Tripwire in the news :P

[Mormegil]

I can respect EA's decision. It is a bit soon (judging that the US is still in the war). I can see how the families of recently fallen soldiers could be offended by this title.

So if EA wants to yield to market pressures (big surprise) and maybe offend less people, they are free to do so.

 

[fog-carsten_]

its a corrent conflict.

 

[OneDuck]

I have to wonder why it is not okay to portray reality when it is already all around us.

My guess would be revisionism. Some wish to write history themselves.

 

[reyalpOR]

Surely you would prefer such videos over those displaying various vehicles being hit by IEDs to the same theme? And those aren't exactly uncommon as it is.

I doubt the ones actually planting the IED's have Xbox's to occupy their time

I have to wonder why it is not okay to portray reality when it is already all around us.

I would've understood that sentiment, if Medal of Honor actually tried to do so. They really had to go out of their way to make the gameplay even for both sides, which is far from reality...

YouTube - All Medal Of Honor Killstreaks 32-3

(Taliban killstreaks)

3:18---what---the---heck

I'm still waiting for "Six Days in Fallujah"

 

[Moyako]

Maybe it is because I have friends that are serving, but I just find it disrespectful. People are still dying in Afghanistan, and to reduce their efforts to a video game just doesn't sit well with me. (not that changing the name from 'Taliban' makes much difference) When the war becomes historical record, go for it.

I'm also not super excited at the idea of the little punk muslim Osamawannabes getting to exorcise their demons by killing Americans as the Taliban.

As has been mentioned, this is, of course, a free speech issue and EA are free to do whatever they like - which includes responding to the reservations of service members and their families.

well, in games U.S.Americans, kill mexicans, chinese, germans, colombians, venezuelans, etc with st00pid stories... It would be nice a little change.

 

[dogbadger]

it's interesting that Project reality, which is to some extent played by and developed by ex servicemen, not only names but depicts taliban activities in startlingly detail.
Insurgency mode is pretty full on with it's weapons cashes, and rock-chucking collaboraters complete with IEDs + mobile phone triggers devices.
Of course their product is free and as a mod team, albeit a large one, they don't have the size and press of a company like EA, which affects what you see as your responsibilities.

I know ppl for whom RL modern warfare games leave a bad taste because they think of those who are forced to go through whats being depicted, while they are safely enjoying it as a game.
I understand that point of view.

BTW one thing i love about ostfront is that i don't feel that either side is inherently good, or at least certainly don't feel affiliated or favouring either of them.
they're both a product of bad regimes and displayed equally terrible brutality - yet are somewhat redeemed by the hell that they suffered.

I've always liked the idea of getting involved in a persian gulf war (iran-iraq) mod for these reasons; but I fear a fair number of ppl, rather than enjoying the orgionality and freedom that being unbiased gives you (and therefore embracing it on the human level) - would let their lack of familiarity and empathy with with either side put them off playing, unfortunately.

 

[Alexander Ostmann]

I'm still waiting for "Six Days in Fallujah"

Same, and so is my brother, a veteran of Iraq from 2007-2008.

It seems the majority of veterans and service members are the strongest supporters of these games. I say it does not matter what period in time the conflict is taking place in.

 

[heady89]

Maybe it is because I have friends that are serving, but I just find it disrespectful. People are still dying in Afghanistan, and to reduce their efforts to a video game just doesn't sit well with me. (not that changing the name from 'Taliban' makes much difference) When the war becomes historical record, go for it.

I'm also not super excited at the idea of the little punk muslim Osamawannabes getting to exorcise their demons by killing Americans as the Taliban.

As has been mentioned, this is, of course, a free speech issue and EA are free to do whatever they like - which includes responding to the reservations of service members and their families.

So the talibans don't have friends, moms , sons and families?
Talibans are equal to resistance fighters not Al qaida terrorists, besides i've always found it pathetic how media and some people justify playing as Americans etc in games, but not the other sides.. like alright.. "it's okay to kill people but only if you do it this way".

