The Student Room Group

Video Games Questionnaire

Helloo,

I'm doing a media assignment at the moment and would appreciate some responses to a questionnaire for me to draw some kind of conclusion from the general public's view on media representations of violence. I realise the questions easily leads to much debate, but I don't mind if you keep it as simple as possible, I don't want it to be a chore, I just would really appreciate some form of useful response that I can use for my assignment! Thank you in advance...

Age


Gender


Top three favourite video games


Name three violent video games


How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?


How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?


There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?


Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?


Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?


What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?

Reply 1

Age
16

Gender
Female

Top three favourite video games
Ummm... Sim City 3000, GTA vice city and an online game (I don't know its name lol)

Name three violent video games
I don't like violent games but well... resident evil and counter strike. I don't know a third.

How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?
Me? Well on holidays I can spend a good 4 hours... but while at school no more than 2.

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?
Just a bit.

There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?
I don't think video games influence on crimes.

Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?
Yep.

Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?
Nah.

What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?
Ummm... companies should stop designing violent games and put classic games, like Mario Bros. and stuff. They're really good actually, its just that kids prefer violent games.

Reply 2

Age: 17


Gender: Male


Top three favourite video games:
Counter-strike source, Call of duty 4: Modern Warfare, Command & Conquer: Generals: Zero Hour


Name three violent video games
Hitman, Resident Evil, Tekken


How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?
Weekends: 4-5
Weekdays: 2-3 (during exams, otherwise it'll be around 3-4)

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?
They do have an influence in a way, I'm actually hoping to study computer games technology at university, but I see them more as a way of killing time more than anything. Although there are certain games that I have used in the past to escape from reality for short periods of time and just leave all my worries behind me for a bit.

There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?
I feel that computer games have close to no influence on violent crime, in a way it does purely because it can give people idea's, but when you look at games now a days you can see their not completely life like, no ones going to be able to run around with a couple of pistols and take out an army. Anyone foolish enough to take the content of games and decide to 'try it out' in real life is foolish. The majority of the time people commit violent crimes for other reasons, you ask them what made them do it, I'll guarentee you none of them will say 'I played a video game and thought it'd be fun to try it out', theirs often a deeper meaning to the reasons they are commiting these violent crimes.


Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?
Not at all, it allows people to vent their anger and aggression in a fun and safe way.

Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tackling rising violent crime rates?
To a certain extent, certain games are just too violent to be produced, and by all means those should be banned or forced to cut out some of the violence. Use of the likes of age ratings and such is pretty much useless, most younger children will find the means of getting the games without having a problem over age, parents will often buy games for their children making age ratings completely useless.

What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?
I'm not sure exactly what this question means, I take it the way media as in newspapers and televesion portrays violance??
If thats the case then I feel computer games shouldn't be automatically targetted as the source of violent crimes, I'm sure if they dug a little deeper they'd find hundreds of factors that causes a person to act violently. I mean jumping straight on the 'Computer games cause violence' band wagon is so easy. Instead why not look at other factors that may cause it such as movies that promote crimes and almost make them look like 'desirable' career paths.

Reply 3

-firefly-

Age


20

-firefly-
Gender


Female

-firefly-
Top three favourite video games


Legend of Zelda:Ocarina of Time on N64 (best game ever!)
Halo
Splinter Cell (Halo and Splinter Cell continually switch places :wink:

-firefly-
Name three violent video games


Any Grand Theft Auto
Mortal Kombat
Manhunt

-firefly-
How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?


Well, when I'm at home and have nothing else to do probably an hour-two hours when I'm playing on it, but I don't play Zelda every day.

-firefly-
How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?


Hardly anything, but I think it varies with the game. The game I play on I've completed about three times, but if you're stuck on a game or you really want to complete it in X amount of time it could become addictive and an obsession. For me, it's just a bit of fun for a couple of hours.

-firefly-
There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?


I'm not that surprised if it's true, to be honest. There's way too much violence on video games, and every time there's violence on a video game it's just going to enforce that behaviour.

-firefly-
Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?


Probably, but not the only factor- also things like TV soaps can be appalling for enforcing dysfunctional behaviour. TV and the internet are going to be bigger factors, but violent video games will have a role.

-firefly-
Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?


Yes, but I think these ratings are probably way too lenient, just like film ratings are getting to lenient from what they have been.

-firefly-
What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?


I'm not really sure, to be honest.

Reply 4

Age

17

Gender

Male

Top three favourite video games

Halo 3
Call of Duty 4
GTA 4

Name three violent video games

Postal 2 (most violent game ever created IMO, check it out, its banned in most countries)
GTA games
Manhunt

How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?

1 hours weekdays
3 hours + weekends
5 hours + holidays

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?

Doesn't affect my life in any way, except when I see something similar and they me remind me of games. Or if they release a movie of a game, I might be inclined to see it - for instance Doom.

There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?

I personally think video games is an industry which is being blamed unnecesarially by the Governement,etc.. It's a form of shifting the blame (of the increase in crime), as the Governement doesn't want to take any responsibility for what's happening right now. I mean we all play some form of violent video games, but that doesn't necessarily make us turn into the next Jack the Ripper, does it now?

Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?

