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US Spies Use Custom Video Games for Training

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-idkfa-allowed dept.

Wired reports that the US Defense Intelligence Agency has just acquired three PC-based video games which they will use to train the next wave of analysts. The games are short, but they have branching story lines that change depending on how a trainee reacts to various problems. Quoting: "'It is clear that our new workforce is very comfortable with this approach,' says Bruce Bennett, chief of the analysis-training branch at the DIA's Joint Military Intelligence Training Center. Wired.com had an opportunity to play all three games, Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust. The titles may conjure images of blitzkrieg, but the games themselves are actually a surprisingly clever and occasionally surreal blend of education, humor and intellectual challenge, aimed at teaching the player how to think."

113 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. And in these games... by i+kan+reed · · Score: 5, Funny

    It gets confusing because they all pretend to be medics.

    1. Re:And in these games... by auric_dude · · Score: 1

      Old news, MI5 have been doing this for ages. if I told you any more details then someone would have to pay you a visit and reason with you just to make sure you would not pass the information on.

    2. Re:And in these games... by iamsamed · · Score: 1

      It gets confusing because they all pretend to be medics.

      Ah! I should have tried that. I kept getting booted off because I kept saying, "Kill'em all and let God sort them out!"

    3. Re:And in these games... by CRCulver · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Navy cryptologic technicians often have often worn yeoman's insignia when at sea.

    4. Re:And in these games... by aproposofwhat · · Score: 1

      They're just biased against Catholics :P

      --
      One swallow does not a fellatrix make
    5. Re:And in these games... by BForrester · · Score: 1

      Subsequently, it has been suggested that US spies set fire to everyone, just in case.

    6. Re:And in these games... by Mercano · · Score: 1

      FYI I am a spy.

      --
      #include <signature.h>
    7. Re:And in these games... by scooter.higher · · Score: 1

      At sea you typically wear dungarees or coveralls, and therefore no rating insignia.

      That is unless you were on the Admiral's staff (double entendre intended).

      --
      Ramen
  2. Names by Migraineman · · Score: 5, Funny

    >Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust. The titles may conjure images of blitzkrieg,
    >

    Sounds more like pr0n.

    Seriously, video games are a simulation environment. Makes sense to use them as training tools. This is news, why?

    1. Re:Names by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

      Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust
      Actually, it sounds like my honeymoon.

      Didn't last very long. The honeymoon, I mean. The marriage is still going as of 7:38am, April 24, 2008. I have a feeling death is my only way out now, since my immigrant wife (Eastern Europe,now a citizen) found out about our Second Amendment and RFID technology.

      Now, what were we talking about?
      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:Names by DrLex · · Score: 4, Funny

      >>Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust. The titles may conjure images of blitzkrieg,
      >>
      > Sounds more like pr0n.

      Or titles for upcoming Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal movies.

    3. Re:Names by rockout · · Score: 1

      People still use "upcoming movies" and those two guys in the same sentence?

      --
      I've learned that they're worthless, so I don't read AC comments anymore.
    4. Re:Names by aproposofwhat · · Score: 1
      Just borrow your mom's car and ditch the bitch in the hills somewhere.

      And don't forget to write a neat FS while you're at it :o)

      --
      One swallow does not a fellatrix make
    5. Re:Names by Amouth · · Score: 1

      i am so glad i wasn't the only one that thought the titles sounded like porn movies..

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
    6. Re:Names by Amouth · · Score: 1

      saddly they will make a return to the screen.. once they run out of money they will try to replay their lives.. and movie stuidos think people are stupid enough to watch them>>

      refrence.. the new rocky.. why on hell's earth> wait.. think i just answered that..

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
    7. Re:Names by base3 · · Score: 1

      Was just going to post about that. So yeah, you're not the only depraved one here :).

      --
      One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
    8. Re:Names by Thyamine · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because there are still people out there that think games are for toddlers or young children. They don't understand why adults would want to play them, let alone the fact that they could be educational or used for training.

      --
      I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces. Illyria
    9. Re:Names by Hatta · · Score: 1

      I wonder if they used Covert Action too.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    10. Re:Names by hoggoth · · Score: 1

      > Just borrow your mom's car and ditch the bitch in the hills somewhere.
      > And don't forget to write a neat FS while you're at it :o)

      And store all of the evidence on an obscure filesystem that the police forensic examiner doesn't know how to search.

