The Columbine Massacre (http://www.geocities.com/columbinegame/)

There are some sickos in this world. Whoever made this mod is seriously mentally ill and needs help asap. Even if he isn't making it and is just BSing everyone, he's still a frickin whacko. I just can't *wait* to re-enact one of the most tragic events in U.S. history. I wonder what the parents of the murdered kids would think if they saw this. You know, I could maybe see a CS map based on the Columbine school. I wouldn't play it, that's for sure, but it isn't a huge deal. This mod however, is crossing the line. The creator even added a suicide pill for the game. What a guy.

Anyway, I figured we might as well make a discussion out of this.

Do you think violent video games/TV shows/movies/music **** kids up? We're probably a bit biased on this since we're all gamers to some degree, but what the hell. No message board is complete without this kind of topic anyway.

And if you care, there's a petition here (http://www.petitiononline.com/stpcgame/) to stop the game or whatever. Discuss.

[ July 15, 2001: Message edited by: OnlyOneCanoli ]

i wouldnt say we're biased. i'd say we have first hand experience, where as most of these adults and psychoanalysts who are sticking games as scapegoats dont. this gives us a greater understanding of what happens during a game. to an onlooker the experience and effect of a gamer saying 'die die die' and blowing the head off another player may be totally different to the experience and effect felt by that gamer.

ill write something long and deep later.

these guys are sick, and ill be writing them something to express my opinion. wont do anything, but hey, i feel strongly about it.

thanks canoli for bringing this up.

where did you find this?
a whole mod for half-life?
im afraid of what the consequences of people who play this game might be...i get worried just from looking at it...

I don't know the reasons why this a$$hole is making a mod like that but to me he is just feeding the media and those idiots of politicians that live to see everything cencored.
If this is his way of saying that there is no freedom of speech then he is going the wrong way. I'm sure that the only thing he realy wants though is to get our attention.

As for games in general, it's really hard to say. The Japaniese and the Germans saw a diferent Pearl Harbor in their local cinemas than the rest of the world did. Why can a game based on D-Day be approved while a game that focused on the third reich for example wouldn't be...
Although I hate Ratings both for games and movies (I believe that it should be either PG or R, nothing in between) that is why things like that are for. To inform a parent or a consumer in general about a product.

Games can be as violent as their developers want them to be. To me their story, focus or subject can be whatever their developers wish it to be. Just as long as there is a sign on the box, a warning about the contents of the game. That way no one can complain about not being informed.

I found this at the ArsTechnica forum. I believe it is a SP only mod.

As for the consequences, I don't expect much. There are no laws against this ort of thing. Although I'm sure Yahoo will take them off of GeoCities any day now.

And it is a good chance that these people just want their 15 miunutes of fame by making it. Besides, the mod from the screen shots looks like ass.

Just a minor note, I wouldn't call the Columbine massacre "one of the most tragic events in US history."

It's not even in the top ten, if you ask me. Think about it...

Hey, I'm sure the guy making that mod (or making the hoax that he's making the mod) is just seeking negative attention. This will play right into his hands. And besides, even if in very poor taste (which it would be), it's within his freedom of speech and expression to create it, as long as there's no legal problems with the company that owns the engine. If you don't like it, boycott it, ignore it, and see if he gets the message.

I don't have a problem with ratings (they can be helpful for previewing content) or voluntary self-censorship by artists (when they aren't forced) per se. I do have a problem with a third party restricting the choice of what material to view by responsible adults.

Note that this means if people want to call certain movies, books, etc, obscene, bad, gross, etc, or put a sticker on them, fine, as long as I, as an adult can experience it for myself if I choose to, and make up my own mind about it.

Kurgan

[ July 15, 2001: Message edited by: Kurgan ]

ya, people gotta think for themselves, and take responcibility for their actions. and if you dont wanna play a mod, dont play it, dont try and tell others they dont wanna play it. who am i to tell someone that this is too bad for them, or that is too bad for them. oh, well, the mothers in the inner cities that fear for their childern will not listen to anyone but people who give them a scapegoat. so, our opinions will fall on deaf ears anyway, this whole situation discusts me anyway, and now im in a bad mood, who brought this up anyway???

Hehe, I brought this up. Kurgan, perhaps one of the most tragic events in recent US history. Still, people consider the Boston "Massacre" a tragic event... only 5 people or so were killed, and they were armed with rocks and snow. I don't blame the Brits for firing on them after continual abuse... but I consider Columbine more tragic than this patriotic propoganda.

And don't get me wrong here. I didn't bring this up, saying that you cannot play this mod. I'm saying that I won't play it and that the mod was created in very bad taste by a person who I think needs professional help.

I dont think video games are to blame....well, they can have most violence turned off and passworded and have sticter guidlines. Movies and things have less strict guidelines but i dont think they have that much of an influence. I feel its more the ubringing of the parents and the environment they live in.....violent where they have to fight to survive, or a peaceful life. Its not like your gonna watch tomb raider, get a gun and act out some of the scenes. Movies and things get the blame....but then, there was violence before they came popular....and remember, guns and tools of violence are more readily available these days :mad:

The Canoli speaks much sense!

You know someone once contacted me on ICQ asking me to beta test a JK MP level for them. I agreed and he sent me the GOB.

Columbine.GOB

My heart sank as I noticed the filename....it sank even further when I loaded it up and discovered a boxy school level with ambient gun fire sounds.....

I advised the guy that he change or ditch the level unless he wanted big trouble from the community.

Thankfully it never saw the light of day.

"I don't have a problem with ratings (they can be helpful for previewing content) or voluntary self-censorship by artists (when they aren't forced) per se"

Kurgan I agree with you all the way. My problem with ratings though is the fact that "voluntary self-censorship by the artists themselves" is never what the artists wanted to do. Otherwise they would have made their game, music or movie in such a way that wouldn't need censorship at all.
With ratings like everyone, 13+, 15+ 18+ artists tend to adjust their art in order for it to sell, thus creating something different than what they envisioned the final outcome to be.

I think that site was taken down.

Good ridance.

<BASEFONT COLOR="Red">From What I understand that mod was shut down by the FBI. Due to the Colmbine Shooting the FBI now handles at school shooting events. What these people are doing is Emotional Hardship and that would put them bhind bars. To make it wrose its now a Fedural Offence.

Although I think its funny. 1 of my friends on AIM contacted the FBI bout this :) </BASEFONT>

Well don't tell them about Pico then...

I would disagree with CaptainRave.

It's much easier to get a game than a gun (or other weapon). Try it sometime and you'll see. ; )

Incidentally, if we're going to blame games (or game mods) for violence, then we need to start blaming other stuff for violence too, not just movies and cd's and all that "new fangled technology mumbo jumbo the kids are using these days" but also stuff like the evening news, books, magazines, newspapers, radio, tv, etc. After all, there are documented cases of people who make regular use of these medi and forms of entertainment who have gone on to commmit violent acts.

Eventually, after all that could possibly incite people to violence is banned and censored, in a modern police state of total expressive silence, then, in that marvelous utopia, we will all be safe from thoughts of violence.

Then again, maybe not...

I would say it's important to realize, that as any good scientists knows, correlation does not equal causation.

I would also say the axiom that says that the cost of liberty is eternal vigiliance is true.

Kurgan

[ July 19, 2001: Message edited by: Kurgan ]

If you ask a girl like me what she thinks about a mod like that, she'd say that it sounds terrible. That's what I'de say too. Whoever made that is absolutely sick. May god have mercy on their soul.