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America's Army - Development, Impact Analyzed
Professor writes "The MOVES Institute's America's Army team has placed a booklet on the game's development and impact (PDF link) onto the web." The MOVES Institute is part of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and their page notes this booklet was "...developed for the America's Army exhibit [part of the Bang The Machine exhibition] at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Art Center... [and] tells you all you wanted to know about the philosophy, history, and implementation of the MOVES Institute's hit game." We've previously covered the reported recruiting success of America's Army.
Penny Arcades Best Misappropriation of Tax Dollars Award.
It says it in the pamphlet.
Thats hilarious.
" ...but I won't play this game and help the army's recruiting methods succeed. " ...Why not? Do you also boycott any tv show/channel/network/cable company that runs GO ARMY ads? What about all of the magazines and even fliers depending on where you live?
Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
Wow, the first post is from some peacenick with their stereotypical views of the army and its team of developers. I was assuming the crowd on /. was intelligent enough to recognize the difference between the army and a group of mass murderers.
Let me educate you. The army protects you, and your freedoms to slam them. So, lay off, and give thema break. Unless you arent in this country. In that case, we STILL protect some of you and your way of life. You live in Europe? Chances are you have a US army base near you.
So you encourage your freinds to buy other games where they are developed by companies like EA, and Ubisoft, who, are just in it for the altruisitc benefits?
Riiiight.
I mean we all know how great the world did when the Roman armies crumbled.
i'm a pacifist pinko, but i still play AA because it's a decent game. sure, it's propaganda, but i'm a big boy, and i can handle playing a game without being influenced negatively. you come across as a bit condescending, and i'd like to state for the record that all pacifists aren't quite as smarmy as yourself.
"Life is great; without it, you'd be dead." -Harmony Korine
Please tell me the difference between playing a video game made by the army and a video game made by say, Valve, Epic, id, Red Storm, or Dice.
There isn't any.
The Army noticed that people liked realistic tactical shooters, such as Rainbow Six. So hey, instead of writing up a fictional story, how about teach them about how the Army works in real life? Maybe they'll sign up!
The Army did nothing wrong, and I congradulate them on this risky attempt at reaching a new generation.
So please, if you're going to complain that the Army is wrong in making this game, then practice what you preach and don't play any violent video games at all.
Well, I don't watch tv at all because it's mindless trash...but that's neither here nor there. I just refuse to play their recruitment tools...the same way I'd slam the door on any recruiter that showed up at my house.
But there is another kind of evil that we must fear most... and that is the indifference of good men.
Yup... your country sure protected us from all those eeevil weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Your country also really really helped the people of Cambodia by helping the maniac Polpot into power. (I don't imagine your educated enough to know who Polpot was, let's just say he makes Saddam look like Santa and Hitler like the tooth fairy)
Your army did a great job training Osama bin Laden too! Although I must admit, you didn't train Saddam well enough. Yep, your country is full of saits! GO ARMY!
In all seriousness the US army has also done a lot of good, but that does not give you the right to go bashing others for wanting peace rather than war. And no, oil is not a good cause for war.
Yup... your country sure protected us from all those eeevil weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
Well actually yes. The last 12 years of heavy surveilance and overflight (US and UK) would have helped in that regard. Its better to prevent a weapon from being built in the first place than have to go destroy it. The problem was the US never really knew how successful it had been. Saddam seemed to want to keep that a state secret.
and i'd like to state for the record that all pacifists aren't quite as smarmy as yourself
Keep in mind that some "pacifists" are just kids trying to be trendy, be fashionably rebellious, etc. They tend to over do it.
Based on your ridiculously elitist attitude, I would assume:
1. You don't have a job
"Because then I'd have to pay taxes to the government. And they're all assholes!"
2. You don't have a significant other
"I'm too good for anybody"
3. You're most likely one of those conformist nonconformists
"If you want to be a nonconformist, you have dress just like us and listen to the same music at us"
4. You're gay.
Having to remember tank designs in order to run covert ops training really got me thinking. I'd say this game oversteps the mark. Ok, the first aid training actually turned out to be handy (long story, involving blood) but identifying millitary vehicles?
I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
I have no desire or plan to join the Army, but their game is quite fun. I just started playing yesterday (Always a late adopter), am up to 14 honor (Someone look me up- Tireos). I suck on most of the bigger maps, but get me on Swamp Assault, FLS Assault, or, wossname, the one where you protect the helicopter and I'm money.
"Do you also boycott any tv show/channel/network/cable company that runs GO ARMY ads?"
ehh.. yes.
I think there is nothing good coming from war or violence. The obvious mechanical response to violence is more violence... but violence doesn't solve violence - you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.
Spelling errors were made for your amusement only...
