Gothamist: Grand Theft Auto IV Arrives, to the Delight and Dismay

hillbillycool

Fri, 02 May 2008 21:08:04 -0500

I have a question maybe someone knows here what was the name of that video game that hitler and all the german people played?

JenChungsBra

Thu, 01 May 2008 17:00:23 -0500

I've been playing games like this off and on ever since I had to experiment with different modem strings to get my old 14.4K to work with Doom2 deathmatch and I've never killed anyone in real life. I've never played a GTA game but I'd like to try this one if it's really a realistic simulation of NYC. I'd hang out in front of my house and shoot people who didn't pick up after their dogs and people on loud motorcycles. Too bad it's only for kiddies on XBox or Playstation and not for PC.

robingee

Thu, 01 May 2008 11:04:14 -0500

> @robingee- you video game fan boys are getting your panties in a wad > I'm a female and not a huge fan of video games either, Mr. Perceptive. I like Ms Pac Man and Frogger. You may as well blame heavy metal and CSI: Miami.

palestine

Thu, 01 May 2008 01:15:09 -0500

If videogames have taught me a few things, it's that: 1) aiming for the head does more damage 2) pray and spray works sometimes, but not always 3) always wear your seatbelt, because when you crash head-on you fly out the front window in GTA4 Also at JTerry, you're ridiculous, when was the last time you played a videogame similar to GTA4? Yes, it's violent, and yes, it's fun. I was made fun of in high school and have been playing videogames a solid majority of my life, that doesn't mean I went out killing the kids that made fun of me. It's a business and Rockstar met the demand. You should go ride the balls of Jack Thompson, who seems to think that every gamer who lays their hands on it will commit a murder.

The Edge

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:59:24 -0500

Well then, I guess when Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comes out in September on the Wii, you better watch out for those homicidal maniacs waving lightsabers around. Right? What was that joke? If video games really affected people like some say they do, we'd all be running around eating blue pills... ? And, lord.. TETRIS. When does the horror end?!?

jterry121

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:57:32 -0500

@robingee- you video game fan boys are getting your panties in a wad cuz you seem to think people are saying Violent video games are the ONLY reason for Columbine Style Killing Sprees. NO ONE is saying that Killing Video games are the ONLY reason the Columbine kids Gunned down their classmates, but Killing Video games are a CONTRIBUTING factor to their Violence. Its a FACT that Violent Video Games make people more desensitized to Violence, thus making it Psychologically easier to Put a Gun to someones head and pull the Trigger. Thats exactly the reason the US Military uses Violent Video games to help Make Soldiers more lethal, Violent, & Bloodthirsty KILLERS.

REALITY CHECK

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:04:31 -0500

City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., who spoke out against the violent game that's set in NYC doppelganger Liberty City last year, told WCBS 2, "This game plays to old stereotypes about New York City. Today we're the safest big city in America, with the best police force. This game, if it was actually based in reality would have two levels: steal a car, go to jail." Actually, if this game was based on reality, the game would have two levels: Ride a bicycle, go to jail. Bonus level: Take a photograph, go to jail.

sonyactivision

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:21:28 -0500

There should be a Park Slope version where you rack up points running over yuppies and their strollers.

Jerk Store

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:55:36 -0500

"If there was no DOOM there would be no Columbine shooting? What about the millions of people who played DOOM and didn't shoot ANYONE?" Didn't you know -- only virgins use statistics. So saith jterry121, arbiter of cool.

The Edge

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:23:16 -0500

It's always easier to blame people/things than to actually, y'know, be responsibile.

robingee

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:04:14 -0500

"Yeah, I guess the fact that the Columbine killers played Doom 24/7 didnt contribute to shooting up their school." If there was no DOOM there would be no Columbine shooting? What about the millions of people who played DOOM and didn't shoot ANYONE? Those 2 were f*cked in the head and they would have done what they did no matter what. If they saw a movie with shooting in it, then THAT would have been blamed.

dorfie

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:57:54 -0500

#13 - um, do you know where the name "Manhattan" came from?

jterry121

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:47:00 -0500

I do know that the US Military uses Killing Video games to make its Soldiers more lethal & efficient Killers

mcrae

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:45:44 -0500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iprUJeDEXUo&eurl=http://www.dlisted.com/node?page=1

The Edge

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:36:06 -0500

#20- Ah, what you don't know could fill oceans. Thank you, come again.

jterry121

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:25:10 -0500

#19 Great comeback- are you gonna criticize my spelling & grammar next- virgin boy?

