GTA IV

[eleKtro]

 

BTW I am putting GTA IV vids on my youtube but due to the nature of the content I won't be linking them.

 

First thing I noticed about the video, when you enter the car, still the same set up he slams opent he car door, not a casual slow opening :D Love it! Damn watching this video makes me want to play it so badly! But I can't stop looking! Damn your video DiablO!

[Eudemon]

What age are you?

 

And to be honest it's not the violence that would stop me letting kids play this but the language, everything is used in this game and I mean everything. You hear it when out on the street, standing still, in missions, in the taxi, basically all over. The violence isn't that much and frankly it's as violent as YOU make it. You can shoot everything that moves but unlike previous GTA's, the police etc will not be easy to escape if you do as they are very ruthless and when SWAT and beyond arrive they are accurate and constant and will take you out.

 

Remember there is prostitutes, drinking, drugs, guns, killing etc so this game is not for the young uns, sure you can say that you won't be bothered by it and last time I checked despite the 10 years of GTA (man the first was great!) noone as far as I know has Rocket Launched a bus (though you can't lie and say you've never thought about it jokingly).

 

I would say 15 and up would be (hopefully) mature for it, and as for gore that's not the core component, the core aspect is that it is you playing as Niko that does all of the actions onscreen. Anyone who can't make the distinction between fantasy and reality has a screw loose anyway and would snap with a tv show (Dexter?), Movie (Clockwork Orange, Scarface etc?) so to say the game might make you a psycho is complete rubbish, but the content of the game does warrant the rating.

[Nige]

So I am on the second island :excited: !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I am glad the missions have got harder, although maybe abit too hard :o !!!

[Baxie]

And to be honest it's not the violence that would stop me letting kids play this but the language, everything is used in this game and I mean everything. <snip>... but the content of the game does warrant the rating.

 

Diablo.

 

Your points are abundant, and you are correct in most cases. But I disagree with you about the priorities of denying your children a game over language, while allowing violence and gore.

 

I was playing yesterday, and I started thinking:

 

What on earth has things come to? We have a game, where there is swearing, striptease, blood, random violence and killing for fun, and whenever Niko takes his girl home after a date, they cut to the house while they are having sex. Alright. It's funny to hear her moan on and on about how Niko "tells her interesting things", but man...

 

Each and every one of us has had or will have sex a lot more times, than we will kill someone. (I hope.) And Niko is even treating her to a good time before taking her home.

 

But I digress.

 

The games many many questionable practices (Sex not being one of them) does warrant a warning. But I don't believe that it is enough to just say 15+. The parents of people at an impressionable age need to involve themselves and discuss the things.

 

The violence, the dirty language, the sexual content.

 

Language is everywhere, sex and killing also. You cannot protect your kids from this sort of thing, so instead you guide them. You let them ask you questions and you give them proper answers.

 

The solution to the worlds problems doesn't lie in bleeping out the sound and covering up Eminems mouth when he says a dirty word. But I will bet you, that your kid will gain a lot more from having an atmosphere that allows for questions about this sort of content.

 

Encourage your kids to come to you with questions and sit down with them and discuss the game while playing it. You'll see. If your kid is brought up right, he or she will show you that. On the other hand, if they sit there quietly drooling, and whispering something along the lines of "I wish I could do this to my teacher and that annoying boy down the road" you may want to take away the controller and get some serious help.... NOW!

 

But it works both ways. If there are some kids on these forums (I'm 32 and as such, allowed to call you kids) who aren't allowed to play the game, because their parents wont let them, here's an idea. Find a time, when your parents aren't too busy. Ask them to sit down with you. Then calmly explain that this game is out, which is defining in a lot of ways on how the computergames genre is developing. Tell them that you know the game is violent and has a lot of questionable content. And that you would rather sit down with them, and have them explain to you, what all the fuss is about, than sneak around to your friends, who has the game. Tell them, that you don't understand why the morals are set in a way, that allows for violence to be shown on TV, but not sex. Tell them that you would like for them to explain why the world works that way. Do it calmly and openly and don't just think of this as an easy way to get to play. If needed tell them, that you will only play with them in the beginning, till they are sure, that you know what you are experiencing.

