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Have you ever not known the answer to a question that maybe you really should know the answer to? If someone is thick it isn't really their fault, after all, we all learn in different ways, and we all have different upbringings! But being thick and simply not knowing something are two completely things.
I remember reading something in a magazine or newspaper somewhere. 'Do you really know what is on your child's computer screen?' Intrigued, I read the article, which went on to criticise State Of Emergency, GTA3 and Max Payne. Anyway, in the opening paragraph, the lady went on to describe SOE. 'Loads of gore. A Scantily Clad Nut-Case Female. "Fair enough.. yep she's right... yep, that's in the game." were my first few comments. But then she went on to say, and I quote: '...It's aimed at children!" "WHAT!" I said.. Obviously this woman has been playing too many games of her own, because her eyesight must be failing her - I mean, how can it not be when there are 2 18 Certificate logos on the box (Front and Spine) and an extra 'Not to be sold to anyone under the age of 18" sticker also on the front!
My first reaction was that this woman was a complete twirp without an ounce of common sense, and because i'm a fast typer and e-mail is sent so fast, these were the comments that I sent to the Daily Mail!... but after thinking about it, maybe this woman just didn't know. Most 'oldies' still think that the gaming world still revolves around Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog! I asked my Grandma what she thought the XBox was, and she replied: "I dunno, some sort of mind control thing?" Well, she's half right!
Quite a number of adults are quite hostile to todays technology. Sure, some (Like Bob and Tony) take it in their stride... but Joe Bloggs and his Missus, who still ride around on penny farthings, maybe don't trust it. And I believe that this results in their lack of knowledge about the games of today.
The gaming industry is forever expanding. Last year saw a $9.1 Billion turnover figure for games industry businesses. And while it still isn't quite on par with the movie industry, or even the music industry, the games industry is certainly a force to be reckoned with! But surely Mario didn't create all this business on his own! Of course not! Gaming is cool now, and people of all ages like to play! Look at the X-Box... there isn't one 'kiddie' game on it! Microsoft isn't stupid, if the games industry only had children to target, Microsoft wouldn't have made such a machine, or the games to go with it! Gaming is for everyone, just like TV, Music and Sport. The problem lies in the fact that most adults are 'against' gaming because they don't know what it's about. We went from Mario to PlayStation in about 6 months, the change was quick... and because it was, the oldies got left behind and have scorned at gaming ever since!
Sure we have violent games, and some cheeky children do sneak a go now and again when the shouldn't, but they watched South Park when they shouldn't so what's the problem.
Violent games are no worse than violent movies, rude hip-hop songs or extreme gross-out TV shows... the children of today experience all of these growing up, but not all of them turn out to be Serial Killers, Bank Robbers or Car Salesmen! If only adults knew how good, fun and innocent the majority of gaming was... they wouldn't be half as impervious to it!
If you can, teach your parents about games... ask them to play with you... if we can get them to understand, maybe the world would be a better place!
I remember reading something in a magazine or newspaper somewhere. 'Do you really know what is on your child's computer screen?' Intrigued, I read the article, which went on to criticise State Of Emergency, GTA3 and Max Payne. Anyway, in the opening paragraph, the lady went on to describe SOE. 'Loads of gore. A Scantily Clad Nut-Case Female. "Fair enough.. yep she's right... yep, that's in the game." were my first few comments. But then she went on to say, and I quote: '...It's aimed at children!" "WHAT!" I said.. Obviously this woman has been playing too many games of her own, because her eyesight must be failing her - I mean, how can it not be when there are 2 18 Certificate logos on the box (Front and Spine) and an extra 'Not to be sold to anyone under the age of 18" sticker also on the front!
My first reaction was that this woman was a complete twirp without an ounce of common sense, and because i'm a fast typer and e-mail is sent so fast, these were the comments that I sent to the Daily Mail!... but after thinking about it, maybe this woman just didn't know. Most 'oldies' still think that the gaming world still revolves around Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog! I asked my Grandma what she thought the XBox was, and she replied: "I dunno, some sort of mind control thing?" Well, she's half right!
