Video Games and Violence - Questionnaire

I’m currently at Leeds Metropolitan, studying Design. For my dissertation I am researching to see if explicit games can lead to violent behaviour, and the impact they may or may not have on under aged children.


Please answer as many questions as you see fit, with as little or as many words as you would like. Thanks very much for your time. Feel free to add anything that you think might benefit my research. Please answer as honestly as you can, no information will be disclosed to anyone other than myself. (If you would prefer to keep your forum identity anonymous, you can email it to me on videogameviolence@hotmail.com)

1. Are you male or female?

2. How old are you?

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?


7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)

1. Are you male or female?
Male

2. How old are you?
20

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
Grand Theft Auto 3, 17/18 years old

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
The fact that you could chainsaw anyone and anything until they were just a mist of blood

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
Mature, and yeah I think it was suitable...it's the highest one so yeah. (If that's what the question asks)

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
Somewhat, there are a lot of games that I can enjoy without the gory bloody stuff, but when it comes to first person shooters, it's basically a must have.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
Possibly, but I don't think that can be the sole reason for it, there are too many factors which contribute to that kinda stuff. (School shootings)

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
Relaxed if anything I guess...

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things the game to real life?
Not really.

1. Are you Male or female?
Male

2. How old are you?
15

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you've played and at what age did you play it?
off the top of my head...think maybe Ninja Gaiden theirs probably a game im forgetting though. I was 13-14
B) Blood/Gore, cutting off heads, etc
C) It was M, think it was 17+. Thats an ok rating nothing wrong with it.

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
I enjoy them, and yea should have some blood in their, gore I don't really care about, if its in it w/e.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or in the news which may of been motivated by violent games?
A friend showed me an article of a kid who was mimicking GTA and he killed a guy trying to steal his car. All I can think of.

6. Do you find playing violent video games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
Yea, but what it changes depends on the game and part of it im in.

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to related things to the game in real life.
I see stuff that reminds me of the game but thats pretty much it.

1. Are you male or female?
Male

2. How old are you?
18

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?

No More Heroes. 17.

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Graphic Quality.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
Mature.

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
If it's a good game, then yes. I enjoy it. Blood and gore are not needed for a violent video game.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?

*cough*Jack Thompson blames video games for everything.*cough*

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
More relaxed.

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things the game to real life?

Nope.

1. Are you male or female?

Male

2. How old are you?

Late 20s

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?

Hard to compare... plenty of pretty violent games I've played but the earliest I'd say was Mortal Combat... in particular the fatality moves. Early teens.

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)

At the time, the graphics were pretty good using modeled actors in sprite form. The game primarily featured fatality moves... which is pretty self explainatory - vivid and gory.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?

15+

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?

Can't say I enjoy them at all. Excessive violence is not neccessary to make a good game, and to that 100% approve to the banning of games like ManHunt... which seem to glorify it. Though that said, I do enjoy a good horror game [18 rating], which I would find acceptable. There's a difference going about killing a zombies/monsters with some gore ... than compared to going about killing and maiming people, such as ManHunt.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?

Yes, on the news plenty - Jack Thompson anyone?

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?

Can't say it would, in the violence aspect. Though I can say, however, and others for that matter, that regardless of the game we can all lose our cool sometimes when we encounter a very frustrating moment of the game. That's always been there since the day of Pong :P

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things the game to real life?

To an extent, yes - like racing. There'll always be people who become interested in certain aspects of the game they play and can associate or research on that. Be it:

Politics - Games based on real world events (WW2 for example), Terrorism, and so forth...
Military - The Hardware aspect, Vehicles, weapons, etc.
Hobbies - Self explanatory... (Racing, Simulators etc.)

etc.

Great responces so far, as for question 7 I was really just referring to violent games. Not simulation, rts etc, rather games in which you play a single role.

1. Are you male or female?
Male
2. How old are you?
16
3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
Resident Evil when i was like 12/13 years old
B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Gore
C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
I think its was a M and i think it was suitable for matures only
4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
i enjoy some Violent games like First Person Shooter games.
5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
Not that i know of
6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
No it doesnt alter any mood .
7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things the game to real life?
Not that i know of

1. Are you male or female? Male

2. How old are you? 16

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it? Grand theft auto san andreas, age 14

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Constant stream of gang wars erupting, just killing people for the hell of it, chainsawing people.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
Mature and later become adult, yes with the amount of stuff that was contained in the game i believe that mature was suitable

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
It depends really, i don't like "mindless shooting games" and blood and gore always have to do with decent game.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
Haven't been in one, but i have heard about the different ones that have happened here in the US.

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
No real change

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)
No, i've never been fully emersed in a game that much.

1. Are you male or female?
Male

2. How old are you?
16

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
God of War 15

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Lots and lots of blood. For some reason, skewering the hydra's head on the broken mast just.. bothered me. I still thought it was a good game though.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
M, yeah it was suitable.

