TIL the US Government once released its own video game to inform, educate, and recruit prospective soldiers. - eviltoast
  • WoolyNelson@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    People were in an uproar over “indoctrination” by the game. If your child can be convinced to join the army by playing that game… maybe it’s for the best.

    • IMongoose@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Ya, idk how this would recruit someone into infantry. I played it for a little bit and it was a getting shot simulator. Idk if I ever even saw someone on the other team.

      • Fester@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        Every game I play teaches me that I will immediately die in real life if anything bad ever happens.

        Every FPS - shot dead immediately. No respawning.

        Scary game - heart attack immediately.

        Every sword game - maimed horrifically.

        Zombie apocalypse - eaten immediately, and I’ll turn into a fat one that explodes later.

        • PhobosAnomaly@feddit.uk
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          2 months ago

          Every sword game - maimed horrifically.

          I seem to recall Bushido Blade crudely implemented this in the late 90’s, introducing rudimentary disablements on a Fallout-style limb system that would slow you down if you took a slash to the leg, or render your hand ineffective if you were struck there.

          The slow march into middle age is making my memories fuzzy.

          • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            Bushido Blade was our jam back in the day.

            They was also a really cool samurai game called Way of the Samurai (i think) that had complex combat, and like 100 different ending or something.

            • Final Remix@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              Way of the Samurai is amazing. 3&4 are on GOG if memory serves. In 4, you can literally get an ending by getting right back on your boat and fucking off to a less murdery town.

              • yamanii@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                Yep those games are also very funny lol, I didn’t get it at first when I played as a teen, but trying it again I see I was just dumb and impatient.

    • sp3tr4l@lemmy.zip
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      2 months ago

      Do you remember when people figured out, on certain maps… stand exactly here (in spawn), fire a grenade launcher at this exact pixel in the skybox, and 80% of the enemy team is now dead?

      • SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Was a good way to end up getting kicked if you did it in the first 10 seconds on some servers.

        Played the Hill capture point map a lot (48east) it was a really simple shot from either side once you saw someone do it. But a server full of regulars could kinda police that shit.

    • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Shit, that game was fun to pass the time, but never once did it inspire me to enlist.

    • warbond@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      To be fair, it was a video game aimed at children to teach them how to be good soldiers during a time when the US was entering a deeply unpopular war under false pretenses.

      Around the same time there were all sorts of lawsuits surrounding video games and their effects on children, so maybe it was a double whammy.

      Regardless of any claims for or against violent video games, the Army shouldn’t be recruiting like that.