Quite a number of adults are quite hostile to todays technology. Sure, some (Like Bob and Tony) take it in their stride... but Joe Bloggs and his Missus, who still ride around on penny farthings, maybe don't trust it. And I believe that this results in their lack of knowledge about the games of today.
The gaming industry is forever expanding. Last year saw a $9.1 Billion turnover figure for games industry businesses. And while it still isn't quite on par with the movie industry, or even the music industry, the games industry is certainly a force to be reckoned with! But surely Mario didn't create all this business on his own! Of course not! Gaming is cool now, and people of all ages like to play! Look at the X-Box... there isn't one 'kiddie' game on it! Microsoft isn't stupid, if the games industry only had children to target, Microsoft wouldn't have made such a machine, or the games to go with it! Gaming is for everyone, just like TV, Music and Sport. The problem lies in the fact that most adults are 'against' gaming because they don't know what it's about. We went from Mario to PlayStation in about 6 months, the change was quick... and because it was, the oldies got left behind and have scorned at gaming ever since!
Sure we have violent games, and some cheeky children do sneak a go now and again when the shouldn't, but they watched South Park when they shouldn't so what's the problem.
Violent games are no worse than violent movies, rude hip-hop songs or extreme gross-out TV shows... the children of today experience all of these growing up, but not all of them turn out to be Serial Killers, Bank Robbers or Car Salesmen! If only adults knew how good, fun and innocent the majority of gaming was... they wouldn't be half as impervious to it!
If you can, teach your parents about games... ask them to play with you... if we can get them to understand, maybe the world would be a better place!
I'm very lucky, my parents were always quite liberal and allowed me to watch gory films when I was younger, and recently, when I asked my dad to get GTA3 for me on his way home (I'd pay him back, of course) he was shocked that I would want to play such a game. He'd read how you steal cars, and took some winning over...
Then there's my mum, who I spoke to today about GTA: Vice coming out soon. We agreed that it was a sensible, harmless outlet for aggression and that normal kids don't watch a violent film or play a violent game, and then attempt to recreate it. These psychos are psychos before they even pick up a remote control, or game pad.
Then there's my mum, who I spoke to today about GTA: Vice coming out soon. We agreed that it was a sensible, harmless outlet for aggression and that normal kids don't watch a violent film or play a violent game, and then attempt to recreate it. These psychos are psychos before they even pick up a remote control, or game pad.
Have you ever not known the answer to a question that maybe you really should know the answer to? If someone is thick it isn't really their fault, after all, we all learn in different ways, and we all have different upbringings! But being thick and simply not knowing something are two completely things.
I remember reading something in a magazine or newspaper somewhere. 'Do you really know what is on your child's computer screen?' Intrigued, I read the article, which went on to criticise State Of Emergency, GTA3 and Max Payne. Anyway, in the opening paragraph, the lady went on to describe SOE. 'Loads of gore. A Scantily Clad Nut-Case Female. "Fair enough.. yep she's right... yep, that's in the game." were my first few comments. But then she went on to say, and I quote: '...It's aimed at children!" "WHAT!" I said.. Obviously this woman has been playing too many games of her own, because her eyesight must be failing her - I mean, how can it not be when there are 2 18 Certificate logos on the box (Front and Spine) and an extra 'Not to be sold to anyone under the age of 18" sticker also on the front!
My first reaction was that this woman was a complete twirp without an ounce of common sense, and because i'm a fast typer and e-mail is sent so fast, these were the comments that I sent to the Daily Mail!... but after thinking about it, maybe this woman just didn't know. Most 'oldies' still think that the gaming world still revolves around Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog! I asked my Grandma what she thought the XBox was, and she replied: "I dunno, some sort of mind control thing?" Well, she's half right!
Quite a number of adults are quite hostile to todays technology. Sure, some (Like Bob and Tony) take it in their stride... but Joe Bloggs and his Missus, who still ride around on penny farthings, maybe don't trust it. And I believe that this results in their lack of knowledge about the games of today.
