Question for Zerzal and anyone else in Germany.

[Sons of Halas]

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm

What is the word on this?  Are you going to lose EQ2?  Is Germany going to be able to get The Old Republic (I know you don't care about that one, I'm just asking)

[Chika]

Well, germany is another country than belgium, or Holland (where I live) so Zerzal and I would not be affected if they would do this.
I think they certainly have a point, but see no use in banning it completely to be honest. Even though Germany is an entire other country, (yeah, they even have another language!)  they ARE a part of the E.U. (european Union) which makes some decisions easier to be concidered in other countries...

hmpf, sillyness...

[Sons of Halas]

Well, germany is another country than belgium, or Holland (where I live) so Zerzal and I would not be affected if they would do this.
I think they certainly have a point, but see no use in banning it completely to be honest. Even though Germany is an entire other country, (yeah, they even have another language!)  they ARE a part of the E.U. (european Union) which makes some decisions easier to be concidered in other countries...

hmpf, sillyness...

I am very sorry.  I thought Zerzal said he was from Germany.

[Namae Nai]

I'm so glad I don't live in Germany. Freedom of speech is so much more important to me than the absurd claim that "spree killers always played such games before they did the crime" which neglects the fact that spree killing is not a new phenomenon introduced by video games. It's one of those things crazy/sick/evil people have been doing anytime they have the capability since the dawn of humanity itself.

If you take their proposed restriction; "where the main part is to realistically play the killing of people or other cruel or unhuman acts of violence against humans or manlike characters" and apply it to other media, like books, artwork, radio and TV you flush away a huge swath of culture. For example, how many of Shakespeare's plays don't involve violence or cruelty in any form?

I'm not pro-violence, but I'm against any arbitrary suspension of free speech. And the line they're drawing is dangerous, because by not showing people what violence is (and it's consequences) then they will not be prepared to deal with it when it become a reality.

[Sons of Halas]

I agree.  I have been playing violent games for a long time as well as violent sports and I can tell you without a doubt that I have killed less than 5 people because of it!   

[Anaris]

They banned Red Bull in Germany too.  Talk about no fun. 

[Corsair]

Remember in the 80's, when teen suicide and young murderers were often portrayedd as having been driven to the act by DnD, or listening to Judas Priest?

It's the same old weak argument over and over really no?

[Zerzal Nephardyuel]

Yes, I am German officially, I speak German fluently and I still keep my German news level updated very regularily, even though I live in Flanders in Belgium and I feel Flemish.

This is the first thing I heard of this. Makes me wonder quite a bit. I haven't heard anything like this from "Der Spiegel" either, even though the link says that "Der Spiegel" confirmed it.

(Der Spiegel is a very high quality neutral magazin with reports on political, cultural and social topics.)

[Corsair]

Sometimes I feel Flemish too. Usually it's just allergy season though.
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Ha!

[Zerzal Nephardyuel]

Ô.-


I don't get it... prolly some language joke?

[Lyrima]

Yes..language joke

phlem (flem) is what we call the snot, the stuff we cough up out of our lungs when sick or suffering from allergies.

*giggles at Corsair*

[Zerzal Nephardyuel]

I just am going to pretend you never compaired my people with phlegm...
Yups, I'm just about to do that... indeed.

[Namae Nai]

Don't mind them, Lady Zerzal. We're all jealous that the Germans and Dutch have both culture and types of delicious chocolate named for them whereas America has Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton and the mystery meat that is hot dogs.

[Zerzal Nephardyuel]

Anyway, it's Apollonja who is the ideal person to answer this.

(( Just to make sure: I never was really offended. ))

[Corsair]

Mostly, when randim inspiration strikes, I juss like saying silly stuff related to language....On the good side though, most of what i say can be safely and easily ignored.     

[Apollonja]

Okay now. Sadly I didn't read any news before I went into my vacation on Jun 8th, so I'm totally out of track. It's not the first time they try to prohibit violent games in germany, yet, they never succeded.

Thus, our family minister - a woman who has 7 kids but regarding her career never raised one of them all by herself - managed to censor the internet because of "chldprn". Censoring anything is forbidden by law in germany. But in her case, they made an exception.

Since they will kill several industries, annoy thousands of citizens, and act agains all experts that put their word to this topic, I doubt this will really work out ever.

Yet, our 80 year old ministers still managed to make censorship legal, which is imho the beginning downfall of our true democracy.

Regardless what our politicans claim to be the will of the citizens, I'll buy my killer-games, and if they want to arrest me, fine. They set free our murders and rapists already, because there is no room for new prisoners. I wanna see how they handle several 1000 new "criminal" gamers. Germany has poor politics, and it shows. Only 40% of all people think there is a reason to still go and vote. And it gets less every 4 years.