What's wrong with the GTA series?

I've always enjoyed playing these games because they give me the freedom to do things I can't actually do in an open-environment. Some people, though, have blamed GTA for some crime a minor committed. Obviously, these games are violent, but really? Of course, people are entitled to their opinion. What's wrong with the GTA series?

Too much hype & popularity.gotcha455

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

[QUOTE="gotcha455"]Too much hype & popularity.artur79

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

Definately! These games are crime simulators after all.

[QUOTE="gotcha455"]Too much hype & popularity.artur79

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

I never understood why some people insist on hating things because they are popular. I especially hate those music snobs that hate groups or genres simply because they are mainstream. I guess we should'nt expect much different from the videogame scene.

I think the GTA series is perfect the way it is.

On the series being blamed for crimes and etc, well, America is constantly trying to blame everyone else. America always needs a whipping boy. America always needs to believe that there is some great evil that can be defeated to make everything okay.

Rock and roll music had satanic connotations. If you listen to rock, you will be evil.

Rap is tearing the fabric of the nation apart.

Quake 2 helped my child learn how to aim a gun.

I wish I had made up the above three comments. I really, really wish I had. People, but especially America needs to direct their blame at anything, everything, besides themselves.

But, that said, remember that behind every crazy accusation is a dead child. It's understandable that these parents will want to blame something. It's just unfortunate that their blame is so misplaced.

But, that said, remember that behind every crazy accusation is a dead child. It's understandable that these parents will want to blame something. It's just unfortunate that their blame is so misplaced.

Best thing you've said all day.

I think the GTA series is perfect the way it is.

On the series being blamed for crimes and etc, well, America is constantly trying to blame everyone else. America always needs a whipping boy. America always needs to believe that there is some great evil that can be defeated to make everything okay.

Rock and roll music had satanic connotations. If you listen to rock, you will be evil.

Rap is tearing the fabric of the nation apart.

Quake 2 helped my child learn how to aim a gun.

I wish I had made up the above three comments. I really, really wish I had. People, but especially America needs to direct their blame at anything, everything, besides themselves.

But, that said, remember that behind every crazy accusation is a dead child. It's understandable that these parents will want to blame something. It's just unfortunate that their blame is so misplaced.

fatshodan

Or that Videogames are borderline pornographic and general low-brow entertainment (Right, and the Flavor of Love isn't?)

Or that Videogames causes illiteracy, why don't they go play something along the veins of Planescape: Torment.

It's the image that the game setsforth. Game's, in the eyes of concerned parents, are a form of entertainment solely for children. Obviously this isn't the case, many people of all ages play video games; but parent's are oblivious to this. They all assume that children will automatically blend the real world with the game world. This assumption is just flat-out wrong as many of these gamers are normal people consuming forms of entertainment, nothing more.

If society was to stand up against all forms of media that has killing, sex, drugs or violence, we might as well completely eliminate the first amendmant.

We must not forget that there are other forms of media that are just as violent, if not moreso than GTA (movies, music...etc). :)

[QUOTE="artur79"]

[QUOTE="gotcha455"]Too much hype & popularity.TeamR

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

I never understood why some people insist on hating things because they are popular. I especially hate those music snobs that hate groups or genres simply because they are mainstream. I guess we should'nt expect much different from the videogame scene.

Yeah, popularity can be annoying. For example, I was unable to escape the Celine Dion song from the Titanic Movie. Everyone was singing it and kids would play the song on a radio on the bus. If you already dislike something, massive popularity can make it even worse.

I'm not sure if that's what Gotcha455 was getting at.

I've always enjoyed playing these games because they give me the freedom to do things I can't actually do in an open-environment. Some people, though, have blamed GTA for some crime a minor committed. Obviously, these games are violent, but really? Of course, people are entitled to their opinion. What's wrong with the GTA series?

cybergfl

[QUOTE="TeamR"][QUOTE="artur79"]

[QUOTE="gotcha455"]Too much hype & popularity.Herrick

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

I never understood why some people insist on hating things because they are popular. I especially hate those music snobs that hate groups or genres simply because they are mainstream. I guess we should'nt expect much different from the videogame scene.

Yeah, popularity can be annoying.

Sure, that's true. But it does not make Celine Dion's music any worse though. More annoying, yes. Worse from an objective point of view? No.

It's not like Big Trucks or 50 Cent's game suddenly rise in quality with more people buying it (God forbid). And the quality of System Shock 2, Beyond Good and Evil or Psychonauts isn't diminished by the low sales.

BTW, I know that music tastes differ, but Dion's music is bad...

I've never been into GTA in the past just because I never found it appealing due to the premise, with the release of GTA 4 I've given it another chance and am considering getting it at some point.

