Taking the Parents Television Council up on an interview offer, Phil Villarreal of the Arizona Daily Star spoke with Dan Isett (left), PTC Director of Public Policy about Grand Theft Auto IV.
Along with a number of other watchdog groups, the PTC has been highly critical of GTA IV in recent days. Villarreal, however, reports that Isett's knowledge of what is actually in the game is a bit lacking:
Isett: I’ve actually played ‘Grand Theft Auto IV,’ and it’s right in keeping with previous versions. The series continues to lower the bar and this is the first game that has an alcohol content warning. You get points for driving drunk in this game.
Villarreal: You know that’s not true, right? The game doesn’t have points.
Isett: If nothing else, it’s a rewarded activity. Necessary for advancement.
Villarreal: I don’t think so.
Isett: But there’s an alcohol content warning and a scene of drunk driving, correct?
Villarreal: Yes. Did you play that part?
Isett: No, no. I didn’t get that far...
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Journalist Calls Out PTC on GTA IV Drunk Driving Claims
May 9, 2008 -
Shout box
Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm
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Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm
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Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm
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Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm
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Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm
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Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm
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Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm
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Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm
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ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm
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MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm
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Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm
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MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am
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Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am
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quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
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quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
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quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm
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Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm
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Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm
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Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm
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james_fudge: I think Evan killed it. He's a great guy and super smart.10/17/2014 - 6:38pm
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Comments
These groups are stuck in 1984 where games were Pac-man and Donkey Kong and were about as deep as Steam Boat Willie. It would be like people complaining about Casablanca because it had alcohol, shootings and Nazi's in it, saying that it glamourized them. The fact of the matter is these people still think video games are the Original NES and think that everything for them should be child friendly, about a deep as a thin crust pizza, and as mindless as your average sitcom.
By that token then we should only have silent films, The Honeymooers on TV, and Perry Como on the radio. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the censorship that they want to impose to at it's heart bornout of ignorance and fear; two things that almost always lead to tolitarianism. If people start saying that they want it there way or not at all then they will only except victory, even a phyrric one.
Try the motorcycle. I had no problems driving that while drunk.
Dumbfounded Twit: It's in the game, so it must be.
Me: *whacks over the head with a shovel*
That same rule applies to guys like Isett. There's nothing in that part of the constitution that says you can only speak if you know what you're talking about. These guys (and gals) are after self-promotion and they'll jump on whatever bandwagon is at the front of the parade to look like they're leading the charge.
What I want to know is this... In all these recent artcles about GTA it always seems to be about protecting the children. Children shouldn't be playing an M-rated game in the first place, so how about we put the pressure where it belongs, on the parents.
So if there existed 30-hour long R-rated movies then we would have problems?
First, the PTC doesn't condemn FOX News for passing on false information to Parents regarding Mass Effect.
Now, one of the groups own top dogs intentionally misinforms Parents about contents of a video game.
Really, PTC. Is this the type of "moral superiority" you want to present to Parents and others?
Shameful. Just shameful.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Just stop it!
Isett: No, no. I didn’t get that far… "
DOTA Voice: OWNAGE.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:07 am
“I reject the argument that an M-rated game is comparable to an R-rated movie. One, it doesn’t require 30 hours of continuous game play to make your way through an R-rated movie.”
So if there existed 30-hour long R-rated movies then we would have problems? "
And there are 30+ hours of the Sopranos episodes available on DVD as well.
Not to mention that games have a "Save" feature, which means one DOESN'T have to play 30 continuous hours.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Isett: No, no. I didn’t get that far…
Villarreal: Don't you think it's massively irresponsible to use your implied authority as a Director of Public Policy to advise parents on issues that aren't even factually supported?
Isett: LOL.. Nah.
sums it up exactly!
Niko couldn't even walk straight while drunk, there's no way I would even try and drive a car like that. I made him walk it off, and even once the camera stopped swinging around like a "Blair Witch Project" rip-off and I decided to have him drive the rest of the distance. What a mistake! He still couldn't keep the car on the road. If anything, it seemed like the game was trying to drive home the concept that even when you think you're safe to drive, you're not.
@Nightwing2000
But the Sopranos is not rated R, it's rated TV-MA, for 17 and above.... wait a a sec....ZOMG! TV-MA! M! There's a sort of consistency between two rating systems so all but the dimmest of parents should be able to understand them.
Umm, heck no it isn't. I tried drunk driving once in GTA...never again. Seriously, how can he possibly consider blurry vision, sloppy controls and police jumping on you at almost every turn a reward for drunk driving.
If I'm rewarded with something in game I expect it to make game play easier, not damn near impossible to do even the simplest task...LIKE WALKING!!!
You're doing it WRONG.
@ the article
OHHHH BUUUURRRRN
This guy, on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being poor to 10 being excellent), on the use of facts he rates a 2, honesty a 7, and the spread of propaganda an 8.
