.

I don't understand. You mean that if the son asks you about an 18+ game you're unable to tell him he shouldn't play it?

Turok wrote:I don't understand. You mean that if the son asks you about an 18+ game you're unable to tell him he shouldn't play it?

No, I'm unable to agree that I should tell him he shouldn't play it, because I don't agree with the rating. Call me irresponsible, but I'd feel the same way if he was my own kid. I see nothing in these - or any - videogame to justify an '18' rating. Ever.

Frankly, imo, the entire system of videogame 'rating' is bogus and almost completely without merit. Games are not films. And please don't try and tell me because you're waving around a MotionPlus in Manhunt2 you're playing a knife-wielding 'murder simulator'.

It's a game. If you can't spot the difference, playing under-age rated games is probably the least of your worries.

Cal wrote:And please don't try and tell me because you're waving around a MotionPlus in Manhunt2 you're playing a knife-wielding 'murder simulator'.

Penn and Teller may be libertarian dickheads but they were spot on with this one. Sick of people saying games train kids to shoot guns and be killers, they took a boy who was an avid console FPS player to a firing range to shoot a gun supervised by a former marine and a policeman.

This video shows the reaction the kid had to a real life gun. It is not a nice sight.

Cal wrote:It's a game. If you can't spot the difference, playing under-age rated games is probably the least of your worries.

Really? I think that not all kids come pre-programmed to always be able to tell the difference between reality and simulation, and it can be harder, and take more effort for some kids more than others. Of course, in an ideal world, if the parents are responsible enough they'll notice hypersensitivity and act accordingly, but in reality that doesn't always happen.

And I don't care about kids learning to shoot with videogames; I know that's not true and it wasn't my point at all.

Turok wrote:And I don't care about kids learning to shoot with videogames; I know that's not true and it wasn't my point at all.

I didn't post it solely for your benefit, jeez.

Just making it clear.

I wonder what sort of role magazines like Gamesmaster or Ngamer play in undermining these ratings. They are plainly aimed at younger readers but have no problem featuring titles like GTA4 and Madworld and encouraging people to buy them. I'm surprised that it isn't a bigger issue to be honest.

Was IDS able to demonstrate a causal link between video game violence and 'innocence being destroyed by children's television and computer games' (whatever that means), or was he just dribbling rhetoric to sound like he cares (which is unlikely since Conservatives don't have emotions).

Video games have ratings. If they're ignored enforce them more rigorously or blame the parents.

I personally don't necessarily have a problem with children/teens playing games rated above their age as long as the parent is aware of the content, and is educated and experienced enough with video games to make a judgement on that content.

This doesn't apply to most parents, however, who are clueless twats.

Some related Mark Kermode videos on the subject of videogame nasties:

I love Penn and Teller.

But, I do think games can have an affect on a childs concept of violence and gooseberry fool. Last year, I did an army basic training thing for 3 months. During that time, we got to play with guns and do woodland combat exerises and stuff. Now I know that because I play so many games I was better than everyone else off the bat.

I knew all the terminology, I knew about cover and how to apply it, I understood camo and concealment. And heres the kicker, having never held a real gun in my life, I was given a rifle (an SA-80) and had the opportunity to shoot targets. I was already familiar with the weapon and how to shoot, and I was the only person to hit 20 out of 20 targets with one round each. Something that Im certain would not have been possible without my knowledge and 'training' in games, as evidenced by the fact that other people who didnt play games didnt understand the terminology, the concepts and couldnt shoot for gooseberry fool.

Im not saying games turn people into murderers or teach children how to kill, but, I know my experience.

Falsey wrote:Im not saying games turn people into murderers or teach children how to kill, but, I know my experience.

...and your experience, by the sound of it, did teach you a few things about using a gun and combat techniques. Hmmmm. So what are we saying here? That games might just be useful educational tools, rather than 'murder simulators'? That whether it's driving, puzzle-solving, understanding military tactics or football management, perhaps games have something worthwhile to offer young minds?

