murder-simulator
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Working As Intended: The unfortunate conflation of sandboxes and PvP
A certain perplexing belief about sandboxes pervades the blog comments, forums, and general chats of MMOs: All MMO sandboxes are free-for-all PvP games. If it doesn't have free-for-all PvP, it's by definition not a sandbox because sandboxes let the players make all the rules and decisions. Free-for-all PvP adds the necessary spice to keep you on your toes and keep a game fresh. Without it, you may as well be playing The Sims. All of these statements are wrong.
Boston Globe: Wii puts violence in motion
The Boston Globe is taking a look at the dark and sinister side of the Wii in the wake of the Manhunt controversy this week. Looks like the New York Times owned Boston Globe is taking pointers from their tabloid competition the Boston Herald. Oh well, it's about time the Wii got a little bad press from the mainstream media. It can't all be old folk's homes and military rehab fluff pieces.The story explores the possibility of the Wii being used in a "sawing motion, one used to separate a limb from a body, and the scene on the screen shows all the gory details." They speak to Joanne Cantor, a researcher of media violence on children, who was cited in the "Violent Pac-Man" research, and she says, "The more realistic and involving the game gets, and the greater the similarity between the action in the game and real life action, the stronger the negative effects would be. No, your son may not turn into a criminal. But exposure will take a toll on his life somewhere, probably in interpersonal relationships. These are subtle effects. They take time to surface. A teen isn't going to notice them." The Globe also speaks to child psychiatrist who says that violent actions through the Wii may not make someone into a killer, but "could it make someone prone to domestic violence or child abuse?" They also speak to pediatrician Michael Rich who says, "Wii provides a double whammy ... very violent content and physical involvement, which we know is how learning happens."There is a little counterpoint in the piece, by none other than GamePolitics writer and Joystiq columnist Dennis McCauley, who says, "No question Manhunt goes beyond the pale in terms of violence. I'm sure this one will be worse ... But that Wii interactivity adds an extra kicker to what happens in the brain is purely speculative. The Wii technology isn't as bad as some folks say or as good as Nintendo wants you to believe." There is also the simple truth from David Finkelhor, co director of the Family Research Lab at the University of New Hampshire who points out that in the 10 to 12 years in which violent video games have exploded on the scene, the juvenile crime rate has gone down. Oops! Could violent video games actually be giving kids prone to violence an outlet for rage rather than increasing the probability for violence?
Manhunt 2 on Wii: A true murder simulator?
This is all dependent on the fun factor and responsiveness of the controls, but Manhunt 2 for the Wii could be a fantastic murder simulator for the M rated set. Following the announcement of Manhunt 2 by Rockstar on various consoles, GamePolitics took the obvious next step and asked Nintendo how they felt about having the ultra-violent game on their motion control system?Speaking for Nintendo, Beth Llewelyn, senior director of corporate communications, said, "Manhunt 2 is not developed or published by Nintendo. It is one of many titles released by third party publishers for our system that appeal to people of all ages and interests ... retailers and purchasers are strongly encouraged to follow the age-specific ESRB ratings when considering what software to sell or buy. If parents are concerned about kids having access to inappropriate Wii games, we encourage them to utilize the PIN-operated Parental Control features built into Wii."The original Manhunt was about getting jollies from up-close and personal impaling. That mechanic will certainly be more satisfying and personal on the Wii. For the most part, we're just waiting for the mainstream media to get their hands on this story. It'll have all the clichés we've come to expect: Surface treatment of facts by the nightly news, kids under 17 saying they love to stab people in the game and parents talking about how they have absolutely no control to stop their children.See also: Manhunt 2 Wii box art more interesting than teaser
