Nightline Show on Grand Theft Auto (1 Viewer)

[Michael*K]

Nightline did a show tonight on the violence in Grand Theft Auto and how younger game players have trouble separating fantasy from reality. For anyone on the west coast, you probably still have a chance to see this tonight. Ted Koppel's guests including a D.C. police officer, a psychologist and a teenage video game player. My favorite part: Koppel asking the teenager with a straight face what in the game is considered redeeming after screwing a prostitute "taking her to the park, beating the hell out of her and shooting her in the head." Very interesting epsiode.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

*sigh* I hate this sort of crap. I have never met any gamer of any age that didn't understand that the games there were playing were not real.

Aaron

 

[Dave F]

Wow, Kopple is really timely! What a sleaze.

-Dave

 

[paul_v]

Well if you think about it there is nothing moral about GTA3. Ted Koppel had a point. What is the point of GTA3? Oh yeah..to have fun hehe

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The point of GTA3 is the same as it is for every game: to escape the current reality and go do something fun. In GTA3, you do things that are illegal, and since they are tabooed, they become sadistically fun.

Should people not watch porn movies simply because there are no redeeming qualities in them? Should people not watch the evening news for the same reasons?

I always wanted to take one of the people on these TV shows (in this case, the teenage videogamer) and replace them with me so I can tell Koppel that looking at just ONE violent game amidst THOUSANDS of games is very narrowminded and that he should look at the big picture instead of skewing the show's focus.

And I don't even like GTA3...

 

[paul_v]

I see your point Morgan...but GTA3 is pretty extreme and I hope you would agree that it's innappropriate for minors.

 

[LaMarcus]

You don't like GTA3?!!! WHAT, ARE U CRAZY??!! Jus kiddin, your entitled to your own opinion.....BUT ARE YOU CRAZY??!!! No let me quit, honestly GTA3 is not all that hot from a gaming perspective, it just gives you the chance to do what you've been told not to do all your life, do drugs, steal, kill, and my personal fav.....the hookers!!hehe

 

[Andy Sheets]

Nightline did a show tonight on the violence in Grand Theft Auto and how younger game players have trouble separating fantasy from reality.

In that case, it's a damn good thing Grand Theft Auto is rated only for older people to play. Oh wait, I forgot. Video games are ONLY for the young'uns to play. If you're over the age of 12 and are still playing video games that means you're an anti-social freak or something

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I agree that GTA3 shouldn't be sold to minors, but what people do in their homes is their business. If a parent wants to buy this game for their child they should be allowed to, but the game should not be sold directly to the child.

 

[Craig A]

GTA3 isn't a nice game. It's hard to defend, aside from just saying that "it's just a game". It also happens to be really fun
You'd think Nightline would have better things to talk about, like... uh, non-political forum... nevermind.

 

[Andre F]

I see your point Morgan...but GTA3 is pretty extreme and I hope you would agree that it's innappropriate for minors.

I agree, but isn't that why the game has a mature rating?
-Andre F

 

[ChrisMatson]

I have heard rumors that GTA4/Vice City will be much worse in terms of violence, sexual themes, and language. As long as this type of game is not accompanied with a marketing campaign that targets minors, I see no problems with it. If commercials air on Nickelodeon, or ads show up in teen magazines, I would be offended.

BTW, I am looking forward to playing the new game.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

You know what would probably be the most violent, insulting, discriminating, sexual, and overall just plaing bad (in terms of content, not gameplay) game? One where you play as a news anchor.

 

[Rusty Ray]

Just call it what it is.. a "crime simulator" that happens to have a storyline.. not for kids, but enjoyable nonetheless. not much different than quake.
oh and the redeeming quality about killing the hooker AFTER?
he shoulda said, "you get your money back.. "

 

[Morgan Jolley]

No, he shouldn't have said that.

He should have said, "You teach her that prostitution is wrong...the hard way. You just so happen to get all your health and money back."

 

[Rusty Ray]

Morgan,
THAT is hilarious!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Not only is it funny, it's true! You're doing the community good by beating that hooker!

 

[MatS]

this was clearly Nighline's feeble attempt to lure in a younger audience

 

[MikeAlletto]

this was clearly Nighline's feeble attempt to lure in a younger audience

Hey I pretty regularly watch Nightline and I'm only 27. A lot of the topics they have are facinating.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

People were actually talking about this at work today! I'm on a business trip down in Alabama right now (typing this from the BB internet connection in my Wingate Inn hotel room). Anyway, I went to lunch with a few people from work down here and one of them brought up the Nightline story. I have the game and promptly filled them in on all the cool stuff you could do. One guy just has a PSX, but he now plans to rent a PS2 just so he can play the game and the other guy, who was already planning to buy a PS2 soon, plans to make GTA3 his first game
Aaron