Anders Breivik plotted killing spree during year of playing video games

Nikky_Bellic

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/norway-gunman-anders-behring-breivik-plotted-killing-spree-during-year-of-playing-video-games-at-mothers-house/

OSLO — Anders Behring Breivik told an Oslo court Thursday he meant “to kill everybody” in his Utoeya massacre, not just 69 people, and that he also wanted to behead a former prime minister, a plan he prepared for in part during a year spent playing video games such as “World of Warcraft” and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.”
“The goal was to kill everybody,” the 33-year-old right-wing extremist told the court, adding he had first planned to capture former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and behead her on camera, before posting the video online.
“I stand for Utoeya and what I did, and would still do it again,” he said, as survivors and victims’ family members cried quietly and shook their heads in disgust.

So certain media agencies use the actions of clearly a mad man to discredit/turn people against video games again.

Maybe its just me but I am getting sick of people blaming video games. I can play Battlefield 3 for the next 4 hours but I dont get a sudden urge to go out and kill people :rolleyes: ... and if I did, dont these people think that it, i dunno, perhaps might be because I am a nut job in the first place?

Xavi6

If he used the games to prepare then it's a fact and should be reported.

Nowhere does the text you quoted 'blame' video games, in facts it specifically uses the term 'in part' in relation to them so where's the issue?

jill_valentine

Xavi6 wrote: »

If he used the games to prepare then it's a fact and should be reported.

Nowhere does the text you quoted 'blame' video games, in facts it specifically uses the term 'in part' in relation to them so where's the issue?

I think there's a fairly clear kind of innuendo there in the line about WoW and Call of Duty, tbf. They don't say outright "It's all the fault of videogames!" but the implication they're laying out for the reader is pretty clear.

CiaranC

Xavi6 wrote: »

If he used the games to prepare then it's a fact and should be reported.

How does one use World of Warcraft to prepare for a killing spree? The premise is absurd.

mackg

Did he actually state that he prepared by playing those games? It's hard to tell with the way that the article is worded. As Jill Valentine stated there is a pretty clear implication there in my eyes.

Nikky_Bellic

Xavi6 wrote: »

If he used the games to prepare then it's a fact and should be reported.

Nowhere does the text you quoted 'blame' video games, in facts it specifically uses the term 'in part' in relation to them so where's the issue?

Well, a question
Do you play video games? more importantly have you ever played any Call of Duty games?

But a response:

1, how does playing a first person shooter game help you plot? Its a form of entertainment. No different from watching an action movie. By the same logic watching an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie could also help one plot. But how does it help one plot? If I decide to go out and steal a car tomorrow. But have previously played Grand Theft Auto. Then automatically there is a connection? (as I personally believe the media are trying to do)

and 2, the video game call of duty is about terrorism. You said what direct connection did I make about them blaming video games? Well apart from hundreds of news items over the years from the media blaming videos games ... i ask you this... what connection does his actions have to do with video games? They made the story. I'm just some random guy on some internet forum. Perhaps instead of asking me whats the connection (even tho I know an anti-video games article when I see one) how about you question the validation of the video games connection?

NIMAN

Grown man playing video games.

Yeah, he's a nutter for sure.

RichieC

Call of Duty is a bloody recruitment tool for the Army. Yet nobody blamed it when those soldiers sacked that town in Afghanistan last month.

Xavi6

mackg wrote: »

Did he actually state that he prepared by playing those games? It's hard to tell with the way that the article is worded. As Jill Valentine stated there is a pretty clear implication there in my eyes.

Yes, which is why it's fine to report it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/19/anders-breivik-call-of-duty

Anders Behring Breivik has described how he "trained" for the attacks he carried out in Norway last summer using the computer game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

The 33-year-old said he practised his shot using a "holographic aiming device" on the war simulation game, which he said is used by armies around the world for training.

"You develop target acquisition," he said. He used a similar device during the shooting attacks that left 69 dead at a political youth camp on the island of Utøya on 22 July.

Describing the game, he said: "It consists of many hundreds of different tasks and some of these tasks can be compared with an attack, for real. That's why it's used by many armies throughout the world. It's very good for acquiring experience related to sights systems."

He added: "If you are familiar with a holographic sight, it's built up in such a way that you could have given it to your grandmother and she would have been a super marksman. It's designed to be used by anyone. In reality it requires very little training to use it in an optimal way. But of course it does help if you've practised using a simulator."

CiaranC

Perhaps he intended using fire magic and taking his pet unicorn along on the spree too?

Manic Moran

RichieC wrote: »

Call of Duty is a bloody recruitment tool for the Army. Yet nobody blamed it when those soldiers sacked that town in Afghanistan last month.

You're thinking of America's Army, not CoD.

Soldiers? Plural?

jill_valentine

Devils advocate, but surely if he was looking for a "simulator" he would picked one of the actual battlefield simulator style games on the market?

Call of Duty is basically a souped up arcade shooter - it gives the player the illusion of being a super badass soldier type, but I really don't think the skills translate. I've done a lot of firearms training and I've played a lot of videogames, and I really don't think there's an awful lot of crossover.

