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Los Angeles To Impose Restrictions On Gaming Cybercafes
Thanks to the L.A. Daily News for its story discussing new safety-related restrictions for cybercafes in Los Angeles, including "restricted hours for children, video surveillance and interior waiting areas." Apparently: "Council members voted 11-0 to place rules on roughly 30 cybercafes in Los Angeles that draw a primarily teenage clientele to play video games on high-speed computers linked to the Internet", following "a melee outside the NetStreet Cafe in Northridge [that] left two people injured in December 2002 [and was linked to Counter-Strike in some stories]." Councilman Greg Smith commented: "Cybercafes are not inherently bad or troublesome, it's the attractive nuisance that they provide to children... It's just the nature of the beast that they draw people late at night and provide a place to go that may attract problems." Update: 07/08 23:56 GMT by S : A commenter points to a detailed analysis of the requirements from someone involved in the negotiations, who concludes: "This is actually a victory for the nascent and struggling [cybercafe] industry."
being a Center Manager, I dont really doubt them, however, some of the rules just seem outlandish. I mean, Counter-Strike is a game. People take it for real life. The people who annoy me the most are CS gamers, and I dont think it's just me.
Some gamers like to shout when playing, and that is enough to start a fight between gamers. I heard once from a friend that there was a kid who was very good at playing but yells everytime he frags other people. Then one day a gang was playing against him and was losing to him and was annoyed by him yelling "loser" or something. Then BAM! They shot him to dead.
Well, that's what I heard, it was stupid though. If only he could play quietly, his life wouldn't be such a waste. Wouldn't it be better for people to play quietly and anonymously? I mean, whose gonna know who fragged whom, that way, no fight would start.