Atari is being asked to scrap Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (PS2) [Archive]

Everlost_MI

07-21-2005, 01:14 PM

Peter F. Vallone, who is a New York City Council Member, the Chair of the Public Safety Committee and the leader of the fight against graffiti has called on Atari (http://www.atari.com/) to scrap releasing Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. (http://www.atari.com/gettingup/) The game is being touted by Atari as "a groundbreaking graffiti game play system, designed to sharpen your skills as you tag with aerosol spray cans, rollers, markers, stickers and stencils." Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is scheduled to be released in September 2005 for the PS2 and Xbox.

Here's a bit from the article (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050721/dcth003.html) on Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com/)...

In this game players are encouraged to break the law by destroying property and hiding from the police. Vallone is threatening a boycott of Atari if they decide to release this irresponsible game..."I think Atari will soon learn that they are going to be a 'Company Under Pressure,'" threatened Vallone.
Thanks to VoodooExtreme (http://ve3d.ign.com/) for the tip.

Thoughts?

hideouslywrinkled

07-21-2005, 01:17 PM

From what I understand only sex is not allowed in video games...

Racknahm

07-21-2005, 01:19 PM

Jet Set Radio all over again?

The Continental

07-21-2005, 01:20 PM

I believe I've already sufficiently shat on a "hip", "urban" game marketed entirely at white males between the age of 12-15 once today. Wake me up when other equally awesome premises for games are created. Can't wait to play Moutain Dew Code Red xTreme: Contents Under Pressure!

H.Bogard

07-21-2005, 01:22 PM

Land of the free ...my ass!

51|RandoM

07-21-2005, 01:24 PM

Eh, political figures posturing for the media? Not like we've not seen this before.

he'll get his airtime, but it'll amount to nothing in the long run.

Vermillion

07-21-2005, 01:25 PM

Idiotic. Not with the game, but with the idea that playing a game about spray painting is going to somehow making you a better spray painter and that you'll learn some fancy new way to hide from law enforcement. Last time I checked, I can't shoot bows and arrows, kill a bear or swing a sword any better than before I played Guild Wars or be able to run 3 miles carrying a SAW and a pack of ammo and then jump in and fly a helicopter because of BF2.

Doomsday

07-21-2005, 01:25 PM

That's the scummiest press release I've seen so far. The whole thing is written as if it were an actual press article discussing a press release.

milkaxor

07-21-2005, 01:26 PM

Oh, politicians, what won't you boycott. Since we are on the boycotting topic let's boycott Stealth. I mean, the shocked-by-lightning, turned-evil, super-jet is threatening homeland security with it's nuclear payload. This is an outrage!!

Wyrm

07-21-2005, 01:29 PM

Hype hype hype.

XxSATANxX

07-21-2005, 01:32 PM

hey anybody remember Atomic Bomberman??

(sorry I have mental issues...)

Nesta

07-21-2005, 01:35 PM

Sooo...how much did Atari pay this guy, lol? A decidedly dumb game will now sell 20-30,000 more units because of this.

agentgray

07-21-2005, 01:42 PM

Hmm...politicians "elect me" topics over time...

1. Civil rights (valid)
2. Abortion
3. Alcohol/drugs
4. Guns
5. Stem cells
6. Iraq
7. and now video games

Isn't it funny haw back in the sixties civil rights was a hot topic and now all the other items on that list is a violation of civil rights in one way or another?

Phades

07-21-2005, 01:44 PM

Atari should just ignore the idiot. Go ahead and let him boycott. He's obviously not a game player anyway and all those who would likely join him probably aren't either. So, those who do not buy games refuse to buy Atari games......ok then.

EGO

07-21-2005, 01:47 PM

I wonder how many hits the Atari site is getting from this little attack.

PixelSamurai

07-21-2005, 01:48 PM

I'm a little confused.. What does Vallone mean by a boycott? Is he saying he won't buy it, and neither will his friends and family, or what? It's not like he's going to put sanctions on Atari like the U.N. did to Iraq so what gives? Who gives a fuck what this douche or his cronies boycott? That's like my Grandma boycotting snowboarding.

Vermillion

07-21-2005, 01:50 PM

What the hell did snowboarding ever do to your Grandma? I swear, old people now a days...

IagoTheHunted

07-21-2005, 01:53 PM

Well damn. I was GOING to live out my fantasy of being a graffiti artist with that video game but now I'll have to go and spraypaint Peter F. Vallone's house instead.

