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CIA Pursues Anti-Terrorism Videogame
Thanks to the Washington Times for their story revealing the CIA is developing a videogame aimed at helping its analysts think like terrorists. The agency is working with the Institute Of Creative Technologies, who helped the Army set up development of Full Spectrum Warrior, and according to the article: "The game will select a scenario that could involve analysts playing terrorist-cell leaders or members, a terrorist 'money mover' or a facilitator", or alternatively "a U.S. Customs agent, or even a cooperative or hostile neighbor living next to a terrorist", to help anti-terrorism workers "think outside the box."
i thought this game was already available from rockstar games??
They should recruit Tom Clancy for this project.
"...today consumers have been conditioned to think of beer when they see a bullfrog..."
Kids today are tyrants. They contradict their parent, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates 400 BC
"The game will select a scenario that could involve analysts playing terrorist-cell leaders or members, a terrorist 'money mover' or a facilitator", or alternatively "a U.S. Customs agent, or even a cooperative or hostile neighbor living next to a terrorist"
[sarcasm]
How about homeland terrorists that make potato guns or swap P2P files [/sarcasm]
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
They want to think like a terrorist, right? Here's a game that's already been made:
Kaboom: Suicide Bomber
"Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised."
-Marilyn Manson
... after all, he is an avid wearer of Naval caps. He must be good.
Thinking like a terrorist involves two things:
- Living in conditions that you perceive as less than acceptable.
- Believing that the fundamental cause of those conditions is due to $THEM.
One man's terrorist is another's valiant freedom-fighter.It's all based on perception.
Until we address the root problem of living conditions (as well as - and not just - their perception) and the belief systems that blame others we'll always get new terrorists to replace the old ones that get killed off.
And, yes, we have to examine our own self interests in the cold light of logic, because a lot of times the perception of less than acceptable conditions is somewhat correct and the belief that someone else is responsible is somewhat correct.
But the world is still not ready to adequately address either the issues of commercial freedom and of religious freedom. Until then, we're propagating the problem and treating symptoms instead of root causes.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
"help anti-terrorism workers 'think outside the box.'"
When I saw this originally reported, I couldn't help thinking 'no way'...
For one thing, they'll be swapping a 'box' created by assumptions for one supplied by the 'game' writers. Hasn't anyone just said to them, 'take five days off and come up with ten real world examples of terrorist vectors.'
Seriously, this worries the life out of me.
Oddly Draconis
Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
expansion pack?
Instead of bricking up your neighbors so that they starve to death, your family could build pipe-bombs and plant them throughout the neighborhood!
The main goal would be winning the Iraqis' trust, so one of the most important rules would be that accidentally killing a bystander would drain local trust levels. Meanwhile you'd have to inventory and prioritize the gaps in the infrastructure, and then deploy improvements while guarding materials from theft.
Establishing a local police force would be another major headache-- somehow you have to quickly decide who's trustworthy.
I've been wondering why the first order of business for Garner/Bremmer wasn't to issue new id-cards to every Iraqi while building a database of past histories and who-recommends-whom. Libertarians might scream but it's hard to see any alternative...?
I don't think that would be a wise move on the CIA's part to make a game about this.. Even if it is going to be played privately by them.. or if it is being made public.. Its just gonna give terrorists ideas.. and really, I don't think we need a game on how to learn outside the box if we know HOW to make it... Its just another idea the CIA has to pass the time at their desk...
Just me
yay! now terrorists can train to get around CIA agents! ....oh....
Now before you start flaming me and talking about 9-11 and GTA causing retards to shoot people let me just say shut it. First of all videogames are a way to do things we wouldn't do IRL without RL consequences. GTA did not cause anybody to shoot anybody, rather it was a convenient excuse. Terrorist are not going to buy this game to learn how to be a better terrorist, it's not like it's that hard anyways.
Simple fact of the matter is that a game like this could be hella fun. You can't let things like 9-11 make it insensitive to create games that deal with the same issues. Lets remember how many people have lost a loved one in a war, and we still have NUMEROUS war based games (many of which attempt to accurately portray the deaths of many soldiers), and I'm not even saying we should have a 9-11 based game.
