Reviving World War Two Games.

[Scolar Visari]

In the interest of putting some life in this stale genre would people be interested in playing a WW2 game from Germany's perspective. Many German soldiers didn't agree with the Nazi party and were only fighting because they were in the military. Obviously you wouldn't be playing as some SS trooper committing atrocities but as soldiers in other divisions of the military fighting on the frontlines. Please voice your opinions on whether or not you would buy a game like this and what kind of controversy might arise. (I don't condone any of the Nazi party's ideas or actions)

 

[WingedFortress]

I would certainely buy a game like this, as the opposing perspective is an interesting one to take. It would certainly change the pace of the normandy beach missions. However, it seems unlikely, as I honestly cannot expect the average person to refrain from immediatly thinking it's somehow pro nazi.
However, I think a game where your a prisoner in a concentration camp and have to escape from nazi germany would be fun. initially, alot of stealth missions would be required to escape the camp, and then more run and gun type gameplay for when you fight your way across the german country side until your inevitably picked up by a bunch of allied soldiers, or something that provides a logical end.
Yeah, Ive thought about it.

 

[Melaisis]

I'm not sure, however, what difference it would make from playing from the prospective of the Allies?

I mean, for Christ's sake, both armies basically covered the same territory at some point or another (Re/capture of Paris, well, France in general really, Netherlands, et cetera). It actually would be highly unoriginal, I think. But I believe the reason why they haven't made a title as such yet is because of the many moral and ethical considerations that a lot of people simply associate with the German army during that time period (like you say, many soldiers disagreed with the Nazis, but many are ignorant of that simple fact). If people are still willing to buy the same, one-sided battles over and over again, then no publisher is going to risk controversy simply to offer unneeded originality. Sort of like why you don't go around raping people in Dynasty Warriors. Sure, it would be historically accurate for the lower ranks, certainly add some originality and almost definitely reflect the 'other side' of the lives of the soldiers, but if fanatics of the series are willing to lap it up as it is now, then the publishers don't see a reason to change it. The same could be said of this genre.

I mean, would you really want to play as a German on the beaches of Normandy? Sure, it would be a rather spectacular sight, but would probably have to be the hardest level in gaming history, heh.

Personally I'd like at least some focus on the conflict in the Middle East and Northern Africa during the 1940s, as it would be interesting to see a period piece with echoes of Desert Storm in a new place.

 

[Scolar Visari]

Melaisis your comment on the Middle East and Northern Africa theaters was something I wanted to include in my post but didn't for some strange reason. These two theaters of war are rarely covered in games and could add something new to the genre. The game would have to have some kind of story and not just your weak Call of Duty stories if the German perspective wanted to seem more justifiable. Im not 100% but I believe Rommel was anti Nazi and wanted the war to end so his men wouldn't have to die for Hitler's cause. It seems the only change to the European theater would be that your on the defensive for most of the time and would lose most of your battles.

 

[Geoffrey42]

I've often considered the possibility as well, of trying to do a game from the perspective of a German soldier. The narrative would be incredibly important. But, I've also always felt that the game would be worthwhile. Having a game that allowed you to be portrayed as the ultimate hero, but eventually revealed to you the how horrible your cause was (a la Deux Ex, par example), and maybe gave you the opportunity to turn against your side at some point (July 20th plot, [a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Resistance]German Resistance[/a]) would be an incredible emotional ride. I've always wanted a game to make me think I was the hero, and allow me to fight and slaughter the opposition, then turn the tables on me and reveal that everything I had done was pure evil. Haze is going this direction, and I hope to have the opportunity to play it someday, if it turns out well. From a historical perspective, a game allowing you to play as a German soldier would perform a similar function.

Not to mention, despite their losses later in the war, much of the early war was nothing but success for Germany. You could spend quite a bit of time winning, before changing allegiance around the same time Germany starts losing.