The Edge

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:11:58 -0500

#18- Which is why you're commenting on a video game related post?

jterry121

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:51:50 -0500

Yeah, I guess the fact that the Columbine killers played Doom 24/7 didnt contribute to shooting up their school. To kill people you need to be mentally desensitized to violence, and thats exactly what these video games teach. Why else would the US military use Killing Video games like Quake & Doom to train US American soldiers to have a killer instinct on the battlefield and to desensitize them to violence. Actually studies have shown violent video games DO desensitize people to violence, and actually teach Violent criminals about new more deadly weaponry. So instead of blowing your head off with a hand gun, maybe the mugger will be armed w/ a sub machine gun instead. The one positive is at least you video game freaks will never have kids- playing video games 24/7 has completely killed the chance of you ever attracting a woman.

kane

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:26:12 -0500

But East River, with such a shitty starting salary, how is someone going to make it to the upper echelons of the NYPD. Yeah, the strategy may have worked to keep the senior officers happy, but as they retire and new recruitment continues to plummet, who is going to join the NYPD?

zodak

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:32:45 -0500

there would be less crime if more people were at home playing gta IV & watching tv instead of wandering the streets looking for something to do.

JacqueMehoff

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:26:06 -0500

wouldn't you want your mugger holed up in the PJ's playing GTA than to actually go outside and mug people?

SP

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:56:42 -0500

"it would be easy to argue that games like GTA make people less violent by allowing them to take out their frustrations and enact fantasies virtually." This has actually been scientifically proven to be true. Blaming video games for societal problems is pure idiocy. The people who do tend to also believe god created the earth in six days, about 700 years ago.

babyhitler

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:51:50 -0500

I can't believe they named manhattan, Algonquin. Manhattanites would never stand for that. You show me a place named algonquin and I'll show you indian reservation. more people stood in line to buy GTA IV in a single gamestop store than marched for Sean Bell. Hell, I'm sure Sean Bell supporters broke rank and went to buy GTA IV instead of marching.

fishfryin

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:47:30 -0500

in the late 70's and early 80's the video games were pong and pacman, yet crime was exponentially higher. based on stats alone it would be easy to argue that games like GTA make people less violent by allowing them to take out their frustrations and enact fantasies virtually...though the time spent in front of the tv admittedly makes people dumber

robingee

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:47:06 -0500

I can see why Mrs. Timoshenko would feel that a game that glorifies killing is a bad thing. But people who would do such things are not pushed to do them by games or music or movies. They don't need excuses or ideas. They would be the same kind of people no matter what they played, watched or listened to.

EastRiver

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:42:55 -0500

Plus, if they're so damn good, why only pay them around 30k a year? We don't. Only the first year officers make that little and that's because the union ratified it into contract and kept most of the money for the employees with the most seniority. Most officers make more than twice that and detectives (which constitute about a third of the force) make three to four times that amount. Do some research.

jgee

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:35:27 -0500

It's sad that her son was killed but for anyone to blame violence on video games is ridiculous. Violence is to be blamed on parenting who don't teach their kids anything and/or disorders.

SP

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:16:33 -0500

Adam Kuban did the article on Serious Eats, not Ed Levine.

Ph

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:15:21 -0500

It's a fucking video game. Cry more.

JacqueMehoff

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:11:59 -0500

any place in the city where I can play this for free? I've read the graphics are better than the last game. not that I've played any GTA.

HowBoutDemCowboys

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:04:30 -0500

By this definition, "This game teaches children to kill", then Super Mario teaches children to jump down storm drains to look for coins and mushrooms. Maybe the police should be raiding the sewer system to see if this is true.

w0wzers

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:59:23 -0500

Well I played it yesterday, and cant to get off work to play more. and they got the LIRR station in forest hills down to a T.

kane

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:56:34 -0500

Today we're the safest big city in America, with the best police force. Seriously? If this is the best police force, why have there been multi-million dollar settlements in the past decade for unarmed people that they have shot? Plus, if they're so damn good, why only pay them around 30k a year? Vallone proves why he should not speak every time he opens his mouth.

zodak

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:52:17 -0500

is there a strip club in liberty city where you can go & get shot at by undercover cops?

Nick S

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:46:57 -0500

"For some people, it's a game. But for me, it's not funny. It was for real. It was my son. This game teaches children to kill, then they wonder where criminals come from." i feel for this woman, but she has fucking idea what she's talking about.