Call of Duty: The Geneva Conventions

[BobisOnlyBob]

Sigenrecht is getting confused:

The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is also referred to as "the Geneva Convention", but it is not part of these four)

I recommend he reads here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Convention]. Playing a game under those three sets of guidelines creates an interesting game indeed, although sometimes it completely locks the game down or makes elements impossible due to plot.

(And yes, a lot of FPSs and RTSs do allow you to commit war crimes...)

 

[bcbird]

I think its kinda funny, but I agree that parents should be showing their kids the real side of what they are playing and not just handing a mature game to a 7 year old brat who is just going to bombard online play over the mic (ya'll know the story by now).

 

[T-Blade]

When I have kids ( In about 11 years, and even that depends on whether I can keep them fed and make them have a good life ) I'm going to let them game all they want.
Mainly because I know how good it feels to let go into your own gaming world and ignore everything outside of it.
But if he wants to do sports, I'll say sure... If you want to be a disappointment.

 

[scnj]

Next week: Grand Theft Auto teenager forced to learn and play by Highway Code

 

[Asehujiko]

He gets kicked the moment a teammate violates the convention? Good luck getting past the intro where Sullivan slits the throat of an unarmed guard. Or getting online at all.

Dumb father, poor kid.

 

[Ionami]

I don't see this as ridiculous at all, I think it's brilliant. So what if the Geneva Conventions don't actually come into play in COD? The kid wants to play the game, the father wants him to learn something. Everybody wins. If more parents showed this sort of creativity and initiative, we'd probably see an uptick in conversations about how games - even mainstream stuff like COD - can be turned to "good use" for kids, as opposed to all the idiotic hand-wringing about how they're turning them into mindless zombie killers.

Yeah, I totally agree. It's a very clever way to teach your kids. And why not? If the kids are going to play a game anyways, why not get them to learn some real world knowledge at the same time?

He gets kicked the moment a teammate violates the convention? Good luck getting past the intro where Sullivan slits the throat of an unarmed guard. Or getting online at all.

Dumb father, poor kid.

If an NPC violates it, that's hardly the kid's doing. I don't think that's what the father is talking about.

 

[nova18]

I think this parent's actually much more responsible and crafty than most. Not only is he aware of what his kid is playing, he also actually took the time to examine the game on a more than superficial level. Next, he managed to teach his kid about the Geneva Conventions while blending it with the kid's entertainment. Sure, the Conventions don't directly relate to CoD5, but they're certainly topical given what's been happening/is going to happen with Guantanamo Bay.

A tip of my hat to this parent, who shows there's more to parenting than buying your kid any game he or she wants just so they'll keep quiet for a while.

Well done.

Definetely, his Dad has done what a lot of parents dont.
Looked at the game that his kid was playing, made a decision to let his kid play it and even turned it into something educational. If only all parents did that, there would be less anti-gaming stories in the media.

 

[Dalisclock]

I don't see this as ridiculous at all, I think it's brilliant. So what if the Geneva Conventions don't actually come into play in COD?

COD:WAW had numerous instances of the killing of either prisoners or troops attempting to surrender.

Hell, the very first seen had the japanese about to kill you while you were tied up.

Also:
-The Beginning of the Stalingrad mission where the Germans are shooting the wounded.
-The Soviet Mission where you are encouraged to shoot the wounded Germans.
-The Black Cats Mission where the Japanese PT boats shoot the sailors in the water.

The marines were the only ones who DIDN'T commit a war crime(probably because they didn't want FOX news to declare it "Anti-American" and lose sales).

Though my "favorite" war crime was the part where the Russians corner a couple of Germans near a subway entrance in Berlin. The Germans attempt to surrender....and the Russians subsequently burn them to death with Molotovs. That's pretty Egregious.

A friend of mine played CoD:WAW and gave it the tagline "Now with 140% more war crimes".

