Topic

Yay for cognitive dissonance

We've talked plenty about censorship — too much for most, I'd imagine. But beyond all the arguments about the place of rude words and innuendo, something has become obvious to me: a lot of people think that the game's visual style means it should be child-friendly.

I think this is really interesting. Does "adult" have to be synonymous with "violent"? Are photo-realistic graphics a shorthand for saying "not intended for kids"?

I admit that a lot of the fun I get from playing Glitch is that the game has precisely this sort of dissonance. I love the fact that it looks cute but is crazy, weird, confusing and often rude. Why should we have to settle for a simple spectrum of cute for children, fugly for adults?

Posted 19 months ago by wurzel Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • We agree!
    Posted 19 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Likewise! It amplifies the humour.
    Posted 19 months ago by Spong Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm also a huge fan of cognitive dissonance and, as a psychotherapist, it happens to be one of my favorite phenomena. It does make Glitch a lot more interesting. :D
    Posted 19 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I adore cute things (who wouldn't??) but i'm also crude and vulgar... cutesie game with a hint of vulgarity --- totally adorbs. I hope they little naughty things increase right along with the beauty of the game. Keep it up!
    Posted 19 months ago by Niknik Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Totally agree :)
    Posted 19 months ago by Kimbot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agreement here, too!
    Posted 19 months ago by ElleD Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Totally agree there should be games out there that have pleasingly fun graphics, but are for adults.  To me, this game has a very Monty Python feel to it for certain streets, and that aspect of it intrigued me.

    However, I think that some of the concern that has been voiced in other threads may be a bit different - not that the game needs to be made kid friendly due to the graphics, but there needs to be something in place to dissuade children from playing due to the adult nature of the humor/topics/etc.  While many of us playing would agree this is an adult game in nature, due to the cute graphics it may be mis-interpreted by others to be a kid's game.  Also, it will likely attract a lot of kids due to the cute graphics, and they may get into a game that is a bit over their head on many levels (especially since many parents seem to let the computer babysit their kids vice monitoring what they are doing on the internet).

    Some of us have seen this exact issue in other games...because there were cute graphics and it was a non-violent game, people assumed it was for kids; however, the developers built it specifically for middle-aged adults to enjoy.  Many of the beta testers of one game were chewed out/threatened by parents of kids playing as being pedophiles playing a kid's game, even though the beta testers were the ones that had been playing the game longer than their kids. I think that is the concern of some once this game goes live if there aren't restrictions in place to 'keep kids out' and heavy monitoring of younger players trying to 'sneak in'...they eventually give themselves away as being younger than the TOS and they need to be dealt with quickly to protect the adult players.
    Posted 19 months ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Nicely said b3achy ~though it wasn't just the betas that got the ruff treatment by somewhat over-zealous,but under-informed adults! While I agree kids should be completely protected from serious harm, I do expect parents and legal guardians to make certain their youngster is/was in an approved for children environment to begin with. It seems a bit silly to be angry at a burlesque dancer for being 'burlesque' in front of a minor,when said minor sneaked into a burlesque theater to begin with...
    I like the style of this game,because it entertains me, the adult,as well as me, the child within.
    While I have encountered some pretty terrific youngsters here (and in previous games),I would hate to feel like a virtual babysitter, sheesh, even as a teen I preferred grooming horses to (often gruelling) nippers...
    Posted 19 months ago by ~Scilly~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Quite honestly, I don't think there's much here that a kid wouldn't hear on a playground at school. 
    Posted 19 months ago by Tradescantia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree but I see no real way to keep kids out.  I would not like anyone to be excluded though  would like to see those who exhibit continuous bad behavior be banned. 

    In an ideal world, parents would have the time and sensibility to monitor their children's computer use.  This is not possible for many parents to do all of the time.  They should, however, check to see what their children do when online and make sure that they are not doing something they shouldn't.

    A lot of the humor here should be over the heads of young children anyway.  Children who understand it have heard it before.

    In the other game b3achy wrote about the children were becoming a bit of a problem and their parents were much worse.  Most parents who cared to see what the kids were doing thought that it was a kids' game.  Maybe all online games should exhibit ratings like the movies and boxed computer games have so people would know what to expect.

    Having said that, I do think it may be possible for a young child to play this game and never know it is not made for kids unless they run into a particularly offensive adult.
    Posted 19 months ago by Brib Annie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Why does everything have to be referenced to or for the "kids"?  

    They "dumbed" down the requirements at school so no child would feel left out of the learning process, ditto for little league, every child has a "right" to play.  The list goes on and on and on.

    Everything has to be child friendly, why?

    Do we really have to lose our "rights" just because we aren't kids?

    I do not want to play stupid kid games, ok.

    I say (loud) NO - NO - NO 

    If the parents or anybody else not agree with me that really is OK.  But if you want to get upset with me for my ideas and feelings, please don't bother - just take me off your friends list.

    :) xoxJulie
    Posted 19 months ago by xoxJulie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am not at all a fan of the violent photo realistic games.

    My husband has a ps3, my favorite game is little big planet.

    i like that this game is something I can do with my 2 year old in the room, and if he wants to sit and watch, it's cool. but that doesn't mean the game is for him. (though yes, I will squeeze chickens to hear him say "chicken!" every time they squawk. it's adorable.)  but the main reason i feel ok playing the game in front of him is that it's not a style that's going to give him nightmares! and yeah, it kinda looks like some of the shows on nick jr.

    i'm okay with that! it doesn't mean he's going to be playing it. And I'd be saying the same if he was five, nine or eleven.
    Posted 19 months ago by roguewords Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agree with xoxJulie - too much is dumbed down so that children won't see it, when it is the parents' respondibility to control what their children do or see.

    If they are the kind of parents who don't know what their children are doing then I suspect the children have already done or seen stuff they shouldn't.

    Adults have rights too, and we should not play Glitch as if some child is perched on our shoulder all the time, we should be able to say and do adult things.  There is plenty for children elsewhere, Glitch is for adults!
    Posted 19 months ago by Cassandria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I keep hearing things like "they've most likely experienced/know of things already" and "that they talk about adult/grown up issues,as well as using foul language at school,and on the playgrounds", "peer-talk" ~that may well be,but I am not their peer,I am an adult,and there are things I personally don't want to talk or joke about in the presence of a child/minor,let alone saying such things directly to a child/minor,and not just because I'd be mortified,but also it would be hugely inappropriate.
    Talking to your own kids about the follies of life is one thing,but a grown man/woman saying such things to a stranger's child/teen is quite another.
    On the whole I use very little 'bad language',and I tend to avoid talking to people about certain issues of an adult nature in particular,but the occasional remark,pun,quip I utter may well be a little naughty sometimes.From what I understand,this game is being created with adults in mind, I like that,and I would hate it if this game were 'dumbed down' to suit kids.
    Posted 19 months ago by ~Scilly~ Subscriber! | Permalink