Even more hilarious are these exceptions of people who play online but refuse to play the Axis side , because "it would feel wrong to kill American soldiers", they say... one can only laugh about it and the weird morale some people have.

If you're gonna be against something, then at least by all means , do it all the way and not halfwit. Either you eat cookie or you don't aka accept that it's entertainment or don't, and if you don't then don't come back a day later and say you've played a war game and enjoyed it or watched a war movie and liked it.

You may argu a certain type of movie is made for authenticity , sure but don't deny its also made for entertainment.
Documentaries are one thing, a war movie is another thing.. and how about SaW movies and all this other psychotic crap?

I've always disliked how media portrays us gamers to none-gamers, they're getting there but its still horrible and it gives us a bad reputation. A game like MoH isn't even authentic, realistic or tries to portray real life combat in a decent way, they may claim it but we all know its a mainstream magnet shooter... funny how it even gets this type of attention, mp looks as harmless as a lollipop.

And games that have an 18+ rating got it for a reason.
Some people can distinguish reality from fiction/entertainment, some don't/can't but don't let it dictate the industry, that's why i like Rockstar whom made GTA, they pretty much told everyone to **** off and accept their product and if you didn't like it just don't buy it.. it's an 18+ game.

It's already proven that games does not have any real implication on a human brain, it's all about how you're raised, you're background and genetic dna. A very good podcast with an episode dedicated to video game violence, gives you all the right perspectives.

http://bashandslash.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1040&Itemid=69

 

[Colt .45 killer]

So the talibans don't have friends, moms , sons and families?
Talibans are equal to resistance fighters not Al qaida terrorists, besides i've always found it pathetic how media and some people justify playing as Americans etc in games, but not the other sides.. like alright.. "it's okay to kill people but only if you do it this way".

Even more hilarious are these exceptions of people who play online but refuse to play the Axis side , because "it would feel wrong to kill American soldiers", they say... one can only laugh about it and the weird morale some people have.

If you're gonna be against something, then at least by all means , do it all the way and not halfwit. Either you eat cookie or you don't aka accept that it's entertainment or don't, and if you don't then don't come back a day later and say you've played a war game and enjoyed it or watched a war movie and liked it.

I've always disliked how media portrays us gamers to none-gamers, they're getting there but its still horrible and it gives us a bad reputation. A game like MoH isn't even authentic, realistic or tries to portray real life combat in a decent way, they may claim it but we all know its a mainstream magnet shooter.

thats what happens when people oppose something based on their emotions and the instance of the problem instead of the theory of the problem...

 

[213]

this was a ridiculous copout. they just changed the name, everyone knows they're still the taliban.

 

[NoxNoctum]

it's interesting that Project reality, which is to some extent played by and developed by ex servicemen, not only names but depicts taliban activities in startlingly detail.
Insurgency mode is pretty full on with it's weapons cashes, and rock-chucking collaboraters complete with IEDs + mobile phone triggers devices.
Of course their product is free and as a mod team, albeit a large one, they don't have the size and press of a company like EA, which affects what you see as your responsibilities.

I know ppl for whom RL modern warfare games leave a bad taste because they think of those who are forced to go through whats being depicted, while they are safely enjoying it as a game.
I understand that point of view.

BTW one thing i love about ostfront is that i don't feel that either side is inherently good, or at least certainly don't feel affiliated or favouring either of them.
they're both a product of bad regimes and displayed equally terrible brutality - yet are somewhat redeemed by the hell that they suffered.

I've always liked the idea of getting involved in a persian gulf war (iran-iraq) mod for these reasons; but I fear a fair number of ppl, rather than enjoying the orgionality and freedom that being unbiased gives you (and therefore embracing it on the human level) - would let their lack of familiarity and empathy with with either side put them off playing, unfortunately.

Yeah they even have maps where you can play as Hamas vs. the IDF. Kudos to the PR team for not giving a :IS2: about what's "politically correct."

