Violence and videogames.

[Material Defender]

This kind of stuff used to get my goat, but nowdays its so inane as it is widespread that I realize it's nothing but the usual "The new media does such and such." kind of stuff.

If anything, video games taught me to be a more responsible because I have real trouble with equating blood on my hands. Being able to stop the bad guys without a single body is far more noble to me than a 'glorious' slaughter. I have a real issue with real violence, however it happens or is displayed.

[Art Vandelay]

Yanno, these violent vidya games are just murdah simulatahs, teachin ah younguns to shoot at people.

That's right. Now everyone knows how to kill someone. Walk over an AR, Y button to display it, left trigger for target lock, right trigger to shoot.

Only if you're a console noob. Real gamers press the number that corresponds to the AR (1 through 9), then right click to aim down the sights and left click to shoot.

[RavynousHunter]

Yanno, these violent vidya games are just murdah simulatahs, teachin ah younguns to shoot at people.

That's right. Now everyone knows how to kill someone. Walk over an AR, Y button to display it, left trigger for target lock, right trigger to shoot.

Only if you're a console noob. Real gamers press the number that corresponds to the AR (1 through 9), then right click to aim down the sights and left click to shoot.

And the elite make programs that do it for them in the background while they sit back and watch porn.

[Art Vandelay]

Check your computer literate privilege.

[RavynousHunter]

Check your computer literate privilege.

Here I was thinking it was the computer illiterate that had the privilege.

[KZN02]

TYT got into studies about effects of violent video games. Turns out it's pretty surprising what those studies say, or rather, what people haven't said about from them.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGF9ilppIiI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGF9ilppIiI</a>

[Canadian Mojo]

Here I would make a joke about suggesting they crack down on airsoft and paintball instead, but then you'd have shooters screaming at their innocent victims "Call your hits!" when they don't fall down and eating beef jerky in the middle of their rampage.

Then there is the whole unleash a wall of paint or plastic at the first thing you see tactic since your hopper holds a few hundred pellets and conserving ammo is not much of a consideration.

[chitoryu12]

Here I would make a joke about suggesting they crack down on airsoft and paintball instead, but then you'd have shooters screaming at their innocent victims "Call your hits!" when they don't fall down and eating beef jerky in the middle of their rampage.

Then there is the whole unleash a wall of paint or plastic at the first thing you see tactic since your hopper holds a few hundred pellets and conserving ammo is not much of a consideration.

Contrary to popular belief, machine guns are actually a horrible way for an untrained spree shooter to kill tons of people because the recoil and high rate of fire (relative to the size of the magazine) will quickly pull the gun off target. People have sprayed wildly with machine pistols without hitting a single target, and you'll run out of ammo in 2 seconds or less.

Beta C-Mags that actually give you the "100 bullet clip" that ignorant legislators fear so much cost $200-400 depending on the model. With the cost of a C-Mag and the ammo to fill it, you could buy a few more guns. A 75-round drum for an AK (as used in the North Hollywood Shootout) costs $250. Such massive capacity drums are almost entirely restricted to enthusiasts with the money to drop, who are hardly the kind to be going on rampages or committing gang violence. Or criminals who have enough money to spend on extremely expensive items, who probably won't be deterred by said laws.

Really, we should encourage spree shooters to use fully automatic weapons. They'll run through most of their ammo without hitting the target.

[Cerim Treascair]

Here I would make a joke about suggesting they crack down on airsoft and paintball instead, but then you'd have shooters screaming at their innocent victims "Call your hits!" when they don't fall down and eating beef jerky in the middle of their rampage.

Then there is the whole unleash a wall of paint or plastic at the first thing you see tactic since your hopper holds a few hundred pellets and conserving ammo is not much of a consideration.

Most of those folks aren't decent paintballers.  I live by a motto that several players do, from an artist that also has a webcomic:  "I'll carry more than ten shots when I need more than ten shots"

Or, to make it shorter:  "Make your shots count.  Don't carry more ammo than is necessary for a match"

[Distind]

Really, we should encourage spree shooters to use fully automatic weapons. They'll run through most of their ammo without hitting the target.

I'm hoping there's a bit of sarcasm here, there's a significant difference between hitting what you're aiming for and just plain hitting something. Spree killers and the like rarely particularly care what they hit, just that something in the general direction gets hit. Adding more ammo to that isn't gonna help.

