Here We Go Again -- Kennedy Assassination Game
polycounter lvl 18
Don't know if anyone posted about this yet. Saw this on Good Morning America. Once again, the entire game industry gets blamed for the work of a few misguided nincompoops:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=270778
This post is not about the game per se, which seems to have about as much thematic credibility as 'Postal'. Rather, I have never seen a more unabashedly biased delivery of a story than I did when Charles Gibson started in on it. It wasn't so much a news report as a subdued rant. Gibson said in his introduction, "[A new video game is causing an uproar] -- and they just get worse and worse --..." So, instantly there's your editorial content. That set the tone for the next five minutes of stuff, which featured an ABC correspondent at his laptop playing the game. And all they were doing was showing how despicable they though it was.
Now, I don't have a problem with anyone condemning the game, it's pretty heartless as a concept. But to have people who I assumed would be presenting a more factual story providing what is essentially a game review, that's just not good journalism. Big surprise, right?
The game just went on sale online, so it's probably a little early for interviews. But somewhere along the line it would be nice to see someone like Sid Meier saying "This is gross, not the kind of thing the game industry as a whole is interested in." However, that would be less biased, and I don't think ABC news is necessarily interested in such needless circumspection.
What gets me riled up the most is the outright condemnation of the video game industry as a collective crowd of like-minded perverts and senseless pornographers, all with the same agenda to offend everyone and corrupt YOUR children. As if being an X-rated movie producer means a generalized level of corruption in the movie industry. I don't expect much more from mainstream news, and I'm not surprised that GMA producers and writers stoop to this lack of sophistication, but to see it demonstrated to such a profound level just made my stomach upset.
The video game industry hasn't been around long enough to escape this kind of misinterpretation, but come on, people...
/jzero
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=270778
This post is not about the game per se, which seems to have about as much thematic credibility as 'Postal'. Rather, I have never seen a more unabashedly biased delivery of a story than I did when Charles Gibson started in on it. It wasn't so much a news report as a subdued rant. Gibson said in his introduction, "[A new video game is causing an uproar] -- and they just get worse and worse --..." So, instantly there's your editorial content. That set the tone for the next five minutes of stuff, which featured an ABC correspondent at his laptop playing the game. And all they were doing was showing how despicable they though it was.
Now, I don't have a problem with anyone condemning the game, it's pretty heartless as a concept. But to have people who I assumed would be presenting a more factual story providing what is essentially a game review, that's just not good journalism. Big surprise, right?
The game just went on sale online, so it's probably a little early for interviews. But somewhere along the line it would be nice to see someone like Sid Meier saying "This is gross, not the kind of thing the game industry as a whole is interested in." However, that would be less biased, and I don't think ABC news is necessarily interested in such needless circumspection.
What gets me riled up the most is the outright condemnation of the video game industry as a collective crowd of like-minded perverts and senseless pornographers, all with the same agenda to offend everyone and corrupt YOUR children. As if being an X-rated movie producer means a generalized level of corruption in the movie industry. I don't expect much more from mainstream news, and I'm not surprised that GMA producers and writers stoop to this lack of sophistication, but to see it demonstrated to such a profound level just made my stomach upset.
The video game industry hasn't been around long enough to escape this kind of misinterpretation, but come on, people...
/jzero
Replies
Shooting the image of Kennedy in the right spots in the right sequence adds to the score, while "errors" like shooting first lady Jacqueline Kennedy lead to deductions.
Each shot can be replayed in slow motion, and the bullets can be tracked as they travel and pass through Kennedy's digitally recreated body. Players can choose to see blood by pressing a "blood effects" option.
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It only takes one developer with a stupid and disgusting idea for a game to bring the media against the whole industry. The industry itself should speak out against these perverts. Who would waste their time creating a "game" that's so retarded and sell if for $10. It's filth. This is an example of technology in the wrong hands. I hope their children develop brain tumors.
Damn Texans and their guns.
