Germans and War Games

[ywouldi]

This has been bugging me for a while now:

Do Germans play WW2 computer games? If so, what side do they play as. We usually get the British/US side, do they get the Germans?

Ben

[Pat H]

I once read some comments posted on You Tube by a German lad, after watching one of those clips of a WW2 flight simulator.

He said that he flew an Me109 against the B17s because he chose to fight for the Europeans against the Americans.

Quite where that left the British, the Free French and the Polish squadrons in the RAF I'm not sure....

I sincerely hope that his comments were tongue in cheek, but that would have been an attempt at humour, so must be regarded as unlikely.

[Kuroblack350]

They certainly play CoD5 that's for sure, maybe it's just me but there are way more Germans playing 5 than 4. (5 is based on the WW2 era, 4 is modern...)

I'm sure they play as their own side, I certainly would

Edited by Kuroblack350 on Sunday 4th January 11:42

[Silver993tt]

Return to Castle Wolfenstein released a few years ago was sanitised for the German market, no nazi insignia, not so violent. However, the German colleagues I was working with applied what they called the "blood patch", which effectively switched on all the stuff in the normal game.

[fish]

COD 5 has Wehracht(spelling?) teams including battle scenes with the swaztika displayed. Don't know which team the germans play on the only problem is there is no british team, only american,german,japenese and russian...

Come on lets have a brit side.

[navier_stokes]

fish said:

COD 5 has Wehracht(spelling?) teams including battle scenes with the swaztika displayed. Don't know which team the germans play on the only problem is there is no british team, only american,german,japenese and russian...

Come on lets have a brit side.

We had the SAS in 4?

[Simpo Two]

Pat H said:

He said that he flew an Me109 against the B17s because he chose to fight for the Europeans against the Americans.

Suspect he really meant German, but sanitised it for a global readership. Europe (minus Germany) and America were Allies... most Germans regarded Russia as the real enemy.

Interesting to note that we went to war for Poland, yet it ended up owned by Russia.

[SS HSV]

Silver993tt said:

Return to Castle Wolfenstein released a few years ago was sanitised for the German market, no nazi insignia, not so violent. However, the German colleagues I was working with applied what they called the "blood patch", which effectively switched on all the stuff in the normal game.

I used to play that a lot

We also used to play on German servers and there was a decent competetive nature but no bad feelings. I loaded the game back onto the games pc the other day and sadly its no fun to play as the graphics are truly aweful in comparison to COD, etc.

[fleetelise]

[quote=Silver993tt]Return to Castle Wolfenstein released a few years ago was sanitised for the German market, no nazi insignia, not so violent. However, the German colleagues I was working with applied what they called the "blood patch", which effectively switched on all the stuff in the normal game.[/quote

not sure how it would apply to video games, but isn't it illegal to show the swastika in germany except for educational purposes?

[Pat H]

fleetelise said:

not sure how it would apply to video games, but isn't it illegal to show the swastika in germany except for educational purposes?

Yep.

It stinks.

Sweep it under the carpet. Pretend it didn't happen.

Then demonise the principle Nazi symbol and thereby ascribe it mythical status amongst misled extremists.

The sight of restored WW2 German planes etc with no swastika is an insult to the intelligence.

Edited by Pat H on Sunday 4th January 12:11

[Myobb]

Pat H said:

I once read some comments posted on You Tube by a German lad, after watching one of those clips of a WW2 flight simulator.

He said that he flew an Me109 against the B17s because he chose to fight for the Europeans against the Americans.

Quite where that left the British, the Free French and the Polish squadrons in the RAF I'm not sure....

I sincerely hope that his comments were tongue in cheek, but that would have been an attempt at humour, so must be regarded as unlikely.



As an Englishman living in Germany I would comment that you simply dont understand the German physche. Of course he identified himself as a European. Apart from the fact that elements of German society are still embarrased to be German (not many but some) Germans have acknowleged publicly & frequently there war guilt (unlike the Japs)& identify themselves very much as part of Europe (unlike the British). Secondly can we get away from snide comments about Germans lacking humour. German humour is slightly different to the British (not so self deprecating) but essentially the same. Indeed I wonder how many times I have seen Mr Bean on TV which the Germans, think unfortunately, is great.

