"Heroic generals" and "Crazed terrorists"...

[MicroCuts]

BV, PLEASE don't turn this into another demented pro-Western propaganda piece. I sincerely hope you've given the GLA some form of ideal/motivation that goes beyond "We're *****, deal with it!".

I know we're just getting started, but that summary isn't exactly stimulating. If you expect us to explore all the different angles, playing the "good vs. evil" card isn't the best way to spark people's interest.

[bombspy]

They were freedom fighters in Generals1 and probably still are.

[trigger-happy10]

+1 agree with OP. All sides of the story needs to be covered and I really hope religion doesn't get pulled into this.

[HmYAY90]

Sorry, but GLA were the "crazy, insane terrorist faction with no motivation apart from <<fight against global opressors>>" (the faction was very funny too when it comes to unit responses) and it should stay that way.
There's no reason to give GLA the Orcs from Warcraft 3 treatment - evil in WC2, but ooh so good on the inside, misunderstood, tragic heroes in WC3.

Keep the political correctness away from this game, please.

[Tuahaa]

+2

If we're going to have factions from different regions of the globe, we don't need any of that pro-west crap

[GammaCobra]

Why not we have a crazed generals and heroic terrorist for a change? XD

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Heh well does it matter if religion does? Considering that only extremists would do extreme things like blow themselves up for a cause...The game is not intending to generalize against any particular normal civilized group...

Considering the story line given to date is about generals. Generals are people. They have perspectives about the world just like everyone else. It is the generals of the world who will make the decisions to go to war or not if the politicians get wiped out (of course there is legislation as well but that presence is complicated and varies on the nation). They could be extremists, conservatives of many nationalities and religions. A general is but one person and one person only and does not reflect a race or a nation's view.

I reckon the game designers should go crazy...keep on rocking in the free world!


+2

If we're going to have factions from different regions of the globe, we don't need any of that pro-west crap

So we should have purely pro-east crap???

How about pro-all crap?

What did you have in mind?

Funny how you generalize about "west". That is racism and ignorance. Western people are far more diverse than you think. You might find some of your type living in the west too. Oh dear...

[Borreh]

Seriously, I want this story to get something deeper than fighting against a bunch of mad terrorists that get stuff out of nowhere and have no motivation. I am really wondering why, for a game that's supposed to have a good storyline, they choose a setting which has almost no story. Sure, they can go anywhere with it from now.

But still, it needs a lot of remodelling.

GLA can't any longer be the islamic-stereotype bunch of crazies that get money out of thin air. And sure, they should get improvised weaponry, but they really should get at least some post-USSR equipment, instead of fighting against modern tanks with WWI-era stuff and airplanes which seem to be made from scrap. Yes - Give them improvised weapons, but by the gods, they shouldn't make an army literally from scrap, it's just stupid and plain inplausable.

And give them real motivation and international support. They shouldn't be arabic madmen, more like a mixed bag of islamic support, african guerillas and militias, and some russian/other evil superpower influences.

[Seraph]

EA, don't you dare portray religious extremists as murderous villains with a nihilistic ideology bent on world domination based on some idealized totalitarian theocracy from the 7th century!

[hellodean]

religion was not mentioned once in generals iirc, only the fact that you can draw a parallel with modern conflicts. and even then they dont represent a whole religion. only their interpretation of it. so no offence should be taken from it if it were.

[Tuahaa]

EA, don't you dare portray religious extremists as murderous villains with a nihilistic ideology bent on world domination based on some idealized totalitarian theocracy from the 7th century!

That's not the point the OP is trying to get across.

Have you played the tiberium universe?

Nod forces were considered terrorists, and a lot of the things they did was in disregard to civilian lives but atleast when you played them you felt they had a greater purpose.

Give GLA a good story line, one that won't justify their evil actions but would atleast justify their battle for 'the greater good'.

That is all. Just give people a reason to play GLA's story line other than "bomb this town" and "kill x civilians and steal their supplies". Get what I'm saying?

[bombspy]

They shouldn't be arabic madmen, more like a mixed bag of islamic support, african guerillas and militias, and some russian/other evil superpower influences.^
This

[Borreh]

That's not the point the OP is trying to get across.

Have you played the tiberium universe?

Nod forces were considered terrorists, and a lot of the things they did was in disregard to civilian lives but atleast when you played them you felt they had a greater purpose.

Give GLA a good story line, one that won't justify their evil actions but would atleast justify their battle for 'the greater good'.

That is all. Just give people a reason to play GLA's story line other than "bomb this town" and "kill x civilians and steal their supplies". Get what I'm saying?

What that man said.

GLA needs an ideology better than "fight the opression!" and "shoot that man!".

[Seraph]

But what ideology could that be? Besides the one I already mentioned.

[PizzaAtomica]

Agree with most people in the thread.
If I'm playing as GLA, I want to be able to understand there motivations and see where they're coming from (much like with Nod), instead of "Oh they're just crazy and evil".

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Ok I agree that it shouldn't be based on anyone philosophy as it is common interests that unite people. Things like natural resources, food, culture and religion which sort of fits in with culture. Perhaps natural resources should take more prominence.

But then again extremism is usually supported covertly as it is in someone's interest in some way or another somewhere. For example China selling Libya weapons even though NATO was at war. China denied it and did not officially do it, but their defense industries still made a nice profit. Just one of many examples. Anyway its just a game...

[animal19640]

give GLA verry nice (female) commando , make some spy missions that go's with it

[Luke_Danger]

Agreed with Pizza's sentiments. The GLA as a faction needs to be more than a bunch of crazies, and they probably should have a much wider recruitment range than just a bunch of Middle Eastern stereotypes gathered together. Make them more Nod-ish as far as recruitment goes; recruits from everywhere, mix it up to show the GLA's rag-tag collection of people.

Generals may not of had much in the way of the story department, but if they want to really make a story the GLA needs to be flesh out much further than random terrorist scum designed after stereotype

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Ok one idea.

Make it a multinational company with links in defense industries around the world and controls the economies of many poor countries indirectly. Perhaps in other industries that are vital to that particular country.

Instead of whining at least come up with an idea.

[Tuahaa]

So we should have purely pro-east crap???

How about pro-all crap?

What did you have in mind?

Funny how you generalize about "west". That is racism and ignorance. Western people are far more diverse than you think. You might find some of your type living in the west too. Oh dear...

Lol.

Just flagging GLA as "bad guys" and making USA the "good guys" is one sided. Both of them have their own agendas, it's very naive to think any side fights to liberate innocent people.

This is generals, keep it real. If a GLA mission orders the capture of a main city, then there is would be a reason behind it that helps them win their war for whatever cause they believe in, NOT because "they're bad".

Likewise, a mission where EU aims to capitalize on local resources such as oil is not anti-west or pro-GLA, it's just plain war.

That's the "pro-west" crap I'm referring to, where the game paints an unrealistic agenda to each side.

That is all.

[bombspy]

Ok one idea.

Make it a multinational company with links in defense industries around the world and controls the economies of many poor countries indirectly. Perhaps in other industries that are vital to that particular country.

Instead of whining at least come up with an idea.Do you know Act Of War? It sounds like the Consortium faction...

[SupremeGenerals2]

It's very easy to make GLA look good. China could have become an empire and people begin to not like China's imperial ambitions so people all over the world begin to join the GLA to defeat the empire.

[HmYAY90]

All your nonsensical ideas would just ruin the "coolness" factor of GLA. Seriously.

Fear not however, Bioware is overlooking this project, they'll portray GLA as chivalrious *******uals fighting for world piece and free ***, and you'll then be back on these boards whining "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WAHHH!!!!!!!".

So again, be careful what you ask for.

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Heh your laughing. I was born to **** people off in forum threads. :p

I don't think it is that naive to go to war to liberate innocent civilians to be honest. The fact is economies also have to support themselves in the process (oil and rare earth minerals and more) and it also has to be a popular decision. Technology in modern militaries are allowing new possibilities like war via remote control. Why not?

I don't think GLA were flagged as bad guys at all. They just acted uncivilized and crazy. They had a purpose. Death to people that are different to their culture.

Well if a GLA general ordered to attack a city they would plunder it which includes rape, murder, elimination of political enemies and accumulation of resources. That is still real in many countries of the world still. Perhaps they should form a faction oh wait its called the GLA.

In the process another nation/company made a dollar from this use of military hardware. I suppose an expansion on the country/company that takes advantage of the sale of military hardware should be highlighted. Sure the USA sells military equipment too but generally speaking "the west" do not plunder other nations at the nation state level. And most of the time their allies don't either.


It's very easy to make GLA look good. China could have become an empire and people begin to not like China's imperial ambitions so people all over the world begin to join the GLA to defeat the empire.

Perhaps in the story line some nations are forced to choose between the GLA, China (insert nation or perhaps a faction that is named for a group of nations such as China, Russia, Iran, Syria, Pakistan etc) or the EU.

But still whatever happens we still need a low tech faction that will try to win using whatever means possible including suicide bombing etc. As distasteful as it sounds it made the game fun. Making fun of all national accents and expressions is also funny and I believe is highly recommended. They do it in the Simpsons, Family guy, South Park and American Dad. So what if it is in a game.

