Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto: Would you let your 6 year old play?

Lip_Stick

Flyonthewall wrote: »

See that's a bit different. You know the game, you're supervising your kid and you're avoiding all the adult parts of the game. I still personally wouldn't do that as characters can still be heard swearing or be seen being violent. Even if driving if you have an accident it can lead to other things. However, there are the nicer areas and places with no other people, no story if you're just wandering etc.

It's people who don't know the game, ignore warnings, don't filter it and so on.

The lego games are great for all ages. COD on the other hand, isn't.

I agree. As I said I'll scope it out and make sure I take the less busy routes, probably with the sound down if my driving is bad lol.

COD, I've played them all and I happen to think that split screen multiplayer is ok on the older ones. It gets more graphic on the latest versions. I think the 18 rating comes from the actual missions. I've only played it with him a couple of times, in fact, when he was four I dragged him out of a 5 year old friend's bedroom who was playing blops zombies.

P.s. When I first played a lego game with my son, I was worried he'd get scared by the lego characters splitting apart lol.

Flyonthewall

No

Sparhawke wrote: »

Anyone who didn't hear about this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/27/marie-smothers-grand-theft-auto_n_3821879.html

I have been playing computer games my entire life, when I was 8 I think I was playing Elite.

Kids that young should not be playing these games; but a lot of parents do not care at all. It is just like those that let kids habitually watch horror or murder films, when I was 8 Macgyver came out but he barely ever even looked at a gun.

Hadn't heard that story but seen very similar ones. Kids that young really shouldn't be playing such games.

I don't think video games do cause kids to be violent though. I think video games, and media in general, all have some sort of affect on everybody, but not to that extreme. I think in all the cases I've heard of, the same or similar event would have happened even if they'd never touched a game. In that case, the kid could have thought the gun was a toy and accidentally shot regardless of whether he'd been playing a game. In other cases, a film or watching the news or anything else could have caused the same outcome.

I think cases like that are either accidents or about the individual.

I think that kids should not play such violent, adult games simply because they shouldn't have to worry about such things, or have an understanding of the sexual content, or know bad language. Children should be allowed to have a proper childhood and be innocent and it's up to parents to make sure that's the case.

As you say, many don't care. However, I think some parents just simply don't realise what is in these games.

Flyonthewall

No

Lip_Stick wrote: »

I agree. As I said I'll scope it out and make sure I take the less busy routes, probably with the sound down if my driving is bad lol.

COD, I've played them all and I happen to think that split screen multiplayer is ok on the older ones. It gets more graphic on the latest versions. I think the 18 rating comes from the actual missions. I've only played it with him a couple of times, in fact, when he was four I dragged him out of a 5 year old friend's bedroom who was playing blops zombies.

P.s. When I first played a lego game with my son, I was worried he'd get scared by the lego characters splitting apart lol.

lol

I still think COD games are best left until they're older. However, at least you're being responsible when it comes to the games. You clearly know your child, you know the games and you take action when you feel it's not something a child should be seeing.

lol good point with the lego. I think most are rated 7+ though because of little things like that.

Weird_Nev

No

You need to understand and appreciate that computer games are no longer "toys for children". They cater for a market of gamers who are all ages and demand adult content. Computer games are increasingly real, increasingly graphic and have very strong content.

The rating system is there for a reason, to allow parents to make informed choices.

Children should NOT be playing GTA, Saints Row, The Last of Us, many other triple A titles. They are designed for an adult market, and like it or not, young children are not equipped to make sense off such a well rendered world awash with such graphic content. I love GTA, I've played may hours of adult rated games, but I'm 33 and free to choose what I want to see or do in my own time. I can't play some games when my wife is around because she finds them disgusting. Should I let my son play such games when he's 10?

As an illustration, I've got 30 games on my shelf right now. I'd consider just 4 of them suitable for a younger person (say under 15).

There's Halo, the lego series of games, and plenty of other options for younger games players.

Parents really need to wake up to the fact that they have to make informed decisions, just as they would with films or explicit rap music, about what they choose to expose their child to. Current generation games include graphic violence, swearing, and perhaps most worryingly they're emotionally involving and immersive. They're designed to cause spikes of emotion and strong feelings. Feelings the young may not be prepared for and need close guidance to process properly.

