Here we go again .... the grand theft auto complaints !

Just found this whilst checking my mail , I'm sure theres gonna be tons of complaints about this game no matter how awesome it is.
https://www.mail.com/Article.aspx?articlepath=APNews/General%20Entertainment/20080501/Games_GTA_IV_MADD_20080501.xml&cat=entertainment&subcat=&pageid=1

Expect lots more organizations to ride the coat tails of GTA in many more counter-productive attempts to grab easy headlines rather than actually doing something relevant to fulfilling their organization's mission.

Really?? You guys don't really think MADD is in the wrong on this do you?? They are promoting a very worthy cause.

I understand Rockstar's desire to build a living, breathing world, and the "TOTAL" experience of NYC, but drunk driving is really pushing the limits. People at least need to be aware that drunk driving is a part of this game. There are far too many parents that are unaware of everything that goes on in the GTA universe.

Stopping distribution of the game is a knee-jerk reaction, but Rockstar saying GTA's "mature audience" is smart enough to know the difference is a huge falsehood. The amount of "kids" playing this game cannot be left out of the equation.

Censorship is evil.

Kids are retarded if they can't differentiate between reality and a video game.

But it's the PARENTS of said kids that should not be buying a game called GRAND THEFT AUTO for their kids in the first place. Not the developers.

That's like asking me to not paint nipples on a naked figure because a child MAY see it and take offense. It's silly.

In the game, drunk driving is even frowned upon. If you go on a date and drive home drunk, you will hit all kinds of stuff and may even get arrested. And it affects the relationships with the characters that are along for the ride. Niko is actually encouraged to call a cab or his cousin for a ride home.

I love how drunk driving is the issue and NOT the killing and craziness.

DarkArtist81 said:

But it's the PARENTS of said kids that should not be buying a game called GRAND THEFT AUTO for their kids in the first place. Not the developers.

That's like asking me to not paint nipples on a naked figure because a child MAY see it and take offense. It's silly.

In the game, drunk driving is even frowned upon. If you go on a date and drive home drunk, you will hit all kinds of stuff and may even get arrested. And it affects the relationships with the characters that are along for the ride. Niko is actually encouraged to call a cab or his cousin for a ride home.

I love how drunk driving is the issue and NOT the killing and craziness.

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Couldn't have said it better myself.

Jen said:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

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DarkArtist81 said:

But it's the PARENTS of said kids that should not be buying a game called GRAND THEFT AUTO for their kids in the first place. Not the developers.

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Right. If only parents (noun) would parent (verb) their children.

SwedishHeat said:

There are far too many parents that are unaware of everything that goes on in the GTA universe.

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Parents should not be buying kids this game.

Krayt Dragon said:

Parents should not be buying kids this game.

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I agree...I mean hell...it's rated M for a reason. If parents don't want to take the time to find out what their kids are playing or what they are buying for their kids then that is the problem....not the game. Everyone just likes to point fingers and not take responsibility for their actions (or in some cases lack of action). I'm a f'n adult...I rarely drink and definitely don't drink and drive....but if I'm playing a GAME well...I want to do ^^^^ed up ^^^^.....that's why it's fun...I get to do things I would never do in reality.....no one has any right to tell me what is okay to play or not play. If you are worried about the effects on kids...well then get involved in your kid's life and be a parent rather than a "friend".

Kids who aren't "mature" enough to play the game without suffering some kind of sociopathic behavioral disorder have no business playing it in the first place. I believe these games were designed for people who already know the difference between right and wrong.

Nothing wrong in beating a virtual hoe......

wow... they have hit an all time low. it seems that GTA is destined to be attacked from all angles. sorry, but i hate how everyone jumps on the video games for influencing their children. they need to step back and look at they can improve their parenting skills instead of spending time looking for other excuses. if they aren't smart enough to teach the kids the difference between real life and video games than thats their fault.
the game is rated M if they bought it for them they are the ones at fault.

This is a GAME, people are stupid.


Cracking down on this, when bazillions of people actually do drink and drive in real life. Please focus on them and stop wasting you time MADD.

I have been playing it all day and it's really not that hardcore.I even gave my 7 year old a test drive for an hour or so.All he was doing was shooting people and driving the cars around.I ofcourse didn't tell him about the sexual aspects of the game.I figure as long as he doesn't know then it would be real hard for him to figure to out to wait until night fall,pick up a whore,take her to the back alley and offer some cash for sex.The swaring is nothing he hasn't heard from me or Tv before either.I just make sure I'm there with him when he's playing just incase there's a surprize

These people need to find something better to do.

So it's about shooting, running people down, stealing and abusing women but it's the drunk driving that's the problem?

I haven't played the game but I get the idea that it's all about releasing aggression in as antisocial a manner as possible - better in a game than in real life.

But it's not for kids - the ratings system works - just like it was Great Grandpa's job to keep Grandpa from knifing the neighbors, it's a parents job to know what kind of media their children are consuming.

Exactly, this is a game to help me get away for awhile. It's like watching a movie, riding a bike, reading a book...it let's us escape reality for awhile and enjoy ourselves. Video games violent or not are no different.

I do all this nasty stuff in GTAIV because it's fun, but am I going to go hi-jack a car, shoot pedestrians, and drink and drive, no. Because I'm an adult and I'm not stupid.

DarkArtist81 said:

But it's the PARENTS of said kids that should not be buying a game called GRAND THEFT AUTO for their kids in the first place. Not the developers.

That's like asking me to not paint nipples on a naked figure because a child MAY see it and take offense. It's silly.

In the game, drunk driving is even frowned upon. If you go on a date and drive home drunk, you will hit all kinds of stuff and may even get arrested. And it affects the relationships with the characters that are along for the ride. Niko is actually encouraged to call a cab or his cousin for a ride home.

I love how drunk driving is the issue and NOT the killing and craziness.

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Krayt Dragon said:

Parents should not be buying kids this game.

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Exactly! They're the same Parents that complain that the Teachers are not controlling their Kids. "It's the Teachers fault my kid can't learn and have disaplinary problems"

who gives a ^^^^ & far too sensible a conversation for the video game section...move to sandbox please