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First-Person Shooter Modified For Fire Drill Simulation
Hugh Pickens writes "Researchers at Durham University have modified a video game and turned it into a fire drill simulator using the Source engine (the 3D game engine used to drive Half-Life 2), and created a virtual model of one of the university's departments. Dr. Shamus Smith said that although 3D modeling software was available, modifying a video game was faster, more cost effective, and had better special effects. 'We were interested in using game technology over a customized application and the Source Engine, from Half-Life, is very versatile,' said Smith. 'We used the simulation to see how people behaved in an actual fire situation and to train people in "good practice" in a fire.' The team says the virtual environment helped familiarize people with evacuation routines and could also help identify problems with a building's layout. One problem, however, was that while the simulation worked for most people, those who played a lot of video games did some unusual things when using the simulation. 'If a door was on fire, [the gamers] would try and run through it, rather than look for a different exit,' said Smith."
This makes me wonder to what extent entertainment software will fill the role of non-entertainment software as the tools and engines become more and more powerful. Ars mentions related news that the US Dept. of Naval Research is dumping millions of dollars into "virtual reality-like simulations of small-scale urban conflicts." It's unclear whether this is related to the US Army's similar program.
Reminds me of the story of the airline pilot who, late at night and after a long transatlantic trip, smashed into the back of a car at a red lght. When questioned, he swore that his first relex was to pull back on the steering wheel and fly over the obstacle rather than brake...
Getting back on topic, why not? Simulation programs have traditionally been bespoke, hugely expensive and frequently less 'rich' than some games. Also, actually doing a fire drill in a large complex is not without risk and expense.
Somebody once created a complete level of our faculty building for a 1st person shooter, and we got to play it in the computer room (really play the game, not fire drill, with 30+ people). It was awesome...
But most impressive was that I actually got lost really easily in the game, whereas I never got lost in reality.
Why hasn't the professor been arrested like that kid that made maps of his highschool for a FPS?
Wait, What?
Get the rocket launcher and make your own exit ?
If they made their fire drill look and act like a game, that's their own damn fault. Real people don't strafe-jump down the stairs either. In fact, real people tend to just stand around staring at each other, complaining about how the alarm makes it difficult to work and how some people take these drills too seriously. After a few minutes they start asking "Should we leave ?" as their cube neighbour shrugs "I dunno, let's go raid the vending machines!".
People are (mostly) idiots, and I don't know of any game that can accurately simulate that "social lemming" aspect of human behavior. It's not the drill procedure itself that's so terrible, once people are moving, they will continue following whoever's in front of them. It's getting them to start moving that's the hard part.
-Billco, Fnarg.com
What struck me was the the blasted character was BLOODY ALONE! When they make this a multiplayer simulation that supports 500 users in such a way that people die from the bottlenecks of egress and dead ends then I'll believe that it's useful.
Also, modeling smoke would have been very useful, too.
Also, once kids pass this "fire drill simulation" they should do what they did on the episode of the Office that aired after the Super Bowl on Sunday. :)
Support the 30 Hour Work Week!!!
A 9/11 simulator might be useful in mapping out how the impact and subsequent fires changed how people could (and did) escape the catastrophe. For example, if the plane hit just so, would all of the exit stairwells have been on fire, or was there one in a corner of the building that was still usable? How long would it have been useable? I can see architects looking at such simulations to better design means of escape for tall buildings - perhaps if this wall had been reinforced, the stairwell would have been usable and X dozens of people could have escaped.
Of course, this would have to be done without raping the memories of the fallen, which is never a given when the Federal Government is concerned.
Never underestimate the potential of Human stupidity. -Heinlein
Is this because 4 out of 5 people live in the 25 states where you do need a permit?
-Rob
Biblical fiscal responsibility
Remember the story of the kid arrested for "terrorism" for making a game of his school for Counter-Strike?
I bet porting these maps to CS-Source would be trivial...
INSTA-TERRORISM!!!
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Argh. 2am last night, the apartment I live in had fire alarm go off. I sort of blearily eyed got dressed and shambled down 7 flights of stairs. 8 people had actually gone down. Nine story apartment, probably 20 per lvl. You do the math :) It was a slow leak in the sprinklers in the carpark. Argh, will I bother again?