Lets Get Some Stuff Straight With This NRA Game

I am not an active member of the NRA. I don't wave their flag, but I appreciate their cause from a distance. Yes they're out of touch with videogames, but they can say the same thing about some of you more anti-gun folks about their passion. It's lack of understanding on both sides. MEDL Mobile has put out an officially licensed NRA iOS game, NRA: Practice Range. Which is weird considering one of the gut-reactions from the NRA regarding guns being used in homicides was violent videogames. Considering the NRA has been under-fire (AMIRIGHT!?) recently in the videogame industry, a lot of people have been laughing at the idea of the NRA licensing out a game. However, they've clearly taken a stance against violent videogames. This game is not violent.

Practice Range tasks the player to engage typical targets you would find a firing range. There's an indoor range stage that is meant for handguns, and outdoor ranges for various rifles and shotguns. The game itself is mostly uninspired. I can see a younger kid getting into it for a few minutes, maybe. I don't know what keeps a kid engaged these days. There just isn't anything special enough about the game. The way the motion controls work forces you to move most of your body to aim the weapon. It's kind of annoying, but the mechanics are functional. Should you grab this free game? Whatever. This isn't a review.

What's most interesting is that the game forces you to read two gun safety tips before each stage. I believe utilizing weapons responsibly is a skill a father should teach, but I'm down for tools that further cement these fundamentals. Even trained soldiers in Afghanistan misfire weapons. SAFETY, motherfuckers!

Here are a handful of tips and fun facts the game throws out:

“Stop shooting immediately if you think you have experienced a gun malfunction”

“Know your target and what is beyond it”

“Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use”

“The NRA Eagle Gunsafe program has reached more than 25 million children –In all 50 states – since 1998”

I don't know how many safety instructions there are, but I played for about 30 minutes and read something new almost every time before a stage.

A handful of game journalists writing about this game have seemingly manifested a controversy that shouldn't exist. That this is intended for 4 year olds or free for kids specifically. This is not true at all. At no point in the game is it clear what age it's intended for. Clearly, with the basic concepts of weapon safety and simple mechanics it totally isn't intended for me or you. But someone noticed that it has a 4+ Rating, iOS games usually use an age recommendation system rather than ESRB. This is the same rating given to Angry Birds for some context. 4+ is the youngest age rating reserved for games that lack violence and mature subjects. Practice Range does have the player fire deadly weapons, but it's all paper targets.

I'm not defending this mediocre game. But I will back anything that puts out information about weapon safety 100%. Is this probably meant for kids? Sure! However, the specific information about the exact age this game's intended for and it's assumed target demographic has been explained as a pejorative. But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity. I could see myself handing this game to my non existent kid for them to fuck around for 10 minutes and possibly get some education out of it. The lack of understanding of such a simple iOS game has spread some wild rumors I'm hoping to squash.

Thanks for reading!

-EpicSteve

stevenbeynon

I am not an active member of the NRA. I don't wave their flag, but I appreciate their cause from a distance. Yes they're out of touch with videogames, but they can say the same thing about some of you more anti-gun folks about their passion. It's lack of understanding on both sides. MEDL Mobile has put out an officially licensed NRA iOS game, NRA: Practice Range. Which is weird considering one of the gut-reactions from the NRA regarding guns being used in homicides was violent videogames. Considering the NRA has been under-fire (AMIRIGHT!?) recently in the videogame industry, a lot of people have been laughing at the idea of the NRA licensing out a game. However, they've clearly taken a stance against violent videogames. This game is not violent.

Practice Range tasks the player to engage typical targets you would find a firing range. There's an indoor range stage that is meant for handguns, and outdoor ranges for various rifles and shotguns. The game itself is mostly uninspired. I can see a younger kid getting into it for a few minutes, maybe. I don't know what keeps a kid engaged these days. There just isn't anything special enough about the game. The way the motion controls work forces you to move most of your body to aim the weapon. It's kind of annoying, but the mechanics are functional. Should you grab this free game? Whatever. This isn't a review.

What's most interesting is that the game forces you to read two gun safety tips before each stage. I believe utilizing weapons responsibly is a skill a father should teach, but I'm down for tools that further cement these fundamentals. Even trained soldiers in Afghanistan misfire weapons. SAFETY, motherfuckers!

