Poll: Would you be comfortable killing your country's military in a game?

[Mutant1988]

You, good Sir, pretty much summed up my own feelings on the subject; attacking Sweden would feel like a joke, at least in a modern setting.

I already play some Grand Strategy, where areas need conquering and rebellious Swedes get put down and their cities given to my heirs. So technically I've killed plenty of my own countries military, though only in a historic setting so far. Which was when Sweden was actually a big military power in Europe, some 200 years ago, and people had cause to declare war on us.

Nowadays we don't have much of a standing army, or reason to maintain any large enough force to fend of invasion. So, as with Ireland, it'd be a really short game. You'd conquer Stockholm in a blitz attack, probably in under an hour, and we'd surrender before too much got broken. Then we'd try to talk our way out of the conflict.

We have IIRC 40 000 people (That includes the home guard) to defend a total population of about 9,5 million. Our military chief of staff a couple years back (Not sure if he retired or not since) estimated that our ability to resist a serious invasion from a well organized attacker would only be able to hold out for at most 3 weeks. And yeah, we can pretty much forget about any coastal city, when we can't even keep Russian subs from floating straight on to the capital and can't keep Russian jets from flying over our territory. Hell, I don't even know if out coastal defence gun batteries have been updated since the 60s. I doubt it.

Only way for us to not be obliterated instantly is most likely to withdraw up North to the mountains, but then I'd assume the inability to supply necessary resources (Like food) would be what would ruins us. You can manufacture and stockpile all the munitions in the world (We do produce a crapton of munitions - Which we sell to non-democracies - Hypocrisy woo!), you still can't fight on an empty stomach.

So yeah... Not a lot of confidence in out defensive capabilities, because even the guy in charge of it all lacks confidence in them.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Ah. That's the other extreme of course, which is equally messed up. They're still human, and while worshipping the ground they walk on is a bit much, going to the opposite extreme and treating them as pariahs isn't that great either.

But you're right about it being a US thing. I mean, we get it a little around here, but not in the way it seems to go down in the US.
Wow. That's so extreme...

It's never good to hear the government is making all kinds of promises and not keeping them though. That sucks...

Yeah, as a current service member, it makes me uncomfortable at times to hear people treat me like I'm some kind of hero for just wearing the uniform(which really only happens when I'm wearing my uniform in a non-military area and random people see it). Respect for job we do is fine, just as one would respect police, firefighters, EMT responders.

The Promise thing is a symptom(IMHO) of congress being their usual crybaby, useless selves who are more interested in giving the other party a black eye then actually doing anything resembling work, but also the fact that fighting 2 wars simultaneously over a decade has run up a massive debt, and since raising taxes to pay off that debt or pay for the wars still going on is apparently unthinkable, cutting budgets is apparently the way to go. Though the military is still doing the same amount of work even with the budget being cut, which is going to put serious strain on people, equipment, etc. So now cutting benefits is likely going to happen(the 20 year military retirement is probably going away in the next decade).

Ugh. Yes, politicians can seem so childish sometimes. But they are playing with people's lives, and when they make petty, stupid decisions it's always someone else that has to suffer for it.
The specifics vary by country, but politicians inevitably seem to end up looking out of touch with reality, and it's rare they seem to have any real underdstanding of what consequence their decisions have.
(sometimes they even seem to deny it even when they see the evidence directly)

Well, all you can do is hope there are a handful that aren't complete idiots...

 

[KenAri]

Humans are humans.

 

[WanderingFool]

I realized today that the only game that I think you can kill American soldiers in(outside of multiplayer) is Prototype, Grand Theft Auto V, and Saints Row the Third. I personally didn't feel bad and only fully realized what I did until later. At this point, the only people you can't kill is children(except in some old games like Fallout 2) so it isn't really surprising, but I wonder how a veteran would feel.

Ive played all three of those games, and havent shed a tear... Course, than again, that isnt the "real" US military. Prototype would be the closest, and they're there for only part of the game, theh you start killing Black Watch (i.e. actual "baby killers"). GTAV and SR3rd, you're killing a basically satirical and cartoonish version.

 

[kahlzun]

The australian military is pretty good, holds its weight against bigger enemies.

I would be worried about our SAS guys though: They've been in every war in the last 20 years, and yet have barely been in the news.
Not killed, not captured, not fingered as the culprit.
They are very, very good at what they do.

Would not want to go against them..

 

[BoogieManFL]

It's a game so no, not really. In a way I'd prefer not, but it won't stop me from properly playing and enjoying a game.

I've played many a WW2 themed game and not always from the perspective of the allies, for example.

 

[BoogieManFL]

We've killed how many American Cops in the history of gaming? I fail to see how that would be any different.

Also I'd love a game that takes place in WWII but as an Axis Soldier. Not a Nazi persay, but just your average German Soldier.

