33 replies to this topic

[Nedfan]

I saw a news story on the game Grand Theft Auto San Andreas today (my kids have this game), and it said that you can get on the internet and download a "patch?" and it will put scenes into the game where you, as a player, can control sexually explicit scenes. I trust my kids not to download this crap, but if you have kids, watch out. They said an average 12 year old could get it...no problem.

When is this crap going to stop? I believe, in this country, that if an adult wants to view this stuff, then that is his choice. But when it is made available to kids, the makers should be held accountable. I see some lawsuits coming on this one.

Anybody else see this?

If anyone finds this thread obscene or offensive in nature, please delete. Just thought it was something to be warned about.

Edited by Nedfan, 11 July 2005 - 07:43 PM.

[dragons06]

I have no idea what youre talking about, but I do know the game should strictly only be allowed to be played by a mature audience. It has a lot of violence and A LOT of swearing. Besides all of that this game is AMAZING!! The amount of things you can do is unbelievable (and no they arent all bad). Also the size of the game is just increedible, to drive from one side of the map to the other takes like 7-8 minutes!!!

[jackrabbit1]

No you can't just download a patch unless you have the PC version of the game, even then a regular 12 year old couldn't do it. The same people are always finding reaons to get the game banned because they don't want to admit that they were horrible parents.

[DaPantha]

Have you heard about Rockstars newest game, still being finished? Its called Bully. You play a 15 yr. old kid at a boarding school. No joke!

[Nedfan]

No you can't just download a patch unless you have the PC version of the game, even then a regular 12 year old couldn't do it. The same people are always finding reaons to get the game banned because they don't want to admit that they were horrible parents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a crock! Did you see the same thing I did on NBC news? They had to blur out the scene of the girl. You also admit that there is a download to be had. That's all I was trying to get across. It does exist.

BTW, my 12 year old would impress you with his knowledge of computers, so would most others. I hope you weren't implying that I am a bad parent.

I'm not trying to get the game banned...heck I own one. I will try to keep this crap from the reach of my kids.

The guy who came up with this download said he was just accessing something that was already in the game. The makers of the game deny such a claim. Should be easy to find out who is lying.

Edited by Nedfan, 14 July 2005 - 03:21 PM.

[Jaymze13]

I'm not trying to get the game banned...heck I own one. I will try to keep this crap from the reach of my kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here's the question I posted in the other thread. What kind of mentality is this and why do they have to put something in a VIDEO GAME that (in you very true words) a 12 year old would be able to access?

If somebody wants and adult game, I'm sure the porno industry has probably already created many of them. It's bad enough we have video games that, imho, are already too violent. My nephew plays games that my father would have never allowed me to own and as an adult, I have no desire to play them yet. Obviously the violence is something we have to live with, why do we now need explicit sex? In a game that kids play? Wether it's hidden in a PC version with a patch that has to be downloaded?

[jackrabbit1]

The content was never meant to be seen. It's the parents fault if their kid gets it and a 12 year old probably couldn't get it very easily anyways, don't beleive everything Jack Thompson tells you. There are games with way worse stuff, the only reason it's a big deal is because people are complaining about it. I was reading a couple articles and they mentioned the download for the "hot cofee" was tripled in a week, all because of the repeated news coverage on it.

Edited by 3afan2K3, 24 July 2005 - 11:59 AM.

[Nedfan]

The content was never meant to be seen. It's the parents fault if their kid gets it and a 12 year old probably couldn't get it very easily anyways, don't beleive everything Jack Thompson tells you. There are games with way worse stuff, the only reason it's a big deal is because people are complaining about it. I was reading a couple articles and they mentioned the download for the "hot cofee" was tripled in a week, all because of the repeated news coverage on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think this is the whole problem. Why put something in a kids game that isn't supposed to be seen? Why put anything anywhere that isn't supposed to be seen?

If I told my 12 year old that there is a patch on the internet for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, and I told him to try and find it, I GUARANTEE that he could do it, no problem. He's found all the cheat codes for other games and stuff like that, no problem. Too many people underestimate the minds of kids. I learned this early on as a parent....always know a kid is smarter than the credit you are giving.

How can anyone blame the parents on this one? If the 'trash' is not there to be had, the kids can't get hold of it. My job as a parent, is to try and get rid of this stuff.

[CalallenWildcat]

The content was never meant to be seen. It's the parents fault if their kid gets it and a 12 year old probably couldn't get it very easily anyways, don't beleive everything Jack Thompson tells you. There are games with way worse stuff, the only reason it's a big deal is because people are complaining about it. I was reading a couple articles and they mentioned the download for the "hot cofee" was tripled in a week, all because of the repeated news coverage on it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Give me a break. It's not the parent's fault. It's whoever allowed this to be posted on the internet/put in the game or whatever. Smut and Filth like this has no place in our society, meant to be seen or not.

[jackrabbit1]

I think this is the whole problem. Why put something in a kids game that isn't supposed to be seen? Why put anything anywhere that isn't supposed to be seen?

If I told my 12 year old that there is a patch on the internet for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, and I told him to try and find it, I GUARANTEE that he could do it, no problem. He's found all the cheat codes for other games and stuff like that, no problem. Too many people underestimate the minds of kids. I learned this early on as a parent....always know a kid is smarter than the credit you are giving.

