Resistance is not futile published

Remember the post about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising game I put up a month ago? I objected to it strenuously back then as being in questionable taste, and still do now. As have many other people. All to no effect.

FIREFIGHT GAMES announced the publication of RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE (RINF) on their website and CSW today, and the story was carried on CSW. For a mere 16 bucks, you can purchase a game about wiping out the Jewish ghetto, gassing pockets of Jewish resistance fighters, and annhilating most of a city. The game is two player, which is my big beef with it.

Many potential customers have been posting on the Firefight Games forum on CSW, stating that they are now ex-customers. The two people behind Firefight, Perry Moore and Paul Rohrbaugh, have taken this development rather poorly, although they are maintaining some degree of civility.

Rohrbaugh can't get past his interpertation of customer criticisms as being a form of censorship instead of feedback.

using your logic, any WWII game that casts the player as the German is putting him/her into the role of NAZI and war criminal. As I said, this is a learning tool as well as a game. This has been a constant in all of my game design endeavors. Is RINF the same as "Chutes and Ladders", "War of the Ring", "Rummy" or virtually any other game out there? Certainly not, and it was never intended to be in that league. None of my games are that. All of them I hope are enlightening, challanging, and fun. All have these three elements, but none in the same measure, and that includes this latest one from FFG. That Resistance Is Not Futile generates this level of discussion and analysis is a good thing. This is one of the goals I was aiming for. I only wish that the discussion could be more civil and that, like many other points in life, agreeing to disagree may be the best resolution. That doesn't make anyone a bad or evil person, especially if they come down on one side or the other and stays there. However, for those who want to censor and intimidate, ignoring them is the best and most appropriate response I can come up with.

Yes, Aaron, the German VP markers have swastikas on them. What else would Nazis use? Ignoring and not using the symbols would be a form of self-imposed censorship/PoliticalCorrectness. This game does NOT seek to deny the history; very much the opposite. Swastikas are used to illustrate a number of works on WWII and Holocaust and RINF follows in that approach. If this game does end up being sold in Europe, I will gladly and willingly obey their laws and provide counter sheets that do meet any legal mandates.

It is a shame some cannot get over the prejudices and the hyperbole of others, but that is life. I've never offered this game to other publishers and only gone the DTP route from the start. I understand the "thorny-ness" of this game for publishers. I view that as a shame and something to be addressed further long after the last copy of RINF sells out. In a truely free society openness and toleration should be the standard. Perhaps wargaming publication may reach that stage, perhaps not. If RINF can help move the discussion, fine and dandy. It is my shot at doing so at least.

Bottom line, if this is not for you don't buy it. No one is forcing you to do so. I am not shouting from the mountaintops and aggresively marketing this game (the calls for boycotts and censorship are sure generating a buzz, though). If, however, you want to learn more about this event in game form, try it.

I am also glad others notice that we are not deleting posts. Perry and I are not censors.

Moore gave a pretty flip response to criticism...

well, in this world of poltical correctness that has gone excessive in many ways, Paul's game stirs up a lot of silliness from some that are overly sensitive to its topic. I think james werbanth voiced it correctly. Regardless, there is no right or wrong since it all depends on who is looking, each such person colors their own comments with their own prejudices as to what is right or wrong. I do not recall this BS on John Prados' game on the same topic in S&T many years ago. Would there be this dialogue if the battle had been Russians instead of Jews?

A few random customer quotes on CSW:

Actually, there is such a thing as right and wrong. Not surprising that you don't know the difference, considering your company's decision to publish this garbage.

Nobody's tried to censor him and prevent publication. But many of us has questioned "why" this "game" is to be published. A game you referred to as a "bug hunt."

Paul can do and say what he wants. But if he calls my aunt, who is black, a "nigger," I'll point out that his choice of words was inappropriate. As is his choice of topic here, imo.

That's the bottom line -- it's not censorship, it's folks saying that they feel this topic is inappropriate.