I think that these question can be seen from both ways, I mean like it can be beneficial for society in the way that it will prevent people from becoming violent in real life, but instead - they can simply play a game and conduct their violent acts in the game itself. But on the other hand, maybe people who suffer from brain problems/have problems differentiating rightful to wrongful actions - may be driven into thinking that it's ok to be violent in real life (due to their experiences when playing violent video games).


Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?

It is a good way of tackling rising violent crime rates, but then again it isn't a 100% percent effective method. I remember reading an article when GTA:s-smilie:an Andreas was released, about an elderly woman who bought the game for her grandson, aged 11?, and never realising what she has bought was a violent and sexually inducing game, as she was bewildered by the ''hot coffee'' patch and the sheer amount of violence in the game. But yeah, my point is - it's a good method to have, but it doesn't necessarily mean that violent video games are going to induce people into commiting violent acts.

What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?

I think the Goverment should conduct a very detailed and thorough research into HOW exactly video games seemingly affect people into commiting crime, and deduct whether or not it is actually related to the rising figures of crime rate. Because at the moment, all of this is just based on theory - there is no solid explanation as to whether or not violent video games are actually affecting the current crime rate











Hope that helps, and please take my questionnaire aswell :smile: It's on this link - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=664576.

Reply 5

19
Male
Black Ops 2, Battlefield 3, FIFA 13
Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, Halo
1-1.5 hours a day
Not at all
I do not agree with this. The percentage of people that are violent because of video games is less than 0.001%
It is not becoming a problem in society. It is better for people to shoot in Call of Duty than in real life, right?
Censorship on violent video games will never make a difference.
Nothing else to say.

Reply 6

Age
16

Gender
Male

Top three favourite video games
The Last of Us
Pokemon
The Walking Dead. (Telltale games)


Name three violent video games
GTA V
Pacman, oh so violent.
Battlefield 4?



How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?
I barely play games anymore, sadly. However, it's about 2-3 hours a week.

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?
1/10


There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?
Load of crap.


Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?
Not really.

Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?
Not really.


What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?-
Nothing.
(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 7

22

Female

The last of us , mass effect and life is strange

The last of us, outlast and left for dead

When Iv not got any uni work could be about 4-5 more if it’s a new game that Iv been dying to get or play

I don’t know if it influences me everyday life but it is certainly an escape, helps reduce the amount of anxiety and stress that I’m feeling

I don’t think games have much to do with it, Iv been playing games like GTA since I was 5 and I’m not a violent person, but I think that I’d someone is unstable that games could effect there mental stability

I don’t think so, you could look at it like it a stress relief in the fact that you just can’t do these thing in real life, the reason most people play video games, to do things that just aren’t possible in real life

I’m not sure to be honest

Reply 8

Age
17


Gender
Male


Top three favourite video games
Dota 2, Half-Life 2 & osu!

Name three violent video games
CS:GO, CoD & GTA

How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?
4-6

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?
Very little, other than more joking and improved relationships with the people who also play games

There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?
It's more of a correlation than causation, rises of violence prior to video games were blamed on something as well. People like to blame anything that challenges their concepts, eg.) the children should be removed from violence.

Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?
An awareness that it isn't ok to replicate such violence is needed to increase aslong as popularity increases but otherwise, no not a problem.

Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?
Tackling a major issue with a minor rule isn't effective in any way.

What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?
For starters, the news outlets need to stop portraying violent acts as everyday life for everyone and need to imply that it is a minority. Then it should be explained that these acts are not condoned. What should be represented in the media, is that there are places, irl or online which encourage discussion instead of action.

Reply 9

Age
17

Gender
female

Top three favourite video games
Skyrim, Breath of the wild, Watch dogs 2

Name three violent video games
doom, last of us 2, gta series

How many hours on average a day is spent playing video games?
maybe about 2-3 (used to be like 5-6 though)

How much do you feel video games influence your 'real' life, if at all?
a lot, but more in the sense that its now my dream job to work on video games, ideally as like a script writer, although it definitely also left me with a bit of a dissatisfaction for my own life and reality (i really wanted to be an assassins creed character as a kid)

There has been a rise in violent crime in recent years which have been alleged to be influenced by violent video games, what is your personal opinion of this?
i think its a combination of people who possibly already have like a violent disposition(?) that is added to by being rewarded for violence in video games, i think for some people it can be an outlet for more violent urges - so in my opinion i think games play a role, but the more important factor is the person who plays them

Do you think the increasing popularity in violence-related video games is becoming a problem within society?
i don't really think its the increasing popularity but the increase in violence e.g. last of us 2 was so over the top but in a very realistic way in regards to killing people, and i think that's different from the over the top way you kill aliens in doom or something, where, yeah its your job to kill a bunch of aliens but its not treated as like a form of art like the tlou2 devs seemed to treat the brutal killing in that game

Are bans and censorship on violent video games an effective way of tacking rising violent crime rates?
i don't really think so if its anything like age ratings it'd be so easy to work around, but at the same time they can't have anything too strict or else they might be limiting content too much - i think practically that i just wouldn't work too well

What do you think, if anything, should be done about media representations of violence?

i'm not sure, its difficult to answer, but again i think that irl violence is more to do with the individuals rather than the media (not everyone who watched game of thrones for example went around killing people)

sorry if this is way too detailed or too long, i might have gotten a bit carried away