ModDB removes 'School Shooter' Half-Life 2 mod to quell building controversy

by Mike Schramm on Mar 24th 2011 2:00AM

A mod for Half-Life 2 called "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012" has been pulled from its hosting site, ModDB, after picking up some attention for its controversial nature. The mod allowed the player to explore a school-like environment in a first-person shooter context, with the option of attacking various unarmed NPCs. ModDB has posted a short statement about why it pulled the code, saying that although it feels "people should have the right to be creative and share what they want on a community / developer run site," the "confusion and hate" surrounding the project led to the removal.

As you can see from a video of the mod posted on YouTube, there's another reason people don't need to share it around, and that's because it's just not very well made. The "Boring" effects are pulled from Bulletstorm's "Duty Calls" parody, but they fit this one just fine, too.

Via: The Escapist
Source: ModDB

Tags: Half-Life-2, HL2, mod, moddb, pc, school-shooter-north-american-tour-2012, valve

Reader Comments (51)

God, people are idiots. Why even make something like this? To be creative? To be classless and irresponsible.

@Hoops

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing... You have to be pretty demented to even think about making something like this. To actually do it is just hard to imagine anyone would actually do...

@Hoops For the same reason people make 1400HP engines. Because they can.

Freedom doesn't make you free from doucheyness.

@Hoops

Remember folks, freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to yell fire in a movie theater.

I think a lot of people misunderstand the right of free speech in the U.S.

Sadly, most of them are in the U.S.

@Hoops

how fcuking r3tarded seriously, things like this set back gamers 10 years, thats why we get politicians on our as$es about censoring stupid sh!t in games, because of useless things like this.

@Wiizer

Actually it does give you the right to yell fire in a movie theatre.
Doesn't mean they can't kick you out.

@This Little Man Says His Name Is - Actually, no, you'd get arrested. It's illegal.

@Hoops

Before we start running around calling these people classless how many of us have run around liberty city or san andreas stabbing hookers and innocents with screw drivers?

@This Little Man Says His Name Is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenck_v._United_States

@Wiizer

Regardless of how tasteless this mod happens to be, are you really going to compare something inappropriate to 'shouting 'fire' in a crowded theater'?

Really?

@eat it

It's not the same thing.

In GTA, everything is done in a very comic nature.

Also, school shootings are a very real concern right now.

@Hoops
people ask that same thing about WMDs.

@JasonA

Grand theft auto 4 was actually very realistic.

shootings in the streets are more of a problem than school shootings

@Hoops

To be fair though, MW2 had a whole level like this.

@eat it

Agree with everything you've said.

@eat it

I was going to comment the same thing after watching the video, then I see this.

I thought this might be really funny in some kind of sick morbid way...

Turns out the game just sucks.

Good riddance!

Good. ModDB probably needed more space for mods that were actually worth a damn. This is just stupidity.

Sooo...what was the point of this mod now...?

@The Only Girl

Net fame via inappropriate shock tactics.

@ShadowXIII I would have been all over it if it just put huge knockers on everyone. Nobody gets hurt and the only people that get offended are the ones that have never suffered hardship in their lives and just want something to complain about.

@BigD145

Upvote for you and I think you may have described Gal Gun lol.

Yeah all we need is another army of Jack Thompson wannabes...

Making something for the sake of making something... Good riddance indeed.

Did anyone else go to the youtube video and read the comments? There are actually people who thought this piece of garbage was cool.

@Xero Theory

its the internet, where 12 y.o. find Colombine and 9/11 funny. The US used to have honor and respect, but the internet changed all that.

The thing is this mod is completely stupid and insignificant, why even give it the benefit of attention and controversy?

Don't empower media, completely disregard it.

You know, if a real developer made this kind of level, and it had artistic merit, I'd say that it was art and that it should be protected. For example, the "No Russian" level of MW2 featured the same type of slaughter, but it fit within the context of the overall storyline of the game.

Some random guy though, using joke sound effects and music that is kind of mocking? This is the kind of thing that needs to not be a story. I could see this being on Fox News tomorrow as yet another example of how those "gamers" are all perverted, violence hungry maniacs that will snap at the drop of a hat.

Who would make this, and why? The quote on one of the links where the creator of the mod says that it is "for anyone that is too big of a p*ssy to do it in real life" (to paraphrase) gives me the creeps.

@BananaBoat
... the fact that you would accept a better made version as art worries me. Would you do the same for a 9/11 flight simulator?

@Special Agent Steve - No, you're putting words into my mouth. I said that if a real developer incorporated a level into a game, that had real merit and that fit into the plot, I'd say it was art. How many Pearl Harbor or holocaust movies and games are there? How many movies where horrible atrocities are shown? There are just as many books, songs, graphic novels, manga, and pretty much any other medium, that portray the exact same thing. Is it suddenly taboo to have a video game version?

That's rhetorical; For most people, it seems to be absolutely taboo. A novel or movie carrying the same content would be deemed appropriate, but because games have the stigma of being for children, people tend to think that they can't possibly cover tough (and/or current) issues in the same way as other artistic mediums.

I find this particular mod to be appalling, and I kind of wonder what the creator is thinking (he seems to think the whole thing is a joke). He doesn't treat the subject with any sort of reverence, and there isn't some message being made, or anything like that. It's kind of like if Schindler's List had just been three plus hours of people being murdered at the camp.

