Question about DOOM and the military...

[TheMasterofallFPSs]

Hmmm....I haven't been on these forums for far too long. Man.

Anyway, I got a question I thought maybe somebody here can answer. I'm doing a research paper on videogames and violence/the effects of them on people. I'm still working on developing a thesis, but right now it is that videogames are basically a scapegoat for greater problems in society.

Anyway, I was reading around and found another research paper on the subject, and it said "On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold launched an assault on Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, murdering 13 and wounding 23 before turning the guns on themselves. Although it is impossible to know exactly what caused these teens to attack their own classmates and teachers, a number of factors probably were involved. One possible contributing factor is violent video games. Harris and Klebold enjoyed playing the bloody, shoot-'em-up video game Doom, a game licensed by the U.S. military to train soldiers to effectively kill."

Obviously its trying to throw that out there to basically make you react with "Oh my god! And this is a VIDEOGAME???"

Well, I remember about the fact that the military used DOOM to "train soldiers", but my question is, to what extent? I mean, it seems to me like that's what BASIC TRAINING is for, and I doubt they would actually use a video game to any great extent to train soldiers. Does anyone know exactly what they used DOOM for, if they even used it for anything significant at all?

Thanks.

 

[vi edit]

I've always wondered if it was just the engine that the military used at the time. I know that several game developers brag about their games(engines) being used by the military, but I highly doubt that it's the same retail version that we buy and play.

 

[ThaGrandCow]

<----- Comes from the most violent of all the branches, the Marines.

I just went through 7 months of training with them and the only time I saw any FPS was when the guy a few doors down from me let me play on his laptop for a few minutes.

 

[Hubris]

Google and the search function is your friend.

link

link

link

Just go look.

 

[Hubris]

Damn slippery mouse button.

 

[burnedout]

The statement "a game licensed by the U.S. military to train soldiers to effectively kill." from the other research paper you reference is taken somewhat out of context. Doom, if I remember correctly, debuted before the military began using it. Additionally, I believe the USMC was the only branch employing the game as a simulation.

More info

Also type "doom" and "marine corps" into a search engine and see what you get.

 

[GermyBoy]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I've always wondered if it was just the engine that the military used at the time. I know that several game developers brag about their games(engines) being used by the military, but I highly doubt that it's the same retail version that we buy and play.

I don't know really. I think it was the engine as well. Then again, more people who are out in the open and are crazy are less sensitive to violence than the military.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

If you truly were a master of all FPS' you'd know the answer to your question