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How about a free $8Mil game�

 
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The Army released a free game called Army Operations on July of 2002. The game meant to serves as a recruiting tool for the assistant secretary of the Army for Reserve Affairs. Apparently, the game provides information about types of weaponry, vehicle, and different types of combats. However, the license agreement claims that the software if for entertainment purposes. The problems that I have with this game are:
� Since when did the Army start shifting its focus to entertainment? Is Army trying to gain momentum in the game-manufacturing arena?
� Since this is free downloadable software, what will stop terrorist groups from downloading the game and training with it? Didn�t hijackers use Flight Simulator as part of their training? Are we going to learn from the past mistakes? Yes I suppose; we�re gonna improve the killing games.
� How is this different than Al-Qaeda training in the camps around the country? The purpose of both camps is to brainwash certain types of people, namely teenagers, and turn them into killing machines.
� EIGHT MILLION Dollars? Yes, that is an eight with 6 zeros. That�s where our tax money has been going.
Now, put in your .02.
 
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Since when did the Army start shifting its focus to entertainment?
They haven't, it is, as you stated, a recruiting tool.
Is Army trying to gain momentum in the game-manufacturing arena?
No.
Since this is free downloadable software, what will stop terrorist groups from downloading the game and training with it?
Nothing, however, you can't do much training with a computer game.
Didn�t hijackers use Flight Simulator as part of their training?
Yes they did, but that is completely different that infantry type training. You can't do any weapons training with a computer game, at best you can do some rudimentary tactics and strategy.
Are we going to learn from the past mistakes? Yes I suppose; we�re gonna improve the killing games.
What mistakes? and yes the computer games are getting much better. I've got an X-box and absolutley love Halo. However, if you dnt like the killing games then dont play them.
How is this different than Al-Qaeda training in the camps around the country?
You can't do any real training in a computer game. to train for any kind of combat you must use the actual real items involved at one point or another. You need to feel the weight of the weapon, its recoil, how to load it, how to fix a problem with it etc. The terrorist that flew the planes into the WTC didn't just use simulators. They actually went out and got training in real live airplanes.
The purpose of both camps is to brainwash certain types of people, namely teenagers, and turn them into killing machines.
Ahh, no, that is the purpose of one camp. The purpose of the other is get young adults to join the Army and spend some time aiding in the defense of this country.
EIGHT MILLION Dollars? Yes, that is an eight with 6 zeros. That�s where our tax money has been going.
Eight million is probably a drop in the bucket compared to the Armys overall advertising budget.
They have missed their recruiting goals for several years now and are finaly trying to do things differently. Did you notice that in the past all of the Armys commercials were about how much $$ you would get. It turns out that people didn't care, the ones ibnterested in joining the service weren't interested in the money, if they were they'd never have joined the service. They were interested in the challenge and the pride that came with it. The Marines recognized that and targeted their advertising correctly and ahve never missed a recruitment goal. In the last few years the Army has changed their whole focus and their ads have become more Marine Corps like.
Personally I dont think the game is going to help, people aren't looking for a game or a gimmick. The Army says come on join us we'll make you better and here, play this game it's fun. The Marine Corps says if your not already the best then we dont want you - do you think you can hack it? It is the challenge that you can't just walk into the recruiters office and sign up that makes people want to join. The Army is starting to learn but it'll take them a while to fix themselves.
 
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