Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

It's a war game about, oh let's see, WAR. Fuck, are you stupid? Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances. Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country. "Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

As far as I'm concerned there should be no censorship in games, movies, music, books, anything. At most there should be warnings for those who don't want to see certain things, but for those who are mature enough to view REAL LIFE in its entirety, they shouldn't be prohibited from experiencing it.

Hardcore_gamer, your views are cowardly and pathetic, as well as woefully hypocritical. You are not a hardcore gamer.

spuddyt:
What an excellently designed sleight of hand to avoid the main "talking point" about MW2 being the horrendous price...

This is the first mission of the game. Somehow I doubt that they reworked it to be more controversial and then leaked it in order to divert attention away from the higher price.

This is why MW2 sucks... there's no such thing as terrorists. Killing innocent civilians during their escape who in hell would do that? Not even Adolf Hitler would "in an attempt to escape" bring more attention to himself.

If people believe what modern media has made terrorists out to be then the Mafia and all incarnations created from the prohibition of substances worldwide are terrorists including the US Government and all of its acronyms.

This is why there are songs that say "People = Shit" because they don't use logic nor reason. A real "Terrorist" identifies targets, A real "Terrorist" has to live for the next mission, A real "Terrorist" isn't an idiot.

If it is banned they will probly just cut the sequence and repalce it with a picture of the main villian and a message saying, "Trust us, he is a complete bastard"

Australia Australia. I think you're channeling the spirit of Jack Thompson's law career.

Uncompetative:
12 should be 15.
15 should be 18.
18 should be 21.

Do you look 21? No sex and violence for you.
Do you look 18? No brief nudity and violence for you.
Do you look 15? No, you look like you are 10... go climb a tree, or throw sticks in the river.

see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pooh_sticks

There should be no 12 certificate.

This makes sense! You should make the gaming laws for Australia. Of course, any other equally sane person would do just as well.

Sisyphus0:

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

It's a war game about, oh let's see, WAR. Fuck, are you stupid? Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances. Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country. "Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

As far as I'm concerned there should be no censorship in games, movies, music, books, anything. At most there should be warnings for those who don't want to see certain things, but for those who are mature enough to view REAL LIFE in its entirety, they shouldn't be prohibited from experiencing it.

Hardcore_gamer, your views are cowardly and pathetic, as well as woefully hypocritical. You are not a hardcore gamer.

And you are blinkered to reality, while your points are fairly accurate, people will not agree with them.
And welcome to the Escapist, where telling people that their veiws are inferior to your own is not looked kindly upon.

There goes an episode of Unskippable.

Isn't the whole point of it to show how brutal, violent, and horrible these things really are in order to get across the point that the shit just hit the fan in the game and you are under the threat of certain evil? It's trying to build the atmosphere for the game.

Alright someone snitched out on the gaming community. Who did it?

How exactly does something showing that the terrorists are evil and horrible people promote what they do in a positive way? Who could see this scene and think "Wow those are some pretty cool people" If it was someone too young to handle it they would be terrified by whats going on and probably never touch the game again.

However this has caused me to think twice about skipping over this game I do like that they are ignoring all the bitching and going ahead with what they planned and seem to focus on the story. I figured much like a lot of fps these days this would focus on multiplayer and say fuck the story.

I feel that this scene is unnecessary. Nothing that couldn't be handled by a cutscene. Point proven further by the fact that it can be skipped, just like a cutscene. I hope that this ISN'T the extent of what Modern Warfare 2 has to offer, that is, military drama replacing gameplay. And seriously, how much more negative publicity do games need? (Oh wait, there can never be enough)

I can hardly believe they are pulling this off. A scene where the player is actively supposed to gun down helpless civilians.

I'm sorry, but this is where I draw the line. The justification for this scene is bullshit. You can show off how evil something is without requiring the player to participate in it. By their logic, they might as well have you play a rapist or a child molester on a police game like SWAT, for the player to appreciate "the urgency of the situation". Seriously, come on! This is just a fucked up excuse for the shock value of the scene and the publicity that goes along with it.

Also, it doesn't help us as gamers or the whole gaming industry in any way. With all the controversy going on and every shooting spree being blamed on videogames, something like this is the last thing we need.

It's the parents complaining because they want the corporate world to do their parenting for them...

