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I went to a 7-year old's CoD themed b-day party
- Thread starter The Lamp
- Start date
That's true but your info is several years old. These days stuff like Gears Of War, DOOM and Mortal Kombat release completely uncensored without problems.
The only stuff that gets censored are Nazi symbols in Wolfenstein and such.
I think the last one was 2009.
So you bring up something that doesn't execute in remotely a similar way to the example I just provided..?
Literally the only thing the Star Wars films are missing are gun shot wounds. The original shows a severed arm with blood. You watch pilots explode left and right. The prequels featured multiple severed body parts, a decapitation by command, a man being left to die while set ablaze, a husband choking out his wife (who subsequently dies)...
Do we really think kids don't know what's going on? Like you really think what's gonna fuck up the kids isn't the actual actions these characters are taking, but rather whether or not they see blood as part of it?
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
How long ago did they switch the censoring? I thought certain things were censored still when I was living there in 08 but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it was something else that was censored instead when I was there, I wouldn't have remembered the Nazi symbols but that obviously makes sense.
Hell yeah. Squishing goombas pales in comparison to murdering civilians in Modern Warfare 2.
Straight Edge
Member
Long-term research into homicide rates and depictions of violence in video games and movies shows no significant relationship. Stop with the moral panic.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
Well yeah, kids know about death and severed limbs and most of those things. But if they're showed in proper limited storytelling format (for exemple a classic good vs evil storyline) it shows them that those actions aren't good. I'm pretty sure most of the thing you mentioned in Star Wars are either done by the Sith or done in response to what the Sith were doing.
Now compare those instance with the No Russian mission for exemple which at first glance is the killing of innocent people for no reason with the main character, a supposedly good guy or that time where they bombed a street letting a girl die. Those instance exist in much more "grey" storyline which can be hard to follow their 7 year old.
hydrophilic attack
Member
Parenting is very hard, what works for one kid or even the vast majority of kids might not work at all for another kid and might even be negative. So judging how other parents treat their kids is very very hard to do well, even social workers who do this as a profession with loads more visibility on a family than you struggle.
Also we've pretty much agreed that parents have a lot of say in how they raise their kids. They can make them follow the same diet as them, raise them in belief systems many people fervently disagree with for example. Playing video games based on what we currently know is nowhere near the level of demonstrable harm needed for us to say that we're prepared to intervene in how parents raise their children.
Someone in the thread mentioned checking in a friendly way that the parents knew what was involved in a game someone else's kids were playing, and then leaving it when they were. This is the best approach imo.
Also we've pretty much agreed that parents have a lot of say in how they raise their kids. They can make them follow the same diet as them, raise them in belief systems many people fervently disagree with for example. Playing video games based on what we currently know is nowhere near the level of demonstrable harm needed for us to say that we're prepared to intervene in how parents raise their children.
Someone in the thread mentioned checking in a friendly way that the parents knew what was involved in a game someone else's kids were playing, and then leaving it when they were. This is the best approach imo.
The à¹ÛBronx
Member
Feel sorry for kids whose parents don't trust them enough, or can't seem to teach them, to understand the difference between video game violence and that of real life. I was playing Perfect Dark and Goldeneye when I was young and never had any more difficulty understanding it was fake than I did with the Indiana Jones or James Bond movies. I just liked getting to be a secret agent and do missions.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
That exactly why I took the time to say that it was his brother lol
PhantomThief
Banned
He still calls Scar brother so...
Well now
Petrae
Member
Kids liking and playing Call of Duty is, whether we like it or not, normal. I've worked with students as young as first grade who wear CoD gear and ask me if I play the game. They play GTA, too.
To echo someone else's experience about selling CoD and GTA for kids, I did this a lot during my time in gaming retail to where it was just normal instead of surprising.
-- Kid brings CoD or GTA to the counter
-- I explain that I can't sell the game(s) to him and need his parent
-- Parent comes to the counter, often annoyed that he/she has been summoned
-- I explain the ESRB rating
-- Parent cuts me off, says to just sell them the damned game
-- Transaction completed
There were rare occasions when parents would refuse to buy the games, which then escalated into child meltdowns and parental yelling. Fun times.