2. There are plenty of sniper games
3. There are combinations of both, so what is the point?
It is not like a game where you can kill the present president, and are encuraged to do so. (although I bet it would sell pretty well
I agree on the media thing though, but come on guys, that are old news. I don't even really notice it anylonger, just like I try to ignore other idiots.
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It only takes one developer with a stupid and disgusting idea for a game to bring the media against the whole industry. The industry itself should speak out against these perverts. Who would waste their time creating a "game" that's so retarded and sell if for $10. It's filth. This is an example of technology in the wrong hands. I hope their children develop brain tumors.
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Hmmm, as opposed to the devs who make Osama games or including them?
This story was sent round work today as mildly amusing for a monday morning, lame as the game maybe. But, really get some perspective on this, it`s not that bad. And JFK assassination has made for good humour for quite some time now.
It only takes one developer with a stupid and disgusting idea for a game to bring the media against the whole industry. The industry itself should speak out against these perverts.
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Well I sure don't want you representing the industry to the media. How about a little solidarity? The last thing we need are chinks in our defense. Killing in games is either thematically appropriate or it isn't. You can't pick and choose.
But then again like Mal said, what separates that from any other game that snipers kill in? Shrugs shoulders.....
DON'T BE A GAMER HATER!
But to the point that's been raised about how 'it's just another sniper game', yeah, it is, BUT. It's not. It's a game that re-creates the historical murder of an actual person. There are people still alive today who witnessed this event, and to create a game based on it is presumptive to the extreme. It's different from D-Day, it really is.
I get the feeling that the developers of this game, being English, have a certain disconnect from the Kenneddy assassination that they wouldn't have, were they US citizens. Perhaps in the same way that Germans wouldn't like playing RTCW?
As another example, there was a mod pimped at PC in the last last year or so where you played a wildlife poacher. Yes, it was just about killing animals, like Deer Hunter, right? No. It was about killing exotic, endangered animals that most sensible people wouldn't want killed. That's objectionable.
Hey, I play GTA3 and I regularly beat innocent pedestrians to death for quick cash. It's mindless fun. But there are limits of good taste, and they are often not at the furthest extremes of behavior, but located here and there among the extremes of behavior, among the different little gray areas. I'm just sayin'.
/jzero
Vermeulen: Ya think? No doubt whatsoever there.
/jzero
what's curious is that that ABC news report is probably the best press that game can offer yet. googling JFK reloaded either gets matrix hits, JFK assassination conspiracy hits, or amusingly, one site that refers to Kerry as 'JFK reloaded.' This game needed a better name.
"It is despicable," said David Smith, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the late president's brother.
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I totally pictured Daffy Duck when I read that.
Now on the I support all gamers issues, YES! Gamers rock because we play simulations of murder, and death and killing. What was the stats a bit back, the average 10 year old watches 100 k muders off tv by age 10? I wonder at times if children would be better off gaming the hours away than watching tv.
Perhaps in the same way that Germans wouldn't like playing RTCW?
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All WW2 FPS are played extensivly over here, there are even some crazy neo nazis exclusivly playing them in multiplayer as ZE GERMANS
But most Germans don't have any more problems with WW2 FPS than any other FPS.
And I really can't see how this is any worse, just because he was famous & president. You could even argue that it was just one man, not millions like in WW2.
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"It is despicable," said David Smith, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the late president's brother.
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I totally pictured Daffy Duck when I read that.
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with the spittle sound effects and everything lol
I'd do it myself but I'm lazy.
I wouldn't let my children play GTA, if I had any, but thats because it is NOT FOR CHILDREN. Children should not be playing it. I certainly wouldn't let them play a game where the sole aim was to hunt tigers for fun.
But even worse is this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4022147.stm
A webcam with a rifle so that you can shoot animals over the net. Yes, thats right, you can now press a button and kill an animal! What fun children!
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But even worse is this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4022147.stm
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Hmmm... that's a bit disturbing. I could understand doing the same thing with target shooting (which they apparently already do), but even that would be stupid, because target shooting by way of webcam would be like playing the world's most boring FPS.
