Videogames Are Far More Than Play

USA Today has a piece up talking with the writers of Smartbomb about the greater significance of gaming in the here and now. From the article: "In 2002, the military released America's Army, a game designed to inspire young men and women gamers to join the army. Within one year, it was registered by 2.4 million people and nominated for an award by a top gaming organization. It was a blockbuster. America's Army, along with a game used to train recruits and a sci-fi, holodeck knockoff (a room that allows the participant to see, feel and smell a virtual environment), will be used to 'train soldiers for the emotional experience' of war, making up a part of the U.S. military's new DNA, according to Chaplin and Ruby."

I've tried playing this recently

[sgant]

There is hardly anyone playing America's Army anymore. At least I couldn't find any servers playing it. VERY small numbers. And it's a great game too.

Same with UT2004. Hardly anyone playing that either. It's either the morons over playing Battlefield 2 (which I've taken off my HD in frustration to the rampant tardism there), or one of the newer games. Some of these things just fall through the cracks and you never see them again. Yet there's still people playing Team Fortress Classic on the old Half-Life.

Oh well...

The emotional experience of war.

[pahoran]

"... will be used to 'train soldiers for the emotional experience' of war."

Really? Are they going to kill your friends off and tell you to suck it up and keep fighting? Are they going to separate you from your family for months/years at a time?

reality?

[drDugan]

I think the army should consider very seriously just how "real" to make an immersive training envoronment. If they actually made it close to reality, not many people would join.

Will they include losing limbs? Losing your best friends? Not having enough armor? Superiors without a spine following orders against regulations? Rightfully angry people trying to kill you?

I can't imagine ANY 3D game in an immersion cave coming close to these experiences.

Go read this guy's experience: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/wdc/118782492 .html [craigslist.org]

I don't mean this as a troll - I think that many people who go into the armed services in the US have no intention of dying for their country. They are trying to get money for college, and they are attracted to the excting images they see on the TV commercials: I love the one: "Join the Army - you'll learn how to work with computers" yeah right, at it's core, messages like these are simply lies.

America's Army: VR Missions

[drunken-sosage]

It was a blockbuster. America's Army, along with a game used to train recruits and a sci-fi, holodeck knockoff (a room that allows the participant to see, feel and smell a virtual environment), will be used to 'train soldiers for the emotional experience' of war, making up a part of the U.S. military's new DNA, according to Chaplin and Ruby."

A Sons of Liberty dialogue exchange comes to mind...

Pliskin : So this is your first.

Raiden : I've had extensive training -- the kind that's indistinguishable from the real thing.

Pliskin : Like what?

Raiden : Sneaking mission 60, Weapons 80,

Pliskin : VR, huh.

Raiden : But realistic in every way.

Pliskin : A virtual grunt of the digital age. That's just great.

Raiden : That's far more effective than live exercises.

Pliskin : You don't get injured in VR, do you? Every year, a few soldiers die in field exercises.

Raiden : There's pain sensation in VR, and even a sense of reality and urgency. The only difference is that it isn't actually happening.

Pliskin : That's the way they want you to think, to remove you from the fear that goes with battle situations. War as a video game -- what better way to raise the ultimate soldier?