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    British Govt. Gives Ratings Nod to BBFC

    gamepolitics.com, 31/07-08
     
    It may look like I'm getting my British news from America (actually I AM getting my British news from America cos I totaly missed this issue till I saw it on gamepolitics.com even though I have links to the Byron Report somewhere in an earlier blog entry...) but I'm linking to this article because it in turn has links to others.

    So, the BBFC gets to play my games before I do. As a fully grown adult male I'm not too worried whether a game has a 12, 15 or 18+ certificate but the Humanist in me of course feels a slight twinge at the idea that they might ban something thus denying me even the opportunity to make my own mind up.
     
    My two pennies worth is that a rating system should be used as a guide to the content of a game and that we should trust the parents or gaurdian of a child to decide whether it is suitable for that child. We do trust the parents don't we...? We do, don't we?
    July 31 12:13 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

    I'm a Selfish Gamer, and I Don't Care About Broadening

    Chris Paladino, Xbox Community Team, gamerscoreblog.com
     
    CPaladino is getting his knickers in a twist about "casual" gaming enroaching on the sacred ground of "hardcore" gaming.
    I liked the article but I'm not taking it that seriously. After reading it and alot of the comments I'm going to classify myself as a "casual hardcore gamer" and I think there's enough of us around to make a demographic that will eventually cause a Gears of War 3 and a GTA V...
    I do consider my Xbox as a "leisure activity" though and in arguments, I mean discussions with Mrs. Lefty I have often likened it to reading books or watching tv. I should really say in defending my "leisure activity" I have likened it to more "mainstream" activites. Maybe the more mainstream (accepted?) gaming becomes the less I'll have to defend my Gears all nighters?
    July 31 11:42 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it

    Killing people in real life becomes a game

    William Saletan, slate.com, 22/07-08
     
    Is the line between playing war and taking it seriously blurring?
    What gamer hasn't at some time been secretly tickled by the idea of being able to put their Doom, Halo, Gears, COD skills to good use by saving the real world from bad guys? I'm just waiting for that alien invasion or zombie outbreak to test out my years of "training".
    In the everlasting debates on how gaming desensitises or even affects a persons tendency to violence in the real world a popular argument (and one I happen to subscribe to) is that the player themselves can tell the difference between their virtual worlds and the real one. In the article above the author laments on the operators apparent lack of compassion in "scoring" another kill.
    I see no inherent danger in allowing acts of war to mimic acts of play just like I see no inherent danger in allowing my six year old son's acts of play to mimic acts of war.
    The important thing is making sure he understands the difference.
    July 30 7:24 AM | Add a comment | Read comments (2) | Permalink | Blog it

    Covert Blizard Ban Causes Gold Prices to Skyrocket

    This in an old article from gamerates.com way back from the 4th July but I thought it was a good intro to gold farming in WoW so I'm linking to it here:
     
    July 24 1:54 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it