Pigeon

07-21-2005, 01:56 PM

Atari's next game: Peter F. Vallone's Extreme Legislation: Politicians Under Pressure!

PixelSamurai

07-21-2005, 01:57 PM

Wait, this is the same Atari that was bought by Infograms and allowed Shiny to make that utterly shitty Matrix game. I think I'll join this boycott for personal reasons.

ldi222

07-21-2005, 02:09 PM

www.artcrimes.org

Deadend

07-21-2005, 02:15 PM

Damn, I was hoping the game could teach me proper methods of creating revolutionary propaganda to overthrow a corrupt and oppressive government.

I kinda like seeing the grafitti in the cities, except for the gang tags, those look like retarded 5 year olds high on glue attacked the side of a building with their faces.

automaton

07-21-2005, 02:25 PM

This fucking guy probably heard all the hullabaloo over GTA, figured there must be some other controversial video game he can make some noise over to get himself some press, looked at a release list, found this game, and typed up a press release. A person can't honestly be upset about this game. If he knew ANYTHING about video games, he would be pissed about the Jet Set games.

This will only get worse in the future. I can't WAIT until the mainstream public get wind of the Rockstar game Bully.

Kefkataran

07-21-2005, 02:26 PM

Atari's next game: Peter F. Vallone's Extreme Legislation: Politicians Under Pressure!

I'd add it to my pull list.

I kinda like seeing the grafitti in the cities, except for the gang tags, those look like retarded 5 year olds high on glue attacked the side of a building with their faces.

Agreed on both counts. This was one of the most surprisingly cool things I noticed when I went to Vegas. Minus the crappy gang stuff, there was a lot of really nice-looking grafitti.

dr_qwandry

07-21-2005, 02:28 PM

speaking of GTA, i'm amzed that the mod for LSL: TMCL wasn't brought up.

oh wait, that's right, it's because it wasn't high profile.

which brings me to this game, it isn't high profile.
so what the hell?

either this guy figures that he can get his way because Clinton did, or he doesn't know shit about games...
my money's on the latter.

splatstick

07-21-2005, 02:46 PM

All I could think of when I read this was "Holy shit, they actually found something reasonably cool to do with the DS stylus." Then I realized it wasn't for DS.
...
But uh, yeah. I always side with politicians who tell companies what they can and can't make. Heil!

MasterEvilAce

07-21-2005, 02:56 PM

LMFAO splatstick.

and if i can't get graffiti out of my system by spraying in a game... fuck i'm going to have to do it in real life

Heretic Machine

07-21-2005, 02:57 PM

I think maybe I should start boycotting American goods...

XxSATANxX

07-21-2005, 03:02 PM

Is'nt anybody worried about Atomic Bomberman 2??????

splatstick

07-21-2005, 03:04 PM

Is'nt anybody worried about Atomic Bomberman 2??????

My God, what have we done?

Spigot

07-21-2005, 05:21 PM

Jet Set Radio all over again?

Amen. The only grafitti/skating game series for me is the Jet Set (Grind) Radio one.

I have to admit that this game had piqued my interest because it might have been something like JSR only North American. Ah well. I'll just fire up JSRF again.

Paltry

07-21-2005, 05:23 PM

My only question is who the fuck is Marc Ecko and why does he feel its necisary to put his name in the title

jeffool

07-21-2005, 06:01 PM

My only question is who the fuck is Marc Ecko and why does he feel its necisary to put his name in the title
I can understand that, knowing that not everyone is into hiphop culture. But have you ever seen this icon on clothes or anywhere else? It's his. http://rhml.lib.mo.us/jesse/IMAGES/ecko.gif His company's website is here (http://www.eckounltd.com/), and his blog about the game is here (http://www.eckounltd.com/marceckoblog/).

Also, maybe he feels it's necessary to put his name on the title because it's HIS game.

A great game is a great game, and I would love to be part of one. But if, God willing, I ever get to make 'my' game, bet your ass it's going to have my name on it. Do you think I want my game to be called "Great Video Game by Some Publisher" like so many developers are screwed into doing these days? No, I want to make "Jeffool's Great Video Game."

Anyone who can bring games closer to this is doing a good thing in my opinion. It's just a shame when people outside the industry see the benefit of getting credit for your work when people in the industry do not.

Paltry

07-21-2005, 07:10 PM

mister_slim

07-21-2005, 07:19 PM

How is this HIS game? It isnt even an original idea... and I doubt hes contributed any farther than with the idea.