Of course that would cause a shitstorm of gigantic proportion though. Sigh.

From what I've heard, your average German soldier in WW2 was NOT a Nazi. Just a man that had to fight for his county and couldn't say no even if he wanted to. But I see what you mean.

 

[ExDeath730]

We've killed how many American Cops in the history of gaming? I fail to see how that would be any different.

Also I'd love a game that takes place in WWII but as an Axis Soldier. Not a Nazi persay, but just your average German Soldier.

Of course that would cause a shitstorm of gigantic proportion though. Sigh.

From what I've heard, your average German soldier in WW2 was NOT a Nazi. Just a man that had to fight for his county and couldn't say no even if he wanted to. But I see what you mean.

You guys know that this is something that a lot of people wanted since the first Call of Duty, right? The cool thing about the first and second CoDs is how you played as an american, a british and a russian soldier, there were three campaigns, with different feels and they were really good, one thing that i never forget is how the russian one was the most emotional, the ending was so good.

Anyway, since that time people want a game were you play a german soldier, not some nazi crazy SS dude, but just a normal guy that is fighting for his country in the Heer, that would be nice, to get the loser's POV.

OT: It would make for a very boring game fighting the Brazilian army, i mean we're not trained to you know, hold the line, or fight like most standing armies. The army here is trained in Guerrilla warfare and unconventional tactics, so in a shooter it would be pretty boring to be walking and getting shot at by guys you can't even see. But i woudn't have a problem shooting at them, it's just pixels in the end.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Since I'm always on the right side no I wouldn't have a problem fighting bad people wherever they're from.

 

[Lazule]

Dude... USA citizens have been killing USA citizens virtually ever since GTA.

Its worse to kill an unarmed citizen, than a soldier that at least knows how to defend himself irl. Don't get me wrong both are wrong irl if you ask me.

But virtually everything is fair imho, since its virtual, not real. So who cares. You don't like it don't buy it.
Kinda like the debate the game "Hatred" raised up again (since this isn't the first game of its kind). Postal was there first.

 

[APliskin]

I'm not bugged by it, at the end of the day it's just pixels.

 

[Level 7 Dragon]

Well, because the States won the cold war and produces the majority of the popular media we consume, I come across being forced to kill quite a lot of russian soldiers in games.

I quess it's understandible, just as I said on some other thread, I don't like how we are becomming the gaming equivelent of goombas. Especially now, when I'm planning to join the military.

 

[spartandude]

I'm all for killing British people. Just don't do what Killzone did and portray us like Nazis for some fucking reason (no, I don't care that it's set on a different world).

*English

And its only because, and lets be honest, its easy to make the English accent sound evil. As a welsh man i dont have that issue, the welsh accent is the friendliest and least threatening accent in existence.

 

[flashoverride]

DELETED

 

[Doom972]

It would be a dealbreaker for me. There are exceptions like if it's only in one small portion of the game and it's optional.
The closest case I can think of was when Sam Fisher was ordered to kill a Shin-Bet (Israel's equivalent of the FBI) agent in Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. Since it was possible to ignore the order and still complete the mission I was able look past that.

 

[SweetShark]

Don't care, because I am the GOOD GUY!!!! The Hero of my story!!! It is my mission to clean the This World from the corruption my own people, my own country have and when I will be the last one kill myself in the progress.
HATRED!!! HATRED!!!!
Oh wait. Isn't this already a game?

 

[CannibalCorpses]

Would i be happy fictionally killing fiction with fictional weapons? Ohhhh, thats too close to the bone for me, i wouldn't be able to handle it

 

[CannibalCorpses]

That alone wouldn't be enough. I'm more put off by killing humanized characters. Slapping a US army suit on a guy doesn't make him relatable to me. Giving him character does. Making them come across as helpless or innocent also does the trick. Even if he was shooting at me moments ago, it wouldn't sit right with me to kill someone who was begging for his life.

It wouldn't sit right with me to allow someone the chance to beg for their life after moments ago shooting at me, i'd execute them instantly.

 

[sageoftruth]

That alone wouldn't be enough. I'm more put off by killing humanized characters. Slapping a US army suit on a guy doesn't make him relatable to me. Giving him character does. Making them come across as helpless or innocent also does the trick. Even if he was shooting at me moments ago, it wouldn't sit right with me to kill someone who was begging for his life.

It wouldn't sit right with me to allow someone the chance to beg for their life after moments ago shooting at me, i'd execute them instantly.

True. I too would likely do the same if someone were firing at me in-game. Basically, I'm saying that if he were to get the opportunity to suddenly lose his will to fight and started to plead for his life, then it would add an element of humanity to him that would make executing him feel less satisfying. Before then, he'd just be a target to shoot.