General Video Game Discussion

[Hankka]

Picked up the Mass Effect Trilogy today at a clearance sale for 25€. Excited to see if the games are as good they're claimed to be.

[NintendoCoke]

Picked up the Mass Effect Trilogy today at a clearance sale for 25€. Excited to see if the games are as good they're claimed to be.

Prepare to be disappointed.

[Rezzo]

Skyrim's DLC is finally coming to PlayStation in February

Can't wait. I will probably get, if I can find enough pennies around this room.

[ArmorAndonomon]

The Government is trying to kill video games again, this time with HR 287.
For those who are like LEL TOO LAZY TO WATCH XD, two things:
1. Get out of here, and never return.
2. Essentially it will ban the sale and distribution of any games without a rating from the ESRB, which is a private, for profit company that has absolutely no tie to the Government at all, just giving them even more power than they already have, and more than they deserve. This means Steam's Greenlight program will be considered illegal distribution, Xbox Live's Indy Games section, etc. It could also lead to more censorship in the future, and the banning of freeware games and mods, because they are unrated content.

This is the cancer killing video games.
And don't give me that "Oh I'm not in the US, I don't care" mumbo jumbo, this effects you as well; once this passes, you can be damn sure that other countries will follow suit out of fear, because any person who picks up a video game will also pick up an automatic weapon and go on a murderous rampage.

[Phlogiston]

Wasn't a similar ruling deemed unconstitutional a few years back?

[ArmorAndonomon]

That was one about banning the sales of games to underaged kids. This is banning/outlawing the sale of games all together, so loopholes.

[Jb]

Should we care if we don't use Steam/Xbox indie? I honestly don't remember the last time I bought a game that wasn't rated by "the man". Outside of PC/Indie games, this won't matter to a lot of people.

I still oppose it though. It's stupid to stop people from playing what they want to play.

[ArmorAndonomon]

Outside of PC/Indie games, this won't matter to a lot of people.

I still oppose it though. It's stupid to stop people from playing what they want to play.

Except it will matter.
Think about it, a big part of popular gaming these days is online multiplayer. However, online content isn't rated by the ESRB. Potentially, this could eliminate that completely. It also could cut into what content is and isn't allowed in video games. You like your anime games, right? Oh, that character has a weapon that looks like a gun, let's not localize it because it promotes violence, or give it a higher rating because of said violence.
DLC will also probably be cracked down on as well, considering it will need to have a rating on it to be sold.

Of course, this is all purely speculation, but with how censorship is going, you never know.

[Jb]

Except it will matter.
Think about it, a big part of popular gaming these days is online multiplayer. However, online content isn't rated by the ESRB. Potentially, this could eliminate that completely. It also could cut into what content is and isn't allowed in video games. You like your anime games, right? Oh, that character has a weapon that looks like a gun, let's not localize it because it promotes violence, or give it a higher rating because of said violence.
DLC will also probably be cracked down on as well, considering it will need to have a rating on it to be sold.

Of course, this is all purely speculation, but with how censorship is going, you never know.

Possibly. I'm sure the government can't shut down online gaming though. That would honestly put way to many people and companies out of business. Or because it isn't really..sold? Eh. All still valid points though.

Could care less about DLC though. Maybe the devs will put the whole game on the disk like they did back in the 90's.

[NintendoCoke]

The ESRB: Proving Corporations are bigger than the Citizens and Government since the mid-1990s.

[Phlogiston]

The ESRB, like most ratings boards, is a little drunk at the wheel anyway. They don't deserve more power.

[Un0va]

Except it will matter.
Think about it, a big part of popular gaming these days is online multiplayer. However, online content isn't rated by the ESRB. Potentially, this could eliminate that completely. It also could cut into what content is and isn't allowed in video games. You like your anime games, right? Oh, that character has a weapon that looks like a gun, let's not localize it because it promotes violence, or give it a higher rating because of said violence.
DLC will also probably be cracked down on as well, considering it will need to have a rating on it to be sold.

Of course, this is all purely speculation, but with how censorship is going, you never know.

That, and theoretically this would ban any imported games, since they're given ratings by other groups like PEGI and such.

[noobers]

If we're gonna talk theoretically, then I guess it would also ban the sale of games that predate the ESRB system.



How am I going to play my violent educational murder simulators now?

[Phlogiston]

I guess you'll just have to do things the ordinary way -- without simulation.

[Jb]

Going out and murdering someone in an educational fashion?

Government is really gonna ***** now.

[ForeverFlame]

That was one about banning the sales of games to underaged kids. This is banning/outlawing the sale of games all together, so loopholes.

No, just no. Video games were ruled to be free speech so they simply cannot be banned/outlawed/censored, period. The government is just being ridiculous right now because they want to blame Sandy Hook on something other than the United States' terrible mental health care, but this wave will be over soon (until the next tragedy).

[Ampy]

If we're gonna talk theoretically, then I guess it would also ban the sale of games that predate the ESRB system.



How am I going to play my violent educational murder simulators now?

Holy **** Treasure Mountain. Dat nostalgic feel.

[ArmorAndonomon]

If we're gonna talk theoretically, then I guess it would also ban the sale of games that predate the ESRB system.

(Large Image)

How am I going to play my violent educational murder simulators now?

I owned every single one of those.
I am not ashamed.

No, just no. Video games were ruled to be free speech so they simply cannot be banned/outlawed/censored, period. The government is just being ridiculous right now because they want to blame Sandy Hook on something other than the United States' terrible mental health care, but this wave will be over soon (until the next tragedy).

Except it's not going to go away, because the public feels they finally have something they can firmly pin the blame on, because remember mental illness is just a cry for attention and can be dealt with by telling the person to either feel better, or a smack to the face.

In non-censorship related things I bought Ni no Kuni today and I'm enjoying it just way too much.

[NintendoCoke]

You know, at the rate of idiots in the world right now, I have this strange feeling Idiocracy is a warning about our future based on current events.

[Phlogiston]

Except it's not going to go away, because the public feels they finally have something they can firmly pin the blame on, because remember mental illness is just a cry for attention and can be dealt with by telling the person to either feel better, or a smack to the face.

I'd love to try it on these congressmen, let me tell you.

Then again, I play a cadre of violent video games, and I think I'm a lot less likely to snap, and even be angry, and really, the main time I've been angry at a game was Metal Gear Solid for treating my heart like a football.

People will have to give up the ghost once somebody high enough up remembers that, oh right, they're protected speech; further pushes won't do anything. But I guess that people don't understand that the first amendment rights are those most important to a free state.

Okay, they probably won't give it up. Oh well. Those fascists will just have to go on and keep being the spiritual enemies of America.