Urban Terror deemed dangerous!?!
#151
Posted 24 April 2010 - 09:21 PM
It is quite likely that UrT will not be added to the list of banned games, and even if it will, it probably will not be banned in a nobody-is-allowed-to-use-it-anymore fashion but only in a you-must-at-least-be-18-years-old one. However, I do not even think it will come to that as there are much more violent and detailed games not banned in Germany.
What concerns me more is the fact that I run a server and may be liable to keep underage players from playing there. Therefore, please keep us posted about the results of the hearing. But I am sure you will anyway. :)
#152
Posted 25 April 2010 - 06:51 PM
grauerkoala, on 24 April 2010 - 09:21 PM, said:
It is quite likely that UrT will not be added to the list of banned games, and even if it will, it probably will not be banned in a nobody-is-allowed-to-use-it-anymore fashion but only in a you-must-at-least-be-18-years-old one. However, I do not even think it will come to that as there are much more violent and detailed games not banned in Germany.
What concerns me more is the fact that I run a server and may be liable to keep underage players from playing there. Therefore, please keep us posted about the results of the hearing. But I am sure you will anyway. :)
If Urban Terror was distributed through normal channels then there probably be no need for concern as normal means of control can be established by the rating that is usually applied to video games these days.
Our concern and why we felt compelled to post the letter we received as a news story was due to the uniqueness of Urban Terrors means of distribution. It’s freely available from many different sources and bypasses the normal means of established controls.
Due to this fact the committee may feel that is necessary to ban the game not because of content but to maintain a level of control as a normal rating would be ineffective.
Overall you’re probably right but we are dealing with a committee whose job is to determine what levels of controls needs to be applied and we as a company felt it necessary to give our German community a heads up.
#153
Posted 25 April 2010 - 10:44 PM
I don't think that Urban Terror provides a "cruelty" angle to FPS gaming, in fact it's really far from it. There are highly more sinister games out there that borderline make a setting for you to do as much messed up crap as possible ( perfect example being running out of ammo but having a giant arsenal of grenades, noobtubes and rocket launchers ). I'm not really too broad on my knowledge of FPS shooters out there at this time, but I think Soldier Of Fortune and even old games like Blood and Blood 2 were a hell of a lot more violent and if anything enabled cruelty. This is not to say that these games actually "produce" psychotic killers, but I'm sure they might desensitize youth to a certain extent. I however also believe that for you to become a violent criminal after playing video games there really needs to be a pre-existing condition or susceptibility to such behavior. I don't believe that people can simply become disturbed through video games...plain and simple.
Then again it's easier to ban something and say "we're doing our job of protecting the youth from outside influences yada yada yada..." instead of looking deeper into the problem and doing actual research to fix the underlying problem. It's just like blaming Marylin Manson for Columbine shootings...yeah he's a weirdo that looks like a god damned antichrist, but it hardly makes his music "tell" people to wear trench coats and light up a school full of students with shotguns and fully automatic rifles.
It's ludicrous, but unfortunately not that surprising.
This post has been edited by CCCP: 25 April 2010 - 10:47 PM
#154
Posted 26 April 2010 - 09:03 PM
Urban Terror can be described as a Hollywood tactical shooter; somewhat realism based, but the motto is "fun over realism". This results in a very unique, enjoyable and addictive game.
Might change the "addicitive" to a 'very competitive' game
- sounds better than pixel meth
BorderFox
#155
Posted 26 April 2010 - 10:27 PM
It's difficult, if not impossible to prove that UT is not dangerous to a political fanatic, because they're not thinking logically. Unfortunately I don't read German, or I would gladly research their law and try to help out.
One last thought, perhaps the German government is nervous about German youth socializing with foreigners?
#156
Posted 27 April 2010 - 01:53 AM
canadiang, on 26 April 2010 - 10:27 PM, said:
Not at all on this. Consider the European borders are open and easily crossed; for those which holds an European passport. Even more the European economy depends on this.
No, the incentive is most likely growing school violence, often getting media attention with another school shootings. Government have no idea how to effectively fight this or prevent it from happening again. So they look at "what influences our youth to turn violent with deadly consequences?". The netto result is: FPS video-games being banned, movies being banned, music being banned (like rap).
If you look at how slow government are in the adaptation of new technology. Even slower is for government to adapt to the consequences of new technology.
So in their despair they turn to their 'experts' (with that i don't mean pro-gamers): Psychologist. And consider not much large scale field studies has been made on this subject, only small scale controlled studies. These 'experts' also being the "old breed". They are most likely to say "it is or could be dangerous". Especially a psychologist with conservative views.
But than personally, i could imagine certain video-games which could have a negative influences on youth that is already living in a troublesome environment (divorced parents, absence parents) that could be influences by some actions they sees and do in a videogame. One game that I particularly had in mind is GTA.
#157
Posted 02 May 2010 - 05:34 PM
TheRealFubar, on 14 April 2010 - 06:34 PM, said:
Personally, I belong to one clan, and am founder of another, and both have players from all over the world, and it brings us closer and makes the world a smaller place. We all get along even with the language barriers, and on the forums we talk about a lot of different subjects, not just Urt. I feel through being part of the Urban Terror community I have friends all over the world, and in this world we live in, that can't be bad.
There is so much other stuff out there that is bad, that maybe if we all played Urban Terror, the world would be a more understanding and peaceful place..
Hi you are right and not. The players go closest, but learn less from general informations. The school life is not end after the classrooms. They have to learn more at home. The urban terror and the video games requires a lot of time in generally. I love urt as player but I have to keep under control my children. This is not a goverment function.
#158
Posted 05 May 2010 - 01:55 PM
#159
Posted 05 May 2010 - 11:21 PM
Nexu, on 27 April 2010 - 01:53 AM, said:
No, the incentive is most likely growing school violence, often getting media attention with another school shootings. Government have no idea how to effectively fight this or prevent it from happening again. So they look at "what influences our youth to turn violent with deadly consequences?". The netto result is: FPS video-games being banned, movies being banned, music being banned (like rap).
If you look at how slow government are in the adaptation of new technology. Even slower is for government to adapt to the consequences of new technology.
So in their despair they turn to their 'experts' (with that i don't mean pro-gamers): Psychologist. And consider not much large scale field studies has been made on this subject, only small scale controlled studies. These 'experts' also being the "old breed". They are most likely to say "it is or could be dangerous". Especially a psychologist with conservative views.
But than personally, i could imagine certain video-games which could have a negative influences on youth that is already living in a troublesome environment (divorced parents, absence parents) that could be influences by some actions they sees and do in a videogame. One game that I particularly had in mind is GTA.
UrT makes me want to:
GTA makes me want to: