Oh look, Rockstar is gonna get sued

[Queen Of The Felines]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3104892.stm

"But the law is that if you make a product that is linked in a chain of events, and but for that link the final tragedy would not have occurred, you are liable. You don't have to have little angels turned into killers."

So why don't you guys go sue the gun manufacturers too? Or the highway administration? Or any sort of car manufacturer? Because aren't all those links too? :roll:

Kristine

[RoboticParanoia]

"But the law is that if you make a product that is linked in a chain of events, and but for that link the final tragedy would not have occurred, you are liable. You don't have to have little angels turned into killers."


I love that line "little angels". Hah. Did you know, that by my study, by second grade, kids know all the cusses, how to kill people, how to use a weopen and also know how a few sexual positions or two?

I didn't even know what sex was till like 8th grade (I was a daft and ignorant child), when my friend told me. I was like "Whoa...that makes sense."

[Raccoon Lad]

I'm gonna go after Piano manufacturers claiming that if Piano Wire was never manufactured there'd be no stranglings. LOL

[Half Japanese]

Responsibility gives way to ignorance and the easy scapegoat.

[Oobgarm]

"Given the science and given the fact that these teenagers had unsupervised access to shotguns and made the decision to fire them on innocent motorists, blaming video games is misguided and counterproductive."

NOTHING MORE TO SAY THAN THAT.

[Lady Jaye]

How about suing the parents would weren't bright enough to tell their kids a thing or two about what's real and what isn't? I remember being in grade 1 or 2 and my mom telling me that Barbie isn't a reflection of real life. Ever thought of telling those two teens when they were little kids, "remember: those videogames you play (or comic books you read, or whatever) aren't real life. In real life, people die and are hurt when they fall off cliffs.

And once more, a videogame company gets scapegoated because the general public continue to assume that all videogames are for children rather than admit that some titles are not meant for them. Comic books finally got a fairer treatment in that sense (people realizing that there are different books for different markets) when comic books started to be viewed as graphic novels in the early 90s, thanks to great books like Maus. I wonder what videogame title will bring people to realize this about games as well? It could have been Eternal Darkness but it wasn't so.

[Sniderman]

Well spoken Lady Jaye. It's like the parents who sued the estate of The 3 Stooges when their "little angels" decided to do the "Moe Eye-poke" on each other and effectively gorged out each other's eyes. It's also why all of the Looney Tunes cartoons we grew up with no longer show people being shot or hitting the ground. (The toons were *permanently* censored to cut away just before the gunshot/impact.)

"But my child can't differentiate between cartoon/movie/videogame violence and real-life violence!" the parents wail.

"Then you're a shitty parent," says I.

[Sylentwulf]

The game is not available for children under 17. These kids were under 17. They should not have been allowed to play the game.

Simple as that.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

It's also why all of the Looney Tunes cartoons we grew up with no longer show people being shot or hitting the ground. (The toons were *permanently* censored to cut away just before the gunshot/impact.)

A lot of the Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons have been taken off the air for their "violent" content. If any child can get his/her hands on the following items, then I'll side with the outraged parents, no questions asked.

-Acme rocket skates
-Nitroglycerine pellets
-Acme earthquake pills
-4 foot high slingshots
-Hot air balloons
-Sticks of dynamite with wings on them
-Giant self proprelled catapults
-Spring loaded steel walls
-Acme super leg vitamins
-Boomerangs with TNT glued to them
-Acme tornado pellets
-Acme railroad rockets

I firmly believe that parents should be more responsible for the actions of their kids, but if any child can get ahold of any items on that list, I'll switch my opinion 180 degrees.

[Lady Jaye]

That's why I hope that the upcoming Looney Tunes DVD set (slated for release in late October) will contain uncensored, uncut cartoons.

[Mayhem]

Cartoon Network et al over here I believe have started to phase in the censored toons as well, though some slip through. All the Tom&Jerry ones certainly have new dub for the black American woman.

Though broadcasters such as the BBC when they occasionally show toons still show the uncensored versions, probably because they haven't been arsed to update their library LOL

[Gamereviewgod]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39331000/jpg/_39331556_203bi_playing_bbc.jpg


What game is he playing?

