Ethics , FPSs, Ghost Squadron & Georgia - life imitating art.

Lave II

So I've always found WWII shooters distasteful because they trivialise a huge aspect of recent history. That and the idea of playing a game where you are shooting people, whilst your gramps upstairs did it for real is fucked up.

Can the complexity of real war be represented by the black and white and basic story telling of most computer games. Does making a game where the Muslims/Russians are the bad guys help us all get along or drive more wedges between us all?

I say this because I just found out that Tom Clancy's Ghost recon released in 2001 has a plot that can be summed up thusly: "In August 2008 the player fights South Otessian insurgents (equipped by russia) - this angers Russia who decides to invade Georgia.

But case in point. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. Released in 2001 what's the plot?

In April 2008 Russia starts supporting the rebel factions in Georgia. And if you remember back in april, Russia shooting down Georgian UAVs was some of the first evidence of Russia supporting the Georgian rebel factions.

Then in August 2008...

wikipedia wrote:

During the first few missions of the game, the Ghosts battle South Ossetian rebel forces from the north of Georgia, who are harassing the legitimate government and its allies. The Ghosts fight in the forests, on farms, and in villages while assisting their NATO allies in fighting the enemy. The Russian government complains to the United Nations that the Americans have interfered in their affairs, and eventually they send in their army to aid the South Ossetian rebels. The U.S. cannot hope to stop the Russian Army from invading Georgia, so the Ghosts slow down the invading forces so that their allies can evacuate.

If I had written the plot to the game I would be feeling a bit queazy right now. Except for it being Americans it's pretty spot on.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this - but I do think it's interesting....

DarkPrimus

Just because you don't know the Ghosts are there doesn't mean they aren't.

UnbreakableVow

I wish I could find a picture of one of those cool ads where it's like "Spot the Navy SEALs in this picture."

Page-

It's interesting, sure, but lot's of Clancy's stuff has been borderline prophetic, and it's all heavily based on real political situations.

I don't see how there's any ethical dilemma. Unless you just want a blanket "don't write about things that could/would happen" rule, or something.

I do agree with WW2 shooters. But I guess people just love shooting Nazis.

UnbreakableVow

If you write about the real world, there's always a chance that something you write could potentially happen.

An episode of The Lone Gunmen predicted a situation incredibly similar to 9/11 months before it occurred. It's just coincidence.

Wikipedia wrote:

Foreshadowing a number of conspiracy theories in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the plot of the March 4, 2001 pilot episode of the series depicts a secret U.S. government agency plotting to crash a Boeing 727 headed for Boston into the World Trade Center via remote control for the purpose of increasing the military defense budget and blaming the attack on foreign "tin-pot dictators" who are "begging to be smart-bombed." [3][4]

Zxerol

WWII shooters are nothing compared to KumaWar, which takes the art of exploitation to whole new goddamned level. The very first scenario released for it? Kill Saddam Hussein's sons; it was released not long after the actual real-life event occurred. Check out the mission list for that sad dreck. It's all for our entertainment, bucko.