GemStone III and Minors Having SEX

This was going to be a post in the Lisu Log thread, but I felt it deserved its own thread because it has little to do with Lisu.

----------------------------------------

There is one obvious answer:

Don't let your kids play GS!

True, most kids play and their parents never have. That's why that bullshit "Letter to the Parents" works.

But that is *not* good parenting. A good parent may not play every game that their child does, but they will watch every movie, every show (at least occasionally) and research the games their children play.

If I was a parent and my kid zombified at the computer for several hours at a time, I'd sign up immediately and see exactly what was going on.

Therefore, it is the parents' faults!

Ooooh, but wait. I'm not finished yet.

Simutronics has the power to better control this as well.

They opt not to.

When an account is registered, parental controls should be made available. These controls would include,

"Allow into private inn rooms? Y/N.
Allow into private residences? Y/N.
Language Filter? Y/N."

Etc.

These controls should have a SECONDARY password, so that children could not access them upon logging in.

When you go to enter an inn room or private home for the first time, a message should be displayed.

"You are about to enter a private area within GemStone III. In private areas, vulgarity and adult content is allowed, as is OOC (Out of Character) conversation. If you are sure you wish to enter this area, please type GO BLACK CHATEAU within the next 30 seconds."

But none of these steps are taken.

Simu wants your 9-year old daughter to get gangbanged. They don't care that your 11-year old son now knows what "Snowballing" and "Tea bagging" are, all thanks to them.

It is your job as a parent to keep your kids away from this garbage. It's Simu's responsibility as a company that caters to underaged indivuduals to take steps to prevent minors from taking part in adult activity.

Hell, they could even do a whisper log. Everything someone whispered to them and everything whispered in reply could be logged for an extra.. oh... $5 a month.

Parents could go to the parental site and read up on their kid.

There's so much that can be done. But nothing is being done. Nothing. ::shrugs::

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

[theotherjohn]

damn I agree with Klaive

be a parent in more than name in all that concerns your childern

[Kyle]

Might as well make sure your kids aren't playing with themselves in the shower, too.

[Artha]

I don't know, I doubt my parents could figure it out. When I signed up, I just got my mom's credit card out of her purse (with her permission, of course), and I would have set all the controls, with my own password. As for the warnings, do you really think that a kid who is ready to cyber with some stranger (who, let's admit it, is probably a guy) isn't going to ignore the warning?

Just my 2 cents. Your mileage, of course, will vary.

[Edited on 8-25-2003 by Artha]

[Parkbandit]

I agreed with you at the beginning Klaive.. but sorry.. you try to put too much parenting responsibility on the shoulders of Simutronics where it does not belong. They don't want your 9 year old daughter to be virtually gang banged. They don't cater to underage individuals. And your game 'fixes' won't work most of the time anyways. If parents don't care where their kids are going to begin with.. they probably just hand little Johnny their credit card and tell him to sign himself up. He can set the parental controls up any way he wants to.

It's not Simutronics responsibility to parent your kids... it's yours. What's next, will we have a discussion about Onar not being a good rolemodel for our youths now? Demand that they make him nice and morally correct?

[Solkern]

I personalyl can't stand when people say they have been raped in gemstone3, is that even possible? if someone tried that with me, simu put the best command in gs i've ever used..it's called EXIT

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Solkern
I personalyl can't stand when people say they have been raped in gemstone3, is that even possible? if someone tried that with me, simu put the best command in gs i've ever used..it's called EXIT

Hehe maybe I should cry rape, blame Vif and sue her for millions of silvers.:D

[CrystalTears]

I don't understand that either, Solkern. You learn how to walk out and leave an area. Even if you have a moment of shock of what is going on, you at least know how to exit a program immediately. If you sit there and allow someone to "violate" your character, it was either a consensual thing for roleplaying purposes, or a consensual sexual act so it wasn't a rape at all. To say that your character was raped and you were appauled and "couldn't" do anything I find very hard to believe.

And incidently, once you put in that many parental controls in a game, then it's no longer a family game, now is it?

[Solkern]

Don't need to find it hard to believe, If they don't use the exit command..it wasnt rape...that simple, what did you forget how to spell exit?

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by CrystalTears
And incidently, once you put in that many parental controls in a game, then it's no longer a family game, now is it?

Let's focus in on this for a sec. For one, since when was Gemstone a true family game? In the policy it says you have to be 18 to sign up, and on top of that obscene stuff happens all the time in GS. No it isn't a family game. It is more of a bait and trap game. They bait kids to come play, so all the predators have their way, then they put up notices saying they are not responsible, when in fact they may not be the only ones responsible, but they damn sure aren't excluded either. I think, in my humblest opinion, that gemstone needs to be an adult game an advertised as such, if it is a family game there is no reason for latched rooms. I mean, its a roleplaying game, You COULD just ROLEPLAY that you had sex and not actually do it too. So if alot of you don't do it for pleasure whats the problem with that?

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

I like how you put the blame on the victim Solkern. I suppose real rape victims are at fault because they didn't say NO or wore a short skirt?

[Solkern]

Originally posted by Terrorize


Let's focus in on this for a sec. For one, since when was Gemstone a true family game? In the policy it says you have to be 18 to sign up, and on top of that obscene stuff happens all the time in GS. No it isn't a family game. It is more of a bait and trap game. They bait kids to come play, so all the predators have their way, then they put up notices saying they are not responsible, when in fact they may not be the only ones responsible, but they damn sure aren't excluded either. I think, in my humblest opinion, that gemstone needs to be an adult game an advertised as such, if it is a family game there is no reason for latched rooms. I mean, its a roleplaying game, You COULD just ROLEPLAY that you had sex and not actually do it too. So if alot of you don't do it for pleasure whats the problem with that?


