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[Pyronite]

Removing them is the idiotic part.

The government employee said it best himself: "At the end of the day, those games are there to entertain kids, probably for a few minutes, while their parents are resting from a long trip."

That is their sole function. Considering the machines have probably been there for a decade, their existence is brief, completely harmless, and brightens the day of a few weary eight year olds who have suffered through a long car ride.

As if video games in a public place do anything but help. It's like removing a vending machine from a public rest stop because lactose-intolerant people MIGHT buy a chocolate bar and get hurt.

I work for a videogame company. My company's income (and my salary) is based on a certain tactical flavor that involves shooting people with H&K rifles.

A kid who walks in to a splash screen of said H&K rifle shooting a polygonal enemy matters. I was that kid once.

 

[baxter2231]

This is getting ridiculous. Shouldn't they by focusing on limiting the accessibility of guns not video games?

That might make sense why would they want to do that? lol

someone needs to change the its neogaf gif with the guy standing up spreading his arms and change it to "America". I would use it right now. Thats america for you, a big chunk of it.

 

[Dead Man]

Rest stops only serving more nutritional food wouldn't be a bad thing, but that's another topic.

Well, it depends if he meant the rest stops job, or the states.

 

[Zee-Row]

The only arcade machines i ever see anymore are games like Deer Hunting and The Fast and the Furious at local wing joints like Beef O Brady's and Buffalo Wild Wings. Its painful to watch.

 

[Reiko]

Don't forget if somebody shoots at you or throws knifes/crap your way and it's gonna hit ya, it's got a nifty red aura around it, giving you a half-second to avoid getting hit!

lol

 

[NeededSleep]

Blame everything but the problem! Only in America™... Well not really, just i feel we have a strange magnetism to attract really insane politicians.

 

[GorillaJu]

We need to remove violence from our society

Step 1: remove pesky arcade games
Step 2: leave guns
Step 3: success! your society is now not violent.

 

[Aquamarine]

That might make sense why would they want to do that? lol

someone needs to change the its neogaf gif with the guy standing up spreading his arms and change it to "America". I would use it right now. Thats america for you, a big chunk of it.

It's this kind of ridiculous over-sensitivity that make other countries look at the USA and shake their head.

I'm in the Dominican Republic right now, and if anyone here even considered bringing up a situation like this, they would be laughed out of the room.

The USA needs to wake up and recognize how utterly ridiculous it's become with stuff like this. And this is coming from a born-and-raised American.

 

[EdgeXL]

Sure, the removal of some arcade games is certainly going to prevent violent killings in the future. I understand that politicians are always looking for ways to distract the public but this is ridiculous. Blame anything except the person who pulled the trigger.

 

[NullPointer]

This is not a ban. You can still buy these games and play them til your eyes bleed.

Taking steps to optionally, voluntarily reduce the prevalence of violence as entertainment isn't the same thing as blaming that entertainment for deaths. People really need to understand this point, because I think it gets missed.

After 9/11, violent movies had their release dates delayed, not because the state forced them to, but because those responsible for releasing them thought it wasn't a good time to do so. That the public consciousness had been saturated with enough violence for the time being. They did not do this because they thought that violent movies led to 9/11.

In other words, stop freaking out. You still have all the opportunity in the world to get your headshots on.

 

[EdgeXL]

This is not a ban. You can still buy these games and play them til your eyes bleed.

Taking steps to optionally, voluntarily reduce the prevalence of violence as entertainment isn't the same thing as blaming that entertainment for deaths. People really need to understand this point, because I think it gets missed.

After 9/11, violent movies had their release dates delayed, not because the state forced them to, but because those responsible for releasing them thought it wasn't a good time to do so. That the public consciousness had been saturated with enough violence for the time being. They did not do this because they thought that violent movies led to 9/11.

In other words, stop freaking out. You still have all the opportunity in the world to get your headshots on.

Recognizing that this is an ultimately ineffective gesture by the Mass. Dept. of Transportation is not freaking out.

