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Time for the Navy to Get into the Game!

Proceedings Magazine
Issue:April2009Vol.135/4/1,274 http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/story.asp?STORY_ID=1835

ByCaptainMarkWoolley,U.S.Navy America'sArmywasoriginallyadownloadablePCbasedgamethatallowedpotentialrecruitsto experiencetheArmyinvirtualenvironments.ItisnowalsobeingusedtotrainrealSoldiersfor variousdutiessuchasoperatingadvancedequipmentliketheImprovedTargetAcquisitionSystem (topleft)orperformingSpecialForcesmissionsthatrequireadaptivethinkingandleadership. TheArmyisusinghighqualityvideogamestoattractrecruitsandtrainSoldiers.Whycan'tthe NavydothesameforitsSailors? InNovember2008theU.S.Armyannounceditplannedtoinvest$50millionoverafiveyear periodstartingin2010todevelopvideogamesforuseintrainingSoldiersforcombat.The announcementstatedthattheArmywouldnotbecompetingwiththecommercialindustry,but lookingatcommerciallyavailablegamingtechnologiesthatcouldbeusedfortraining. ThisisnotanewventurefortheArmy.Theservice'splantoinvestinvideogamesfollowsthe successfuldevelopmentanddistributionofthewidelypopularAmerica'sArmy,releasedtothe generalpublicforfreein2002andusedintherecruitingandtrainingofSoldiers.Sowhereisthe maritimeversionofAmerica'sArmy?Andwhyisn'ttheNavyembracingofftheshelfgaming technologytotrainitsSailors?Beforeansweringthesequestions,itisimportanttoreviewthe Army'sendeavorsintheareaofvideogamingandPCsimulationandassessitsefforts. America'sArmyMarchesOn America'sArmyisafreedownloadablePCbasedgamethatallowsplayerstoassumetheroleof anonlinevirtualbody,knownasanavatar,andexperiencetheArmyinvirtualenvironments rangingfrombasictrainingtoSpecialForcesmissions.Itisaninteractivegamewithscoresof missionsandscenariosthatcanbeplayedinamultiuseronlineenvironment.Unlikeits commercialgamecounterparts,America'sArmyincorporatesvaluesandconsequencesforthe individualplayerinafirstpersonactionenvironment.PlayersmustfollowtheRulesof Engagement,adheretotheArmy'ssevencorevalues,andworkinateam.1 ThegamewastheconceptofLieutenantColonelCaseyWardynski,directoroftheOfficeof EconomicandManpowerAnalysisatWestPoint,whowasresearchingwaystoattractcomputer adeptrecruits.In2002theArmywaslookingtoenlistalmost80,000newrecruitsforan increasinglyhightechArmy.2Thepurposeofthegamewastwofold.First,asarecruitingtoolit usedgametechnologyasawaytoreachyoungadultsintheenvironmenttheyspendhours immersedineachweek.Notabadidea.A2008PewInternetandAmericanLifeProjectreported 97percentofteensaged1217playcomputer,Web,portable,orconsolegames.Thestudyalso revealedthat50percentofthemplayedgamesthepreviousday,themajorityofthemplaythe gameatleastsometimeswithothersintheroom,and25percentwithotherplayersoverthe Internet.3

