Violent games - Masters of Doom

Expert Poster Joined: Oct 23, 2006 Posts: 72

I just finished reading the book "Masters of Doom" for the 2nd time. It is the biography of Id Software, the creators of games like Doom, Quake.

It got me thinking about how people attack violent video games, music, etc. as a cause of violence amongst American society's youth, and it got me wondering if Duelmasters has ever been brought up as a potential catalyst for this sort of argument.

This question is posed to the really old-timers (sorry -- "YOUNG"-timers Razz

), since any such claims would probably have been in the late 80s (maybe early 90s). And I realize that DM2 has never been as popular as Doom or Ozzy Osbourne, so maybe it's never entered the limelight. But I was just curious...

FYI, I'm not trying to start a debate on whether games, music, movies, etc. cause violence. I'm just curious as to whether or not DM has ever entered the fray, since it is, obviously, a most violent game, and many comic books would advertise it back in the 80s.

Also, have any of you old-timers found yourself prone to violent attacks on others? For instance, have you ever knifed someone at a FTF? haha, just kidding.

(BTW, if you're a reader and you enjoyed the Doom/Quake games, I'd highly recommend "Masters of Doom." It is a fun read and very informative!)

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Sep 05, 2005 Posts: 1316

Ajax wrote:

Also, have any of you old-timers found yourself prone to violent attacks on others? For instance, have you ever knifed someone at a FTF? haha, just kidding.

Well, someone did bring a firearm to the F2F one year...

Shocked

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:45 pm

Firearms to FtFs, knives brought to FtFs, real life violence threatened, a couple of near fights, a broken television(?) set, RSI has banned numerous players for making threats on them, etc.

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:32 pm

When I played in high school in the 80s, my parents were concerned that DM was like "that Dungeons and Dragons stuff". Of course, I was already into D&D, so it just added fuel to the fire.

But I don't remember it ever gaining a reputation for being a cause of violence.

I do, however, think most people figured we were violent because we chose to play. Twisted Evil

Expert Poster Joined: Oct 23, 2006 Posts: 72

Good lord! I didn't think it actually happened -- I was only joking. I hope I didn't open any old wounds here!

Nevertheless, thanks, all, for your responses.

Expert Poster Joined: Nov 14, 2006 Posts: 86

I've been a metal head just about all my life. got big into it i guess about the age of ten(1981) due to my older brothers listening to Black Sabbath and the like. after traveling a lot as a kid(Air Force Brat) we settled into rural NW Alabama. as the years went on my music taste got harder and harder along with it came the long hair and spikes. at this time there were only about 4 or 5 of us into the headbanging scene and of course everyone thought we were satan worshipers. this escalated when we started playing D&D but the strange thing was during this whole time none of us ever got into a fight. i think people were really afraid of us and that kept us out of violence. As far as D2 I personally never heard of it until college in 1990 and as a PBM it was thought of as a Geek thing that went on in the wargamers club i belonged to.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:14 pm

shadowdragon wrote:

As far as D2 I personally never heard of it until college in 1990 and as a PBM it was thought of as a Geek thing that went on in the wargamers club i belonged to.

Hmmmm, obviously you are thinking of the wrong activity as there are no geeks here in DM/D2, are there? Wink

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:51 pm

The Consortium wrote:

shadowdragon wrote:

As far as D2 I personally never heard of it until college in 1990 and as a PBM it was thought of as a Geek thing that went on in the wargamers club i belonged to.

Hmmmm, obviously you are thinking of the wrong activity as there are no geeks here in DM/D2, are there? Wink

What are you talking about? Tracking stats has nothing to do with being a geek! Neither is knowing exactly how many skills a warrior will burn by training SP to 13 or WT to 15. I mean, come on, everyone does that. Right?
Shocked

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:50 am

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Hmmmm, obviously you are thinking of the wrong activity as there are no geeks here in DM/D2, are there?

The Wise one has a short memory Very Happy

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 11:25 pm

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Technogeek

Wow, talk about a name from the past! (Come back!)

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:46 am

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Quote:
Technogeek

Wow, talk about a name from the past! (Come back!)

I am back, arena 46 & 60 Very Happy

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:46 am

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I am back, arena 46 & 60 Very Happy

Oops, that's what I get for not checking the newsletters first!