Former B.C. high school student under fire for helping design violent game with his school as backdrop

A video game that features a gunman stalking the halls of a suburban Vancouver high school has stirred up controversy but neither the police nor people associated with its creation think there's anything sinister about it.

The game, video of which was posted on YouTube, understandably set off alarms in the wake of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, and last December's murder two dozen children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.

In classic first-person-shooter style, it shows the player stalking the halls and rooms of Port Moody Secondary School, gunning down other apparently armed opponents to an ominous music soundtrack.

It's actually a "map" designed for the well-known game Counter-Strike, and not some twisted revenge fantasy, says game defender, Aarman Rahim, who says he's been wrongly identified as its developer.

GlobalBC News connected the game to Rahim, who it said once headed the school's chapter of Amnesty International.

Counter-Strike is a team combat game that allows users to customize gameplay by designing their own scenarios to share with others, CBC News reported. A former Port Moody student who wasn't named told CBC he helped create the school game map.

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In a statement posted on the site pmssmap.tk, Rahim castigated some news outlets for fingering him as the game developer.

"The developer has not been publicly named," he said, adding "You guys do realize you're reporting on a video game. One that's been out in various incarnations since 1999."

On his Facebook page, Rahim distanced himself from the project.

"For all of you who may have witnessed some recent events featured in the news, let me assure you that I did not develop the game," he wrote Thursday. "I merely supplied resources for this digital architecture project. There is a developer who created the map for the game itself, but that endeavor, I was not involved with."

An unnamed person identifying themselves as "The Developer" stated on pmssmp.tk insisted the game was harmless.

"Rest assured there is no malicious intent behind this production to any actual school property, nor any actual persons associated with the school," the statement says. "We also believe that we are not violating any laws. We have confirmation from local law enforcement that we have done nothing illegal."

Indeed, Port Moody police told CBC News they were notified about the video by school officials and interviewed those responsible.

"Although the creation of such a video game is likely ill-conceived in the current climate, it does not constitute an offence," police said in a statement released Friday.

"Investigators from the Port Moody Police Department have interviewed the developer of this game and have concluded that he does not pose a danger to the staff or students of Port Moody Secondary."

In an FAQ section on pmssmp.tk, the purported developer said Port Moody Secondary was a "great school," and was chosen for the local because its design and architecture was ideal for the game's tactics.

"Furthermore, this is a location we are quite familiar with already," the developer said. "Additionally, supporters and fellow alumni are also likely familiar with this location, which makes it an ideal common ground for this game and its intended audience."

The developer said work on the map was underway before the most recent incidents of gun violence, meaning presumably Sandy Hook.

"We also think that players of this map and games like this will be sufficiently mature to realize that the degrees of freedom alloted to you in the virtual realm do not extend to your rights in reality," the developer says.

"Additionally, people should realize this is simply a game, no physical harm comes from it. You are free to interpret these productions in any light you wish, but speculation is simply speculation."

Nevertheless, the scenario disturbed Port Moody phys-ed teacher Alex Devlin.

"We have amazing students, we have a wonderful caring staff," he told CBC News.

"The distinguishing thing about our school is the rainbow-coloured lockers (depicted in the video) … it makes you feel good. And to see that violence that same senseless violence in our hallway, our rainbow-coloured hallway, it was devastating."

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Comments on Rahim's Facebook page were largely supportive, and critical of media reports about him.

But Dino Bolognese, who identified himself as one of Rahim's former teachers, wrote "I am disturbed by the content in the game. I ask that you should reflect upon what has happened.

"I hope that you understand that by using our school, work place it has made me very sad, upset, perplexed as to why you would have had anything at all to do with this."

The developer suggested the Port Moody school scenario may end up not being released.