Videogame Manufacturer to Stop Allowing Players to Assume Role of Taliban

[Soul Crusher]

To me GTA Vice City is still the best game of all time. 

[Dos Equis]

Beach Bum, if our president said 'Spain is a bad country, we are invading them', you would support it because you question nothing.

Decide, I am down for invading Spain.  Would greatly expand the pool of beautiful women for my son, who will need a wife one day.  Would also like the food. 

[Soul Crusher]

Decide, I am down for invading Spain.  Would greatly expand the pool of beautiful women for my son, who will need a wife one day.  Would also like the food. 

They did a green eneregy push which left them bankrupt.  Seem ripe for invasion.  The lost 2.2 jobs for every so called green job.   

[tu_holmes]

To me GTA Vice City is still the best game of all time.  

That's the only GTA I even like really.

[Soul Crusher]

That's the only GTA I even like really.

Between the story line, the weaving of scarface, goodfellas, the 1980's, Carlito's Way, 80's metal and rock, the use of colors in the landscape, the dialogue, it just had everything.  The sound track was amazing too.   

I like GTA 4 since its NYC and I live breathe and sleep NYC since i live here, but its still not Vice City.  GTA 4 lacks the feel of NYC that Vice City had.  Its hard to describe. 

     

[Dos Equis]

drugs are a vital part of the world.  grow up everyone, and accept that.  the $ keeps the financial system afloat, and let's be honest, it's a very safe idea to have a good number of the world's population - uneducated, angry, stupid, whatever - doped up 24/7.

I feel like only mental children can't accept the role drugs play in the world.  Acting like drugs had nothing to do with the invasion - Bah, fools!   A great financial resource and ppl mgmt tool.  Deal with it.  Drugs are a useful part of how the world works.  man up.

O Rly? 

IMO, the nation as a whole suffers if rampant drug use is present.

I can't support a 2012 candidate who endorses pot use or lax enforcement of drug laws, can you?

Sounds like a fair compromise.

I'm fine iwth it - it'll get a ton of ppl off anti-depressants.  However, if you smoke and drive, I want your ass in the same situation as if you drank and drive.  None of this "pot doesn't affect judgement" bullshit.

HOWEVER, what about the effects on us, as a nation?
Does Weed affect your IQ?

Yes- the national institute of drug abuse came to the conclusion that smoking marijuana causes cognitive impairments lasting up to 28 days after smoking marijuana.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol18N5/Cognitive.html

Now, we're already not #1 in world education rankings... far from it.  Do we really want to see what happens to our high school scores and college attendance rates if pot is legal?

You're only drunk for a few hours.  Weed affects your cog abilities for a month.  I don't care if my garbage man uses weed.  But mayor, governor, or even president?  No way!

Yes- the national institute of drug abuse came to the conclusion that smoking marijuana causes cognitive impairments lasting up to 28 days after smoking marijuana.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol18N5/Cognitive.html

You can google a shitload of pages detailing long term effects of pot.

While all of the long-term effects of marijuana use are not yet known, there are studies showing serious health concerns. For example, a group of scientists in California examined the health status of 450 daily smokers of marijuana but not tobacco. They found that the marijuana smokers had more sick days and more doctor visits for respiratory problems and other types of illness than did a similar group who did not smoke either substance.

Let's look at the long-term $$ costt to America - all those lost work days hurt our GDP and increase healthcare costs as a nation.

I believe it.  I know so many people who have smoked pot since high school.  They've gotten so much dumber in 15 years.  of course, nobody here who uses on a regular basis will admit it'll dulled them. 

The long-term effects upon our nation, if 100 mil americans decided to just start smoking pot tomorrow, would be insane.  Yes, alcohol and tobacco and prozac are also bad - and people using them to justify legalizing weed is silly.  It's like defending Palin's idiocy by pointing out Obama is doing a terrible job. 

I feel you are misguided on many things, but i agree here.

this is why i oppose legalization of weed.  You'll have ten million idiots smoking pot on their way to work monday morning.  They will be worse drivers, even if only by a small percentage.  That % wil lead to more accidents nationwide.  This can't really be denied.  If you impair the abilities of ten million drivers, a few are going to have accidents.

You can say "it's better than driving drunk"... but that makes no sense.  I can rape a chick and tell the judge "it's better than killing her".  It still has negative consequences.

