Minors playing M rated games. How do you feel?

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

5 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

 It's been on track for the most part.

They were playing a game of "whoever can find a grammatical/factual error in the other's post" as far as the last page. 

[SpaceGhostC2C]

1 minute ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

And at this point some twat is going to make the distinction that you're not controlling the actor but you are the game. What say you to counter that?

I don't understand. You control the game character to trigger an extreme violence scene, you control the game character to trigger a sex scene (I guess that's what you meant by "you are the game"?). Movies and games being different is no issue for my original argument.

[Zodiark1593]

When I was a kid, I wanted GTA SA because at the time, there were almost no comparable open world games. Nothing else at the time let me drive a car through multiple cities, then proceed to grab a plane, jump out of that, then proceed to ride the train around for awhile and later grab some food. 

[handymanshandle]

35 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

This thread was set to turn into an irrelevant argument from the start.

 

I am 14 myself, and my parents don't let me play M-rated games, or any games (rated by ESRB or not) that are recommended for people older than I am. I think it's pretty reasonable - between school and the various other activities I partake in, I've barely got time for a few LTT videos here and then. And I'm perfectly happy - I feel like the reason ESRB really rates these games is to get kids like myself to focus on their education and exploring their talents. After all, that's what childhood is all about. 

 

Really, it's up to the parents. I won't deny that their restrictions frustrate me at times, but I do know that it's for my own good. It also depends on how mature the child is - like many others on this thread have noted, age, intelligence, and maturity are entirely different things. 

Looks to me like you're countering your own points here. There's a difference between intelligence and maturity, as you've noted. But then, how does usage of proper punctuation really prove one's maturity? And those were very, very, minor errors. Not trying to make an enemy here - I just thought you were a little harsh that time. 

I don't think the ESRBA's rating is exactly a gold standard but again a guideline.

 

Are some M rated games okay for most 14 year olds to play? Yes certainly. Are some M rated games more so meant for 17+ certainly. 

I don't think it has anything to do with education. Adolescence is different than childhood. It's the intermediary and detached from childhood and adulthood.

[Clanscorpia]

1 hour ago, wcreek said:

I want to sort of defend you but idk.

I don't know exactly how, I suppose my best advice would be to maybe concede.

I'm not 13 anymore and don't spend time with 13 year olds like I did when I was 13. So like idk.

My time is spent with my grade 10 best friends or a calculus textbook.

[Clanscorpia]

And I personally think intelligence =/= maturity but a high intelligence make you have a different look at the world, and make you look at it from different angles.

[SImoHayha]

played Rated m games, when I was 7. Tons of blood, gore and horror. Dad knew he could trust me to separate reality and fantasy. He also knew that I was mature enough that I wouldn't just change after playing the game (I.E swearing, using bad langauge etc. )

[AresKrieger]

I've played M rated games since I was able to properly play games, its was no worse than watching CSI or the news at the time, or 80s movies so I see no issue with it

8 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

When I was a kid, I wanted GTA SA because at the time, there were almost no comparable open world games. Nothing else at the time let me drive a car through multiple cities, then proceed to grab a plane, jump out of that, then proceed to ride the train around for awhile and later grab some food. 

Still my favorite GTA to this day, makes me wish devs still focused on detail of gamplay and interaction rather than just image quality

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

4 minutes ago, wcreek said:

I don't think the ESRBA's rating is exactly a gold standard but again a guideline.

 

Are some M rated games okay for most 14 year olds to play? Yes certainly. Are some M rated games more so meant for 17+ certainly. 

I don't think it has anything to do with education. Adolescence is different than childhood. It's the intermediary and detached from childhood and adulthood.

I agree. It's obviously a guideline for parents - it's not set in stone. I think you misunderstood me there. I meant that exposure to violent/mature content at a young age can have a negative influence on a child/adolescent's education/life. They need to be able to distinguish between fantasy and reality - it's not as simple as one may think.

[handymanshandle]

3 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

I agree. It's obviously a guideline for parents - it's not set in stone. I think you misunderstood me there. I meant that exposure to violent/mature content at a young age can have a negative influence on a child/adolescent's education/life. They need to be able to distinguish between fantasy and reality - it's not as simple as one may think.

Then yeah, though I think that most adolescents can do that. Children maybe not.

[Zoravar]

12 minutes ago, Ramamataz said:

played Rated m games, when I was 7. Tons of blood, gore and horror. Dad knew he could trust me to separate reality and fantasy. He also knew that I was mature enough that I wouldn't just change after playing the game (I.E swearing, using bad langauge etc. )

 

 

Part of it, I think, comes down to how active and engaged the parents are with their children. By being active and making it clear what is acceptable and what is not, the parents adjust at what age their children can play such games. It's when you get the parents that go "sure, whatever" when their children first ask for these games that it should be a cause for some concern. 

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

13 minutes ago, Clanscorpia said:

And I personally think intelligence =/= maturity but a high intelligence make you have a different look at the world, and make you look at it from different angles.

Have to disagree there. Age ≠ intelligence ≠ maturity ≠ happiness ≠ success. You have to understand that intelligence isn't everything. As you experience more things in life, the more you'll come to realize this. 

[Zodiark1593]

18 minutes ago, AresKrieger said:

I've played M rated games since I was able to properly play games, its was no worse than watching CSI or the news at the time, or 80s movies so I see no issue with it

Still my favorite GTA to this day, makes me wish devs still focused on detail of gamplay and interaction rather than just image quality

I could do without the prostitution or things of that nature. 

