Reconsideration of historical flags for German ships (USK)

[B0Tato]

Greetings,

 

since the German organisation responsible for video game ratings lifted the complete ban of swastikas in video games, are there any plans for introducing historical naval flags for Germany? Or at least change the rules of visual modifications?

Of course Germany isn't the only country in the world and I'm not aware if these symbols are prohibited in other countries, that's why I ask here.

 

[Egoleter]

They didn't lift the ban.

They are now just considering if the display is a work of creative art or in some way educational. You'd have a hard time convincing them that an arena shooter like WoWs is either of those.

[B0Tato]

2 hours ago, Egoleter said:

They didn't lift the ban.

They are now just considering if the display is a work of creative art or in some way educational. You'd have a hard time convincing them that an arena shooter like WoWs is either of those.

It isn't banned completely anymore, as I understood.

Bethesda must've been pretty convincing then.

I'd say this game is at least as artistic or educational as Wolfenstein.

Spoiler

 

[Astolfo_Is_My_Waifu]

I don't think that there is as much "artist creativity" in WoWS as you could argue exists in a story-driven, alternate universe game played in first person.

[thiextar]

5 hours ago, Astolfo_Is_My_Waifu said:

I don't think that there is as much "artist creativity" in WoWS as you could argue exists in a story-driven, alternate universe game played in first person.

Its a historical game about world war 2(and some UFOs mixed in), the ships in game had swastikas in real life i believe, so they should be able to get away with it i think.

[Astolfo_Is_My_Waifu]

3 hours ago, thiextar said:

Its a historical game about world war 2(and some UFOs mixed in), the ships in game had swastikas in real life i believe, so they should be able to get away with it i think.

It is hardly historical, it's based around an alternative outcome to WW2 but the alien technology significantly changes the setting, with mech suits and energy weapons and moon colonies. And even if you could argue that it is, WoWS would either have to be educational (which it is not) or as artistically creative (which it is not, Wolfenstein is likely an exception due to its storytelling, something WoWS has none of).

[Egoleter]

On 6/29/2019 at 9:52 AM, B0Tato said:

It isn't banned completely anymore, as I understood.

Then you understood wrongly.

It wasn't banned completly before either. The USK just chose to expand their already used list ofexceptions to computer games. For educational use or in an artistic sense it was already allowed in all other forms of art. Movies, series, pictures and more made use of it in the past decades and where shown uncensored to the german public. If it fits neither of those bolded requirements it was and still is banned.

 

For something to be artistic it needs not just be a recreation of previously existing things. Copies are not creative art.

 

On 6/29/2019 at 3:34 PM, thiextar said:

Its a historical game about world war 2

No, it is telling a story of a different timeline with some added sci-fi elements. They created something with artistic value by adding a new twist to it while still maintaining the picture of the evil third reich.

WoWs does none of that.

[B0Tato]

3 hours ago, Egoleter said:

It wasn't banned completly before either. The USK just chose to expand their already used list ofexceptions to computer games.

So it was banned (completely) for computer games?

[Egoleter]

1 hour ago, B0Tato said:

So it was banned (completely) for computer games?

Yes and no.

It is banned in general. For everything. Exceptions can be made.

Potentially those exceptions to some computer games could have made sooner as well. If the USK would not consist of some backwater conservative members that were unwilling to adapt to modern times. It's a board that adopts veeeery slowly to the worlds realities.

[Tatsfield]

Since little else is historically accurate, what does it matter what flag the ships fly.  In any case they are all flown from the wrong halyard.  National flags are flown from the jack staff at the stern not from the main flag halyard which is for command pennants and courtesy port flags.  Wouldn't it be more informative if players could choose to fly the current national flag of their choosing, not for historical purposes but to identify their own nationality if they so chose.  Worrying about historical accuracy when ships of all nations, historical allies or enemies sail together and fight a fleet similarly composed seems a little OTT.  Why would anyone want to quote historical accuracy in order to fly the swastika and all the horrific evil which it represents?  Sounds suspect to me.

[Astolfo_Is_My_Waifu]

Yeah, idk how others feel about it but I have more appreciation for the Iron Cross than the swastika.

[Ulfar_The_Nice]

For me, if the USSR symbols are not banned in naval flags, (and should be) then WWII Kriegsmarine flags and symbols like they were also shouldnt be banned. We should go one way or the other.