It doesn't matter who these games are allegedly made for. Marketing alone, especially for Call of Duty, dictates that it's a game very much for children. If they make and sell t-shirts for kids with the logo plastered on it, the intention is pretty obvious and it can't be argued with a straight face that the game isn't for children.
To echo someone else's experience about selling CoD and GTA for kids, I did this a lot during my time in gaming retail to where it was just normal instead of surprising.
-- Kid brings CoD or GTA to the counter
-- I explain that I can't sell the game(s) to him and need his parent
-- Parent comes to the counter, often annoyed that he/she has been summoned
-- I explain the ESRB rating
-- Parent cuts me off, says to just sell them the damned game
-- Transaction completed
There were rare occasions when parents would refuse to buy the games, which then escalated into child meltdowns and parental yelling. Fun times.
It doesn't matter who these games are allegedly made for. Marketing alone, especially for Call of Duty, dictates that it's a game very much for children. If they make and sell t-shirts for kids with the logo plastered on it, the intention is pretty obvious and it can't be argued with a straight face that the game isn't for children.
KLoWn
Member
His parents gave him a birthday party with the theme of his favorite game, sounds horrible.
Trash who spouts this kind of nonsense is what we should be concerned about. I'm sure you have some deep knowledge about his parents to say something like this.
You mean the mission that begins with a cut scene telling you that you're going undercover with bad guys, and ends with your player being killed by said bad guy? And then spends a cut scene explaining what just happened? I find it hard to believe that a kid can understand the prequels but is just going to be overwhelmed and confused by the narrative of CoD.
(nevermind that we're talking about one minor mission in a series where the majority of the entries are you vs. Nazis/Russians/other enemy of America)
U forgot the /sarcasm
I'm sure most of the older members of gaf like myself grew up playing Mortal Kombat and other mature games earlier than we should have and most of us turned out fine
When i had a traineeship on a primary school in class alot of kids liked GTA V.
I don't care tho i played adult games as a kid too would be a hypocrite otherwise.
Altho the party theme is indeed a bit much altho it's his birthday so whatever
If i had kids i would atleast try to get em into the some nicer game franchises i enjoyed too.
GTA V is on another level than games like COD. I would not want a kid playing that until they were a teen and had shown maturity and a good sense of morality. It's not the voilence more than the game has you playing an immoral fuck and encourages it. It's the fact it puts you in the shoes of some one who is at best an asshole. I mean I love the game but it's not appropriate for young kids one bit and even older kids who haven't matured well. And I don't care that kids do play it, it's not appropriate.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
What do you not understand in "execution matters"?
Like the fact that it's explained is irrelevant (it's not even really explained), what your doing is killing innocent people, being undercover doesn't change that.
Like how can you not see the clear differences in storytelling and in the way violence is used and shown between COD and the prequels?
Parapraxis
Member
Completely inappropriate, when I see stuff like this it's usually lazy parenting to blame.
Content matters, and everything influences a child's world, especially at that age.
This is damaging and dangerous and people defending this should feel ashamed. People need to respect their children and ensure that the content their kids consume is positive.
No children are not able to pick and choose which things influences them...hell most adults can't even do that.
Do a little self reflection and tell me you would agree with everything your 10 year younger self thought, now think of how silly some of the ideas you had back then were. It takes a long time to really start to grasp things, especially those as complex as existence, empathy and the value of life.
OH and Star Wars would be okay to watch maybe at 10, with guidance from a parent, and it's not even remotely close to the violence in most 18+ games, total red herring.
Content matters, and everything influences a child's world, especially at that age.
This is damaging and dangerous and people defending this should feel ashamed. People need to respect their children and ensure that the content their kids consume is positive.
No children are not able to pick and choose which things influences them...hell most adults can't even do that.
Do a little self reflection and tell me you would agree with everything your 10 year younger self thought, now think of how silly some of the ideas you had back then were. It takes a long time to really start to grasp things, especially those as complex as existence, empathy and the value of life.
OH and Star Wars would be okay to watch maybe at 10, with guidance from a parent, and it's not even remotely close to the violence in most 18+ games, total red herring.