Don't Let Anybody Censor You
Trust Your Technolust
Link goes to the Washington Times, not the Washington Post. In this town, that's like the difference between Slashdot and CNET. Not to mention incorrect accrediation being a fairly substantial copyright issue.
But to bring it back on topic, I guess that verfiies that the
--
$tar -xvf
Press Secretary: "I'd like to announce today that VP Cheney in an undisclosed location for the duration of the event."
Press: "*cough*camper*cough*"
Press Secretary: "Contrary to recent press reports, president Bush is in fact, not AFK."
I think you are adressing the problem the good way.
And I don't believe like others that it is "teenage thinking".
For thoses who are thinking that the parent post is wrong, think about it for 2 minutes before you post anything.
Imagine you're born in a middle-east region. Now you're growing in a region that is being attacked by an USA-supported government or the USA government itself.
Since you are a kid that american bombs fall all over the place.
And, you live in a total poverty while all the occidental world got all the wealth.
Maybe you wouldn't like the USA too. And there is nobody more dangerous than people who are hungry.
Alternatively...
They could just play the GLA in Command and Conquer Generals instead.
(I wonder if it would be harder to get reimbursed for a $40 game from petty cash than to get a multi-million-dollar simulation written...)
Why dont they just look at any MMORPG - examine the PK'er (Player Killer) mindset and I think you would understand the average terrorist.
CIA guy1: "Motherfucker! That's the 10th time i've died for no reason!
1337d00d: "What do you mean no reason n00b, I've been getting headshots on you every time you spawn. lolololol n00bz0rz.
Although, for some reason, if all of the people in our armed forces could shoot like some of those people I've seen in CS....god would I feel a lot safer. They'd probably save a lot on ammo too!
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
Terrorism- a mode of government by terror or intimidation. --Thomas Jefferson.
Just something to think about when the spooks start wanting to 'think like terrorists'.
"I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
- try to kill Castro
- sell drugs to finance your operations
- make another atempt at Castro
- blow up some oil tanks
- make another atempt at Castro
- mine a civilian port
Lars T.
To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck
...if they don't have the balls to do what is obviously necessary? I mean, why the hell is Arafat still alive? Just blow him into pieces, damnit!
Circumcision is child abuse.
You insensitive cloderators! (-:
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
Chuck Peddle, developer of the "64 columns ought to be enough for anybody" (it was one of the first PCs with an 80-column screen) CBM and the Victor-9000/Sirius-1 - among other things - once owned (maybe still owns, who knows?) a company called NNA, for No Name Available, an expression of his frustration at being unable to find a viable name.
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
Conversely, as societies become wealthier, terrorism declines (and so does the birth rate). So perhaps the best option is indeed to work for the greatest common good after all.
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
Heck, it works well for so many other things...
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
This caused comment within days of the event. (-: It seems that this guy got the message too late. :-)
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
We slashdotters that don't like the administration's policies can think of every single possible thing the Iraquies could do to "interrupt" our forces. [said game would require security clearance as many CS & stratagy gamers would probably be playing several levels above actual Iraquies for overall meanspiritedness and tactics! We wouldn't want the Iraqies getting ideas would we?] Then dump THAT game on the analysts. It could even be online so that as they beat it we can change the rules so they can NEVER WIN....just like in the real world!
We can stop making video games, stop building big things for fear of them being destroyed, or we can just continue to live our lives.
They should hire other people, if they want this job done.
Take a back hat hacker to find possible ways to circumvent your security. I don't speak of a script kiddie or a normal cracker. I speak of people with real hacking abilities (not only IT specific!) and a black past. These people are trained to get around the system and they should be able to adobt to any given situation. They can even improvise if you test them.
There are very real concerns that these games train and accustom people to savagery, and to treating the targets of their fear, surprise and rage as inanimate, a bunch of pixels to smash and not a person like themselves to treasure. While it's not going to be so for everyone, that training can translate to destructive real-world action and I don't think we need to be identified with even the rumour of such things. Can you think of a reason why we should?
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing