Ex-Dictator Manuel Noriega sues over depiction in Call of Duty

[FAST6191]

[on the term ex dictator]

Whoo, time to drop knowledge from all those years of study of Latin and similar vintage civilisations, spicing up an internet debate over a decade later was surely why I did it all.

Anyway http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/officials/g/0112011-Dictators.htm has more. Short version is dictator was an appointed and time limited position in ancient Rome, as such ex dictator has serious historical precedent as a term.

 

[TripleSMoon]

Except he's a historical figure, and as such (iirc), he's free reign for fiction. The libel claim holds no ground, or shouldn't hold ground, because Black Ops II is an obvious work of fiction and makes no pretense that this is meant to be a realistic portrayal of him (or war in general, really).

Is there really an official definition of a historical figure? One that applies to people that are still alive? I'm honestly curious about this.

You seem to be more educated on this matter than I am, so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. If it is okay, I'm not sure I think it should be. All I know is that if I had an obvious, physically detailed and explicitly named representation in a work of fiction in which I had no part, I wouldn't be happy at all.

 

[Sychophantom]

Anything that makes it harder for Activision to shit out yet another CoD game is fine by me. Fuck that franchise, and the 11 year olds who like it.

 

[WiiCube_2013]

He's an ex-Dictator and yet he's still going back to those days by bringing this bullshit up.

I guess he liked being a Dictator.

 

[Taleweaver]

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Noriega alleges that “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” portrays him as “a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state.” This was done “to heighten realism in its game,” which “translates directly into heightened sales” for Activision, the lawsuit states.

Realism? In a call of duty game???



For anything else, I find it kind of amusing. I couldn't care less about Noriega (never heard of him, I've gotta admit) and couldn't care less about the call of duty franchise. It would've been disturbing if anyone ever thought that the series is anything but brainless entertainment, though.
IMHO, they should just settle for an apology and go with a fictional name. It's not like they've researched anything on the guy aside perhaps wikipedia, so it's not like it's a stance worth defending.

 

[Gahars]

Is there really an official definition of a historical figure? One that applies to people that are still alive? I'm honestly curious about this.

You seem to be more educated on this matter than I am, so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. If it is okay, I'm not sure I think it should be. All I know is that if I had an obvious, physically detailed and explicitly named representation in a work of fiction in which I had no part, I wouldn't be happy at all.

I'm going off of what I remember, so don't take me as an expert. Anyway, it's a murky ground, but "leader of a nation" is a pretty clear example. Presidents, current and past, are portrayed in media all of the time. If the Simpsons can have Bill Clinton appear in an episode made during his presidency and say, "Well, I'm a pretty lousy President," you know the boundaries are pretty loose. For a more current example, there's stuff like 2016: Obama's America, which directly depicts the current President and makes claims about him, his upbringing, and his ideology (basically all negative), and all without legal repercussion.

To follow what Hells Malice said, once you enter the public sphere of leadership, you're pretty much a public figure.

Also, you have to remember that while America has libel and slander laws, we're not big on really enforcing them. The libel/slander has to be especially flagrant for it to hold a chance in court.

I don't know the exact wording of the law here, so maybe there's some rule or specific piece of text I'm missing. All in all, though, I'm inclined to say that Noriega doesn't have any standing here. All in all, I'm sure he knows that, too. He's just going for the publicity at this point, and if that means hopping on the back of a two year old game, well, then that's what he's going to do.

IMHO, they should just settle for an apology and go with a fictional name. It's not like they've researched anything on the guy aside perhaps wikipedia, so it's not like it's a stance worth defending.

...Except that much of the game is set in Panama during his rule and the United States' invasion of Panama, where he was a prominent, significant figure. It'd be nonsensical for him to not be represented in some way, especially with a made up character placed alongside all of the other historical figures present in the series.

 

[BORTZ]

I wonder if I can sue nintendo over my likeness in my Mii?

 

[Taleweaver]

...Except that much of the game is set in Panama during his rule and the United States' invasion of Panama, where he was a prominent, significant figure. It'd be nonsensical for him to not be represented in some way, especially with a made up character placed alongside all of the other fictional figures present in the series.

I don't see why not. If I create a game where you have to invade the USA and free the people from a president I choose to display as a "kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state"...then it wouldn't be nonsensical to have a fictional character rather than Obama. Rather the contrary: having a fictional character would make people realise it's a work of fiction rather than something that may convey a political agenda (which is probably why Noriega is suing in the first place).

Now I don't like to side with those clowns that claim that "videogames are training terrorists", but if you start depicting real people like movie villains, you better make sure your researched facts hold up.

 

[Gahars]

I don't see why not. If I create a game where you have to invade the USA and free the people from a president I choose to display as a "kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state"...then it wouldn't be nonsensical to have a fictional character rather than Obama. Rather the contrary: having a fictional character would make people realise it's a work of fiction rather than something that may convey a political agenda (which is probably why Noriega is suing in the first place).

