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229 Comments
- inactive, on 01/09/2009, -6/+140umm no..
- BorsKaegel, on 01/09/2009, -1/+89They have already been doing this for years now. It is called America's Army.
http://www.americasarmy.com/ - zclip, on 01/09/2009, -3/+79Will it be more fun, but more importantly how fast do you re-spawn after you've been shot dead? Wait what I don't get to re-spawn? Umm, no thanks!
- maxedo, on 01/10/2009, -0/+46Video games can't even get me to learn guitar.
- vsujohn2, on 01/10/2009, -1/+43No. Unless they figure out a way to respawn IRL....
- perryc, on 01/09/2009, -4/+39'Soldiers, evacuate the barracks now! They are bombing us!'
'In a minute, I still have two lifes left' - Tophillious, on 01/10/2009, -2/+36It's basically FPS with better graphics, but if I lag out there, there's no respawn!
- vtbarrera, on 02/03/2009, -2/+34It depends, will they be more fun than the next Call of Duty?
- akatsuki, on 01/10/2009, -0/+30After dying randomly in COD4 a ton - probably no....
- DearSergio, on 01/09/2009, -4/+29As long as nobody hacks! *****' haxor newbs.
- PabloIV, on 01/10/2009, -0/+23If you get me into a 70 ton Mech controlled by Keyboard and mouse...
Sure, I'll join your army.
The hell happened to Mechwarrior 5? - Prototek, on 01/10/2009, -1/+24And what if you get lag out there!?
- Bauer22, on 01/10/2009, -3/+25- Inadequacy body armor
- 6 Weeks Basic Training
- The hope that you can go back home in something other then a casket. - inactive, on 01/10/2009, -0/+20Video games are ***** persuasive, I tell you, after playing NHL 09 on the computer I joined a hockey team.
- RaveGamer, on 01/10/2009, -0/+18I'm almost afraid to say anything in here.
I can understand the armed forces looking for ways to recruit people, but I agree that using video games might be a little much.
Then again, I don't see it making that huge of an impact other than the usual bunch conspiring... unless the game enlists you once you start it up. Then I'd be a little worried.
But what do I know? I'm already in the military. - Alqutis, on 01/10/2009, -0/+18hoped someone would catch on to that. not a bad game altogether.
- javin666, on 01/09/2009, -14/+30Killing people in games = Good time had by all
Killing people in real life = Murder - pagno, on 01/09/2009, -0/+15Sure, its fun in a game, but try running with a SAW and a couple extra drums in real life. Its a different story, especially if they hand you a 240B...
- dochoff, on 01/10/2009, -0/+15There are no respawn points in RL!
- sho76und3wd, on 01/09/2009, -3/+18What three perks do I get to use?
- Ruger11mcrdpi, on 01/10/2009, -1/+15No, the games show a facet of the TRAINING that you would do in the army, in certain career MOS fields. The "game" shown in the photo from this article is actually a simulator that runs a program very similar to the popular shooter "ARMA". We use this system in the Marines for convoy training. You'd have 3-4 of these Simulators linked by radio and data and can see the other vehicles on the screen. It's decent training without having to use live rounds or have to setup complex ranges and the associated ORM paperwork/planning.
- inactive, on 01/10/2009, -0/+13Left, left. Left, right, left. About face.
- Ellipsys, on 01/10/2009, -1/+13On one side, I dislike the idea that many (stupid) people will get caught up in the idea that these simulations and games like America's Army provide a realistic depiction of how a real war zone might be. We've all run into idiots who talk like they've been through SEAL training after they've won a Counter-Strike or Call of Duty match, and its most likely that these people who would fall for any implication that if the US Army is putting these games out there, they must be true to life.
For everyone else, I think this is great. I'd much have recruiters who provide a casual, laid back approach where people come to see them for the games, as opposed to the "hard sell" where young people are accosted outside of a Wal-Mart or whatever in a high pressure environment. It also provides jobs in the service itself which are not necessarily directly combat related - something many people are nervous about today. After all, if the Army is programming games, its going to need programmers, artists, IT guys and so forth. (I'm told that much of the work is done in house by the DoD). Finally, games like this provide something that gamers/civilians want - a high quality, fun game for free, and good will, recruitment opportunity, and familiarization for the military. Personally, I'd love to see a series of USAF flight simulators - from F-22 combat, to bombing runs, piloting an AC-130 to provide close air support, to a UAV simulation! These days, I think only the USAF could have the budget and skills to program a top quality flight sim - they've gone out of style with all the major publishers and would be too big a 'risk" - 15thPD, on 01/10/2009, -0/+11Lol, philosophus. Sounds like a dinosaur.
- ifruit, on 01/10/2009, -1/+12I will tell you that 98% of all people who join the Army, or any military branch will come out a better person.
- JakeW, on 01/10/2009, -1/+12lives*
- cowsgonemadd3, on 01/10/2009, -0/+11Demand dragon skin Armour!