      --
      - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
    11. Re:Names by FictionPimp · · Score: 1

      Steven Segal still produces movies, constantly. Except now they all go straight to video.

    12. Re:Names by An+ominous+Cow+art · · Score: 1

      The marriage is still going as of 7:38am, April 24, 2008. I have a feeling death is my only way out now, since my immigrant wife (Eastern Europe,now a citizen) You can't return her for a refund? Did you lose the receipt? :-)
    13. Re:Names by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

      Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust. The titles may conjure images of blitzkrieg, Sounds more like pr0n. I rearranged the order to, "Sudden Thrust, Vital Passage, and Rapid Onset," and found it to describe the acquisition of a sexually transmitted disease.
      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
    14. Re:Names by maglor_83 · · Score: 1

      and movie stuidos know people are stupid enough to watch them Fixed that for you.
  3. How to Think by DarthPickle · · Score: 1

    aimed at teaching the player how to think
    Of course, turn to video games for this since the school systems are failing in this area...Brilliant!
    1. Re:How to Think by halivar · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The way we learn has changed; probably irrevocably. We are now in a post-literary world. We increasingly think more visually and spatially, and less sequentially (thus the reduction of news to 30-second bites, but in a multitude of them). We learn by seeing and doing, and not by reading and hearing. It stands to reason that our teaching methods will have to change, as well.

    2. Re:How to Think by gatzke · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I don't think the way we learn has changed, just the technology now makes it possible to do more visual and spatial instruction.

      When all you have is a chalkboard, all you can do is a chalk talk. Now that tools are there for rapid content creation, things should change slowly.

      The US was lauded years back for great hands-on engineering labs. Now that you can do virtual labs, maybe this will take a hit? As someone who has taught with both, I can tell you anecdotally that hands-on real-world wins by far...

      And I thought spatial reasoning was valued as a higher level of thought? Or is that different from learning spatially?

      Sadly engineering and science profs are rarely given formal instruction on educational methods. One thing that I did pick up in my limited instruction was that people learn visually and sequentially, so you need to cater to both (read+equation AND graphs+figures). Usually the visual learners get left out, so now they have a better chance in some cases...

    3. Re:How to Think by keysersoze_sec · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's even more true for younger generations who grew up interacting with all kinds of pictures, playing video games at an early age. Some specialists argue that future generations may have trouble trying to focus on a particular subject for a long time. However, they may become more capable of addressing several problems at the same time.

    4. Re:How to Think by CastrTroy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      For what part of human history have we ever learned by reading? Most people couldn't read for most of human history. It has always been much easier to learn something by doing it, rather than just reading a book about it. Don't get me wrong. Reading is important, and is useful for figuring certain things out. It's really good for passing on ideas and information. However, it is not the best way to learn how to do anything. Do you learn how to program by reading about it, or by doing it? Do you learn how to draw a picture by reading about it? Do you learn how to drive by reading about it? If I want to know, for instance, how to change the padding using CSS, I can read about it. If I don't actually go and do it, there's a much smaller chance that I will remember it when I need to do it again. If I go ahead and actually implement it, and type it out, I am much better able to retain the information.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    5. Re:How to Think by grassy_knoll · · Score: 1
      From what I understand, there are three ways everyone learns although individuals usually express a preference for one of the three over the other two:
      • Kinesthetic: Learning by doing
      • Visual: Learning by seeing
      • Auditory: Learning by hearing


      To denigrate any of these simply indicates the speakers bias in favor of the method which works best with them.
      --
      A Human Right
    6. Re:How to Think by radl33t · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I learn by collecting and organizing information. The answer to your questions (for me) is yes. I agree that it is easier to do something by copying it, but it is slower and not necessarily better. The biggest challenge is that it often requires resident expertise. This is an absurd constraint considering the wealth of knowledge available to me.