As a side note, I don't think any publisher would ever make this game. Too many people would decry it as a pro-Nazi thing, without ever looking beyond the wrapper. As an alternative, I think a game with a fictional setting could heavily parallel the situation, and get much of the same effect, preferably heavily hinting at it's source material.

But, you never know. Eastwood managed to make the Japanese seem human in Letters From Iwo Jima, maybe someone could portray the Germans similarly? The movie [a href=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102443/]A Midnight Clear[/a] from back in the day didn't do a half bad job, from the American perspective, but I think we can get more looking from the inside out.

 

[Scolar Visari]

I figured there would by a sea of controversy if a game like this was created. I had thought about using the early parts of the war like you said but never put it into words. A game where you switch sides sounds good but the story I was thinking of would be that of a soldier who was unwillingly dragged into the war, kind of like a German Brothers in Arms story. I think people need to face this kind of stuff and not just hide behind their Germans=Nazis propaganda.

 

[Moe The Bus Driver]

This may seem odd, but I would love a WW2 game where you weren't a hero. Not in the hero/villain sense, but the kind where you aren't the guy saving the day for everyone. Some games have offered this, but in the end it still ends up being the player pretty much solving all the problems that arise.

Hell, make the guy just as easy to kill as the rest of the pack. Sure, having to hide a bit while bullets fly around you may seem boring to some who like to slaughter everything around. I, for one, would like the feeling of tenseness accompanying the situation.

 

[shadow skill]

I figured there would by a sea of controversy if a game like this was created. I had thought about using the early parts of the war like you said but never put it into words. A game where you switch sides sounds good but the story I was thinking of would be that of a soldier who was unwillingly dragged into the war, kind of like a German Brothers in Arms story. I think people need to face this kind of stuff and not just hide behind their Germans=Nazis propaganda.

No one has the balls to publish such a game, and the consumer probably does not have the guts to see Nazis as human beings, or even as human beings that became demons over time.

 

[broadband]

it would be interesting see something like this, but like somes said, people would call it pro nazi propaganda withut even look at it, but what would you think about a game settled in a more actual setting, something like a Irak citicen having to wield a Ak-47 for defend his lands...

or maybe a game based on the defence of Iwo jima, and in end watch the destruction of hiroshima or something.

i didnt thinked much when i writed this and english isnt my native languaje, but i hope you can catch the ideas.

 

[PurpleRain]

I say why do WW2 anymore. Why not go back to WW1 or the great war as we called it in my day. Yo can play as the Germans since the National Socialist weren't even formed back then. Trench warfare would make a great change from neach landings. maybe Australia could get a look in too since the Americans can't really properganderise(?!) a war they were bearly in.

 

[John Galt]

Ooh, a WWI game would be nice. Be a good change of pace for FPS's too. Instead of the various sci-fi and WWII games that have almost become cliched, we could play from the perspective of a young ANZAC or something like that.

If another WWII game is on the horizon, then maybe we should think about it from the Japanese perspective, or even something like the Spanish Civil War. Maybe we could even move on from the whole damn thing and focus on Korea or Vietnam. Historical shooters just aren't diverse enough to be taken seriously anymore.

 

[PurpleRain]

Ooh, a WWI game would be nice. Be a good change of pace for FPS's too. Instead of the various sci-fi and WWII games that have almost become cliched, we could play from the perspective of a young ANZAC or something like that.

Training mission in Egypt. Travel off to Turkey where you fight the long fight. Then get pulled out (yes 'get.' We wanted to keep on going but the Pom's had to go off and do other stuff) and then off to France at the Somme, where vicious battles insue.

 

[Scolar Visari]

Not so fast Shadow Skill there may be one group out there with the balls to do it. Around the time of the release of the second Brothers in Arms Gearbox said they would be willing to create a Brothers in Arms from the German perspective. Unfortunatly I don't have the article so your just going to have to trust me on this. WW1 might not work because trench warfare created short lifespans for most troops.

 

[Hey Joe]

I'd like to see a game set during the WW2 period that sees the player never pick up a gun. It must have been an incredibly surreal time in which to live and any game that could capture this would be a welcome change from all the D-Day repeats.