The gaming industry is forever expanding. Last year saw a $9.1 Billion turnover figure for games industry businesses. And while it still isn't quite on par with the movie industry, or even the music industry, the games industry is certainly a force to be reckoned with! But surely Mario didn't create all this business on his own! Of course not! Gaming is cool now, and people of all ages like to play! Look at the X-Box... there isn't one 'kiddie' game on it! Microsoft isn't stupid, if the games industry only had children to target, Microsoft wouldn't have made such a machine, or the games to go with it! Gaming is for everyone, just like TV, Music and Sport. The problem lies in the fact that most adults are 'against' gaming because they don't know what it's about. We went from Mario to PlayStation in about 6 months, the change was quick... and because it was, the oldies got left behind and have scorned at gaming ever since!
Sure we have violent games, and some cheeky children do sneak a go now and again when the shouldn't, but they watched South Park when they shouldn't so what's the problem.
Violent games are no worse than violent movies, rude hip-hop songs or extreme gross-out TV shows... the children of today experience all of these growing up, but not all of them turn out to be Serial Killers, Bank Robbers or Car Salesmen! If only adults knew how good, fun and innocent the majority of gaming was... they wouldn't be half as impervious to it!
If you can, teach your parents about games... ask them to play with you... if we can get them to understand, maybe the world would be a better place!
I remember reading something in a magazine or newspaper somewhere. 'Do you really know what is on your child's computer screen?' Intrigued, I read the article, which went on to criticise State Of Emergency, GTA3 and Max Payne. Anyway, in the opening paragraph, the lady went on to describe SOE. 'Loads of gore. A Scantily Clad Nut-Case Female. "Fair enough.. yep she's right... yep, that's in the game." were my first few comments. But then she went on to say, and I quote: '...It's aimed at children!" "WHAT!" I said.. Obviously this woman has been playing too many games of her own, because her eyesight must be failing her - I mean, how can it not be when there are 2 18 Certificate logos on the box (Front and Spine) and an extra 'Not to be sold to anyone under the age of 18" sticker also on the front!
My first reaction was that this woman was a complete twirp without an ounce of common sense, and because i'm a fast typer and e-mail is sent so fast, these were the comments that I sent to the Daily Mail!... but after thinking about it, maybe this woman just didn't know. Most 'oldies' still think that the gaming world still revolves around Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog! I asked my Grandma what she thought the XBox was, and she replied: "I dunno, some sort of mind control thing?" Well, she's half right!
Quite a number of adults are quite hostile to todays technology. Sure, some (Like Bob and Tony) take it in their stride... but Joe Bloggs and his Missus, who still ride around on penny farthings, maybe don't trust it. And I believe that this results in their lack of knowledge about the games of today.
The gaming industry is forever expanding. Last year saw a $9.1 Billion turnover figure for games industry businesses. And while it still isn't quite on par with the movie industry, or even the music industry, the games industry is certainly a force to be reckoned with! But surely Mario didn't create all this business on his own! Of course not! Gaming is cool now, and people of all ages like to play! Look at the X-Box... there isn't one 'kiddie' game on it! Microsoft isn't stupid, if the games industry only had children to target, Microsoft wouldn't have made such a machine, or the games to go with it! Gaming is for everyone, just like TV, Music and Sport. The problem lies in the fact that most adults are 'against' gaming because they don't know what it's about. We went from Mario to PlayStation in about 6 months, the change was quick... and because it was, the oldies got left behind and have scorned at gaming ever since!
Sure we have violent games, and some cheeky children do sneak a go now and again when the shouldn't, but they watched South Park when they shouldn't so what's the problem.
Violent games are no worse than violent movies, rude hip-hop songs or extreme gross-out TV shows... the children of today experience all of these growing up, but not all of them turn out to be Serial Killers, Bank Robbers or Car Salesmen! If only adults knew how good, fun and innocent the majority of gaming was... they wouldn't be half as impervious to it!
If you can, teach your parents about games... ask them to play with you... if we can get them to understand, maybe the world would be a better place!