America's Army Expands Focus, Plays Down Goals

Thanks to The Olympian for its feature on a new U.S. Army combat unit's exercises, as recorded for free PC game America's Army. The newly-launched Stryker Brigade Combat Team was the focus of the research, and the article explains: "The game focused on infantry in the beginning. For the game to remain fresh and realistic, game designers expanded the 'America's Army' universe to include other specialties, such as combat medic and paratrooper." Although the title has been linked with Army recruiting success in the past, a spokesperson for the game plays this down, saying that "it's a 'happy byproduct' if the game draws more young people to the recruiting office", and arguing: "That's not what we're about... We're about creating awareness and strategic communication about what the Army is about."

Comments

Just another Doom clone

[Moderator]

The most important characteristics learned in the military are leadership and teamwork. The leadership required to maintain troop welfare and the teamwork required to achieve tremendous goals are gradually learned throughout the course of one's career. I'm not sure that this game will depict that. Tactics and a nice array of (more) weapons are great, but until a game accurately portrays the importance of the aforementioned traits, it's just going to be a more sophisticated Doom clone.

Re:Just another Doom clone

[gl4ss]

and it certainly doesn't portray accurately the worst things in army: waiting.. waiting.. waiting.. shitty food.. waiting.. shitty camp food.. waiting..

most soldiers never see 'action' as in running from one flag to another and shooting everyone who moves(most would rather avoid that as well if possible).

if you want to portray what the army is about to normal people make the army service mandatory.. works here(mandatory for men and even some women go there to 'prove themselfs' bullshit), everybody knows what the army is about then.

(yeah I do realise that a professional army comes cheaper if you plan to do attacking as well, at least if the time of the guys in there is worth anything)

Re:Just another Doom clone

[BrookHarty]

and it certainly doesn't portray accurately the worst things in army: waiting.. waiting.. waiting.. shitty food.. waiting.. shitty camp food.. waiting..

Campers suck.

-
Proud Camper, Campers Suck, Campers Suck

Re:Just another Doom clone

[Ramses0]

I moderately disagree, having played AA on linux a few times. During most of the missions / excercises / training, you are rigorously "enforced" into better than average FPS behaviour. IE: if during the basic training you screw around, you get busted, and eventually thrown in "jail" (Leavenworth?).

Same with the multiplayer... each time you hit your squaddies (especially if you kill them), you get negative points (karma?) ... tough to explain because I didn't completely understand it, but it definitely is a cut above the normal "Screw it, throw a grenade and let $diety sort it out."

Combine this with 24x7 (I think) admin support for reporting and kick-banning griefers / turds and you have a very solid game.

There is definitely a skill gap (which is *good*, means that good skill => wins more often), and it seems to attract the type of clan / ex military people who get a kick out of that stuff and play with headsets and teamsound, etc.

--Robert

Practice makes perfect?

[MachDelta]

Oh sweet! Now i'll be able to practice being gunned down by a psychotic robotic tank before it happens in real life!

So what do you guys think? Should I try the classic "shake violently while being riddled with bullets, before slumping down a nearby wall", or should I try something different? Perhaps I can run away screaming like a little girl until i'm hit in the head? Or maybe I should go with something classier... yeah... I could take a bullet in the gut, and then lie in a pool of my own blood on the floor while reciting some inspiring and/or cheesy last words.

Hm, y'know what? I think this calls for an "Ask Slashdot". I'm gonna get right on it.

Re:Desensitized to the front lines

[ZeroLogic]

Don't worry about citizenship, it's not a requirement to be a soldier, just an officer. Any permanent US resident can become a soldier.

http://www.goarmy.com/army101/twopaths.htm

Not overtly political.

[BrookHarty]

Been playing AA since it first came out, and when there was no servers for the first 3 days, major slashdotting on the game servers. It has come along way, many military departments, and outfits added. The gfx are decent, the levels are nice and designed like real life landscapes. The game has a good sense of game play, attack/defend, or rescue/defend hostage/aid workers.. Nothing really overtly political in the game, other than the enemy looks like the region you are in, which make sense, Russia, Africa, etc.