[Dos Equis]

Invading was the right move, how it has been handled has been horrible. Justice should be swift but we are caught up so deeply in "hurting feelings" global perception and cowering to the 20% of the population that is on the far-left...yes, it's only 20%, this is a fact...but we're so caught up in those things that we continually cause more harm and disarray to ourselves than needed. 

I agree.  I think that is true of both wars.  We didn't go in with nearly a large enough force.  Was talking to a Marine about this a little while back.  He said politics too often interferes with military objectives.  He said if the Marines would have, for example, been in charge of the Iraq war, there would have been higher initial casualties, but it would have been done right.  Swift.  Decisive.  But politicians don't have the stomach for that kind of effort. 

[Dos Equis]

Funny, the vote in congress to invade was a resounding "Yes" by both sides of the aisle.

Correct. 

[Dos Equis]

The people who don't like, don't buy the game.

That's what capitalism is all about right?

It's the biggest pre-sale in the history of the franchise BECAUSE we did stuff like this... You don't like it, don't buy it.

VERY simple to understand basic capitalist economics.

It's not that simple.  It's that kind of thinking that resulted in the game being produced, offending a lot of people, and then being pulled.  You have to evaluate the entire market and those who may not purchase, but might be affected by your product.  It's in large part about being responsible and sensitive the public.  If you take a "screw you" type approach, you wind up doing what this company did.   

This entire scenario is an example of how capitalism works.  A company made a poor decision with its product.  People complained.  The company voluntarily corrected its mistake.  No government intervention. That's how the system should work.   

[Dos Equis]

They did a green eneregy push which left them bankrupt.  Seem ripe for invasion.  The lost 2.2 jobs for every so called green job.   

Sign me up.   

[Soul Crusher]

I have a shirt on today with an anchor and Aircraft carrier and it says "U.S. NavY - America's Big Stick"  

As for the video - who cares - i hope the company sells millions of games.  The U.S. budget needs the revenue.  

[tu_holmes]

It's not that simple.  It's that kind of thinking that resulted in the game being produced, offending a lot of people, and then being pulled.  You have to evaluate the entire market and those who may not purchase, but might be affected by your product.  It's in large part about being responsible and sensitive the public.  If you take a "screw you" type approach, you wind up doing what this company did.    

This entire scenario is an example of how capitalism works.  A company made a poor decision with its product.  People complained.  The company voluntarily corrected its mistake.  No government intervention. That's how the system should work.    

The game wasn't "pulled"

What the hell are you talking about?

Do you think that grand theft auto 3 /Vice City / San Andreas didn't have cops and law enforcement, especially those that were killed in the line of duty bitching?

You bet your ass they did... They raised a shit storm. They didn't care though and Grand Theft Auto 4 sold 600 Million dollars worth in the first week.

The scenario is NOT how capitalism works... Because the product wasn't released and they caved to a SMALL group of whiners. Once again, it's the minority making rules for everyone else.

Squeaky wheel getting the grease again.

Sometimes I wonder if you really believe the stuff coming out of your mouth Beach.

[Soul Crusher]

The game wasn't "pulled"

What the hell are you talking about?

Do you think that grand theft auto 3 /Vice City / San Andreas didn't have cops and law enforcement, especially those that were killed in the line of duty bitching?

You bet your ass they did... They raised a shit storm. They didn't care though and Grand Theft Auto 4 sold 600 Million dollars worth in the first week.

The scenario is NOT how capitalism works... Because the product wasn't released and they caved to a SMALL group of whiners. Once again, it's the minority making rules for everyone else.

Squeaky wheel getting the grease again.

Sometimes I wonder if you really believe the stuff coming out of your mouth Beach.

GTA 4 got way too repetitive and did not capture the feel of NYC the way Vice City did Miami and the 1980's.   I liked GTA 4, and liked the graphics, but was dissapointed in the charachters and overall feel of the game. 

[tu_holmes]

GTA 4 got way too repetitive and did not capture the feel of NYC the way Vice City did Miami and the 1980's.   I liked GTA 4, and liked the graphics, but was dissapointed in the charachters and overall feel of the game. 

I think the maps were far too big and the character development left a lot to be desired. The story just didn't grab me.

That's always my issue with games. If the story sucks, then I lose interest.

[Soul Crusher]

I think the maps were far too big and the character development left a lot to be desired. The story just didn't grab me.

That's always my issue with games. If the story sucks, then I lose interest.

Exactly, after awhile I was just like "What's the point of continuing with this"? 

