USSAmerica
Posts: 18715
Joined: 10/28/2002 From: Graham, NC, USA Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: Chickenboy quote:
ORIGINAL: bigred quote:
ORIGINAL: Icedawg I think the headline of the article was a bit misleading. It didn't sound to me as I read the article that the Red Cross is looking to bring a bunch of 13 year-old kids up on war crimes charges. Instead it seems that they are encouraging the game developers to include features requiring the player to conform to basic rules of war and avoid virtual "war crimes" as they play their game. In other words, as kids play these games, they should learn that it is not okay to execute prisoners or to intentionally/recklessly kill civilians. It sounds like the Red Cross may simply be encouraging the game developers to include penalties for gaming actions such as these that would, if real, be considered war crimes. Alternatively, they could include game bonuses for actions that prevent virtual atrocities. (In other words, get these kids to emulate the Hugh Thompsons in this world, not the William Calleys.) Let's face it, an awful lot of these kids are going to end up in the real military someday. If their characters in these games habitually perform actions contrary to the Geneva Conventions don't you think that such unethical behavior may at least at some level become part of who they are? Now I'm not trained in child psychology, but that doesn't sound too unreasonable of a hypothesis to me. Overall the Red Cross does alot of very important relief work throughout the world. I just think it's a bit unfair to negatively judge an entire organization such as this just because some author came up with a nice, fat, juicy (but misleading) headline. Just my $.02. You make a good point. At the beginning of these "shoot em up" games the player should be asked to chose if he wishes to play with or with out the Geneva convention rules of war. So for AE, that would mean no firebombing of Japanese manpower concentrations or, certainly, A-bomb attacks! Banzai! Erm...I wholeheartedly agree with these ideals. Where do I sign? Oh, boy! Here comes another bunch of house rules.
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Mike "Good times will set you free" - Jimmy Buffett "They need more rum punch" - Me Artwork by The Amazing Dixie
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