Here are a handful of tips and fun facts the game throws out:

“Stop shooting immediately if you think you have experienced a gun malfunction”

“Know your target and what is beyond it”

“Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use”

“The NRA Eagle Gunsafe program has reached more than 25 million children –In all 50 states – since 1998”

I don't know how many safety instructions there are, but I played for about 30 minutes and read something new almost every time before a stage.

A handful of game journalists writing about this game have seemingly manifested a controversy that shouldn't exist. That this is intended for 4 year olds or free for kids specifically. This is not true at all. At no point in the game is it clear what age it's intended for. Clearly, with the basic concepts of weapon safety and simple mechanics it totally isn't intended for me or you. But someone noticed that it has a 4+ Rating, iOS games usually use an age recommendation system rather than ESRB. This is the same rating given to Angry Birds for some context. 4+ is the youngest age rating reserved for games that lack violence and mature subjects. Practice Range does have the player fire deadly weapons, but it's all paper targets.

I'm not defending this mediocre game. But I will back anything that puts out information about weapon safety 100%. Is this probably meant for kids? Sure! However, the specific information about the exact age this game's intended for and it's assumed target demographic has been explained as a pejorative. But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity. I could see myself handing this game to my non existent kid for them to fuck around for 10 minutes and possibly get some education out of it. The lack of understanding of such a simple iOS game has spread some wild rumors I'm hoping to squash.

Thanks for reading!

-EpicSteve

stevenbeynon

@EpicSteve said:

I believe utilizing weapons responsibly is a skill a father should teach, but I'm down for tools that further cement these fundamentals.

-EpicSteve

stevenbeynon

Sexist! :P

But yeah I think most rational people can see this 'game' (is there scoring? can you 'win'? I assume you can) is being somewhat sensationalised simply 'for the lulz' of the situation, mixed with a small amount of bitterness. Still, to mostly lurking observers (like me) it is kind of amusing. :)

Good read duder.

@DizzyMedal said:

@EpicSteve said:

I believe utilizing weapons responsibly is a skill a father should teach, but I'm down for tools that further cement these fundamentals.

-EpicSteve

stevenbeynon

Sexist! :P

But yeah I think most rational people can see this 'game' (is there scoring? can you 'win'? I assume you can) is being somewhat sensationalised simply 'for the lulz' of the situation, mixed with a small amount of bitterness. Still, to mostly lurking observers (like me) it is kind of amusing. :)

It scores you on how many targets you hit and has leaderboard support.

I'm not Pro or Con guns but I think Shooting Ranges are a good place for guns. If this throws out some tips while showing a "safe" place to fire guns good on them. I personally think Semi-Automatic guns and Shotguns should be locked away at shooting ranges but that's just one opinion upon many about guns.

I agree that gun safety and such tips are important and I applaud anyone who promotes it, including the NRA. I was going to point this out in the Patrick article with Biden, that I think the game is low hanging fruit and more about gun safety and shooting at ranges. With that said I'm not going to cry over the NRA losing influence and gaining unpopularity and I have to wonder how much actual promotion goes on instead of preaching to an already gun safe choir or one that isn't interested in that at all.

Regardless of the information being given, this simply seems opportunistic.

The game itself seems fairly innocuous to me, a simple shooting range game that looks pretty bland overall. I wish industry reporters would take the time to make an informed decision on it instead of just posting it reaching for anything to bash the NRA about, in this case trying to point out some perceived hypocrisy of mentioning violent games in the gun control debate while also putting out a video game about guns. In this case its a pretty big stretch considering its a target shooting game emphasizing gun safety, and not something like a CoD clone FPS. I've been target shooting since I was middle school age when I took my first hunter safety course, and something like this helps reinforce those rules and safety precautions, seems pretty decent at that to me.

I also find it amusing that everyone trying to scapegoat guns (specifically civilian semi automatic rifles) on this website are shocked that the NRA would dare point its finger at a different scapegoat.

Yeah, that's about right.

And don't rest the muzzle on your foot you fucking trap-shooting moron.

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

That said, the release of this game after what has been said is baffling. By the NRA's own logic they are now contributing to the increase in violence.