Plus given the number of them that wind up dead or in jail till they're dead, I doubt they have much issue with dropping what money they do have on the weapons and accessories they need. The north hollywood boys certainly showed what could be accomplished with a decent chunk and no concern for others.

[chitoryu12]

Really, we should encourage spree shooters to use fully automatic weapons. They'll run through most of their ammo without hitting the target.

I'm hoping there's a bit of sarcasm here, there's a significant difference between hitting what you're aiming for and just plain hitting something. Spree killers and the like rarely particularly care what they hit, just that something in the general direction gets hit. Adding more ammo to that isn't gonna help.

Plus given the number of them that wind up dead or in jail till they're dead, I doubt they have much issue with dropping what money they do have on the weapons and accessories they need. The north hollywood boys certainly showed what could be accomplished with a decent chunk and no concern for others.

The North Hollywood bank robbers spent a patently ridiculous amount of money on their weapons. I can't easily find sources for the cost back in the mid-90s, so I unfortunately have to use the higher prices today. But here's a rundown of what they had:

2 Norinco Type 56S rifles: $1000 each
Norinco Type 56S-1 rifle: $900
HK91 rifle: $2500
Bushmaster Dissipator rifle: $700
Beta C-Mag for Bushmaster: $265
Beretta 92FS INOX pistol: $800
2 Kevlar vests: $525 each
Metal trauma plate: $115

Total cost for equipment: $8330

This isn't including the cost of the magazines for the other weapons, the ammunition (they were previously arrested with over 1600 rounds of 7.62x39mm and 1200 rounds of 9mm and .45 ACP, which comes out to $700 for the rifle ammo alone), and the phenobarbital they took to calm their nerves. When previously arrested, they also had another handgun, radio scanners, smoke bombs, IEDs, and three different California legal license plates.

After being caught with all of this in their car (they were pulled over for speeding and one of them admitted to having a concealed weapon), they served 100 days in jail and had most of their property returned to them.

On the subject of spree killers and automatic weapons, I can assure you from personal experience that "spraying and praying" does not make the gun a magic bullet hose. The projectiles you're firing are often no greater than 9 millimeters in diameter. Accuracy is far more difficult than most people think, and even at 20 feet many shooters will have difficulty putting more than 4 or 5 rounds on target (which is not always a fatal injury; this video should give you a better idea of the lethality of firearms).

Always fear the skilled shooter with a single shot .22 more than the amateur with an illegally converted rifle. And the former is hardly well regulated.

[Distind]

When you're robbing a bank 10k is a reasonable amount of preparation. You should be able to carry more than that out in one hand, without a bag. When you're ready to just start shooting people odds are you aren't going to be all too concerned about going into debt to buy more things to shoot with.

I'm not saying that it will magically make people accurate, I'm saying that spraying bullets into a crowd is far easier when you have a gun that can, well, spray bullets. Thinking more the mall shooting type cases than shooting at a single target. I'm quite familiar with the typical gun exchange statistics, many such engagements are at less than 20 feet and end with a few expended bullets and no one injured but any walls unfortunate enough to be in the direction someone was aiming.

But yes, a skilled shooter is always more dangerous, and they'll be even more dangerous with an automatic weapon assuming they know how to use them.

[StallChaser]

Never mind that anyone who tries Call of Duty tactics in real life during a school shooting will probably look like complete idiots and the ensuing video of the incident will look like a comedy sketch.

Police: "Come out with your hands up!"
Shooter: "OK.  Wanna boost with me?"

[Scotsgit]

When you're robbing a bank 10k is a reasonable amount of preparation.

Dist, where I used to stay, the locals would break into a local stately home, steal a Purdey's shotgun worth about £2 -3K, saw it up and then rob the local Post Office and make off with about £200.

Then again, where I used to stay the locals were pretty thick.

[Distind]

Dist, where I used to stay, the locals would break into a local stately home, steal a Purdey's shotgun worth about £2 -3K, saw it up and then rob the local Post Office and make off with about £200.

Then again, where I used to stay the locals were pretty thick.

Yeah, I'm aware of how stupid criminals can be, but I try to at least think of what the smart ones might do. They do show up every decade or so...

But really, stick up the post office? What are they gonna do, sort through the mail for things with birthday cards and raid them too?