 

Talk to you kids, don't just prohibit them from doing things. When I was a kid, the most exciting places to go, and things to do was where and what we were told not to.

[Mb]

Wow, that's some text :p

My parents know about the sex, drugs and killing in the game, but they said: Well, if you want to play this, it's ok for us. I'm grown up enough to leave it as a game and not do this killing and drugs in real life. But, my parents also said that if i don't come to eat no-more as i'm to busy playing GTA, they are breaking the CD, and then i was like WTF!?

But they are quite right i believe. :) The first day i had the game i only went downstairs once.... :o

[hesonly5]

I've had these sort of conversations with my parents, and so did my brother when he lived at home. But my Dad won't have any of it. I'd like to feel I'm a lot more mature and understanding of the world than a lot of people who play these games, and yet I'm not allowed them. My Mum has no problem with it, and claims I'm 'old enough and ugly enough to understand this is irrelevant to real life and you can't go round shooting random people and not suffer the consequences'. While my Dad claims he feels the same way. But why can't I buy them? Who knows. It's one of the great mysteries in life :p

 

Having said that, I can't see the excitement in wondering around and shooting random people for the hell of it, but that could be because I've rarely played these games. And I'm not an avid gamer anyways, so I'm not actually that fussed *shrugs*

[Eudemon]

Guys don't do what I've been doing and shooting the little blue person icon people (they show on the map) as they are side missions not drug dealers like I thought. lol

[khevolution]

thanks i was wondering what they were

[DriftNismo]

Finally got it!!!! :D:D:D:D

 

Yeah, i had to really convince my mum to let me have it, but I said to her i've played EVERY other GTA and i'm not violent, i don't swear, i'm fine. It really depends on what the kid/teenager is like: If they copy things easily, do things they see etc. then don't let them have it. But i'm only 14 so i know nothing about being a parent, i could be completely wrong.

[Mb]

Finally got it!!!! :D:D:D:D

 

Yeah, i had to really convince my mum to let me have it, but I said to her i've played EVERY other GTA and i'm not violent, i don't swear, i'm fine. It really depends on what the kid/teenager is like: If they copy things easily, do things they see etc. then don't let them have it. But i'm only 14 so i know nothing about being a parent, i could be completely wrong.

Congratulations!:p I've played GTA since i was 8...:oook:

[iBilo]

In too all the questions pointed at me.

 

I'm 15, I've played Half-Life 1 since I was 7, Opposing Force since I was 8, Blue Shift since I was 10, GTA3 since I was 11 and brought GTA Vice City a few months later. I then brought San Andreas when I was 12.

 

I watched my first 15 at about 11. And I watched my first 18 at 13 (Scream at school on the last day!! :D) and I wasn't bothered. And then my parents let me watch Kill Bill and I was slightly repulsive but I watched it a few more times and just laughed.

 

My parents know all of this and yet they won't let me buy it because they think I will be hooked on it and they think its really violent. Yet they watch and play the above.

 

They are worried because now I laugh at Gore. If I watch Kill Bill its hilarious. If I watch Resident Evil I laugh. If I watch those weird gorey crime TV its even more hilarious.

 

So yeah, its sorta a no. its coming to the start of my GCSE's and my parents think I will be hooked on it so I won't get any revision done.

[CarMadMike]

WOOOT! My copy has finally been dispatched!, thank god it was before bank holiday monday, it should arrive here thursday, it said 3-5 days, - sunday and monday.

[ExplosiveGoats]

Mine comes Tuesday or Wednesday :excited:

[Speedtouch]

So yeah, its sorta a no. its coming to the start of my GCSE's and my parents think I will be hooked on it so I won't get any revision done.

 

Me too. Although I have got it. And I think that was a mistake, but I just have to ignore it to get on with revision. Stupid GCSEs! Also, very bad timing from Rockstar! :mad:

[t.]

Been playing it over the last 24 hours (not constantly), and well... Single player is good. I like the characters, story and mission base etc. Online... Only really done a bit of freeroam and free for all and while it was fun, I was honestly bored after about an hour. The online to me, just doesn't seem as great as I had hoped. Not looking to start an argument, it's a fantastic game and I will continue to play it offline and on. Just not as much online as I had expected to.