@EpicSteve: I appreciate you posting this. I was looking to say something very similar in the comments for the story but just figured I'd get jumped on.

@EpicSteve said:

However, they've clearly taken a stance against violent videogames. This game is not violent.

You shoot guns in it right? That's pretty violent.

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

That said, the release of this game after what has been said is baffling. By the NRA's own logic they are now contributing to the increase in violence.

By their own logic Violent games where in part to blame for the shooting. This is not a game that simulates violence.

Great write up duder. I have little opinion on the matter, but what you are saying makes sense. It's really easy to talk mad shit about the NRA for this, but the fact that there are saftey tips like that between levels is actually pretty on par with what they are trying to promote. Of course I still think they are fucking stupid for blaming all of the things they did for gun violence, but they still promote gun safety, which I think people need more of.

@thabigred said: .

That said, the release of this game after what has been said is baffling. By the NRA's own logic they are now contributing to the increase in violence.

That's quite the leap in logic. If anything, the NRA is contributing to the increase in firearms use at the shooting range, not violence. If you even believe THAT much to be true...

When you consider their stance on video games (that they promote violence and glorify gun violence specifically) this game is not baffling at all; it's an understandable PR move. Providing a "solution" to their stated "problem" by releasing a non-violent video game that still involves guns.

@hughesman said:

@EpicSteve: I appreciate you posting this. I was looking to say something very similar in the comments for the story but just figured I'd get jumped on.

Political opinions aside. You shouldn't settle for misguided journalism, incorrect information being put out, and the public getting the wrong perception of something kind of dumb.

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Steve! I don't know if anyone commented with similar statements in the article, as after looking at one page of comments I had to get out of there. Regardless, it seems pretty clear that the game has generated alot of undeserved controversy.

@Video_Game_King said:

@EpicSteve said:

But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity.

Your dad considered you mature enough to handle a gun when you were three!?

Don't know where you're getting that info.

@Getz said:

@thabigred said: .

That said, the release of this game after what has been said is baffling. By the NRA's own logic they are now contributing to the increase in violence.

That's quite the leap in logic. If anything, the NRA is contributing to the increase in firearms use at the shooting range, not violence. If you even believe THAT much to be true...

When you consider their stance on video games (that they promote violence and glorify gun violence specifically) this game is not baffling at all; it's an understandable PR move. Providing a "solution" to their stated "problem" by releasing a non-violent video game that still involves guns.

Like I said in the blog, they are against Violent videogames. Or at least their people up top. I'm sure if you asked Joe NRA guy on the street, he is probably cool with violent games. Nothing about simulating a firing range is violent. I'm sure you as a gamer were bothered by politicians and activist groups being ignorant and trying to ban videogames. It was a lack of understanding on their part. Don't make rash judgments on hobbies and groups I'm assuming you aren't a part of or have a lot of knowledge of.

@EpicSteve said:

But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity.

Your dad considered you mature enough to handle a gun when you were three!?

@Kaiserreich said:

@EpicSteve said:

However, they've clearly taken a stance against violent videogames. This game is not violent.

You shoot guns in it right? That's pretty violent.

I hate guns, but this is a pretty stupid statement. A gun can certainly be used to cause violence, but that doesn't mean every use of a firearm is an act of violence. By your logic, chopping a head of lettuce is violent because I'm using a big-ass knife.

I don't see how anyone could be against a piece of edutainment designed to promote and teach firearm safety, regardless of whatever ulterior motive its makers may have. I'm not a fan of the NRA, but if one person learns a lesson from the game that prevents a fatal gun accident somewhere down the line, I'd gladly exchange that outcome for whatever gains the NRA hopes to achieve with this game.

A gun-range video game is harmless.

A balls-to-the-wall leash whippin combo drippin f-bomb droppin alien planet bustin romp in the future however is gonna remove the line between video games and the real world

You see, it's still all just so stupid.

Is it as good as this?

@EpicSteve said:

@Video_Game_King said:

@EpicSteve said:

But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity.

Your dad considered you mature enough to handle a gun when you were three!?

Don't know where you're getting that info.

You talked about the game being for children age 4 and up, then said you were taught at a 'younger age' immediately afterwards ;)

@ajamafalous said:

Is it as good as this?

