Game Genres Action/Fighting –First Person Shooter Role Playing –MMORPG (Everquest, WoW) Simulator –Flight –Military –God games Sports

Motivation Entertainment Education Training Propaganda

Issues Game Addiction Content Violence Message

Game Addiction Everquest Pierce joined EverQuest-Widows after her husband’s second real-life affair with someone from the game.Widows “Things got worse as the baby got older and needed more then a bottle and diaper change. I would come home and he'd be in his crib crying while his dad was on the game. I had our 10- year-olds watching the baby. Everything my husband talked about had to do with EverQuest. It was as if it was his reality and we were all a fantasy life he could visit occasionally.”

At a particularly low point, Pierce received a phone call from someone her husband had married in the game. “The woman called my house demanding I wake ‘our husband’ up,” she says, still shocked. “When I confronted him over her, he told me I better not talk bad about his friends.”

Dennis Bennett was failing his college classes, his marriage was in trouble, and he wasn't being much of a father to his 1-year- old son. But he had progressed to Level 58 as Madrid, the Great Shaman of the North, his character in the online role-playing game "EverQuest," and that was all that mattered at the time. When Games Stop Being Fun, Cnet/news The Quest to End Game Addictions

World of Warcraft Detox

Dutch Clinic Treats Those Addicted to Games Mr. Baker is a former drug addict himself, and in his mind a computer-gaming addiction is just as severe as any narcotic addiction because they share similar symptoms: It is not a chemical dependency, but it’s got everything of an obsessive-compulsive disorder and all of the other stuff that comes with chemical dependency One of their patients, a 21 year-old from Utrecht, said that he barely left his room during a 5 year gaming stint because he was so fixated with his electronic fantasy world. Addiction to video-games is a harmless and voluntary occupation, and individuals should be able to do as they will with their lives. Let Darwin do his work.

Graphic Content Grand Theft Auto Manhunt 2 CBS News

GTA is ground breaking –pushed back the boundaries of interactivity. –just about everyone in the games world agrees that it's a great game. Wikipedia

GTA represents all that is wrong with computer games, games culture generally and possibly the whole of modern society. –Sexist –Corrupting –Violent –Offensive –Immoral

GTA3 101 GTA begins by establishing a back-story. You're a small time crook betrayed by your girlfriend and 'partner-in-crime'. On the way to jail you escape as a bi-product of a gang freeing one of its members who was being transported to the lock up with you.

Missions include –driving a prostitute around town –beating people up –killing people –delivering a 'stiff‘ –setting bombs –bribing police Successful completion of missions provides you with money and enables you to climb the gang hierarchy.

The Case Against The mass media has been fairly uniform in its response to GTA. –"Game glorifies a life of crime" USA TodayGame glorifies a life of crime –"GTA III is a game so suffused with sadism”, LA TimesGTA III is a game so suffused with sadism

To summarise GTA3 is charged with being: sadistic; in bad taste; having a tendency to reduce the players sense of responsibility, respect for property or respect for rules of any kind; degrading to women; encouraging of violence and lastly – not the sort of game that a member of a civilised society would play.

Philosophical Approach Much of the criticisms of GTA3 are based in fact. The game is highly violent and is based in a world of organised crime where you have to steal and kill to progress. While some people might not like any of these facts. This doesn't make the game immoral

It has either been directly stated or heavily implied that GTA3 may have the following effects on those that play it: Increased violence Increased tendency to participate in crime in general Increased probability of consorting with prostitutes Reduced respect for women in general

Benefits of computer games Increased problem solving skills Increased dexterity Comfort with technology Pleasure

Serious Games Military Video game based simulation ICT BreakAway America’s Army

Assignment Does the government belong in the gaming industry as a developer of games releasable to the general public? –If so, does it have a greater responsibility than the private sector for the content and social implications of the game? Why? –If not, why? Type written, single spaced, 1 page (double spaced, 2 pages) Due Friday, 27 March