Gemstone is a family game, is always has been and always will be, gemstone..has alot of rules retaining to protect kids, read TOS...second off all, roleplay what is roleplaying??? roleplaying saying you had cybersex and didnt is not roleplaying thats called lying, cybersex in an RPG IS ROLEPLAYING, roleplaying your character, it may be sick and twisted, isnt sex part of any relationship...if people are married in game, why not roleplay having sex? well thats if they wanted too, I mean, I was with jesica for 6 months, we never did it, Same with Jenisi, and jacintha, we just dont need to have cybersex, we all can and got the real thing, I was in relationships in gemstone, because I enjoyed being with the person i was with.

[Edited on 8-25-2003 by Solkern]

[Artha]

You need to be 18 to sign up because people under 18 are not bound to contracts.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Solkern

Originally posted by Terrorize


Let's focus in on this for a sec. For one, since when was Gemstone a true family game? In the policy it says you have to be 18 to sign up, and on top of that obscene stuff happens all the time in GS. No it isn't a family game. It is more of a bait and trap game. They bait kids to come play, so all the predators have their way, then they put up notices saying they are not responsible, when in fact they may not be the only ones responsible, but they damn sure aren't excluded either. I think, in my humblest opinion, that gemstone needs to be an adult game an advertised as such, if it is a family game there is no reason for latched rooms. I mean, its a roleplaying game, You COULD just ROLEPLAY that you had sex and not actually do it too. So if alot of you don't do it for pleasure whats the problem with that?


Gemstone is a family game, is always has been and always will be, gemstone..has alot of rules retaining to protect kids, read TOS...second off all, roleplay what is roleplaying??? roleplaying saying you had cybersex and didnt is not roleplaying thats called lying, cybersex in an RPG IS ROLEPLAYING, roleplaying your character, it may be sick and twisted, isnt sex part of any relationship...if people are married in game, why not roleplay having sex? well thats if they wanted too, I mean, I was with jesica for 6 months, we never did it, Same with Jenisi, and jacintha, we just dont need to have cybersex, we all can and got the real thing, I was in relationships in gemstone, because I enjoyed being with the person i was with.

[Edited on 8-25-2003 by Solkern]

Thats all fine and dandy. However it does not change the fact that kids DO play this game, and it is advertised as a family game. There is no need for locked doors cept for those people that are losers irl and cant get a real piece of ass.

[Gizmo]

I agree with your statements Klaive, however it really doesn't matter if Simutronics does anything or not about it.

If your child was sitting in front of a PC for 4 hours straight, I'd wanna know what he was doing there for so long as well.

But with the simple access to the internet, your child can find anything he pretty much wanted to find...Anything from how to make a spud gun to how to specially pleasure a woman. Granted alot of video games now a days have those stupid, useless warnings M+, Teen, General etc...Not many parents even bother to look at those or simply ask questions like..."What exactly is this game about?" Alot of this happens in gaming I agree, but it is not the only place where it happens as well.

But, an example about gaming and children. My Aunt and Uncle raised their kids to pretty much live under a rock in today's world..Which I don't agree with. They weren't allowed to watch MTV or pretty muh TV for that matter, they were made to read. My cousin was very much into the Fantasy Genre of books, reading LOTR etc, and so his mother thought it was fine. The thing I found funny was, that they were so tight on what their kids could play and not play on the computers, they simply viewed the games genre good or bad for them.

When I lived there, I wasn't allowed to play Subspace, because it had guns..Which if anyone of you played that game before, you'd laugh at the statement...But here, her child was allowed to play Diablo, since it was Fantasy..Apparently she didn't know much about the game since it slightly involved the Devil and such. Anyways, it just goes to show how some parents can be so blind and stupid.

I for one plan on giving my child plenty of slack, I don't want to sufficate him, rather let him explore and find out what he likes and doesn't like to do on his own, with my own advice involved.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Gizmo
I agree with your statements Klaive, however it really doesn't matter if Simutronics does anything or not about it.

If your child was sitting in front of a PC for 4 hours straight, I'd wanna know what he was doing there for so long as well.

But with the simple access to the internet, your child can find anything he pretty much wanted to find...Anything from how to make a spud gun to how to specially pleasure a woman. Granted alot of video games now a days have those stupid, useless warnings M+, Teen, General etc...Not many parents even bother to look at those or simply ask questions like..."What exactly is this game about?" Alot of this happens in gaming I agree, but it is not the only place where it happens as well.

But, an example about gaming and children. My Aunt and Uncle raised their kids to pretty much live under a rock in today's world..Which I don't agree with. They weren't allowed to watch MTV or pretty muh TV for that matter, they were made to read. My cousin was very much into the Fantasy Genre of books, reading LOTR etc, and so his mother thought it was fine. The thing I found funny was, that they were so tight on what their kids could play and not play on the computers, they simply viewed the games genre good or bad for them.

When I lived there, I wasn't allowed to play Subspace, because it had guns..Which if anyone of you played that game before, you'd laugh at the statement...But here, her child was allowed to play Diablo, since it was Fantasy..Apparently she didn't know much about the game since it slightly involved the Devil and such. Anyways, it just goes to show how some parents can be so blind and stupid.