Frankly, I think it's as simple as NOT LETTING YOUR 12 y/o PLAY M-RATED (18+, any other countries rating system's equivalent) VIDEO GAMES! >_>

TheTygerfire:
Except....they aren't innocent civilians...They aren't even live people. Get the hell over yourselves.

Exactly, they are the people I have to stand behind for 2 hours to get to the screening area spending another 2 hours making sure I don't have anything more violent than a teddy bear in order to get to the boarding area for my plane which was delayed another 4 hours.

Who wouldn't want to kill everyone after dealing with that.
I can see where the terrorists are coming from.

Woodsey:
Well maybe the Aussie officials need to be locked away, because clearly none of them are mature enough to handle any content not designed for a 3 year old.

If it was done in a film (in fact I think it has anyway) no one would care. Nor if it was done in a book, where the description was in-depth and grotesque.

But OH NOEZ!!1! PIXELZ!!

The only people that are affected by this are dip shit officials, they're the ones who can't tell fact from fiction.

Now if you don't mind I'm off to clean my AK, I've got an airport to raid in the morning.

Hear hear.

Although, it's been said many times before that video games are interactive and therefore pose the dilemma of choice. I think that people are right to be a little shocked, this is a bold move from a company to immerse us in (well not us, fuck paying 60 dollars for 4 hours of play time - no I don't play multiplayer) their version of saving the world.

I think the bigger problem here is that these games continue to be the same old shit. No matter how many bells and whistles you put on the same old pie, it's still a pie. It might taste good but it's nothing new.

I for one would like to see a game about saving the world from the real villains...indifference and mediocrity.

I think that the Aussie version will have that cut out, it only makes sense.

And I thank thee guy for sharing my point, films, books, even music (more sound effects for symbolism) has this kinda stuff, but when the ultimate art form (IMO) does it, apparently it's hurting the kids.

These games aren't for the kids, just because a kid can watch a film, no one rages they do, it's the same with video games, but instead of the cinema regulating, the parents have to.

Sisyphus0:

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

It's a war game about, oh let's see, WAR. Fuck, are you stupid? Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances. Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country. "Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

As far as I'm concerned there should be no censorship in games, movies, music, books, anything. At most there should be warnings for those who don't want to see certain things, but for those who are mature enough to view REAL LIFE in its entirety, they shouldn't be prohibited from experiencing it.

Hardcore_gamer, your views are cowardly and pathetic, as well as woefully hypocritical. You are not a hardcore gamer.

Sisyphus, you have no idea what you're talking about and your morals are just about on-par with Bin-Ladins. Congratulations.

Well who didn't see this coming?
If I do get this game (which is a very low chance) I'm just going to skip to the multiplayer anyways, so whatever...

Sevre90210:
There goes an episode of Unskippable.

You play this sequence, Unskippable only does cutscenes, no?

Tiamat666:
*snip*

Not to get in on this pissing contest, but using Ad Hominems is no way to prove someone wrong.

In fact it's pretty much the opposite of how you do it.

Amnestic:

Not to get in on this pissing contest, but using Ad Hominems is no way to prove someone wrong.
In fact it's pretty much the opposite of how you do it.

You see, the thing is, if you don't get it just from reading what he wrote, you don't really deserve an explenation.

While the Aussies are overreacting (as usual), it still doesn't change the fact that IW knew what it was doing and what backlash it would cause (it would be naive to assume otherwise). Anything that happens from here on in is their own fault. Personally, I consider the sequence in poor taste and not neccessary to establish a proper villain. It's a lazy and unsophisticated way to get a point across and it crosses the line of good taste.

Goddamn you Michael Atkinson.

Damn you to hell...

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

How is it unnecessary if the entire point is to make gamers feel uncomfortable, in order to make the enemies feel that much more evil?

Tiamat666:

Amnestic:

Not to get in on this pissing contest, but using Ad Hominems is no way to prove someone wrong.
In fact it's pretty much the opposite of how you do it.

You see, the thing is, if you don't get it just from reading what he wrote, you don't really deserve an explenation.

Eloquently constructed explanation, up until the point where you didn't bother explaining anything at all. If you can't even be bothered to elaborate on why you think something, why bother posting it at all?