 

[Galslacht]

Maybe it is because I have friends that are serving, but I just find it disrespectful. People are still dying in Afghanistan, and to reduce their efforts to a video game just doesn't sit well with me. (not that changing the name from 'Taliban' makes much difference) When the war becomes historical record, go for it.

I'm also not super excited at the idea of the little punk muslim Osamawannabes getting to exorcise their demons by killing Americans as the Taliban.

As has been mentioned, this is, of course, a free speech issue and EA are free to do whatever they like - which includes responding to the reservations of service members and their families.

The whole press-thing states that the American side is solely 'good', and the Taleban 'bad'. There is no such thing in reality. The Americans are the 'bad' side for many people in the Middle-East (for good reasons) and the Taleban are 'bad' in the eyes of many Westerners (also for good reasons).

You bring up the fact that some friends of you are serving, but this can also be the case for relatives of Afghans and Pakistani that are suffering under the violence that NATO produces. Would it not be disrespectful for them too?

About Osama-wannabe's...it is just as bad as Blackwater and SEAL-wannabees because it falls under the rule of perspectiveness.
Osama is a hero in the Middle-East, not because he reigns terror blabla, but because he rised up against America that helped regimes come to power that are oppressing the people in the Middle-East for decades now. Killing innocents in the progress falls under the 'an eye for an eye' prinicple here which is still very alive in the Middle-East. Osama is being seen as the modern-day Saladin.

There was also no definitive 'good' or 'bad' in WW2. It only mattered which side you're on that defined the good and bad for you.

It's all a matter of perspective.

It's a smart move of EA to change the name of the opposing sides.

 

[Galslacht]

Same, and so is my brother, a veteran of Iraq from 2007-2008.

It seems the majority of veterans and service members are the strongest supporters of these games. I say it does not matter what period in time the conflict is taking place in.

The siege of Fallujah (a holy city for the Shi'jia) was a slaughterhouse in which many civilians died in the progress (You can look it all up in the archives of the BBC for example). It would be very immoral and unfit to make commerce out of it.

It would be the same if you would make a game of the Warsaw revolt (although that was bigger and less of a slaughterhouse for the besieged side) for the Middle-Eastern market. The same logic applies.

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

Without getting into the politics of it all, it is good to see that ROHOS was mentioned in the article if not just for the publicity.

 

[Knighted]

Destroying history, or forgetting about it, is the fastest way to repeat it.

This politically correct shielding of terms often spammed by the media as evil, isn't protecting anyone, it's hurting them.

 

[heady89]

Without getting into the politics of it all, it is good to see that ROHOS was mentioned in the article if not just for the publicity.

As long as Tripwire don't give in and replace the Axis with Teletubis and the gore with chocolate.

 

[reyalpOR]

The siege of Fallujah (a holy city for the Shi'jia) was a slaughterhouse in which many civilians died in the progress (You can look it all up in the archives of the BBC for example). It would be very immoral and unfit to make commerce out of it.

It would be the same if you would make a game of the Warsaw revolt (although that was bigger and less of a slaughterhouse for the besieged side) for the Middle-Eastern market. The same logic applies.

The Warsaw Uprising was worse than Fallujah.

 

[dogbadger]

Yeah they even have maps where you can play as Hamas vs. the IDF. Kudos to the PR team for not giving a :IS2: about what's "politically correct."

well this is it - along with the lack of responsibility that comes with producing a free mod , i think the direct involvement of actual/former serving personel puts them beyond reproach, seeing as its a mature, serious game.
It will be interesting to see if they feel the need to adjust thier content if they do go on to release a commercial product in the future.

 

[LemoN]

Well, TWI better change the German uniform to this design if we ever play Germans against US in HoS.

 

[gusone]

The siege of Fallujah (a holy city for the Shi'jia) was a slaughterhouse in which many civilians died in the progress (You can look it all up in the archives of the BBC for example). It would be very immoral and unfit to make commerce out of it.

You need to get your facts straight. Read No True Glory by Bing West. There was not an innocent civilian in Fallujah during the siege.