333

I wrote my 333rd post on Thursday.  I think that deserves a mention, seeing as the number 333 is of some significance to me.  The number 333 features in two of the oldest and best computer games I know and have played.  (Hey just so you know, I think that is the first, and almost certainly the last time I ever make use of coloured text in a blog post).  You'll know why if you play one of the games I'm going to mention.  The first is Hugo's Horrific Adventure (which you can download here).  It is a great old game, I have no trouble recommending it to children of all ages ;) It is a text-based game with graphics and a totally retro soundtrack.  The aim of the game is to help Hugo rescue his sweetheart Penelope from the haunted house.  Here are the Hugo sequels: Hugo 2: Whodunit? and Hugo 3: Jungle of Doom.  The Hugo games are so cool because you get really good at typing, and also they're so darn tricky to figure out.  It's fun for the whole family with the second game called Nitemare (and you can download it here).  Nitemare is like a first-person version of Hugo's Horrific Adventure.  The spine-chilling sythetic organ music is the perfect backdrop to this action-packed re-make of the classic Hugo game.  Nitemare isn't quite as enigmatic as it's predecessor, however it almost makes up for that with a nice range of villans, guns and levels.  I have spent many hours playing these games on my old Pentium 1 (75mhz, 32mb, 1gb) when I should have been tidying my room or doing my school-work.  Kids, don't try this at home.  Hey anyway, have a go at these cool games, but don't let them get in the way of real-life.  Computer games are so overrated.

Call to ban GTA 4 in New Zealand

I have long been opposed to computer games where the environment is almost indiscernable from the one we live in. This is the intention with games like Grand Theft Auto, where no detail is spared in an effort to transport the player into a parallel world to the one he lives in. In this virtual world, the player is rewarded for breaking laws, hurting and killing people and a host of other morally and ethically questionable actions.

Grand Theft Auto 4 is due to be released in New Zealand this week. Family First is calling for a nation-wide ban on all the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) video games.

Grand Theft Auto IV is scheduled for release this week. It follows on from previous Grand Theft Auto games which included constant graphic violence and sexual situations. Players could re-enact having sex with a prostitute, beating her bloody, taking her money and running her over with a car and shooting at police officers.

Rockstar Games which produces the game says the company is going even further in its pursuit of realism with this latest game in the series and players can buy cocaine, set enemies alight, shoot a policeman, drink drive, and visit strip clubs...

...“It is completely naïve to believe that teenagers and young children won’t have access to and be able to play the game,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “It is also completely unrealistic to believe that young people will not be influenced in their attitudes and behaviours by constant exposure to this type of material.”

- Family First Press Release 27/04/08

"But what about our freedoms!", you scream. Would you still support people's right to own and play the game if pedophilia was one of the themes? I don't bring this up light-heartedly, however we must ask - if it's wrong to portray that in an interactive video-game, then it must surely be wrong to portray murder and drug-use. Even more so in such a realistic game, set in such a similar World to the one we live in.

On 17 April 2007, I wrote on the subject of violent computer games, and the link with violent crimes, particularly school shootings.

Video games such as Unreal Tournament, F.E.A.R., Half Life, Doom and Quake. These are games that idolise, sensationalise, stylise and glorify violence. Gore (blood) levels can be increased or decreased to suit the gamer. In F.E.A.R., extremely violent acts can be perfomed in explict detail on your victim (ie. a guard). Games such as these are immoral and have been proven to be the cause for gamers getting out there and "playing it real".

- "33 murdered students, Elephant, video games" Star Studded Super Step, 17/04/07

In that post I recommended that people watch the film Elephant, and concluded by saying that it is important that legislators don't swing too far the other way. Where are we as New Zealanders going to draw a line in the sand? Or are we forever going to push moral and ethical boundaries?