The Army spent $1.3 million to sponsor Halo 3 as a recruitme

[nickfil]

ok..... so this is going to be a little bit conspiracy theory, and for that i'm sorry. But it makes a lot of sense.

linked is the only article i could find backing me up in text on the internet.

The author david goodman was recently on the podcast 'on the media' talking about his new article in motherjones magazine about how the army is moving recruitment money into videogames as a way to target children and get them interested in the army. Of course, they also built america's army.

It is illegal to recruit kids under 18 (17 with parental consent) however, you can not tell who is playing, so this tactic lives in a gray area unpunished or regulated.

*******

The podcast is pretty good by the way. They also debate in a very intellectual way if 'skank' can hold up in court as a defamation of character because it has no Websters definition.

[Ack]

Hmm...If the military funds games with 'M' or 'AO' ratings, then they're technically doing all they can to stay in their target age range. And kids see ads in movie theaters, newspapers, city buses, and so on. Hell, some folks consider plastic army men to be a recruitment tool. And there's always high school ROTC to consider, or private schools with military traditions. I just don't see this going anywhere.

[MrPopo]

I don't see what the problem is here. I keep seeing advertisements for the armed forces, so if they throw some in a game as well it's not like they've expanded who they're targeting.

[arkanoid]

dig deeper into your gaming history and you'll discover that military money virtually drove 3D game development and research in the early days (i'm talking mid 80s). companies like Rainbird (springs to mind) would be funded by the MoD (British counterpart to DoD) to develop "interactive 3D worlds" with a view of utilizing the graphics technology in combat training. I believe Test Drive (famous driving simulator from the late eighties) was commissioned by the MoD before the idea to turn it into a "videogame" was even considered.

IBM are currently investing heavily on research aimed at perfecting methoods of "persuasion" and "education" through multimedia games technology. I was at some crazy Finnish graphics-scene conference a few months back where a lead R&D guy from IBM was invited to talk. He was discussing the huge potential of games-media in enabeling institutions to subconsciously/subliminally "educate" children about social issues. For example, he described how new techniques could be used to basically condition children into "understanding" the effects of Climate Change and the "right way" to live in order to prevent a future global ecological catastrophy.

Military funding has its hand in just about every area of technology. and, yes, a lot of that technology (like the internet) is ultimately intended - once refined - to control the public more efficiently. For example, the net has great potential (as yet untapped) in monitoring and recording everyones location and whereabouts. Just this simple application is something that has authorities drooling at the mouth amd you can see it is already just around the corner with Google's new Friend Tracking service (i forget what it's called)

this is natural and it should be second nature to any sensible/intelligent person to keep a warey eye on technology and how it's being used - not all run around wearing tin-foil hats being afraid. Just be very vigilant.

[arkanoid]

btw. iirc, someone I know actually recorded the guy from IBM talking. It's a very insightful listen for anyone with an interest. I will try to find a link.

[wilsona26]

I wouldnt say it's "illegal", they help make games so young kids can play them and then one day they are already interested in the military. In a way, they are planting the seeds of recruitment well before a child turns 17. I worked at MEPS Kansas City, and had to put up with USAREC on a daily basis. they go after kids younger than 17 more than people think. they have to start sowing the future harvest of fresh meat.

[arkanoid]

ok, that seminar i mentioned has been put on vimeo here:

it's very dry, but quit insightful and if you look at the audience you will actually see the back of my head!

if you can translate some of the meaning behind what this guy is saying, it may well send a little chill down your spine - it did for me.

[Ack]

Having not watched it yet, would you say the IBM employee was a proponent of using technology this way?

[nickfil]

this is natural and it should be second nature to any sensible/intelligent person to keep a warey eye on technology and how it's being used - not all run around wearing tin-foil hats being afraid. Just be very vigilant.

totally. Being aware of the world and wary on company and government ideas/motivations is a smart thing to do. Just you know... don't let it get out of hand.

A buddy of mine has a neighbor who is totally off the deep end as far as government conspiracy goes. He has webcams set up all over his house that are being uploaded to an off site HDD. His house has stacks and stacks of documents he got via the freedom of information act.

ok, that seminar i mentioned has been put on vimeo here:

thanks man- i'm looking forward to seeing this.

I don't see what the problem is here. I keep seeing advertisements for the armed forces, so if they throw some in a game as well it's not like they've expanded who they're targeting.

The thing that weirds me out is that watching an ad on a TV set is a very passive thing. Playing a marine in a virtual world for 400+ hours is a very active thing. I think that the rules need to change a little because the technology changed.

My sister who was pretty big into zines had this one on her table the last time i saw her. It was just pictures of army guys/girls about to be shipped out and written on the back were why they signed up for service. Some were like you would expect. No options for school, family tradition, that kinda thing. But i shit you not, a little under a quarter of them had "because i like xbox."

[MrPopo]

But i shit you not, a little under a quarter of them had "because i like xbox."

And shipping these people off to dangerous areas is a bad idea why?