Posted on 08/04/2006 7:34:02 AM PDT by Zender500
Not really. The military uses video games to keep their increasingly attention-span deficient soldiers focused. And to save money.
Influencing their behavior to mold them into more effective "killers" has been in place since before Vietnam. Video games play very little part in this training.
Then the responsible store owners shouldn't sell to the kids, and the responsible parents shouldn't let their kids play these games. Our kids have a few game systems and many games, and we always know what they're playing.
And he always answers 'No grampa, it's a game'.
BTW. He's only 6.
So what you are trying to say is that your 6 year-old grandson is pretty much like the other 99.9999% of the population who play these games and don't go out and kill people?
I'm a huge Call of Duty2 fan myself.
Particuarly the multiplayer game is big fun.
They do? Last I heard they were just using America's Army to train.
Yes, but if I don't want my kids to play these games, I don't want your kids to play them either!
< /nannystate mindset>
So what you are trying to say is that your 6 year-old grandson is pretty much like the other 99.9999% of the population who play these games and don't go out and kill people?"
Pretty much.
The main use of America's Army I know of is to learn team maneuvers. The game can be set up so that it is quite unforgiving to mistakes.
They are using games to "break" the hesitancy to pull the trigger.
"There is no way my 6 yr. old would be playing any of those games."
And that's your choice.
My grandson understands the difference between reality and fantasy because that is how he has been taught.
Try asking your 6 year old about reality and fantasy.
You may be surprised by the answers.
Not from what I know about it. Soldiers are set up in a LAN in a scenario that is designed to emphasize small unit tactics, such as ammo management, flanking maneuvers and teamwork.
The army has been using video simulators for a long time. The old Atari game "Battlezone" was used as a tank warfare simulator. Rumors even circulated that the US Military was interested in the best Missile Command players. The "murder simulator" and "desensitizing" is pure bunk manufactured by busybody activists.
Don't believe me. Look in to it for yourself.
APf
No they're not. I can't recall the exact statistics but in WWII only something like 20% of soldiers returned fire. By Vietnam, training had increased the numbers to somewhere around 90%. The Army tackled this "hesitancy" problem a long time ago.
That is indeed shocking -- 'rejected out of hand' -- sad.
Yeah, the comments on video games and the military in this thread are, frankly, weird - I haven't the foggiest idea where people are getting the idea that the military is using video games to get soldiers over reluctance to kill, or to get their attention - must be from some strange peacenik or video game violence propaganda sites.
There's extensive use of video simulation, but simply to train and have soldiers learn to work together, basic tactical principles, etc. It's not some weird psychological manipulation.
I can say that I love playing video games. And it amazes me that some parents have no clue what the ratings are for. I stop a mother from buyin GTA:SA (Grand thief auto:San Andreas) for her kid. The kid had to be at least 10. I asked her if she knew what happens in the game. NO FREAKIN' CLUE. After I filled her in, she couldn't believe it. Then right out of the blue she blames "the video game makers" for the content. So I filled her in that "the video game makers" have every right to make whatever they want. YOU have the right to buy or not to buy. And YOU have to learn what the rating are. They (pointing to the clerks) are not going to tell you a damn thing. To them its money in their pockets. And then I droped the bomb. "And YOU parents who sue "the video game makers" just show that YOU have no interest in what your child it doing! Let them waste away playing video games instead of being a part of their lives."
Course the kid was pissed.
Man...I need to be in the next Congress hearing on video games.
AFAIK, they're using them for lessons in team coordination. I say this from the perspective of having helped set up an America's Army system for the Army.
Shooting in real life and in a game are so different I can't see how eliminating hesitancy can even work. IIRC, the Army does have an old mechanical device to help soldiers who are scared of their rifles.
The software association is pretty intense about having their ratings enforced, stores that ignore them can lose product. There's actually nothing to enforce on PG or even PG-13, unless you want the kids parents to show up and tell the ticket taker they have indeed provided guidance.
Bingo. The game (and Postal, mentioned later on) are much better known to the anti-video game people than they are with gamers because they were horrible games.
Have you played any of those games?
I have and there is no way my child would ever play them at that age. No way. My choice.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.