Coming soon: a PC combat game that shoots back

[Solon]

By Frank Walker
April 3, 2005
The Sun-Herald

A combat simulator developed for the US military that "shoots" back, delivering an electric shock strong enough to knock down players, could be the next big thing for home-computer games.

A Texas-based company, VirTra Systems, is selling the combat simulator to military and police forces around the world. Its spokesman, Steve Haag, said Australian armed forces had expressed an interest in getting one.

Players enter a platform with a 360-degree screen that shows scenarios such as freeing hostages, street gun fights, taking out suicide bombers and team attacks on enemy positions. And VirTra takes the simulations a step further by enabling the computer game to "shoot back".
(snip)

http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Coming-soon-a-PC-combat-game-that-shoots-back/2005/04/02/1112302293552.html?oneclick=true

OK, I'm a gamer and all that, but isn't this going a little bit too far with "realism"? Also, I definately find it disturbing that the Army uses video games for recruiting to begin with. I wonder if this feature will be in America's Army 2 or not?

[alittlelark]

1. The less intelligent players will associate the 'energy shock'

as the result of being shot. They will be desensitized to reality.....ergo... good for the military.

[Solon]

That's almost the exact same post I saw on Slashdot about this story...

Do you post there as well? BTW: I agree with what you said one hundred percent. Though I will say that, for example, America's Army video game has probably done nothing for recruitment yet and its been out for a long time. People play it, that is for sure, but everyone I talked to that played it has no plans to join any real military, they distinguish between reality and fantasy quite easily. You don't need to know what it is like to get shot to know you don't want that to happen to you, so no dice there. The Military ain't a video game, and I think most gamers know that.

[alittlelark]

9. I don't post there, but it is the logical conclusion.

[hippiepunk]

2. Hey kids! War is fun!

these pricks target children

[wellst0nev0ter]

3. Gee, Wonder What It's Rating Would Be

Rated M for Morons? :eyes:

[mhr]

4. You Mean Rated "F" For Fundie - Onward Christian Soldier!

eom

[thebigidea]

5. the next best thing for weirdo masochists, maybe

"Say, why don't we just play using the mode that doesn't involve a powerful electric shock that sends you to the floor, Tony? I've got a beverage here, man."

"I want ultimate realism! Ultimate realism!"

"Then sign up, you damn nutter."

I predict these will go the way of those dumb excercise pads for the nintendo. Lets face it, these kids want to veg out in front of the tv - not be shocked by electricity or forced to run in place to make Mario get the damn fire flower.

[incapsulated]

6. Lawsuit waiting to happen! n/t

[Solon]

7. I guess that depends on the EULA that is going to be attached to...

these games. Hell have you every read one of those things before hitting "I agree" when installing? I have, and damn it all to hell, they put so many goddamned restrictions on software, its ridiculous.

[Luminous Animal]

8. Holy hell!

Inuring the populous to pain and violence. When it becomes a way of leisure life, how difficult is it to convince people to engage in it "professionally".

[Nostradamus]

10. this game will tank

no one with half a brain will buy into getting electric shocks

my sons laughed at the idea

don't buy any stock

nostradamus

P.S. Pope JP III is my prediction

[Voltaire99]

11. The cliche "to take out someone"

Players enter a platform with a 360-degree screen that shows scenarios such as freeing hostages, street gun fights, taking out suicide bombers and team attacks on enemy positions.

When this Clancy-esque euphemism became common usage in the US press, any hope of sane reporting about military madness was lost. So fully has the media swallowed the candied language of state-sanctioned murder that it is often hard to tell where the press release ends and the article begins...