Do you approve of games in a modern-day war setting

[Lord_Fornelius]

With games out there like Full Spectrum Warrior, and Call of Duty 4, it kind of fuels the argument over the Iraq War. So my question is, "do you approve of games taking place in a modern-day middle eastern war setting" ?

 

[LinksOcarina]

I honestly don't see why not. Did people approve of games set in Vietnam in the 80's? Do people approve of the WWII games? I mean they base the games off a real war, so why not use the most recent one? It may hit some families at home, true, but in ten-twenty years it won't matter, because the war will likely be finished (god willing) and we all move on.

It's like the movie united 93 coming out five years after the WTC attacks. People thought it was too soon, but in reality the movie was great, and in my mind, an important movie to have. These type of things help a healing process that may never heal, if you know what I mean. It shows you what happened in an uncompromising way that is honest to the event in question.

So for games like COD 4 or Full Spectrum Warrior, yeah they are ok.

 

[used44]

[urlhttp://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/12/07[/url]

Relevant to your discussion: Gabe from Penny Arcade recently posted a transcribed interview with his granfather who served in WWII. Questions were asked about videogames taking place in realistic warzones.

Q. What do you think about gamers playing video games based on World War II?

A. I haven’t really paid enough attention to the games themselves to be able to tell you truthfully, but I would think, if it’s just people shooting one another, I don’t think it’s a proper thing for young people to do. I think it sets a bad example for them, because they get into the mood of doing that, and that begins their lifestyle. And that’s not the lifestyle you want.


Q. When groups of gamers are playing these games together it is common for some of them to play as the enemy. They might play as Germans defending the beach at Normandy for example. What's your opinion of that?

A. Well, it ties back in to what I already said. I don’t think it’s an appropriate game. I think they can make games that will interest kids, that don’t have to include war. We don’t need to be killing each other in games. There’s other ways of strategizing and using the kind of skills that make those games popular.




Q. Is there anything you would like to say to gamers who are fans of these sorts of games?




A. If [the games] are what I think they are, I think [the gamers that play them] should stop and take a look at what you’re actually doing. Try to reason through and ask what’s the advantage of what you’re doing. What kind of an education is that giving you?




Q. Do you think they would have a different opinion if they’d been through an actual war?

A. Yes. Definitely.

 

[subcalvin]

I have to say that his grandfather has a good point, but you have to take into account the generation gap and what he has been trough. But most of us gamers have never been in a war so the aspect of shooting eachother in a virtual worl is just fun.

My father did not fight in the second world war, but he was born before it, so remembers most of it growing up in Holland, still he realy enjoys war movies,thats pretty much all he wants to watch, preferbly realistic and histricaly correct war movies. He dosent view the war as an entertainment medium wrong in that aspect.
But then again he dosent realy aprove of violent games, dosent matter if you shoot Nazis or aliens.
The lesson of the day, dont play games around old people, unless its Mario, they love Mario

 

[Boringman54]

I don't think it's a problem. It kind of shows how the people in Afghanistan and Iraq have to go through.

 

[GodsNDevils]

I don't know.

Games like Call of Duty 4 are a bit too soon, but thats me. I think in ten years it would of been ok though, the conflict in Iraq would likely end and we will be fighting a new war in Venezuela or something like that, then Call of Duty 10, Jungle War would be in this same topic with the same question.

It doesn't matter, but I personally would not want to play it. So I just don't know.

 

[MattAY]

in the end, its just a game.

 

[Lord_Fornelius]

I don't really support games taking place in the middle-east. Not because I think it's "too soon", it's because I get the feeling that the game developers support the War in Iraq.

 

[AcidTrip]

Is there some kind of sensitivity statute that says a movie or book or game can't be released about a subject within a certain time frame? Honestly...

I have no problem with Infinity Ward using a modern setting with a modern storyline. The war in Iraq/Afghanistan/Hopefully-never-Iran is something that is going on now... why should they refuse to take advantage of it, for whatever reason? That's kind of like putting a statute on a topic. You can't talk about something until a certain date, which by then, the topic would be irrelevant.

Honestly, in ten or fifteen years, COD 4 will have virtually no relevance, whether or not the Middle East strife is still on-going or not. I see no problem with capitalizing on a world event in order to put a message out or just for a setting that feels close to home. It makes it relevant to us in our current day environment.

With that said, I never plan on playing COD4. I just never got into the COD games, so I wouldn't necessarily mind if it dropped off the face of the Earth.

Just my two cents.

 

[sparky87]

You forgot the option "Don't give a shit"

 

[UrbanMasque]

realism.

 

[jc00l]

though i do like the fact there are no more bolt action rifles too shoot with, and i dont have to play the "oh this looks like a machine gun" game, where i pick a gun only to find out in the middle of a fight it doesnt repeat. but i dont like how all these game devolpers are suddenly poltically aware, (kinda like how a few years ago every band out there decided have an opinion) and these games just keep reminding me that in the next 30 or so years from now theres a distinct posibilty of WW3, i want to go back to shooting blue blooded aliens, and 60 yr old nazis where i dont have to think of the world my future kids might have to grow up in...
im a real pesimistic person

 

[tom-]

The present is meaningless. Here we are wasting time waxing on about the Middle East... What a waste of time!

All videogames should be about humans fighting robots. This is the only way we can properly prepare for the coming robopocalypse!

 

[UndeadAreGo]

For the past five years or so, I have been listening to fellow gamers touting the artistic merits of video games. As time goes on though, I realize that most people only believe in 'art' to the point that it gives them leniency on mature content. They are not prepared to deal with the true potential that art has to take a stand, create social commentary, and perhaps even inspire change. I commend Infinity Ward for creating a game that is not only relevant, but one that presents a story with actual depth beyond 'shoot the bad guy'. The way some people are talking, games should not be allowed to take a stand on social or political issues. Why not?

 

[mooy04]

i approve, because it helps shows what solders really have to go through every day