SS2 Geneva Conventions Compliance Protocol

[66473c6473d99ZylonBane]

System Shock 2 Geneva Conventions Compliance Protocol
June 2023
by ZylonBane

Compatible with all versions of System Shock 2.

This mod brings System Shock 2 into compliance with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) "Regulations on the Use of the Emblem of the Red Cross or the Red Crescent by the National Societies" and the Geneva Conventions, Article 44, "Restrictions in the Use of the Emblem".

All instances of the red cross have been replaced with Symbol E003, "First Aid" from ISO 7010:2019, "Registered Safety Signs", and assigned colorimetric properties in accordance with ISO 3864-1:2011, "Part 1: Design Principles for Safety Signs and Safety Markings".

[66473c6473f3ePacmikey]

I really need to hold my tongue...

[66473c6474031ZylonBane]

It's cute that you think you could say anything about this that I haven't already thought about it myself.

[66473c64742ccsarge945]

Yeah I'm not really a fan of when games do this sort of thing either. I feel like the red cross logo in games is a staple (even if it's technically wrong).

I just hope this doesn't make it's way into SCP5 or the next SHTUP or something, and always remains optional.

[66473c64744c6Livo]

Unhappy fact: the Red Cross were forced to be much be aggressive legally with trademark violations after they were sued in the 2000s by Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson claim they already used the Red Cross symbol for their business in the the late 1800s before the Red Cross used it, and therefore were owed billions in back damages. They settled the lawsuit, but the main terms of the settlement were a) the Red Cross must be much more aggressive legally with illegal use of the symbol by non-Red Cross organisations and b) Johnson & Johnson can use a red cross symbol on their products if they wish, but with the understanding that J&J own products  with the symbol aren't affiliated with the Red Cross Organisation

It's technically always been illegal for a long time to use the symbol by non-Red Cross affiliates as per international treaties mentioned above, but the Red Cross were generally much more concerned legally with "Vehicles are transporting weapons & ammo into a war zone" or "People used our symbol to pose as fake Red Cross Workers to murder civilians" before the lawsuit. I saw generic first aid kits using a red cross symbol being sold at supermarkets in the 90s, as well as it being featured heavily in TV shows, movies & games.

I'm not registered so I can't post links, but a search should show the lawsuit: 2008 articles from WiPO.int & Reuters are good overviews.

[66473c64745d0sarge945]

Yet another example of lawsuits being a cancer on humanity and needing to be expunged as a concept.

[66473c64748e5ZylonBane]

I feel like the red cross logo in games is a staple (even if it's technically wrong).

Pffft, red, green, it's arbitrary. Like sometimes I'll watch old let's plays of Subnautica, and notice that in early access it used a red cross symbol on the health kit replicator, whereas the release version uses a green cross. Since I never played the early access version, the red symbol looks weird and wrong to me. It's whatever you're used to.

As for this mod, yes this is simultaneously the silliest and most serious mod I've ever made, and that absurdity appealed to me. Silliest because all it does is slightly modify the texture and icon for a single object, yet most serious because this is something that companies have actually been sued over.

Also I couldn't resist the notion of a "Geneva Conventions Compliance" mod. How posh.

[66473c6474c8asarge945]

Pffft, red, green, it's arbitrary. Like sometimes I'll watch old let's plays of Subnautica, and notice that in early access it used a red cross symbol on the health kit replicator, whereas the release version uses a green cross. Since I never played the early access version, the red symbol looks weird and wrong to me. It's whatever you're used to.

I guess.

I think it's more that when something has been the way it was for a long time, and then it suddenly gets changed to comply, and the reasoning is always "it's just a logo, it's not a big deal". When people complained about Bethesda changing the red crosses on the Doom health kits more than 2 decades after it's original release, generally the response was that it didn't matter, even though it really did to some people, and I still utterly refuse to use the censored Bethesda wad files. When people have been staring at the same texture for many years, they grow attached to it. Not realising this really confirms just how soulless corporations are, like they fundamentally don't understand how human being can get attached to artwork.

[66473c6474e2dvoodoo47]

Korenchkin doesn't strike me as the type of businessman who would be bothered by Geneva conventions too much. so red cross medkits on his ship sound.. plausible.

[66473c6475084sarge945]

Korenchkin doesn't strike me as the type of businessman who would be bothered by Geneva conventions too much. so red cross medkits on his ship sound.. plausible.

I have a feeling WBD would have something to say about it, though.

[66473c64751e9JDoran]

As probably the only person on the forum who likes this mod (green is my favourite colour), thanks for this, ZB.

[66473c6475441bombum]

JDoran
Are you using green inventory?

[66473c647570dJDoran]

JDoran
Are you using green inventory?

I wasn't, but I will be using it now! Thanks for letting me know.