 

[Cartman86]

I understand after so much bullshit about video game violence over the years people would be defensive, but you guys are overreacting here. This is a government property payed for by everyone FOR everyone. Why the fuck are violent games even sitting out for kids to play with?

 

[NullPointer]

Recognizing that this is an ultimately ineffective gesture by the Mass. Dept. of Transportation is not freaking out.

Its effective in that it sought to remove violent videogames from a public rest stop. And that it did.

If you think the plan here is to solve all social ills with this move, or to prevent another mass shooting, you would be incorrect.

 

[EdgeXL]

I understand after so much bullshit about video game violence over the years people would be defensive, but you guys are overreacting here. This is a government property payed for by everyone FOR everyone. Why the fuck are violent games even there?

Perhaps because who ever manages that government property gave the okay for them to be there?

 

[Pyronite]

I understand after so much bullshit about video game violence over the years people would be defensive, but you guys are overreacting here. This is a government property payed for by everyone FOR everyone. Why the fuck are violent games even sitting out for kids to play with?

Thank you.

NEOGaf. Do not overreact.

 

[Riposte]

Sucks that games are always made a scopegoat for mass shootings/murders. I think the problem is that a person with mental issues can easily get firearms. If the dude at newtown was attended to by mental health professionals and/or couldn't get access to guns, then the shootings wouldn't have happened.

Scope Goat, a classic arcade game.

 

[PapaEmeritus]

Ugh this older generation in their 50's who are running the country need to quit it or start dying off, which will probably happen from obesity. This isn't the answer. What's next ban metal stations.
That's the goddamn problem with this country, everyone has become way too sensitive and no one takes the blame for anything. People are fucked up in the head, and you can't attribute that to anything else.
I've been playing shooters since I was 8 I'm 29 now, guess what still haven't killed anyone.
Just such a shame from politicians and unresponsible adults/parents.

 

[Rubius]

Violent video games reduces violent behavior in people by giving people a way to do with the rage they build up.
And its a fact, when Wolfenstein and doom came out the number of violent crimes went down and down and down.

While angry teenagers scream insult on Xbox live to people while killing them, they are not out, doing nothing with the rage boiling.
Violent video game are a solution, not a problem.

 

[EdgeXL]

Its effective in that it sought to remove violent videogames from a public rest stop. And that it did.

If you think the plan here is to solve all social ills with this move, or to prevent another mass shooting, you would be incorrect.

Sure, but why were they even there and why is only now a problem? If they felt that the games glorified violence then why not get rid of them six months ago, a year ago, five years ago or not approve of them being set up there in the first place?

It is only now in the wake of a tragedy that they are doing this. Those games' presence (or lack thereof) has no bearing on violent crimes but they are targeted as a 'feel-good' measure instead of actually addressing the problem.

 

[Nealand Liquor]

Good, I'm glad they've finally solved the problems of mass shootings in the U.S. by doing this. Congratulations America!

 

[CorvoSol]

Violent video games reduces violent behavior in people by giving people a way to do with the rage they build up.
And its a fact, when Wolfenstein and doom came out the number of violent crimes went down and down and down.

While angry teenagers scream insult on Xbox live to people while killing them, they are not out, doing nothing with the rage boiling.
Violent video game are a solution, not a problem.

Couldn't that just be correlation and not causation, though?

 

[Aquamarine]

I understand after so much bullshit about video game violence over the years people would be defensive, but you guys are overreacting here. This is a government property payed for by everyone FOR everyone. Why the fuck are violent games even sitting out for kids to play with?

I bet those arcade games have been sitting at that rest stop for TEN YEARS. And now all of a sudden they are a problem?

 

[Pyronite]

I bet those arcade games have been sitting at that rest stop for TEN YEARS. And now all of a sudden they are a problem?

Dude, come down off it. This decision hurts no one and helps... well, do you remember being 10 and walking into a station where someone was getting shot up in a polygonal form?

