Poll: Americans as the bad guys

[SyphonX]

Considering that America is already an enemy to most of the third world, considering they slaughter civilians by the thousands. Iraq, Afghanistan and the "unknown war" in Pakistan, where hundreds of people are killed all the time with drones. Women, children, innocent people.

Now the US is "interested" in conducting a no-fly zone operation in Libya, which is an act-of-war, requiring the bombing of installations and people.

So, any game portraying the US military industrial complex as "the villain" would be a work of non-fiction. Too bad for the butthurt patriot zealots, but it's true.

Every war game involving the US lately has been a satirical work of fiction, where enigmatic "terrorists" hatch massive plots, or alternative-realities where the warring superpower isn't America, but some sort of Russian army, or modern-day Nazis. Replace any of those patches with American flags, or American-run PMC's, and it would be so believable it would chill you to the bone.

For instance, Homefront, coming out in 2-weeks or so. It's about some sort of "Korean revolution" where Kim-jong Il's son takes power and somehow swallows up the south with ideologies and forms a unified Korean power. Then, they sweep across half-of-Asia somehow, then "bring the war" to the American "homefront".

LOL

k.

How about, it's more believable that a psycho takes power in America (you mean like the last American president?!) and decides to "police" his own people. You take any of those pictures of Homefront, where "Koreans" are slaughtering Americans and patrolling the "homeland", and slap American flags on them.... It would be entirely believable, far more so than the crap plot being handed to us about North Korea unifying free-nations and invading America.

When hurricane Katrina battered the south, the then American President, Mr. Bushie, gave "no tolerance" orders to police and PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES on American soil for "looters". Many, many Americans were shot during a complete disaster. Because the one thing that these people needed, in the wake of this horrible tragedy, was a bunch of mindless neanderthals running around and filling people full of lead. SOUND PLAN. And it happened. Posse Comitatus was suspended then, violating US law. The US military and PMCs raided homes, detained people and killed US civilians on US soil, for weeks.

Give me a break!

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I'd play it. And not some cop-out PMC kind of thing either, I'd want to play a game in which the main character becomes such a thorn in Uncle Sam's side that the US gets rid of the rest of it's Nuclear Weapons arsenal on the home country of your player character.

 

[Popido]

Games should be based on fictions, not facts.

 

[MartialArc]

How about the US as villains in an alternate universe where PETA has taken control of the country.... and invades.. well everyone that eats meat.

You would play as a Chinese soldier fighting with an international force to protect the meat-eaters of the world. Notable enemies could include 20's-something vegan douchebags that attack you with crappy guitar playing and moral superiority, brainwashed lard-asses that devour anyone in their path, crazed sociopath rednecks featuring twisted metal style rides, and rude new-yorkers that drop from the ceilings and mug you. There will be folks from Iowa too, but they'll be too stupid to do anything useful. The main US superweapons will be Paris Hilton(biological warfare), and the re-animated corpse of Chris Farley.

It will be glorious.

 

[rokkolpo]

How about not demonizing an entire country, or just taking the Civilization approach?

It's a huge powerful country with more classified stuff than the pope.

What would you demonise but the biggest most intimidating sheep in the herd?

 

[The Apothecarry]

Once again, Modern Warfare 2 did it already, albeit terribly.

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

Considering how almost every country and many people inside America already think we've invaded multiple countries for the oil, does it really matter that much for you guys to demonize us in games as well? I mean, holy shit guys, not even France gets this much hate! and we've got it coming from inside two fronts!

 

[TheLiham]

Well, it'd be realistic seeing as Americans usually are the bad guys they just dont like admitting it

 

[RJ Dalton]

How about not demonizing an entire country, or just taking the Civilization approach?

This, mostly. I could see working a story that was the Americans being the bad guys - I've written a couple myself - but on the whole, I find it too simple and uninteresting to make an entire country into the bad guys. Life's not that simple. In fact, why does one side or the other have to be the bad guys? Why can't it just be both sides of the conflict are run by arrogant, incompetent politicians and the entire war is essentially just a giant who has the biggest dick competition that's unfortunately costing the lives of millions? You know, just like most wars in real life?

Also, on an unrelated note, what is your avatar supposed to be?

 

[SyphonX]

Considering that America is already an enemy to most of the third world

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_are_allies_of_the_United_States

Given that the United States has a huge list of political allies (not too shabby on military allies, either), i'd say we're being a little hyperbolic here, aren't we?

Allies, lol.

When you're a warring imperialistic empire steamrolling the world, you tend to gain "friends" who will in-turn abandon you at the first opportunity. Either that, or you gain the support of already-existing imperial empires, such as the UK. Whodathunkit.