How can anyone blame the parents on this one? If the 'trash' is not there to be had, the kids can't get hold of it. My job as a parent, is to try and get rid of this stuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sure your kid could find out how to get it. He probably wouldn't be able to actually access the stuff given that the minigame is about as raunchy as an episode of Sex and the City, cannot be accessed without entering a long string of cheat codes, and takes several hours of effort to access. The game is meant for ages 17 years and older anyways. If someone can know how to get the content and succesfully does so, chances are it's not the first time they have seen "adult content".

Edited by 3afan2K3, 28 July 2005 - 08:42 PM.

[MickSwagger]

Australia has now made the game illegal

http://news.yahoo.co..._video_game_sex

[Nedfan]

Australia has now made the game illegal

http://news.yahoo.co..._video_game_sex

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Hurricane, that pretty much sums it up.

[MickSwagger]

NP just doin my civil duty Ned of keepin the masses informed LOL

[Super B]

Woman sues over "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"

I agree with both of you to some degree. The game is rated "M" for Mature. The kind of game that promotes violence shouldn't be allowed for children (my opinion). The game is called Grand Theft Auto afterall. Let me get this straight. Violence is OK, but pornography isn't? Now obviously pornography strikes a nerve that violence does not. I can understand that.

On the other hand, the game was rated "M", not "AO", so I can definately see the other side as well. People were misled, though the "seXXX" did not come with the game. I'm sure you could come up with a download for just about any game that would drastically change the rating. I do not see the need for the rating change, since it was not part of what was sold with the game. That's like seeing a directors cut of a DVD that includes scenes cut from the movie so it could get an "R" rating as opposed to an "NC-17" rating.

Personally, the difference between "M" & "AO", is like the difference between "R" & "NC-17". What's the point? I wouldn't knowingly allow my child to go to an "R" rated movie with or without me, same as I wouldn't want her to go to an "NC-17" movie once she turns 17.

[Jaymze13]

Isn't "NC-17" an modern, fluffy-nice way of saying "X"??

[Super B]

Isn't "NC-17" an modern, fluffy-nice way of saying "X"??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, but true hardcore pornography is still rated "XXX". NC-17 typically means brief softcore sex scenes or extreme violence.

Here is an interesting writeup from a Christian POV.

[jackrabbit1]

Woman sues over "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It actually makes the grandmother look pretty bad. She is basically suing them for having sex in a game full of violence that isn't intended for anyone under 17 that she knowingly bought for her under-age grandson.
Riiiggghhhttt......
She's just trying to milk money out of all this just like everyone else who has tried to sue rockstar.

Edited by 3afan2K3, 29 July 2005 - 10:15 AM.

[DaPantha]

In the latest issue of Game Informer, in a section titled The Good, The Bad, The Ugly there is a study mentioned. Granted, it says the study was European, but it doesnt say whether they only studied Europeans, or Americans as well, however, regaurdless I think it is a reflection of a growing worldwide problem. This is what it says

"A European study fond that a majority of parents are aware of video game ratings, but "divorce themselves" from deciding what their children play, even though parents dont like what games they buy. Great to know hypocrisy still rules the angry mob."

I just dont understand how a parent can take their kid to the store, see that the game their child wants is rated M, mature, 17+, contains extreme violence, language, and sexual themes, then buy this game for their child and get upset about the content of the game!

As for hidden material, its really a matter of cost. What likely happened, IMO, was this: They made the "Hot Coffee" mini-game to be included in the game. However, either the game makers themselves decided it was too much, or they just needed to cut it so that it would be rated M, rather than AO and would be sold by all major retailers. Now to do this, it was probably easier to only remove the things you had to do to get to the "Hot Coffee" rather than delete the entire code, because it would take more time in actual deletion and possibly cause a lot of bugs that would have to be worked out. Programs can be very picky, as we all know with our own PC's. So this is likely why it was left on the disk.

So the real problems are three-fold. Corporations cutting time and cost, filthy programmers (likely a Rockstar employee, IMO) creating the patch to re-open the content and releasing it on the web, and parents allowing children to get the game in the first place.

[jackrabbit1]

Thanks Hurricane, that pretty much sums it up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thankfully we live in America where free speech is supported.

[Nedfan]

Parents have to make these dicisions on a daily basis. What is violent enough to keep them from viewing? Pretty obscure if you ask me. Football games are violent, should I keep them from watching? Heck no, they are encouraged to play. Seeing a man steal a car and shoot a guy in the face is too violent? Heck no, just tune in the 6 o'clock news. My 12 year old saw Janet Jackson's breast on the Super Bowl halftime show, which caught us both by surprise. I asked him later what he thought about that. His answer was that he thought it was silly. Pretty sharp for a 12 year old. Now, does that mean I want him watching Janet Jackson having sex with something he can control? Heck no! You people out there trying to tell others how to raise their kids need to have some to see how difficult it is.

I don't think violence in movies or games destroys young people's minds. JMHO

I do however, believe that watching xxx sex can tend to make one deviant. Also JMHO

I don't believe that putting xxx sex on a kids game (no matter how you label it) falls under the heading of free speech.

Edited by Nedfan, 29 July 2005 - 10:48 AM.