 |
|
Nov 5th, 2008 at 02:05:58 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
After playing this game for some time, I started to take in consideration the creator’s intent for this development. Since this was based on a very serious event in our time, there are some responsibilities I feel that should have been taken upon. Those responsibilities should be to those who this involves directly. The families and community affected by these events. I would not assume anyone affected would want to play this game and take on the role of the killers. Part of this responsibility would be to not only try and recreate things as accurate as possible, but to do so in the right context. The victim’s names were not used, and there were not many details involving specifics of the victims. The real names of the shooters were used and supported by actual pictures of them, which I feel could have been avoided however I understand the use. Most importantly the real affects of the incident should have been kept in mind throughout the creation of the game. After the shootings there was a sequence where we see people making speeches on gun control, violence, and a Christina based community. This allows for the player to actually see the lasting affects from the event in a very realistic way.
I still do not understand why the game was actually created. As far as I am concerned no one needs to experience that event, even if it is just a game. I do not feel there was enough detail or information presented to give any sort of value to the game play. For twenty minutes you go around and shoot people getting rewarded. I did not feel that I learned anything from playing the position of these two men. It did give a different point of view, but not one that was detailed enough as to why they would do such a thing. There was a lack of information as to the whole point of the game. There was no major obstacles or bosses or anything of that matter, however that does go back to the fact that it is representing an actual event. Yet if this game is meant to entertain for whatever reason, or even get a specific message out, it fails to do so. All it creates is a sick feeling that you are actually experiencing this specific RPG.
add a comment  - read this GameLog  |
|
Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:37:03 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
My second time playing the game, I noticed a lot more violence. The first ten minutes or so were merely setting up the events of that day. Conversations between the two characters took place and also setting up the scene, and or bombs in this case. Once the objective became to actually go around and shoot the students or faculty members, it became violent in a sense of feeling completely wrong about doing it. Yes we were shooting innocent people, but it was not violent in how we see violent games today. IF we categorize a game for being violent, it is not just because of the subject matter, but also has a lot to do with the graphic design. More games today you see a lot more blood and gore and details involved. This game however was violent not because of the graphics or detail, but because we were shooting and killing innocent people for no reason at all. Adding the fact that this was an actual event that took place just made it worse.
As you kill more people, you get rewarded with more points, and items. The game encourages the player to kill as many people as they can, thus rewarding them in return. If video games really influence those who play them, then this should really screw someone over. How could someone feel right about taking part in a game based off an actual event, which rewards you for the amount of innocent people you kill? In comparison to the GTA games, where you can also go around and kill innocent bystanders, it is not in the same context. In the fictional world there are no rewards for your actions. In the real world/ real event there are rewards for these actions. Technically it should be the other way around, but I do understand the point that the developers are really trying to show the true events. It could be done with out the idea of rewards. It might have been rewarding for the actual shooters every time they killed someone, but I don’t think it was necessary to the game.
add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:17:40 - Super Columbine Massacre RPG (PC) |
After my first experience with playing the game Super Columbine Massacre RPG! I felt really affected by the sense of realism. I have never heard of the game, or even knew of its existence until we talked about in class. When I went to the web site to download and play the game for the first time, I felt very uncomfortable. I did not want to take part in the experience at all. How could someone make something like that? Do they not consider anyone who can possibly be extremely affected? I was just stunned at the concept as a whole. Since I had to play the game, I decided to see what it was all about for as long as I could. As soon as I started, the realism of the events of that day caught me completely off guard.
I was very surprised that the pictures used for the two characters (and real shooters), Eric and Dylan, were actual photos of them. A long with being surprised, I did in a way expect the developers to go that far. If you’re going to go far enough to create the game, you might as well use the actual photos. I was then taken back by the conversations that were taking place in the beginning of the game. You start in Eric’s room, and have a phone conversation with Dylan. There are fowl words used as they talk about how “today is the big day”, and “they deserve to die”, “what do you think they will do when were gone?”. The fact that we were sort of seeing what we never could or will be able to see happen to them personally before the shooting, gave an unbelievable sense of realism. We were listing in on these conversations that are very informative on the characters personally. I almost felt as if I was not supposed to take part in it. I then was told to get the bombs out of the car and set them in the place noted. When we got into the cafeteria to place some of the bombs, I felt sick to my stomach. I remembered where I was when this all took place, and what I was watching on the news. The cafeteria was main area of destruction. Placing those bombs knowing what was going to happen brought all those very real memories back.
I don’t know how someone can say “ hey lets make a game on the massacre that happened at Columbine”. It wasn’t just any normal occurrence. It was something that touched close to everyone. It caught many off guard. At what point do you think that it is wrong to expose such an idea of what happened from the killers’ point of view on such a real and horrible event? I personally could not see any good intention from this game. It just seemed like a pessimistic utilization of the event.
add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
Oct 5th, 2008 at 19:47:50 - Grand Theft Auto IV (360) |
For my third journal entry I would like to talk about violence and how it is presented through Grand Theft Auto. Violence is something that is strongly represented in various occasions. As Nico we are allowed to run rabid around Liberty City and highjack cars, ignore every traffic law, run over pedestrians, and beat the crap out of random people on the street. Not only do we get to do those things freely, we also are presented with missions to accomplish throughout the story, these missions include killing every man on the most wanted list, stealing objects and money, and many other activities. The presentation of Violence is a theme that has been debated many times concerning GTA. Some news stories include teens that have gone on mass robbery and reckless driving sprees stating that they were influenced by the game. This is not the only game that has been said to influence young adults to do “in moral” or “unethical” activities. It becomes so enjoyable during game play that we sometimes imagine that it could possibly be just as easy to do those things in real life. One specific moment that I remember from one of the shorts during the game, is when Roman picks Nico up from the airport, he steps out of the car obviously under the influence, and pulls a bottle out from the vehicle and starts drinking. Gamers are presented with the visual of drinking and driving. When I think about Nico and his morals or ethical rules, I consider the Utilitarianism belief. This states that a person’s goal is to find happiness and prevent unhappiness. So if Nico comes to the decision of robbing a car or killing someone, he or you the player must make the choice, choosing which ever one will fulfill the characters needs. This is something that I found myself involved with time and time again. While taking on the identity of Nico, I was confronted with choices of killing or high jacking for the gang, and I knew what choice I had to make in order to make Nico happy, even if I wanted to do what I would consider “the right thing”, I knew what Nico would consider is different. Since Utilitarianism says that an action is good if its net effect is to produce more happiness for yourself and others around, Nico had to chose the more violent route more often.
read comments (1)  - add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
|
 |
| griff235's GameLogs |
|
griff235 has been with GameLog for 16 years, 1 month, and 16 days |
view feed xml
|
| Entries written to date: 6 |
|