When the mob moved in on a city back in the day, they gained a lot of "friends", because everyone was afraid of their extortion and power. They also wanted a piece of the action, as long as they kissed enough ass.

 

[Nocturnal Gentleman]

Well, it'd be realistic seeing as Americans usually are the bad guys they just dont like admitting it

Maybe because the only bad guys are the assholes who sign papers to begin and extend wars?

The soldiers aren't evil since most don't want to be where they are. Calling the entire military just as evil as the government that used them for a dick-waving contest isn't exactly a fair representation. I'd like to see both sides of any conflict fleshed out. People who attempt to rebel or actually switch sides and their reason for doing so. People sent to kill other human beings that would never want to do any such thing normally. People who are on an antagonizing side but still try to do good things despite their given mission. You know, like actual war.

 

[SyphonX]

Allies, lol.

When you're a warring imperialistic empire steamrolling the world, you tend to gain "friends" who will in-turn abandon you at the first opportunity. Either that, or you gain the support of already-existing imperial empires, such as the UK. Whodathunkit.

When the mob moved in on a city back in the day, they gained a lot of "friends", because everyone was afraid of their extortion and power. They also wanted a piece of the action, as long as they kissed enough ass.

it must be nice living in a world where complex political processes can be boiled down to good and evil in order to fit your minuscule worldview.

Miniscule world views...

You know very well how the US and it's ilk extorts poor countries and muscles in their own views and corporate power. Yet you choose to shrug it off, because you enjoy the comfort of fascism.

 

[K_Dub]

Americans aren't nearly witty and charming enough to be the villians.

If the British have to be the villians, then we're the best damn villians around.

You do kinda have a point there. Thinking about it, the British do make better villains. And I'm pretty sure that it's all due to the accent. Just so evil sounding when done right.

But yeah. I'd love to see a game where America is the main villain. I've only been outside the country once before, and all I really learned from that experience is that even though they're descended from a buncha convicts, Australians are EXTREMELY nice! So needless to say, my overall international and multicultural knowledge is a bit lacking.

So a game where America is the enemy, and, say, South Korea are the good guys would be a really interesting perspective change. It'd be a great opportunity for other cournties to teach people a little bit about their own culture.

Now if you'll excuse me. I'm going to go watch bad reality T.V. and eat apple pie. UH-MERICA! FUCK YEAH!!

 

[Paksenarrion]

Depends on how it's handled. If Americans are just portrayed as mustache twilirling villains for the sake of being controversial, no. If handled well, yes.

And I'm an American.

That actually sounds interesting...a mustachioed American in black cape and top hat does dastardly deeds to damsels in distress. Who will save the world now?

A Canadian Mountie.

 

[SyphonX]

You know you very well how the US and it's ilk extorts poor countries and muscles in their own views and corporate power. Yet you choose to shrug it off, because you enjoy the comfort of fascism.

apples and oranges. Although many have a large stake in the outcomes of certain bills being passed, government institutions are independent from corporations. To point at General Electric and say "United States of America" is exactly like pointing at Sony and saying "Japan." While their corporate headquarters may be based in the united states and japan respectively, they are multinational corporations that are not inherently American or Japanese.

As for the second part, you need to work on your ad hominem. You gotta ease into bombastic claims--don't just go for broke from the start. Next time, start by calling me a conservative pig (or liberal pussy, whichever you prefer), work your way up to fascism, and then you're just one step away from making Godwin proud!

Hopefully your future efforts will be more succcessful.

No it isn't apples and oranges. The difference between "Sony Japan" and "GE America" is that Japan doesn't have a terrifyingly massive army that goes around and actually enforces broken deals.

I also didn't start the "ad hominem" as you so passively suggest. You tried to counter my argument with, "You know nothing. See, look how many 'friends' the United States has." Then followed it up with, the coy "miniscule world view" remark.

How you could even try to compare Japan and America is simply amazing to me. It doesn't help your "America isn't a warring imperial empire" discussion when you claim the country that was wiped out by an atomic bomb.. twice, oppressed, and their military leashed to this day, all by the very same America that you claim just doesn't go around and do that sort of thing. Then claim they are both "sort of the same".

Show me a country not decimated or adversely affected by America's "foreign policy", corporations or military, and I will be in awe of the colonized planet which you discovered.

---
Anyway, I am in the middle of playing Dragon Age 2, so I'll get back to that. Where the oppressive regimes and political turmoil are comfortably fictional and not so depressing.

 

[Cheesepower5]

I'm assuming when you say "American" you aren't counting Canada, and the entire southern half of the super-continent.

So no, not from the US. And yeah, wouldn't mind seeing someone from any part of the continent as a villain. Unfortunately a Canadian villain would NEVER be taken seriously.