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This is, odd. The developers of Prison Architect have broken the Geneva Conventions (and British law) for their use of a red cross in the game. (Source email from Henrique & PC Gamer).
Yes, really.
See their video where they make fun of it:
They changed it to Green, problem solved.
The "British Red Cross" (the charity) sent them an email just before Christmas to inform them that using the Red Cross is an offence:
It's at least worded nicely, not like the usual sort of thing that gets sent out when someone violates something.
I have to admit seeing this in my inbox raised a few eyebrows, especially since the developer said this which really made me think:
I get that people need to protect trademarks and so on, but Red Cross is a charity. If anything, doesn't it help actually spread awareness that the Red Cross itself means good/help? Go after people using properly abusing it, not games including it to symbolise help.
Well, I sure learnt something new today. Maybe you have too with me highlighting this. Don't use a Red Cross, use a Green one or a Blue one or any other colour, just not Red. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Yes, really.
See their video where they make fun of it:
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The "British Red Cross" (the charity) sent them an email just before Christmas to inform them that using the Red Cross is an offence:
Quote"My immediate reason for writing is that it has been brought to our attention that in your game ‘Prison Architect’ a red cross emblem is displayed on vehicles," it reads. "Those responsible may be unaware that use of the red cross emblem is restricted under the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims of 12 August 1949, and that unauthorised use of this sign in the United Kingdom is an offence under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957."
It's at least worded nicely, not like the usual sort of thing that gets sent out when someone violates something.
I have to admit seeing this in my inbox raised a few eyebrows, especially since the developer said this which really made me think:
QuoteLots of people donate money and the assumption is that that money is going to treating [people in need] and it turns out that a portion of that money is going to lawyers writing letters to videogame companies who are apparently abusing use of the red cross symbol
I get that people need to protect trademarks and so on, but Red Cross is a charity. If anything, doesn't it help actually spread awareness that the Red Cross itself means good/help? Go after people using properly abusing it, not games including it to symbolise help.
Well, I sure learnt something new today. Maybe you have too with me highlighting this. Don't use a Red Cross, use a Green one or a Blue one or any other colour, just not Red. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
I still see civilian ambulances proudly displaying red crosses, but never privately run ones. That probably makes a difference. I probably can find the Star of Life on some of them, but it's far from universal. Our local rescue department / emergency services certainly make use of the red cross. Nothing military about them. Also, I think the German Red Cross organization actually operates a majority of their civilian ambulances, and I've seen similar stuff elsewhere in Europe.
The point is, there's no global, unified approach to this, and I think the UK/US one is far from the best.
The point is, there's no global, unified approach to this, and I think the UK/US one is far from the best.
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Quoting: tuubiI still see civilian ambulances proudly displaying red crosses, but never privately run ones. That probably makes a difference. I probably can find the Star of Life on some of them, but it's far from universal. Our local rescue department / emergency services certainly make use of the red cross. Nothing military about them. Also, I think the German Red Cross organization actually operates a majority of their civilian ambulances, and I've seen similar stuff elsewhere in Europe.
The point is, there's no global, unified approach to this, and I think the UK/US one is far from the best.
All civilian ambulances uses the Star of Life here in Sweden. The Red Cross symbol I have only seen back when I did my military service back in the 90ties.
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I wonder if these guys have sent emails to any of the FPS games out there that use the red cross on the health packs.
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Quoting: wvstolzingYou guys are so naive... It's not an ordinary trademark; it's a stylized version of the emblem of the KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. These poor developers found themselves in the middle of a TEMPLAR conspiracy. Fortunately, they don't seem to have alerted the Illuminati yet.
... or have they? :S:
Pendantry: Isn't the red cross actually a stylized version of the emblem of the Knights Hospitaller, the Templars' foes/rivals?
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wvstolzing Jan 19, 2017
Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: wvstolzingYou guys are so naive... It's not an ordinary trademark; it's a stylized version of the emblem of the KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. These poor developers found themselves in the middle of a TEMPLAR conspiracy. Fortunately, they don't seem to have alerted the Illuminati yet.
... or have they? :S:
Pendantry: Isn't the red cross actually a stylized version of the emblem of the Knights Hospitaller, the Templars' foes/rivals?
Pendantry? That's the kind of cross you wear around your neck.
I don't think the Red Cross is related to the Knights Hospitaller; it's just a Greek cross (arms of equal length).
Last edited by wvstolzing on 19 January 2017 at 6:04 am UTC
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Quoting: wvstolzingYes, "pendantry" is a sort of joke among a few people of my acquaintance--to make one's persnicketing on minutiae a bit tongue in cheek by deliberately putting an inaccuracy to contrast with the call for accuracy.Quoting: Purple Library GuyQuoting: wvstolzingYou guys are so naive... It's not an ordinary trademark; it's a stylized version of the emblem of the KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. These poor developers found themselves in the middle of a TEMPLAR conspiracy. Fortunately, they don't seem to have alerted the Illuminati yet.
... or have they? :S:
Pendantry: Isn't the red cross actually a stylized version of the emblem of the Knights Hospitaller, the Templars' foes/rivals?
Pendantry? That's the kind of cross you wear around your neck.
I don't think the Red Cross is related to the Knights Hospitaller; it's just a Greek cross (arms of equal length).
Hrm . . . you're right though. I was getting the Red Cross mixed up with the St. John Ambulance people, who are as I understand it direct descendants of the Hospitallers. They were after all a medical order who healed people in between slaughtering them.
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