Greatest The Good highlight of any video game review, ever.

@EpicSteve said:

@Getz said:

@thabigred said: .

That said, the release of this game after what has been said is baffling. By the NRA's own logic they are now contributing to the increase in violence.

That's quite the leap in logic. If anything, the NRA is contributing to the increase in firearms use at the shooting range, not violence. If you even believe THAT much to be true...

When you consider their stance on video games (that they promote violence and glorify gun violence specifically) this game is not baffling at all; it's an understandable PR move. Providing a "solution" to their stated "problem" by releasing a non-violent video game that still involves guns.

Like I said in the blog, they are against Violent videogames. Or at least their people up top. I'm sure if you asked Joe NRA guy on the street, he is probably cool with violent games. Nothing about simulating a firing range is violent. I'm sure you as a gamer were bothered by politicians and activist groups being ignorant and trying to ban videogames. It was a lack of understanding on their part. Don't make rash judgments on hobbies and groups I'm assuming you aren't a part of or have a lot of knowledge of.

I was agreeing with you dude :)

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

@The_Patriarch said:

@EpicSteve said:

@Video_Game_King said:

@EpicSteve said:

But myself and most other males I know were taught how to operate weapons at a younger age when our fathers were confident in our maturity.

Your dad considered you mature enough to handle a gun when you were three!?

Don't know where you're getting that info.

You talked about the game being for children age 4 and up, then said you were taught at a 'younger age' immediately afterwards ;)

I still maintain that you Americans are all fucking crazy for putting up with having guns everywhere.

@Stonyman65 said:

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

It's clearly reactions to Obama's election and the current issues in society. But the prices of magazines and weapons are enormous. I was about to buy a rifle but Obama's clear victory in the election have spiked prices, then the massacre happened spiking prices even higher. Some items I was window shopping for have increased in price by nearly 1/3. Certain items are virtually impossible to find now. I can't even buy common 9mm ammo to go to the range without going to overpriced routes. Gun ownership is something everyone I know personally has thought of. Typically the only reason people I know don't own a firearm or the license to conceal is the cost. But the reality of a possible ban or harsher laws have stuff flying off shelves. Not to mention recent stories of people defending themselves from home invaders and such.

@Stonyman65 said:

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

I looked up some Nate Fuckin' Silver, dropping science as he does. Gun ownership has decreased since 1973, though it certainly hasn't halved.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/in-gun-ownership-statistics-partisan-divide-is-sharp/

It has halved among independents and Democrats, but has barely budged for Republicans. There was little statistical difference between liberals and conservatives on gun ownership in the 70's, but now it's become a party identifier.

@EpicSteve said:

@Stonyman65 said:

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

It's clearly reactions to Obama's election and the current issues in society. But the prices of magazines and weapons are enormous. I was about to buy a rifle but Obama's clear victory in the election have spiked prices, then the massacre happened spiking prices even higher. Some items I was window shopping for have increased in price by nearly 1/3. Certain items are virtually impossible to find now. I can't even buy common 9mm ammo to go to the range without going to overpriced routes. Gun ownership is something everyone I know personally has thought of. Typically the only reason people I know don't own a firearm or the license to conceal is the cost. But the reality of a possible ban or harsher laws have stuff flying off shelves. Not to mention recent stories of people defending themselves from home invaders and such.

Speaking of which, I'm surprised there aren't more online conspiracy theories that the NRA actually helped get President Obama elected and conspired to cause the recent shootings so that guns would fly off the shelves. And since they knew substantial gun legislation was probably not going to materialize, they could continue to reinforce the idea that people are just a day away from the government taking everything away from them, maintaining a gun-buying environment where there is always a fear of running out.

Come on, Internet! You're letting me down by not spinning more ridiculous conspiracies than "President Obama made up the Sandy Hook tragedy so he can talk all our guns." Let's get some more economic-based conspiracies!

@EpicSteve said:

@Stonyman65 said:

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

It's clearly reactions to Obama's election and the current issues in society. But the prices of magazines and weapons are enormous. I was about to buy a rifle but Obama's clear victory in the election have spiked prices, then the massacre happened spiking prices even higher. Some items I was window shopping for have increased in price by nearly 1/3. Certain items are virtually impossible to find now. I can't even buy common 9mm ammo to go to the range without going to overpriced routes. Gun ownership is something everyone I know personally has thought of. Typically the only reason people I know don't own a firearm or the license to conceal is the cost. But the reality of a possible ban or harsher laws have stuff flying off shelves. Not to mention recent stories of people defending themselves from home invaders and such.

