Games v Reality ?.

[Zebb 7]

I have seen a couple of posts in here recently voicing their concern at playing a game such a GR if you have taken part if active service in the military.

I know its probably been brought up in here several times before, but as most of you know i saw my fair share of real world action during my time in the UK forces, but it has never been a problem for me distinguishing between what is a relaxing pastime with friends playing GR or other similar games, with what to be honest, was a scary frenzy filled situation where most of the time you just followed your instincts and got on with the job in hand.

I would be interested to get the perspective of all you other ex miltary in here, as we seem to have more than the usual forums, and see whether i am the balanced human being i pretend to be or whether it might be time to go see that shrink and tell him all about it ?..

I accept that i still dont sleep well every night, and that i still carry out patrol drills when walking down a street, etc, etc, but old hablits such as them die hard, and they have saved my skin once or twice in my line of work so it cant be all bad, but i would like to know whether any old military habits have stayed with you even after all this time ?

I can still iron better than my wife so she cant complain that i didnt learn a skill during my time in.......

[WhiteKnight77 1]

Well being that I was aircrew, there isn't much in the way of similarities for me. As a Marine we all learn basic infantry skills and I try to use them in game, but I can differentiate between RL and a game. I play GR and RS because of the detail and realistic settings, weapons and movement of characters.

In RL I tend to test my hearing on what aircraft are flying around.

[TRC 0]

I wasn't in the military, but I am a retired police officer who spent most of my career on the street. I played Rainbow 6 series regularly while still on the job. I used it as a training tool on different ways to clear a building as most PD's lack the funds for extensive training unless you're in swat. It was and is a game. My "radar" is always on, after all, I worked where I live. I like games of this genre because they can get my heart pumping a bit and a little adrenaline flow going. I found when I retired, the body had literally become addicted to the adrenaline rushes and it was almost like going through withdrawal. Never had a problem though separating real life from pc games.

[Zebb 7]

I agree, i find the game exciting and it can get your pulse rate up sometimes but i have never had a problem distinguishing between in game events and real life..

[Specter 0]

This game, and the other Clancy games such as R6 and GR are as realistic as they can make them, now.

As an ex Marine, IMHO, they are nowhere near the real thing. The game is a programmed enemy with programmed, even predictable actions and reactions. The environment of the game, while nice, and the best they can do, is not even close. There is no adrenaline, no fear, and if you all tell me that you werent scared ######less in the field under fire, and that those feelings didnt affect what course you took, I'll call you a liar, to your face. But these emotions and feelings arent present in the game, because we know it is a game.

Like you Zeb, in real life, alot of my training has stayed with me. I grew up in a big city, and not always in the best part of town. The training is beat into our heads, until it is in our nature.

Sure, we can apply what we learned, and what we've been through to the game, but our usage of that training in the game is limited by programmed factors, and a limited environment where the enemy cannot react to our actions, or, like in some of the great mods where the modder pushed the bounds of the game, only in a very limited fashion.

I enjoy the Clancy games very much. But yes, there is a very clear difference, and only experience will provide any meaning to that statement.

No, it is only a game. Very enjoyable, but only a game, nonetheless.

I do feel however, that it would be an excellent traing tool, for say, basic training. It will teach you to look, and listen, and even the most basic tactics.

As for kids playing the game, that can only be determined by the way they were brought up, and how and if they were taught the difference between games and reality. In life, there is no respawn. But, there is fear, emotions, anxiety, fatigue, pain, and death. There are unknown factors, such as sympathizers, criminals, and innocent bystanders. THere is also the unspoken truth, that no matter how good you are, there is someone better, and that in a fight, there is no clear winner and no one wins, and everyone gets hurt, no matter how one sided that fight seems. Most intelligent people know this.

Yes, there is a clear difference.

[Cpl Ledanek 247]

I knew it was only a game with GR when I realized at the end of the day (games), I didnt get one papercut....being I was a Supply Nerd with the 1st FSSG in 29 Palms with the US Marines...

there you go, I'm out of the closet! NOT in homosexual way...like Seinfeld said," Not that theres anything wrong with that!"

[WhiteKnight77 1]

Oh no, not the Stumps.

[Cpl Ledanek 247]

were u attached there??? what was it? Camp David something...did u do a CAX there?

[WhiteKnight77 1]

I was at Tustin MCAS(H) when I was in Cali. Heard plenty of stories about the Stumps tho. Nothing but sand for miles.

[firefly2442 0]

I don't have any experience in the military but IMO, because of the current processing and power of computers, games are forced to take the route of giving the player an adrenaline rush. There aren't really any other emotional responses that can be evoked from games right now with the current power available. They'll get better, more realistic... with a better and more flexible AI things will greatly improve.