ThesecondgoalfordevelopingAmerica'sArmywastoreducethenumberofrecruitswhowash outduringbasictrainingbyprovidingmoreinformationupfronttoprospectiveSoldiers.4The gamefeaturesamodulethatwalksrecruitsthroughmanyoftheelementsofbasictraining courses.WhenIwentthroughthecourseintheAmerica'sArmyprogram,Iwasabletointeract withdiverseSoldiersworkingasateamandgainaccurateinformationaboutwhatbasictraining wouldbelikeasanArmyrecruit.Theinteractivegameknowledgeissupplementedwithlinksto welldesignedArmyWebsites. Therehasbeenatertiarypurposeaswell:asapublicaffairstoolitallowsthegeneralpublictotap intoArmylife,anditprovidesaconduitfortheArmytotellitsstorythroughpostingsonthe game'sWebsiteandlinkstoArmysites.Forexample,somescriptedavatarsinthegamearebased onrealSoldiers,andplayerscanlearnmoreaboutthejobsandheroicsofactualindividuals. Atthetimethegamewasreleaseditwasestimatedthatthebreakevenpointforthereturnon the$7.6millioninitialinvestmentandannualrecurringcostof$4millionwouldbe300400 recruitsperyear.5Ifthereisanydoubtastotheimpactonrecruitingandpublicrelationsoneonly hastovisittheAmerica'sArmyWebsite(Iencourageeveryofficerfromensigntoadmiraltodo so).InNovember2008therewere9.5millionregisteredplayers,5millionofwhomhadcompleted basictraining.Therewereover5,300newusersthatmonth.Downloadedmorethan16million times,thegamehasbeenplayedby20percentofenteringcadetsatWestPoint,andbetween20 and40percentofnewArmyrecruits.6 HowtheNavyCanPlay MorethaneveritisimperativefortheNavytoadaptgamingtechnologyforbothrecruitingand training.America'syoungergenerationslearnandcommunicatedifferentlyfromtheir predecessors.WhileAmerica'sArmyisasuccessstory,theNavy'sventureintothistechnology forumhasnotmetwiththesameacclaim.In2005theNavyRecruitingCommandreleasedNavy TrainingExercise(NTE):StrikeandRetrieve.Theaccompanyingpublicaffairsannouncementbilled thegameasawayto"buildinterestandawarenessofNavyhightechjobs."7Whileatfirstit appearedthatAmerica'sArmycouldhavesomecompetitionbrewingintheareaofinteractive recruitment,theresultshavenotevenbeenclose. AlmostnofollowonarticlesabouttheNavygamehavebeenpublished,andithasnotenjoyedthe samehypeAmerica'sArmyhasintheworldofPCgaming.America'sArmyhasbeenrecognizedby thegamingindustryasoneofthetopactiongames,rankingninthamongthetoptengames,and hasreceivedmorethantwodozenawardsfromthePCindustrysinceitsinception,competing withpopulargamessuchasMedalofHonor.StrikeandRetrievehasreceivednosuchaccolades. NTEWebstatisticspaleincomparisonwithAmerica'sArmy.StrikeandRetrievehasbeen downloadedonlyafractionofthemillionsoftimesAmerica'sArmyhasbeendownloaded.And, whileaquickWebsearchfornewsarticlesaboutAmerica'sArmyyieldedover130results,onlya fewnewsarticlescouldbefoundforStrikeandRetrieve. ThemainproblemwithStrikeandRetrieveisthatitisascifigameinvolvingfuturisticmissions thatfeaturefriendlyandoppositiondeepsubmersibles(NmechsandOmechs),"Tubefish," "FissureBalloons,"andotherassortedpredatorsandprey.TheWebsiteforStrikeandRetrieve looksmorelikeanadvertisementforthe1960s"VoyagetotheBottomoftheSea"televisionseries

