Uh-oh. It was only a matter of time before the first controversial move to curb school shootings.
A high schooler who created an entire "Counter-strike" map of his high school was reported recently, and consequently was immediately transfered to an alternative learning center without being charged with a crime.
Read the full story here. It's a slow-loading link, but it does work.
The child's home was searched and swords were found, though the swords have since been shown to be purely decorative.
I honestly don't know how to react to this. It seems a major over reaction, but on the other hand, if this child does have mental problems and causes a disturbance, this would be one major warning sign, so it cannot simply be ignored.
What do you think?
Here's a report I found on YouTube from Fox News:
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5 comments:
It is interesting that the end of this article claims I can login and comment on "this latest incident of high school violence." Why is this high school violence? No act of violence took place. In fact, it sounds like nothing took place in a high school.
If anyone is characterizing this incident as violent or problematic, it sounds like it's the folks at the Journal...
Moreover, if we're going to label everyone who ever modeled a creative work after a real setting, we'd better round up more or less every author, artist, director and video game producer on the planet. Counterstrike, while marketed as a violent video game, also serves as a laboratory for digital artists. Custom design software allows users to design any number of fantasies and narratives to play out in addition to the mass-marketed content. The graphics and physics engines programmed into Counterstrike have been used to produce independent web-films as part of a larger genre known as "machinima." In these films, conventional technologies are abandoned; users develop films by producing their own character models and environments. They then "shoot" the action by recording video footage of gameplay. To put it simply, acting is accomplished through movement of a keyboard and mouse as opposed to on a soundstage.
It is not uncommon for real world settings to be included in "set design." In a machinima film, the set is the map -- in essence, this student's representation of his high school may be just a mere element in a more creative endeavor.
On the whole, reacting wildly to creative outlet undermines intellectual freedom and exploration. Nothing explained in this story indicates that the student's intention was to act out violence. If we are look at a custom level design as a potential threat, we must also begin to look at film sets that depict realistic settings and on location shooting as equally threatening to our society.
Like freddie has mentioned, real world settings are not uncommon.
Why is it alright for companies to do it, but inviduals cannot? For example, Ubisoft's Rainbow Six: Vegas includes several maps of the LVU Campus and its library.
I'm not sure if the floorplans are exact but regardless, the inspiration is essentially the same.
Freddie, Brad, I have to agree with you, it does seem that this boy was nothing more than being creative on a video game. And Freddie, I apologize for using the word "violence" in this case, it was purely used as a classification for this type of story, not a description.
Hopefully now that more facts on this story have come out, he can return to his school.
However, I ask you this, if there was an incident at this school, or any school, and it was discovered that the principal and school board knew this student had made the map, then how much hot water would they be in? If they allow him to return to school -- and fast -- then are their actions up to this point understandable?
mike,
I see what you're saying. It seems like a catch 22, as I'm sure people would be up in arms. However, it's a matter that seems to revolve more around freedom of expression.
I used to play a fair amount of Counter-Strike (the game this kid made the map for), and still do from time to time. And yes, I'll admit when I was in high school I thought about making a map based on my school. That was a few years ago, and now I'm a senior in college looking to graduate with a BA in Engineering. I should mention that I was the quiet and shy type, as well.
I feel like there's been a major overreaction. It looks bad on the surface, definitely. But if people took the time to look a little deeper, instead of blindly generalizing, they'd probably find this kid has some budding talent in level design. We don't need the backlash; we need to properly educate children from right and wrong. I played shooting games all throughout my childhood and I was appalled at what happened at Va. Tech.
I feel like I'm ranting, so I'll end on this. These games do not have the computing power nor the capacity to replicate the real world laws of physics. It's impossible to learn how to fire a gun through a video game; if anything now I'd be able to pick out a glock from a lineup of weapons. Big deal, it's public information anyway.
Many many people play Cops and Robbers as kids. Does that mean half of us grow up to be robbers?
And to boot,
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