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Thread ID: 26151	2002-10-20 19:02:00	Bit OT - Oh this does annoy me,	DangerousDave (697)	Press F1

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91220	2002-10-20 19:02:00	From the NZ Herald: Video Games Echo Sniper Attack 18/10/2002 04:31 PM Mark Wilkinson The aim is one shot, one kill, and the arsenal that of a professional killer . But the violence is on computer screens, not in Washington's suburbs . Violent sniper video games bear an uncanny resemblance to the sniper's spree that has claimed nine lives and injured two people since October 2 in and around the US capital . In these games, simulations put the player behind the scope of some of the deadliest and most sophisticated weapons . Internet chat among those who play these games can be chilling . In an online discussion of the release in September of "Sniper: Path to Vengeance" on a Web forum, one fan of first-person shooter games was enthusiastic: "Sounds a lot like (the game) Hitman . Still looking forward to getting hold of it and shooting all those innocent people!" "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" lets the player become a contract killer, who after a hiatus as a groundskeeper in a Sicilian church, embarks on a killing spree when the congregation's minister is kidnapped . Other popular releases include "Counter Strike" - the favourite of 50 shooting games owned by the teenager who killed 18 at a Erfurt, Germany, high school in April - and "Silent Scope," which is endorsed as a training tool by the American Sniper Association, which represents police sharpshooters . Some opponents of the games theorize the Washington-area sniper may have even trained on sniper video games . "This person has a shooting acumen that need not be that of a professional shooter," said Jack Thompson, a Florida attorney who has linked violent video games to shooting rampages . "It is an acumen that could be learned from games . . . These might be the haystack that this twisted needle could be in," Thompson said in a telephone interview . The Beltway sniper's victims, ranging in age from 13 to 72, were all felled with a single bullet in public places . Investigators said they would not rule out any leads, but did not comment on any possible relationship to video games . The sniper, who uses a high-velocity rifle to pick off random victims, has eluded authorities despite a massive law enforcement effort that includes the FBI as well as help from the military and the CIA . Independent criminal profiling experts have characterised the killer as an irrational and egotistical person who may have been fired from his job or been divorced or separated . He was clearly able to make plans and act in a premeditated fashion . Gun experts did not set much store by the killer's skills as a sniper, saying the level of marksmanship shown could be acquired without a great deal of practice . Police have said U . S . military records were likely to be searched for individuals with certain training . A Tarot "death" card with the message "I am God" was found near a Maryland school where a 13-year-old boy was critically wounded in one of the Washington-area attacks . "I am God" is a common phrase on sniper game chat rooms and discussion sites, as an exclamation of victory over cyberspace playmates . But while an avid shooter can hone his skills with the video games, the American Sniper Association president said one could not become a sniper without real training . "You can't learn to be a sniper just by playing a video game," Derrick Bartlett said by telephone . Ok why do they always blame video games, its really annoys me, if some of those people bothered to think about it they'd figure that that sort of sniper aim comes from years of real practice not a damn mouse and keyboard computer game!!! Whats the bet there will be this massive outrage in america cos CS caused this shooting, urgh, people don't go round shooting everyone cause of a video game, ok i admit it might play a small bit but there are HUGE other factors playing a part e . g . family, peer disputes etc! Well thats my rant for the day, do you people have any other opinions? - David	DangerousDave (697)
91221	2002-10-20 19:46:00	I wouldnt say what he/she... was doing came right from computer games...But whats happening i think because of the way he was brought up, with lack of discpline or something like that, but on top of that, video games could have a little involement..by say he/she plays the "shoot em up" games to the encouragement of parents or friends...or even both... I could say...was there computer games around in world war 2?...dont think so (i wouldnt know thou coz i wasnt born then) and if there definately wasnt..then what taught them to "shoot em up" and kill with one bullet and stuff like that..so that can be abit of proof that computer/video games DONT actually influence your decisions... But, even if computer/video games were involved..its still no excuse..he/she should know its soooo wrong...to kill.. So when they catch him, just do to him what he did to them and get it over done with... Whats with everyone these days..well not everyone..but theres like all this hate, evil, violence going around...it really sucks :-(	csinclair83 (200)
91222	2002-10-21 00:26:00	Ouch, that hurts . I remember way back in the columbine shootings, the kids played doom and stuff like that . It was all blambed on those things . However, I've played Doom, Duke Nukem, CS, Diablo 1 & 2, and many other games, yet I dont go running round schools shooting every person I see . Why, because I was taught at a young age to distinguish the difference between fantacy and fact . I know that after playing diablo, I'm not gonna be able to go round with a mace attacking skeletons, or after playing harry potter, that I can suddenly levitate things at will . Why do I know this? because my parents had a lot of input into my life at a young age . I've played sniper games at Time Out or whatever by the Movie Theater in WestCity (Aucklanders . . . . ) and I have no desire to go out into the world and start knock off people just for the hell of it . It's about what is considered right and wrong and things like that, which is ultimately what the parents put into their children . That's my opinion anyways, what do the rest of you think? Cheers Chilling_Silence	Chilling_Silence (9)
91223	2002-10-21 00:38:00	Its not how many games you play, the type of game you play, or how often . . . . . . . . . Its whats in your head & the way you were brought up . The people who go on murder sprees are usually un-hinged in some way . BALDY:-)	Baldy (26)
91224	2002-10-21 10:25:00	Actuallly in WW2 it averaged 10,000 bullets to kill a man.	mikebartnz (21)
91225	2002-10-21 10:47:00	Agreed Baldy, and I think you will find too that the parents usually have something to answer for.. SiK	SoniKalien (792)
91226	2002-10-21 10:48:00	One could by bending or over simplifying the statistics produce a link between such games as "real life serial killer" and computer games with shoot 'em up themes. However so bloody what... Look if someone is predisposed to going out there and using their guns on people, and they happen to be alive in any other way this century chances are that at some point they will play and worse still enjoy a violent video game. It is also possible to produce similar eveidence to show that breathing, eating good food, eating bad food, keeping dogs, cats, rats, and parrots may be linked to shooting people for the hell of it (or whatever reason) BTW i deliberatly refered to killing as "real life serial killer" because in the mind of someone who might do that for recreation, there is probably little distintion between that and any other game.	Clueless (181)
91227	2002-10-21 21:16:00	I think that everyone is a bit(or more) right and if they were going to do something it "is" going to happen. An interesting link to computer games is that it provides the training when they actually go out and do it. :-( Being raised with morals and ethics I find it hard to see why anyone would want to do such a thing, or could bring themselves to actually KILL A MAN. :-( rads	raddersnz (684)
91228	2002-10-21 21:51:00	raddersnz, beg to differ The only way to learn how to shoot a gun and kill acuratly is to do just that to say games train people to shoot is a little like saying games teach people how (not) to drive... A person might share a common interest in driving and racing games, but in reality the only way to learn how to drive well on the road/track whatever involves throwing a car round, not a mouse/joystick. I'm sure the same applies with accurate/efficiant shooting.	Clueless (181)
91229	2002-10-21 23:28:00	wow whats the bet that violent games will be banned soon for some stupid similar reason.... ARGH this is a real annoyance to me! - David	DangerousDave (697)
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