This means that he will abuse facts by twisting information around in order to skew everyone's view but will make an honest statement if he is caught doing so as long as you draw the statement out of him.
Should we listen to him? Probably not. Could he redeem himself? There's a good chance.
Let me clarify what a reward is. A reward in a game is something that makes the game easier. Invincibility, an attack bonus, health restoration, extra money, a new ability or weapon, etc. That's a reward. Trying to walk straight and stumbling into a wall is not a reward.
"The game rewards you for killing cops!"
"Yeah, by sending more cops after you... who will eventually kill you. Kinda like real life." (Granted, it's far easier to escape in the game, but still)
"The game rewards you for drunk driving!"
"By making it easier to crash and get arrested for driving drunk. Kinda like real life."
Seriously, I waited till Niko acted like he was sober, when the screen stopped shaking and such, and even then, he wasn't fully, and the driving, oh lord, don't think I'll try that again any time soon, that was a pain in the butt.
But thats the same kinda logic that they use saying you get points for killing the cops, what a load.
Isett: Meh.
These people (PTC, MADD)are behind powerful brand names. What they say has to be true, right?
This is why I hate these kinds of people.
On a side note, my first option to drink and drive.. I opted not to, because I wanted points:
I was on a date (first date w/ Michelle) and chose to be responsible and take a taxi back from an Irish Bar in Bohan(?)... because I felt I had a better shot at "warm coffee" if I didn't drink and drive... I was right and got points (+5 GS) for not drinking and driving.
Isn't the PTC one of the groups that was chiming in with JT that the ESRB should play a game "through to completion"? Yet here they are politically grandstanding with nothing but conjecture and baseless opionion.
Thank you Phil Villarreal for being a true journalist. You're doing what the ESA should have done YEARS ago.
First, when has the promise of "points" ever really driven someone to do something? If I say to someone driving a car in the city, "I'll give you ten points if you run down that old lady over there," they don't start revving their engine. Points mean nothing.
Which brings us to the second point. Developers realized long ago that nobody really cares about points anymore, at least not in games such as GTA or Call of Duty. And when they do involve points, there has to be some way to use those points to get something out of it, like the studs in LEGO Star Wars or the money in the career mode of Guitar Hero. Thus, there are no points where there doesn't need to be points.
And the clear fact that needs to get through their heads: THERE ARE NO POINTS IN GTA! Stop saying we get points for killing people, because any retard who plays the game for ten minutes can see it's not true.
ME: So you havent gotten that far have you?
THAT GUY: Yeah..my life is quite feeble no?
ME: Yes
THAT GUY: I will cry in that dark corner alone now...Thank You.
You're right, except that when statements are made public, like the PTC does, you can commit libel and/or slander. I'm not disagreeing with Spiral Gray. Most people, if they say "I think GAME X's content is pornographic," that's an opinion protected by the Constitution, but if they claim that a Game X IS pornographic, they are potentially liable under civil law.
The tricky part is to prove that defamation has a negative impact on your product. The truth is, the extra controversy only increases a game's sales. I think the game publisher and developer take a beating in the long run, especially in stock sales.
My conclusion is that these self-authoritative groups had better do some research before they claim things as fact. In a courtroom setting, the simple questions of "did you play it? Where is that in the game? Do you have video of this (and cite the source)?" are the most important and will win the case for the plaintiff.
OWNED
Wow, I wish now that Villarreal would've dropped that line on Isett. "You see, even the game is aware of designated driving."
So good to see more game critics blatantly admitting of their lack of experience of the games. It still is not as bad as the Mass Effect debacle where that book author was like "LOL NO" when asked if she played the game before.
1) The game does indeed suggest that you take a cab.
2) The police are EVERY-GODDAMN-WHERE when you're tipsy behind the wheel.
3) If you get busted driving your friend home for anything, drunk driving or other offense, you LOSE relationship "points" with them.
4) Anyone who is prone to getting motion sickness while playing a video game will probably blow chunks looking at the screen while trying to drive drunk in the game. It gave me a headache, and I have never, ever, had any adverse physical reaction to playing games in the past.
Everyone I know that has tried driving drunk in game has had the same reaction as me: "Never again". I haven't heard a single person, anywhere, say that it was an enjoyable, positive experience that they would like to repeat. If anything, it's a hell of an ad for NOT driving drunk in real life.
Saying the GTA IV promotes drinking and driving is like saying the movie Trainspotting glorifies heroic addiction, or the Normandy Beach segment of Saving Private Ryan glorifies war. It's absurd.
Villarreal: Yes. Did you play that part?
Isett: No, no. I didn’t get that far…
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Just like every other anti-game person out there. They don't know what they are talking about.
I don't know about you, but I totally trip balls when I win some points--cheese my f-ing brains out.