Would you let your kids play a video game

[msj]

I remember back in the '80's I played a game about the Battle of Britain.

I loved being able to play the evil Nazi's as I tried to bomb Britain into submission and alter the course of history.

For some reason I still turned into a liberal who attends gay weddings and supports mosques being built two blocks from ground zero.

So, would you let your kids play a video game where they can be a Taliban fighter/terrorist? Link

Edited August 25, 2010 by msj

[M.Dancer]

I remember back in the '80's I played a game about the Battle of Britain.

I loved being able to play the evil Nazi's as I tried to bomb Britain into submission and alter the course of history.

For some reason I still turned into a liberal who attends gay weddings and supports mosques being built two blocks from ground zero.

So, would you let your kids play a video game where they can be a Taliban fighter/terrorist? Link

My kids aren't allowed to play games that have anything more than cartoon violence (lego batman).

The difference between you bombing london and today is, the battle of britain has been over for 60 years....the Taliban are still killing ..

[Jack Weber]

I've played war games and been the NAZI's...

I've played US Civil War games and been the Confederacy with my wife watching!!!!

It's just a game...

[Remiel]

Depends on the context. And honestly, with my borderline addiction to video games, I am skeptical as to how much I would let them play at all.

I think you have to look at it through a lens of representation, however. Do children actually take to heart what is being represented in game? I think the evidence is pretty strong in favour of that not being the case. Consider that there are plenty of games out there where you can play as a character or faction that represents an evil that makes the Nazis look like fuzzy kittens in comparison. No one has a problem with those, however. So I do not see why they should have a probem with a game that allows you to play as a member of the Taliban; as long as the objectionable parts of the driving ideology in question are not being pushed by the game onto the player as " good " .

[Bonam]

Yep. People who blame video games for kids becoming violent or other such nonsense have no idea what they are talking about. If anything, kids sitting at home playing video games are far safer and more likely to stay out of trouble than those hanging out elsewhere doing who knows what.

[Moonlight Graham]

Heck, maybe it might even have a positive influence. Instead of the usual glorification of western military gore (which i play on Xbox Live!), the people playing it will get a different perspective on the war and the "enemy".

[Remiel]

Heck, maybe it might even have a positive influence. Instead of the usual glorification of western military gore (which i play on Xbox Live!), the people playing it will get a different perspective on the war and the "enemy".

Were I to be making a game that featured a Taliban storyline, I would probably have three " role models " for the main character to choose between: a nationalist, a fundamentalist, and a mercenary; each representing a possible reason for why the character fights. Also, there would probably be the option of choosing between the path of a " soldier " and that of a terrorist, which would represent the sort of good/evil axis in many games, though in this one it would be the evil/objectionable axis. There would probably be a very high turnover in comrades as they have a tendancy to get killed off by superior fighters and equipment.

If you could make it realistic enough, perhaps in some respects it could be like the counterpart of America's Army, where the purpose is to get inside the head of an enemy fighter instead of a Western soldier. Learning to think like the enemy is never a bad skill.

[DrGreenthumb]

I totally would. My kids have been playing Halo since they were like 5 or 6 and you can play as a Covenant warrior. (the Covenant are a group of Alien races that are religious whack jobs and are bent on bringing the end of the world or the "rapture", so that they can live in eternal bliss like their prophets have told them. Gee come to think of it the Covenant could be a videogame caricature of the CPC, no wonder I enjoy splattering them all over the walls so much. Can't wait for the 3D movie version.

[GostHacked]

You've been able to play as terrorists before.

Counterstrike

Command and Conquer:Generals (play as the GLA aka arabs maybe muslims)

Battlefield 2042

I personally don't have a problem with it. It's the equivalent of not making a movie with Al-queda as the enemy.

But in terms of letting my kids (if I had any) play video games, depends on the age and what type of game. This is where parenting .. i mean actual parenting comes in.

[dre]

It depends on the actual content and how graphic/disturbing it is.

Beyond that I dont really care.

[wyly]

when I was a kid and just as most on this forum did played violent war games long before there were video games and we acted out the parts...a healthy mind isn't affected by games we play as kids, a sick mind will be twisted regardless of what games they play as kids...

[GostHacked]

when I was a kid and just as most on this forum did played violent war games long before there were video games and we acted out the parts...a healthy mind isn't affected by games we play as kids, a sick mind will be twisted regardless of what games they play as kids...

I could be dating myself, but Pong was probably THE MOST BRUTALLY violent game at that time (I think it was the ONLY video game at that time for home use)

[wyly]

double post,

Edited August 25, 2010 by wyly

[wyly]

I could be dating myself, but Pong was probably THE MOST BRUTALLY violent game at that time (I think it was the ONLY video game at that time for home use)

I was referring to playing with toy guns and knives vs other kids, the concept was far more brutal/violent and personal than computer games my kid plays and he plays the most graphic there are...healthy minds are able to seperate reality from fantasy...

I remember playing pong and space invaders and thought that was the coolest thing ever incredible how far the technology has come along....

[Moonlight Graham]

I`ve seen on news sites some comments where people say a game depicting the Afghanistan war is `too soon`. Well, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" came out last year and is one of the biggest selling games of all-time, and had levels of military gun-fighting taking place in Afghanistan, not sure if the Taliban was involved though.

The game is only letting you play as the Taliban in the online multi-player mode, and in games like these (ie: Call of Duty) in my experience you are much more concentrated on shooting the other team in the face than having any realization of what "team" you're on, whether US, Britain, Chinese, Soviets etc.

It's really a small issue. It would be much different if you were actually playing on a scripted single-player campaign and going on missions killing NATO soldiers or civilians as the Taliban.

[M.Dancer]

Personally I have no interest in these POV 1st person games.

I would though find recreating the battle of Cannae interesting..or the battle of actium..

[GostHacked]

Personally I have no interest in these POV 1st person games.

I would though find recreating the battle of Cannae interesting..or the battle of actium..

As much as I dislike EA for it, the game will sell and that's the point. People will buy it. More controversy? Possibly more sales.

If you want some great FPS POV games, Half Life 2 is king. Crysis (omg the eye candy) was fantastic, photo realistic in some places. Timeshift was another fantastic game.

Have you tried CIV at all?? Number 5 is dropping soon.

[M.Dancer]

Have you tried CIV at all?? Number 5 is dropping soon.

I have no idea what CIV is. I have played Harpoon though...

[kimmy]

If I catch my little kimlet playing a game as a Taliban fighter, she's gonna get waterboarded.

-k

[M.Dancer]

If I catch my little kimlet playing a game as a Taliban fighter, she's gonna get waterboarded.

-k

If I catch you not being careful and having kimlets, you will be sooooo grounded.

[Jack Weber]

If I catch you not being careful and having kimlets, you will be sooooo grounded.

Nickel between the knees?

[DogOnPorch]

I have no idea what CIV is. I have played Harpoon though...

Civilization I-V...quite fun.

http://www.civilization.com/