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Ugh this older generation in their 50's who are running the country need to quit it or start dying off, which will probably happen from obesity. This isn't the answer. What's next ban metal stations.
That's the goddamn problem with this country, everyone has become way too sensitive and no one takes the blame for anything. People are fucked up in the head, and you can't attribute that to anything else.
I've been playing shooters since I was 8 I'm 29 now, guess what still haven't killed anyone.
Just such a shame from politicians and unresponsible adults/parents.

gamer calls for death of government officials

 

[NullPointer]

It is only now in the wake of a tragedy that they are doing this.

That's exactly how things work. That's exactly what leads us to make changes in society.

 

[Cartman86]

Violent video games reduces violent behavior in people by giving people a way to do with the rage they build up.
And its a fact, when Wolfenstein and doom came out the number of violent crimes went down and down and down.

While angry teenagers scream insult on Xbox live to people while killing them, they are not out, doing nothing with the rage boiling.
Violent video game are a solution, not a problem.

Yeahhhh I wouldn't me making such claims. Causation not equaling correlation and such. We don't have to sink to such tactics. One could make that exact same argument about guns and violence since overall violent crime has decreased in America (and the world) over the past 15 or so years even with guns increasing. Using that data some would argue guns get rid of violent crime. I do not argue that for a second, but you see what happens when you use simple numbers without putting them into context.

 

[Rubius]

Couldn't that just be correlation and not causation, though?

Pretty sure that the corellation would not have such a monumental change. Violence went down when violent video games came out. Its either one of the biggest coincidence out there, or it really happened.
I prefer angry teens screaming homophobic and ignorant insult to people online while killing them, than them out in the wood, learning how to shoot things while being angry.
Violent video games are the punching bag of the video games. They make you feel powerfull, and its important for a teenager to feel powerfull while they are at the most fragile state of growing up.

 

[flyinpiranha]

First they came for arcades and I said nothing...

Heh.

And then they came for Mii.

 

[NullPointer]

Violent video game are a solution, not a problem.

Lets assume that this is true.

Nothing here removes the ability to people to play their own videogames. Nothing here speaks to removing them from sale, or banning their creation.

 

[CTE]

There is only 2 places I can find arcade games now.

The BC Ferries:

and Metrotown, Burnaby:

 

[Cartman86]

I bet those arcade games have been sitting at that rest stop for TEN YEARS. And now all of a sudden they are a problem?

That picture of Jesus with a prayer mural was sitting in that public school for 20 years! How dare they take it down!

Worth noting that i'm not okay with this because it's some tiny thing that hardly effect anyone. The "First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist." bit is perfectly logical when we are talking about some injustice being done to a minority group. In this video game case it seems quite clear what the law is and that such a law is quite reasonable. It applies to television and radio broadcasting over public air waves as well. There are alternatives to these public airwaves available so I don't see a big issue. Yeah it would be great if everyone had the same sensibilities about profanity and the like, but that's just not gonna happen. Such issues warrant perfectly sensible compromises.

 

[Derrick01]

Couldn't that just be correlation and not causation, though?

At the very least it proves that games haven't turned society into a bunch of violent psychopaths.

 

[Dead Man]

Couldn't that just be correlation and not causation, though?

It's more about showing a lack of effect. If games did lead to violence, it would go up, not down. Lack of effect is also not about showing causation, but it is evidence of a lack of causation. If that makes sense.

Edit: Damn it Derrick01!

 

[EatinOlives]

A couple of weeks ago I was on one of those fancy new planes with a touchscreen thingy in front of you that lets you view movies on demand for free. (not to be confused with the DirecTV crap that charges you)

The amount of extremely violent movies so easily available to anybody on that plane, even children, made me far more uncomfortable than randomass T-rated games from rest stops. Let's not even get into the availability of violent media on Television.

Bottom line is, far worse content is out there already for easy consumption by impressionable young kids, but just because it isn't the newfangled entertainment media that's the current scapegoat du jour nobody even gives a shit.

 

[Deadbeat]

I miss arcades. Especially Hard Drivin.

 

[Aquamarine]

That picture of Jesus with a prayer mural was sitting in that public school for 20 years! How dare they take it down!

