In Response to the "Sex Box"

Hi Rob,

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this blog-post, I saw your message in the McCullough column comments section the other day but didn't have a chance to respond. I made a note to myself and just now found a moment to reply.

The game sounds kind of fun actually, and I think KMC has admitted that he was not fully informed on the game content. I suspect he will not make that mistake again soon, given the attention he received from the gaming community.

I had not seen the game, and said so, and prefaced my comments by saying "if" KMC was correct, etc., etc. I was more interested in debating the underlying issue of adult content getting into the hands of children than the particulars of this specific game. Most of the people posting in the thread were just the opposite: commenting on the specifics of "Mass Effect" but not the underlying issue(s).



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Rob writes: "Do not blame the developer, the medium, the publisher, or the console maker if the game does not belong in your kid's hands."


You might be surprised to know that I am no advocate of a "nanny state"; I am a conservative, socially, fiscally and constitutionally.


As far as adult content is concerned, I only expect that it is "regulated" to the same extent that other adult products are regulated (magazines, movies, etc.), meaning that they are labeled appropriately and restricted to adult purchasers.


(continued next post)

Rob writes: “There obviously is a market for games like Mass Effect in the United States, so do not ruin these games for people, such as myself, who wish to play them in their spare time and experience a good escape from reality.”

I understand, and I have no desire to prevent adults from enjoying such games.



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Rob writes: “Widespread commentary, and certainly widespread, uneducated legislation will do nothing to alleviate the problem of kids getting their hands on games they should not have.”


Widespread commentary, when accurate, should be helpful to parents to educate them about “what is what”, but I agree that uneducated legislation is harmful to everyone’s interests. It was never my position to advocate any “new” legislation. My point was that “if” it had adult content and was actually being marketed to 15 year olds, that was not acceptable and the already existing laws ought to be followed, that’s all.



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Rob writes: “Do not rely on big government to run your lives for you, as that is a slope far more slippery than allowing suggestive content in video games. I do not mean to insult anyone, I am just telling it like I see it.”


I agree with you!


I think we are in much more agreement than I was making clear in the comments section of the McCullough article.

Thanks again for taking the time Rob, I appreciate it. Have a good evening,

Scott

Lol... I see they were gonna force you to make a blog to respond to me... I will admit, it did start off directed to you, however, it evolved (or devolved) into a general rant of my perceptions on the misconceptions of the video game industry from news sources.

I appologize, as I am sure you would have agreed with at least most of what I said, and I was not aiming it at you. Thanks for responding anyway.

Rob