Microsoft, USO Links Troops Worldwide Via Xbox

Thanks to Reuters for their story reporting on Microsoft and the U.S. armed forces' plans to expand a program bringing Xbox Live to troops overseas. There's a press release on the USO site with more details, including a U.S. Air Force lieutenant's comments: "Xbox Live allows me to play my favorite games with friends and family as though I am sitting on the couch right next to them back home in Garden Grove, Calif. We share stories, laugh and poke fun at each other in real time as we play." We previously covered a pilot scheme using the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and a spokesman "...said the program was such a success it will be expanded to nearly every Air Force base around the world."

Comments

Awesome...

[malakai]

I think that's great for troops.

I wonder though, if MS has to offer access to the voice chats to security personel for the appropriate armed forces.

I know mail and e-mail is screened, as well as phone calls (espcially on big targets like aircraft carriers). I wonder if MS had to put in code on the server to allow the voice streams to be tapped.

Cool none the less. I wouldn't mind playing Ghost Recon against some troop clans.

Commercial

[musikit]

umm wasn't there a commercial for like splinter cell or something game like that one taht promoted this?

Re:Commercial

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

I believe you're referring to the SOCOM commercial..playable online with only a PS2. Of course, the government wouldn't have to pay XBox Live subscription fees if they want with a Sony solution AND more people have PS2's so there'd be a higher likelihood that friends and families back home would be able to take advantage of this and play with/against the troops. Of course, MS was founded in the states and Sony was not so that may play a role - as it should. Let's help our economy before we help anyone else's.

Zenith is a manufacturer of many electronics goods and was founded in Chicago in the 1920's. Think about that next time you're at Best Buy.

Re:Commercial

[gamgee5273]

Okay, I'm not here to flame you - I come from a union family and underatand completely where you're coming from with this.

But, I do have to speak up a bit: Not being an Xbox owner, can anyone say where the box is being made? I have to suspect it's somewhere in Asia, not the States.

For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume it is Asia util someone can come up with the answer: Sure, while a chunk of cash goes to Redmond, they still are losing money on the Xbox and still have to pay for the workers in Asia. Thus, is it really helping our economy for that segment of MS to be financially failing?

Arguably, supporting US developers and publishing houses (which MS is, yes, I agree) is a better way to make the claim that you are supporting the US economy, no matter the console manufacturer's country of origin. SOCOM, for example, was published by Sony Computer Entertainment America but was developed by Zipper Interactive, which is an American company (based, ironically enough in an Alanis sense, in Redmond). I would make the argument that this is a better use of our dollars going back into our economy than buying an Xbox over a PS2 or a GCN because MS is located in the States.

And, as a postscript to your final thought:

Zenith is not the paragon of "Made in America" that you might think it is. From zenith.com's "Corporate History" section: In November 1999, Zenith became a wholly owned subsidiary of LGE. LGE is, of course, one of the Korean companies that seems to make everything but the kitchen sink...

Re:I wont be content

[malakai]

I think a single decade is all that is required to begin rolling out semiautomonous and full automonus aircraft, and ceasing development on new manned air-craft.
After that point, we'll see the planes we know and love today be retired (and their pilots).

What's really lacking is a full redundant, mesh based communication infrastructue that can be quickly deployed. Where every node in the mesh, be it an aircraft or a satellite, or a autonomous drone, can relay and respond.

A top-down approach would put these nodes closer and closer to the action, until they meet ground based nodes (humvees, portable station deployed on sand dunes...etc).

I say 20 years though for fuly functional bi-ped soldiers that can be controlled remotely and have enough autonomy to respond/react quickly to environment and beat speed of light latency in their control systems. Such that a controller at 'home' can move the unit (WASD config of course) but the unit can make choices on how to move (i see a rock, i'm going to step over it, i'm not going to wait 250ms for my controller to hold my hand and walk me over the rock).

What do they play?

[Johnny Mnemonic]

So the question is: are they playing Splinter Cell, or Dance Dance Revolution? Wouldn't you get tired of getting shot at in RL, that simulating it just wouldn't be the same?

Imaginary Events

[illuminata]

Microsoft Rep: Hey guys! We've got you some games and XBox Live accounts!

Troops: (Cheering)

Troop #1: So, buddy, what games do you have for us?

Microsoft Rep: How about some Conflict: Desert Storm II - Back to Baghdad.

Troop #1: Uh...

Troop #2: Anything else?

Microsoft Rep: Ghost Recon?

Troops: (Silence)

Microsoft Rep: Ghost Recon... Island Thunder? Rainbow Six 3? Counter Strike?

Troop #3: How about ESPN NFL Football?

Troop #4: Or Midnight Club II?

Troop #5: Or Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX? Come on!

Troops: (Raise eyebrow at Troop #5)

Troop #1: Hey, what kind of fucking joke is this?

Microsoft Rep: Oh shit...

Re:Not to troll but...

[Smidge204]

Not only are they great entertainment that excesizes their training and teamwork, but when they're on the move it can double as body armor!

=Smidge=

War Games

[molafson]

What I don't understand is why a bunch of soldiers would want to spend their downtime playing war games (e.g. Crimson Skies) on the XBox. Don't they get enough of the real thing?

That's like an accountant going home and playing a slightly more exciting Excel/Quickbooks simulator.

On the other hand, the soldiers can play racing games or sports games, which are okay I guess, but still not optimal for relaxation. (Better solution: drink some beers and watch Monday Night Football.)

Re:I wont be content

[Rob Parkhill]

Come on, we all know that future wars will be fought by giant robots.

To suggest anything else is just silly.

Re:I wont be content

[t0ny]

I think that will be the time to start worrying. Once it becomes trivially easy to kill people, and you can do it without even seeing it 'in real life', it will take any remaining shreads of humanity out of war.