But if you reference this game and Iraq, Iraq is a Police Action. Different styles of combat, this game doesnt show whats its like to patrol borders, do house to house searches, or night incursions into an enemy city. Maybe they need to add those scenarios.
-
Just, kicking back listening to Country Joe and the Fish...

What the Army is about?

[Entropius]

"We're about creating awareness and strategic communication about what the Army is about." ... this may be true in a limited sense, in terms of tactics and teamwork and combat situations.

But, ultimately, the Army--any army--is about one thing: the application of force to make another party do what you want them to. In many cases this is justified; in many more it is not.

There is nothing wrong with simulating, to whatever degree of accuracy, military tactics and situations in FPS games... but claiming that that in any way captures the essence of what the Army is about is ludicrous. The Army is about killing people.

To anyone that has ever been in the Army,

[Perdo]

Playing AA is an extremely frustrating experience.

The in game M16A2's accuracy is abysmal.

If I have the sight picture in real life the game gives you and that level of calm control over a real M16A2, every shot fired becomes a kill, dead on target.

Killing in real life is much easier, much less challenging than it is in AA.

Crap, did I just write that?

Ok, that is the other half that annoys me. Killing in real life will twist you like nothing else will. The idea that a computer game, or computer games in general spawn violence is ludicrous.

Computers games are no different than older children's games such as cowboys & indians and cops & robbers. They are just games.

Do not even think that AA is a "taste of the real Army". Far from it, boy.

I'm still confused about this.

[NedR]

So . . . politicians think it's bad for people to have military shooter games because they supposedly train assassins . . . even though those games are made by developers who just want to sell games . . . but it's okay when the games are made by the army . . . which actually WANTS people to learn how to kill effectively?

No need to deny motive

[MBraynard]

If it was not a recruitment tool, it would be a waste of taxpayer's money. And there is nothing to be ashamed of. It isn't as though they are trying to deceive you about what really goes on if you do join - within the context of a video game.

This is probably the best recruiting tool out there not because it turns otherwise peaceful people into warmongers but because it both attracts and repels individuals based on their response to the game. It's plausible that an intendant infantryman might play this and decide he's better off in Dad's used car lot. This is far more instructive to a potential recruit than a propagandistic poster or a bribe-wielding recruiting officer.

And for those who do decide to go into the service, it gives them a chance to at least be somewhat familiar with terminology they will encounter and have some context for integrating their new environment.

Maybe playing this should be mandatory for a prospective recruit?

NOT!

[poofmeisterp]

Tell that to the recruiter that comes into the computer store I work and and asks for free computers, network drops, and space to run America's Army.

He wants all of this to attract more kids to the Army, and has directly said so. He also says he is 'under orders from above.'

I believe him.

Get your FREE government software

[zero_offset]

Frankly I'm surprised anybody on /. would install software they know is written by the government.

Re:Desensitized to the front lines

[presearch]

Don't worry about citizenship, it's not a requirement to be a soldier

I didn't know that. So does that mean that Bush's new initiative to allow
illegals into the US would make them eligible for service?

Re:Army contracts?

[Slider451]

Check out the UCMJ here.

Re:Army contracts?

[Slider451]

Of interest in the UCMJ is article 15, or non-judicial punishment. For minor disciplinary infractions, the soldier agrees to give up his right to a court-martial (and legal representation) and place his punishment solely in the hands of his commander.

The advantage to an article 15 is quick resolution of minor issues, a guarantee of a low maximum punishment (loss of rank, one month's pay, short confinement), and no 'conviction' being placed in the soldier's record. The disadvantage is the loss of legal rights most civilians hold dear. But the soldier can refuse the article 15 and demand a court-martial if he's willing to risk greater punishment if found guilty.