Serious Games Challenge

[Pieman]

Myself and a group of coders are going to be entering a 'Serious Game' contest this coming August.

http://www.sgschallenge.com/index.aspx

The game application has to be a military one, and we are looking for ideas. So I am posting this here hoping that some people might be able to suggest something valid.

Essentially, our idea is to create a video game that supplements real training. For example, a video game that recreates a real FIBUA site or the shooting range with a C7. The idea is that the soldier would be able to train on the real site, and then later in the day they can play a video game that is build around the training environment. By playing the game, the soldier keeps thinking about what has to be  done in the training environment. We aim to prove that this kind of setup will increase performance substantially.

However, we are hoping to find something that will be applicable to more advanced forms of training, that might have an impact on some of the missions in Afghanistan. We also want the application to be for the Canadian Army.

I have a prototype video game already constructed, it just needs the proper application. For those of you who are interested in seeing it, PM me and I will provide a download. (I don't want my server being bogged down)

Can anyone here suggest a training application that might go well with this idea?

Is there a training site that you know of that you would like to see as a video game?

We don't expect to win the contest by a long shot, as we will be up against groups with financial supplements. However, we do hope to attract attention to our 'Training Supplement' concept as being a valid form of education.

 

[Pieman]

Here are a couple screen shots of what we have so far:

(Yes, they are american tanks and hummers, hoping to get a G-Wagon and Lav models at some point)

 

[Centurian1985]

To be realistic, you need to build in interaction with local populations!

 

[FredDaHead]

To be realistic, you need to build in interaction with local populations!

Companies with multi-million dollar budgets for game development aren't even making realistic interaction; I don't think it's realistic to expect it from a bunch of programmers working (presumably) with an extremely limited budget.

The graphics look good, though. Are you guys planning on a "hud"? Maybe something like in America's Army? Speaking of which, the idea sounds a lot like some kind of "Canada's Army", but that's just me. Looking forward for the finished product!

 

[Pieman]

Thanks for the responses.

Companies with multi-million dollar budgets for game development aren't even making realistic interaction; I don't think it's realistic to expect it from a bunch of programmers working (presumably) with an extremely limited budget.

Yea, realistic interaction with a local population isn't really on the agenda. Our budget is currently zero as we are doing this on the side. There is a total of three coders working on this thus far, myself producing the bulk of the code. We are preparing and application for a Grant through the DND and NSERC, and hope to get some reasonable funding through them...eventually.

Are you guys planning on a "hud"? Maybe something like in America's Army? 

That's the idea. We are aiming something to be a cross between Full Spectrum Warrior and America' Army. We are working on getting the multi-player engine installed into the game. So you would be able to play against other people online.

What would make this program unique is that it would recreate actual training areas that our soldiers train in. Imagine coming off a FIBUA sight, go home, and playing XBox/PC game with members of your platoon online.  We feel that using such a system soldiers would be able to absorb the lessons being taught on the FIBUA sight with greater speed and depth.

So any suggestions on a real training site that could be recreated in game envionment?

 

[HItorMiss]

Pieman

Excellent idea and initiative.

Have you thought of this as way to be used as rehearsal tool? Say a way for people to input images into the system of say a building That you could in theory, use your game to rehearse breaching and clearing in your 4 man stack withought expenditures of blank ammo or simunition or even the need to book a FIBUA site.

As well you could if you got a grant travel to some areas and take Digital pics of training areas and add them to your game such as say Petawawa and it's FIBUA site etc etc...

 

[Pieman]

Have you thought of this as way to be used as rehearsal tool? Say a way for people to input images into the system of say a building That you could in theory, use your game to rehearse breaching and clearing in your 4 man stack withought expenditures of blank ammo or munition or even the need to book a FIBUA site.

Absolutely! You could quite easily build and drop a building of any kind into the game. Would not take much technical know-how or time. The good thing about this idea is that it could be easily modified to any training area.

As well you could if you got a grant travel to some areas and take Digital pics of training areas and add them to your game such as say Petawawa and it's FIBUA site etc etc...

I have been looking into doing this already, and have tried to contact people in the CF. I have not been contacting the right people as most don't seem to know where to start looking for permission for me to get on a location. I am in Calgary and it would be no problem for me to get to Edmonton or Wainright or any other site nearby.

Ultimately, once we have a site recreated in a game we want to do an experiment to prove it really works. We would recreate a FIBUA site and have two different platoons got through training in it. One platoon would have our video game and would play it in the evenings. The other platoon would go through training normally. At the end we could compare the performance of the two platoons and see who did better.

 

[HItorMiss]

Pieman,
The Area Range Control has control over the training areas contact them and the base Commander I bet you wont have mush issue after that.