Violence in Video Games NC Games: Games Design Lecturer: David Nicol

Source Advertisements Look up 2 advertisements for video games After this list the game under the correct genre – e.g. horror, action, puzzle, fantasy etc. What was the most common genre found?

Pick two Ads you found What makes these ads violent? Who are these ads targeted at? What do you think is the “message” of each ad.

Own Opinion Answer the following questions on your own Are violent video games just harmless escapism or are they something more sinister? Do you think that playing violent video games can make an individual more violent in real life? Back up your view for or against with real examples or survey results etc. Do you agree that there is a link between youth crime and video violence? What other factors may contribute to this problem? Do you agree or disagree with the statement “You need conflict for a game to succeed, and without that tension, the games are no fun.” Can you think of any successful games which are fun that are not based on conflict and tension? What elements make these games interesting

Censorship Investigate how games are censored in Britain - who sets standards/rules and what are different ratings? Do you think censorship is important in games and do you agree with censorship?