      Clearly, there will be some element of practice-seeing-doing-copying-whatever required, but good research can not be underestimated. And reading is the most efficient way for me to collect that information. It is one of my main problems with audio\visual "learning". If I understand the concepts then these media are terribly slow. Printing the words for me to read would be 10 times as fast. Pictures say 1000s words, videos do this at 30fps, but most of it is either garbage or redundant. And of course, people talk slow. Even very experience oriented activities like shooting guns, cultivating drugs, or technical get-away driving can be conquered quicker by replacing vast amounts of practice with basically classroom work. You take the lessons and advice from the most seasoned very quickly and you avoid inventing the wheel. It applies universally, so far as I can tell.

    7. Re:How to Think by gatzke · · Score: 1

      Richard Felder offers classes on educational methods, I have seen him a few times. He does something similar to a MB personality test, four dimensions of classification. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer/teaching/learningstyles.html

      One of the dimensions is visual-verbal. Lectures generally include a lot of verbal content (droning on) but many times have limited visual component.

      Active-Reflective considers hands-on vs. sit back and analyze the situation and act later.

      And there are two more dimensions. Ideally you do things in class that help all the students...

    8. Re:How to Think by Xachariah · · Score: 1

      Oh yeah? What about when you learned to read?

    9. Re:How to Think by obervoid · · Score: 3, Funny

      Of course video games are used to teach us how to think. I can attribute much of my college dating career "knowledge" to what I learned from the Leisure Suit Larry games, or atleat LSL 1-3. Who says you can't learn anyhting from video games. Come to think of it, my college dating career was rather abreviated.

    10. Re:How to Think by vertinox · · Score: 1

      Oh yeah? What about when you learned to read?

      I think he was trying to point out that most of the world's engineering marvels built prior to 1700 was designed and built by men who did not read or write.

      The majority of the great cathedrals of Europe were created by masons whose only formal education was apprenticeships. Of course this was during a time only the clergy knew how to read and write and even kings and queens weren't expected to know how to read.

      These days literacy is required and is taken for granted as entertainment. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion.

      --
      "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
      -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
    11. Re:How to Think by try_anything · · Score: 1

      This isn't just about ways of learning. Anyone in diplomatic or intelligence circles should learn by reading history books, case files, briefs, and the opinions of a wide variety of other analysts, not by immersing themselves in the narrow visions of the very small number of people who sponsor and direct the production of these training games. You only have to consider the names of the games to know that the current games are tilted towards crises and short-term consequences. It's bad enough that the average citizen worries only about military aggression and dramatic terrorist threats. If our diplomatic and intelligence analysts tilt that way, who will be left to worry about the other 98% of our foreign affairs: commerce, diplomacy, public perception, energy security...? Are we gearing up for a series of military "victories" that weaken the nation and leave Americans worse off?

      In general, the use of video games will narrow the understanding of analysts and place too much power in the hands of a few people to instill ideology and warped visions of the world. Think of the group of wonks you believe have the most warped and simplistic view of the world. Now imagine an entire generation of analysts trained using games designed by those people. All it would take is a run of presidential election success by one party. Does that sound like a good way to train analysts whose job is to pick up on things that their masters failed to predict?

  4. 2.6 Million? by Aranykai · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It cost them 2.6 million to get 3 ~90 minute training games made? Hot damn! I need to get me some government contracts.

    --
    If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
    1. Re:2.6 Million? by BarneyL · · Score: 1

      Compared to the budget per hour of gameplay for a lot of recent AAA console games that's pretty cheap.

  5. thinking about it... by martyb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The titles may conjure images of blitzkrieg, but the games themselves are actually a surprisingly clever and occasionally surreal blend of education, humor and intellectual challenge, aimed at teaching the player how to think. (emphasis added)

    Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum! (*)

    * I think I think, therefore I think I am!

    But seriously, I'm curious as to what part of these games is aimed at improving cognitive skills versus indoctrination? i.e. the difference between "how to THINK" versus "HOW to think."

    1. Re:thinking about it... by ArAgost · · Score: 1

      Your (albeit funny) paraphrasis of Descartes famous quote is proken: you should have used infinitive mood two times :)

    2. Re:thinking about it... by querist · · Score: 4, Informative

      That should be: Cogito cogitare, ergo cogito esse. You need to use the infinitive (cogitare, esse) in those cases, not the present active indicative.