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
Most video games are violent in some way, unless you're playing those counting games, but no I don't consider blood and gore crucial.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
I have heard of a lot of angry politicians trying to blame various situations and youth's violence problems on video games, but you can't place sole blame on video games.

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
More angry.

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life?
No, but when I was heavy into WoW that's all I talked about with friends at school.

1. Are you male or female?
Female

2. How old are you?
22

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
Manhunt and age 19

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
The way the weapons were used and the amount of blood made it distrub. Also because I didn't notice a good story attached, seem pointless.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
M for mature

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?Not necessery as I usually go for the story element of a game, violent or not. Though I do enjoy a good shoot out sometimes.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
I heard of an incident involving manhunt but that was because the mother bought the young child the game on the news.

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
Usually relaxed really, can help relive any pressures or fustrations I have in life.

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)
Not many violent games have made me feel I can relate.

Hope that helps ^^

1. Are you male or female?

Male.

2. How old are you?

14 going on 15.

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?

Can't really isolate a game as being the most violent I've played since I stick to sandbox, FPS shooters and driving games.

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)

N/A

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?

N/A

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?

Depends on the game. Something like GTA IV (and CoD: World at War actually), a bit of blood and gore gives it that realistic look, so maybe a bit crucial, not significant though.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?

Yes, two boys who broke into a police locker, stole a shotgun and killed someone claiming they were provoked by GTA: Vice City.

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?

Violent games have no effect on me.

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life?

Not to my knowledge, but most definetly no.

. Are you male or female?
Male

2. How old are you?
15

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
Postal 2 with the 'a week in paradise' mod and i played it at 15

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Eh.. graphics are crap but what i find disturbing is that you can basically chop any limb out of the body rip out their guts and shit, piss anywhere like on people, killing animals like elephants dogs cats cows, also the amount of muslims you have to kill in the game is quite strange.

C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
18 and yeh it suits the certificate because it is pretty disturbing although i think it got banned at one point in a few countries

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
I like the first person shooter and gta type games but i relly don't think it is crucial to have gore or even blood, great games like battlefield 2 don't have blood at all and i don't mind i still love the game and Crysis has the option to toggle blood, although it does add to the realism to have a little bit of blood, but atleast have an option like Crysis.. blood is enough though decepting bodies and stuff is just too far.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
I heard that postal 2 was blamed for kids doing arsin at one point

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
Not really except when i die i sometimes freak out :P

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life?
No dont think so, maybe when i was a kid and used my hand as a pistol but i dont think i would get out a gun and just kill someone because i saw it in a video game..

For the record Postal 2 is a great game and i still play on it regardless of the gore

1. Are you male or female?
femalee

2. How old are you?
14

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
Ninja Gaiden/Assassin's Creed. At 13. LOL,
Yes. I am that weakk.

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
hmm, Humans getting beaten down?
Like killed, etc.
quality.
blood


C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
13+

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
I'd only enjoy it if I know the exact details of the game, otherwise, noo. I'd be like traumatized by lose.

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
I heard of situations, Like this kid who uses school supplies to fight, and seen this douchebag in my class like act like those Naruto characters and hit girls, etc. If you consider that as violence ..

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?
Relaxed if I win
Anger and frustration if I lose.
Simple.


7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)
Nope, not at all. I'd really hate getting backstabbed by bitches and ayeholes at school. Or getting shit talked to in front of me. :X

1. Are you male or female?
Male
2. How old are you?
15
3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?
GTA Games would be the most violent/Disturbing and i started playing it at like 6th grade so i must of been like 9 or 10
B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)
Storyline and had Gore
C) What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?
Rated M so i think its 17+
4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?
I enjoy playing violent games and it does bring out alot to the audience making it seem interesting and worth playing for sure.
5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?
Nope i dont recall any
6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?

Its a game so it wouldnt alter any mood for me. Win or lose its still a game that cant take over my life
7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)Not much because all i do is really talk about what i do in the game or whats it about

1. Are you male or female?

Male

2. How old are you?

15

3. A) What would you consider the most violent/disturbing game you have played and at what age did you play it?

Most disturbing and or violent? Resident evil 2, was 6 years old(I'm not kidding, my uncle bought it and I played it.)

B) What made it so violent or disturbing? (Graphic quality, realism, storyline, gore etc?)

The gore, gave me nightmares for a long time. The people eating each other, >_>

C)What certificate was this game, and do you think it was suitable?

M for mature, and no I don't think it was suitable for my age.

4. Do you enjoy violent video games, and do you consider blood and gore a crucial element?

Eh, I do, but I do not consider blood and gore crucial. As long as the game is fun, that's all that matters right?

5. Have you ever been in, or heard of any situations, either personally or on the news which may have been motivated by violent games?

No O.o

6. Do you find playing violent games can alter your mood, make you angrier, more relaxed?

Yes, it makes me jumpy and my reflexes kick in :P

7. Finally, have you ever become so immersed in a game that you start to relate things in the game to real life? (sorry, people seem to be assuming I mean all game types here. I'm just thinking of violent ones - my bad)

Nope.