And I've not even touched on online gaming. I've owned PS3 and Xbox360 throughout this console cycle, and played online on both extensively. Seriously, if you're a parent and your child plays online, you NEED to be aware of what they are subjected to. I am no prude, I have worked as a central London police officer for a decade, and I don't mind saying that the level of racism, homophobic language, and straight out abuse you hear whilst playing certain games online is OUTRAGEOUS. I first got into Call of Duty about 5 years ago, and I don't mind saying I was shocked initially by what I heard otehr players saying. I would not expect any young person to be exposed to that, and understand that it's just a game. Yet you still heard the very young playing it - kids of no more than 10.

It's an issue that's only going to get more acute as the next genration of consoles come in. They're more powerful, the graphics will be more real, and games companies will be looking for the next shock tactic to sell games. And of course, everything is more online focussed. The thing working in favor now is that many parents are themselves computer games fans, and hopefully will make sensible decisions for their children.

If you're a non-gaming parent, you REALLY need to educate yourself as to what you're buying for the children, and whether it's age appropriate.

I'd also say that any games system should be in shared space in the house, so you can monitor and supervise both content and playing time. Locked away in the bedroom, who knows what is going on?

Flyonthewall

No

Whether they were trolling or not, there's still plenty of people out there who share that view or don't realise exactly what their kids are playing and why they shouldn't be playing it.

Weird_Nev

No

To be honest, if you let your child aged 6 drive the cars in gta, or play the minigames, whilst you're sat alongside them, I don't think there's a problem there. At least you know what they're up to, and are there to guide it. Sound might need to be down to keep the swears out.

You might be better off playing something on the Wii though, overall. But it's not letting them ahve 12 hour rage fuelled online "Manhunt" sessions in the bedroom alone, is it?

Flyonthewall

No

Weird_Nev wrote: »

To be honest, if you let your child aged 6 drive the cars in gta, or play the minigames, whilst you're sat alongside them, I don't think there's a problem there. At least you know what they're up to, and are there to guide it. Sound might need to be down to keep the swears out.

You might be better off playing something on the Wii though, overall. But it's not letting them ahve 12 hour rage fuelled online "Manhunt" sessions in the bedroom alone, is it?

That's the problem though, there are kids out there playing manhunt in their bedrooms and their parents have no clue.

There are plenty of kid friendly titles for the other consoles and not all Nintendo titles are for children. I wouldn't let a kid play a silent hill game on the Wii, nor the GTA DS version. I would, however, happily give them something like Megamind on the PS3/xbox 360.

RichL74

No

So as soon as the 6 year old crashes into another car and the driver of the other car gets out starts hurling abuse 'yo mutha funster what the funk do you think you are doing mutha funster?'

Then thats okay?

Don't give me the old chestnut thats all they hear in the playground - they must go to some right scum bag schools if thats the case.

Lip_Stick

RichL74 wrote: »

So as soon as the 6 year old crashes into another car and the driver of the other car gets out starts hurling abuse 'yo mutha funster what the funk do you think you are doing mutha funster?'

Then thats okay?

Don't give me the old chestnut thats all they hear in the playground - they must go to some right scum bag schools if thats the case.

Volume down.

But it's doubtful my son will be driving. I'm more concerned he'd see someone splatting on the windscreen lol. Tbh, I enjoy my games, and my son does too, and he knows I'm pretty excited about this game coming out. He'll just be getting a glimpse of the scale of the open world, going on the odd mini game and perhaps diving in the ocean. I don't know yet, depends what is appropriate for him. What I do know is that whatever I do with him will be tried and tested first by myself. No way would he be allowed to do what he wanted, whilst I cooked tea, and no way would he be witnessing me doing something for the first time as you don't know what's going to pop up.

After that, it'll be 'That's it, you've seen it now' and he'll go back to lego lord of the rings and nagging me about the new marvel game due out.

As for swearing, he knows the odd word (mainly from me when I've stubbed a toe ) and knows it's naughty to say them under any circumstances. Standing at a bus stop near a group of teenagers, you hear all sorts, not just from the dodgy kids in the playground. You can't escape that, but I agree you can try not to have children over exposed to it.

RichL74

No

Thats a fair assumption and admire your honesty about how you will play the game with him.

If only others were the same...