Topics

121

Bully 1 Discussion / No-show for Bully at E3

« on: May 15, 2006, 11:51:42 AM »

It was a fantastic show, but we didn't get a glimpse of Bully.

The hopes kinda fading now, i dont know whats going to happen. The only thing i can think of is that Bully would have been overlooked as it is not a next-gen game and this years E3 was about incredible graphics and innovative controllers! So maybe R* held it back for now.

The thing is, this game will be out before November because thats when the PS3 is released and as far as we know Bully is a current-gen game and releasing a big game on the PS2 after the new console is released is surely pointless? But still, Bully has been announced on the Xbox when the 360 has been out for 6 months now. I don't own a 360 but if i did i wouldn't want to go back to my Xbox as the 360 doesn't play Xbox games (so i am told?)

Who knows, with no official release-date maybe things have changed and R* could be planning a release on the next-gen consoles instead.

But that would mean Bully wont be out this year.

122

Suggestions & Feedback / Signing up to the forum

« on: May 11, 2006, 12:56:46 PM »

I have now made it so you have to provide a valid email address and a verification email will be sent out so people can no longer post as a guest.

Also, over the next few weeks i'm thinking about merging bullworth-academy.com and bully-board.com aswell as changing the forum to Vbulletin.

Just got to get some $$$ together.

thanks to everyone who is posting and keeping the messageboards alive.  :wink:

123

Anti-Bully / 'Bully' game offers lessons for real life

« on: April 14, 2006, 12:49:18 PM »

Just come across this:

'Bully' game offers lessons for real life
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
First, the bad news:

Critics of "Bully," a soon-to-be-released video game, say it glorifies schoolyard bullying, a strong contributor to youth violence, including homicide and suicide.

Now, the good news:

The brewing controversy over this game might be enough to draw parents' attention to the overall issue.

Author Barbara Coloroso in her book, "The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander," describes bullying as "arrogance in action." And many of our children experience it as a participant, a victim or a bystander.

"We've been overlooking the fact that bystanders experience fear, discomfort, guilt and helplessness that poison the learning atmosphere even more extensively," reads a 2003 report by the Washington, D.C.-based National Crime Prevention Council.

Our middle schools, especially, tend to be toxic breeding grounds for what's termed as relational aggression. It includes malicious teasing, or stealing someone's stuff. But it can also be spreading rumors or giving someone the silent treatment.

Now, the marketplace will have a video game soon that seems to encourage children who have been bullied to become vindictive. The game was supposed to be released last year but was delayed until next month. However, it's being presold online for about $50.

News of the game prompted worldwide protests in the eastern United States, Australia and Britain. Earlier this month, the Miami-Dade School District, led by attorney Jack Thompson -- a self-proclaimed anti-violent video game advocate -- publicly denounced "Bully."

"We have to protect our kids from unhealthy messages," says Kathy Masarie, founder of the Beaverton-based Full Esteem Ahead, an anti-bullying nonprofit for adults rearing, working with or caring for our children.

The "Bully" video game was created by Rockstar Games, the same company that produced the Grand Theft Auto series, where story lines include sex, drugs and murder.

Rockstar officials, though, deny that Bully encourages violence. In fact, it's being promoted as "brutally funny." The official screen shots show a bully violently kicking other students and forcing a student's head into a toilet. Players can also earn points for terrorizing students and teachers with psychological abuse.

"If enough of us get together and complain, this can have an impact," Masarie says. "So be outraged, because this is outrageous."

Parents should certainly be aware of the games our children are playing. But we also need to intervene before a child is having sudden stomachaches just before school starts.

I, too, have been guilty of telling my children to pretend bullying doesn't bother them. That's the wrong answer, Masarie says. "What kid," she asks, "has good enough acting skills to put that show on?"

I've also advised my children to tell the alleged bully that name-calling hurts their feelings. That can be the wrong message, too, Masarie says.

"If it's truly bullying, it will not stop without parent intervention," she says. "When there's unequal power and true bullying, that doesn't work. They just get bullied more."

So, it's important that adults be more intentional in our approach. Think about it: Isn't grown-up bullying really at the heart of domestic violence, road rage or hate crimes?

There are numerous ways to learn more about bullying. Local author Trudy Ludwig has two children's books -- titled "My Secret Bully" and "Just Kidding" -- that offer a child's voice to this discussion. (See http://www.mysecretbully.com)

Full Esteem Ahead offers parenting seminars, workshops and publications. (http://www.fullesteemahead.org)

Our children need us to be educated and involved. Bullying may be a game, but for those who are victims, it's never any fun.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/renee_mitchell/index.ssf?/base/news/1143633212105150.xml&coll=7


 :roll:

124

Bully 1 Discussion / Received Email From Rockstar Vancouver!