    3. Re:thinking about it... by aproposofwhat · · Score: 1

      Romanes eunt domus, you Latin pedant :P

      --
      One swallow does not a fellatrix make
    4. Re:thinking about it... by werfele · · Score: 1

      ROMANES EUNT DOMUS

    5. Re:thinking about it... by Psmylie · · Score: 3, Funny

      That should be: Cogito cogitare, ergo cogito esse. You need to use the infinitive (cogitare, esse) in those cases, not the present active indicative.
      Centurion: Understand? Now, write it out a hundred times.
      Brian: Yes sir. Thank you, sir. Hail Caesar, sir!
      Centurion: Hail Caesar! And if it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off.
      --

      psmylie's dictionary: Godzillion (noun) Any number large enough to destroy Tokyo

    6. Re:thinking about it... by JasonTik · · Score: 1

      Shouldn't that be a pair of indirect statements?

      cogito me cogitare ergo cogito me esse

      I think that I think therefore I think that I am.

  6. Branching storylines? Can we have some? by danaris · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What would it take to get some real branching storylines in games for us ordinary mortals?

    That's always been one of my major gripes with most games that have a story: none of your decisions can affect it aside from "Whoops! You failed! Now the world ends!"

    ...and if someone knows of some such games that do exist, I'd appreciate knowing about them, especially if they're not PC-only ;-)

    Dan Aris

    --
    Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
    1. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Informative

      Planescape: Torment. It's a PC game, but it's old enough where I believe you should be able to run it on a modern Linux box in WINE without too much trouble. If you're into games with stories you can actually affect the narrative itself in dramatic ways with your decisions, this is it.

      --
      Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
    2. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Torvaun · · Score: 1

      Planescape: Torment. Different endings, and wildly variant paths to get there.

      --
      I see your informative link, and raise you a pithy comment.
    3. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by hal9000(jr) · · Score: 1

      Falcon 4, a flight sim, started you out with a basic set of positions and the game play both in-mission and in the world would change based on your actions like completed missions, failed missions, alternative missions, etc. In addition, your side became better skilled the better pilot you became.

      The end results had little variation, but the path through the sim would change greatly. Not exactly branching logic, but quite variable.

    4. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by keysersoze_sec · · Score: 1

      Ever heard of Bioware? Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, Mass Effect...?

    5. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by thepotoo · · Score: 1

      Or, if you want decisions to have even more impact, The Witcher. It really felt like the (dozens of) major decisions you made in that game changed the world. Much better than most RPG's the same no matter what until a "good/bad/mercenary" ending.

      --
      Obligatory Soundbite Catchphrase
    6. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Kamots · · Score: 2, Informative

      PS2 game... Way of the Samurai

      You can beat the game in a couple hours. The fun comes from playing it over and over again making different choices. Played that game a lot... and never did find all the endings. Storyline differs drastically based on your choices. Although the base plot of government army coming to take over the village and kill the non-peons doesn't change... what happens in the days leading up to that climatic event does.

    7. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by FiloEleven · · Score: 1

      But I don't even know how to witch...

      --
      Your brain is not a computer.
    8. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by danaris · · Score: 1

      Apologies; I should have said "not PC- or PC-and-XBox-only", which cuts out all of those but KotOR, and I'm not that big a Star Wars geek...though I may have to try it eventually if it really does have a nonlinear storyline, just to support Mac gaming ;-)

      Dan Aris

      --
      Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
    9. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Gulthek · · Score: 1

      Mass Effect. Your character really gets compellingly swept up into huge events effecting the galaxy and you have many choices to change things from the minute (do I deck this guy or blow him off?) to the massive (kill the last survivors of a formerly hostile alien race or let her and her brood live?).

    10. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      It's a nice game. Bioware has great humor and is arguably much better at writing than George Lucas. Also, the game allows you to corrupt Jedi to the dark side, which is a nice thing. And HK-47, who alone is reason enough to buy the game.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    11. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by danaris · · Score: 1

      Sounds like it's worth a try. Unfortunately, it apparently does not currently work under Wine. In fact, there is a specific bug for exactly that...not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but at least it appears to be a) known, and b) on the list of bugs to fix for 1.0 :-)

      Dan Aris

      --
      Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
    12. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 1

      That really is a shame. Still, IMHO, Planescape would actually be worth resurrecting an old Win98 box or partition or something solely to play it on. It's that good.

