March 5, 2005

Your Academic Tax Dollars at Work

YOU CAN TAKE THE WEAPONS AWAY FROM THE SOLDIER BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SOLIDER AWAY FROM THE WEAPONS:Researchers tame violent video game to keep troops safe in Iraq

MARINA DEL REY, Calif.-- The popular computer game Unreal Tournament 2003 invited players to become the "ultimate techno-gladiator of the future," blasting foes with "a smorgasbord of ferocious, flesh-chewing weaponry."

Now, researchers are turning the game into a tool for U.S. troops in Iraq — not to make them fiercer in combat, but to sharpen language and cultural skills that could help them avoid a potentially deadly confrontation.

.... no one had ever tried to make a nonviolent modification until a team from the Information Sciences Institute from the University of Southern California came along.

Hannes Hogni Vilhjalmsson, an Icelander working at the institute, has spent the past nine years studying nonverbal communication. His specialty is recreating body language in 3D computer programs.....

Instead of wielding a bio-sludge gun, Tactical Iraqi players use their verbal skills to negotiate a virtual Baghdad populated with numerous Arabic speakers. Missions range from entering a cafe and locating the owner to securing medical aid for an injured comrade.....

"It was actually quite difficult to find information on how to eliminate all weapons," says Vilhjalmsson.


W. Lewis Johnson, director of the institute's Center for Advanced Research and Technology for Education, recalled that "in one of the earlier versions we got rid of the weapons, but one of the testers discovered that if he stomped on other characters, they would explode in blood and guts."

It's the years of teen-age training kicking in here. I don't know about anyone else, but if you are running, say, DOOM II and six zombies show up, do you walk over and talk to them or select "rocket launcher"?

[Pointer from Perez-Miller @ andunie.net confessions of a failed polymath]

Posted by Vanderleun at March 5, 2005 2:35 PM
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Posted by: Steel Turman at March 5, 2005 4:55 PM

An intriguing approach. Well worth it if it saves a few soldiers lives in Iraq.

Posted by: anonymous II at March 5, 2005 5:13 PM

Wouldn't be the first time: the US Army used the Unreal game engine to build their recruiting tool computer game, America's Army. Which, incidentally, is a lot of fun to play.

Posted by: Dr_Funk at March 5, 2005 9:57 PM

Now if they would only give me a copy of that! Wonder how the death match works? Nice blog BTW.

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