[Chairman LMAO]

Get BF2 and dispense with such issues, you can either be the USofA, MEC (middle eastern coalition) or Chinese. Problem solved, the US have the best vehicles, Chinese Planes and MEC guns.

[OllieC]

Simpo Two said:

Pat H said:

He said that he flew an Me109 against the B17s because he chose to fight for the Europeans against the Americans.

Suspect he really meant German, but sanitised it for a global readership. Europe (minus Germany) and America were Allies... most Germans regarded Russia as the real enemy.

Interesting to note that we went to war for Poland, yet it ended up owned by Russia.

Germany, Italy, Romania, Hungary and one or two of the baltic states i think,

not quite germany vs the rest anyway

-carry on

[7mike]

So Germans are fair game (no pun intended)when dreaming up war games, why are there no Japanese based games of a similar nature?

[Jasandjules]

7mike said:

So Germans are fair game (no pun intended)when dreaming up war games, why are there no Japanese based games of a similar nature?

CoD World At War engages in the pacific, so very much Japanese killing..

I often play flight sims in ME109s etc.. and go screaming in after the B-17s etc.. Then I play as the Hurrican and take on the Me110s... Makes no difference to me...

[Daston]

Company of Heros and IL2 were both top sellers in Germany

[rhinochopig]

Pat H said:

fleetelise said:

not sure how it would apply to video games, but isn't it illegal to show the swastika in germany except for educational purposes?

Yep.

It stinks.

Sweep it under the carpet. Pretend it didn't happen.

Then demonise the principle Nazi symbol and thereby ascribe it mythical status amongst misled extremists.

The sight of restored WW2 German planes etc with no swastika is an insult to the intelligence.

Edited by Pat H on Sunday 4th January 12:11

Not sure that's actually true. IFAIK, museum pieces are classed as historical artefacts and are allowed to sport a swastika, whereas the repro stuff isn't. Could be wrong though. Eric!

ETA I was right.

Pic taken at the Deutsches Technikmuseum

Edited by rhinochopig on Sunday 4th January 20:38

[Callan.T89]

It's an odd topic, one that I have wondered about a few times.

Never really encountered too many Germans playing these games, or there not talking over there mic's

The thing is that in most of the WW2 games the 'masses' generally play as the Germans or use there equipment because they have the best weapons.

I.E

CoD 5 - best guns = STG44, MP40, FG42 and MG42

BF 1942 - best tanks = Tiger

etc etc etc (in my gaming opinion)

I will point out though that in the CoD games you don't choos the team you are on, it is automatically assigned, so it takes away any bias or choice in the matter. Probably eliminated the problem in question.

Personally I do enjoy playing as the SAS in CoD 4 - Modern Warfare, does give some national pride feelings.

[Morningside]

Early version (like I have in the loft - and in better condition).


Sanitised version


I also understand that this is a large problem against German radio collectors as (I think) you cannot publicly/openly sell propaganda.

Edited by Morningside on Sunday 4th January 21:11

[Driller]

Myobb said:

Pat H said:

I once read some comments posted on You Tube by a German lad, after watching one of those clips of a WW2 flight simulator.

He said that he flew an Me109 against the B17s because he chose to fight for the Europeans against the Americans.

Quite where that left the British, the Free French and the Polish squadrons in the RAF I'm not sure....

I sincerely hope that his comments were tongue in cheek, but that would have been an attempt at humour, so must be regarded as unlikely.



As an Englishman living in Germany I would comment that you simply dont understand the German physche. Of course he identified himself as a European. Apart from the fact that elements of German society are still embarrased to be German (not many but some) Germans have acknowleged publicly & frequently there war guilt (unlike the Japs)& identify themselves very much as part of Europe (unlike the British). Secondly can we get away from snide comments about Germans lacking humour. German humour is slightly different to the British (not so self deprecating) but essentially the same. Indeed I wonder how many times I have seen Mr Bean on TV which the Germans, think unfortunately, is great.

As an Englishmen living in France I get pissed off with the constant comments about the French being smelly, cowards etc etc

Join the club

Interesting topic though. I could imagine the Germans feel rather uncomfortable still about WWII.

Edited by Driller on Sunday 4th January 21:31