Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!hlab
From: autodesk!unreal!robertj@uunet.UU.NET (Young Rob Jellinghaus)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: Re: Wargames and Virtual Worlds (Was Re: Questions about BattleTech)
Message-ID: <1991Apr29.194642.10594@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 29 Apr 91 04:33:06 GMT
Sender: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu (Human Int. Technology Lab)
Organization: University of Washington
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Approved: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu




I didn't realize when I made my first posting that the game includes
images of graphic deaths of the other players in the game.
I can see why the reaction has been so severe to it if it's actually
graphically violent (as opposed to, say, Lucasfilm's _Their_Finest_
_Hour_, which is basically a minor-leagues flight simulator).

I had been thinking it was something like a multi-player flight
simulator, which didn't seem all that controversial to me.  (Inter-
esting:  flight simulators on PCs are considered "just toys", but
dedicated flight simulators are anything but... and a new flight
simulator that pilots can use for training was just released for
color Macs... it would seem that the difference between a game and
a useful tool is degree of realism, when it comes to simulating
aircraft.)

It's very interesting that the creators of this game seem to have
crossed one very subversive psychological boundary.  Games are one
nthing, but really shooting someone is no longer fun... and maybe for
some, this VR game crosses that line where the illusion becomes too
real.  If this is in fact the case, there is a lot of interesting
research to be done concerning the reaction of the VR community to
this game.

And though I do see why some might feel this is a regrettable blot on
the annals of VR, I think that much is to be gained by open discussion
of cases such as this VR game, that push the boundaries of convention.
And VR doesn't have to worry about being written off as a toy.  Though
I applaud the desire of the VR community to spread and flourish, it
would be a shame if this happened at the expense of stifling novel and
thought-provoking work--especially when there are so _many_ yet-
unexplored possibilities in that mad pursuit known as virtual reality.

Rob Jellinghaus


[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  Actually, I hope not to mislead anyone.  The
actual Virtuality game, so far as I have seen, does not feature
graphic gore.  But the PROMOTION of this game does press on the
edges.  One observer at the Munich conference remarked, "This will
really turn on the Brits, who seem to have the hots for air combat
if the Gulf War is to be believed; but it will really sour the
Germans, who are trying to learn to live without military violence."
Whatever.  It's a good argument for cross-cultural sensitivity in
the design and marketing of tomorrow's VR technology.  The fine
distinction between what a game offers and what it is purported to
offer, by the marketeers, may be lost on the general public and on
potential investors in our technology...particularly those from
other cultures.  IMHO.  Thanks to Rob for a good dialogue. -- Bob Jacobson]