Originally Posted by skintboymike

I think we're focussing too much on how PTSD would be portrayed as a controllable aspect of raw videogame mechanics, rather than how it could add to the depth of any given plot in the form of a video cutscene. I personally think it's a great concept - all I can think of at the moment is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare set in Northern Ireland, and a decent sub plot featuring a soldier who suffers from PTSD can only add to the experience IMO.

The victims and naysayers need to get a grip of themselves and start looking at the positive aspects of what is a unique and potentially very exciting project. Anything that raises awareness of the condition, including potentially putting some pennies in the H4H jar, can't be all bad.

sorry matey, can't see how it would work. PTSD is too complicated to work into a game. Can you really see how the Falklands vet, loses the plot in South Armagh, decides to play "you or the tv" with a browning 9mm and had decided EVERY one is the enemy? just one example.

Originally Posted by skintboymike

I think we're focussing too much on how PTSD would be portrayed as a controllable aspect of raw videogame mechanics, rather than how it could add to the depth of any given plot in the form of a video cutscene. I personally think it's a great concept - all I can think of at the moment is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare set in Northern Ireland, and a decent sub plot featuring a soldier who suffers from PTSD can only add to the experience IMO.

The victims and naysayers need to get a grip of themselves and start looking at the positive aspects of what is a unique and potentially very exciting project. Anything that raises awareness of the condition, including potentially putting some pennies in the H4H jar, can't be all bad.

Pretty much, thats what its very similar to - except, a bit more realistic. Lets face it, get a 7.62 round to the shoulder, its going to rip a good chunk of it out, but thats besides the point. COD's one of the main influences, but we're going more for realism/accuracy in regards to the gameplay mechanics.

Still, yeah - you've got my opinion down in one basically. Even if we don't get funding, we've still raised awareness of NI abroad, along with PTSD. The extra funds for H4H would be a nice bonus, if we get funding.

Originally Posted by buttonsin3s

not at all friend, i do all those things and more, but the game thing just isn't right for me. Just my opinion (and we all know they are like assholes) .

The games worked for me, but I can see why they would not be right for everyone. In the meantime I, along with the majority of people on here I am sure, wish you all the best with your recovery mate.

Originally Posted by oldcolt

Originally Posted by buttonsin3s

not at all friend, i do all those things and more, but the game thing just isn't right for me. Just my opinion (and we all know they are like assholes) .

The games worked for me, but I can see why they would not be right for everyone. In the meantime I, along with the majority of people on here I am sure, wish you all the best with your recovery mate.

Aye, me included - not a condition I'd wish on anyone.

Originally Posted by buttonsin3s

Originally Posted by skintboymike

I think we're focussing too much on how PTSD would be portrayed as a controllable aspect of raw videogame mechanics, rather than how it could add to the depth of any given plot in the form of a video cutscene. I personally think it's a great concept - all I can think of at the moment is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare set in Northern Ireland, and a decent sub plot featuring a soldier who suffers from PTSD can only add to the experience IMO.

The victims and naysayers need to get a grip of themselves and start looking at the positive aspects of what is a unique and potentially very exciting project. Anything that raises awareness of the condition, including potentially putting some pennies in the H4H jar, can't be all bad.

sorry matey, can't see how it would work. PTSD is too complicated to work into a game. Can you really see how the Falklands vet, loses the plot in South Armagh, decides to play "you or the tv" with a browning 9mm and had decided EVERY one is the enemy? just one example.

Emotions have been successfully portrayed in other media such as radio, TV and film for years - the only way it differs in this instance is that videogames are a two way street which require the player to add something to the experience. There is no reason why PTSD cannot form an integral and valid part of the plot.

First and foremost this is going to be a game constructed by volunteers who are using their expertise in various fields to either visualise their passion of the subject matter or showcase their skills...either way its a considerable investment of time as yet unpaid.

It is a game....which means even though it is going to be scraping some sensitive nerves and issues it has to appeal to people as something that gives them entertainment.Accuracy is essential until its gets too much,when it devolves into something that the bulk of the punters will not understand or appreciate.....that is often a very fine line.


But a lot of good can come from a resurgence of interest in a subject,after the historically abysmal but popular " Saving Private Ryan " " and U-571 " films came out,there was a piece in my local paper about the Schools receiving requests from the pupils to organise field trips to actually visit the wargraves and see first hand the sights from the film that moved them..especially the last scene at the graveside.....surely that is a good thing?Good games and films can often ignite interest where other media fails.

Games can be educational by even nudging your sense of morals and providing information that the media often glossed over ( thinking American media here ) which if written well could show the utter frustration of having an enemy that wore no uniform and hid amongst civilians and generally neither abided by or recognised the rules of war as such.

One game I am playing at the moment is superbly written and acted and has a huge amount of mods made for it rather the same as the team with the original poster.The stuff these teams churn out can be beyond professional and can far exceed the original game it was based on.....Fallout 3 is the game that I am wasting my spare time on....gives you choices in the way you play,and provides some horrific and far reaching events depending on how you choose.

It actually makes it an effort to play as the bad guy once you see people ( be it just computer creations ) suffering from your decisions.

because you have a one on one with the actor, i think of "Black Watch" a very wet eye experience. How can you judge someone who went through "saving private ryan" experiance? You can talk to d -day vets, but you will never fully nderstand what they went through. Same as NI, i was lucky, i only did 3 tours, but every one was different. I was shot at (but not in a dark winters night in Belfast), i was blown up, rather my feet and body left the ground with the aid of a car bomb. IEDs, etc i can relate to. But sorry skintboy, i still can't see how yo can bring ptsd into a game. As i said, it took the best part of 10 years for it to get to me, i'm in hospital with guys from every conflict from WW2.

Originally Posted by buttonsin3s

because you have a one on one with the actor, i think of "Black Watch" a very wet eye experience. How can you judge someone who went through "saving private ryan" experiance? You can talk to d -day vets, but you will never fully nderstand what they went through. Same as NI, i was lucky, i only did 3 tours, but every one was different. I was shot at (but not in a dark winters night in Belfast), i was blown up, rather my feet and body left the ground with the aid of a car bomb. IEDs, etc i can relate to. But sorry skintboy, i still can't see how yo can bring ptsd into a game. As i said, it took the best part of 10 years for it to get to me, i'm in hospital with guys from every conflict from WW2.

It's a raw issue for you and no doubt the sole reason that you have trouble facing up to the concept, I can understand that. Those who lost family in the 11 Sept bombings no doubt had (and still have) similar reservations about anything relating that event too, but films and programs based on the event went ahead anyway.

And the people who made those films where a bunch of money grabbing cnuts

Originally Posted by Squiggers

A few of the people here may remember that I'm developing a game/modification for the Crysis engine based around operations that took place in Northern Ireland during the early-mid 80's - main element being realism, and trying to get it right in regards to attitudes, gear.... You get the picture probably.

The main premise of the game is to provoke some sort of thought from the player in regards to what happened then in Northern Ireland, and is still going on to an extent in regards to the sectarianism, along with the action our lads and lasses face. Scarily, a few europeans I've been talking to have no idea about NI, or the Falklands. Bloody frogs and blockheads.

At any rate, the main question I really need to ask, is should PTSD be portrayed in media such as games, and if so, how can I portray it correctly, so that it causes as little offence as possible?

Part of the reason, is that often the impact of it isn't that well explained/documented outside the military (I myself am not military), so any help would be much appreciated guys, in regards to info, and the like?


Thanks,

-J

From where I am It would seem you don't want to hear from the real world , you know it all and are not prepared to listen to the people who you are going to upset, you sad wonker