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Games Entertainment

Maker of Postal Responds to Thompson 38

Posted by Zonk from the vitriol-for-your-morning-cup-of-tea dept.
eToyChest is reporting on a response that Running With Scissors (the makers of the ultraviolent game Postal) has released in response to Jack Thompson's latest rantings. From the article: "There are no missions based on slaughtering innocent bystanders. You play in a detailed environment and are given simple tasks such as buying milk and cashing a paycheck. As in the real world, the player may find weapons in that environment if they seek them. And, just as in the real world, the choice of what to do with those weapons is yours. Misuse results in severe consequences, in Postal you're always held accountable. In our opinion that makes Postal 2 the most politically correct game ever made."
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Maker of Postal Responds to Thompson More

Maker of Postal Responds to Thompson

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  • I'm curious... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Dutchmaan ( 442553 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:32PM (#14501056) Homepage
    Why make a game that simulates real life?? What's the point?

    Even in games like the Sims the appeal is doing something that you wouldn't normally do.

    Where is the enjoyment in doing what you would very well be doing while not in front of the computer?

    • Re:I'm curious... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by voice_of_all_reason ( 926702 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:35PM (#14501112)
      Why make a game that simulates real life?? What's the point?

      Reset button

    • Re:I'm curious... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by HTL2001 ( 836298 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:36PM (#14501117)
      not quite the topic, but you are exactly right, people use these simulators to do things they wouldn't do in real life. Hear that Thompson?? NOT do in real life.

      • Re:I'm curious... (Score:5, Informative)

        by snuf23 ( 182335 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @01:05PM (#14501512)
        Yes. For example, in real life you always have the option (bladder willing) of peeing on a police officer. Now most of us, most of the time would not choose to whip out the snake and hose the old pig down. Postal however lets us realize this fantasy. It also simulates the amazing beat down that you would likely receive in real life when wielding actual pee against an actual agent of law enforcement. Thus the simulation, while providing "release" and fantasy, reinforces the consequences of urinating on our fine, upstanding defenders of justice.
    • Where is the enjoyment in doing what you would very well be doing while not in front of the computer?

      Do you seek out weapons and slaughter innocent bystanders while you are not in front of the computer?
    • The option of doing things that would get your head blown off in real life?
    • It allows us to do things we would NOT do in real life. Like kill... killing is fun when no ones life is on the line. My question is why can't he be honest and just admit that the game is about enjoying lifes diversions, specifically, illegal ones in a virtual world where no one gets hurt?
    • You kind of answer your own question... The point is that in a simulation you can do the stuff you wouldn't normally do...

      • You kind of answer your own question... The point is that in a simulation you can do the stuff you wouldn't normally do...

        ...Or to get really, really good at it and explore all the possibilities to prepare you for actually doing something.

        I wouldn't mind having a perfect model of the city, with all the police departments and response times correctly entered, in a detailed map so I could practice robbing the bank over and over and try to find the perfect timing and method of escape.

        Plus it's a great way to

    • What's the point? The point is that while there might be repurcussions inside the game just as there are in real life...you can still do whatever you want and not have your real life be affected by it. Thus giving you release from the desire to do those things in real life.

  • This one time... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:42PM (#14501214)
    There was, like, this one time, I heard from a friend, that, y'know, Jack Thompson? He found this puppy. And, like, it was a BAD puppy. Because it was looking at an electronics store. I think it was Walmart. But that would mean the puppy was inside the Walmart. Which isn't too likely, since they don't allow pets. Maybe it was Game Stop. But the puppy? He was totally looking at video games. And then Jack Thompson? He was all walking past. And he saw the puppy looking at the video games! And he was all like "Hey! That's an evil puppy! Damn you, evil puppy!" So he took the puppy that was looking at video games, y'know, and guess what he did! He put a Gameboy in it's butt. Yup. I heard it from Jeremy from Mrs. Randolph's class. His brother worked at the store, so he saw it all happen. And then Jack Thompson sued the Game Stop. Because they let puppies look at their store and be corrupted by the evil within. The puppy didn't like having a Gameboy in it's butt, though. So he bit Jack Thompson. But Jack Thompson is like super BFF (that's Best Friends Forever) with God because he always goes out of his way to tell it like it is about video games, so God turned the puppy into a worm. But the Gameboy was still in it's butt and a Gameboy is like 5000% bigger than a worm, the puppy-cum-worm totally exploded and got worm goo on Jack Thompson's shoes, so Jack Thompson was all like "Thanks God, got me again!" And they shared a good laugh together before strolling away into the sunset.

    And that's what happened.

  • Brilliant (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Morinaga ( 857587 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:49PM (#14501312)
    I love the logic used here to backhand Thompson at his own game. Use progressional logic until you've come to the far reaching conclusion that Postal 2 is the "most politically correct game every made". Absolutely brilliant.

    This is a refreshing change from the Hollensworth/id answer dressed in legalese. Why not address Thompson with the same level of ridiculous logic he uses himself.