I for one plan on giving my child plenty of slack, I don't want to sufficate him, rather let him explore and find out what he likes and doesn't like to do on his own, with my own advice involved.

Some people do worship the devil and it is indeed well within their rights to so long they aren't out killing people.

[Scott]

<<Some people do worship the devil and it is indeed well within their rights to so long they aren't out killing people.>>

You are missing the point. They didn't allow their kids to watch MTV or play games with guns. But they allow their kids to play a video games where you slash eachother with blades, shoot eachother with crossbows, kill people, and fight with the devil and stuff.

[CrystalTears]

Originally posted by Suppa Hobbit Mage
I like how you put the blame on the victim Solkern. I suppose real rape victims are at fault because they didn't say NO or wore a short skirt?

We're talking about claiming rape in a game, not real life. Don't bring real life rape issues into this because that's not what's being discussed. We're talking about other characters doing something that you don't approve of to your character and just sitting there not doing anything about it when you can easily walk out, exit the game or even just close the program.

[Edited on 8/25/2003 by CrystalTears]

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Gemstone101
<<Some people do worship the devil and it is indeed well within their rights to so long they aren't out killing people.>>

You are missing the point. They didn't allow their kids to watch MTV or play games with guns. But they allow their kids to play a video games where you slash eachother with blades, shoot eachother with crossbows, kill people, and fight with the devil and stuff.

Well then it is the parent's fault. Cause ever since Tipper Gore's reign, you had to be 18 to buy that stuff, they even card you.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by CrystalTears

Originally posted by Suppa Hobbit Mage
I like how you put the blame on the victim Solkern. I suppose real rape victims are at fault because they didn't say NO or wore a short skirt?

We're talking about claiming rape in a game, not real life. Don't bring real life rape issues into this because that's not what's being discussed. We're talking about other characters doing something that you don't approve of to your character and just sitting there not doing anything about it when you can easily walk out, exit the game or even just close the program.

[Edited on 8/25/2003 by CrystalTears]

Yes, you can even Report them.

[Scott]

<<Well then it is the parent's fault. Cause ever since Tipper Gore's reign, you had to be 18 to buy that stuff, they even card you.>>

You are still missing the point.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Originally posted by CrystalTears

Originally posted by Suppa Hobbit Mage
I like how you put the blame on the victim Solkern. I suppose real rape victims are at fault because they didn't say NO or wore a short skirt?

We're talking about claiming rape in a game, not real life. Don't bring real life rape issues into this because that's not what's being discussed. We're talking about other characters doing something that you don't approve of to your character and just sitting there not doing anything about it when you can easily walk out, exit the game or even just close the program.

[Edited on 8/25/2003 by CrystalTears]

Ah, but we are still putting the blame on the victim, are we not? That was the point of my post. Stop making excuses for the offenders. I can do that all day long.

Bill, why did you get in a car accident when clearly the other driver was drunk? It's my fault for driving on the highway, knowing I could get hit.

Bill, why did you get shot by that terrorist? It's clearly my fault for doing whatever, where it was a possibility of me getting shot.

Bill, why did your character get raped in a RPG? Oh, its my fault for not hitting exit.

Please.

[CrystalTears]

Originally posted by Terrorize
Yes, you can even Report them.

Okay first of all, if we're talking about someone going up to your character and doing something retarded like:

(Idiot comes up to you and rapes you.)

Then he's a moron and if you want you can report that a moron is walking around doing this type of ridiculousness to characters.

Or, if someone comes up to you, holds your hand and says, "Follow me" and takes you into a room, you can walk right out or leave. No one can MAKE you stay since you can exit the program. If you chose to sit through an entire rape scene, then God help you because you didn't have to stay through that.

I suppose the only way I can see as a character getting raped, other than being AFK as mentioned before, is if someone took you somewhere, silenced you, bound you and webbed you into staying in one spot and you wanted to stick around so that he could be reported for doing this to someone, then that's fair to say.

Other than that, to just casually say "someone raped me" is kinda hard to swallow, no pun intended.

[CrystalTears]

This is a game, and if you can't see the difference between life where you have limited choices and a game where the big choice is exit and absolves you of all problems, then I don't know what to tell you.

[Methais]

Did you post that Klaive, or did your mom bust you jerking off in Silvergate and logged on here and post it?

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Originally posted by CrystalTears
This is a game, and if you can't see the difference between life where you have limited choices and a game where the big choice is exit and absolves you of all problems, then I don't know what to tell you.

Again, you miss my point.

Stop making excuses for offenders. The blame lies on them. I use RL examples before, shall I use IG ones so it is more clear?

Why do you think people get pissed off about the game? Because they have feelings, that translate into the game. You seem to think when I login Bill (ME) is left at the screen and Tayvin (the char) appears. I don't immerse myself quite that much, sorry.

[Methais]

I think GS being a family oriented game is a load of shit and Simu knows it. That's nothing more than a marketing twist so parents will tell their 10 year old, "Of course you can play Billy. It's a family oriented game after all!"

GS is about as family oriented a game as strip poker.

[Kyle]

Originally posted by Kyle
Might as well make sure your kids aren't playing with themselves in the shower, too.

I am quoting myself because this point hasn't been addressed yet.

[Artha]

Your quote would be more accurate if you replaced playing with themselves with having a circle jerk.