Yeah, Call of Duty for a 7 year old is inappropriate to me. However if my sister or brother were the parent I wouldn't lecture them. They're the parents of their child, how they 'parent' is down to them. I could see me not letting my kids spend so much time with the their cousins as a result though. And if it was my family, 'hosting' that party and I didn't know the 'theme' until we got there, if CoD was being played, I'd definitely tell them it was inappropriate and wouldn't let my 11 or 8 year old play it - I'd stay quiet if it was just cake and decorations though & then gossip about it later that night with my other half!
Parapraxis
Member
I've seen quite a few comments (not just yours Gedi) promoting this idea, this "parents are always right" concept , and it is total BS and dangerous, there are parents who don't vaccinate their kids, parent's are NOT always right, why people think this is honestly baffling to me.
I am a parent of 2, if I was doing something dangerous and dumb I would want to be informed. And yes, if a friend or family member felt the content my children watch was inappropriate I'd listen and discuss it.
At least you would try to reduce interactions and or speak up if it directly impacted your own kids Gedi.
You've gotta teach them to shoot the unamerican looking people somehow! Stop acting outraged at the outrage. Guns for children is always appropriate to embellish the vaginal discharge into the mortal coil. Now let's forget all of our problems with cake, it's shaped like an AK 47.
Darkstorne
Member
Yeah, it's a difficult subject, but it needs to be brought up with parents doing these things. At the very least they need to think it through a bit more and supervise their kids when they play violent games, but the idea that so many parents think they can do no wrong and that raising their kids is their own business that no-one else should weigh in on... is quite worrying. My girlfriend is a primary school teacher and it's horrifying how many parents will undermine her and tell her she's wrong for suggesting that their kid isn't doing homework properly or could do with reading books outside of school time. Many parents seriously believe they're faultless.
The only topics I still shy away from bringing up with other parents is religion. I have a couple of Christian friends who read their kid bible stories every night, pray with him, and tell him that if he doesn't believe in Jesus he'll go to hell so it's very important he does. I don't even know where to start there, and it makes the "why is your kid playing CoD?" discussion seem incredibly tame by comparison =P
cryptosporidium
Member
man COD? Listening to ACDC in tony hawk when i was 8 was to me super edgy and cool. Most kids like me played fuckin superstar saga and pokemon ruby. Theres no need for a 7 year old to be playing cod.
I don't think it's good for a 7 year old, particularly someone who a day earlier was a 6 year old, having a Call of Duty themed party. Halo is one thing, but CoD uses real guns, has the player killing real people, etc.. The average American is already way too desensitized to killing and parents like this don't really help with that. My daughter turned 8 and I've let her play Tekken, but that's basically the limit of what we'd let her do in terms of violent games.
He's also a very self-aware 7 hear old.
family_guy
Member
You can control what happens in your house, but it's over as soon as your kid goes to a friends house. Other people's crappy parenting will affect your kids.
PackAPunchedMick
Member
Back seat parenting is the fucking worst.
Let the child's parents decide whether it's appropriate or not.
Let the child's parents decide whether it's appropriate or not.
Kenzodielocke
Banned
Not in my country.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Played Resident Evil 1 at around 7
Golden Eye around 7
Metal Gear Solid at 8
Grand Theft Auto 3 at 11
I'd probably be playing COD at that age had it existed as it does.
Golden Eye around 7
Metal Gear Solid at 8
Grand Theft Auto 3 at 11
I'd probably be playing COD at that age had it existed as it does.
SolidusDave
Member
I don't really want to dive into that part of the discussion but there's a big difference between shooting someone and murdering someone with your bare hands.
Even when just looking at murderous attempt, many people would bail out or simply lack the physical capabilities. But every pussy with a gun in their hands...
But either way, CoD didn't turn many people into killers either imo. But the gun culture does. Many US gun deaths are not even due to intent but accidents etc. due to the normalized gun use and availability.
It's just about 1000x easier to whoopsydaisy someone with a gun/shotgun/rifle etc. than with your fists or even a knife.
So regarding the OT, I have less problems with the kid being into CoD than the party being a mini military parade. That's exactly what's diminishing the separation between game and real life. It can be cool in the game, but never in reality.
Oh and of course I watched and played stuff I wasn't supposed to as a kid - secretly. This is different as it's sanctioned by the slightly nutty/oblivious parents.
...
And yes, I understand your original point. I'm telling you it's contrived bullshit.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
They can be arrested and charged for playing something that has a certain rating?