Yup. My local shop literally sold out of everything the day after Obama was re-elected. The final bill of sale for the day was something like $97,300. They sold more guns, ammo, and accessories in a single day than they did for the entire 25 years they've been is business. Crazy shit.

I have the most unpopular opinions, but it seems like everyone calling it a 'game' is done for the sole purpose of portraying the NRA as hypocrites. (Patrick did call it an app).

I wonder what Lt. Col Grossman would say about the NRA app. In his book, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society he talk about ow in the military we shoot at human shaped targets so we overcome our instinctive aversion to killing. "Grossman argues that the breakdown of American society, combined with the pervasive violence in the media and interactive video games, is conditioning our children to kill in a manner similar to the army's conditioning of soldiers: 'We are reaching that stage of desensitization at which the infliction of pain and suffering has become a source of entertainment: vicarious pleasure rather than revulsion. We are learning to kill, and we are learning to like it.'"

Here's a link to the book http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Psychological-Cost-Learning-Society/dp/0316040932

In my personal studies I have come come to the conclusion that video games are likely negativity effecting our empathy. The Sage Journal article 'Changes in Dispositional Empathy in American College Students Over Time: A Meta-Analysis" indicated that our (American) empathy has dropped significantly over the last 30 years.

http://www.ipearlab.org/media/publications/Changes_in_Dispositional_Empathy_-_Sara_Konrath.pdf

I don't know if shooting at targets in the NRA app is going to effect our empathy, but I would assume that it's effects are far less than something like CoD: BO 2 where you shoot simulated human beings.

@GalacticPunt said:

@Stonyman65 said:

@thabigred said:

Every 10 years since the 70's gun ownership has halved in the US. It's a losing fight for the NRA, and with any interest group showing compromise in any facet of your platform is a sign of weakness. The least successful interest group are the ones who seem most willing to work together with others. This is why the NRA went after video games, to not give any ground on their already shrinking platform.

Where did you come up with that? There are more guns in America today, and the NRA is stronger today than it ever has been in the past. Guns are being sold at record highs.

I looked up some Nate Fuckin' Silver, dropping science as he does. Gun ownership has decreased since 1973, though it certainly hasn't halved.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/in-gun-ownership-statistics-partisan-divide-is-sharp/

It has halved among independents and Democrats, but has barely budged for Republicans. There was little statistical difference between liberals and conservatives on gun ownership in the 70's, but now it's become a party identifier.

Well you need to clarify that. I agree that it has halved with democrats, but otherwise the overall the numbers have gone way up in recent years.

Also, polls don't mean shit. Look at government statistics. Not polls or biased sources.

@l4wd0g said:

I have the most unpopular opinions, but it seems like everyone calling it a 'game' is done for the sole purpose of portraying the NRA as hypocrites.

I wonder what Lt. Col Grossman would say about the NRA app. In his book On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society he talk about ow in the military we shoot at human shaped targets so we overcome our instinctive aversion to killing. "Grossman argues that the breakdown of American society, combined with the pervasive violence in the media and interactive video games, is conditioning our children to kill in a manner similar to the army's conditioning of soldiers: 'We are reaching that stage of desensitization at which the infliction of pain and suffering has become a source of entertainment: vicarious pleasure rather than revulsion. We are learning to kill, and we are learning to like it.'"

Here's a link to the book http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Psychological-Cost-Learning-Society/dp/0316040932

In my personal studies I have come come to the conclusion that video games are likely negativity effecting our empathy. The Sage Journal article 'Changes in Dispositional Empathy in American College Students Over Time: A Meta-Analysis" indicated that our (American) empathy has dropped significantly over the last 30 years.

http://www.ipearlab.org/media/publications/Changes_in_Dispositional_Empathy_-_Sara_Konrath.pdf

I don't know if shooting at targets in the NRA app is going to effect our empathy, but I would assume that it's effects are far less than something like CoD: BO 2 where you shoot simulated human beings.

