Gearheads of War

Ok, I have had this thought recently.  If games are the current whipping boy about the violence and mature content ruining the youth of America, and the rest of the world what is next?  In the past there were books being blamed on the demise of the youth, books like Catcher in the Rye were met with hositility towards it, much like GTA today.  Then Rock and Roll degraded the youth of the world.  Then movies, then TV with too much violence and sex (OMG not sex) and now video games.  But what will take video games place.  The internet?  I don't think so, too many people seem to lump video games and the internet together.  But I guess it could be the Internet 2, maybe?  This thought has me somewhat worried, because people will rag on games until the next thing comes along.  I guess the one other thing that might stop it, is when my sons generation (he is 11) grows up and they are not scared of games, but that will be another ~20 years.  Or, is it my generation (I am almost 40)that has to stop the insanity .  (ha ha ha, haven't heard that in about 20 years.)  

The other thing that really bothers me, especially lately is that books and movies are not dragged into this video games mess.  IF (Big IF) the Federal government (NO way in hell they should) ends up regulating games, then books and movies should follow suit.  All my life people have always said that books are the most potent media for instilling, visualizing, or motivating any one into doing anything; books need to be treated like video games.  I get the same feelings when I read as when I am in a game.  Movies are the same way, they are just much shorter in duration, but a well made and produced movie can really enrapture me and sweep me away completely like a game or book can.  So as I see it, the three are linked in that regard.  For instance, my 11 year old, 6th grade, brought home from his school library Stone of Tears, by Terry Goodkind.  I have read this book twice and feel that most 6th graderes should not be reading that book, in my mind that book rates an M for sure, maybe even an AO.  But nobody has a problem with this, at least as far as I can tell, because it is a book, protected by the 1st Amendment, as are games.  I didn't freak out, because I knew my son really wouldn't be able to get through the book, as the themes and the way it is written really are for adults.  He tried to read it but didn't get too far.  As for those who are wondering why it would be an M rated book, Blood, Gore, Srong Violence, Sexual overtones, rape, some mild sex and some very evil characters.  So any way, where are the people who are up in arms about a game, lets say like Crackdown when an 11 year old plays that, OMG he is going to become a physcopath, but say nothing after he brings home a book like that from his school library?  Hell, most people wouldn't have a clue, because the book isn't rated!

Any way I have went on a long time but I am worried about my beloved hobby of video games being the whipping boy until the next thing come along, but I don't know what the next thing is?  Nanotechnology, gene modificiation, cloning???  Any way thanks for reading and let me know what you think.  Thanks.

Read this article, it is kind of long but is really fascinating.  Linky:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/48962/rethinking-halo/

Brings up some good points and dovetails on Papi's religious themes.  This guy goes deep, honestly I just play it and enjoy it but once I read it most of it made a lot of sense.  

Also manages to talk about MS and the XBox.  

Enjoy!

I have been wondering about the subprime mess and how it affects our collective hobby video gaming.  You see gaming is a discretionary expenditure.  So as people face higher mortgages, higher gas prices, and even high food bills how is it that video game spending seems to keep increasing? If you think about the pending launch of Halo 3, MS is looking to rake in about $155M to possiblely up to $180M in a single day along with XXXX amnount of 360s being bought just to play the game.  

This leads me to wonder if the subprime mortage thing is being overblown because look, people can still buy Halo 3 and play it on their rather expensive 360s.  Or is that, that the money on Halo 3 will come out of other discretionary spending, like music and movies.  

OR

Is there something else at work here.  As we get older, yeah I am 39, I can definetly spend more on my hobby and there seems to be a lot of 'old' guys like me playing games.  I even went and got a big DLP TV, a new reciever, and I bought PS3 recently.  So yeah, I am spending and I have worked hard to support my gaming habit.  But if you read the news lots of people same to be losing their houses and it would seem that would hurt not only the hard core gaming market, but the casual one too.  

How about you college students or even HS students.  Have your parents been affected by the recent subprime shakup?  People are speculating some very bad things ahead, ie. recession to all out depression.  But the Video game industry pushes on despite all this.  I also fear a collapse for the game industry if either one hits hard.  People just will not be able to afford gaming if the crap does hit the fan.  

My bottom line is that as long as the game industry is seeing growth, I know the casual market is growing it right now, then our economy, at least in the US, is all right.  You see video games fall way down on the essential for life scale.  If you don't have money for food, shelter and warmth then you don't have money for video gaming. So what have been your observations?

The fight is ready to be finished: Halo 3 has gone gold and is heading to manufacturing. According to Next Generation, Next-Gen.biz.  MS is looking for $155M on the first day of sales, surpassing the Spiderman 3 weekend of $151M.  I think they may just make it.  With more then one millioin preorders, the hype is stong with this one.  That is because of the Master Chiefs, Halo's concentration of Master Chiefs is very high and Master Chiefs Rule the Universe.  

God what a GEEK moment.  But it is good to see Halo 3 GOLDEN.  Not much longer now.

I have been thinking about AO rated games (Adult Only) lately and wanted to ask the Gearheads about it.

1. Would you buy an AO rated game?

2. Having just found out lately, at least to me it was news, that neither the 360 or PS3 can play AO games, should they?  I assume the Wii doesn't play AO games, should it?

3. Where would you expect to buy AO games?  Store, on-line or both?

I see a world with AO games but for some reason the industry has decided they shouldn't be allowed.  Now I am no prude, but I do see the need to keep adult games squarely in adult hands and not in kids.  For instance Grand Theft Auto with the Hot Coffee Mod could have been sold as a AO game and the one with out Hot Coffee could have been sold as the M rated version.  What would be wrong with that scenerio?  

Gears of War is another example, the gore in it really makes a difference for gameplay, but add a little sex, some more language and could an AO version been created?  I would have bought it rated AO or M.  As it stands I play with the gore off to appease my wife because she thinks it is too much for my 11 year old.  

As a whole though, I wouldn't mind a game that had sexual content in it as long as it made sense and was fun to play with, so to speak.  I see walking into a Gamestop and heading back to the AO section of the store, walking through some beads, or swinging doors and looking over the AO games.

This brings me to the point of the 360 not playing AO games, I guess MS can lock them out from playing, which kind of saddens mes :-(.  I know there aren't any real AO games out, but I had always hoped there might be someday.  Same goes for the PS3.  And honestly there are some games that are rated M that should probably be AO any way.  

Am I totally off base here, or do I make some sense?  As I get older I wouldn't mind playing some more mature themed games, if some one could actually make a fun one.  

Thanks.

Dan

You sent me one invite, but I couldn't join you, I was playing split screen with my son and I think that prevented me from hooking up with you.  Guess I will try next week.  Thanks.

Master Kenai, we had a good time playing with you and your "Masters" on Sunday.  Those were some good matches.  

Over all I really like Annex on the larger maps, Tyro, Fuel Depot and Old Bones.  Those maps lend themselves to annex much better then the tighter maps.  Escalation might be another good one, but I want to try it a few moretimes.  Oddly enough, I don't like Tyro much, but with annex it is pretty cool.  So I think Annex has it place, you just have to have the right maps.  Imagine some vehicles in a large Annex map, know that would be fun.

Thanks for the great matches last night, escpecially Kenai91 for the invite.  I had a blast playing with all you guys and they were some great matches.  I was bit rusty (haven't played in about a month due to Crackdown)but I think I found some type of grove toward the end of the night.  I am not sure if I can play tonight (Friday) or not but hopefully I can and I will see if I can play with some you.

Ground control to Major Dan, we have GEARS!!!!!