Idea for a game: The German side of things

[CptShiv]

So a little while back I had the realization that players have never been on the German side of WWII.For all the WWII shooters out there, it seems strange. Then I got to thinking, how could you make that work? The way I figure it, you would have to make the main character an unwilling, drafted soldier towards the end of the war. By that time quite a few germans were against the nazis, so it's atleast a little bit believable. As long as it has a main character against nazis it should do alright, right?

There have been atleast a couple books and movies from Germany's perspective right? Why shouldn't there be a game? What this post is really about is whether or not this hypothetical game could work, or if the media would ruin it in a heart beat. Thoughts, opinions, or suggestions, anything is fine. If anything needs correcting or you want to point something out
feel free. Also when I say "against nazis" I mean that while the main character is against them, he can't really do anything because he's on the front lines. This is an fps after all.

 

[Syphonz]

I've always thought about this too. However, as my friend pointed out to me it's hard to do something like that and get away with it. It's never just a German soldier, they're a Nazi soldier. It's not the soldier itself that is the problem, but what the soldier represents, regardless of how you paint it.

Like your title puts it: 'Nazi side of things' yet, you don't want it to be about nazi's just German soldiers. It's a label, its pretty unfair in a lot of cases, but its a label none-the-less that the world reconized. Thats why it'll never happen beyond Team deathmatch.

 

[Whistler777]

I think it'd be great if a good dev took a shot at this concept.

 

[Skuffyshootster]

Nazi =/= German Army

The Nazis were the secret police of Germany.

 

[Xojins]

Why not have a game playing as Nazis? Probably because no one would buy it. Nobody's gonna want to go around exterminating Jews, it would be pretty offensive to many people.

 

[Syphonz]

I also forgot to mention that it would instantly be banned from Germany. The German government is still trying to forget that the Nazi's were ever in power and they can't have a game based on it floating around to its gamers now can they?

 

[Thunderhorse31]

So... you pretty much want to make "Project Valkyrie: The Game," right?

 

[CptShiv]

I have edited the OP to reflect what has been posted so far. So sorry about not being very clear or correct. I am now shamed.

 

[Axle_Bullitt_19]

The only people who could do this right is Gearbox Software but they still have to finish the Brothers in Arms Series.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Nazi =/= German Army

The Nazis were the secret police of Germany.

Actually the Nazis were a political party.

And I know that RTSs have done the German perspective, Company of Heroes comes to mind as well as Men of War and Blitzkrieg, and maybe some others. I think the real problem with shooters from the German perspective is that developers are afraid people won't want to buy a game where you're mowing down Allied soldiers.

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

This would be a good idea. I've always felt sorry for Germans in these games. There was nothing evil about the men, or even some of their commanders, they were just told to do something for their country, and they did it. Like true patriots. But the only time it would happen would be in a Valkyrie-like scenario where you turn on the "evil" Nazis.

P.S- I'm not on Hitler's side, just the German people; Jews, Commies and all.

 

[BonsaiK]

I'd buy it, I think done right it could be cool. Until then I guess all I can do is pick the German side in Battlefield 1942.

I also wish for a game where you controlled resistance forces in the Middle East instead of the US all the time. Imagine a game where your job was to take down a far more heavily armed force with guerilla tactics, IEDs and stealth. What a challenge that would be. The biggest dissapointment about COD4 was it didn't have any content like this.

(And yes I know about "night of bush capturing", but I mean a proper game, done well, like COD4.)

Of course none of this is very politically correct so it probably won't happen, but it would still be an awesome game, potentially.

 

[The_Angry_Haruhist]

When Medal of Honor was still on the original Playstation, I always wondered if they do a game where you play as a German soldier. It's a fun idea, but you'd be playing as a German soldier fighting for the Nazi reigm, which wouldn't fly very well. Unless they portrayed the German as an anti-Nazi rebel.

I also forgot to mention that it would instantly be banned from Germany. The German government is still trying to forget that the Nazi's were ever in power and they can't have a game based on it floating around to its gamers now can they?

Oh and this. But honestly, Germany will ban just about any game these days.

 

[WithHisHat]

Interesting. It would be a guaranteed hit because all of the controversy. No matter how politely you did the topic everyone and their moms would flip out. I mean, just look at the Pg-13 sex scene in Mass Effect.

