Geoffrey Rockwell's name was incorrect in an earlier version of this story. The story below has been corrected.
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Game Industry Finds Serious Outlet for Creative Energies
Many "serious games" are designed to train players in how to respond to high-pressure situations that are too expensive to simulate in the real world.
(Breakaway Ltd.)
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"It's not just e-learning on steroids," Whatley said.
"Every kid we've ever come across has seen 'Full Metal Jacket,'" said Wardynski, referring to the 1987 Stanley Kubrick movie in which a recruit assassinates his drill sergeant.
"We'll let you do that [in virtual basic training], but you're immediately transported to a jail cell. ... The society you're operating in will discipline you," Wardynski said, describing how failing to follow orders or "going rogue" will land you "a lousy role" within the squad.
Wardynski emphasized that his office's simulation effort is all about conveying a sense of values, where the use of force is not the objective, but is instead one of many options to reach the real objective. "That kind of area is where we spend a lot of time and money."
Still, the developers of serious games -- which are invariably geared toward the improvement of the player's knowledge, skills or even moral character -- display a good bit of pride about the subjects their products address, and may prefer another measure of success.
"Incident Commander" producer Parsons told a story about one of the beta testers for Incident Commander being sent to Louisiana to help deal with the Hurricane Katrina aftermath after spending an entire week playing the game.
"He learned things that helped him set up an 800-bed hospital for refugees in Baton Rouge," Parsons said. "If through that process, people were made more comfortable, maybe lives were saved, then that justifies any amount of time and effort we've spent on doing this.":
Greiner is business and technology editor for washingtonpost.com.
