Comments on: Ben Fritz Thinks Colonization is Bad

By: John

John — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:28:12 +0000

Troy,

Good response. I like that you take a much more nuanced approach to criticism of Fritz than most of the comments here, which just seem to be variations on the tired old strawman of “political correctness.”

I don’t agree with Fritz, by any means, but I do think gamers can often be shockingly insensitive and ignorant. Unfortunately, it seems most of them will indeed dismiss concerns like these with a flippant “it’s just a game,” and it’s a shame. It kills any chance of real dialogue.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:53:16 +0000

I think you and Tom Chick have given this guy way too much credit. His preachy PC ramblings are proof enough of his ignorance and disdain for Stategy gaming. I am all for a dialogue among interested people who are open to the idea that they are not all-knowing. Most PC-lovers are too arrogant to even admit the possibility they may be mistaken.

PC= Political Correctness

By: Natus

Natus — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:22:38 +0000

He’s still at it:

http://weblogs.variety.com/the_cut_scene/2008/06/a-few-extra-poi.html?cid=120961668#comment-120961668

Like the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, he just doesn’t know when to stop…

By: Neil

Neil — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:39:56 +0000

Boo hoo. Let’s burn anyone who makes a historical game without preachy Caucasian self-flagellation being shoved in the player’s face, because that’s more important in a game than, say, entertainment value.

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:57:25 +0000

Well, the look doesn’t have to be a constant one. I mean, you can analyze something to death and therein lose the broad perspective. The misanthropy of Seinfeld, for example; if you dwell on what a cruel show it is, then you end up missing just how clever it is.

I’ve written before about the expendable nature of virtual soldiers, how casualties don’t matter all that much in many wargames and how this lack of real sense of sacrifice detaches us from both the nature of war as a human activity and as a strategic problem.

But asking these questions is a good thing. Someone has to do it, especially if we insist on games sitting at the big table. Not every game has meaning any more than every movie or book does. Still, I don’t think it hurts to reflect a little bit.

This is partly was Fritz’s column bugs me so much. If he knew anything about Sid Meier as a man or Colonization as a game, then he would know that the developers aren’t blind to these sorts of things. Meier was apparently a skeptic about introducing historic religions in Civ 4, for example, because he wasn’t sure it could be done well. One of the reasons there was no “religious dominance” victory condition was probably because they hadn’t worked how to do it without promoting Crusades.

Some companies don’t get it, obviously. But I think Firaxis does. Which makes Fritz’s argument all the more annoying.

By: JonathanStrange

JonathanStrange — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:33:41 +0000

Point taken. It is an interesting issue. I still wonder if any of us took too close a long at what we’re gaming about, we’d have some ‘splaining to do. “But, sir, they’re only virtual legionaries. I can’t be held accountable for their loss!”