Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

[[MyIS]Dan]

An article from the BBC News website looks at how games today allow players to break virtual war crimes, Modern Warfare 2 is also mentioned in the article along with Battlefield Bad Company, Medal of Honour Airborne and more.

Human rights groups played various games to see if any broke humanitarian laws that govern what is a war crime.

The study condemned the games for violating laws by letting players kill civilians, torture captives and wantonly destroy homes and buildings.

It said game makers should work harder to remind players about the real world limits on their actions.

War without limits

The study was carried out by two Swiss human rights organisations - Trial and Pro Juventute. Staff played the games in the presence of lawyers skilled in the interpretation of humanitarian laws.

Twenty games were scrutinised to see if the conflicts they portrayed and what players can do in the virtual theatres of war were subject to the same limits as in the real world.

You can read the full article here. Do you agree with this view on computer games? Maybe books and films should be looked at in the same way.

[Scinto]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

So perhaps they should scrutinise Wars given most games are based on actions that happened in them.

Lol Soldier of Fortune thats probably there as you can decapitate limbs with your pistol.

Geez dont people have better things to do.

[TGL|FalseLion]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

I see it now, some congressman will read this article and this will open the way for another debate on capital hill about censoring video games.

I kinda does make you wonder though. So many kids anymore are raised on video games, so do ethical games make a kid ethical? And do unethical games open the way for a kid to act unethical? We are all pretty much a product of our environment.

[[DR]S|Pvt. Voop_Bacon]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

The point of gaming as a medium is to be able to do stuff and be people you cant really be. I don't play battlefield 2 to follow jet taking off protocols, only engage confirmed targets and just fly around in the mean time.

[Chris_Redfield]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

He said the authors did not understand that gamers can distinguish between fantasy and reality.

/discussion

[Vreki]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

Shady characters have been doing shady things in fiction for millenia. You dont need to look further than the bible for that.

The researchers are idiots if they think this is anything new and a sign of the endtimes.

Now certain tvshows and games have a rather callous attitude towards torture by the good guys, and I dont like that. But I am sure the world will survive this too

[jesus]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

Scientists should start complaining about the fact that 100% of video games break the laws of physics.

Also, I guess those guys have never watched the show "24". The amount of torture scenes and dead civilians in that show is so awesome.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

Scientists should start complaining about the fact that 100% of video games break the laws of physics.

Yeah, lets fix the laws of earth and nature before working out the laws of man in a game.

Besides, like stated already, I play games to get out of the crappy laws of the world. If I have to torture a few virtual people to save a virtual planet then maybe they will be greatful for it.

How many times do I have to save the world before I get a little recognition?

Then on Redfields quote; How do they not understand that we can tell we are not playing a game? Its easy, when I turn my PC off, millions dont scream in terror as they get erased from memory.

Crunch

[[29ID]EZ|Cpl.Nex]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

someone quickly get a recording of millions screaming and play it at crunch's house whenever he turns off his computer ; but really don't they got something else to do with their time maybe something constructive

[Vreki]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

someone quickly get a recording of millions screaming and play it at crunch's house whenever he turns off his computer ; but really don't they got something else to do with their time maybe something constructive

Yeah, I was thinking that would be a cool feature for some "Gaming RAM". If the can make a candle sing, they sure can hide some screaming electronics in RAM heatsinks

[[GCA]Tim270]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

...Or maybe people who have gone to hell are reincarnated as AI in games for a life of pain and torture.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

...Or maybe people who have gone to hell are reincarnated as AI in games for a life of pain and torture.

Now for some reason, that doesn't disuade me at all :wee:

Now I want to play more single player games :laugh:

Crunch

[[DR]S|Pvt. Voop_Bacon]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

...Or maybe people who have gone to hell are reincarnated as AI in games for a life of pain and torture.

If that were the case, apparently all sharpshooters were put into medal of honor airborne.

I hate that mission so much

[jake_]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

Homer's Iliad, one of the oldest surviving works of literature, contains a lot more war crimes and unreasonable violence than any game I've ever played.

[Vreki]

Re: Games 'permit' virtual war crimes

I think this game from ye old days should also disprove the "Games Today" angle.
You need to complete the first level to really appreciate it: http://www.kyynel.biz/commando/