 

[WolfThomas]

Because I am lazy I'm going to post something I always do on the topic.

Spoiler: Old post

I personally believe WW2 is not a dead/dying genre. However certain points are definitely over used e.g. Normandy. But there are so many battles and events that haven't been touched on.

My game would be a survival fps with pseudo rpg elements (inventory/equipment but no leveling or skills, much in the way of STALKER), about a party of four ordinary German soldiers in the retreat from Moscow. As they are fighting Russians, the Germans can speak (accented) English for the sake of the players.

They would be a squad of the usual stereotypes a cynical (and older) WW1 vetran, a fresh faced boy straight out of hitler youth, maybe a communist sympathizer and yourself, who is a blank slate.

You'd have varying degrees of squad control (including inventory control) to choose from. You wouldn't have to stick with the characters, but they would provide safety in numbers and other advantages (like a watch system while you sleep), but then again they require more food, ammo and draw more attention.

The goal would be to get back to the safety of your own lines by whatever means necessary. You have avoid/fight through Russian soldiers and perhaps in rare encounters German military police that want to hang you for cowardice. Food, water, sleep and protection from winter exposure would all be important things. Food could be found, stolen or scavenged. Food and water also take up weight.

Weapons would be the range available at the time, mainly bolt action rifles, machine pistols and pistols. Guns and ammunition would take up weight, leaving you to decide do whether to take a rifle or mp40 or both and sacrifice the amount of ammo/food and other stuff you can carry. Weapons would be useful in their different ways, rifles more reliable and able to pick off enemies, machine pistols good for close quarters ambush and pistols concealable.

What you wear would also be important, probably reduced to headgear, uniform, boots and great coat. For example your German helmet offers good protection, but identifies you as a German from afar, whereas the Russian fur hat is warmer and makes you look like a Russian. Who you appear like is important as enemy soldiers and your own scattered allies will fire on those that appear as enemies. Dressing as civilians would have its benefits and restrictions too.

The moral choices would be a lot more grayer/grittier, for example you see a house with Russian civilians in it. You could...

A. Avoid it, but this means you can't get any supplies

B. Threaten them for supplies, but then they'll tell the Russian soldiers who will sweep the area.

C. Kill them all, aside from moral ramifications this takes ammunition and risks drawing a lot attention to your position. But if done quietly nets the supplies and no search.

D. Sneak in and steal the stuff, this risks B or C if caught

E. Pretend to be Russian soldiers (if you have the uniforms) and take or barter for it (you the protagonist would be able to speak Russian)

With randomly generated content like Left 4 Dead, each time could be different.

 

[Vuzzmop]

Personally, it amazes me that game devs have gotten away with WWII games for this long, let alone a game in which you play from the German side. The avoidance of controversy by white-washing one side's actions and demonising the other is simply astounding.

To be honest though, a german side game wouldn't work, because as an FPS, your target demographic is going to be 15-25 year old males living in the United States. From what I have seen of the US education system, the majority of this demographic likely believe that every German soldier was an evil Jew-killing Nazi supporter, and every US soldier was Master Chief.

It could be good, but my cynic-senses are tingling.

 

[Jandau]

There are a ton of games that let you play as the Germans, mostly in the Strategy Genre. Heck, Panzer General did it a loooong time ago. However, a game where you play actual Nazis is a long way off. Even if it had nothing to do with real life, the concept would be quite controversial. It might happen after everyone who's been in the war is dead, as well as their kids. The whole thing might blow over by then...

 

[AssButt]

The movie Cross of Iron is told from the side of Germany fighting against the Russians so that would work in a video game for the PC crowd. After all, the vast majority of German action was with the Russians.

 

[jamesworkshop]

My only problem is that the Axis forces didn't win and so doesn't make a good ending for the player besides being in the German army has nothing to do with Nazism, A soldier is required to fight in whatever war they are commanded to, you don't get to pick your battles.

 

[APPCRASH]

Not all Germans were Nazis. It's like saying all Americans are Democrats.

OT: Blitzkrieg, Company of Hereos, and IL2 Sturmovik just to name some off of my head. The idea has been done. People just don't want to play a losing side, I guess.