That's weird, cause I'd agree with you there as well. It's not hurting anybody, it's not "converting" anybody to Christianity, it doesn't mean anything to non-Christians, and it makes Christians happy, so there's no reason to take it down.

I feel like the only way a government employee could justify removing these kinds of arcades from public areas is if there was demonstrable, scientific evidence that directly linked long-term, permanent shifts in aggressive behavior with intake of violent video games.

 

[Portugeezer]

USA games industry is doomed.

Edit: DOOMED!

 

[Rubius]

Lets assume that this is true.

Nothing here removes the ability to people to play their own videogames. Nothing here speaks to removing them from sale, or banning their creation.

No, but people who are against Video games will say "Look ! Crime went down by 0.1%! This is obviously because we banned those arcade machine! We need to remove all violent video games like Call of Duty!"

Removing all violent video game from a place is the first step on what could become a censor war on violence.

 

[NullPointer]

I see stats amount the rate of violence, and murders per capita, but when it comes to talk about recent shootings and assault weapons bans and the like, isn't the issue one of mass killings per incident? That a single kid can inflict so much death upon so many in such a short period of time?

If you want to talk numbers, those are the numbers on people's mind the most at the moment.

No, but people who are against Video games will say "Look ! Crime went down by 0.1%! This is obviously because we banned those arcade machine! We need to remove all violent video games like Call of Duty!"

Who?

Pulling out a few old arcade cabinets that have been there for God knows how long is not exactly a change in society.

Its a small change, in those communities. The substance is not having the state/community sanction some 5 year old kid watching people get gunned down for points in a public space while their parents take a breather. That seemed to be the goal here, not world peace. Different communities will act in different ways to make their own small changes, as they desire. Nobody's rights are being infringed here.

 

[EdgeXL]

That's exactly how things work. That's exactly what leads us to make changes in society.

Pulling out a few old arcade cabinets that have been there for God knows how long is not exactly a change in society. Like I said, it is simply a feel-good measure that is ultimately without substance. I mean, if they really thought there was a link between violent video games and mass shootings like the recent tragedy then why aren't they demanding stricter oversight for those games? If they really think video games are the problem then they are not doing nearly enough, are they?

 

[BabeSlayer]

Can't we just ban adults from the country that call for bans on games? Seriously, kick them out, revoke their citizenship. I don't want them breathing my air. They are not worthy of living in a first world country.

Ya lets just "ban" anyone with a different opinion than ours! I mean this is America right we shouldn't have to suffer free speech!

I worry for the future of this country......and not because violent games might get banned.

 

[APZonerunner]

sometime, somewhere, someone is plotting a government overthrow

IT'S TIME FOR THE ONE MAN ARMY

 

[NullPointer]

You know what? Think of it like this. A friend who has just recovered from a shooting comes over my place to hang out, and we're watching a John Woo flick.

Maybe we decide to turn the movie off before our friend gets here out of sensitivity to what he's going through.

Ineffective gesture? Fine. A decent move? Yeah. I'd say so.

Turning that same movie off when a friend brings their young kids? Also fine, and thoughtful.

Writ large, that is whats going on here.

 

[Cartman86]

That's weird, cause I'd agree with you there as well. It's not hurting anybody, it's not "converting" anybody to Christianity, it doesn't mean anything to non-Christians, and it makes Christians happy, so there's no reason to take it down.

I feel like the only way a government employee could justify removing these kinds of arcades from public areas is if there was demonstrable, scientific evidence that directly linked long-term, permanent shifts in aggressive behavior with intake of violent video games.

It's most certainly illegal. People always win when they bring it to a court. Something being correct in law doesn't make it right of course so i'll explain why I (and others) think it's a good law. The arguments for removing such things from public (tax payer funded schools) is to keep sectarian religion out of government. The government remains neutral on religion as to not let the most favored religion have preferential treatment over the minority religion or indeed the non-believers. This is a response to a variety of things. One being that matters of conscience and faith are by definition "nontransferable" to others. Government needs to deal in facts that everyone in the community can see. The primary reason such an idea was implemented was to not repeat the mistakes of other countries in going down the road of theocracy. If you want the school to advocate for a specific deity you can go to private school. No one in public school is asking you to not pray or read the bible at school. The school itself however has no such privilege.