But I'm from Denmark... o_O;
As to the game, I personally don't have any objections to it, other than it's in really bad taste. But so are a lot of other games. Hell it would be easy to make the same scenario for UUT2K4 as an Assault map. 1 or two snipers, a map of Dealy Plaza 1963, a couple of custom vehicles, and matinee models that go to "kharma" when shot. as a UT Mod i would consider it humorous, as a whole game i would think it limited and not worth 10 bucks.
I have no confidence in the mainstream media either. Games Companies are classes the same as Republicans anyway.
Scott
Yes there is.
I eat meat. I dont agree with people killing animals for fun. "Hey, I'm bored! Lets go kill us some animals"
Not killing because you need to eat, but ending the life of something to amuse yourself.
And that idea lets you remote control a rifle via the net to kill animals. They gonna email that meat to you?
Frosty, you don't need to apologise - I wasn't defending GTA becuase I had a small part in the last one, I was pointing out (to jzero as well) that you can't compare the killing of pedestrians in GTA to killing endangered species (or any species) in a hunting game, because the CORE, the GOAL of the hunting game is to kill the animal, whereas that is not the case with GTA - you could (if careful) play GTA without killing a pedestrian. You didn't mention if you would let your (theoretical) child play Unreal, where the goal *is* to kill other onscreen people.
Rick There's nothing wrong with killing Animals.
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People are Animals. We're more deserving of the capitalization, even
The remote web-cam-kill-gun thing is reprehensible because it is the senseless, mindless ending of a life for sheer entertainment value. Especially those who claim to "value life" or whatever, it's beyond hipocrisy.
[edit] Hah!! Rick beat me to it
also Shado, you edited Scott's post and left the, "especially if they taste good" part off of it. I'm sure it was not intetionally done, but it comes of very Michael Moore-ish
I've mellowed a lot on hunting in the past few years. I like animals, but I also like steak. I've retained some involuntary moral qualms concerning the difference between killing free animals, and animals that were raised to be slaughtered, but that feels like hypocrisy so I try to suppress the notion.
Sport hunters are bastards though. If you're not hunting for food, you're not too far from the kid who strangles his neighbor's kitten for the fun of it, and shouldn't be allowed outdoors.
Coyotes are another favorite around here and there used to be real bans on overkill back in the early 80s but not now. The hunter kills the coyotes strictly for the pelts. But in all honesty I am glad some are whacked because anyone that wants to tell me Coyotes and Wolves dont stalk humans or may approach them is full of crap. I have personally been stalked more than once by a solo coyote, while he called out to his mates(20) in a pack about 1320 feet away. This was the most fearful and disturbing time in nature I have ever experienced. Or he was just curious about me, but it was still way too close for my comfort zone.
I also know many that hunt elk, deer, pheasant, geese, ducks and even some moose and it is for meat and sausage. And they are strictly regulated by the fish & game dept unless of course they are poachers. Recently the copier Guy showed me a picture of the Moose he shot and killed and it had antlers 36 inches across, he was so happy, waiting 11 years to get a license he was almost in tears. He is mounting the moose and using the meat for his family and some he said he will give away to charity if they take it.
Hi Mal
Rick S.
You didn't mention if you would let your (theoretical) child play Unreal.
Rick I should just stfu, I dont know if I would. I probably would be very nervous given my personal short fuse temper and natural tendency toward violence. I know my wife would not. Hell she is getting so conservative, cant stand to see me play any violent games anymore. She knows I do when she is gone, but wont take it when home. So if I had kids but was divorced, Id prolly let them play just to irritate the bloody phuct out of my X, which is totally a lame azz reason. But I will never need to worry about it. Cep is a perfect reason for a very mature young adult who is very capable of handling Unreal or Quake, most all young adults are NOT that mature.
I also agree with Scott that it is in really bad taste, the Kennedy kill game, imagine if a game was sold where you strap bombs on yourself and see how many kids and women you can blow up.
I don't get the hype?
