Usage of Red Cross symbol

[Richard Drysdall]

Hi all.

I noticed that UFO:AI uses the "Red Cross" symbol on some of it's textures (e.g. interior of the drop-ship). This is discouraged by the Red Cross, as it is technically a trademark and has statutory protection. If you Google ""Red Cross" video games" you'll find plenty of articles.

(note - I'm not connected with the Red Cross, nor am I advocating or disagreeing with the Red Cross position on this - I'm just reporting it as something that may require changing).

[BTAxis]

Noted, but is there any other symbol that spells out "medical"? Maybe a stylized syringe?

[Zorlen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_cross#Red_Crystal

I've seen Red Crystal being used in some game instead of Red Cross.

[Richard Drysdall]

Noted, but is there any other symbol that spells out "medical"? Maybe a stylized syringe?

I've seen a green-cross used in several games. The proportions, circular white backdrop etc is the same.

[Jabrwock]

I've seen a green-cross used in several games. The proportions, circular white backdrop etc is the same.

Any cross as long as it's not red on white background it's allowed. Most companies use the green on white (or the reverse) for first-aid kits.

The Canadian and American Red Cross societies have been educating various gaming companies on the legality of the symbol usage, in order to prevent legal battles later on. They've recognized that educating is better than threatening. Games that use it in a historical sense (like WWII games) can use it, as long as it's in context (like on evac transports or something). But stuff like on medkits in other games is generally not allowed.

From the Cdn Red Cross Society:

No organization -- except the Canadian Red Cross and the medical corps of the armed forces during times of armed conflict -- may use the Red Cross emblem in Canada. This use is legislated by the Geneva Conventions Act, the Trade Marks Act and the Canadian Red Cross Society Act.

http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=016717&tid=001 (Emblem use FAQ)

Best to nip this in the bud, since it's still in development.

[TroubleMaker]

Hmm... legalese...

In former Soviet Union the emblem of "Red Cross on white background" was (and still is) widely used. 150+ millions of people easily recognize "RC on WB" as "something healthcare/medical related", but these people may have difficulties in recognizing the "red diamond" or "green cross".

I don't know if onboard medikits in European or American cars are marked with something other than "RC on WB", but here, in Russia and most of ex-SU these medikits are clearly marked with "RC on WB" - even illiterate person could understand.

BTW, how about "snake and shaft" or "snake and cup" emblems? The first, as I heard, is the sign of US "medicina militaris", and the latter is the emblem of Soviet/Russian military medics.

[eleazar]

BTW, how about "snake and shaft" or "snake and cup" emblems? The first, as I heard, is the sign of US "medicina militaris", and the latter is the emblem of Soviet/Russian military medics.

You mean the caduceus?

[Zorlen]

You mean the caduceus?

Nope, it's  something more like this:
http://www.intellectspb.ru/kniga4/i/i17.gif

And here's a military medic badge:
http://www.victory.mil.ru/form/insignia/01/54.html

[TroubleMaker]

You mean the caduceus?

Exactly! Also: Bowl of Hygieia (snake and cup).

Soviet medical corpse emblem is #6 on the picture:


(#7 is a military veterinary emblem)

(modern emblems are similar to Soviet ones, but I dislike them)

[TroubleMaker]

Nope, it's  something more like this:

Agree, you could just surround the links with the "img" tags to display these small pictures right inside a message

[eleazar]

Your little snake-n-cup looks like it was carefully arraigned to have a silhouette very like the hammer&sickle.  
Purposeful or not it would be very confusing for a Westerner to see what seems to be Communist insignia on medical stuff.

[TroubleMaker]

Your little snake-n-cup looks like it was carefully arraigned to have a silhouette very like the hammer&sickle.

Never thought about such similarity. But how about lesser politicized Bowl of Hygieia?

Or we should give up and still use "RC on WB", or, may be "Red Cross and Red Crescent" combined emblem to mark medicine related spots and equipment.
I see no reason for RC&RC organization to object such usage.

[eleazar]

Never thought about such similarity. But how about lesser politicized Bowl of Hygieia?

I doubt that any version of the bowl will communicate "first aid" or "medicine" to much of the audience.

Or we should give up and still use "RC on WB", or, may be "Red Cross and Red Crescent" combined emblem to mark medicine related spots and equipment.
I see no reason for RC&RC organization to object such usage.

Since this is about 80 years into the future, i think it would work best to make up something, which however is understandable to most players.  I really don't think any of the other symbols have nearly the international recognition that some sort of red on white cross does. 

Thus i'd propose something reminiscent of the familiar red cross without infringing, like perhaps on the these examples.

A quick google search:
Red Cross 9,380,000 hits
Red Crescent: 380,000 hits
Red Cross & Red Crescent: 171,000


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[Jabrwock]

img

The trick is to find something that LOOKS like the RC symbol, so it's recognizable as a concept, but isn't, and yet can be scaled down to the tiny textures we have on medkits.

The red circle bkgd with white cross works, because it's clearly not the Swiss symbol if it's present on medkits, yet it's also not infringing on the RC either.

[eleazar]

The trick is to find something that LOOKS like the RC symbol, so it's recognizable as a concept, but isn't, and yet can be scaled down to the tiny textures we have on medkits.

The red circle bkgd with white cross works, because it's clearly not the Swiss symbol if it's present on medkits, yet it's also not infringing on the RC either.

Yeah.

Here's one a little less Swiss, a little more polished.

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