[Clanscorpia]

3 minutes ago, Chaos_Sorcerer said:

Have to disagree there. Age ≠ intelligence ≠ maturity ≠ happiness ≠ success. You have to understand that intelligence isn't everything. As you experience more things in life, the more you'll come to realize this. 

I never said it equaled maturity I said it can make you look at life different. Like I hate how I look at life, But I also look at it very depressingly which doesnt help

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

9 minutes ago, Clanscorpia said:

I never said it equaled maturity I said it can make you look at life different. Like I hate how I look at life, But I also look at it very depressingly which doesnt help

Life? I still disagree. I think most people would agree that their primary goal in life is to be happy, no? Being of greater intelligence gives you no tangible advantage at being happier than anyone else. Our intelligence is merely a tool to help us survive - it should not be the defining aspect of our lives. You would think that someone like Kim Ung Yong would have the wisest viewpoint on life out of all of us - yet that is not the case. A skill like that doesn't come from age, intelligence, maturity, happiness, or success. The point in your life, the point of realization, when you develop this skill is entirely different from that of anyone else.

 

I'm sorry I was quite off-topic here. Did I miss your point? You were beginning to "sound" a little arrogant, as if someone's intelligence is what separates them from us, as if people of greater intelligence are greater human beings than us. Because no, that is not the case at all. 

[ARikozuM]

@Clanscorpia @Chaos_Sorcerer Keep this topic on track or start a PM.

[Chaos_Sorcerer]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

@Clanscorpia @Chaos_Sorcerer Keep this topic on track or start a PM.

Apologies. That'll be my last off-topic post. 

[Axeonelite]

2 hours ago, ARikozuM said:

@Clanscorpia @Chaos_Sorcerer Keep this topic on track or start a PM.

Thank you

[Axeonelite]

3 hours ago, Zoravar said:

Part of it, I think, comes down to how active and engaged the parents are with their children. By being active and making it clear what is acceptable and what is not, the parents adjust at what age their children can play such games. It's when you get the parents that go "sure, whatever" when their children first ask for these games that it should be a cause for some concern. 

I agree. Parents are not as attentive as they need to be in this regard. I don't care if a child is playing a M titles regardless and what it contains. I care that I'm the only one who seems to care if that makes sense. 

[Bananasplit_00]

8 hours ago, Axeonelite said:

Ahem... Please fix the grammar in this post. It was so hard to read, I am concerned how you got on this forum without a parents permission. 

ehhh too shit at english to care tbh. did it at like midnight and cant be bothered to go back and fix it lol

[LAwLz]

It's threads like these that reminds me that the majority of LTT's audience are straight edge, early pubescent teens.

 

 

By the time I was 10 I already knew the difference between the real world and fiction. I knew that the xenomorph that burst out of the chest of a person was just an effect put into the movie to make it more scary/interesting. I knew that just because I was shooting people in Vice City didn't mean I should do it in real life. Despite being exposed to all these horrible things at a fairly young age I turned out to be fine (some will disagree but haters gonna hate).

 

I feel completely disconnected from most people in this thread, especially OP's fictional story where I get outraged by seeing a parent buy an M rated game. Children are stupid, but only a "special" child can not tell the difference between fact and fiction by the age of maybe 6 or 7. And that's a good thing, because otherwise a lot of children stories would be very immoral to tell to children.

Of course it depends on the child what game is and isn't fit to play, but I think that comes down more to how scary the game is, and how complicated the game is, rather than what themes it contains. I mean seriously, what would happen if a 10 year old saw someone in a game using drugs? Nothing, because that child won't be able to get access to drugs anyway if I as a parent does a good job protecting him from things in the real world, rather than protect him from fictional things.

[Velvet Revolver]

5 hours ago, ARikozuM said:

@Clanscorpia @Chaos_Sorcerer Keep this topic on track or start a PM.

Thats the back and forth that is the spice of life.

 

 

Ratings mean nothing, let the kids play what they want.

[vatorres]

It would be hypocritical of me to say anything against it. I remember playing games such as CS, GTA II, Manhunt, Postal, Carmageddon (the list goes on and on) from age 10 or so - and the same could be said for most of my friends. Never have we had any trouble related to videogames. Hell, I've never even been into a fight my whole life (currently 25).

 

While realistic violence in games keeps on growing, I believe it is the parents duty to policy their children and make sure they understand the clear distinction between videogames and real life. Parents should know their children well enough to realise whether or not their can deal with the amount of graphical exposure in these new titles, and whether or not it affects them in a negative way.

[BilboSwaggingz]

Personally, I think a child should be able to play any video game as long as it doesn't contain nudity, sexual scenes or too much blood. We see violence on the TV everyday, whether its ISIS or a school shooter, and so do children so violence isn't at thing parents should fear when letting a child playing an 18 or 16

[RooR]

Letting a kid play a violent video game isn't a problem... not teaching your child between right and wrong is the problem.

Video games are just the scapegoat... 

I am tired of this politically correct bullshit creating more problems than need be.

I know that was a very poorly constructed rant, but I just had this argument with a woman earlier today and it annoyed the ever living piss out of me.

 

If your kid cannot distinguish between right and wrong, its not because of GTA, or Gears of War.. its because either you failed as a parent or guardian.. or there are other underlying mental problems that have 0 to do with video games.