 

[Sir_Montague]

Parents are ridiculous these days. As will I be with my kids in 5-10 years (if I get that opportunity to train and raise n00blets of my own), but not ridiculous in half of the ways that parents are these days.

Pure Pwnage reference...

IS that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm a big fan of the show FYI... Loved seeing the cast and crew in toronto for the eps 13 premiere...

Good xD.
My n00blets will pwn your n00blets.

But the real Q is: what will they pwn at? FPS or RTS? Cuz let's be honest here, f WOW

 

[RebelRising]

Not bad, but if I were a parent (on Decemember 15th, -1970 B.C., the coldest day in Hell), I'd let him play the game, then ask him about it. I would then recommend looking up the Geneva Conventions to get a deeper perspective on the things you do in the game. I'd ask him what he learned. If the discussion was satisfactory, I'd fist-bump him and tell him to bugger off to his games.

While I admire the dad's reasoning compared to most others', parenting shouldn't be a one-for-one exchange rate of education and videogames. The knowledge should be reward enough, not a pass to play a game that you only let him play just because he did some reading on a subject that is never mentioned once in the game (although that's more Treyarch's fault than anything else).

The father already said the he considered his son reasonable and perceptible. I'd say that that's good enough for me, as long as he's not shirking his real History homework.

 

[Bofus Teefus]

Next week: Grand Theft Auto teenager forced to learn and play by Highway Code

I'll be laughing about this for a week.

Seriously though, I get to see the worst parents imaginable on a daily basis, then go home and play against their annoying kids online. It's awesome that someone's parents were creative enough to use the game as a learning experience for their kid. Great article, it may have given a site member or two an idea.

 

[djpuppylove789]

The marines were the only ones who DIDN'T commit a war crime(probably because they didn't want FOX news to declare it "Anti-American" and lose sales).

the sad thing is that they probably would say that. Fair and Balanced all the way...

 

[Sigenrecht]

Whoops, sorry folks, got confused.

Trying to talk smart on Internet forums at three in the morning riding on nothing but tenacity and a will to not lose to some Soviet prick has failed me once again.

 

[countrysteaksauce]

Might as well teach the kids who play Fallout 3 about frontier justice and vigilantism. Also dealing with post traumatic stress syndrome and depression caused by the apocalypse.

Thats a lot to handle for anyone.

 

[Avatar Roku]

He gets kicked the moment a teammate violates the convention? Good luck getting past the intro where Sullivan slits the throat of an unarmed guard. Or getting online at all.

Dumb father, poor kid.

When did that happen? If you mean the very beginning, that was Roebuck, and the guy was about to kill you.

The marines were the only ones who DIDN'T commit a war crime(probably because they didn't want FOX news to declare it "Anti-American" and lose sales).

Actually, they did. Flamethrowers, anyone? (unless that didn't count for some reason? Did Japan sign the Geneva Conventions and, if not, are you allowed to commit war crimes on non-signers?)

 

[luckshot]

i think its awesome. let him play mass effect but pay attention and occasionally stop him and have him write essays on his stance on the in game environment. Issues such as the krogan disease and should humanity help cure it?

 

[Dalisclock]

Actually, they did. Flamethrowers, anyone? (unless that didn't count for some reason? Did Japan sign the Geneva Conventions and, if not, are you allowed to commit war crimes on non-signers?)[/quote]

Are flamethrowers considered war crimes? I know shooting prisoners is.

Though it does depends on who wins. Karl Doenitz(Leader of the German Navy in WW2) was prosecuted at Nuremberg for things that every other nation did(and in fact, numerous allied military officers defended him on exactly that point). Granted, he was also one of the few german leaders who was NOT executed(20 years in prison, one of the lightest sentences handed down).

And on the other hand, The allies Atomic bombed 2 cities and firebombed quite a few more(Tokyo and Dresden for starters). But the winners aren't charged with war crimes.

 

[Scarecrow38]

Very out-of-the-box thinking, I like it.