thanfortheU.S.Navy.Thegameis"geekish"atbestanditprovidesnoinsightintoNavylifeorthe challengingcareersandopportunitiesdifferentrateshavetooffer. ImagineaninteractiveAmerica'sNavythatallowedprospectiverecruitsandtheAmericanpublic togothroughRecruitTrainingatGreatLakesandvirtuallyexperienceeventsthatarepartthe "finalbattleproblem"ontherecruitsimulationtrainingshipUSSThayerinBattleStations21. Playeravatarscouldstandwatch,fightfires,helpsavetheshipfromsinking,rescueaman overboard,orcarryashipmatetosickbayafteramissilestrike.Onceplayerscompletedthevirtual recruittraining,otherscenariosandmissionscouldopenup,includinglivefiringofshipweapons tocounterpiracyattempts;boardingamerchantshipaspartofavisit,board,search,andseizure team;workingonthedeckofanaircraftcarrierasaspotter;sittingatthehelmandplanesona fastattacksubmarine;drivingandnavigatingasurfaceship;andflyingaplaneorhelooffthedeck ofacarrier.Thescenariosareendless.Thegoodnewsisthatnumerousvideogamesand professionaltrainingprogramsprovidethistypeofPCbasedsimulation;theyjustarenotina singlepackageandtiedtoNavyrecruitingeffortslikeAmerica'sArmyistiedtotheArmy's. TheTrainingGame TheNavy'suseofcommercialgamingandsimulationtechnologyshouldnotstopatrecruiting. AlthoughAmerica'sArmystartedasarecruitinginitiative,todayitisbeingusedtotrainreal Soldiers.DozensofsimulationsenabletroopstotrainonHumveegunandmissilesystems; nuclear,biological,andchemicalreconnaissancevehicles;andexplosiveordnancedisposal robots.8ThisallowsSoldierstotrainonsophisticatedandoftenscarceequipmenttobuildand maintainproficiency. CertainlythisconceptcouldbeappliedtoamultitudeofNavysystems,rangingfrombasic damagecontrolequipmenttoshipboardengineeringandcombatsystemseitherinamultiplayer orindividualgamerole.SincetheU.S.governmentownstheAmerica'sArmyprogram,itcould developnewmodules,andexistingonescanberetailoredforotherscenariosanduses.For example,manyofthesmallarmsorfirstaidmodulescouldbechangedtohavetheavatarsinthe NavyWorkingUniforminsteadofArmyBDUs.Teachingandlinkscouldbeincorporatedthattake playerstothestoriesofactualSailors. TheArmyisnottheonlyorganizationtohavesuccesswithvideogamingtechnologyfortraining. PCbasedsimulationsarebeingusedforproceduraltrainingforemergencyservices,security, railways,industry,maritimecompanies,andevensomeforeignnavies.ANetherlandsbased company,VSTEP,hasdevelopedaPCbasedvirtualfirefightingsimulationfortheRoyalDutch Navy'sMultipurposeFrigate.Withinthethreedimensionalgame,numerousdamagecontrol incidentscanbesimulated.Thetargetaudienceisthedutyengineerorthesceneleader.The traineeavatarmovesthroughtheshipandtakesrequiredactionsbyclickingacomputermouse. Theprogramevenincorporatesdamagecontrolplatesandcheckliststhattheavatarusestodirect repairpartyavatars. PCbasedsimulatorsarenotareplacementforactualdrillsandexercisesorexpensivelandbased simulatorssuchasthoseforfirefighting,damagecontrol,seamanshipandnavigation.Norare theyintendedtoreplacecurrentembeddedonboardtrainingsystems(likethoseassociatedwith combatandengineeringsystems).Theydo,however,provideseveraldistinctadvantagesfor training. 3

First,theymakemoreeffectiveuseofcostlysimulatortimebyensuringstudentshavethebasics beforeusingthesimulator.PCbasedgamesusescenariostobuildcompetencyandleadership skills,therebyimprovingtheeffectivenessofdrillsandexercisesconductedinsimulatorsoron boardaship.Second,theyhavetheadvantageofprovidingrealistictrainingforspecific equipment,consoles,andplatforms.Theyprovideanopportunitytorefreshskillsonaperiodic basis,especiallywhenthelandbasedsimulatorsarenotavailableoritisnotpossibletobringup shipboardsystemsortakesystemsofflinefordedicatedtraining(e.g.shipyardorunderway operations).Last,theyprovidealearningplatformthatismoreappealingtothemajorityof youngergenerationsthanotherformsofmedia.TheyofferanadditionalforumforSailorstolearn andincreasetheirprofessionalexpertisewhilehavingfun.Furthermore,withtheproliferationof personallaptopcomputers,theypermitSailorsincaseswherethematerialisunclassifiedtolearn attheirownpaceoutsidethelifelinesofcommand. ATailoredApproach ItisimportantthatasPCbasedsimulationsaredevelopedtheyarecoupledwithlearningsystems thattrackindividualtraining,progress,andperiodicity(thedatesspecifictrainingmoduleswere completedandwhentheyshouldbeaccomplishedagain)andareabletotailortrainingto individualneeds.Thus,trainingscenarioscanbetargetareaswhereknowledgehasatrophied insteadofareaswheretheknowledgehasbeendemonstratedonalmostadailybasis. Forexample,aquickscenariotestinanavigationandseamanshipvideogamemightrevealthatan officerofthedeck'sknowledgeofwindandclosestpointofapproach(CPA)problems(thingsdone routinelywhileunderway)isstrong,whileinterceptandmaneuveringtoascreenstationare relativelyweak.Subsequentscenarioeventswouldconcentrateoninterceptandscreening problemsinsteadofwindandCPAproblems.Arepairpartymemberwhohasnotreviewedhowto lightofforuseaparticularpieceofdamagecontrolequipmentinsomeperiodoftimewouldhave todemonstratewithhisavatarthecorrectsequenceforstartingapieceofequipmentanduseitin ascenario. TrainingmodulesandscenarioscouldbeplayedordownloadedfromNavyKnowledgeOnline (NKO),orinstalledviaCDsandcompletedtrainingcertificatesuploadedbacktoNKOoralocal electronictrainingjacket.ThisconceptisinkeepingwiththeNavy'sRevolutioninTrainingwhich placesgreateremphasisonSailorsusinganintegratedlearningenvironmenttotrain,assess,and monitorthestatusofactualtaskstheyarerequiredtoperforminadditiontoevaluatingwhatthey know. WhilesomecommandshaveattemptedtouseexistingmaritimePCbasedcommercialvideo gamessuchasSonalysts'DangerousWatersandFleetCommandandVSTEP'sShipSimulatorfor training,thishasforthemostpartbeenastovepipeapproach.Effortsareabandonedovertime becauseofthelackofwelldefinedrequirements,resourcestomodifythesecommercialgamesto betteraddresstrainingobjectives,andtimerequiredtoincorporatethegamesintoexisting courses.Theseinitiativesareastart,andtrainingandresearchorganizationsshouldcontinueto explorehowtheycaninnovativelyuseexistingPCbasedcommercialvideogames.Butitwouldbe muchmorebeneficialtohaveacoordinatedapproachsimilartotheconceptforAmerica'sArmy.

