I said ten years. PolarBearWY do you think 9GB of data will mean anything in ten years? I dont think media will even remotely resemble what we think of it today. In twenty years weve gone from the 8-track, to cassette, to video cassette, to cd, then dvd (yes also laserdisc but cmon). The speed of technology is always increasing exponentially and in ten years it will mock what we see today as it always has. The next step will not be as huge as the last (cassette to cd), it will be so massive it will shrink our belief in what is real. We will be able to hold the library of congress on a peice of matter the size of our pinky and laugh about it. What im saying is that games will move on to something other than pixelated stuff on a screen. It will be full 3-D in the center of your living room composed of holographic images and smell technology not to mention sound that will be in your ears instead of speakers surrounding you. There wont be a need for xbox live because there will be a reciever inside of your eardrum and your voice will be recognised by a chip sitting on the back of one of your molars. What im saying is that ten years, though not a long time in our lives, is a vast expansion of time as far as technology is concerned. When I was in high school, nobody had a cell phone. That was roughly ten years ago. Do you have a cell phone? Did you see the XS poll of all the kiddies that have them? Did you ever picture yourself playing almost every single video game since 1978 on a box the size of your VCR? I didnt.
As far as the other subject, I believe people decide early in life who they are and who they want to be. I dont think video games shape anyone. If you have a clear grasp of reality and understand consequences of your actions, then you will make the right decision. Lobbyists? Well Im an adult and will watch and play what I want. They wont tell me what I can and cant play because there wont be a game that will exclude adults. Kids? There are some games that I dont think kids should play for very good reasons. So what? Thats what law is for. I wouldnt want my kid driving a virtual car down a virtual street and get into a virtual wreck, but Id find that fun as hell. Law will evolve with technology for the most part.
You said you personally hope it wont get that advanced? Well put on your seat belt because its going to get JUST that advanced. Pong was in 1979. Halo is in 2001. Do the math.