How is it not original? Don't say Jet Set Radio/Future, because that will betray that you have no idea what you are talking about.

It is his idea and he appears rather involved. Read the blog. I don't know how original final game is, but it appears to be combining platforming, action, and graffiti. If it has a significant artistic element, I'd consider it original.

Himsa II

07-21-2005, 07:33 PM

what about the tagging in SA?

MORE FUEL FOR THE FIRE!!!! Now GTA SA can have the rating changed again from AO to RPMUCTRABSRPDWWTCDAWATOWHTPTFABT which stands for Retarded Politicians Made Us Change The Rating Again Because Some Retarded Parents Dont Watch What Their Children Do And We Are The Ones Who Have To Protect Them From All Bad Things. :D

I too like the graffiti in my state (Hawaii) and so does my mom. ^_^ The gang tangs are somewhat good here though. :/

jeffool

07-21-2005, 09:10 PM

How is this HIS game? It isnt even an original idea... and I doubt hes contributed any farther than with the idea.

please correct me, ill read the blog later but is this his game or is it his marketing ploy

Ive seen those ecko adds in gaming mags forever

are we just his demographic or was he using his shoes to break into the gaming industry

You're completely welcome to your skepticism. It's healthy. But yeah, his last blog entry from the 11th actually talks about the idea for the game. It started eight years ago as an idea for an animated film and it eventually was shelved, but in 2002 he brought the idea back as a game.

So yeah, apparently this isn't a game where he was licensed, this is a game he set out to make. And I applaud him for it.

He was even brought to DICE this year as a speaker. So apparently some people think that he has fresh ideas that the industry could use.
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/marceckosgettingupcontentsunderpressure/news_6117729.html

Paltry

07-21-2005, 09:13 PM

cool, hope its good

Ted Huge

07-21-2005, 09:32 PM

MORE FUEL FOR THE FIRE!!!! Now GTA SA can have the rating changed again from AO to RPMUCTRABSRPDWWTCDAWATOWHTPTFABT which stands for Retarded Politicians Made Us Change The Rating Again Because Some Retarded Parents Dont Watch What Their Children Do And We Are The Ones Who Have To Protect Them From All Bad Things. :D

It's got my vote! I think we might also want to add an NPO rating, for games that are fantastically cool: Non-Politicians Only. That way they can't fuck with art. Or maybe we could decoy them. Anyone ever watch the Simpson's episode when Bart steals a game (BoneStorm???)? There's a quick pan across the other titles on the shelf, one of which would be a perfect bone to throw the mad-dog politicians: Save Hitler's Brain.

Edwin

07-21-2005, 09:46 PM

Jet Set Radio all over again?

Difference is JSR didn't suck.

EL CABONG

07-22-2005, 04:08 AM

Duranki

07-22-2005, 09:23 AM

You're completely welcome to your skepticism. It's healthy. But yeah, his last blog entry from the 11th actually talks about the idea for the game. It started eight years ago as an idea for an animated film and it eventually was shelved, but in 2002 he brought the idea back as a game.

So yeah, apparently this isn't a game where he was licensed, this is a game he set out to make. And I applaud him for it.

He was even brought to DICE this year as a speaker. So apparently some people think that he has fresh ideas that the industry could use.
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/marceckosgettingupcontentsunderpressure/news_6117729.html

Yeah, I don't have the issue handy but Game Informer magazine had an interview with Mark Ecko a few months ago. I didn't know who the hell he was either, but he sounded pretty informed and not just some "Hey, I'm gonna slap my name on a game and make $$$$" guy.

Kefkataran

07-22-2005, 09:27 AM

Yeah, I don't have the issue handy but Game Informer magazine had an interview with Mark Ecko a few months ago. I didn't know who the hell he was either, but he sounded pretty informed and not just some "Hey, I'm gonna slap my name on a game and make $$$$" guy.

As much as I want to like the guy, I just can't. Every interview I've seen or read with him basically makes him sound like my friends discussing politics. Don't get me wrong, I love talking politics with my friends, it's just that most of them aren't as informed or well-reasoned as they like to pretend they are, and instead shout anarchy a lot. So... yeah.

Hijinx

07-22-2005, 10:01 AM

I play alot of games that I get to shoot people and outside of the game, I haven't shot anyone yet.

Marc Ecko is a different story, that man will no doubt lead to my incarceration for tagging the Capitol.