Games should have a limit?

[Tanatos]

Recently games have reached an almost incredible level of reality. They are now so real that sometimes they even simulate crimes.

If by one side you can say that there is freedom of creation, and if it's injures you you have to turn your face, by the other should we accept games that make apology of crimes as rape, torture, pedophilia?

So, you think games should have a limit or the freedom of creation prevails over these question?

Ps.: Please ignore any gramatical mistake

[Ceta]

To my knowledge there are limitations in place on what a game can and cannot include. While crimes like robbery and murder are acceptable, things that would cause red flags amongst parents (such as rape, torture and pedophilia) are not. I could be wrong, however. If there aren't any rules, I'm sure that most developers leave it to common sense when it comes to what they put into the games since the games need to pass through ratings boards before they are allowed to hit the market.

From a personal standpoint, I think it's best if these sorts of limitations are in place. There needs to be a line in order to let one know what they can and cannot do. However, I only support this up to a certain level. If the rules are too strict and the games start to suck horribly as a result, I will be very upset.

[Tanatos]

The restrictions depends on the country. For example here in Brazil pedophilia is forbiden even with an representation of a child (games, animes, cartoons, etc.), but not in Japan (example is the most comon for of pornography there, the lolicon. But it's other subject) .

Rapelay for example is a game that have rape and pedophilia. It was severely criticized here, but the game wasn't forbiden in most coutries.

Even GTA were forbiden here, sure everybody played, but you hardly will find it for sell.

[violin]

Most people that play games are kids. In that case there must be a limit. And believe me a game would not look less interesting if you remove a crime scene or make it less realistic. Games should not be focused on being interested by showing violince etc. It's just an excuse that you can not think of something interesting. And since all games are played by kids (even if they are rated aduls only) all games should be made to be educational because kids learn by observing the environment. In that case it may be appropriate to have some sort of violince but only if the games leads the player to the conclusion that this is a bad think to do.

[nextweek]

Most people that play games are kids. In that case there must be a limit. And believe me a game would not look less interesting if you remove a crime scene or make it less realistic. Games should not be focused on being interested by showing violince etc. It's just an excuse that you can not think of something interesting. And since all games are played by kids (even if they are rated aduls only) all games should be made to be educational because kids learn by observing the environment. In that case it may be appropriate to have some sort of violince but only if the games leads the player to the conclusion that this is a bad think to do.

I highly disagree with this....
Games have violence to create atmosphere. Yes, it isn't totally moral to emerge people into a violent atmosphere, but when a person creates a game they don't expect a five year old to be playing it.
Parents are responsible for what their child plays. I think that parents these days don't quite know what the extent of the rating scale is and what the difference between "Cartoon Violence" and "Graphic Violence" is. Parent's should educate themselves about video games before they let their child play it. I do agree that there should be a limit of what can be shown, and unknown to many there is. There are countless games out there that are shut-down or banned because they go to far. A good example of this is Modern Warfare 2, where there was some question about the Airport scene. The game went throughout a lot of questioning before it was allowed to be sold. Video Games are another form of entertainment. It goes a long the same boundaries as movies as far as what they can put out, since it's like a interactive film. And no most people who play games are all ages. You got people playing games online who are teens to old. And again, the only reason a child would be playing violent video games is because their PARENTS let them. The child really doesn't get a say in what they play because in the end it's the parent's job to tell them. The problem with our society today is that parents can't say "No" to their child anymore. They don't know how to stand up to them and tell them "No this is too violent!" The problem isn't video games just like the problem isn't the films that are being released. Parents need to learn how to be parents!!! I grew up with games. My parents knew that I wasn't ready for violence. So they made the decision to buy me a N64 instead of a playstation, because the system had more family friendly games at the time. When I grew up more, I bought a Xbox because I was ready for it. So yes, some games are too violent for kids. So don't let them play it! Leave the more mature games to those who are mature (M) and those games that are for everyone to kids (E)!

[Hayashida]

Sometimes they simulate crimes? Probably the majority of games have people breaking some kind of law in it.

[Blue_Dragon]

I must be kid, since I still play video games.

But anyway, I think it depends. I mean, I agree with most, that it's disturbing to include things like pedophilia, especially if that's the premise of the game. But when it comes to violence and crime, I think people need to stick to ratings. You can create a really good story, depending on how you use "taboo" elements. Not everyone wants to play a click and learn game--I really have to disagree on the statement that kids are the only ones playing video-games, since my whole circle of friends play games and we're either in or out of college.

I think it's the parents responsibility to keep an eye on what their kids are playing, and stop expecting the rest of the world to accommodate their laziness or ignorance. So I guess I'm agreeing with Nextweek. We can liken it to books. Should we have the right to censor books, just because a child could read it? Ban books? I think any censoring should come from within the household, not the government.

A good example of a very life-like videogame is that Heavy Rain. I mean, it's a thriller and first person game. Very realistic, and yes, it's got some very disturbing content, but it's not for kids. It's for people old enough to deal with the subject matter.

[violin]

You all have a point. But since the internet is so free right now. How a parent is going to control his kid? My parents didn't knew how to use a computer and even if they knew that I should not play some games there is no way they stop me from downloading them and playing them.

[Tanatos]

You all have a point. But since the internet is so free right now. How a parent is going to control his kid? My parents didn't knew how to use a computer and even if they knew that I should not play some games there is no way they stop me from downloading them and playing them.

I agree, sometimes the parents don't even know what their kids are playing. I always played games 16+ (since I was 10). My parents never censored me because the image of games they have is the ones for Nintendo (nintendo relly do games for childs).

[Psy]

That is still a parents fault.If a parent is going to allow a child to play with somthing or somewhere they know nothing about then they are not being very good parents. Its easy to keep a kid from playing games online you see what you do is DONT LET THEM ON A COMPUTER! There is allso tons of programs that limit what can be done by a user on a computer and logs everything that they do.
The whole "Video games cause violence" thing is stupid. If you dont explain what reality and make believe are you are messing your kids up and what they do is your fault. (I actually explained to my little sisters about actors "Playing pretend" on tv and thats not how they really live and stuff so they would understand the concept of reality and make believe) Games are no diffrent and need to be explained to kids that they arent real. There is a diffrence between playing pretend and actually doing them (like pretending to shoot someone with a gun while playing cops and robbers or somthing and actually doing it).