I don't think GTA is a bad series, given their popularity it's clear that they're well made games even if the genre hasn't captivated me yet (though that may be changing). My biggest problem with GTA results from it's popularity and the subject matter of the games. As we all know GTa has had its share of controversy, which has made its way into the mainstream media on more than one occasion. This has lead people to sterotype all games as being like GTA, when we know this isn't true. GTA is one of the few franchises popular enough to get media coverage, and I feel that it's the one game that shouldn't get this kind of attention because it is a poor representation of what most games are like. This is mainly due to the game being very serious with its M rating. Unlike other games which seem to be given an M rating based on technicalities, like Halo being M rated simply because there's blood (the swearing is relatively minor and apart from the fact that there's blood at all this game isn't that violent). GTA on the other hand is probably the most legitamately M rated game out there, the content is comparable to what you'd find in an R rated movie. I just don't like that this is the image get when ever video games make the news, since this is just one franchise that happens to be a bit more extreme than the others. That is my biggest gripe with GTA.

Again I have not played any of the games. Pretty much everything I know has been gathered from reading posts and watching videos I can find showing gameplay and trailers. I'm in no way hating the franchise, I just don't like the image it has given gaming in general due to its popularity.

Edit: Just to be clear. I don't have a problem with any of the content in the GTA series. It's more extreme than I'm used to (which is again part of the reason I've stayed away from it in the past) but part of that has to do with it being a more "legitamate" M rating. I don't have problems with it as long as it fits the context of the game, but that could be said about lots of elements of game design.

Sure, that's true. But it does not make Celine Dion's music any worse though. More annoying, yes. Worse from an objective point of view? No.

It's not like Big Trucks or 50 Cent's game suddenly rise in quality with more people buying it (God forbid). And the quality of System Shock 2, Beyond Good and Evil or Psychonauts isn't diminished by the low sales.

BTW, I know that music tastes differ, but Dion's music is bad...

artur79

It does have its redeeming values though. For instance, if I come across a traffic light, and the other car is blasting 50 cent, I would turn up Celine Dion or Enya. There are some things in life money can't buy, just like MasterCard says.

Sure, that's true. But it does not make Celine Dion's music any worse though. More annoying, yes. Worse from an objective point of view? No.artur79

I wasn't talking about the actual quality of the music from an objective point of view.

[QUOTE="artur79"]Sure, that's true. But it does not make Celine Dion's music any worse though. More annoying, yes. Worse from an objective point of view? No.Herrick

I wasn't talking about the actual quality of the music from an objective point of view.

Oh yeah? Well.. Fine then.

I've always enjoyed playing these games because they give me the freedom to do things I can't actually do in an open-environment. cybergfl

Ha ha! Yeah, I love being able to pull a driver out of their car and shoot them down because they cut me off :D

I don't care about the violence and stereotypes, etc.

I assume that these games are getting attacked because big wigs like one J. Thompson know about them because they are so popular and famous.

I more have a problem with San Andreas having some serious gameplay flaws then any violence etc.

There is not much wrong with the series. It is basically the same game with new improvements every time. My favorite is still Vice City. In regards to crimes, I'll toss that one up to crummy parents. I think I turned out ok after years of Wolf3d and Duke Nukem. And who here hasn't committed a major felony? I mean, cmon. ;)

I think the GTA series is perfect the way it is.

On the series being blamed for crimes and etc, well, America is constantly trying to blame everyone else. America always needs a whipping boy. America always needs to believe that there is some great evil that can be defeated to make everything okay.

Rock and roll music had satanic connotations. If you listen to rock, you will be evil.

Rap is tearing the fabric of the nation apart.

Quake 2 helped my child learn how to aim a gun.

I wish I had made up the above three comments. I really, really wish I had. People, but especially America needs to direct their blame at anything, everything, besides themselves.

But, that said, remember that behind every crazy accusation is a dead child. It's understandable that these parents will want to blame something. It's just unfortunate that their blame is so misplaced.

fatshodan

Defintely, I extremely agree. Nowadays everyone wants to blame everyone and everything else for every misfortune. It's like, "I'm fat. I will sue MacDonald's because I make the choice to eat there, but someone should have stopped me because it's bad for me."

"Oh no, my kid attacked another kid at school today. Clearly it's the media, videos games, and random scapegoat #461."

And you're right. I symphathize with the parents and people these things happen to, but that doesn't mean that it's ok for them to just start firing blame at everyone except the one responsible. What ever happened to people taking responsibility for their actions?

[QUOTE="artur79"]

[QUOTE="gotcha455"]Too much hype & popularity.TeamR

Is popularity a bad thing? Should they be more "underground"?

I never understood why some people insist on hating things because they are popular. I especially hate those music snobs that hate groups or genres simply because they are mainstream. I guess we should'nt expect much different from the videogame scene.

Did I ever say I hate the GTA series? When did I say I hated it? I like plenty of mainstream music - I think you misjudged on that one....

Yeah, popularity can be annoying. For example, I was unable to escape the Celine Dion song from the Titanic Movie. Everyone was singing it and kids would play the song on a radio on the bus. If you already dislike something, massive popularity can make it even worse. Herrick

Oh god! don't remind me about that horrible song from Titanic. That song haunted me everywhere for about one year. Almost all channels played that song everyday at sometime or the other. As if that isn't enough, I used to hear that song whenever a car would go in reverse gear.

It was a bad time.