Hey guys, just saw the new ghost recon: future soldier gameplay video and I felt bad after watching it. Anyone seen it? Nigeria, Niger delta scene, awful....

I'm thinking whoever wrote it was senseless and stupid and I'm really starting to review the kind of games I play... I mean, shooting random, fictional characters in games is one thing but what we have here is a well defined society and environment, close to home, events fresh in memory and the whole thing just depicts us as the evil kidnapping group.

Many people have been trying to capitalize on the niger delta events in stories and even here on nairaland, we had suggestions for games based on it but they were refused due to reasons such as possibility of wrong representation. I think its a senseless, weak, uninspiring and naive thing to do but I can understand how the ghost recon producers might have overlooked things. I for one did finish modern warfare 2, no thought for society or setting or how it represented the people. It may therefore not be as bad as I think regarding how players will view Nigeria but who knows? Human psychology is a tricky thing.

What do you guys think?

I don't think setting a game in the Niger Delta with all the violence that the region is infamous for would keep me from buying or playing it as long as it has a decent storyline. Many other games have used known places in their stories too so I guess most gamers have since been 'desensitised' to this.

Still I think I can understand the concern the OP has in this regard. Certain gamers might find such a setting distasteful just as I did find 'No Russian' in MW2 offensive and never completed that stage. Another thing that some gamers may frown upon is using a current war or an on-going conflict in a game.

gameaddict: Hey guys, just saw the new ghost recon: future soldier gameplay video and I felt bad after watching it. Anyone seen it? Nigeria, Niger delta scene, awful....

I'm thinking whoever wrote it was senseless and stupid and I'm really starting to review the kind of games I play... I mean, shooting random, fictional characters in games is one thing but what we have here is a well defined society and environment, close to home, events fresh in memory and the whole thing just depicts us as the evil kidnapping group.

Many people have been trying to capitalize on the niger delta events in stories and even here on nairaland, we had suggestions for games based on it but they were refused due to reasons such as possibility of wrong representation. I think its a senseless, weak, uninspiring and naive thing to do but I can understand how the ghost recon producers might have overlooked things. I for one did finish modern warfare 2, no thought for society or setting or how it represented the people. It may therefore not be as bad as I think regarding how players will view Nigeria but who knows? Human psychology is a tricky thing.

What do you guys think?

hmmn quite amusing.

so because its set in niger delta u find it distasteful?
what about all those other ones you have played set in china, russia, other places? u enjoyed those ones and did not stop to think that maybe they were not representative of those societies?
lemme guess, ur from niger delta hunh?

abeg, whats sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. the same way u have enjoyed shooting mindless gooks and russkies and japs, u should also enjoy shooting the boyloafs and ateke toms.

Hypocrisy at its best

4llerbuntu:

hmmn quite amusing.

so because its set in niger delta u find it distasteful?
what about all those other ones you have played set in china, russia, other places? u enjoyed those ones and did not stop to think that maybe they were not representative of those societies?
lemme guess, ur from niger delta hunh?

abeg, whats sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. the same way u have enjoyed shooting mindless gooks and russkies and japs, u should also enjoy shooting the boyloafs and ateke toms.

Hypocrisy at its best

Will certainly get a kick doing the bolded. Blast those touts to smithereens.

That trailer is really old, as in last year's E3 old. I don't see how "shooting" polygons affects the price of fish.

[flash]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqZDmsCJd-0[/flash]

No, I'm not from the niger delta region if anyone is wondering.

Also, I did disclose playing other games and how they had little or no effect but how does one judge without circumstance?

My post was largely centered around resulting perception of the region and Nigeria at large and I don't see why some people have to turn everything on nairaland into regional or ethnic arguments. If you have nothing to contribute, please ignore the post.

Now, if I made a game about 9/11, How do you think the US will receive it? Their first question will probably be about representation.

That is what I'm also asking for. If this game eventually presents us in a bad manner, Should I not complain?

gameaddict: No, I'm not from the niger delta region if anyone is wondering.

Also, I did disclose playing other games and how they had little or no effect but how does one judge without circumstance?

My post was largely centered around resulting perception of the region and Nigeria at large and I don't see why some people have to turn everything on nairaland into regional or ethnic arguments. If you have nothing to contribute, please ignore the post.

Now, if I made a game about 9/11, How do you think the US will receive it? Their first question will probably be about representation.

That is what I'm also asking for. If this game eventually presents us in a bad manner, Should I not complain?

This thread is a bit premature. You should've waited till you actually played the game before making assumptions and calling the developers "senseless and silly", which i find a tad ironic. From what I've seen so far, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the game.

Yeah, I guess I'm overreacting. Will be watching the gameplay videos when the game is released to see what the plot turns out to be.

Nevertheless, I think writers and most stakeholders in creative fields as well as the general media nowadays are after quick returns and tend to use controversial issues in society as means towards achieving their aims - without regard for the effect they might be having. Heck! we hardly have news channels anymore. Everyone's engaged in entertainment, contents lack depth, give wrong representation and there's a growing amount of selective disinformation going on.


PS: 'Shooting polygons' can have far reaching effects- more than you can imagine... Beyond the price of fish and more. It could start riots and wars. It could end the world. Its not really about the polygons being polygons, its about what you do with them.

^
Conscience gamer. I respect that though.

To me, having us as the bad guys in their games is no different from one playing the villain in a movie. The americans have made villains of themselves too and not just in games but in movies too. I haven't forgotten the Bruce Willis movie in which bruce and his elite team in nigeria encountered cold blooded fulani soldiers to save igbo villagers. Northeners were the bad guys, but I still watched and wasn't pissed at all. Because I know the truth. So why bother about this. Of course we all know the real truth about the niger delta as much as we know the present nigeria better than they do. They don't know shit. If I get my copy, I'll just play it as a game. That's it. No Biggie, No Disrespect.