Tiamat666:

Amnestic:

Not to get in on this pissing contest, but using Ad Hominems is no way to prove someone wrong.
In fact it's pretty much the opposite of how you do it.

You see, the thing is, if you don't get it just from reading what he wrote, you don't really deserve an explenation.

I'm just going to step in here and warn everybody to play nice, or don't play at all.

If you disagree, disagree respectfully.

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

I think you've got a point there. But still, I think it's a great idea to do that sequence, they're testing what video games as a medium may be able to do, and if they succeed, this might be much further down the road towards an educative function than any serious game could probably ever hope to accomplish. I'm definitely thrilled to see what we might be seeing.

Then again, I can still imagine a much better way for Infinity Ward to get their message out AND not step on toes they might not EXACTLY want to step on. How about, in that exact sequence, you were playing as one of the civilians slaughtered, frantically trying to escape withouth succeeding? Think the opening sequence of CoD 4 (the assasination of Unspecifiastan's president), but playable and much, much, MUCH more terrifying? I would just love to see that!

On a slightly different note, I tip my hat to the German USK, which rated the uncut version 18+.

Georgeman:
I feel that this scene is unnecessary. Nothing that couldn't be handled by a cutscene. Point proven further by the fact that it can be skipped, just like a cutscene. I hope that this ISN'T the extent of what Modern Warfare 2 has to offer, that is, military drama replacing gameplay. And seriously, how much more negative publicity do games need? (Oh wait, there can never be enough)

I highlighted the most important word in your post. The sole point of this kind of scene in all forms of media is meant to build drama. This is the game industry trying mature the medium a bit. The only way for the story telling to advance to a serious level is by ruffling a few feathers. I hope that IW doesn't pull this scene from the game.

brainless906:
you could be throwing candy down to the little kiddies whilst riding on a fluffy kitty float in the joy parade and they'll find a reason it should be banned....we all knew this would happen regardless.

How can you possible condone the dropping of potentially harmful projectiles down onto an innocent crowd of civilians. We fluffy kitty float riders it is our responsibility to in no way evoke images of terrorist attacks through the dropping of deadly weapons.

This level is going to (if it's pulled off properly, which it looks like it will be) be one of those game moments. The one where people stand up and say "aaaah." Movies and books are a passive medium. Yes, they show terrorist actions from their perspective, but at the same time you're just watching it. There's that degree of removal that keeps you from being fully immersed in it. But this, this forces you to pick up that controller and confront it. To break down any walls and literally become one of them, to see what you've seen before, but from their point of view. Think about that for a second. Someone who is hesitant to shoot those people, those are just videogame people. They're nothing more than pixels and code. But what about a real terrorist? What's he feeling? What if he's feeling the exact same thing as you? Congratulations, you've just realized that terrorists are human, just like you. And knowing that they're no different from you, it adds a massive weight to what they're doing. Knowing that someone like you with different beliefs and ideals is able and willing (or perhaps not) to do something like that. It forces you to put your beliefs into perspective, in a sense. They're willing to gun down an airport full of civilians for their cause. What are you doing for yours? Bitching about how it makes you feel uncomfortable before going back to running people down in GTA4? As much as I hate to use the term, this is a wake up call. We've dehumanized terrorists to the point where they're not far from being just pixels and code in real life. Ironically, pixels and code are what are going to drag them back to the realm of flesh and blood people with thoughts and beliefs same as us. And if you don't like it, then skip the level. And think about what that means for a second before you go back to mercilessly slaughtering the faceless ragheads and communists.

How is the airport scene in MW2 that much different than GTA, Saint's Row or even Prototype? Combining the GTA games I've played (III, Vice City, San Andreas, IV and parts of both Liberty City and Vice City stories) I've probably killed over ten's of thousands 'civilians'. In the two Saint's Row games I probably killed a couple thousand civilians. In prototype combining infected and normal civilians the body count comes close to fifty thousand.
And that body count does not include police, Feds and Swat (GTA and Saint's Row) or military personnel. If you throw in kills from all shooting games I've ever played, going all the way back to Duke Nuke 'em/ Wolfenstein and Doom I on comptuers, I've killed well over a million people half to a third most likely being civilians or at the very least non-combatants.

