Computer games as a military marketing and propaganda tool
After Andreas and I realised that using a computer game aesthetic for the army recruitment material, for this would allow use of parody easier than overtly graphic or sensational images and is accessible for the age group targeted in the brief. We also discussed contacting ex-soldiers to hear their stories for material, but decided using photographic imagery of ex-servicemen could be limiting for various reasons.
America's Army is the most familiar to me, a tactical multiplayer F.P.S, featuring realistic environments and military hardware thats said to authenticity depict the real life equivalents. There are some 8.6 million registered users, who play online. The play works on a honour system , with tactical play increases the players points, as does healing wounded comrades etc. Players showing good skills in the game are contacted by recruiters directing them to websites and further information for the army.
Ethnic Cleansing is somewhat more suspect, a 'game' for white supremasists and ignorant racist lowlife everywhere. Not sure what i can say about this as it doesn't really deserve any more of my time, it's a filthy lithesome game, as is White Law , another such game full of racist hated.
Saving the Port is a game which recruits for the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, a response to the West’s cultural onslaught and in order to promote the Islamic-Iranian culture.
Anti-Japan War Online is another imaginatively title online game, this time promoting Chinese nationalism - "Our developers hate Japan, so they want to make the game very provocative, but the team leaders have tried to tone down the violence," said the project manager, Liu Junfeng of PowerNet Technology, a Shenzhen-based gaming company (from the Guardian)
Under Siege is a computer game set in the middle east, which focuses on a Palestinian family caught up in the occupation by Israel forces. At the time it was released it recieved a lot of media attention in the middle east because of its use as a propaganda tool for the PLO. The protagonist makes his way through the game shooting at soldiers from the Israeli Defence Forces. It differs with most FPSs in that if you hurt or kill innocent civilians the game ends. Much of the rest of the content is no different in tone and format than pretty much all western war based games,(of which there are a great many) which despite the relentless killing of Iraqis/Afghanis/Russians/Germans/Chinese/whoever - are not generally labelled as propaganda tools. Apparently,the demo also has the tagline "A real life story or a political propaganda? You have the right to decide". Its a statement about the Israeli occupation of the west bank and Gaza strip, it's creators say all the levels are based on true stories, and although the protagonist shoots at Israeli forces, it doesn't simulate any terrorist activity, suicide bombings etc. These guys produced something spawned by the events happening in the streets around them, a touch different from the giant developers producing games for the western market, who don't get blamed for spreading propaganda.
Ethnic Cleansing is somewhat more suspect, a 'game' for white supremasists and ignorant racist lowlife everywhere. Not sure what i can say about this as it doesn't really deserve any more of my time, it's a filthy lithesome game, as is White Law , another such game full of racist hated.
Saving the Port is a game which recruits for the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, a response to the West’s cultural onslaught and in order to promote the Islamic-Iranian culture.
Anti-Japan War Online is another imaginatively title online game, this time promoting Chinese nationalism - "Our developers hate Japan, so they want to make the game very provocative, but the team leaders have tried to tone down the violence," said the project manager, Liu Junfeng of PowerNet Technology, a Shenzhen-based gaming company (from the Guardian)
Under Siege is a computer game set in the middle east, which focuses on a Palestinian family caught up in the occupation by Israel forces. At the time it was released it recieved a lot of media attention in the middle east because of its use as a propaganda tool for the PLO. The protagonist makes his way through the game shooting at soldiers from the Israeli Defence Forces. It differs with most FPSs in that if you hurt or kill innocent civilians the game ends. Much of the rest of the content is no different in tone and format than pretty much all western war based games,(of which there are a great many) which despite the relentless killing of Iraqis/Afghanis/Russians/Germans/Chinese/whoever - are not generally labelled as propaganda tools. Apparently,the demo also has the tagline "A real life story or a political propaganda? You have the right to decide". Its a statement about the Israeli occupation of the west bank and Gaza strip, it's creators say all the levels are based on true stories, and although the protagonist shoots at Israeli forces, it doesn't simulate any terrorist activity, suicide bombings etc. These guys produced something spawned by the events happening in the streets around them, a touch different from the giant developers producing games for the western market, who don't get blamed for spreading propaganda.
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