No, having more nukes than any other country protects the US militarily. You have scientists to thank for that, not grunts or generals. The army is a relic whose primary function is to subdue other countries whom the current US leadership, for whatever reason (say, to access the emergency powers of the executive branch), dislikes enough to punish... but who aren't enough of an actual threat to warrant a nuke.
Fuck You. Go die in Iraq for a rich man to make a dollar. Fool. America is a lie.
I jsut think the army spends enough money fighting wars and thats what they should keep doing. Why are we paying for them to develop a computer game that they are not even trying to make a profit off?
i still play AA because it's a decent game.
Compared to MS Solitaire? Sure.
One of the more popular flame wars on the message boards is AA realism vs atypical FPS. From my viewpoint, its just a game. I haven't read any threads saying, "After playing AA, I decided to enlist." Gamers were just looking for another option besides Counter Strike and AA was the answer for some.
i really believe when HL2 and Doom3 is released, there will be a castrophoic drop off in AA players.
-- ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space!
You need to be able to separate the Army, from the politicians.
Politicians are the ones who made the poor decisions you mentioned. The Army just did their job and implemented those bad decisions.
I think this is a good thing too. The army needs to be a tool of the politicians. The army cannot make decisions on its own. Otherwise, it turns into a situation where the army runs the country, and that never works out.
No reason to lie.
If training in this game isn't greatly toned down compared to the real thing, it probably explains the many failures of the american military (though I know you'd rather forget... Beirut, 1983, anyone?) That, and putting technology above men and "self preservation first" as pillars of the doctrine...
While it lasts, I don't think the US corps will get anywhere close to corps like the Foreign Legion in terms of efficiency on the field. No Kolwezi for you, guys.
I work at a computer store in Cincinnati, OH.
Recently, we were approached by an army recruiter asking us if we had spare computers, network hardware, and space we would be willing to "donate" for free to him. He wanted to attract kids to the army by setting up a free network gaming environment.
While the game might be fun, this is quite frankly evil. The army recruiter was, in fact, under orders "from above" to find a place and acquire free equipment and time in order to use the game to attract otherwise uninterested people to the army.
My viewpoint is simple; if you want to join the military, join it. If you don't want to join, there's probably a reason for that. You don't want to die, you don't like being told to do things you don't agree with, you don't like being yelled at and fed crap... any number of reasons. Using a game to make it look glamorous is just another way of lying to kids in order to get them to join the military under false pretenses. This is nothing new; don't get me wrong. It's just slimy.
I'm not overseas fighting for your freedom just so you can go around saying anti-government and anti-army things.
If you don't like the country you should move! You shouldn't be allowed to stay in the country that I am protecting if you don't like the freedom I'm giving you.
Or maybe you're a Terrorist, or a Communist, or a Homosexual, or Black, or Hispanic, or Native-American, or a Woman, or a Man who disagrees with me, or maybe you're all of those! If you are any of the above then you should be shot!
--Sgt. Bushespawn
IWhy are we paying for them to develop a computer game that they are not even trying to make a profit off?
:-)
Well they are a non-profit organization.
Seriously, recruiting is much more subtle than you suggest. T-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and now video games are effective tools. They do not directly get folks to run down to the local recruiter but they are not meant to. They are meant to simply remind a person about the Army. Lots of young folks are not sure what they want to do, periodic reminders of the Army's existence sometimes leads to the Army getting onto a list of things to consider.
Secondly, it is also a PR tool. It counterbalances some of the unrealistic perceptions generated by movies. This can have a positive effect on someone thinking about the Army as well.
You do have a point there, and in many ways I feel sorry for the soldiers sent out to do some of the less savory tasks that the government creates.
But more on topic, I still think it's wrong to lure people into a very serious career by making a game out of it. War is not a game, and actually being in the Army is not like the America's Army game which conveniently leaves out the unpleasentness of the job. If people enter the Army, they should do so knowing full well what it is, what it means, what it does, and that it will not be *fun*.
I don't think anyone in there right mind would suggest that the army of any country be disbanded. But the job should also be treated with a seriousness and respect, and making a recruting game just reeks of sleazyness and trickery.
So these young kids enter the army because that think they will be "leet sniper d00d" just like in the game? That's not the right reason to join.
In a study by the US Army's advertising agency, America's Army is the MOST COST-EFFECTIVE TOOL EVER for strategic communications. It outranks ALL advertising expenditures IN TOTAL in visibility and communication with America about the Army. The full cost, development and operations of the game, is less than the full cost of a single Superbowl commercial. The US Army believes it saves it some $700M to $4B PER YEAR in advertising, retention, and other costs. America's Army costs $2.5M per year in development and $1.5M per year in operations, a very spartan effort understanding the now measurable payback and spartan compared to the development and operation of other similar games. America's Army is the third most played online game almost continually as measured by GameSpy.