      --
      Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
    13. Re:Branching storylines? Can we have some? by esonik · · Score: 1

      "Fahrenheit" (in the US "Indigo Prophecy") is one of them.

  7. Spy training? by niteice · · Score: 1

    Do they learn how to sap sentries and backstab the engie?

    --
    ROMANES EUNT DOMUS
    1. Re:Spy training? by dlcarrol · · Score: 1

      No, the counter-espionage division are all pyros.

  8. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by Aranykai · · Score: 1

    Yes, if you aren't concerned that your multipurpose folding pliers tool thing only works one time before it needs to be discarded.

    Please explain to me how water arrows are used to disable fluorescent lighting. I always knew it could be done somehow!

    --
    If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
  9. Start game by with+a+'c' · · Score: 5, Funny

    You wake up and the room is dark. _

    1. Re:Start game by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 1

      You wake up and the room is dark. _ > Open eyes
      --
      This guy's the limit!
    2. Re:Start game by karijne · · Score: 5, Funny

      You wake up and the room is dark. _ > Open eyes You can't see any eyes to open.
    3. Re:Start game by xaxa · · Score: 1

      You wake up and the room is dark. _ > Open eyes You can't see any eyes to open. > Search for light switch.
    4. Re:Start game by Achoi77 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You wake up and the room is dark. _ > Open eyes You can't see any eyes to open. > Search for light switch. You have been eaten by a grue.
    5. Re:Start game by BlindSpot · · Score: 1

      You have been eaten by a grue.

      Only on Slashdot could this be rated as "3, Informative". On any other nerdy site it would be "3, Funny". And of course if it were an ordinary site it would be "-50, Baffling".
    6. Re:Start game by Achoi77 · · Score: 1

      My guess is that the other posts surrounding this thread about being eaten by a grue did not follow the command/response formatting like the above parent threads? *shrug*

      Or perhaps someone was just being gracious with karma. :-)

    7. Re:Start game by ToastyKen · · Score: 1

      Well if you were eaten by a grue, wouldn't you want to be informed of it?

  10. this could possibly be good, but... by DragonTHC · · Score: 1

    for starters, I've been a gamer since I was 5. I'm now 32. I happen to think I can fly a plane and drive a race car, plan and execute a hostage rescue operation, and stave off an alien attack. Sure I've played those kind of games and simulators.

    Now we want this type of training for analysts? I'm torn. I know that computer-based training is effective. But intelligence analysts? Where's Jack Ryan when you need him?

    --
    They're using their grammar skills there.
  11. Neat! by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Funny

    The future of cloak and dagger involves an actual copy of Cloak and Dagger.

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  12. Re:Post-Literary World by FurtiveGlancer · · Score: 3, Informative
    That would explain the general decline in US literacy all right.

    I doubt that independent studies would confirm your hypothesis regarding changing styles of learning. I've not seen or heard of any accepted study which demonstrated any fundamental shift other than a decline in literacy. I would welcome any valid input in that regard.

    Educators have taken up the mantra that we must change our assessments to meet new types of learning. However valid or invalid that arguement, "old" or "standard" types of learning appear to be declining.

    --
    Invenio via vel creo
  13. Torrent please? by khraz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is there a version, y'know, packed conveniently in multiple 15/50 MB archives? For backup purposes?
    Because I don't suppose it's coming up on Steam anytime soon...

  14. out of curiousity... by TrebleJunkie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...what are the eight principles/questions of intelligence analysis, as mentioned in the article?

    --

    Ed R.Zahurak

    You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.

    1. Re:out of curiousity... by TrebleJunkie · · Score: 1

      Yeeeeah. And now for something completely not useless and stupid.

      Answered my own question, I think.

      According to this document, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis, Center for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, 1999, they are:

      1. Identify the possible hypotheses to be considered. Use a group of analysts with different perspectives to brainstorm the possibilities.

      2. Make a list of significant evidence and arguments for and against each hypothesis.

      3. Prepare a matrix with hypotheses across the top and evidence down the side. Analyze the "diagnosticity" of the evidence and arguments--that is, identify which items are most helpful in judging the relative likelihood of the hypotheses.

