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How Will Contemporary War Games Affect Veterans?
An anonymous reader writes "Recently, video game developers have begun to make games about current conflicts the world over. Many veterans and current military personnel now take an active role in the video game community. Are game companies running the risk of walking into a public relations disaster when making games about current wars? More importantly, how will veterans react to playing games about a conflict in which they have participated? From the article: 'To portray conflict in a way that not only accurately depicts the acts of war, but does so in a manner that takes into account the sacrifices of soldiers within some sort of moral framing is a complicated matter. Now add to this the idea that such depictions are essentially created as entertainment and to make money. It is certainly mind numbing when looked at from a social perspective. ... Now try and apply this dynamic to a more recent conflict such as the Vietnam War or the current conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Considering that the latter wars are still in progress, the ability for a game developer to accurately gauge the morality of such a conflict is limited at best. To make a game that takes these factors into account while trying to create something that is both entertaining and capable of mass appeal among the gaming community is near impossible.'"
We caught a glimpse of this last year with the reactions to Six Days In Fallujah.
I see no mention of the moral framework within which civilian casualties are taken into account.
But then, that is realistic.
you should still respect them for volunteering.
Poor Canon fodders.... I deeply pity them.
what's reported is (mostly) never true.
yeah.... that's why we NEED wikileaks :)
...streets of a foreign country where people want to kill you...
Epic fail in matters of foreign policy, my dear
Bullshit. Why should I respect you for volunteering for a cause I disagree with?
An individual soldier isn't responsible for this was, but soldiers as a group are. If most of you refused to start the war, it wouldn't have happened, regardless of what the "leaders" said.
And being afraid for your life isn't a reason for respect either. Do you respect the guy that puts himself in front of the train? Do you respect the suicide bomber, just because he knows he'll die?
I was one of the thousands that specifically asked you all not to go. You went anyway. Don't ask me for my respect now.
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