Caltrops - Biohazard: Code Veronica





	[quote name="Senor Barborito Metafilter Post"][quote]Ryvar, you don't find putting games on an Army recruitment site pandering at all? If you want to capture the imagination of the pre-18 crowd, shouldn't you make it a point to emphasize the other good things that might come about as a result of your joining the military? Not just "hey, gee, look, game, fun!"[/quote] There's nothing fun about dying, and you die a LOT because the weapons are reasonably accurately modeled in terms of lethality, etc. It sort of drives a point home. The game may be fun, but the actual experience of what they'd ultimately like you to do can suck. A lot. Even your average 15-year-old McShithead is going to make that connection. It's only reinforced every five minutes of game time. And, as mazola said, in order to unlock certain types of roles (medic, special operations, etc.) you have to go through some rather excruciatingly boring training. Likewise, before you go into the actual shooting-and-killing 'fun' portion of the game, you have to go through a fair amount of rather lame MILES training (basically lasertag). It's a game, it's fun, but it's pretty upfront and honest about the Army not being all fun and games. If we're to believe people join for greater economic opportunity, etc, what's the point of having that there? It always seemed a little incongruous to me, in the same way that pointing out the "cool factor" of being a priest is not exactly telling the whole story... The point is to raise awareness. It's advertising, but I think if you played the game you'd be surprised at how little actual pandering goes on. There is a cool factor but the game makes an attempt to be honest. The drill sergeants are dickheads. Also, I'd dispute that the whole reason is greater economic opportunity - there's also patriotic pride, a sense of familial obligation, and being an immature sociopathic asshole. posted by Ryvar at 1:03 PM PST on September 22 [/quote]