      4. Refine the matrix. Reconsider the hypotheses and delete evidence and arguments that have no diagnostic value.

      5. Draw tentative conclusions about the relative likelihood of each hypothesis. Proceed by trying to disprove the hypotheses rather than prove them.

      6. Analyze how sensitive your conclusion is to a few critical items of evidence. Consider the consequences for your analysis if that evidence were wrong, misleading, or subject to a different interpretation.

      7. Report conclusions. Discuss the relative likelihood of all the hypotheses, not just the most likely one.

      8. Identify milestones for future observation that may indicate events are taking a different course than expected.

      I'm not entirely sure though. But it's the best result Google returned, and there are 8 of them.

      --

      Ed R.Zahurak

      You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.

    2. Re:out of curiousity... by timeOday · · Score: 1

      9. Toss all that stuff in the trash and make up some BS to substantiate whatever accusations the administration leveled against country X last week.

  15. Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 5, Interesting

    These video games ara not for spies, they are for intelligence analysts - NOT the same thing. I am an all-source military intelligence analyst and instructor by trade and I do not do any spying. Spies are collectors; they do not need training in critical thinking, analysis of competing hypotheses, logical fallacies, biases, ad infinitum. Anyone at the DIA who calls himself a spy has watched too many Bond movies and/or is just trying to impress chicks. And the authors of this article should have known better. This is why we get new analysts who are disappointed they're not going to be James Bond. Hell, they're not even going to be Jack Ryan.

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    1. Re:Spies? by solakov · · Score: 1

      I guess there's no chance then they'll be Jack Bauer, eh?

    2. Re:Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 2, Informative

      Jack Bauer is right out. And don't even get me started on Jason Bourne.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    3. Re:Spies? by catmistake · · Score: 1

      Bourne was an assassan, not a spy. But how about DS9's Luther Sloan? Train any like him?

      --
      The Admin and the Engineer
    4. Re:Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      Train any like him? LIKE him? I taught him everything he knew. What? He's a fictional character from the fictional future? Yeah, that's what they WANT you to believe.
      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    5. Re:Spies? by catmistake · · Score: 1

      Then you... were trained by Nick Rivers? I don't have the stomach for deception, but I am easily deceived, so if you need any fake GLG-20s, I think I'd make a good Emmett Fitz-Hume or Austin Millbarge. Are you hiring?

      --
      The Admin and the Engineer
    6. Re:Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      Sure, but I may have to rush you through training.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    7. Re:Spies? by catmistake · · Score: 1

      Appears we have some contamination. Better send in the Cleaner (Victor) and activate the asset just in case.

      --
      The Admin and the Engineer
    8. Re:Spies? by Clanked · · Score: 1

      As a fellow intel guy. I must say, nice name :)

    9. Re:Spies? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      I'd ask about JC Denton, but he worked for the UN.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    10. Re:Spies? by antirelic · · Score: 1

      You make too many assumptions about the author, considering DoD has used computerized simulations for the better part of 2 decades. The original simulations are a bit more archaic and require a lot of "care and feeding" (aka changing results for the sake of realism). With the advances in modern computing, it would only make sense that applications would be developed that could challenge analysts on an individual level outside of a large scale war gaming exercise.

      --
      20th century Marxism is not progress...
    11. Re:Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      To which assumptions are you referring? I'm all about using computer simulations to augment analyst and other training. The Marine Corps was using Doom-like FPS games that simulated the inside of Embassies for Security Forces at least 12 years ago, and I thought that was fantastic. I think we should be using Second Life to the extent security allows (the games in the article reside on classified networks) etc etc.

      It's the part about calling this spy training to which I'm objecting. DIA is NOT training spies with these games; they are training all-source intelligence analysts, or at least methods of all-source intelligence analysis to other intelligence professionals. Calling it spy training is just trying to grab the readers' attention, since intelligence analysis isn't sexy enough. That was my only point.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    12. Re:Spies? by EVil+Lawyer · · Score: 1

      Hmm, just a hypothesis, but I'm guessing some of your buds over at the CIA would disagree about their not needing training in critical thinking.