 

[EdgeXL]

You know what? Think of it like this. A friend who has just recovered from a shooting comes over my place to hang out, and we're watching a John Woo flick.

Maybe we decide to turn the movie off before our friend gets here out of sensitivity to what he's going through.

Ineffective gesture? Fine. A decent move? Yeah. I'd say so.

Turning that same movie off when a friend brings their young kids? Also fine, and thoughtful.

Writ large, that is whats going on here.

In that situation I would turn the movie off when my friend came over. What I would not do is throw away all John Woo movies in my house so that nobody could watch them here ever again.

 

[emag]

At the very least it proves that games haven't turned society into a bunch of violent psychopaths.

Only because the number of guns in America has also significantly increased over the same period of time. At least that's the standard gun rights talking point.

 

[NullPointer]

In that situation I would turn the movie off when my friend came over. What I would not do is throw away all John Woo movies in my house so that nobody could watch them here ever again.

Your place, your choice. That hasn't changed.

 

[Rubius]

You know what? Think of it like this. A friend who has just recovered from a shooting comes over my place to hang out, and we're watching a John Woo flick.

Maybe we decide to turn the movie off before our friend gets here out of sensitivity to what he's going through.

Ineffective gesture? Fine. A decent move? Yeah. I'd say so.

Turning that same movie off when a friend brings their young kids? Also fine, and thoughtful.

Writ large, that is whats going on here.

Except that removing stuff that hurt other people feeling is not a solution.
You know that they censored a episode of Pokemon because it showed Tentacruel destroying some buildings and that it was after 9/11?
It make other people miss on things that some people dont like. If we were to remove anything that can "offend" somebody, then the world would be a flat empty land.

People are so afraid to confront the problems that they avoid anything that can look like it. If I break up with girlfriend who use vanilla perfumed soap, should I start trying to remove anything vanilla perfumed around me, or should I try to deal with it without removing those things from other people who dont care or are not affected by what is hurting you?
I'm not saying to invite my ex girlfriend to a party where I am, but dont stop talking to her either.

 

[Aquamarine]

It's most certainly illegal. People always win when they bring it to a court. Something being correct in law doesn't make it right of course so i'll explain why I (and others) think it's a good law. The arguments for removing such things from public (tax payer funded schools) is to keep sectarian religion out of government. The government remains neutral on religion as to not let the most favored religion have preferential treatment over the minority religion or indeed the non-believers. This is a response to a variety of things. One being that matters of conscience and faith are by definition "nontransferable" to others. Government needs to deal in facts that everyone in the community can see. The primary reason such an idea was implemented was to not repeat the mistakes of other countries in going down the road of theocracy. If you want the school to advocate for a specific deity you can go to private school. No one in public school is asking you to not pray or read the bible at school. The school itself however has no such privilege.

The fundamental issue here is about making a bigger deal out of things than what's really there.

A couple of arcade machines. A picture of Christ. It's inconsequential and its impact is meaningless.

WHO CARES if it "doesn't represent the values of the government." It's a picture. It's just a couple of rusty arcade machines.

THIS is the problem that's endemic to the USA. There's absolutely no harm here!

 

[EatinOlives]

The fundamental issue here is about making a bigger deal out of things than what's really there.

A couple of arcade machines. A picture of Christ. It's inconsequential and its impact is meaningless.

WHO CARES if it "doesn't represent the values of the government." It's a picture. It's just a couple of rusty arcade machines.

THIS is the problem that's endemic to the USA. There's absolutely no harm here!

I think these kinds of things are mostly done as ultimately vacuous gestures. People like seeing these things happen because it makes them feel good that something is being done right now and it has an immediate effect, namely along the lines of "that video game, can't play it anymore".

Kind of like the ridiculous TSA checkpoints at airports. It solves nothing, but it's highly visible theater that makes people feel good because they think something is being done about a problem.