Censorship would mean that Firefight had somehow been prevented from publishing this game. That's not what's happening. I'm a huge believer in free speech, and I'd fight for Paul's right to go ahead with this project. But I can be personally against it, and I can show this by proclaiming so, (as I have done), and choosing not to buy. I can also ask others if they really want to play a game on what was, essentially, a massacre (including gassing) of 13,000 Jews that lead to death camp deportations for 50,000 + more.

I would hope that this game isn't published, though Paul has the right to do so. Censorship? Not at all.

It's a call to boycott, not to censor. He doesn't propose that anything be changed or that you be in any way prevented from publishing, but instead that you by the subject of a boycott.

(replying) It's a lot more than that. It's a call for the destruction of Firefight Games, and the end of several careers as game designers.


Hmm...I see nothing more than part of the game-buying public offering very strong feedback as to their distaste of this game subject for a two-player game treatment (I know that my personal opinion would be different were this a solitaire-only design, with the player being the part of the Ghetto Jews, and the system being the evil Nazi machine...).

While it is commendable that the propietors of this folder have not edited out any dissent, it is still unsettling that it is apparent that none of the negative feedback was actually listened to and acted upon.

That's just a few of the nicer ones..

From Paul Rohrbaugh

Mike, using your logic, any WWII game that casts the player as the German is putting him/her into the role of NAZI and war criminal. As I said, this is a learning tool as well as a game. This has been a constant in all of my game design endeavors. Is RINF the same as "Chutes and Ladders", "War of the Ring", "Rummy" or virtually any other game out there? Certainly not, and it was never intended to be in that league. None of my games are that. All of them I hope are enlightening, challanging, and fun. All have these three elements, but none in the same measure, and that includes this latest one from FFG. That Resistance Is Not Futile generates this level of discussion and analysis is a good thing. This is one of the goals I was aiming for. I only wish that the discussion could be more civil and that, like many other points in life, agreeing to disagree may be the best resolution. That doesn't make anyone a bad or evil person, especially if they come down on one side or the other and stays there. However, for those who want to censor and intimidate, ignoring them is the best and most appropriate response I can come up with.

Yes, Aaron, the German VP markers have swastikas on them. What else would Nazis use? Ignoring and not using the symbols would be a form of self-imposed censorship/PoliticalCorrectness. This game does NOT seek to deny the history; very much the opposite. Swastikas are used to illustrate a number of works on WWII and Holocaust and RINF follows in that approach. If this game does end up being sold in Europe, I will gladly and willingly obey their laws and provide counter sheets that do meet any legal mandates.

It is a shame some cannot get over the prejudices and the hyperbole of others, but that is life. I've never offered this game to other publishers and only gone the DTP route from the start. I understand the "thorny-ness" of this game for publishers. I view that as a shame and something to be addressed further long after the last copy of RINF sells out. In a truely free society openness and toleration should be the standard. Perhaps wargaming publication may reach that stage, perhaps not. If RINF can help move the discussion, fine and dandy. It is my shot at doing so at least.

Bottom line, if this is not for you don't buy it. No one is forcing you to do so. I am not shouting from the mountaintops and aggresively marketing this game (the calls for boycotts and censorship are sure generating a buzz, though). If, however, you want to learn more about this event in game form, try it.

From Perry:

Holy Moly! Great balls of Fire! Look at all the chatter RINF has created. Totally unbelieveable at some of the emotional silliness.

With that said, Paul's latest is now ready for all of you buy! so, before you continue, try the game-you just may like it! (as a game). Remember, it IS A GAME, and wouldn't it be cool if you, as the jewish player won!

To which he got this response:

Totally unbelieveable at some of the emotional silliness.

Nice to see the fate of some of my ancestors dismissed so casually.

so, before you continue, try the game-you just may like it!

Frankly, I wouldn’t buy this game if it was the last game on earth. (Bet they won't use that as an advertising blurb)

In summary, the game has created a bit of a buzz for the publisher's determination in publishing it in the face of widespread disdain. I already wasn't going to buy it, but I rather doubt I'll be picking up any of their products ever again.