    13. Re:Spies? by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that would be the ANALYSTS at the CIA. CIA employs intelligence analysts just like DIA does. As a matter of fact, it was a retired CIA intelligence analyst who first taught me about Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, among several other tools. That was some of the best training I ever received in critical thinking, though I am utterly unimpressed with CIA as an organization.

      Now, don't get me wrong. Anyone would benefit from learning tools like ACH. But spies don't NEED it to perform their jobs. The analysts using what they provide, and incorporating it into the bigger picture, need the training mentioned in the article.

      And in any case, CIA employees think they are God's gift to the intelligence community, so I doubt they think they need the training.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    14. Re:Spies? by maglor_83 · · Score: 1

      has watched too many Bond movies There's no such thing as too many Bond movies! At least not now that Pierce Brosnon isn't doing them anymore.
  16. Next James Bond movie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    My Name is Bond... James "PWNAGE" Bond.

  17. Oh that's great... by argStyopa · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...our next national intelligence estimate will state that the #1 threat to the USA is a grue.

    --
    -Styopa
    1. Re:Oh that's great... by internetcommie · · Score: 1

      In other words, about as accurate as the previous national intelligence estimate!

    2. Re:Oh that's great... by Lobster+Quadrille · · Score: 1

      To be fair, grues are a lot scarier than Iraqis with missles.

      I mean, come on, nobody even knows what they *look* like.

      --
      "The cup is in turn designed for holding hot or cold liquids, and has an open rim and closed base." --US Patent #5425497
    3. Re:Oh that's great... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      ...our next national intelligence estimate will state that the #1 threat to the USA is a grue. You wake up in a room.
      >Go North
      It's very dark. You are in danger of being eaten by a grue.
      >Preemptive Strike
      In Soviet Russia, you eat a grue!

      I don't know, for just 400kilo-dollars more, they should just crank out a counter-intelligence mmo instead.
    4. Re:Oh that's great... by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      Actually, this is what they train soldiers who are sent to Iraq with:

      WEST OF BAZAAR
      YOU ARE STANDING ON A STREET IN BAGHDAD. IT IS VERY DARK.
      > look
      IT IS VERY DARK. YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE EATEN BY AN IRAQI WITH MISSILES.
      > what is an iraqi with missiles
      THE IRAQI WITH MISSILES IS A SINISTER, LURKING PRESENCE IN THE DARK PLACES OF THE EARTH. ITS FAVORITE DIET IS SOLDIERS, BUT ITS INSATIABLE APPETITE IS TEMPERED BY ITS FEAR OF LIGHT. NO IRAQI WITH MISSILES HAS EVER BEEN SEEN BY THE LIGHT OF DAY, AND FEW HAVE SURVIVED ITS FEARSOME JAWS TO TELL THE TALE.
      > s
      OH, NO! YOU HAVE WALKED INTO THE SLAVERING FANGS OF AN IRAQI WITH MISSILES!

      *** YOU HAVE DIED ***

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  18. torrents ? by richlv · · Score: 1

    and where are torrent links ? phew, how unprofessional submission...

    --
    Rich
  19. Unimaginative Militarist Morons by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 2, Funny
    The names of the games:

    Rapid Onset, Vital Passage and Sudden Thrust

    good Grief - they sound like titles to REALLY BAD MOVIES, the kind with some violent dork like Steven Seagal or Chuck Norris in it.

    Those kinds of titles are so lame, my friends and I no longer use them as they are utterly generic, so we call them "Adjective/Noun Movies".

    RS: "What did you do this weekend?"
    OldFriend: "Saw a movie."
    RS: "which one?"
    OF: "Adjective Noun with Steven Seagal."
    RS: "Oh. How bad was it?"
    OF: "OK. Lots of shit blowed up. The Ingenue had a really nice rack. Oh, and a bad guy's head exploded after he picked his nose. That was funny. And the ingenue had a REALLY nice rack."
    RS: sounds terrible.
    OF: It was. nice rack, though.

    Whenever I see a modifier noun title, I get VERY suspicious, and if the words suggest some kind of violence or suddeness, then it's sure to be a stinker. I mean, when would we EVER see some violent POS called "Fluffy Tufts"?

    RS

    --
    Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
  20. They should've bought "Thief" by s_p_oneil · · Score: 1

    See title.