[SpunGirl]

Originally posted by Kyle

Originally posted by Kyle
Might as well make sure your kids aren't playing with themselves in the shower, too.

I am quoting myself because this point hasn't been addressed yet.

This doesn't make any sense to me, sorry. Kids playing with themselves in the shower is normal. Masturbation is normal. What's not normal is having a 12-13 year old exposed to OTHER people who want to have cybersex with them in the middle of a "family" game.

-K

[CrystalTears]

It's not that I'm making excuses for offenders because their attempt is wrong on all counts. I'm asking why are you going to sit there behind your monitor and ACCEPT what is happening to you when all you have to do is LEAVE THE GAME? And no, you can't use real life references to this because in life you can't just turn your life off like a switch when it's not going your way.

I'm not, not, not, not absolving offenders from their wrongs, so stop putting words in my mouth.

I'm speaking from a game perspective. Why purposely stay in a situation that you don't approve of and then cry fowl later? Seriously, I really want to know. And yes, use IG examples.

[Edited on 8/25/2003 by CrystalTears]

Originally posted by Parkbandit
I agreed with you at the beginning Klaive.. but sorry.. you try to put too much parenting responsibility on the shoulders of Simutronics where it does not belong. They don't want your 9 year old daughter to be virtually gang banged. They don't cater to underage individuals. And your game 'fixes' won't work most of the time anyways. If parents don't care where their kids are going to begin with.. they probably just hand little Johnny their credit card and tell him to sign himself up. He can set the parental controls up any way he wants to.

It's not Simutronics responsibility to parent your kids... it's yours. What's next, will we have a discussion about Onar not being a good rolemodel for our youths now? Demand that they make him nice and morally correct?

No, No. I agree with you. The TRUE blame does lie with the parents. I mean, ultimately, they're the responsible party.

However, AOL has EXACTLY the same issues and set up as GS3. It is a "family" service that is full of sexual people who are just itching to corrupt your child.

What did AOL do?

They made private rooms for the pervs and potty mouths. Well, Simu did that too! That helps I guess... but what if your kid wanders into Private Room: "Suckasweatydonkeydick" by accident cause someone sent them a link? Then suddenly, they have mail from a male and you can see his gonads and strife! What then?

Well... AOL put in parental controls. Sure, some kids sign up themselves and give themselves general access. But some get their parents to help when a credit card is involved. Good parents don't let their kids use their CCs freely anyway.

If Simutronics had parental controls, it would not eliminate kids having cybersex in GemStone. However, it would reduce the chances by allowing good parents to keep their child from entering private domains through parental controls. AOL doesn't allow kids to enter private rooms or recieve attachments in email. GemStone shouldn't allow children to enter private homes or inn rooms or in some circumstances, even accept whispers.

Like I said, it isn't perfect, but Simutronics would only benefit by helping parents keep their kids safe and innocent online.

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

PS - There are parental controls to prevent children from accessing the Web AT ALL. So say what you want about them finding sex documents and such things, but if a parent does their job, the kid can't find anything but Elmo and Teletubbies.

Originally posted by CrystalTears
It's not that I'm making excuses for offenders because their attempt is wrong on all counts. I'm asking why are you going to sit there behind your monitor and ACCEPT what is happening to you when all you have to do is LEAVE THE GAME? And no, you can't use real life references to this because in life you can't just turn your life off like a switch when it's not going your way.

I'm not, not, not, not absolving offenders from their wrongs, so stop putting words in my mouth.

I'm speaking from a game perspective. Why purposely stay in a situation that you don't approve of and then cry fowl later? Seriously, I really want to know. And yes, use IG examples.

[Edited on 8/25/2003 by CrystalTears]

One of my female characters was "raped" once. Dude came to her table and acted out raping her while i was AFK. I got back, went, "Holy crap.", Assisted, told the host and RPed as though it had never happened. Cause in order for you to interact with my character using the ACT or SMILE verb, I have to consent to it.

I didn't consent. It didn't happen.

Anyone who whines about it is just a sympathy-seeking Drama Queen.

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

[CrystalTears]

What about people who don't have AOL?

Originally posted by CrystalTears
What about people who don't have AOL?

They can download third party parental controls. I had a program once that took a screen shot every 210 seconds, recorded every keystroke and emailed it all to a specified email address... and the user had no idea it was even running.

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

[Parkbandit]

It's called Spyware I think. Or SpyPC.

[CrystalTears]

See if I have to do something as much as spying on my child, I wouldn't even allow my child access to the internet. But that's just me. <shrugs>

[HarmNone]

Originally posted by Kyle
[quote]Originally posted by Kyle
Might as well make sure your kids aren't playing with themselves in the shower, too.

Touching oneself is one thing, Kyle. One is in control of one's actions and feelings, because one is acting upon oneself.

Being touched by another is a different thing altogether, especially when one of the parties is considerably older than the other. That person will now be in control.

Whether it is real-life or cyber, it is an issue of who is in control of the feelings and emotions that are produced. A child, in most cases, is not capable of that level of control. That is how children get hurt, often seriously emotionally damaged, by this sort of occurance. They are not yet prepared to deal with the emotions produced.

Some people are not that deeply involved. It is not in their nature to be. These people, child or adult, will not be as damaged as those who invest their emotions to a great degree. How do we know who is who? Do we care? I do.

HarmNone

[Artha]

$5.00 says a smart child (like myself) could disable it, delete it, or work around it.