    • Re:Brilliant (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Guppy06 ( 410832 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @04:20PM (#14503956)
      "Use progressional logic until you've come to the far reaching conclusion that Postal 2 is the "most politically correct game every made". Absolutely brilliant."

      Not that ridiculous when you think about it. Even Mario usually resorts to violence. There are childrens' games where the option of violence is not available, of course, but it seems to have more moral value if the player instead chooses to avoid violent action of their own volition.

      • Re:Brilliant (Score:3, Informative)

        by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
        And significantly, there are parts of mario (boss fights) in which you absolutely must defeat the boss to proceed. Postal doesn't force you to kill anyone (although I got pretty annoyed with trying not to kill people.)
      • There are childrens' games where the option of violence is not available, of course, but it seems to have more moral value if the player instead chooses to avoid violent action of their own volition.

        The problem here is simple and straight-forward. To what extent of removing a gamer's ability to interact/affect the outcome should be allowed/restricted? There are plenty of games out there that offer the OPTION of non-violence (MGS2 and 3 most notable) whereas others FORCE non-violent options upon the player

  • You play in a detailed environment... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Panaphonix ( 853996 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:51PM (#14501353) Journal
    "You play in a detailed environment and are given simple tasks such as buying milk and cashing a paycheck."

    WTF? I thought I bought Postal, not the f'ing Sims! Why, I'm so mad i'll...

  • Hate Mcdonalds? Sue a cow! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by spyrochaete ( 707033 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @12:58PM (#14501429) Homepage Journal
    Vince Desi is absolutely correct. What made Postal 2 great was the simple fact that you were presented with everyday activities (get the mail, buy groceries, vote in an election) and could handle those activities in whatever way you chose. It wasn't easy to complete those objectives without resorting to violence, but it was absolutely possible. Postal 2 is a ridiculous caricature of a town where everyone has a chip on their shoulder. It's no exaggeration when Desi says this is the most politically correct game ever made - considering the disposition of rest of the population it's not hard to play as the biggest pacifist in town!

    Why does Thompson decry simulated murder but not actual murder? It's like suing the creator of Monopoly for being responsible for Walmart. I can't wait until someone sues this ambulance chaser for belittling the death of a loved one by equating it with a game.

  • Postal 2 (Score:4, Insightful)

    by danpsmith ( 922127 ) on Wednesday January 18, 2006 @01:19PM (#14501692)

    If every game was good clean christian fun, the majority of the base for these games would simply move onto another form of entertainment or make their own games.

    Just as people sometimes like the bad guy in movies, they like to do the bad thing in an environment where the reprocussions aren't as awful. However, for most people this only lasts a few minutes before they realize that even in the game they can't run around slaughtering people because the game has reprocussions, and doing these things just for the fun of "seeing what happens" grows tiring quickly. Especially when you are being shot by cops every two seconds.

    As far as Thompson goes, the guy is clearly a lunatic. The Sims does its best to be good clean family fun, forgoing alcohol and actual sex in its games pretty much altogether, but he even attacked that anyway. The guy has clearly just stuck to an issue where he seems to get an audience here.

    Consenting adults should be able to avoid any type of entertainment they want in the privacy of their own home. If you want to ID kids that are buying these games, fine, but let's not get off the issue of free speech here and become ridiculous and encourage censorship.

    This reminds me of the first years of "gangster rap." People who simply do not understand a type of entertainment get all irritated by people who understand and get enjoyment and meaning out of such entertainment. They seem to be even more irritated when the entertainment contains "potty mouth words" or god forbid sex and violence. Vote with your dollar folks.

  • Never ... Politically Correct - I prefer the Facts
  • So... if the game takes a "neutral" stance on violence, I wonder how many development hours were spent on urination, immolation, and battery vs. charity,commerce,and altruism. If Postal provides the same level of reward and gameplay experience in both cases, then yes, RWS can make that claim.

    As anyone who played the game knows, the game only rewards violent unsocial behavior (social behavior is allowed, simply not rewarded). This is absolutely fine, because that is what their customers want.

    I just have

    • I played the game and every time I did anything immoral or involving unsocial behavior I don't remember getting rewarded for it. In fact I remember having people trying to arrest or attack me when I did anything like that. I don't remember getting rewarded for anything other then finishing the missions and the missions in this game are mundane every day activities.

      Really it seems like the game rewarded you for doing the mundane and punished you for doing something violent or antisocial.

      Kind of seems like th
    • I'm looking thru the moderating dropdown and I can't see an option for 'Totally missed the point/Doesn't appreciate sarcasm' option. Can this please get corrected for next time I have mod points? Thanks.
  • I don't know why the submitter would submit this story and leave out the link to the real story...

    http://www.gopostal.com/statement/ [gopostal.com]

    Maybe he was afraid people would browse the site and buy the game or even find the "Postal Babe of the Month" section :)

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