  21. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by Lobster+Quadrille · · Score: 1

    Please. There is only one game necessary, and it is Goldeneye.

    --
    "The cup is in turn designed for holding hot or cold liquids, and has an open rim and closed base." --US Patent #5425497
  22. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by Lobster+Quadrille · · Score: 2, Funny

    Though I suppose the old Spy vs. Spy game could be useful as supplemental material.

    --
    "The cup is in turn designed for holding hot or cold liquids, and has an open rim and closed base." --US Patent #5425497
  23. Do you get to water board people in the game? or o by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    Do you get to water board people in the game? or other stuff like it.

  24. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by An+ominous+Cow+art · · Score: 1

    I bought a game in the 90s called Spycraft: The Great Game. It looked really good, but it always locked up for me after playing for just a couple of minutes. Very disappointing.

  25. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

    That's because you didn't have clearance for the later levels.

    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  26. Uh...how is this news? by FredThompson · · Score: 1

    Videodisc players with branching story lines have been used for training going back to the 1980s. Popular Science, I think it was, had an article about police trainers where the scenarios would change so the trainee had to respond appropriately, sort of like a virtual kill house trainer but it was for street situations. There's nothing really new to this story.

  27. Weighted Conspiracy Cube by Bushido+Hacks · · Score: 1

    The Government/GLADoS: The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak.

    The Truth/WCC: You are being spied on!

    The Government/GLADoS: In the event that the Weighted Companion Cube does speak, the enrichment center urges you to disregard its advice.

    The Truth/WCC: 9/11 was planned! Hey are you listening to me!

    The Government/GLADoS: If it could talk - and the enrichment center takes this opportunity to remind you that it cannot - it would tell you to go on without it because it would rather die in a fire than become a burden to you.

    The Truth/WCC: What are you doing! Hey! Put me down! No not into the fire! Don't flame me, bro! Ahhhh! What a world...what a world!

    --
    The Rapture is NOT an exit strategy.
  28. Re:2 games that make you a super spy: by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

    Yes, if you aren't concerned that your multipurpose folding pliers tool thing only works one time before it needs to be discarded. Just like real life. (Damn things broke the first time I used them. Squeezed too hard and broke the joint.)

    Please explain to me how water arrows are used to disable fluorescent lighting. I always knew it could be done somehow! Well, you know how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes? Same basic principle.
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  29. Disapprove by Haoie · · Score: 1

    To be fair, I disapprove more with the use of VG as a recuitment tool, ala America's Army. Training purposes isn't as socially irresponsible.

    --
    If each mistake being made is a new one, then progress is being made.
  30. Re:Oil is good and global warming is a myth... by bradbury · · Score: 1

    Of course the people scoring this message as troll/off-topic are unlikely to have seen the Frontline episode (which I think was made last year but was repeated last night on cable) documenting how hard the current administration worked to bury perspectives in the EPA and NASA on these topics. Now, if they will sabotage their own appointed administrators and the scientists who are paid to give informed, presumably rational opinions, then how much of a stretch is it to think they will make an effort to bias the minds of trainees at the "US Defense Intelligence Agency"? As we know that organization has done a swell job over the last 5+ years... (sarcasm intended).

    And believe it or not I was initially in favor of going into Iraq because I bought the arguments. That will teach me to trust politicians.

  31. Attribution! by martyb · · Score: 1

    Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum! (*)
    That should be: Cogito cogitare, ergo cogito esse. You need to use the infinitive (cogitare, esse) in those cases, not the present active indicative.
    I think he's talking about the quote attributed to Ambrose Bierce

    http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ambrose_Bierce#Attributed

    Yes!!! But... I didn't know who wrote it, just that I'd heard it many years ago. Thanks for the attribution!

  32. Red Storm presents... by docwatson223 · · Score: 1

    Aren't they the working titles of all of the 'Splinter Cell' games??

  33. Fallout by iridium_ionizer · · Score: 1

    Get yourself a cheap version of the original Fallout 1 & 2. Should be around 20$US. And while your at it go to the fansite No Mutants Allowed look up the games projects that have the same non-linear spirit as Fallout: Arcanum, Age of Decadence, Zero Projekt.