Don't get me wrong - i love grabbing the rocket launchers and sniper rifle and going to tall builidng and taking out hundreds of cops and FBI and watching expliosions spark other explosuions and causing chain reactions of murder and mayhem, but after awhile, its dissappointing.

Another game i thoughtly enjoyed throughtout was the original Vegas game with the Swat Team - that rocked and I can play that many times over. 

Same with COD multiplayer.   
 

[Dos Equis]

The game wasn't "pulled"

What the hell are you talking about?

Do you think that grand theft auto 3 /Vice City / San Andreas didn't have cops and law enforcement, especially those that were killed in the line of duty bitching?

You bet your ass they did... They raised a shit storm. They didn't care though and Grand Theft Auto 4 sold 600 Million dollars worth in the first week.

The scenario is NOT how capitalism works... Because the product wasn't released and they caved to a SMALL group of whiners. Once again, it's the minority making rules for everyone else.

Squeaky wheel getting the grease again.

Sometimes I wonder if you really believe the stuff coming out of your mouth Beach.

My bad.  Not "pulled."  Changed.  And they apologized.  Smart move.  

The fact you can't see that this is a problem, and you actually work for the company, only explains why the company made a mistake in the first place.  If you can't look at the results and see what a poor marketing move this was, then I can't help you.  

It's pretty silly to call the families of people who lost loved ones and our men and women in uniform "whiners," but like I said, that's the mentality that caused this mistake in the first place.  

[tu_holmes]

My bad.  Not "pulled."  Changed.  And they apologized.  Smart move. 

The fact you can't see that this is a problem, and you actually work for the company, only explains why the company made a mistake in the first place.  If you can't look at the results and see what a poor marketing move this was, then I can't help you. 

It's pretty silly to call the families of people who lost loved ones and our men and women in uniform "whiners," but like I said, that's the mentality that caused this mistake in the first place.   

They are in fact "whiners".

No one bitches about being a Nazi during a WW2 game.

Waaaaah... Waaaaah.

Aren't the conservatives supposed to be the hard ones? The ones that don't complain?

Harden the fuck up!

[Dos Equis]

They are in fact "whiners".

No one bitches about being a Nazi during a WW2 game.

Waaaaah... Waaaaah.

Aren't the conservatives supposed to be the hard ones? The ones that don't complain?

Harden the fuck up!

On what basis do you conclude the people who complained are conservatives? 

[Soul Crusher]

They are in fact "whiners".

No one bitches about being a Nazi during a WW2 game.

Waaaaah... Waaaaah.

Aren't the conservatives supposed to be the hard ones? The ones that don't complain?

Harden the fuck up!

Can't speak for others- but I am against 99% of censorship awnd think people railing against video games, muasic, movies, etc are really out of line. 

If you don't like it - don't buy it or watch.   

[Dos Equis]

Can't speak for others- but I am against 99% of censorship awnd think people railing against video games, muasic, movies, etc are really out of line. 

If you don't like it - don't buy it or watch.   

Me too.  But this wasn't censorship. 

[Hugo Chavez]

Dude, just giving you a hard time.

well then I can live with that

[Deicide]

Decide, I am down for invading Spain.  Would greatly expand the pool of beautiful women for my son, who will need a wife one day.  Would also like the food. 

With any luck he will be gay.

[tu_holmes]

On what basis do you conclude the people who complained are conservatives?  

I'm saying you're whining and you are a conservative aren't you?

Hell, I would also say that most people who are conservative are in law enforcement and the military.

You disagree?

[Dos Equis]

I'm saying you're whining and you are a conservative aren't you?

Hell, I would also say that most people who are conservative are in law enforcement and the military.

You disagree?

I'm an American.  And I'm not the one complaining.  The game doesn't really bother me.  What I'm saying is I understand why those who did complain had a problem with the game, for the reasons I've already stated.  So, stop trying to make this about me and look at the actual facts.  The problem here is the company's lack of foresight; not looking at the big picture. 

Most conservatives are in law enforcement and the military?  News to me.  That doesn't leave many people to help run the rest of the country. 

In any event, your beef is with the people who complained, not with me.  And I understand you have no empathy for folks who complained.  Not a big deal.

[Deicide]

I'm saying you're whining and you are a conservative aren't you?

Hell, I would also say that most people who are conservative are in law enforcement and the military.

You disagree?

There is nothing conservative about conservatives. They care about all the little issues like gay marriage, a woman in a dress on Sesame Street, whether you can play the Taliban in a video game, etc. They don't really stand for anything (not that liberals do either) except for religious pigheadedness.