Sounds to me like politically-incorrect heresy!

The problem I had while I was working in a shop was that a lot of parents are unwilling to listen when you point out in a polite way that a game is unsuitable. In the 4 years I was at Woolies I don't think anyone was ever stopped from buying a game because of age ratings as the hassle you get from parents for being nosey and telling them how to parent is just not worth it.
The other problem was that they never gave the people on the games section any training at all and at my store they had people with no interest in gaming on the department despite us having a few gamers.

Cal wrote:
Falsey wrote:Im not saying games turn people into murderers or teach children how to kill, but, I know my experience.

...and your experience, by the sound of it, did teach you a few things about using a gun and combat techniques. Hmmmm. So what are we saying here? That games might just be useful educational tools, rather than 'murder simulators'? That whether it's driving, puzzle-solving, understanding military tactics or football management, perhaps games have something worthwhile to offer young minds?

Sounds to me like politically-incorrect heresy!

I didnt even think about the educational aspect, but considering it, I have learned a fuckton from the likes of Gran Turismo and Forza about the art of driving fast. Again, Im not saying Im a race driver, but drop me and a randomer into a car, and I bet Ill be a shitload faster than him.

I play too many games.

I'm in the same boat as Falsey. When I did weapon shooting (rifle and pistol) my accuracy and knowledge of how the things worked was great, he even said "you've done this before haven't you" and I had not.
Got a nice reaction from the crowd queuing when I hit four out of five clay pidgeons when most were lucky to even get one

Something Fishy

pyxl-8 wrote:I think the reason age ratings go mostly ignored is because they're way too strict. 18 is a ******* ridiculous age to have to wait until you're allowed to see, well, anything. I honestly can't think of anything that's really only suitable for those 18 and over to watch or play.

I've been playing GTA games since I was 12 (GTA2), and although I'd have been embarrassed playing it in front of my parents, there wasn't anything in it, or any of the subsequent games in the series, that wasn't fit for my private enjoyment at that age.

I totally agree with you.

I must admit i tend not to let my son play the likes of GTA as i'm not keen on the language and i think the themes are too adult really.

However I admit i do let him play MW2 online and it doesn't concern me. Watching it , it's like a game of soldiers to me and i honestly can't see that it's too similar to real killing in a real war zone. Just having been involved in policing it's a far cry from real violence.

I did however think it was important for him to learn some physical discipline so did get him to do some Judo for a couple of years and he does play rugby (agree with that video though. i see a lot more kids hurt playing physical games like rugby).

Do I see an overly aggressive violent child on the field because of it? No, he's not that way in nature and i don't for second believe a video game can make a balanced person imbalanced.

Were he to have issues with anger and violence then i'd think differently.

I do however see too much pent up energy if he games for too long, as i do with any child who's do anything inactive for too long. Do I exercise him? Yes, all the time.

Do I discuss them with him and ensure he's aware this is escapist fantasy and bears no relation to real life? I certainly do.

So basically, i'm taking responsibiity for my child, perhaps iDS ought to leave the majority of parents who do exactly that alone and focus his energies onthe scrotes who don't/can't/won't.

That's more to do with natural aim than knowledge of how to use a weapon though Hulohot. It's not as if you just walked up and staring stripping a gun for cleaning while blindfolded and saying the "This rifle is mine" speech from Full Metal Jacket.

Winckle, I'd already seen that video. Why'd you waste my strawberry floating time for? :roll:

Corazon de Leon

Oxx wrote:I managed to convince my parents to buy me Perfect Dark back in the day. We've all done it.

o/

I was ten years old. :lol:

Deadpool wrote:
Oxx wrote:I managed to convince my parents to buy me Perfect Dark back in the day. We've all done it.

o/

I was ten years old.

Me and my mate did it, We told his dad it was exactly the same as Goldeneye and was only an 18 because it had a woman in it.

Duncan Smith: 'Nobody cares about age ratings'

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