Tiamat666:

Sisyphus0:

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

It's a war game about, oh let's see, WAR. Fuck, are you stupid? Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances. Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country. "Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

As far as I'm concerned there should be no censorship in games, movies, music, books, anything. At most there should be warnings for those who don't want to see certain things, but for those who are mature enough to view REAL LIFE in its entirety, they shouldn't be prohibited from experiencing it.

Hardcore_gamer, your views are cowardly and pathetic, as well as woefully hypocritical. You are not a hardcore gamer.

Sisyphus, you have no idea what you're talking about and your morals are just about on-par with Bin-Ladins. Congratulations.

Why is bombing no longer horrendous when it comes from US planes?

TheTygerfire:
Except....they aren't innocent civilians...They aren't even live people. Get the hell over yourselves.

Or better yet, don't play CoD at all :D

Oh, they won't.

And neither will the Australians.

as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against

What?

And are movies not also liesure time activities?

If that material was on the internet about how to become a terrorist, how to join a group and how to wipe out people - that would be removed because it would not be acceptable.

Correct, good thing that's not what it is! , I suppose Schindler's list is a recruitment video for Nazis.

sheic99:

Tiamat666:

Sisyphus0:

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

It's a war game about, oh let's see, WAR. Fuck, are you stupid? Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances. Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country. "Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

As far as I'm concerned there should be no censorship in games, movies, music, books, anything. At most there should be warnings for those who don't want to see certain things, but for those who are mature enough to view REAL LIFE in its entirety, they shouldn't be prohibited from experiencing it.

Hardcore_gamer, your views are cowardly and pathetic, as well as woefully hypocritical. You are not a hardcore gamer.

Sisyphus, you have no idea what you're talking about and your morals are just about on-par with Bin-Ladins. Congratulations.

Why is bombing no longer horrendous when it comes from US planes?

Because military planes at least try to attack military targets?

Amnestic:

Eloquently constructed explanation, up until the point where you didn't bother explaining anything at all. If you can't even be bothered to elaborate on why you think something, why bother posting it at all?

It's normally not my job to activate your brains. You should manage that on your own. But I guess yours must be broken, so here goes.

Sisyphus0:
Terrorism is another form of war, it's not especially evil, it's actually effective in many circumstances.

What a messed up thing to say. Terrorism being justified and effective is what terrorists like to think. My moral compass tell's me that killing innocent people, kids, babies... indiscriminately is a pretty fucked up thing to do and can't be justified by any cause at all. Therefore my argument, that Sysyphus' morals are on par with Bin-Ladins.

Sisyphus0:
Having some guys shoot a bunch of civilians in an airport is no different from playing an American soldier and shooting a bunch of people trying to protect their country.

Again, what a messed up thing to say. War is a terrible thing and more often than not, alot of civilians die. That's why there are rules to war, in an attempt to keep the destruction and the innocent lives lost to a minimum. Terrorists don't follow any rules of engagement at all, that's why they are called "terrorists" and not "enemy soldiers". Having a soldier lawfully following orders engaging and killing enemy combatants is a very different thing to having a terrorist indiscriminately fire into a crowd of people possibly even killing kids who don't even understand what a war is.

Sisyphus0:
"Oh deary me, playing someone from another country killing people from this country is horrible!!!! But playing someone from this country killing people from other countries is fine."

It's not about who's side your on. It's about following rules and laws of engagement and especially about morals. It's about playing a lawful soldier in a videogame vs. having people play as the freaking terrorist murdering helpless civilians. Therefore my argument, that Sysyphus has no idea what the hell he's talking about.

It seriously blows me away that I have to explain this to you.

CantFaketheFunk:

Hardcore_gamer:
Your playing a terrorist gunning down civilians?

No offense, but are they trying to make censorship boards ban there game?

This sort of mission feels entirely unnecessary, and it won't add enough to the game for it to we both the bad name it will undoubtedly give gamers.

How is it unnecessary if the entire point is to make gamers feel uncomfortable, in order to make the enemies feel that much more evil?

Can't they just do that with a cinematic?

Also, how many people do you think will actually feel "uncomfortable"?

I bet most of the players (aka retarded 12-16 year olds) who play the game will probably be thinking things like "YEAAAAAA! DIE YA BITCHES!!!" or "Rofl! I just nailed a crotch shot on that guy in the wheelchair!" rather then "wow! That's disturbing".