Ask the folks in the Airsoft forum what they think of the CODwarriors who expect to have their "target acquisition" training on their side when they come on site - they're the subject of some derision.

I think I remember early reports specifically mentioned his fondness for the infamous "No Russian" level. Now, that's not going to train him to do anything useful - the whole level is basically on rails and you can do the whole lot without really firing on civilians - but he would have been able to scratch his homicidal itch in a way the game never intended. So while it wouldn't actually improve his ability to fire on unarmed civilian victims, he may have believed it did purely because he enjoyed it and replayed it so much.

MrStuffins

While there is clearly no connection between his playing video games and his motives for this, and even though video games had no influence on his decision to do what he did, it's quite obvious that these things are reported in order to stir up sh*t and reignite the "Video Games are baad m'kay" debate!

It's a sad reality that the media and, a lot of the time, individuals, will just look for something to stick blame to rather than actually confronting the real problems. Much like the story a couple of months back when that poor depressed lad took his own life by jumping into a river while drunk.

Of course drink was not the main reason this poor lad had commited suicide, but that didn't stop the media stirring sh*t and claiming that drink was the evil which pushed him to suicide!

Nikky_Bellic

Good post by Jill

In my opinion, games such as call of duty dont mean ANYTHING compared to real life.

In Call of Duty i've never seen how to:

- strip a gun down.
- never learned about range & bullet drop.
- tactics.
- target acquisition (there is a big difference in moving your left and right thumbs on directional sticks and physically moving a weapon, aiming, kickback etc)

MrStuffins

It's bullsh*t!

If I needed to improve my football game, I wouldn't use FIFA to practice!

If I needed to improve my fighting, I wouldn't use Mortal Kombat to practice.

If I needed to improve my Golf, I wouldn't use Tiger Woods '12 to practice.

Nikky_Bellic

MrStuffins wrote: »

It's bullsh*t!

If I needed to improve my football game, I wouldn't use FIFA to practice!

If I needed to improve my fighting, I wouldn't use Mortal Kombat to practice.

If I needed to improve my Golf, I wouldn't use Tiger Woods '12 to practice.

Being honest MrStuffins
I think you just nailed things on the head

jill_valentine

It uh... it probably doesn't lend any weight to our "side" that two of the people contesting the idea here have named themselves after game characters, lol

Nikky_Bellic

Shush...
they dont know that :pac:

Manic Moran

I'm not sure what's more laughable. That he thinks militaries use first person shooters as weapons simulators (they are used for tactical training, which is another point entirely and utterly irrelevant to a lone actor such as himself) or that he thinks that using an FPS will somehow make you more proficient in the use of holographic sights. He's right that grandma can use one, but the advanced techniques can only be trained with a real sight on a real weapon

mackg

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yes, which is why it's fine to report it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/19/anders-breivik-call-of-duty

Much better article there than the one in the OP. Thanks.

Having read that I think it comes across that he thinks CoD helped train him to do what he did although I very much doubt it. I think it says more about how delusional he is than anything else. I agree there is nothing wrong with reporting it but more than likely certain groups will use it to push the anti violent video game agenda.

Goldfingers

Let me begin by saying I've no military experience whatsoever but have used a rifle and played video games.To investigate any stimulus that allegedly compels someone to murder is determined by 100% psychological analysis.To use general diagnosis based on limited information is truly pointless.To say that the man is 'nuts' or 'insane' or whatever term is used,presupposes that the man was of sound mind previous to any stimulus,i.e. game being introduced into his life.Without a logical,thorough study of this mans mental state a legitimate reason could be inadvertently given to commit these murders rather than being forced to face the custodial consequences.Whatever allegedly 'triggered' him to commit murders is outside of the acts themselves.The crime must be understood to be punished in whatever way deemed appropriate.It could quite literally be anything which dismisses any blame apportioned to gaming.Was he mentally stable before playing a game? During a game? After a game? Who knows?!

wes

If COD is a military training tool, then there are a lot of dangerous 12 years old out there...... The fact that this idiot taught that COD could be used as a training tool is absurd. Plenty of people have played those games, and unless they had prior gun training, I doubt most of them would be any good at shooting.

SEPT 23 1989

He was probably listening to "Gangsta Rap" while he was playing the games:rolleyes:

MetalDog

I thought World of Warcraft prepared you for being a 40-something virgin who still lives with Mum. i.e. you might feel like going on a killing spree but you can no longer fit out the door of the basement.

MetalDog

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

He was probably listening to "Gangsta Rap" while he was playing the games:rolleyes:

He might have bin listenin to dat Marlon Mansin fella either. Bad influence ye know.

MetalDog

CiaranC wrote: »

Perhaps he intended using fire magic and taking his pet unicorn along on the spree too?

Ohh! I have been slain by an Orc!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/79/The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png/222px-The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png

Doctor DooM

They should do an article on me. "32 year old who plays video games holds down good IT job and has a girlfriend".

Oh wait, that wouldn't sell anything.

