richardhutnik

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richardhutnik on 17 March 2009

thekitchensink said:

Cybercrime Unit Says Animal Crossing Not for Adults

"There is no reason an adult should have this game," says Missouri cybercop.

By Steve Watts, 03/17/2009

"The heart of the game is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as other players," the report states. "To really reach the next level, the game urges you to exchange letters, gifts, and favors." Anderson says the task force doesn't have the resources to keep an eye on the problem, so is warning parents of the risk. It says not to be paranoid about the danger, but that awareness is key. The report states that three children in Missouri have been contacted, but doesn't specify if those contacts were made inside Animal Crossing.

This bolder part, in regards to the subject of the article, I find particularly troubling.

*Awaiting people to speculate on exactly what favors are given*

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Smeags on 17 March 2009

B-But I still need a Bullet Bill to complete my Super Mario Bros. collection! Curse you Cybercops! *shakes fist*

I won't let them stop me... soon the precious will be ours...

3DS Rec Thread ~ Wii U Rec Thread ~ Xbox One Rec Thread

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Mr.Y on 17 March 2009

Heh, that doesn't really jive with Nintendos ads..

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Millennium on 17 March 2009

I wonder how much Microsoft must have paid for that epic ZOMGKIDDY troll.

Complexity is not depth. Machismo is not maturity. Obsession is not dedication. Tedium is not challenge. Support gaming: support the Wii.

Be the ultimate ninja! Play Billy Vs. SNAKEMAN today! Poisson Village welcomes new players.

What do I hate about modern gaming? I hate tedium replacing challenge, complexity replacing depth, and domination replacing entertainment. I hate the outsourcing of mechanics to physics textbooks, art direction to photocopiers, and story to cheap Hollywood screenwriters. I hate the confusion of obsession with dedication, style with substance, new with gimmicky, old with obsolete, new with evolutionary, and old with time-tested.
There is much to hate about modern gaming. That is why I support the Wii.

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noname2200 on 17 March 2009

O-D-C said:
but I play Animal Crossing...

*dials 9-11*

By the by, here's the original (not-at-all researched) article.

http://www.kmiz.com/news/story.php?id=13725

If your kids play interactive video games, like the Nintendo Wii, be on the lookout. The Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force is warning of predators using games like, "Animal Crossing- City Folk," to target kids.

Using the game you create a character and create your own town and house. When hooked up to the internet you can talk to anyone across the country. Kids playing the game have no control over what other players might be saying. For example, the character we ran across could be the man in California police are warning about.

"There is no reason an adult should have this game," says Andy Anderson, Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force.

Anderson says adults playing "animal crossing" and similar games are likely doing it for the wrong reasons.

You probably have told your kids never to talk to strangers, but when playing, the heart of the game is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as other players. To really reach the next level, the game urges you to exchange letters, gifts, and favors.

Anderson says it is going to take parents paying attention to keep this problem from exploding.

"The equipment is real expensive and we cannot afford to buy all of the systems and do not have the resources either to examine all of the possibilities," Anderson explains.

Right now, we only know of the three Missouri children who have been contacted. Anderson says this is not something to be paranoid about, but to be aware.

This warning includes any web-based game that allows instant messaging or voice-over IP.