Decay...
There were many thoughtful and articulate posts near the beginning. Now it degrades into who killed the most and who is more evil.
More attuned to the intent of the thread at the beginning, I have played all the computer sub simulations since the mid 80s. I have played both sides. Being a US dude, I didn't have the emersion I suspect many in Europe get from playing the German boats.
Sonalysts games let you play US and Russian. SH lets us play either side so you can choose. I've noticed there is a similar dynamic in the Flight Simulator world where most people fly within a few hundred miles of their home even though they have the whole planet to explore. We are more likely to enjoy a familiar culture. Pacific Storm lets the player choose Japanese or US with equal chance of winning.
When I play sub sims, I don't even think of war though I know it's a concept deaply ingrained in the game. Having grown up on the mystique of sub stories since a child, gaming lets me participate in that mystique. I was 8 years old when I got to tour a nuclear sub. More, I'm thinking about the game logic as I've come to know it (the rules so to speak) and how to "beat" the game. I'm also thinking of how brave my parent's generation was to be wiling to flight in the many dangerous machines being developed and how difficult. Teamwork, logistics, strategy, environment, daring, luck. I'm also admiring the technology. Both that which is being simulated, and the computer techology that brings it so movie-like to my home desk. Being a technical kind of guy, I like simulations which encourage me to learn about the real world. Practical physics and mechanics. Different ways of solving complex problems.
So, I'm entertained on many levels but the level at which I'm NOT entertained is that of most 1st person shooters with gore splashing all over my screen. In that way, most sub sims are anesthetic enough I'm not re-living war which is why you're unlikely to find people participating in this forum going out and commiting mass murder. I'm not out for blood as much as I'm out for a score.
I'm not amblivalent to the theme of the game, nor am I so sensitive I cannot enjoy it at some level, but I HAVE drawn a line and I will NOT cross it. Ever.
Have I rescued the thread? I doubt it. Flame wars are perpetuated by those who will never give up a contentious opinion even after repeating it hundreds of times. Isn't this what war is really about? Fight to the death for an idea, then fight to the death because the other guy's idea killed your family and friends?
-Pv-
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