I recently watched a former UN weapons inspector, presumably British from the accent, being interviewed on the news. He said:
- Iraq used long range missles with chemical weapons against Iran.
- Iraq used chemical weapons against the Kurds.
- Iraq admitted having nerve agent based weapons.
- Iraq admitted having biological weapons.
- Iraq claims they destroyed it all in 1991 and refuses to provide evidence of this.
The Gulf War cease fire required Iraq to get rid of all of this AND it required them to document/prove it. Failure to document/prove their claims led to 12 years of UN based sanctions, overflights, and whatnot while Iraq existed in this self induced post-Gulf War limbo state.
So, Iraq had a large chunck of its military destroyed. It had some of the troops who did this hanging out in the neighborhood. It had some of the aircraft that did this constantly overflying enormous chunks of its territory. And you fail to see how this may have:
(a) if Iraq's WMD survived the Gulf War help prevent its further use or development.
or
(b) if Iraq's WMD did not survive the Gulf War help prevent reconstitution of the programs and weapons.
That's sadly amusing.
Regarding your question of Saddam being deterred I have some recollection of WMD research equipment being dug up at some scientists home. He claimed that he was told to bury it until the UN inspectors signed off on Iraq being WMD free, the sanctions lifed, and all the foreigners are no longer nosing around the country. I don't find the scientist as reliable as the UN inspector, maybe he stole the equipment so he could sell it, who know. In either case your denial that the US/UK presense in the area could have possibly helped keep this crap buried and out of use is amusing.
The training is the same. Who wants to play a game where you pull a 24hour CQ?* The game works well to remind america's youth that the military is an option. I think its great. For awhile choosing army was out of style or whatever.
Hey, i'm in the army and its a blast. Don't tell me its not fun.
I've never met anybody that joined the army to be a 'leet sniper dude', and if they didn't they'd figure out in an instant just how dedicated you'd have to be to get anywhere near that level of expertise.
CQ: Charge of quarters. Basically sit around and wait for the phone to ring.
that and some people want to knwo what army training is like and what you learn. Kinda like getting the training without the commitment, but not really, you know?
wow
so we should really dismantle our military, eh?
Be realistic.
You know that money was earmarked for recruitment anyhow. They army can reach more people with something liek a videogame than they can with keychains and other doodads.
Well...
an army for _self defense_ is okay (as last ressort).
The problems are the limits of _self defense_.
Theses limits are getting softened everytime a nation is getting threatened in one way or the other.
My thinking of "banning army commercials" is founded on the danger of glorifying the army (which is happening alot in recent and older times) and by this glorifying blood, tears and war (even if it wasn't meant that way)
Calling and using the army should be the last ressort... unfortunately it is not happening that way.
Sometimes i have the feeling that only by glorifying the army some people can stand the pain when someone they loved died in country for some oil and faked mass destruction reasons.
Spelling errors were made for your amusement only...
Maybe in your world. I live in this one.
Everything isn't utopian.
I'll ignore the spin at the end and throughout your comment and ask why you think serving the country isn't an honor and shouldn't be glorified?
I believe in pre-emption. This is where we dissent.
Because its not glorifying for the circumstance that you did something for your country but that you killed people. If you want to be glorified then help people with problems in your own country. I bet there will be alot to do (like in every country there is). Serving your country can be done in many different ways but shooting other people or dropping bombs on them arent the thing that should be glorified. Its a shame that even for self-defense you have to do this... it should never be a pride. History shows us how big the desaster can be if glorification of violence, pride and eventually dumbness are working together.
Spelling errors were made for your amusement only...
Actually I've had the best...and worst...experiences of my life in the Army.
The best was when I won a couple competitions to be able to launch Stinger missiles at BATs (REALLY big model rockets). You just can't beat the feeling of shooting missiles off your shoulder.
Now, when you're shooting the missile at an aircraft which is trying to kill you, or you buddies, that's a WHOLE different story. That's not fun no matter how you slice it.
But the truth is..somebody has got to do it.
Oh yeah, the worst part about being in the Army is dealing with some bullshit and a few incompetent leaders.
Overall it's not bad though. My whole point is that it CAN be very fun and rewarding. But like you said, it can also be very serious. It all depends on what you end up doing.
It's simple, the Army needs a constant supply of people. Most people, whether they enjoy the Army or not, end up leaving after a few years.
You do realize there are jobs in the military other than infantry and artillery, right?
Volunteering to defend for next to no pay is indeed honorable as it is inherently selfless.
yea volunteering to work at a soup kitchen is nice, too but that is part time, ie., you don't live at the soup kitchen, its not your life and its a whole lot easier.
The US military role is more than domestic freedom, the US has taken on the role of defending freedom. You can argue my point, but you have to admit that historically, the us has been there to defend many a country in need.