Civ IV Censored For China?

[Prussia]

Those Chinese are pretty paranoid about their communism, but I can't imagine a popular series like Civilization offending them just by the names - which aren't even offensive in the least.

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[Adagio]

Interesting

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Willem


When his likeness and persona is being used for commercial gain. He's a state symbol, it's strictly taboo to use him for any business venture.

Except that you can find his image from key chains to toilet paper. It's often used for commercial gain in China.

But the Forbidden Palace is a symbol of China's imperialistic/dynastic past, and the Communists don't want any attention brought to that period of their history. Part of the original Communist revolt dealt with the struggle against the remaining remnants of that system of government. Chiang Ki Shek (sp?) hadn't entirely stamped out it out previously, before he was overthrown. So the Communists in a sense were battling two different forms of government.

The Forbidden Palace is one of the most famous and popular tourist spots in China.


I don't think that any of these have to do with Chinese censorship, unless Firaxis is completely ignorant about China.

[Virtual Alex]

Mao is a public figure, and under US law it's perfectly legal to use his effigy in games, comics, toys ect... Unless it's damaging to his reputation. In Civ's case, I hardly think it is. Changes like these are probably made because the Chinese government asked. Rather than Fraxis somehow covering thier back. Who knows what China is thinking.

[tai4ji2x]

mao is described as a "brutal dictator" in the civilopedia. that's probably one reason the chinese government has issues with it. the official verdict on mao is to say that he was "70% good, 30% bad", not the other way around.

[Joseph]

Originally posted by tai4ji2x
mao is described as a "brutal dictator" in the civilopedia. that's probably one reason the chinese government has issues with it. the official verdict on mao is to say that he was "70% good, 30% bad", not the other way around.

There are around 50 million chinese who would disagree with 70% good, but wait, they can no longer disagree, because they are dead.

[taurus78]

Interesting here. I'm also confused about these modifications.

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Forbidden palace-Great Palace?what about a bit of humility?
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In our language, 'Forbidden Palace' is more stately than 'Great Palace'. the latter is more like a 'popular' word. If the game developers want to please Chinese people in this way, I believe they go to the wrong way. And also, no one ask them to do that, like using a couple of 'great'.

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Chinese are taught that Communism and Utopia are generally synonimous. It seems rather weird.
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That's not correct. Utopia is understood as something unreachable. 'An impractical, idealistic scheme for social and political reform', which is picked up from my dictionary. I guess our goverment dislike to use it in propagandism.

Believe me, few people in China trust communism will be realized someday, even including our leader. So that we use the word 'socialism'.

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Oh, Mao..................
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So many debates in China about the monster. Some persons, normally not well educated, believe he is great, especailly persons in his hometown - Hunan Province, but more persons hold negative opinion to the guy. The guy is a real nightmare to our nation. I have to agree he's so lucky, stealing the country with the help of the Japanese invasion, after Kiang consumed most of his power while protecting our land.
However, he founded our nowaday country. You can't expect bad words on him officially. He will get his score in future.

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I still don't agree with Beijing as a city name.
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Somebody just likes to have fun in this way. Where's your education? Or, have you?

[Louis XXIV]

I don't know about Civ4, but, from what I understand, the reason why Mao wasn't in the Chinese version of Civ3 was because the Chinese government didn't want him beaten up and defeated if he lost, so he was replaced with someone else.

[psyyco]

Originally posted by taurus78

And also, no one ask them to do that, like using a couple of 'great'.

-

Oh, what a pitty... the creators didn´t ask to be allowed to use the correct names . this happens all time and it isn´t the reason of constant disturbing. It isn,t to important for official warnings and complaints.

[HAN_KNIGHT]

Originally posted by taurus78

So many debates in China about the monster. Some persons, normally not well educated, believe he is great, especailly persons in his hometown - Hunan Province, but more persons hold negative opinion to the guy. The guy is a real nightmare to our nation. I have to agree he's so lucky, stealing the country with the help of the Japanese invasion, after Kiang consumed most of his power while protecting our land.
However, he founded our nowaday country. You can't expect bad words on him officially. He will get his score in future.

Mao has been a symbol of China.He had done a lot for our country and people,so we love
him while we also criticise the mistakes he made in his old age. In CIV4 he is defined as a dictator,maybe it's right,but the introduction of him is too"western" and arbitrary to we Chinese.


"Some person, normally not well educated, believe he is great","more persons hold negative opinion to the guy",What you said is absurd to most Chinese people.I am a college student and I know how the Chinese college students respect their idol--Chairman Mao.Of course in china there are some peopel hating Mao,but as I konw most people still
respect and love their Chairman Mao---from children to elder.SO,Please do not take your own opinion as most chinese peope's opinion and assert to the foreigners that nearly know nothing about China.

[Timor_Leste]

Originally posted by Willem
The 3 Gorges Dam has me somewhat baffled though. It would seem to me that they would be proud of that particular accomplishment. Although someone pointed out that there's a great deal of controversy with the project due to the sheer number of people that were displaced, with little or no compensation.

From what I remember, there have been two problems:
1) many people moved, ancient villages drowned. Politically this is bad, but even worse is that some of the land was valued religiously (if I remember right), and it was constantly stressed that, if the government went through with it, the land would be lost lost forever.

2) Consulting firms considered the proposal and the grand majority, if not all, recommended against it. Some argued that, if the Dam burst, well-populated areas further down-river would be threatened. Ultimately, the government went with it anyways. Some tried to explain the decision as a "Look what I can do!" statement, kinda like skyscrapers. Others analyzed it from a national politics perspective- if local communities had more of a say, it likely never would have been built. Others saw in the decision proof that, in contrast to published reports of democratization in China, communism is still alive and well.

So the development and success/failure of the Dam has important political (national and international), cultural and economic ramifications.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Adagio
Interesting

It says you should increase your level of mastery in Chinese. Something like that.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Joseph
There are around 50 million chinese who would disagree with 70% good, but wait, they can no longer disagree, because they are dead.

Bah. Death to capitalist running dogs, class enemies, and counter-revolutionaries!

[Nugog]

Different countries have different views on the characteristics of historical leaders.

I guess the changes came because Fraxis wanted to be able to sell their product within one the worlds largest markets

It is no different from many products. For example wine producers will name, label and describe their product different ways for different markets according to the laws and/or cultural influences of that country.

Movies are given different endings etc, IIRC "The Madness of King George III" was renamed "The Madness of King George" without the III for the US market, as there was concern that people would not go and see it, as they hadn't seen I or II

No one seems to have much of a problem with that, and I see little difference for Fraxis changing a bit of code in a game.