Screw WoW. If I ever go on a killing rampage, I'm going to blame Skyrim.

im invisible

I blame Lana del Rey...

Celticfire

Nikky_Bellic wrote: »

Good post by Jill



In Call of Duty i've never seen how to:


- never learned about range & bullet drop.
- tactics.

You need to start playing Battlefield. :pac:

Duggy747

Played Mario Bros. yesterday.

An hour later I was arrested when the Gardaì found me jumping on top of turtles in a pet store.

You think that's bad? I played Frogger and the cops arrested me an hour later leap-frogging across the motorway naked.

im invisible

I used to play pacman
:pac: o o o o

Pft. Last time I played Tetris .. well .. lets just say those people probably can't bend over anymore.

Faolchu

if he was so proficient from CoD the why did he need to shoot so many people, I mean with kill streaks etc after 25 he could have called in a tactical nuke, never mind the AC130 and chopper gunner kill streaks.

krudler

Manic Moran wrote: »

I'm not sure what's more laughable. That he thinks militaries use first person shooters as weapons simulators (they are used for tactical training, which is another point entirely and utterly irrelevant to a lone actor such as himself) or that he thinks that using an FPS will somehow make you more proficient in the use of holographic sights. He's right that grandma can use one, but the advanced techniques can only be trained with a real sight on a real weapon

wait, you mean I can't run around with a .50cal sniper rifle jumping off rooftops and spinning around before shooting people in the face without looking down the scope? you lied to me COD, you lied!

dr.bollocko

Faolchu wrote: »

if he was so proficient from CoD the why did he need to shoot so many people, I mean with kill streaks etc after 25 he could have called in a tactical nuke, never mind the AC130 and chopper gunner kill streaks.

Hahaha


In Call of duty the people you're shooting at tend towards shooting back at you. When you're killing kids on an island that doesn't tend to happen.

al28283

CiaranC wrote: »

How does one use World of Warcraft to prepare for a killing spree? The premise is absurd.

You just wait till Leroy Jenkins goes on a killing spree.

Faolchu

krudler wrote: »

wait, you mean I can't run around with a .50cal sniper rifle jumping off rooftops and spinning around before shooting people in the face without looking down the scope? you lied to me COD, you lied!

you can but you'd be a douche

Faolchu

al28283 wrote: »

You just wait till Leroy Jenkins goes on a killing spree.

Pokker heller Leroy

spankmaster2000

A recent raid on Rory McIlroy's Co. Down home revealed a copy of "Tiger Woods Pro Golf 2010". Authorities believe that McIlroy never actually had a golf lesson in his life, and that this "video game" is the real reason he is a PGA and European tour winner.



As an aside; the "Breivik plays computer games" thing is sensationalist nonsense as per usual.
You may as well say that he "went to school" and "has been known to occasionally drink fanta", since I can't think of too many males in that age group who haven't played computer games.

opinion guy

Here's what I think.

Breivik has clearly put some thought into how he would be parceived in the media after his attacks as evidenced by his stories about riht wing terrorism links etc etc. According to the cops this is all bull****. He claims himself he did this thing as a wake up call to others of similar views.

Whilst I can believe the sad f**k spent much time playing Wow and COD, I don't believe it is anything to do with his terrorism. I believe he is claiming he used these games as a training exercise as part of his attempt at media manipulation to get his 'message' out.

He simply knows the story "computer games made me do it" is a hot topic that the media love to report on and it will get him more publicity. Simple as.

spankmaster2000

opinion guy wrote: »

Whilst I can believe the sad f**k spent much time playing Wow and COD, I don't believe it is anything to do with his terrorism. I believe he is claiming he used these games as a training exercise as part of his attempt at media manipulation to get his 'message' out.

Not sure where this nonse about "training" with WoW (World of Warcraft) comes from either.

He himself has said that it was:

“pure entertainment. It doesn’t have anything to do with July 22.”

4zn76tysfajdxp

jill_valentine wrote: »

Ask the folks in the Airsoft forum what they think of the CODwarriors who expect to have their "target acquisition" training on their side when they come on site - they're the subject of some derision.

Airsoft fans deriding other people? That's rich. :pac:

mike65

Airsoft! LOL! etc.

Casillas

Yeesh, I was playing Napoleon Total War lately. Guess I'm going to march on Moscow then.

Logical Fallacy

http://ie.games.ign.com/articles/121/1218964p2.html

Article from IGN on what actual soldiers think about FPS games...an interesting read.

MagicSean

Casillas wrote: »

Yeesh, I was playing Napoleon Total War lately. Guess I'm going to march on Moscow then.

if you see a dragon along the way let me know. I need to slay one and absorb it's soul. It's my destiny.

Casillas

MagicSean wrote: »

if you see a dragon along the way let me know. I need to slay one and absorb it's soul. It's my destiny.

I would but I took an arrow in the knee

Anyone

If you read what he actually did, you will see that he said "used" WoW and CoD to isolate himself from society. Not the way that the media and people here have picked it up as.

Ha. Leeroy Jenkins on a killing spree. Amazing.