Does the Red Cross issue apply to us?

[FDARI]

Well given that home-ownable and business-site first-aid kits have the Red Cross logo on them, isn't it kind of an odd argument to say that the Red Cross has exclusive rights to the thing?

This will be amended with a simple patch.

It’s a Red Plus Sign, like so: +. You can’t trademark it, especially not internationally.

Right. Who honestly thinks that the red cross intends to review syntax-highlighted code published on websites to look for red mathematical operators? [Raise hands now. Lower hands.] On the other hand: Who thinks the symbol on medical supplies is meant to express addition? (It does add health...)

The fact that we stick this symbol on stuff to explain its function has everything to do with the image and its connotations, and nothing to do with its service in mathematics. Trying to confuse the two seems about as sensible as not distinguishing between "+" and "x" because they're both two lines crossing; they are still different.

I'm not thereby taking sides, but I get the impression that some here actually use the similarity (or equality, hardly matters) between the plus-symbol with its uses and the utterly recognizable red cross symbol, as a point of controversy. They have not banned your essential writing tools. I'm taking dibs on "A", though.

(1 + 1 = 2)

[Big C]

Well given that home-ownable and business-site first-aid kits have the Red Cross logo on them, isn't it kind of an odd argument to say that the Red Cross has exclusive rights to the thing?

Johnsons & Johnsons have had a trademark on the Red Cross symbol since before the Geneva Convention established the Red Cross symbol's protection. It's complete bullshit, but it's how it goes.

Other companies have no rights to use it. Apparently, some did, which is why J&J sued the Red Cross in order to coerce them into preventing the dilution of the symbol so as to protect J&J's trademark. The thing on video games is part of this.

Oh.

Fucking figures.

[Demon!]

I took the simple precaution of changing the cross to blue...

In many countries, the blue cross is the symbol of veterinary medicine, by the way

TBH, I do not approve of replacing the red cross in games - it is a well-known and widely used symbol. It is universally recognizable, just as the skull with crossed bones (poison) or the small flame (fire hazard). Censoring it simply doesn't make sense.

[Enjay]

TBH, I do not approve of replacing the red cross in games - it is a well-known and widely used symbol. It is universally recognizable, just as the skull with crossed bones (poison) or the small flame (fire hazard). Censoring it simply doesn't make sense.

The flip side to that, of course, is that games don't need to use a widely recognised symbol at all. They just need to use something that the player will learn is a health item in game. eg Doom has the health potion, soul sphere and megasphere. Heretic and Hexen manage to give the player health pickups without any crosses at all and I don't recall ever being so bewildered by them that I didn't know what they were or what to do with them. Games use all kinds of appearances for all kinds of pickups. I recognise that a modern/future FPS will tend to want something "realistic" looking but then most first aid kits are not white with a red cross anyway. (They tend to be green or red with a white cross.)

[Project Shadowcat]

I took the simple precaution of changing the cross to blue...

In many countries, the blue cross is the symbol of veterinary medicine, by the way

Given that the protagonist is somewhat anthropomorphized, this couldn't possibly be more appropriate.

[gerolf]

I think "AID" in red writing would work. I just don't think we need to worry, most people use the version of Doom with the symbol (only the LATEST version doesn't have it). They would've said something by now, too.

[Matt]

inverted crosses

Just to be clear on that

The flip side to that, of course, is that games don't need to use a widely recognised symbol at all. [snip]

THIS. Including everything snipped.

Seriously fuck la slothful gaming graphic design that's user-coddling in all the wrong ways.

More examples: Megaman has always had little blinky Pac-Man balls and "E" canisters and a couple shmups have repair kits and it was instantly obvious what they did, and they make perfect sense within the logic of the game. Same with cola and turkeys in the Duke platformers, and the food and alcohol in Redneck Rampage, and let's not forget the red potion which widespread semiotic arose in gaming as far as I can tell without any trademark-leeching whatsoever.

[Big C]

Hell, Mario proved that mushrooms, red flowers and twinkly stars can become easy shorthand for "extra power/hit point", "throw fire at everything", and "invincibility" rather easily.

[wildweasel]

The trick is, though, what's a suitable alternative for a game that has no room for fantasy or cartoony stuff? Pill bottles are fine for smaller health items, but what then? Syringes to promote drug use? Large bandage rolls that (to some people) could be mistaken for toilet paper?

[scalliano]

Just to be clear on that

Yes, I'm fully aware, but it doesn't stop other people whinging.

[Matt]

The trick is, though, what's a suitable alternative for a game that has no room for fantasy or cartoony stuff? Pill bottles are fine for smaller health items, but what then? Syringes to promote drug use? Large bandage rolls that (to some people) could be mistaken for toilet paper?

I'd say food to represent rest and recovery from minor bumps and scrapes, and just plain old magic (Phoenix Down, Medi-Gel, soul sphere, any damn thing you want) for anything else, because RL getting shot = you're down and out within 1d120 minutes and it's going to take a couple months to heal completely in the best of situations.

[Demon!]

...because RL getting shot = you're down and out within 1d120 minutes and it's going to take a couple months to heal completely in the best of situations.

Unlike most modern shooters, where you heal by "taking cover".

"OMG, dude, you took 10 bullets to the chest!"
"Relax, I just took cover... there, good as new."

[FDARI]

It's offtopic, but maybe the regeneration mechanic works better if you assume that most bullets do not penetrate your armour (bulletproofish vest and such); the impact still stresses your system and you still take damage, but it is more about your tolerance for short term trauma than about ballistics getting under your skin.

[rollingcrow]

It's offtopic, but maybe the regeneration mechanic works better if you assume that most bullets do not penetrate your armour (bulletproofish vest and such); the impact still stresses your system and you still take damage, but it is more about your tolerance for short term trauma than about ballistics getting under your skin.

Sounds like Just Cause 2's or Kill Switch's health system.

[NeuralStunner]

It's offtopic, but maybe the regeneration mechanic works better if you assume that most bullets do not penetrate your armour (bulletproofish vest and such); the impact still stresses your system and you still take damage, but it is more about your tolerance for short term trauma than about ballistics getting under your skin.

The quantities of blood exuded by these injuries would disagree.