[Kyle]

Originally posted by HarmNone

Originally posted by Kyle
[quote]Originally posted by Kyle
Might as well make sure your kids aren't playing with themselves in the shower, too.

Touching oneself is one thing, Kyle. One is in control of one's actions and feelings, because one is acting upon oneself.

Being touched by another is a different thing altogether, especially when one of the parties is considerably older than the other. That person will now be in control.

Whether it is real-life or cyber, it is an issue of who is in control of the feelings and emotions that are produced. A child, in most cases, is not capable of that level of control. That is how children get hurt, often seriously emotionally damaged, by this sort of occurance. They are not yet prepared to deal with the emotions produced.

Some people are not that deeply involved. It is not in their nature to be. These people, child or adult, will not be as damaged as those who invest their emotions to a great degree. How do we know who is who? Do we care? I do.

HarmNone

How do you determine who is a child? If it's a minor, I am still a child. I'm completely independant of my mother at college, never to step foot in her house again, and yet, I am considered a minor or a 'child', and I shouldn't be able to choose what I'd like to do with my body when it comes to cybersex?

I can agree, that children under the age of 13 should not be exposed to cybersex/phonesex, but after that, freedom should be given more readily to youths. There needs to be something between 'child' and 'adult' in terms of rights and priveledges.

[Artha]

13? Eh...no. 16, maybe.

[HarmNone]

Originally posted by Solkern
I personalyl can't stand when people say they have been raped in gemstone3, is that even possible? if someone tried that with me, simu put the best command in gs i've ever used..it's called EXIT

Yes. I have used it myself. However, I admit to being one who immerses myself in the fantasy world, and there have been times when it took me a moment to even realize I could, calmly, exit the game. My character could not simply exit. I, the player, had to do so.

Not all will become this deeply involved in the character they play. That is probably a Very Good Thing. :D

HarmNone

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Artha
$5.00 says a smart child (like myself) could disable it, delete it, or work around it.

Not a way that I have found... but then again, I'm not computer saavy.

It's specifically designed so that you cannot boot from a disk and have access to the system.. you cannot gain access to the actual program itself without a password..

Perhaps one could.. but the typical kid won't be able to disable it.

[CrystalTears]

Just out of curiousity, since I don't have kids and I don't know what their homework consists of nowadays, but what purpose does a child under the age of 13 have accessing the internet in general?

[Artha]

I was getting projects where I needed the internet as early as 5th grade...which comes when you're 10.

Not to mention that computer skills are a wonderful thing to have in general.

[imported_Kranar]

Plenty of kids use the internet at 8-10. Play games, study, heck my little sister used it to check on the news.

Some kids are getting more intelligent these days, you check out some of these programming message boards and some of these 12 year olds are programming in C++ and doing trig math.

No one would have sincerely guessed that Bobmuhthol is 13, and he seems to be doing fine and enjoying the internet as well. I'm sure he could tell you more.

I think the internet is a wonderful medium for them.

[Edited on 8-25-2003 by Kranar]

[CrystalTears]

Oh I completely agree that computers are wonderful tools for children. Don't get me wrong, I plan to sit my (someday) 1 year old in front of the computer with me and teach it to her.

We would just have to find a way to have her own login to the computer where her programs and access is very limited. I just can't have my baby daughter roaming around inside my computer, not right away anyway. Not until I've spoken to her.

[imported_Kranar]

I honestly don't think you can restrict someone with the internet unless you're watching their back constantly, but then I think it's wrong for a parent to watch a childs back. Just makes the child feel untrustworthy.

It's like the V-Chip, that garbage doesn't work and if the kid really wants to watch a show or see a site, they'll do it one way or another.

[CrystalTears]

You can't restrict them from the internet but you can make the security very high and set restricted sites. I just won't watch over my child's shoulder because I want him to know that I trust them.

But I am of the agreement that the more you restrict your child, the more they will find a way to get it if they really want it.

[Artha]

You can, actually restrict them from the internet.

Mozilla FireBird allows you to restrict them to certain addresses.

How (http://texturizer.net/firebird/tips.html#oth_webaccess).

[Myshel]

Originally posted by Solkern
I personalyl can't stand when people say they have been raped in gemstone3, is that even possible? if someone tried that with me, simu put the best command in gs i've ever used..it's called EXIT

My character was raped so I take exception to this statement. 3 days into the game I was being shown around Elanthia by what I thought was a kindly Lord. He took me into a locked room and had the whole scene scripted. By the time I realized what was being scrolled and tried to exit the room, not being familiar with the mechanics of locked rooms, couldn't get out. I then exited the game. Unfortunately, because of that I didn't have the log or the correct spelling of the name for a complete report to a GM. Even that I didn't do for a long while because I was embarrassed at what happened, and didn't even know what "the Gods" were at the time. I'm an adult so you can imagine if it was a 10 year old.
Its easy to sit back and say "oh I would have done this and that" but the reality is its a shocking thing and sometimes we don't react at the time as we would wish.

Myshel

[Skirmisher]

Originally posted by Myshel

My character was raped so I take exception to this statement.

Myshel

While not very nice of that person, you admit that it would have been incredibly simple to leave that situation if you had thought ahead a bit.


Once again, we must return back to the duty of the parents to explain to their child about how to react in the cyber world when they are uncomfortable just as how you should tell them how to try to react in the real world when things do not feel right.

When in doubt, disconnect. Simple, effective and lets be blunt. No one can make anyone do anything in GS3 that they do not wish do do. The old Exit feature is always there.

