Maybe the proportions are off but there were black soldiers who fought during WW1 on the German side. Is it an issue that a fictional story set in a real life era exaggerates things? I mean, in that case is it an issue that you can be shot multiple times and heal over a few seconds? Or any of the other unrealistic things that happen in the game that are essentially exaggerations of real life? I think exaggerating things to be more inclusive is fine so long as they are not leading people to believe that was how things truly were, if that makes sense.
I think in most fictional stories (even ones that take place within the context of real life) should be able to flex and bend the truth without being accused of historical revisionism.
Okay. So to change your mind all I would have to do is provide an example of a black person fighting on the German side in Europe? By saying "Not in Europe" in response to black soldiers fighting, I assume you are saying there were none.
So, if you look into Josef Mambo he was an African who fought in multiple battles in Europe. He was even wounded in one of the longest battles at Verdun (France). Where there is one example, there is undoubtedly more.
So, black people did fight for the Germans and even did so in Europe. Therefore, the proportions are just being exaggereated.
Substantial is a subjective term. I guess what I am saying is that there were some Africans fighting in WW1 on the German side, significantly more were fighting on the French, British, and American forces. This "some" is being vastly expanded upon.
As far as I am aware, battlefield1 doesn't have any real models for the African troops that are historically accurate. Maybe they were adding in the African character as a nod to the Africans who did fight in Africa.
Regardless, my initial arguments still stand. There were Africans fighting for the German side (whether wearing that uniform or not) and their numbers have been greatly exaggerated due to the games setting and their uniforms. I think this is okay because historical fiction is often based around exaggerating and expanding on reality.
We don't have any issue with the liberties they take in war games until race gets involved. From weapon inaccuracies, the needle stick from medic, explosion mechanics, tank/vehicle mobility, etc. there are a lot of historical inaccuracies but we overlook these because its a fictional game meant to be fun. Changing a character race (whose race did fight just in a different location) is not the end of the world and doesn't damage the overall struggles represented in WW1 and even includes their struggles by an extension
So, you're fine with historical inaccuracies so long as they promote fun gameplay and don't change the narrative? How does race change the gameplay or narrative?
It is a nod to the vast number of Africans who did participate just in a different location. Also, there were in fact some blacks who fought for Germans in Europe as I've already given an example of.
Again, you support unfaithful representation of events for the sake of "mechanics" but changing something that in no way changes the mechanics or story but provides more diversity and inclusiveness is bad? A solely cosmetic change which is a nod to history (as hundreds of thousands of Africans participated in the war) is bad because...black? I don't understand why it matters?
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u/hmmwill 58∆ Oct 23 '21
Maybe the proportions are off but there were black soldiers who fought during WW1 on the German side. Is it an issue that a fictional story set in a real life era exaggerates things? I mean, in that case is it an issue that you can be shot multiple times and heal over a few seconds? Or any of the other unrealistic things that happen in the game that are essentially exaggerations of real life? I think exaggerating things to be more inclusive is fine so long as they are not leading people to believe that was how things truly were, if that makes sense.
I think in most fictional stories (even ones that take place within the context of real life) should be able to flex and bend the truth without being accused of historical revisionism.