Poll: Welcome to the Army, son.

[Vumsy]

Most youngsters of the 21. century, have been playing video games from a very early age. Most games include heavy violence and usually justify this with the idea of you being the "hero". Strategy, puzzle, action adventure- and shoot'em up-games. Are each providing the qualities of some fictional super-soldier*. A strategic, problemsolving, unempathic, fearless, elite trooper with fast reflexes and overwhelming hand-eye coordination, providing lethal aim with allmost all kinds of weapons. Trained from childhood by simulators, making war entertaining and exciting. The army will add simulators as a another form of combat training. Private military companies are going to eventually hire several, skilled soldiers of fortune and will either stop any wars in a matter of weeks, or will gain the power to declare war for profit.

*No super powers or high-tech stuff, just a normal human being with far above-average combat skills, after a life-time of video games.

 

[sirdiealot88]

The only thing that would change the very stagnate development of military technology is another world war, I don't any of us want to see that happen just so we could become bad ass super soldiers. Not saying that kinda change would be bad, it would be awesome - just wish I had that kinda technology to fight with.

 

[Danny Ocean]

Of course none of us want to see another world war, but that doesn't mean there won't be one.
I mean, a lot of countries are still recovering from WWI and WWII. The tensions are still there. It won't take much.

I just hope we stay out of Georgia

 

[Shadow Tyrant]

Spoilers: Aiming with an analog stick and reloading with the [insert reload button here] button != actual combat training.

 

[Copter400]

Ooh, a deep thread about the ramifications of video games glorifying the military and their affect on young minds. What larks.

I have no frackin' idea. We probably won't have super-soldiers, as the money that would go into designing super-soldiers and making them work could go into training and arming regular soldiers which would still be able to kick the arse of any super-soldier you care to name.

 

[OverlordSteve]

When I think of Video game fans joining the Army, I get this image of a guy with 15 bullets in his chest yelled "Cover me, I need to recharge my shields."

 

[wewontdie11]

Even if this idea does come to fruition in the future, I bet there'll still be people out in the heat of battle in WWIII yelling "OMG WTF!!! HES HAXING!! MUST HAV AIMBOT ON!!!" when their buddy gets shot or calling the other army N00Bs and tea bagging them.

 

[stompy]

No. Seriously, do you think that pressing buttons to reload, clicking to shoot, and HUDs would train an average gamer to become a super soldier? I really don't think so. There are things that games don't show about war, like sickness, one-shot kills, no respawns, that make gaming a whole 'nother thing to war.

 

[Ares Tyr]

The G.W.A.R. type technology is on its way already, and some of the "super weapons" are in development along with HUDs over helmet visors and etc. But I don't see any supersoldiers being made unless the U.S. government suddenly takes a huge interest in Transhumanism, which I am firmly AGAINST! Despite being in the military myself I rue the day a superhuman is scientifically made.

 

[Aries_Split]

The G.W.A.R. type technology is on its way already, and some of the "super weapons" are in development along with HUDs over helmet visors and etc. But I don't see any supersoldiers being made unless the U.S. government suddenly takes a huge interest in Transhumanism, which I am firmly AGAINST! Despite being in the military myself I rue the day a superhuman is scientifically made.

Machine's and cyborgs will never surpass humans such as ourselves. Also, Ares, your new name is Solid Ares Tyr.

 

[Ares Tyr]

The G.W.A.R. type technology is on its way already, and some of the "super weapons" are in development along with HUDs over helmet visors and etc. But I don't see any supersoldiers being made unless the U.S. government suddenly takes a huge interest in Transhumanism, which I am firmly AGAINST! Despite being in the military myself I rue the day a superhuman is scientifically made.

Machine's and cyborgs will never surpass humans such as ourselves. Also, Ares, your new name is Solid Ares Tyr.

Sounds groovy.

 

[meatloaf231]

Basically everyone in the army is going to either be Master Chief or Marcus Fenix.

*cough*

Well, if any gamers ever get their hands on any high-grade military technology.... You never know.

 

[Vumsy]

I'm not talking about a high-tech, gene-modefied, super-human who can blast a hole through Mount-Everest as he sneezes from Mexico. Just an average gamer.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

if the kids also did physical training maybe, but have you met the gaming community at large?

You'd get idiots who all want to be heroes who charge a sniper, expecting not to get shot because they're a "hero".

Japanese from world war 2 on the other hand, that's what a country should aim for with super soldiers, batshit crazy but disciplined.

 

[Spartan Bannana]

I have no motivation to join the army, I see it in games and sure it looks good, but then there's always the fact that you die, and in real life; you don't respawn.

 

[51gunner]

A strategic, problem solving, unempathic, fearless, elite trooper with fast reflexes and overwhelming hand-eye coordination, providing lethal aim with allmost all kinds of weapons.

*No super powers or high-tech stuff, just a normal human being with far above-average combat skills, after a life-time of video games.

...

Good thumb control on your sticks does not a steady aim make. Have you ever held a rifle? Try standing and keeping it aimed on one place, without bracing your arms in any way.

Also, video games do not give you physical fitness.

What in video games removes empathy from a person? And what makes you think that empathy has no place in the battlespace?

This is all a crock. Commercial video games don't do squat to help you ready for reality. The are simulators that would help, but these are far far more expensive than any gamer will be shelling out.

 

[Sib]

The halo3 generation of gamers + RL army = a shitstorm of casualties...during non-live rounds training

 

[Ares Tyr]

I'm a gamer for life, and I'm also a military member. I don't think I can absorb bullets or respawn. Nor will I try any of that Rambo shit. But maybe that's because I'm either a.) not a stereotypical American, or b.) a guy who's seen more than one realistic World War II or Vietnam movie.

Or maybe it's because I'm not a complete and total dickhead like you guys are short-selling our generation to be.

 

[squiggothhunter]

Regular video games dont do anything. like, nothing at all.
as for super soldiers, robots arent the way. the human body is all you need.
maybe a little tweaking to your DNA for maximum efficiency but other than that...

 

[Saevus]

Uh.

Nothing, really just nothing, in any future video game could do that.

Not even America's Army Infinity-Point-Oh, not until the day that you have to grind PT until you are capable of Olympic-level athletics and go weeks without sleeping, washing, or changing your gear.