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News & ArtsFriday, April 20, 2012
Crime Call of Mass Killer
Posted by Charles Mudede on Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 8:03 AM
CNN:
Norway's alleged mass killer testified on Thursday that he played video games as a way to train for a shooting spree that killed 77 people last summer. In particular, Anders Behring Breivik said at his trial that he played "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" as a means of shooting practice, according to CNN's report.
- Wikipedia
But you can also use a flight simulator to learn how to fly a plane. The question is this: What do you want to do with the plane? What do you want to do with a war simulator? (This is my most Spinozist post ever.)
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I suppose you can ask the tens of millions who play the game and do not go on a shooting spree.
My guess would be because it is simple entertainment, no different than reading a book, or watching television. Violent people are drawn to violent games, violent games do not create violent people anymore than violent books do.
My guess would be because it is simple entertainment, no different than reading a book, or watching television. Violent people are drawn to violent games, violent games do not create violent people anymore than violent books do.
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I sincerely doubt that this game can help one train for a massacre anyway. Isn't it played with a normal controller? Or do you have to have some fake gun (akin to the guitar and drums for Rock Band) to play it? If it does, is there kickback? Can it jam up, or get too hot to fire if you shoot it too much too quickly?
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Breivik was also a regular on European and US hard-right blogs. His motor skills may have been sharpened by games, but his philosophy was refined elsewhere.
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Good Morning Charles,
Indeed, that's been the complaint from many people regarding the video games industry. That it is quite graphic, too instructive and as a result, one lonely and crazed consumer can mimick and/or copy an "art" or "skill" from them. In other words, "learn" from them. Most unfortunate. Whatever happened to chess?
As a kid, I recall shooting BBs at "ducks" at a local fair booth. I suppose that's similar. But, that never morphed into yours truly purchasing guns and hunting people.
I find what Brevik did not just despicable but perordained and NOT from a crazed mind. He has said he would kill again. That enough dictates that this man MUST not ever be released from prison. Norwegian authorities must find a way to keep him behind bars.
Indeed, that's been the complaint from many people regarding the video games industry. That it is quite graphic, too instructive and as a result, one lonely and crazed consumer can mimick and/or copy an "art" or "skill" from them. In other words, "learn" from them. Most unfortunate. Whatever happened to chess?
As a kid, I recall shooting BBs at "ducks" at a local fair booth. I suppose that's similar. But, that never morphed into yours truly purchasing guns and hunting people.
I find what Brevik did not just despicable but perordained and NOT from a crazed mind. He has said he would kill again. That enough dictates that this man MUST not ever be released from prison. Norwegian authorities must find a way to keep him behind bars.
10
Having served in the U.S. Army infantry AND having played Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, I can say that playing that game as a means of learning how to go on a killing spree is both inefficient and unrealistic.
The game is neat for graphics and fun and such, but it in no way prepares someone for effectively using the real-life weapons and equiptment utilized in the game, nor do the game's tactics translate well to real-world combat.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar
The game is neat for graphics and fun and such, but it in no way prepares someone for effectively using the real-life weapons and equiptment utilized in the game, nor do the game's tactics translate well to real-world combat.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar
12
The video game scapegoating always pisses me off - here's a nice article pointing out and elucidating my feelings far better than I can:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/04/…
Video games can't train you for much of anything, other than the Konami Code or how to click a mouse faster. I've been playing them all my life (I started with Pong. . . on it's own stand-alone console). I'm pretty sure that even with all the CoD I've played, I'd be a crappy shot with any modern firearm. And playing Assassins Creed does not make me a badass parkour assassin.
How about we talk about his hours training at the firing range, or how the hell he got all the weapons and ammunition?
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/04/…
Video games can't train you for much of anything, other than the Konami Code or how to click a mouse faster. I've been playing them all my life (I started with Pong. . . on it's own stand-alone console). I'm pretty sure that even with all the CoD I've played, I'd be a crappy shot with any modern firearm. And playing Assassins Creed does not make me a badass parkour assassin.
How about we talk about his hours training at the firing range, or how the hell he got all the weapons and ammunition?
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As it was pointed out in the Rock Paper Shotgun article Pithy Name linked: Funny how Breivik spouts off all kinds of wild political nonsense and the media roundly dismisses it as wacko bullshit, but when the dude says he trained with video games, suddenly everyone takes him at face value and gives credence to what he's saying.
Old media blames new media for all society's ills. Dumb.
Old media blames new media for all society's ills. Dumb.
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@12 - I've played more than my share of first-person shooters, and I have also been out target shooting. I'll snipe you at a million paces in Counterstrike, but I suuuuuuuuuuck with a real gun.
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Don't worry, when Charles the Marxist plays Simcity he only ever turns it into a crime ridden, ghetto shit-hole after eliminating the capitalists. Think Detroit.
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Does this mean my many hours of Warcraft, Skyrim, and FIFA on Xbox over the past five years have prepared me to fight monsters with magic if they interrupt me as a surprise walk on player during Saturday's Sounders game? Or I can Fus Ro Dah the ball away from the goal if a sword wielding zombie tries to kick it in?
Ridiculous.
Ridiculous.
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When I first glanced at this I read: "Cliff Mass Killer". I thought it was going to be some weird commentary on KUOW.
... must have caffeine.
... must have caffeine.
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I think you're actually missing the real meaning here. The modern warfare franchise features the magnificently well equipped soldiers of a powerful nation almost entirely fighting the denizens of the third world because, well, who the fuck else would we murder in their homes? Our conflicts of late have desensitized us to the killing of swarthy people in shitty countries.