**Voice in background***

What? Off topic??? We need to know this stuff!

[CitizenWhite]

The game is not available for children under 17. These kids were under 17. They should not have been allowed to play the game.

Simple as that.

Actually, the game is available for people under 17. Stores, such as CompUSA and a select few others do not have any age guidelines. This is, however, beside the point. Personally, I have no idea what caused it, bad parenting or what, because I do not know the family. I do know that it takes a fucked up person to kill someone. Being retarded, killing someone, then blaming it on a game seems to me like its going to become the new 'temporary insanity' plea.

Lawyers, also have a big deal in this. It is the same with all of the commercials you see, "If you have been hurt, we can get you the money you deserve". I agree that sometimes its justified, but when you spill coffee on yourself and sue McDonalds because "You didnt know it was hot" is abuse of the system.

[Raedon]

-Acme earthquake pills


Man, those are some good fucking pills.. Whew!!

[kainemaxwell]

How about suing the parents would weren't bright enough to tell their kids a thing or two about what's real and what isn't? I remember being in grade 1 or 2 and my mom telling me that Barbie isn't a reflection of real life. Ever thought of telling those two teens when they were little kids, "remember: those videogames you play (or comic books you read, or whatever) aren't real life. In real life, people die and are hurt when they fall off cliffs.

And once more, a videogame company gets scapegoated because the general public continue to assume that all videogames are for children rather than admit that some titles are not meant for them. Comic books finally got a fairer treatment in that sense (people realizing that there are different books for different markets) when comic books started to be viewed as graphic novels in the early 90s, thanks to great books like Maus. I wonder what videogame title will bring people to realize this about games as well? It could have been Eternal Darkness but it wasn't so.

Definitly well said! Why not blame the parents for buying it for them, or letting them do so instead of finding a scapegoat for soccer moms.

[Ed Oscuro]

After my attack on Raedon, my belief in the ability of gamers to think critically is at least somewhat restored :P

The issue here is pretty much the same--people find spurious correlations and suddenly there's a cause-and-effect relationship. This seems to happen more when you're talking about something with which you have absolutely no knowledge. I'd LOVE to hear what some of these hicks would say when we change the discussion to gun ownership, though.

[ManekiNeko]

Little angels? LITTLE ANGELS?!?!?! They fired guns into a busy highway! These brats were never little angels to begin with, and neither was this disgustingly greedy lawyer. Let's hope that the judge realizes that the game was RATED FOR ADULTS and throws out this case, recognizing it for the cynical cash grab it is.

JR

[Jorpho]

It seems this Jack Thompson fellow is slightly nuts:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22jack+thompson%22+lawyer
(I am assuming that very few high profile lawyers are named Jack Thompson.)

A thought occurs to me...

These laddies decided to go shooting at things because they were bored.
Now, why were they bored? Wasn't this video game supposed to be so absorbing that it was influencing their behavior?

Ergo, is someone going to sue video game companies for not making their games sufficiently interesting that potentially dangerous individuals will stay inside instead of wandering around finding creative ways to relieve their boredom?
________
Dragonball Z Dicussion (http://www.tv-gossip.com/dragonball-z/)

[ManekiNeko]

Ergo, is someone going to sue video game companies for not making their games sufficiently interesting that potentially dangerous individuals will stay inside instead of wandering around finding creative ways to relieve their boredom?

If so, Acclaim is completely screwed.

JR

[kainemaxwell]

This point the parents and the store clerk(s) who sold said weapons should be sued.

[thegreatescape]

decided to relieve their boredom by opening fire on traffic on Interstate 40 with a .22-calibre rifle

Thats what you get for leaving guns in the vegetable crisper! :hmm:

and from the Jack "imanutter" tompson website-

Entertainment giant Sony has recently announced that it will not distribute these murder simulation games to Japanese children, but such games are "appropriate" for American and European kids. Isn't that nice?

I allways thought gta3 wasnt widely available in japan because its not the kind of game that would sell widely there, though I really wish he wasnt so loose with the term "murder simulators" :angry:
what a tool.

