War Crimes in Video Games

[Tuna]

I remember playing that part in Modern Warfare 2.. I did not shoot any civilians.. I don't think it had any repercussions on how the game played out (don't remember - something happen at the end of the scene, I forget) , but I definitely was not 'into' that segment..

[CptHowdy]

does the GC have any restrictions concerning necromancy? whenever i die i keep being resurrected by some unknown force. that has to go against the laws of nature, its an abomination  ;)

[GDS_Starfury]

then theres the whole GTA series of games.

[Staggerwing]

The GC doesn't say much about the deploying the twilight movies against civilians either so we may need to be a bit creative in our interpretation.

Hmmm... where have I heard that before?  ???

[Jack Nastyface]

IIRC, the Delta Force: Blackhawk Down game (and add-ons) by Novalogic had a few maps that took place in populated souks and proximate neighborhoods.  Also IIRC, some of the villagers would throw stones at you (causing very minor damage) but you could scare them off by firing a round into the air / ground.  I am pretty sure that if you killed more than a couple of them (or more annoyingly, caused the enemy to kill a couple of them by taking cover and therefore drawing fire next to a cowering citizen) you would lose the mission.

I am currently playing through a campaign of B-17 II.  On my last mission over Hamburg I missed the target due and pasted a nearby neighborhood.  No staff cars with stern faced officers were awaiting me back in England.
FWIW...this topic was discussed with some heat elsewhere in this forum.  One of points I made was that some games specifically prohibit you for commiting acts against the GC...like not allowing you to place a  "target" marker on surrendered units (for example, Close Combat and Combat Mission), whilst in other games (Red Baron I) you would get a warning if you did something like strafe an ambulance.  Do it more than three times and you are cashiered.

[Rayfer]

then theres the whole GTA series of games.

Yes...good one.  And what about that Postal series the caused an uproar because you ran around a schoolyard shooting children? Never played it but read about it.

[Father Ted]

then theres the whole GTA series of games.

Yes...good one.  And what about that Postal series the caused an uproar because you ran around a schoolyard shooting children? Never played it but read about it.

As far as I know  neither of those games is depicting war  - they're just common or garden mass homicides - so the GC does not apply.

[Philippe]

This discussion is reminding me of a game from way back when (90's  or late '80's) which used news teams as a kind of third player.   This was before the age of embedded journalists, and I think the concept was that if the new media doesn't see it, it doesn't happen. 

Never owned that one (though I was tempted), but the premise was delightfully sick.  The fourth-estate angle certainly applied to casualties, and may even have applied to atrocities (I think it may have come out just after Kosovo).  From what I remember reading about it the wargame itself was adequate (not great), but may have suffered from putting too many demands on computer systems that were available at the time.

The name of this particular game escapes me, but the media-spin angle for victory points is fascinating.  Take that hill and spill too much blood, and Vietnam syndrome sets in (or sumfink).  Imagine Jagged Alliance with news teams running around, and having to remember to massacre your enemies when the cameras aren't rolling.  It gets a little more complicated in the age of cell phones, but the concept of playing for perceived victory points as opposed to how much damage you actually do is intriguing.  And probably a good albeit frustrating way of modelling reality (tm).

[Jack Nastyface]

I think the game you might be thinking of is Beyond Good and Evil, which is set in a Sci-fi environment.

[Philippe]

The one I'm thinking of came out shortly (?) after Steel Panthers MBT.   It had tanks, insurgents, and television news cameras.  I'll research Beyond Good and Evil and see if that was it, it the title doesn't sound right.

[Philippe]

I'm pretty sure that's not it.  The game I'm thinking of was staged in contemporary non-fantasy third world hot spots.  What sticks in my mind is a battle with vehicles in sub-Saharan Africa (a bit like Angola).  I think the inspiration was the later phases of the Cold War.

[Jack Nastyface]

Hmm...no can't be Beyond Good and Evil. Totally different melieu.  Great game though.

[Windigo]

I have thrown dozens of nukes at rival civilizations and city states in CiV5. Why? It saves my own armed forces.

[MikeGER]

then theres the whole GTA series of games.

...good they didn't had seen Let's Plays of the last GTA installment

The torture scene, where the player as the psychopathic-leaning character 'Trevor Philips' get forced (by rough FIB agents/thugs  ...some inside agencies rivalry)   to torture someone for info, while the hitmen team is on the target and need the positive ID-info, asap  ...as a mini game! not just as a cutscene.

and you get 'accomplished click boxes' (IMHO that's a little over the edge) for using all four tools: the pliers on tooth, a wrench  for a hit a knee, electricity, and last but not least  -a fluid from a gas-can for the popular 'water boarding'

go figure :o         

[Jarhead0331]

This discussion is reminding me of a game from way back when (90's  or late '80's) which used news teams as a kind of third player.   This was before the age of embedded journalists, and I think the concept was that if the new media doesn't see it, it doesn't happen. 

Never owned that one (though I was tempted), but the premise was delightfully sick.  The fourth-estate angle certainly applied to casualties, and may even have applied to atrocities (I think it may have come out just after Kosovo).  From what I remember reading about it the wargame itself was adequate (not great), but may have suffered from putting too many demands on computer systems that were available at the time.

The name of this particular game escapes me, but the media-spin angle for victory points is fascinating.  Take that hill and spill too much blood, and Vietnam syndrome sets in (or sumfink).  Imagine Jagged Alliance with news teams running around, and having to remember to massacre your enemies when the cameras aren't rolling.  It gets a little more complicated in the age of cell phones, but the concept of playing for perceived victory points as opposed to how much damage you actually do is intriguing.  And probably a good albeit frustrating way of modelling reality (tm).

I believe you are referring to a game called Kuma War, which released a series of episodes based upon modern conflicts making news around the world.