CatchingUpwiththeArmy TheNavyhastheframeworkforanenterpriseapproachtoadoptingvideogametechnologyfor recruitingandtraining.In1995theNavyModeling&SimulationOfficewasestablishedtoserveas theNavy'ssinglepointofcontactonallNavymodelingandsimulationmatters,andfor coordinationwiththemodelingandsimulationorganizationsoftheotherservices,DOD,andthe JointStaff.Italsoisresponsibleforprovidingleadershipandguidanceformodelingpolicy, strategy,investment,andpractices. TheNavalAviationWarfareCenterTrainingSystemsDivision(NAWCTSD)istheNavy'sprincipal research,development,testingandevaluation,acquisition,andproductsupportfortraining systems.NAWCTSDisalsooneofthecornerstonesoftheNationalCenterforSimulation,which wasformedin1993tolinkthedefenseindustry,governmentagenciesanddepartments,and academiaintheareaofsimulation,training,andmodeling..InJune2008theChiefofNaval Personnel,ViceAdmiralMarkE.FergusonIII,announcedtheestablishmentofanN7directorateat theNavalEducationandTrainingCommand(NETC)to"createasinglelearninganddevelopment organization"andto"improvethequalityandeffectivenessofNavytraining."9NETCisresponsible forallenlistedandofficeraccessiontrainingwiththeexceptionoftheNavalAcademy. So,althoughtheframeworkexists,littlefruithasbeenbornetodatewhenitcomestoacorporate PCvideosimulationforNavyrecruitingandtrainingthatenjoysthesuccessakintothatof America'sArmy.Whicheverentityassumesthetaskofintegratingcommercialvideogamingand simulationtechnologyintorecruitingandtraining,theNavyshouldcashinontheArmy's experienceandsuccess.TowardthisendtheNavyshouldlookateitherusingtheNaval PostgraduateSchool,astheArmydidforitsinitialdevelopmentofAmerica'sArmy,orconsidera partnershipthroughNAWCTSDwiththeSoftwareEngineeringDirectorateandtheArmy'sAviation andMissileResearchDevelopmentEngineeringCenterinHuntsville,Alabama.Asof2005,the centermanagesthecommercialgamedevelopmentprocessandusestheAmerica'sArmygame platformtocreategovernmenttrainingsimulations.WhiletheNavyneedstoensurerequirements arewelldefined,moneyiswiselyspent,andthereis"returnoninvestment,"italsoneedstomove thisinitiativealong.IttooktheArmylessthantwoyearstorolloutitsfirstversionofAmerica's Army.Surelyaservicethatpridesitselfonbeingtechnologysavvycangetintothegamerelatively quickly. 1.CarrieMcLeroy,"ImprovingAmerica'sArmy,"SoldiersMagazine(200809),pp.715. 2.BrianKennedy,"UncleSamWantsYou(ToPlayThisGame),"NewYorkTimes,11July2002. 3.AmandaLenhart,etal.,"Teens,VideoGames,andCivics"PewInternet&AmericanLifeProject, 16September2008. 4.Kennedy. 5.Ibid. 6.DavidVerklinandBerniceKanner,"GamesPeoplePlay."MediaPostPublications,7August2007. 7."StrikeandRetrieve,"NavyRecruitingCommandPressRelease,20June2005. 8.McLeroy. 9.CNOWashingtonDCNAVADMIN173/08. 5

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