-SMi

[hezeuschrist]

http://flamevault.com/~jesus/beatkid1.jpeg

http://flamevault.com/~jesus/beatkid4.jpeg

Oh man, maddox rules. So many earthly tragedies could be avoided if everyone read maddox.

But for real, the ratings don't mean shit anymore. I remember hearing a while back that no places were allowed to deny sale of a game to anyone based on aged discrimination laws. I know I am not allowed to prevent any 6 year old kid from renting GTA and DOA:XVB.

[Kroogah]

and from the Jack "imanutter" tompson website-

Entertainment giant Sony has recently announced that it will not distribute these murder simulation games to Japanese children, but such games are "appropriate" for American and European kids. Isn't that nice?

I allways thought gta3 wasnt widely available in japan because its not the kind of game that would sell widely there, though I really wish he wasnt so loose with the term "murder simulators" :angry:
what a tool.

-SMi

GTA3 hasn't been out for a very long time in Japan, if it's even out yet. (Heard it was gonna be sometime late this month). And Capcom is distributing it. That's awesome. ^_^

[Achika]

and from the Jack "imanutter" tompson website-

Entertainment giant Sony has recently announced that it will not distribute these murder simulation games to Japanese children, but such games are "appropriate" for American and European kids. Isn't that nice?

I allways thought gta3 wasnt widely available in japan because its not the kind of game that would sell widely there, though I really wish he wasnt so loose with the term "murder simulators" :angry:
what a tool.

-SMi

I think someone needs to watch G4 Mr. Tompson! Apparently GTA3 has been on Japans wanted list for quite some time and they are finally getting it.

[Jorpho]

Website? What's this? ...Ah, www.stopkill.com .


A week later in Littleton, Colorado, Klebold and Harris, who obsessively trained on Doom, killed thirteen. The video game company had sold them software that allowed them to transpose or "morph" the faces of their classmates from their Columbine yearbook onto bodies of the virtual humans they practiced killing for months.

This is news to me. Anyone remember reading about this?

(What a pity the Alter Ego contest is over... Of course, this guy would probably sue anyone who he thinks might be impersonating him.)
________
HOT BOX VAPORIZERS (http://hotboxvaporizers.com)

[brandver3]

Its been awhile since Columbine, so figures it was getting close to time for video games to get blamed for something.

It really boils down to the fact that if those kids had the peice of mind to get the gun, go out side and pull the trigger, then they were WAY fucked up when GTA3 came along.

[Duncan]

Its been awhile since Columbine, so figures it was getting close to time for video games to get blamed for something.

It really boils down to the fact that if those kids had the peice of mind to get the gun, go out side and pull the trigger, then they were WAY fucked up when GTA3 came along.

I find it funny that State of Emergency, which is about three times as violent and depraved as any GTA game, got little more than a slap on the wrist from parents' groups and watchdogs. (There's still a little sticker on the PS2 Greatest Hits release that says it's "not for sale to minors".)

The reason: GTA is far more popular than SoE. Popularity breeds notoriety, and notoriety eventually breeds opportunity.

And as we all know, opportunity breeds quick-and-dirty lawsuits. :roll:

Duncan :D

[StarKnightX]

To CitizenWhite ,
Not to be rude but I would really like it if people stopped using the old McDonald's coffea case as a example of human stupidity. Yes if you look at the case in simple terms that would be one thing , but if you read the actual court documents it was determined that the coffea was WAY too hot for human consumption anyway (it was hot enough to cause third degree burns all across her leg) so even if the warning was there at the time she probobly would of had a case with the coffea being too hot anyway.
Just had to get that off my chest because I always here that example used in the case of "dumb warnings" but in this case it really was McDonalds fault.

[MarioAllStar2600]

Thats horrible. And those kids are even dumber. If I was there parents I would beat them with Playstation 2 controlers.

[calthaer]

Human beings are not by nature "good." Rousseau was wrong. It is not only society that makes people evil. This is just a convenient way to pass the buck, and video games are easy to pass the buck upon, being the new kid on the block. Ignoramuses.

[Reverend JagDiesel]

If these two little angels happened to die a very ugly death, that wouldnt hurt my feelings a bit. Hell, it would improve the gene pool!

Thin the herd!