Here's an idea for a game. You work as a member of the french resistance during the occupation by Nazi forces, your job is to run messages, and commit various levels of espionage. You don't pick up a gun, you just try to avoid suspicion in the cold streets of Paris. I can just see the foggy champs-elysee packed with Nazi soldiers and your mission would be to unfurl a huge banner down the Arc-D'Triumph giving the people hope.

Or, if a WW2 game does have to involve shooting and such, why not take the game to one particular location and stick to it?

Heck, I'd really love to see a game set during the Boer War come to think of it.

 

[Deg]

Well if you wanted to go the WWI route, I don't think that it would be a straight up combat game.

Another route you could go is a combat survival simulator. Basically, the point of the game wouldn?t be so much about run and gun, but rather surviving life in the trenches. Watching out for Artillery, Snipers, Gas Attacks as well as (later) Aircraft (Biplanes and Blimps anyone?) and Tanks. In addition you would have to deal with the fact that the trenches sucked, you would have to make sure you don?t get don?t get sick, kill rats for food, forage for food from the burnt out cities.

Heck, for the combat parts every once in awhile (or as part of missions/levels) your commanders would sound the charge and everyone has to jump out of their trenches and charge across no mans land. Naturally you would have to avoid machine gunners, Artillery, craters full of mustard gas and all that other good stuff that was in the no mans land between trenches. You could even have a few missions take place in non-trench areas, like forests. A forest battle using WWI weapons and tactics would be interesting to see.

 

[m_jim]

What about something along the lines of MGS 3 Snake Eater, where you are a part of the espionage side of things and have to hoof it through the woods to your objective, but done with controls that are actually meant for a stealth-action game. That way, you avoid the re-hashed set piece levels while still working within the historical framework.

 

[broadband]

I'd like to see a game set during the WW2 period that sees the player never pick up a gun. It must have been an incredibly surreal time in which to live and any game that could capture this would be a welcome change from all the D-Day repeats.

Here's an idea for a game. You work as a member of the french resistance during the occupation by Nazi forces, your job is to run messages, and commit various levels of espionage. You don't pick up a gun, you just try to avoid suspicion in the cold streets of Paris. I can just see the foggy champs-elysee packed with Nazi soldiers and your mission would be to unfurl a huge banner down the Arc-D'Triumph giving the people hope.

Or, if a WW2 game does have to involve shooting and such, why not take the game to one particular location and stick to it?

Heck, I'd really love to see a game set during the Boer War come to think of it.

that makes me remember the game prisioner of war, where you was a US unarmed pylot trying to escape from the prisioner camps, sneaking, using disguses, talking to other prisioners, that stuff

 

[Scolar Visari]

We honestly need more games that bring us out of our safe zones and give us a new perspective on events in history. This feels like were heading off topic and Im deciding on whether or not to make a new broader thread. This thread is about the creation of a WW2 game from the perspective of the German forces and the following controversy.

 

[Fire Daemon]

The WW2 scene is dead. Well maybe not dead, just lying in a ditch somewhere gasping for air while Sci-fi games stab its throat but it will be dead very soon. WW2 has been done so many times that people have started CHANGING HISTORY for it to be enjoyable. Like in Resistance fall of man or Fall of Liberty they have had to change the history for it too be fun in the slightest. And even if games try and make everything historic (MoH Airbone) the still cock it up to try and make the game slightly original.

And while you idea for playing as a Non Nazi German Soldier may have been apealing 5 years ago now it just seems like another way to churn out WW2 shooters when your dev team has no imagination on what their game should be about but is smater enough to realise that nobody liked their other 27 WW2 shooters when you play as Mr American. (By the way I just had a bad case of Deja'vu).

I think that those who make WW2 games could use their imagination and try and come up with better game ideas that don't revolve around Nazis, and hell these games could be good and even if they set the game in WW5 or something. Atleast they have come up with something that hasn't be done before and isn't read straight out of a textbook.