It’s time, once again, to put boom in your boom and listen to BRB Boom. This week, Dogsdie, Smelly Pirate and Yoshifett nerd out about DOTA, The Walking Dead, violent video games, the deal of the week and other topics that affect today’s gamer.
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sheezcrafty
Start of podcast, I know Yoshi’s word before he gives the definition, this is going to be a good day! Then a hilarious aside about adventures of inappropriate public displays of self-affection, this just keeps getting better. Oooohhhh, real life, real, real, real life.
Hhhmmmm, OK. As a mature, between 35 and 45, person, Sandyhook left me tearful, saddened, angry, the question of why, playing over in my head. Do I feel the need to alter my entertainment choices. We watched The Dark Knight Rises, and Looper, We played The Uncharted multiplayer like we always do. This stuff that plays on our PS3 is entertainment, we don’t take it into our real life.
The fact that I enjoy playing and watching things that have violence in them, and I abhor real life violence, I guess the contradiction isn’t lost on me. Spec Ops left me saddened and very thoughtful, Uncharted is the opposite, I feel the same way I felt watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time. Exhilarated? Man, when I figure this out, I’ll let you know.
Darth Nutclench
I’m over in the UK and, although more disconnected from the incident, was still affected by it. I am a primary school teacher and have very young kids of my own, and the utter dread as all the fine details and stories came out of that horrible situation was palpable.
It’s a continuing debate to look at parallels between violence in games and violence IRL, but I think it’s too hasty to admit that gaming is solely at cause here. My heart always sinks when incidents like this happen as, inevitably, video games will be blamed. I agree the extra interactivity games offer can be a contributory factor, however comparing a game like TWD to a film you may say that the measure of immersion has to be examined on a case by case basis. I’ve been more emotionally affected by books and films than any games (with perhaps the exception of Journey) and find that the very nature of games trying to represent real life with sub-photorealistic graphics means I’m more aware of the disconnect from reality. I can see the point about exposure to violence can lead to a more violent tendency, emotionally, however this is from all areas of experience, not just video games.
I think children need to be aware of the facets of life, violence, happiness, insanity, tenderness, sympathy to be able to grow and learn as individuals and, with guidance from their parents, understand the nature of their own emotions. Studies have shown (evidenced from the Polygon article linked below) that parents playing games with their children and discussing the difficult issues that crop up in violent games can lead to better adjusted more emotionally stable children.
I won’t be giving up violent shooters, as they are my way of blowing off steam after a stressful day. But I can respect those people who do.
Link to Polygon article. http://bit.ly/WoZSof
Great podcast guys. MORE SIM TALK.
Darth.
hillaire
A very interesting podcast with a pretty serious twist at the end. Long time listener infrequent poster.
I hope this finally means that Gun control can be addressed in America and the issue looked at with a modern logical mind.
We can’t know what makes a killer with any certainty, but we can say that he will be alot less successful if he doesnt have ready access to an arsenal of modern weaponry.
Ps looking forward to hearing what Yoshi thinks of Far cry, worried it looks abit of a time sink.
shakysnake
I am pretty far from US, I did felt strong anger against the guns, and how easily they are within grasps of immature. But this is not stopping from playing fps as i can clear understand the difference between going crazy and playing games.
Regarding Games I grew up playing games which are not at all realistic like doom and wolfnstein, but these days games are becoming so realistic… one needs to regulate their kids from playing these. Mind you, parents should make the children realize the difference between games and real life which i think is a better approach then regulating.
Providence
So let me get this straight, you tried out League of Legends, then said you didn’t like it. Then you said you like DOTA 2 which is fine, except every single thing you described about it that you like were the aspects that are the EXACT SAME as LoL. Personally I’ve tried out both and much prefered LoL. I’d give LoL another shot before counting it out, because the things you described that you liked are the things that are the same, and there are things about LoL you might prefer.
If someone who played LoL but never played DOTA listened to you describe it, they would think for sure you were actually talking about LoL, just sayin