Political Correctness in PC games

Alexander's Horse · April 25, 2003, 22:11

I've been having a look at Hearts of Iron. Looks like my kind of game - World War 2 smash and grab

One thing surprised me - there are no swastikas on the German units. They seem to be operating under the old Weimar Republic flag. Same with the Japanese - no rising run flags! They are using the post WWII flag - red dot on white.

The Soviets otoh fight under the red Hammer and Sickle.

Has political correctness gone too far in PC games? Its almost like re-writing history.

Giancarlo · April 25, 2003, 22:13

Just sounds like a major historical inaccuracy..

A game I suggest is Medal of Honor Allied Assault. The Germans speak German, and have some of the most accurate uniforms I have seen ever in a game. There are plenty of swastikas in that game, as you battle through German occupied territory. They don't give about that PC crap.

Lincoln · April 25, 2003, 22:14

I think there are laws about using the swastika in parts of Europe. It is probably the idea of some lawyer.

MichaeltheGreat · April 25, 2003, 22:18

The absense of swastikas is simple, and has been around for a while, at least since Panzer General, and even old, old games from the mid-'80s used German crosses or other forms of unit/national designation.

IIRC, German law prohibits the swastika graphic, so rather than doing two sets of graphics, or foregoing sales in Germany, they just use something else.

Actually, Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord and Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin still can't be beat at their scale of action. Plus you can do or download whatever graphic skins you want.

Imran Siddiqui · April 25, 2003, 22:19

HoI is a made by a Swedish company. They have laws against showing 'hate speech'. Of course in Sweden, Nazi Swastikas and Japanese flags are hate speech while Russian hammer and sickles aren't

.

Al B. Sure! · April 25, 2003, 22:19

well if it had swastikas they wouldnt be able to sell the game in Germany... honestly, though, i think that law should be repealed... it made sense in the late 40's but today... it's been too many decades.

Giancarlo · April 25, 2003, 22:33

Look at this game, MOHAA:

http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshots/...fhonor/18.html
http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshots/...fhonor/16.html

Alexander's Horse · April 25, 2003, 23:03

I think German crosses would have been better.

Grrr · April 25, 2003, 23:08

This kind of **** is really going too far IMHO.

There should simply be an option to disable all the stuff that is illegal in various countries.

And also the results of this crap are often not what they are intended to do. I can't remember which country it is, but they are not allowed to have red blood squirting out of characters. The result is a less lifelike game, which actually glorifies killing, rather than gore-ifies it.

Giancarlo · April 25, 2003, 23:08

Well from what I heard MOHAA has the most accurate detailed uniforms on the Germans in all FPS related to WWII.

Agathon · April 25, 2003, 23:11

An idiot mate of mine once had a German girlfriend who caught him playing Wolfenstein 3D. It wasn't pretty..

GePap · April 26, 2003, 00:14

How widely did the German military sue Nazi party images? I know al aircraft had swastikas, but I doubt amored vehicles and individual soldiers had any one (just like Sovet planes had red Stars but tanks did not)

As for government buildings, yeah, they should have swatikas.

Al B. Sure! · April 26, 2003, 00:19

i've never seen swastikas painted on german tanks in pictures before... only on the tails of aircraft which had crosses on the wings and fuselage...

thanks

Al B. Sure! · April 26, 2003, 00:20

what about the confederate battle flag? have there been civil war games which didnt have them?

DinoDoc · April 26, 2003, 00:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Albert Speer
what about the confederate battle flag? have there been civil war games which didnt have them?

It depends on which part of the Confederate army they choose to feature.

Skanky Burns · April 26, 2003, 00:40

Political correctness in games is just wrong. Teaching children an alternate history is not going to help them in the longrun.

GePap · April 26, 2003, 01:11

Well, most games are self-censored in some way. I mean, only recently have games made battles as bloody as they really are. How is kids not seeing swastikas on german held buildings any less anti-historical than not seeing the realities of war and the death and destructions they cause? Things are already sanetized, so why complain that they have gone a little further?

Alexander's Horse · April 26, 2003, 01:54

Because we want to see little swastikas on Germany you ninny.

GePap · April 26, 2003, 02:10

As long as we make war in games fulfill its full glory!

Imran Siddiqui · April 26, 2003, 02:22

What do you think we're trying to do?!

GePap · April 26, 2003, 02:24

get a symbol common in hindu and Native American jewlery back in?

Space05us · April 26, 2003, 02:27

Quote:

An idiot mate of mine once had a German girlfriend who caught him playing Wolfenstein 3D. It wasn't pretty..

that would suck

political correctness sucks, but its a neccesary evil because some people cant handle being insulted

Inverse Icarus · April 26, 2003, 02:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Agathon
An idiot mate of mine once had a German girlfriend who caught him playing Wolfenstein 3D. It wasn't pretty..

in wolf arent you a jew fighting for your freedom and the overthrowing of hitler?

Imran Siddiqui · April 26, 2003, 02:35

No, you are American soldier "B.J. Blackowitz". I don't think he was supposed to be a Jew, but maybe you could assume it from the last name.

Space05us · April 26, 2003, 02:36

something like that, but fact is an average American wouldnt want to go to Europe and see a guy playing a game where they kill KKK members. We'd all like to forget certain things, but we cant.

Inverse Icarus · April 26, 2003, 02:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Space05us
something like that, but fact is an average American wouldnt want to go to Europe and see a guy playing a game where they kill KKK members. We'd all like to forget certain things, but we cant.

i'd play that game.

Space05us · April 26, 2003, 02:40

I said AVERAGE. We here at Apolyton are definetly not that

Imran Siddiqui · April 26, 2003, 02:44

Sure an average guy would dude!!

That would be the SWEETEST game!

Inverse Icarus · April 26, 2003, 02:45

and we could still be named BJ Blackowitz

the african american jew

Imran Siddiqui · April 26, 2003, 02:47