[P4KISTAN]

To be honest if they just keep the nature and attitude of the GLA just like Generals 1 and ZH,i think we'll all be happy with that.
Regardless,what happened to the GLA anyway,considering their territory got subjugated by totalitarian China and armies nuked in ZH?

[Tuahaa]

Heh your laughing. I was born to **** people off in forum threads. :p

I don't think it is that naive to go to war to liberate innocent civilians to be honest. The fact is economies also have to support themselves in the process (oil and rare earth minerals and more) and it also has to be a popular decision. Technology in modern militaries are allowing new possibilities like war via remote control. Why not?




Sorry again but this is no way realistic. The only time a country will go to war to honestly overthrow an oppressor is because they want to establish their own political views over there afterwards.


I don't think GLA were flagged as bad guys at all. They just acted uncivilized and crazy. They had a purpose. Death to people that are different to their culture.


Honestly there's no problem with most of that, but the GLA seems to contradict its own existence. Fair enough, hypocrites exist. It's just that it is not possible for a group of people this uncivilized to be so powerful and be able to match the fighting superiority of superpowers full-stop.


Well if a GLA general ordered to attack a city they would plunder it which includes rape, murder, elimination of political enemies and accumulation of resources. That is still real in many countries of the world still. Perhaps they should form a faction oh wait its called the GLA.

No argument here, as long as GLA has a justified purpose



In the process another nation/company made a dollar from this use of military hardware. I suppose an expansion on the country/company that takes advantage of sale of military hardware should be highlighted. Sure the USA sells military equipment too but generally speaking "the west" do not plunder other nations at the nation state level. And most of the time their allies don't either.

I strongly disagree. This is why the war on terror is so widely criticized.

[Beinrangel]

I agree with some of the things being said in this thread for sure.

I am one of those oldschool gamers who take a good storyline over gfx anyday :)

I really hope we get a good and explained storyline for each of the factions in this new game, not just some shallow random stuff.

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Sorry again but this is no way realistic. The only time a country will go to war to honestly overthrow an oppressor is because they want to establish their own political views over there afterwards.


Well you would think that establishing your own political leanings that are democratic on a nation that is not democratic is the same as liberating innocent civilians from an oppressor.

It is possible for nations to get power, equipment and WMD. Read the news. I'm not going to name countries. Not all citizens of such nations are willing to be participants in the conflict however.

The war on terror is criticized because there are many more nations with governments/generals that act irresponsibly and treat their citizens like crap and so it looks like USA is acting purely for its own benefit at times.

I rest my case.

[Tuahaa]

Well you would think that establishing your own political leanings that are democratic on a nation that is not democratic is the same as liberating innocent civilians from an oppressor.

It is possible for nations to get power, equipment and WMD. Read the news. I'm not going to name countries. Not all citizens of such nations are willing to be participants in the conflict however.

The war on terror is criticized because there are many more nations with governments/generals that act irresponsibly and treat their citizens like crap and so it looks like USA is acting purely for its own benefit at times.

I rest my case.

Really? Do you HONESTLY think that the US is acting out of good will for the 'oppressed masses' in the ME and South Asia?

Not sure if srs... or trolling...

Look, all I'm going to say is that if USA really were acting because of the reasons you are listing, they would not survive as a super power for a single decade.

I'll leave it at that.

[Pimmeh]

EA, don't you dare portray religious extremists as murderous villains with a nihilistic ideology bent on world domination based on some idealized totalitarian theocracy from the 7th century!

Y u deny your own heritage

[I_Am_JadeFalcon]

Really? Do you HONESTLY think that the US is acting out of good will for the 'oppressed masses' in the ME and South Asia?

Not sure if srs... or trolling...

Look, all I'm going to say is that if USA really were acting because of the reasons you are listing, they would not survive as a super power for a single decade.

I'll leave it at that.

Yeh I am serious. Shock, horror lol

Its complicated. Sometimes it doesn't always look so obvious either.

Yeh they have and they will continue to dominate for some time.

USA is an open society that shares much of its technology and knowledge. Much of the developing world would not be where it is today if the manufacturing (one example) wasn't outsourced.

The middle-east have many corrupt leaders and government staff; and South Asia seek their independence from external influences. I believe the USA has lost much more than it has gained from helping developing countries if you want to think about strategically in a military sense. Socially and culturally the way the USA is behaving today is a win for everyone in the short, middle and long term.

To conclude, Australia will take over the world! Better get ready...

[Seraph]

This is where the discussion is turning away from game related aspects to a purely political sphere. Unfortunately, this kind of discussion is not allowed in the forums.