And parents everywhere? Set the controls to log everything. It's not very difficult, lets you review later what they did and protects you all as well just in case there is some psycho loose that particular day.

I do not understand how anyone can debate whether of not GS3 is a family friendly game.

Clearly it is for adults and more sophisticated young people. You know it. I know it. Why debate the issue?

If I tell you fire is cold and you stick your hand in, even when all you know about fire says its incredibly hot and you get hurt, who is really to blame here? Use your head, don't stick your hand in a fire.

If you are debating this soley as an exercise in logic, then go right on, but if we are talking about the real world, there really is not any discussion needed.

No matter what anyone says, GS3 is NOT Disney, it is NOT a "family friendly" game. It is, not for naive unsophisticated children, but those who are a little more more worldly, or whose parents have taken the time to explain how things work in the real world should have little problem.

Use your head. Think. Protect yourself and your children. It's no one elses job but your own.

[Jenisi]

In my 7 years of playing I've never ever heard of anyone being raped in gemstone. That's kinda.. messed up I guess.. I'm sure if somone actually was going around doing it, after the second time of it being "reported" I bet the gm's would follow that person and catch them if it were true and lock them out.

[edge]

Kill them. Kneel, roll them, lean forward and backward over and over. Then ask them how it feels to be violated. That is a ingame raping.

[imported_Kranar]

<< Clearly it is for adults and more sophisticated young people. >>

I don't see how this statement is true. I didn't even know adults played this game until after atleast a year of playing it. Now I'm alright with it, but at first when I played GS the idea that adults played it was a bit awkward.

Gemstone isn't some elitist and sophisticated game where people have a cup of tea before playing. Sophistication is the last word that should ever be used to describe the GS population. Just spend 10 minutes on the amunet in the Landing or read one of the many logs posted here and tell me how Gemstone is anything other than a simple, regular game with normal everyday people playing it, like 99 percent of games out there on the internet.

[Edited on 8-26-2003 by Kranar]

[Gizmo]

Some people do worship the devil and it is indeed well within their rights to so long they aren't out killing people.

Sure some worship the devil, but my Aunt is Jewish and odds are, she doesn't since she hides her kids from "Bad" things on TV that rot your brain like MTV..Yet allow them to play Diablo and Counter-Strike?

I worship myself. And believe me. I'm much worse than the devil.

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

[Bestatte]

One of my characters was molested... it started out as one of those "oh this character is being RPed as a virgin who's dying to find out what sex is like" - I thought it was just RP, anyway.

So my character, being fond of that character, thought she'd take the guy into a private room and help him lose his virginity in a gentle and affectionate manner.

Well no sooner did we get the kissing started did he slam my character against the wall and plunge himself into her violently.

I, on my side of the computer screen, was totally aghast. I wasn't expecting any such thing, I had no idea things like that even occurred to anyone to do in a text game, and I had no idea where he got the notion that this might be fun RP for me.

So I quit out of the game immediately and jumped into his IM and asked him what the fuck he thought he was doing.

As it turned out, he didn't think he was doing anything inappropriate at all, and thought it was great fun to roleplay a violent rapist. He didn't even recognize that that's what it was.

Yes, it -was- roleplay. But it was roleplay by a person who clearly had no idea that violating another person in -real life- was a bad thing to do. And he took his notion of sex into the game and acted it out as if it was real for him.

This, to me, is terrifying. More terrifying than just someone RPing a rape scene, knowing full well that they are portraying violence and violation. I can handle that, and I would roleplay my character's reaction to it without batting an eyelash.

But this - this was just sick, because the *player* had no idea that the actions of his character were rape. HE thought it was how people have sex in real life, and RPed this violation believing that.

I'm only glad that it was me he did it with, rather than some 10 year old kid. I was able to deal with it by logging out immediately and giving him a serious talking to in IM. A 10 year old might not be able to handle seeing even the first "act" that showed up on the screen during that lovely little scene.

Remember, you have to WITNESS something offensive, to know that it's offensive enough to log out in the first place. I wouldn't want some kid to be subject to witnessing such a thing before realizing that they need to make the decision to log off.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Demon Lord Kage
I worship myself. And believe me. I'm much worse than the devil.

- --[ Klaive ]-- -

Yes I can smell your stench.

[Betheny]

If you believe in yourself, Klaive, and you worship yourself, you're a nihilist.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by CrystalTears
Just out of curiousity, since I don't have kids and I don't know what their homework consists of nowadays, but what purpose does a child under the age of 13 have accessing the internet in general?

My kids have access to the internet for great websites like Nick.com and Disney.com. They enjoy using the internet to send e-cards and such. My kids have their own email address and everything.

As long as they are monitored and taught, there is little to fear. My eldest daughter who is 10 now is designing her own website.

[Kurapira]

Simu wants your 9-year old daughter to get gangbanged. They don't care that your 11-year old son now knows what "Snowballing" and "Tea bagging" are, all thanks to them.



What the hell are 9-11 year olds kids doing playing this game anyway? What happened to Barbie's and GI Joe and all that good stuff? And what about school?

(that reminds me of a good joke)

<<Not naive, just wondering what happened here.

[Caramia]

Originally posted by Artha
...As for the warnings, do you really think that a kid who is ready to cyber with some stranger (who, let's admit it, is probably a guy) isn't going to ignore the warning?