It's interesting then that he's an opponent of multiculturalism and Islam. Incidentally, so am I. Don't see how murdering teenagers at a summer camp advances those politics, though. Still, most killing sprees only last, at the most, like seven lives before being gunned down by police. He really showed his viking excellence with killing what, like 77 people? We need more people like that shooting swarthy camel-humpers down in our third-world quagmires.
It's interesting then that he's an opponent of multiculturalism and Islam. Incidentally, so am I. Don't see how murdering teenagers at a summer camp advances those politics, though. Still, most killing sprees only last, at the most, like seven lives before being gunned down by police. He really showed his viking excellence with killing what, like 77 people? We need more people like that shooting swarthy camel-humpers down in our third-world quagmires.
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@16
Capitalism wasn't eliminated from Detroit. The capitalists left for the greener pastures of the third-world to save money and for the fun of abusing slave-laboring urban peasants.
Capitalism wasn't eliminated from Detroit. The capitalists left for the greener pastures of the third-world to save money and for the fun of abusing slave-laboring urban peasants.
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Obviously it's ludicrous that you can learn to shoot from CoDMW2. But...there is a part in that game where your character has to walk through a Moscow airport and kill about six dozen unarmed civilians. It's supposed to play in to the plot about creating an outrageous event that triggers an epic war of retaliation. It's a pretty fucked up part of the game, and I think it was put in there just to stir up some controversy. I'm still not saying that it is the reason that Brevik went on a shooting spree, but I don't see how it could have helped prevent it.
I do find video games, and especially first person shooters to be a lot of fun even though I am an anti war, even anti military lefty.
I do find video games, and especially first person shooters to be a lot of fun even though I am an anti war, even anti military lefty.
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Just played some COD. Got killed by a 12 year old and became so enraged I heaved a sigh, turned off the console, and returned to studying contract law.
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It's true, it's all true. I played World of Warcraft for years and now I never go anywhere without a summoned succubus at my side. Really spices up my sex life.
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As my resume states, my expert skills include: Swordsmanship, Archery, Boomeranging, Hookshot, Playing the Ocarina, Flower Bombs, and Princess Retrieval; intermediate skills with Iron Boots and Crimson Loftwing.
Agreed it's silly to even link the two. (pun probably intended)
Agreed it's silly to even link the two. (pun probably intended)
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@20 Between the greed of the UAW and the high taxing morons running the city, Detroit is a perfect example of how the left destroys cities. Even the programmers of Sim City understand this.
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My problem with military games is less the weapons training and more the general pro-war jingoism a lot of them promote. The US army uses these games as recruitment tools. Even games like Mass Effect are way too militaristic imo.
I don't believe they should be censored, but I do think there needs to be more AAA video games that don't promote guns and swords as the primary means of solving problems in the world. Yes, shooting things is fun, but there are other means of engaging the player.
I don't believe they should be censored, but I do think there needs to be more AAA video games that don't promote guns and swords as the primary means of solving problems in the world. Yes, shooting things is fun, but there are other means of engaging the player.
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@26 - There are plenty of games that aren't militaristic, and are major. You've heard of Angry Birds? Plants vs. Zombies? Those are smaller games, but I'm pretty sure others exist (Mirror's Edge was one of my favorites).
As an adult, I prefer games with adult themes. Those tend to be large-conflict themes (Mass Effect is a good example of that). The more nuanced the treatment, the happier I am. But Shooters (FPS) are a genre that tends to gravitate towards that military theme. But playing them certainly hasn't made me pro-war. Quite the opposite.
As an adult, I prefer games with adult themes. Those tend to be large-conflict themes (Mass Effect is a good example of that). The more nuanced the treatment, the happier I am. But Shooters (FPS) are a genre that tends to gravitate towards that military theme. But playing them certainly hasn't made me pro-war. Quite the opposite.
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"My problem with military games is less the weapons training and more the general pro-war jingoism a lot of them promote"
I agree. They should make the players become social workers and go down skid row to hand out sandwiches. That's the way war should be.
I agree. They should make the players become social workers and go down skid row to hand out sandwiches. That's the way war should be.
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@26
I'm not personally bothered by violence in games, but I agree that there ought to be more themed around something else, as ultimately I believe relying on combat themes handicaps both the design of gameplay and the structure of a narrative. But AAA games, like summer blockbusters, are increasingly produced by big publishers who are going to be cautious, and that means sticking to tried and true formulas. Generic shooters and hack-and-slash titles might be messy but they're consistent big-earners and a good showcase for newer, fancier graphics, so that's what the publishers want to stick with.
Still, there are fun, non-violent games available outside of the spotlight. Adventure titles, for example, still get produced, although they're typically lower-budget affairs. I would challenge anybody who thinks all games are violent or devoid of creativity to take a look at Machinarium:
http://amanita-design.net/games/machinar…
There are other examples, of course, but this is one to consider.
I'm not personally bothered by violence in games, but I agree that there ought to be more themed around something else, as ultimately I believe relying on combat themes handicaps both the design of gameplay and the structure of a narrative. But AAA games, like summer blockbusters, are increasingly produced by big publishers who are going to be cautious, and that means sticking to tried and true formulas. Generic shooters and hack-and-slash titles might be messy but they're consistent big-earners and a good showcase for newer, fancier graphics, so that's what the publishers want to stick with.
Still, there are fun, non-violent games available outside of the spotlight. Adventure titles, for example, still get produced, although they're typically lower-budget affairs. I would challenge anybody who thinks all games are violent or devoid of creativity to take a look at Machinarium:
http://amanita-design.net/games/machinar…
There are other examples, of course, but this is one to consider.
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