Hey LCPDFR Community,

I just thought I'd bring up a matter that I recently talked with a user about. Am I the only one that thinks that this mod can (potentially) be a breeding ground for "wannabes" and public safety impersonators? Don't get me wrong, I understand striving for realism, role-play and all of that. However, in some cases, I think it can be taken too far. Am I the only one that has concerns?

I just thought I'd ask. Thanks for listening.

What, you think that because of what this mod teaches people about policework they will then go and try it in real life?

Because it doesn't say all that much about policework than the general public would know anyway, and there are plenty of other more detailed (immersive?) police simulators out there. Yeah the mod might attract people who are interested in becoming police or are just interested in policing but so what, that's sort of expected. A car-racing game will attract a substantial amount of people who follow car-racing and are interested in cars.

Edited May 28, 201213 yr by Ekalb

Not at all. I agree with you. I just think it has a high potential to attract a certain group that I don't view very highly.

LCPDFR is just a simple mod that is actually far from a simulator if you look at the current market.

Thats like saying because people have played and taken FSX very seriously (which they do) that they'll go to their local airport and impersonate a pilot?

Simulators are made for people that are either training in that profession or who just enjoy the playing aspect. To call LCPDFR a simulator would be ridiculous therefore saying that it'll influence people to impersonate LEO's lacks logic. If anything, it'll make them want to apply to their local PD.

If something like that DID happen, it wouldn't be anyone from the more mature group of people that understand it's only a video game mod, not real life, you do get the odd person that call's other member's officer's, which i don't really get as we are LCPDFR Member's, that's my title on this forum, nothing more, nothing less, It's a game mod.

Nope, I don't think so. Could it potentially inspire one person who doesnt seperate reality and video games, maybe. But in my opinion the base game that the mod is on inspires a far worse lifestyle than being a police officer lol.

I highly doubt that LCPDFR would cause someone to pretend to be a real cop, if someone was to do so, I would suggest getting help from a psychiatrists rather than blaming LCPDFR.

Think about it, the game "true crime" involved playing as a police officer, no-one that I know of pretended to be a cop with the game being the sole cause. Just because I played Call of duty, doesn't mean that I want to join the army.

Heres an example, i don't know if anyone heard about an certain individual from florida i think, happened like 2 months ago, i wanna say, a guy from work told me a guy somewhere in the states was arrested for claiming to be the Jarl of Whiterun, needless to say, it could be possible, for those that don't know, the Jarl of whiterun is from Skyrim.

Edited May 28, 201213 yr by Ross305

Okay. Here's your logic applied to other examples:

If you play GTA, you're likely to become a civilian murdering criminal.

If you play Need For Speed, you're likely to start violating traffic regulations and speed limits.

If you play BF3, ArmA or CoD, you're likely to get a gun and run around shooting people.

Now, you're taking the view of politicians and older people who do not understand the concept of a video game. Videogames live off the fact, that they enable the player to do stuff that they wouldn't do in normal life. For example, someone can play being a soldier in BF3 on their weekends while working an office job during the week. It's something that allows you to live your hobbies for an amount of time. It's no different to reading a book, watching a movie or playing a tablegame. It is there, where the barrier of reality and videogames lay - If a person enjoys playing Grand Theft Auto IV, that by no means indicates, that he has a criminal mind. I can only take myself as example: I play violent videogames, however I would never see myself in real life killing or hurting someone, or even commiting a criminal act such a jacking a car or breaking into a house. I can see and feel that there is a difference between doing something in a videogame and doing something in reality.

It's really a common misconception to say, that videogames encourage violence or public misbehaviour. If a person is mentally unstable enough to be violent to such an extent that he goes to an island and shoots innocent teenagers or that he starts breaking the law, you can't blame that on a videogame. Such persons have a tendence to behave in that way even without any influcenes. And even if they did, react to such influences, you couldn't but the whole blame on videogames, I believe, that watching a overly violent movie or reading a book on it are able to encourage such behaviour in the same way as videogames, if not more.

I believe, that by having LCPDFR as free and available modification, you're enabling people to experience a tiny bit of policework (although it might not be too realistic) on their computer at home, which will open the door to a career in law enforcement for young people, giving them a small insight. Again I'm taking myself as example: I started playing this modification with no interest in law enforcement what-so-ever, but by now, I realized that it would be something that I would probably enjoy a lot and I'm seriously contemplating to give a period of my life to a career in law enforcement. This modification, if anything, promotes law enforcement and I think in the future, there will be a a handful of officers on the street, which found their way to it through this modification. (You can ask around on the forums, there are quite a few people who are police officers or will become in the future).

TL;DR - Nobody with a healthy mind would take a videogame as a reason to start violating the law.

I play this mod for the pretty lights.

Edited May 29, 201213 yr by Citizen844

People have been breaking the law since way before video games existed. Crime rates have not increased as video game usage increased (in fact, violent crime rates in the US have been going pretty much steadily down since the early 90s). If people who go commit crimes disproportionately play similar video games, it's more likely "they like *whatever*, so the game attracted them" than "the game made them like *whatever*".

Though the idea that someone is complaining that a GTA mod may make people impersonate police is kind of funny, since, if games influenced people like that, everything else about GTA would be way more of a concern. Say, the idea that it's fun to drive down a sidewalk shooting all the random people walking around.

I think what the OP is saying is that people that have an unhealthy obsession with policing (who may be inclined to impersonate police regardless) would be attracted to LCPD:FR as an outlet for their fantasies, but there's not much we can do about that. I guess it just happens with any community based around a particular interest. You get diehard fans and you get mentally imbalanced hyper-enthusiasts.

If people with unhealthy fantasies are attracted to LCPDFR, the mod has no influence. Who cares if police impersonators use the mod? To be more general: Who cares who uses the mod? What they do outside it doesn't have anything to do with the mod (unless it influences them, which seems unlikely).

I do agree with the post above but not all of them, with police in real life do they drive like there face is burning up (talking about police). The awnser is no!

With the state police FBI CSI, all other police branches do you think a fake cop can go off with the REAL police getting them no and using LCPDFR as a Simulator no, it is less then a simulator, it might be a game that looks like a simulation but its not, real police are trained and GTAIV is far from Real life it is more or less then it looks some are acting like professinals driving at the right speed stopping at red lights and etc but the idiots who are trying to be a cop and or is a fake cop and using his red & blue lights to get through the red lights don't you think they will be knowing that it is fake because he dosen't show up to the roll call room in the morning? and he might not have a entanna because all of the police officers rather or not undercover have a antenna, to ge tthe radio and computer signal. This might all soiund weird and you might not understand it or something like that i am trying to make the point like his name and his post here: Drakedgedge Nope, I don't think so. Could it potentially inspire one person who doesnt seperate reality and video games, maybe. But in my opinion the base game that the mod is on inspires a far worse lifestyle than being a police officer lol.

I am trying to make a point.

I think what the OP is saying is that people that have an unhealthy obsession with policing (who may be inclined to impersonate police regardless) would be attracted to LCPD:FR as an outlet for their fantasies

Bingo. You hit the nail on the head.

Bingo. You hit the nail on the head.

Isn't it better that they can impersonate police in a video game rather than in real life then?

Seriously??? lol it's simple if the person can't tell the difference between real life and a virtual world it means they're retarded and has to contact a specialist immediately. lol

Seriously??? lol it's simple if the person can't tell the difference between real life and a virtual world it means they're retarded and has to contact a specialist immediately. lol

It doesnt make them retarded for having mental issues at all. Infact I my self have issues which I seek help for. Video games keep me sane tbh.. along with medication xD