Do you really think a kid is ready to cyber with some stranger hasn't either already:

a. Cybered somewhere else online?
b. Isn't already sexually active to some degree in real life?
c. Isn't being supervised closely enough by their parents?

The onus shouldn't be on Simutronics, but back squarely on where it belongs, which is the parents.

They can install certain software, they can set the computer up in a family area, and they can take an interest in what their child is doing online. They can also have very open and frank discussions with their children about sexual predators.

[Caramia]

Simu wants your 9-year old daughter to get gangbanged. They don't care that your 11-year old son now knows what "Snowballing" and "Tea bagging" are, all thanks to them.

Ha! So we're blaming Simutronics for things other people say and do in the game that are inappropriate now?

The proper response is REPORT, ASSIST, and then disengage from the situation.

It's still up to the parents to educate the child about online activities and be aware of what their children are doing, and that includes your 9 and 11 year old. I'd wager they aren't learning those words from other 9 and 11 year olds, but probably from adults (and I use that term loosely) that haven't a clue or don't care about behaving appropriately in a public online community geared towards the family.

Most folks do act appropriately in public. It's the ones who act inappropriate in public because they think it's cool or funny that degrade the quality of the game.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Caramia

Simu wants your 9-year old daughter to get gangbanged. They don't care that your 11-year old son now knows what "Snowballing" and "Tea bagging" are, all thanks to them.

Ha! So we're blaming Simutronics for things other people say and do in the game that are inappropriate now?

The proper response is REPORT, ASSIST, and then disengage from the situation.

It's still up to the parents to educate the child about online activities and be aware of what their children are doing, and that includes your 9 and 11 year old. I'd wager they aren't learning those words from other 9 and 11 year olds, but probably from adults (and I use that term loosely) that haven't a clue or don't care about behaving appropriately in a public online community geared towards the family.

Most folks do act appropriately in public. It's the ones who act inappropriate in public because they think it's cool or funny that degrade the quality of the game.

It isn't entirely Simutronic's fault. But to place blame solely on the parents is also stupid. Lets face it, Society in general is to blame. Mainly the hippies that want their version of 'freedom'. Things like this gay rights and sh*t like that. Keep things behind closed doors I say. I am not only speaking bout gay people, Straight people need to keep it to themselves too. It may very well be the downfall of democracy (no wait hippies are.) Thank you.

[Bestatte]

Where do you get this notion that hippies are the fall of the nation? For crying out loud, the people who lived that lifestyle, and were of the group called "hippies" are all in their 60's and 70's now, collecting social security for jobs they had for YEARS, contributing to society, and raising children who have also contributed to society.

In fact, many of those kids of hippies became the "yuppies" of my generation. You know, those young upstarts who got MBAs and corporate suit types with Mercedes and big custom houses and cell phones.

In fact, it was the children of the hippies who made cell phones common. And computers, and laser technology, DVDs, etc. etc. etc.

You should be THANKING the hippies for allowing their own children the freedom to come up with all this stuff.

As for me, I think cell phones are evil, the bane of society, and will think so for the rest of my life.

-She who actually owns, and occasionally uses, an old fashioned *dial* telephone.

[Reyek]

cell phones the bane of society? I dont even have a home telephone. Cell phones are cheaper and more cost effective to have. Usually free long distance and so on and so fourth.

you break down on the road you can call a mechanic, friend or tow truck. Get seperated from friends or family in a store, call them on their cell phone. Incase of a major tragedy or (knocks on wood) terrorism attack you can call for help. Cell phones by far have improved our quality of life.

Yeah they are silly things to be using while driving down the road and cause idiots who misuse the technology to get into accidents but the good the bring far out weighs the bad they can cause.

[Edited on 9-4-2003 by Reyek]

[GemstoneFan]

Well said, Reyek. They can be abused by morons, but hell look at GS3..... we all see it abused my morons too :D

I carry one almost everywhere I go. BUT -- dinner in a restaurant? Phone is off. Movie theatre? Phone is off. And God help the person who's cellphone goes off in a theatre when I'm around.... :: glowers with a look of hatred ::

Every tool can be used either intelligently or abused by moronic masses. It's a personal choice to how you choose to use it.

And with that I am now SOOO off topic, heh.

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Bestatte
Where do you get this notion that hippies are the fall of the nation? For crying out loud, the people who lived that lifestyle, and were of the group called "hippies" are all in their 60's and 70's now, collecting social security for jobs they had for YEARS, contributing to society, and raising children who have also contributed to society.

In fact, many of those kids of hippies became the "yuppies" of my generation. You know, those young upstarts who got MBAs and corporate suit types with Mercedes and big custom houses and cell phones.

In fact, it was the children of the hippies who made cell phones common. And computers, and laser technology, DVDs, etc. etc. etc.

You should be THANKING the hippies for allowing their own children the freedom to come up with all this stuff.

As for me, I think cell phones are evil, the bane of society, and will think so for the rest of my life.

-She who actually owns, and occasionally uses, an old fashioned *dial* telephone.

Those hippies are now the politicians and if it weren't for hippies we would control most of the world by now eliminating most threats to this nation. Thank you. And yes I do believe that Social Sciences such as Democracy are starting to crumble and should be replaced by a Federation State.

Originally posted by Terrorize
It isn't entirely Simutronic's fault. But to place blame solely on the parents is also stupid. Lets face it, Society in general is to blame. Mainly the hippies that want their version of 'freedom'. Things like this gay rights and sh*t like that. Keep things behind closed doors I say. I am not only speaking bout gay people, Straight people need to keep it to themselves too. It may very well be the downfall of democracy (no wait hippies are.) Thank you.

