Communication

AMERICA'S ARMY

America’s Army relies on giving players the experience of Army training and Army combat in a virtual space to boost recruitment.  After recruitment numbers were falling in the late 90s the Army decided on this new approach and spent $7 million to develop the initial “first-person” shooter game.  Games like America’s Army are a part of a new wave in gaming, known as “serious games” or “persuasive games” that are new venues for communication and learning.

A Taste of America's Army

America’s Army has a section dedicated to recruitment.  There you can interface with virtual soldiers who will tell you about their experiences in the Army.  The virtual soldiers are modeled on real soldiers and tell true stories from the field. Click below to see how America's Army brings recruitment into the game.

Before you can engage in virtual Army combat in America’s Army, you have to go through basic training.  This includes Basic Combat Training (BCT).  During BCT you learn to shoot the M249 machine gun, the AT4 anti-armor weapon , the BDM bunker defeat munition, the M203 grenade launcher, and the M9 pistol which is displayed below.

What the Experts Say

Ian Bogost

Video games are a developing form of communication.  They can help us view the world from another perspective and even allow us to stand in the shoes of someone else using the virtual environment of a video game.  Dr. Ian Bogost thinks that this can be very effective, but he says the user has ultimate control over its direct impact.
Nina Huntemann

Professor Nina Huntemann says that the messages communicated are often violent.  She says that when it comes to problem solving in a war setting, diplomacy is rarely the answer in the virtual space, especially in commercial videogames.
Thyson

Sergeant Christopher Thyson went through basic training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma and has also served in Iraq.  He says that America’s Army mimics the feel of basic training and combat but the virtual doesn’t prepare you for the reality.
AA

Uncle Sam’s rigid point and stern statement, “I want you” was the face of U.S. Army recruitment during the first world war.  Now, in the new millennium, the U.S. Army is using a more up-to-date tool to pull in new recruits.  The video game America’s Army was launched on July 4th, 2002 and is updated as the enemy changes.  It is available at recruitment centers and can be downloaded for free online.  There are more than 7.5 million registered players.  Click here to hear the full radio package.