Ask GamerDad 9/12/08
Posted on September 15th, 2008 by
Violence, Drugs, Mercenaries and Ninjas – Oh my! The most recent Ask GamerDad is up and helping parents at WhatTheyPlay. It’s been helping people since last friday. What have you been doing with your time? Sometime worthwhile I can only hope!
September 15th, 2008 at 7:34 am
There are many games where you do need to shoot dogs, usually attack or guard dogs … but again it is all part of the survival instinct. It is so easy to take this stuff out of context …
September 15th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Sure, sure, and I know that in Wolfenstein 3D you could literally kick these dogs. The default attack was a kick. I know it cause I played it instead of going to various math classes. The greater point is that there’s no dog to kick.
THERE IS NO DOG!
And kids know this. The ones that don’t are the problem but not because of virtual dog kicking. Because they are divorced from reality and that’s dangerous. Period.
September 15th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Or to put it another way…
From my 10 Things Parents Should Know About Star Wars Force Unleashed,
“No actual Wookies were harmed in the making of this game”
September 15th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Exactly what I was trying to say – in the game there is no distinction of whether you are seeing a zombie, a Nazi, a dog, a Rancor or whatever. And none of them are real – just like the cute puppy or kitten on Fate that is your familiar is no different than the cacodaemon in NWN or whatever …
And as you said, it is as was said in Grand Theft Childhood – the small minority of children who cannot tell the difference are the problem, and not the game. Because they would have that issue regardless.
October 17th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I’m trying to figure out if “Star Wars the Force Unleashed” for the Wii gaming system would be appropriate for my 10 year old son.He received as a birthday gift I would appreciate your input.
October 18th, 2008 at 5:49 am
It is action packed and full of conflict – you start as Darth Vader killing Wookies, and go to being his secret apprentice killing everything. You are tasked to kill Jedi as well.
But there is no blood, and it is all about doing crazy stuff with the Force. The controls are a blast and it really gets you moving.
My son got it for his 12th, and he and my 10 year old play it loads.