Now I don't like to side with those clowns that claim that "videogames are training terrorists", but if you start depicting real people like movie villains, you better make sure your researched facts hold up.

...You seem to be missing the point of historical fiction here.

 

[Taleweaver]

...You seem to be missing the point of historical fiction here.

Not quite. The first thing I pointed out in this thread was my utter disbelief in the storytelling of call of duty games (or the majority of modern warfare games, for that matter). They just run with whatever script that contains the most explosions and depicts your character as an American Hero. Any attempt of them "heightening realism" is just a laughable attempt and should be taken as it is: juvenile entertainment. It's not an historical fiction, since that requires "attention paid to period detail". Of which the series isn't exactly known (unless I missed some history lessons of some zombie outbreaks ).

 

[Gahars]

Not quite. The first thing I pointed out in this thread was my utter disbelief in the storytelling of call of duty games (or the majority of modern warfare games, for that matter). They just run with whatever script that contains the most explosions and depicts your character as an American Hero. Any attempt of them "heightening realism" is just a laughable attempt and should be taken as it is: juvenile entertainment. It's not an historical fiction, since that requires "attention paid to period detail".

You might want to actually play the campaign before applying the broad strokes. That's not to say that Black Ops II's story mode is high art (God, no), but it's better for the conversation when you know what you're talking about.

Plus, a story can be wildly unrealistic and still be historical fiction. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is historical fiction. It's outlandish, of course, but as long as there's basis in history, the "fiction" takes care of the rest. Not to mention that the series pays pretty significant attention to period, unless recreating the invasion of Panama, battles in Soviet-era Afghanistan, and Vietnam are somehow not attention to period detail. The weaponry (give or take a few liberties), technology, terminology, etc. is all kept accurate as well.

Of course, you'd have to play the game to observe this, but hey...

Of which the series isn't exactly known (unless I missed some history lessons of some zombie outbreaks ).

1) Non-canon side mode
2) Even still, it's no less historical fiction. "Fiction" is a pretty broad thing, you know.

 

[Taleweaver]

You might want to actually play the campaign before applying the broad strokes. That's not to say that Black Ops II's story mode is high art (God, no), but it's better for the conversation when you know what you're talking about.

I would if I cared. I don't. In part because I know in advance the story is patriotic garbage bullocks.

Plus, a story can be wildly unrealistic and still be historical fiction. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is historical fiction. It's outlandish, of course, but as long as there's basis in history, the "fiction" takes care of the rest. Not to mention that the series pays pretty significant attention to period, unless recreating the invasion of Panama, battles in Soviet-era Afghanistan, and Vietnam are somehow not attention to period detail. The weaponry (give or take a few liberties), technology, terminology, etc. is all kept accurate as well.

Of course, you'd have to play the game to observe this, but hey...

That would be alternate history. But the fact stays: if it is really "clear to game players that his character and others that are based on real-life figures are fantasy"...then why not change the name? Those same players wouldn't know the difference.

 

[Gahars]

I would if I cared. I don't. In part because I know in advance the story is patriotic garbage bullocks.

So you admit you don't know what you're talking about here. Cool.

Just so you know, Treyarch's Black Ops games and Infinity Ward's later games (MW2, MW3, Ghosts) aren't one and the same. The more you know...

That would be alternate history.

Bro, Alternate History is a subgenre of Historical Fiction. Come on, bud.

But the fact stays: if it is really "clear to game players that his character and others that are based on real-life figures are fantasy"...then why not change the name? Those same players wouldn't know the difference.

Because it's fiction set in a specific historical time and location. You wouldn't replace President Lincoln or General Robert E. Lee with "President Coolguy" and "General Southerngent" in a story set in the Civil War because it would be totally incongruous and awkward. Instead of enriching the setting and adding a sort of grounding for the events that transpire, such a decision undermines the story and clashes with what it's trying to present. You might as well be asking why people create any historical fiction at all.

You seem quite hung up on the historical fiction thing and it's a bit silly, is all.

 

[LightyKD]

Judging from the picture, the guy looks like a banged up version of Sony's Kaz

 

[Fishaman P]

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Noriega alleges that “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” portrays him as “a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state.” This was done “to heighten realism in its game,” which “translates directly into heightened sales” for Activision, the lawsuit states.

 

[chrisrlink]

hmmm let's see he committed practicly all those crimes depicted and then some he's probably going to be executed anyways besides I bet all his earnings will go to terrorist groups the Judge will probably deny his case before it gets to court on my 2nd fact alone

Damn, I hope Hitler doesn't find out about his depictions in games, or else that would be the end of the FPS genre as we know it today...

yeah like those Zombie mods in COD and wulfinstien 3D

 

[pyromaniac123]

I thought that was Bassem Youssef.

 

[jumpman17]

Is he suing for them making his head look like a lumpy potato?

 

[coolmario]

This man is a scumbag hope he loses

 

[MegaBassBX]

LET HIM EAT SHIT !!