My kids are going to be taught to be very open and honest about who they are. If they find that they love someone... anyone. They will express that any time they feel like doing so. Of course, having sex in public is too far (though if things go well, my kids won't be having sex until they're 21 or even much older) but kissing and carressing the love of your life in public, regardless of their gender, is a sweet and beautiful thing.

If we had more couples (who were solely devoted to one another) making out everywhere we went, most of us would probably be more peaceful and wistful, longing to join them by finding our own mate and taking them to a bench to kiss.

As for destroying all the countries that are threats to America, I personally find that absurd. People are people. Countries are imaginary boundries that exist only within the minds of men (humans of both genders). We are all the same in the end, and we should unite, giving up our hatreds and intolerances that cause us to war. Religion? Believe what you like, but every religion should have a "live and let live" clause.

In short: War is Stupid. It exists because we allow it. Every person who supports warfare is guilty. Sure, if it's one sided, the warlike will overtake the peaceful. But the key is reaching the entire globe. Hatred and Greed are primitive emotions, if we can only learn to control them, in time, they may be bred out of existence. Wouldn't you like to live in a peaceful world where no matter where you lived, you didn't have to be afraid to sleep with your window open at night? A place where words like "rape", "murder", "infidelity", "war" and "terrorist" didn't exist?

So what's the problem? Why do so many of you contribute to the hatred and add fuel to the fire?

[HarmNone]

Originally posted by Caramia
Most folks do act appropriately in public. It's the ones who act inappropriate in public because they think it's cool or funny that degrade the quality of the game.

Preach on, sistah!

HarmNone

[Terrorize]

Originally posted by Demon Lord Kage

Originally posted by Terrorize
It isn't entirely Simutronic's fault. But to place blame solely on the parents is also stupid. Lets face it, Society in general is to blame. Mainly the hippies that want their version of 'freedom'. Things like this gay rights and sh*t like that. Keep things behind closed doors I say. I am not only speaking bout gay people, Straight people need to keep it to themselves too. It may very well be the downfall of democracy (no wait hippies are.) Thank you.

My kids are going to be taught to be very open and honest about who they are. If they find that they love someone... anyone. They will express that any time they feel like doing so. Of course, having sex in public is too far (though if things go well, my kids won't be having sex until they're 21 or even much older) but kissing and carressing the love of your life in public, regardless of their gender, is a sweet and beautiful thing.

If we had more couples (who were solely devoted to one another) making out everywhere we went, most of us would probably be more peaceful and wistful, longing to join them by finding our own mate and taking them to a bench to kiss.

As for destroying all the countries that are threats to America, I personally find that absurd. People are people. Countries are imaginary boundries that exist only within the minds of men (humans of both genders). We are all the same in the end, and we should unite, giving up our hatreds and intolerances that cause us to war. Religion? Believe what you like, but every religion should have a "live and let live" clause.

In short: War is Stupid. It exists because we allow it. Every person who supports warfare is guilty. Sure, if it's one sided, the warlike will overtake the peaceful. But the key is reaching the entire globe. Hatred and Greed are primitive emotions, if we can only learn to control them, in time, they may be bred out of existence. Wouldn't you like to live in a peaceful world where no matter where you lived, you didn't have to be afraid to sleep with your window open at night? A place where words like "rape", "murder", "infidelity", "war" and "terrorist" didn't exist?

So what's the problem? Why do so many of you contribute to the hatred and add fuel to the fire?

Oh that would be so damn lovely. Except you forget one thing Klaive. We DO live in a world of hate and terrorism and war. And no I don't want to see people flaunt their sexuality and religion, there are just some things that should be personal. Sorry, no orgy for you Klaive. And the REAL problem with this country started the minute church and state started becoming one. There is no FREEDOM of RELIGION. You are either Christian or you Worship the Devil in most of America's eyes. And the minute that America declares Christianity to be the one true religion (its getting there), yeah your damn right I will do one of 2 things, Pick up a gun and fight against it, or move to a far away country. Anyways, back to a Gemstone topic. <Back at the farm Klaive mounts another Rolton>

Originally posted by Terrorize
<Back at the farm Klaive mounts another Rolton>

Pointless hostility. I choose not to sink to the level of that comment. I only hope that you come to understand that negativity produces only more negativity.

[Kurili]

Pointless hostility. I choose not to sink to the level of that comment. I only hope that you come to understand that negativity produces only more negativity.


Has someone checked on Klaive lately? Are we sure pod-people havent claimed him? His newfound tolerance is quite unnerving.

Dee

[HarmNone]

Not to worry. Believe me.

HarmNone

[Kurili]

I shall not worry. Serenity is mine.

Acolyte Kurlii

[HarmNone]

::HarmNone grins and pokes Kurili in the ribs::

Yer cute, ya know?

HarmNone

[Kurapira]

Originally posted by HarmNone
::HarmNone grins and pokes Kurili in the ribs::

Yer cute, ya know?

HarmNone

Uhm, we go from kids fucking 30 year olds, to blaming Simu for terrorism and then you two getting your groove on. Oh, can't forget the hippy incident. I am starting to really love this thread.

::giggles::

:bounce:

Originally posted by HarmNone
Not to worry. Believe me.

HarmNone

I am now a pod person again.

[Kurili]

hehehe


Acolyte Kurili