- Khast, on 01/10/2009, -0/+11After playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour, I started working at a Golf Course. (I am not joking either....I do work at a Golf course...as a Greensman. :) Not as fun as the game, but hey, I wouldn't trade this job for any of my old jobs either. And I can play Golf for free as a nice benefit.
- mwrl, on 01/10/2009, -0/+10Not all military jobs involve direct fighting. In fact in the Air Force it is rare to ever even carry a weapon unless deployed to a Forward Operating Base (FOB). Most jobs just support the mission.
Video game wise you can pick up a lot from. Squad based games give a example of leadership styles while FPS games teach fast reflexes. I dont know if they would make you want to join up (never heard anyone ever say they came in because of America's Army or BF2) but they don't harm anyone. - inactive, on 01/10/2009, -0/+9I was wondering. For a second there I thought I'd slipped into a time warp and was the only one who remembered that game. I actually signed up to get the disc mailed to me. I had a blast with it for a few months, but eventually got tired of the community, which was populated by people who were a much better fit for the Army than I was. Whatever. It was actually one of the most interesting online FPS experiences around at the time due to the emphasis on teamwork and tactics. Also, to the Army's credit, they never sent me any junk mail, which was very surprising.
- deweyhewson, on 01/10/2009, -7/+16I am a pacifist, and can understand the necessity of a military for defense purposes, but killing should never be taken lightly.
There is a big difference between games used for recreation, and games created to recruit people to join the military. In Halo I can "kill" creatures/humans, but at the end of the game they are just pixels on a screen.
What these games do, as recruiting tools, is attempt to transform the shooting of pixels into the shooting of real people. That's a disturbing path to be following. - Sil369, on 01/10/2009, -1/+10well, duh
- steviesteveo, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8You don't respawn in America's Army, it's exactly the point of the game - you and your squad go out and try to engage another squad and if you get shot you bleed and eventually die.
You're back for the next round though. - sonnybobiche, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8AA teaches you a fair bit about squad- and team-level tactics. Having played AA for hours and hours on end, the knowledge of what kind of actions will surely get me killed is ingrained in my bones.
When we were doing squad STX at Ft. Dix, some teams would try to scramble across an open field or do other stupid things that led to their demise. My team was able to completely pwn our scenario because of the training provided by America's Army. - Murdats, on 01/10/2009, -2/+10World War 2 would have been a lot more fun if death wasn't permanent.
- NidStyles, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8I have done said, up a damn mountain. I was so damn tired after that, and my leg's felt like complete rubber for like three day's.
- screamthenrun, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8At least AA is a little bit more realistic in terms of strategy compared to most games where you respawn. In AA, you die during a round, you're dead. Overall, its not bad for a free online game, even if it is a recruiting tool.
- mksmothers, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8Thats rather unfair. Do you even know what you are talking about?
- rstarr, on 01/10/2009, -0/+8If I can get spartan Mark VI armor... then we'll talk.
- werries, on 01/10/2009, -2/+10thats basically a respawn.
- Ruger11mcrdpi, on 01/10/2009, -4/+11unsuspecting? It's not like they play this game then instantly "POOF" they are enlisted. Jeez.
- mst3kcrow, on 01/10/2009, -0/+7Awesome that they quoted Lt. Col Dave Grossman; he has an excellent book about the psychology surrounding killing in combat named "On Killing", I recommend it. Now onto the title, no amount of video games would make me join a military branch. Rather if/when I choose a branch it will because I find it the most fitting for what I am looking for.
- Typhoon2009, on 01/10/2009, -0/+7I took up guitar after playing Guitar Hero. I ***** suck though.
- gabron, on 01/10/2009, -1/+8Yeah, because the Army is stupid and full of stupid people!!! The military is packed with some of the most brilliant minds in the country, hence the difficulty and prestige of getting into the various military academies. Not to mention the sheer quantity of working professionals that are reservists in the various branches. Don't judge the entire branch or branches, by the inexperienced youth after all, they are only 18
- inactive, on 01/10/2009, -1/+7maybe Peggle
- wrs123, on 01/10/2009, -3/+9why?
- OneRottenTomato, on 01/10/2009, -0/+6Because just like in video games, in real life battles you are digitally pointed out who the baddies are from the good guys to avoid confusion.
/s - TexMexRex, on 01/10/2009, -2/+8Overall death rate for men in the service is lower than for for men who are not. College graduation rate is higher, suicide rate is 33% less. Life in the service isn't easy, but kids kill themselves with booze, car accidents and guns more in the civilian world than in the military.
- steviesteveo, on 01/10/2009, -0/+6It's a very high quality online game as free games go, it's much more of a recruiting tool during the tutorial though so it's sort of like getting a free trip out of a timeshare company - watch the presentation. It's much more realistic than, say, Unreal Tournament and the concept of squad tactics is pretty crucial if you're playing at a level beyond "bullying 13 year olds" so that's nice change coming from lone wolf games.
I think if you're happy playing Valve's game and that's doing you then you're ok to keep with those. There's no cost in trying it after a download though so it's worth a look. You either like it or you don't and you can't tell without trying. -
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