Debra Norvil on MSNBC tore the creator of the game a new a'hole, but I felt sorry for the guy because he was getting bullied by Debra Norvil and he was just this meek talking British guy.
I also agree with Scott that it is in really bad taste, the Kennedy kill game, imagine if a game was sold where you strap bombs on yourself and see how many kids and women you can blow up.
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Give it time. The way things are going it would not surprise me.
Oddly enough the day someone mentioned the hunting-from-home fiasco, there was a story about it on the news (it was followed by the story of the dead hunters in Wisconsin). Yeah, I don't get it. I'm all for hunting, couldn't live without meat and I SO badly hate deer. But come on, not only does it take the sport out of it...but it's just lazy and irresponsible.
also Shado, you edited Scott's post and left the, "especially if they taste good" part off of it. I'm sure it was not intetionally done, but it comes of very Michael Moore-ish
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You mean "Moore-onic?"
Then again, I could point out that, even though he says they taste good, he makes no mention of whether or not they would be eaten. I could go around killing puppies and, even though some people think they taste good, it doesn't mean those people (or anyone for that matter) are going to eat them. Perhaps the most effective phrase would have been, "There's nothing wrong with killing animals, if you're going to eat them."
Like Rick and Mal, I'm not a vegetarian. I'm a firm believer in the value of eating meat, and I do enjoy the taste and texture of it. Well, not cow, so much, but pig and chicken and others... but DEFINITELY chicken. I do think that we should respect the animals that we eat, and treat them well while they live.
And once again, I have to applaud Malekyth for being able to take my thoughts right out of my skull and articulate them so fucking concisely. Well done.
i can see where the developers are coming from, but they really should have tried to couch the game in more of a simulatory/historical bent than they apparently have.
...the webcam idea would be great for that too.
It is not becuase it is a representation of killing - we are all happy to play Halo/GTA/Doom/etc.
It cannot be because it is killing based on history. There are countless war games. Black Hawk Down was based on actual events.
Is it because it is a world leader? Doubtful, as some people seem only to happy to play it if it was Bush/Saddam etc.
Is it because it is a world leader that was *generally* liked, and most fuck-ups were considered taboo because of his death?
Is it because he was an American? Would a WW2 game where you played as a german killing yanks or a Vietnam game where you played as the Vietcong be distasteful? I doubt that would be a problem.
Is it because people believe it is making money formt he JFK assassination? If so, do people have a problem with books, TV and films that exploit it (they are after money). Treating it in a less than serious way? As Red Dwarf viewers will know, JFK shot himself.
It's a time in American history when we actually had a pseudo royalty.
Imagine what kind of controversy would happen if a video game came out reinacting the death of Princess Di?
It has more to do with feelings towards glorification of an idol then it does with logic.
After some more thinking, I want to know why people are outraged at this?
It is not becuase it is a representation of killing - we are all happy to play Halo/GTA/Doom/etc.
It cannot be because it is killing based on history. There are countless war games. Black Hawk Down was based on actual events.
Is it because it is a world leader? Doubtful, as some people seem only to happy to play it if it was Bush/Saddam etc.
Is it because it is a world leader that was *generally* liked, and most fuck-ups were considered taboo because of his death?
Is it because he was an American? Would a WW2 game where you played as a german killing yanks or a Vietnam game where you played as the Vietcong be distasteful? I doubt that would be a problem.
Is it because people believe it is making money formt he JFK assassination? If so, do people have a problem with books, TV and films that exploit it (they are after money). Treating it in a less than serious way? As Red Dwarf viewers will know, JFK shot himself.
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i don't quite understand it either, but in the states he's somewhat of an idol, and playing a game where you kill him is in bad taste for most people.
Scott
ths shouldnt be a big deal , no one has to play it ... and if ppl are changed or harmed by playing this game then we have somthing worse to worrie about ... apart from my spelling
I gotta agree with Rick though, people make money off of JFK's death all over the place - seems like the movie "JFK" was every bit as exploitive as this game, they're both making money off of people's fascination with the assassination, and going into explicit detail about the acts of violence involved.