May 17, 2007
WRIC-8 in Richmond, Virginia ran a news feature last night on V-Tech Rampage.
The station called the game "disturbing" and said:
KXLY-4 (Spokane, WA) also has a video report, including some interview footage with Lambourn.
The station called the game "disturbing" and said:
Sources say [game creator Ryan Lambourn] has tried to capitalize on tragedies before including Hurricane Katrina and the death of crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin.
KXLY-4 (Spokane, WA) also has a video report, including some interview footage with Lambourn.
Comments
How does that say that the esrb doesn't work? you can't take a rated R movie at 17? you're an adult at 18 anyway, what's the big deal. it all looks like blind finger pointing to me.
http://crunchgear.com/2007/05/17/game-content-under-the-microscope-watch...
He won't cop any real flak in Australia for it, though. He'll probably get some angry letters from people if a current affairs show picks it up, but it's pretty obvious he doesn't care much about that, and call us apathetic if you want but the majority of Australians don't have much of an emotional reaction to the Virigina Tech Tragedy, which might be part of the reason why he thinks its okay to make light of it so soon. Locally, people will recognise that his game is in bad taste, and gamers will likely be irritated at the political opportunity he's giving gaming detractors, but the whole affair is simply too far away for him to understand that those lives that were lost were real - hopefully the furore he's caused on the internet alone will give him a wake-up call, but from his comments so far it seems unlikely.
Capitalizing on tragedy for your own fame is completely detestable. People like this pull the efforts of the gaming industry to be taken seriously back by years every time they pull these sorts of stunts.
Wishing death on someone for this isn't a very admirable thing to do. I'll write it off as the initial shock talking and not you but really he could use maybe a slap or two, but shooting him is completely unnecessary. He's just doing this to anger people, why because he's a jerk or maybe he's too full or pride. If you honestly can't contain your disgust or outrage I suggest you ignore him, both for your sake and because flame wars are what he wants. If you truly think he deserves death for this (and by that I mean you still think he deserves death after a while) perhaps you need to take a good look at what you consider justice and maybe get some help.
Ryan Lambourn has said that he will remove the game if people donate enough money to him. Fuck that. I think you should do what Sigma 7 adives and give it bad ratings.
I hope someone shoots that bastard multiple times. I hope he loses friends and has his life is turned upside down. And I hope afterwards someone makes a video game about it and refuses to take it down until people donate money. He is no better than Seung-Hui Cho, and I hope his parents are really proud of the person he is and the person he will become. Thats the poster child for abortion right there.
Most annoying to me is the complete lack of redeeming qualities in the production. A V-Tech game could have real artistic and philosophical merit but instead we're given some attention whore who provides more fodder to the anti-game crusaders.
That said, yes, his right to make the game should be defended. Actually, I'm not sure how far his rights extend in Australia but if memory serves me their definition of "free speech" is much less expansive then our American counterpart.
The best we can hope for is that this game fosters some intelligent debate.
Atleast this guy is smart to change the name so he doesnt get any more heat:
http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?s=17027a50a74e4f139be44553c255...
May 17th, 2007 at 9:27 am
@Pawsie
He refused to do some interviews because they wouldn’t pay him.
Go! "
Why does that sound creepily familiar to another recent article?
:O
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I think it's a bit simplistic to label Lambourn as merely a member of a "fringe group". His behavior is actually quite disturbing. As The gaming Dutch points out, Lambourn seems completely apathetic. He doesn't appear capable of functioning like a normal human being.
Whether his apathy is a sign of mental illness or he's simply one of the "I'm cool because I don't care" crowd remains to be seen.
Personally, I suspect impaired emotional development, as he also seems rather immature for his age. To what extent... who knows.
He refused to do some interviews because they wouldn't pay him.
Go!
As far as it goes, if we hope to change the perception of gaming and gamers in this country, we need to gain the support and understanding of mainstream media.
This report was a great step in that direction -- I was very happy with it.
It's not the act of making the game that has put so many peoples' backs up about this, it's his behaviour after its existence was found. Personally, I couldn't give a damn if if people get their backs up about the game, that's Freedom of Speech and he's entitled to it, but he actually thinks that the trouble he has caused for gamers and gamne companies is funny, and that's where he loses my sympathy.
He's not doing it to make a statement or for any reason other than to annoy people, cause trouble and get attention, he's like the child screaming in the Supermarket because he couldn't get sweeties. If he'd been prepared to defend his work from any point of view that 'LOL I Don't care!', then he might have expected more sympathy and understanding from the gaming community, but as it is, he's alienating himself from both sides.
*sigh*
Sounds like his webhost did take him down though, not due to traffic.
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/264610
Pigpen:
Author's comments:
Be sure to donate to the Red Cross if you can....they need lots of Towels.
Everyone is calling this kid evil and having bad character, but it could be seen that he doesn't expect a single penny. He wanted people to see his flash and it seems he doesn't think it's worthwhile to take it off because a few people don't like it.
And now it appear the media is going to mark him as some form of hitler who's only out for money.. misguiding the opinions of people who's just hearing about this..
Not that I can say I know the person's intention... But what I'm being told seems completely far fetch
Look at the review. A majority of the reviewers thought it was FUNNY!
That worries me.
One of the signs of being a sociopath is an indifference to the feelings of others.
That or he is just a d*ck.
I mean, look at religious people as a whole, and you'll find a really odd acting tiny population who just simply act "loony".
Look at the "dark side" of computer users, and while a great many are fairly intelligent, well spoken, yet a little bit pushing the limits of "evil", you'll find a segment of the population who just simply acts insane from their speech and actions. Completely irrational, even to the rest of the population.
I'm thinking that maybe when it comes to gamers, the segment of the population that comes closest to this insane group are probably "fanboys". Though it may be the more irrational segment of that population that would fit best.
Really, we've seen some people use video games for political purposes, even if the games were "out there". And then there are those who just simply "use" issues for their own personal purposes, not even for sending messages about those issues. I think that's the fringe group this guy belongs in. Even the Columbine RPG had a message and tried to stick to it. The things this guy does serves little purpose, protected speech or not.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
As a kid, I was taught early on that everything that happened in Video Games was make-believe, fake, and that I really shouldn't try those things in real life. I've played multiple shooting games and all I understand is how to reload a gun. How to dismantle a child safety lock? No. How to turn a safety off? No.
I never tried to jump up to a brick roof to see if I could break the bricks apart. I never tried to get a sword so I could slash people that ran at me. I never picked up a gun and trudged down the street shooting everybody that got in my way. Never.
Nowadays it's like all of that happens every day. I blame it on the parents for not controlling their kid's environment, gaming habits, and such. I mean, sure a kid has to have freedom but how far can that freedom go? I also blame it on social issues the kid may have.
I also think the VA Tech shooter was insane, and when he realized what the hell he was doing, he killed himself so he wouldn't live out the rest of his days in regret. Remember, he had the ammo for a much longer shootout.
Let's not confuse "Video Game Violence" with DID (the new MPD).