@Special Agent Steve

what if it was really well done? a game that shows the events of 9/11 from boths sides might be interesting. Some of the best works of art are the ones that make you look inward and question the actions of your fellow man. CoD and Medal of honor make games directly influenced by our invasion in the middle east.

haven't we all gone on killing sprees and murder parades in a grand theft auto?

@BananaBoat

MW2 had a story?

@ipsum - Yes. Not the best story in the world, but the "No Russian" level gave the player incentive to actually want to take Makarov down. Most games might give you that through a cut scene, but MW2 dared to do it in actual gameplay.

as much as i dont agree with it, i think it should be allowed to be made.
This reminds me of Six Days in Fallujah, got cancelled because of all the backlash because it was set during a current war. But, if Six Days in Fallujah were a movie or book, it would most likely be released. The Hurt Locker won several academy awards, but Six Days in Fallujah gets canned before it can make it off the ground. Just shows that video games wont be takin as a serious outlet for emotional stories, until because stop looking at them as video "games" and as interactive entertainment. I know ill probably get downvoted for this, but this is my opinion.

@phatman516

agreed.

@phatman516 Yeah, it's kind of scary how wholeheartedly these comments are supporting censorship. It's also a bit hypocritical considering the kind of stuff we can do in mainstream video games these days. I always felt kind of weird watching my brother go on psychopathic rampages through Liberty City, but I wouldn't want to make it impossible for him or anybody else to do that. What if something I liked made someone else uncomfortable?

@phatman516

Oh in your face you got UP voted instead.

Pwned.

*pauses game*
I can't believe this garbage was made!!!! How insensitive!!

*resumes game*
runs over a crowd of innocent pedestrians. gets out of car starts shooting at police officers with automatic weapons. steals police car and runs over more pedestrians. gets out and shoots at a helicopter and military troops. ending it all by running over hooker in suicide run off the edge of a cliff.

*pauses game*
really? a school shooting game? these people make me sick.

Shame on Mod DB for bowing to public pressure. This is going to set a bad precedent.

I guess it would get boring incredibly fast, but the graphics and production quality look pretty impressive to me.

Absolutely revolting though that someone would make this.

This is the kind of disgusting garbage that I see time to time from "gamers" that makes me question whether I should even play games. Fortunately there are mature gamers out there who hold ideals, but ugh... This is just disgusting.

You stay classy, FPS game modders! I know most FPS mods are harmless fun, but this is stupid. It reminds me of that tasteless Super Columbine RPG. Given how school shootings seem to be increasing in frequency, that makes this even more shameful. There's nothing fun or cool about hurting defenseless people in a situation that could happen IRL.

@Red Runner
Did you play SCRPG? Are you aware that according to its own creator, the game is made to explore the presence of bullying in school, the effects the shooting had, and the role the media played after wards? The creator also used the controversy, not directly to sell more games, but rather use it as an example of how games are art. Just because you may not agree with the message, does not mean the message shouldn't exist.

Also, have you never played any game (GTA, Saint's Row, Modern Warfare) where you kill other people or commit crimes that you could (but hopefully don't) commit in real life?

Odds on Fox News dubbing this a "virtual school shooting trainer" the next time a real life school shooting happens?

I liked the music. Sounded like Banjo Kazooie or WarioLand

@VanNorden

It is Banjo-Kazooie.

This brings back memories of Super Columbine Massacre. The only thing I can really say has already been pointed out. A tasteless attempt at shock value.

Tons of bad mods get made for games all the time. This one got attention, though. I find that kinda dumb.

This mod is terrible. The only redeeming quality was the Banjo-Kazooie music. Love Banjo-Kazooie!

However, the last thing this kind of garbage needs is publicity. For shame Joystiq, for shame.

Over reacting. looks like more of a joke on how politics view video games, and even if it wasn't we as a community should ignore it to show that thats not what video games are meant to be, but its a joke so leave it alone.

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Half-Life 2

ModDB removes 'School Shooter' Half-Life 2 mod to quell building controversy

Reader Comments (51)

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:09AM Hoops said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:18AM bensmith91 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:19AM Credge said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:35AM Wiizer said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:29AM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:32AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:52AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:18AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:34AM bensmith91 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:49AM Da Largest said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:11AM JasonA said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:14AM golobulus said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:24AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:36AM Vcize said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 1:14PM superfrog96 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:36PM thyodyssey said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:14AM Ospov said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:19AM CBA25 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:44AM ChuckBartowskiX said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:49AM The Only Girl said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:21AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:30PM BigD145 said

Posted: Mar 25th 2011 10:23AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 3:38AM Mike DPad said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 4:34AM Xero Theory said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:33AM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 4:38AM wcarnation said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 5:46AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 7:31AM Special Agent Steve said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:31AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:33AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 7:57PM ipsum said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 11:17PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 7:57AM phatman516 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:37AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:30AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:37AM Vcize said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:23AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:13AM Aerothorn said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 9:14AM JasonA said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:24AM jhpiv4 said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:27AM Red Runner said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:58AM Infocynic said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 10:39AM Vcize said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 12:50PM VanNorden said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:00PM ipsum said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:33PM UrdnotWrex said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 2:57PM Seroth said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:03PM ipsum said

Posted: Mar 24th 2011 8:27PM GroundControl2MT said

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