« on: April 06, 2006, 11:11:25 AM »

Hey guys, just recieved a reply to an email i sent to . I put it up in the Rockstar Statements section but here goes:

Those nice guys at Rockstar have just replied to an email I sent a few days ago (03.04.06) regarding Bully and what is actually happening over there. Here goes:

From: Scott Mcnulty [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 4:57 PM To: Dave Toews; Administrator; [email protected]; info Subject: Bully information

Hello, I am a general member of the public. I, along with thousands of Rockstar fans are eagerly anticipating the release of your title Bully. I email you as i am the webmaster at http://www.bullworth-academy.com and over there we have nothing, the news have dried up and we are starting to feel like Bully is going to leave us before it has been recieved. The community is dying and we have nothing to confirm that the game is not just a figment of our imagination. Can you officially give us some information, a confirmation or something to hang on to the hope that this year we will be exploring the grounds of Bullworth Academy. Goodluck with your projects. Yours, Scott Mcnulty

They managed to give me a speedy and reassuringly pleasing responce:

Hi Scott, Thanks for the email.  We're glad to see that you are excited about Bully. While we don't have any new information about the game at this time, I can assure you that the game is not a figment of your imagination.  As soon as we have any new information about Bully, I'll make sure to provide it to you and your fansite community.  In the meantime, please send me your contact information and t-shirt size, so that I can provide you with a token of our appreciation for your site and your interest in the game. Thanks for the support, Webmaster@R*


They didn't give much away but it at least settles our nerves about the game actually being released and not being shelved  

http://bullworth-academy.atspace.com/rockstarstatement.htm

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125

Suggestions & Feedback / Promoting the site

« on: April 05, 2006, 10:22:51 AM »

Since the website hasn't appeared on the search engines yet i have been promoting it around game sites and any forums that i am a member of, urging people to join up.

My request is if you are a member of a forum where you could promote these message boards please could you. The more people we get posting here the more interesting it will become, its just a problem at the moment with no recent news or announcements from Rockstar, but hopefully the website will be into all the search engines for when they do.

 I am considering buying a seperate domain name for the message board but not sure yet.


Thanks all!  :wink:

126

Bully 1 Discussion / News is drying up....

« on: April 03, 2006, 07:39:30 PM »

With Rockstar being so tight-lipped it makes us wonder just what is happening with Bully.

People have waited eagerly for information since Bully was announced way back in May '05. Rockstar has teased us with the short demo at E3, hinting that it would be released late '05 then that didn't happen, since then there has been nothing apart from pieces in the press defending Bully against angry protesters.

Some rumours circulating seem to suggest that Rockstar have so much on their plate at the moment that they can't afford the company name to be dragged through more controversy. Who knows, if Rockstar hadn't included the 'Hot Coffee' scenes in GTA:SA we could be exploring Bullworth-Academy right now.
I found a small snippet from a guy called Michael Wallace from UBS Investment Research-
"We are not optimistic about the prospects for Table Tennis (though we are reminded of our skepticism about THQ's Destroy All Humans), and we expect Bully to be a mediocre title at best,"posted Mar 8, 2006

Ok, so Bully is going to be a mediocre title. Hmmm... Mediocre- moderate to inferior in quality A game that has been hyped up for the best part of two years, a game so individual, so controversial its drawn protesters from each side of the Atlantic, a game created by those of such titles as Grand Theft Auto, set in the most taboo setting you could get away with, mediocre... Bully can be a pile of piss and it will still hit number one in the game charts across the world.

So just what has Rockstar got to hide, what are they keeping from us, have they totally re-written Bully, will they change the title to keep the protesters from thier front door, have they completely ditched the project because of concerns of a public back-lash or are they putting the finnishing touches on it as we speak?

You tell me, it would be interesting to know your opinions.

127

Suggestions & Feedback / www.bullworth-academy.com

« on: March 31, 2006, 07:45:58 AM »

Hi, the main website is still in developement as you may have noticed, its very basic and a little vague at the moment. I'm hoping to nurture it over the next few weeks as well as submit it to all (many) serch engines and get bullworth-academy.com off the ground.

Any advice or information would be much appreciated.

128

Introduce Yourself / Hello

« on: March 31, 2006, 07:29:12 AM »

My name is Scott, i'm the forum admin and creator of http://www.bullworth-academy.com

I hail from a small place called Manchester, England.

129

Anti-Bully / Against Bully?

« on: March 31, 2006, 07:23:52 AM »

I created this forum as a place for people to discuss their feelings on the morality and motives of Bully.
The game is controversial, there's no doubt about that due to the title and the setting, but as of yet there is little information about the motives of Jimmy Hopkins (main charector).
Rockstar games such as Manhunt, Grand Theft Auto and Warriors are heavily focused on violence, which, especially in Manhunt, can seem vulger and unnecessary for people under a certain age to be associated with, but thats just it, these type of games are not aimed at young people.
People unfamiliar with todays video games do not understand that certain games, like certain movies, are created by and for adults.

We are told by Rockstar that the violence in Bully is going to mischievous and comic based. Jimmy wont be going round beating the nearest nerd to a pulp and using stealth mode to emerge from the shadows ready to suffocate the life from some cheerleader with a plastic bag.
It is based on a school, Rockstar Vancouver are trying to emulate school life, and i'm pretty sure its all going to be in good taste, well i'm sure there will be no hidden 'Hot Chocolate' scenes anyway.

I didn't see no uproar for Skool Daze on the old Amiga, people are so petty these days.  :roll:

130

Bully Archives / Welcome

« on: March 29, 2006, 10:27:55 AM »

As you may be able to tell, the Bullworth-Academy website and this forum is currently under construction so if you are browsing through the site and forums, be prepaired for strange behaviour!

Other than that i hope you all enjoy your stay and please post all you want. Any questions about Bully and Bullworth-Academy feel free to post and ask and i'll do my best to answer.