I've seen a few quotes from Grossman. I remember something along the lines of a high percentage of WWII soldiers that hesitated to fire their weapons. That was also apparently a time when soldiers didn't train with human-shaped targets. I don't know if I buy that. But a lot of soldiers are between 17 and 20, so they're young and scared. And we grew up with Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. We all have a reference point to what combat might look like. War isn't completely foreign to anyone. The most WWII soldier had were propaganda videos and maybe some photos from WWI. However, it's probably worth looking into how much violence we consume daily and the fact we do train shooting at human shaped targets and actual vehicles with a possible lack of empathy our generation has. Is it a lot easier for me to shoot a person with me firing thousands of rounds at human shaped targets for years instead of just circle targets? I don't think so, but psychologists will probably disagree with me.

Guns are pretty awesome you guys.

@coakroach said:

I still maintain that you Americans are all fucking crazy for putting up with having guns everywhere.

You're right. It's getting pretty annoying when I try to walk outside and I'm just tripping over assault rifles left and right, and I'm sick of getting pistols in the mail, I never should have made that subscription.

@Hunter5024 said:

@coakroach said:

I still maintain that you Americans are all fucking crazy for putting up with having guns everywhere.

You're right. It's getting pretty annoying when I try to walk outside and I'm just tripping over assault rifles left and right, and I'm sick of getting pistols in the mail, I never should have made that subscription.

I rake ammo in my yard like leafs. This shit is getting old!

Great post Steve. People just want a scapegoat because they can't just accept there are crazies in the world. The bulk of gun owners are responsible. Most crimes are committed with illegally obtained weapons. I was pretty peeved that Giantbomb and Kotaku seemingly put out incorrect info about this games. Thanks for clearing it up.

My only real problem with the game is its reason for existing; to promote gun culture and subsequently promote gun sales (effective or not). It's in their right to do so for certain, but it's really the last thing the US needs more of.

@Spoonman671 said:

Yeah, that's about right.

And don't rest the muzzle on your foot you fucking trap-shooting moron.

BUH WHY, ITZ STABLE THER.

Man, I don't even know what to fucking think anymore. Both sides have compelling points in their arguments, honestly. It's just that we've opened this fucking pandora's box with guns in this country, and they're just out there now, in the hands of shitty, evil people, and no one seems to know exactly what there is to be done about it--I sure as shit don't.

@EpicSteve: nice and fair post.

I'm no fan of the NRA, but people should approach things with an open mind and make their own opinions.

sounds like people need to chill out and actually judge the app for themselves before condemning it.

@Hunter5024 said:

@coakroach said:

I still maintain that you Americans are all fucking crazy for putting up with having guns everywhere.

You're right. It's getting pretty annoying when I try to walk outside and I'm just tripping over assault rifles left and right, and I'm sick of getting pistols in the mail, I never should have made that subscription.

How about those cereal boxes? I can't open a box of Frosted Flakes without finding a high-capacity clip.

I don't have a father, I guess this game that teaches me how to shoot guns will do.

@Slag said:

@EpicSteve: nice and fair post.

I'm no fan of the NRA, but people should approach things with an open mind and make their own opinions.

sounds like people need to chill out and actually judge the app for themselves before condemning it.

I just find the NRA's stance that games/movies/everything that isn't an actual gun is responsible for gun violence when they have put their name on games in the past.

And so on.

@coakroach said:

I still maintain that you Americans are all fucking crazy for putting up with having guns everywhere.

Well, we will need them to overthrow our government one day. It's only the American thing to do.

@Hailinel:

I find the NRA detestable myself for the reasons you mention as well as others.

just sayin' OP has a point, especially if what he says is an accurate representation of what is really in the app.

If he's right than he media's portrayal of their app is inaccurate and a fairly severe over-reaction that doesn't seem to be based on what the app actually is.

fair is fair, blindly hating on a app just because it's made by the NRA is as dumb as just believing everything NRA says.

People should evaluate things with an open mind, do their own research (and not just accept someone else's opinion as gospel) before demonizing something. That's doubly true if you do have a legitimate beef with an organization like the NRA. If you are inaccurate in your criticisms of them you badly undermine your argument.