"The Army takes this seriously," said Lt. Col. Gary Stephens, of the Project Executive Office — Simulation Training and Instrumentation, which will supervise this unit. "We own gaming for the Army — from requirements through procurement."

While the Army will not compete with video game development per se, nor is it producing commercially available products, it will still be interacting with the civilian games industry. The Army will be closely monitoring trends that may be able to help its video game training unit. It also has an undisclosed budget to purchase or have developed a state-of-the-art successor to its "DARWARS Ambush" trainer (pictured), basically an FPS with 20th-century technology limitations.

The new trainer, "Game After Ambush" will require much stronger technology, including support for more trainees participating at the same time, full-featured terrain and scenario modification, and playback/review capability so that instructors can assess trainees' tactics and choices. It sounds like they want to get this up pretty soon.

Leslie Duvow, project director for gaming at PEO-STRI, said the Army will have 70 gaming systems in 53 locations in the United States, Germany, Italy and South Korea between February and September 2009.

"Each system will consist of 52 computers with ancillary equipment including steering wheels, headsets and mice," she said.

Soldiers will be able to drive virtual vehicles, fire virtual weapons, pilot virtual unmanned aerial vehicles and do "most anything a soldier does" in a virtual battle space as large as 100 kilometers by 100 kilometers, she said.

[Col. Mark] McManigal [of Training and Doctrine Command] said the game will replicate what soldiers encounter on today’s battlefield — from fighting in urban terrain and convoy operations to reacting to contact and ambush operations.

"Your imagination will be your only limiting factor," he said.

Not Playing Around: Army to Invest $50M in Combat Training Games [Stars and Stripes via Blue's News]

"I hardly play any games, I'm not from that generation, but because of my job, I had to research the industry. The vast majority of my parliamentary colleagues are always wanting to ban the latest game, but they don't know the details of the industry. Few people in this country realise how important it is to the UK economy."

Instead of trivializing or dismissing something he didn't understand, he looked into it and gave it a fair evaluation. It's part of being a representative and a leader, and I wish others would practice it more — and on subjects other than video games, of course.

Foster was noting how the UK games industry had fallen to fourth place overall in world development, and backing UK publishers who need stronger education policy to deliver them trained graduates, and tax breaks to stop the drain of development to nations with lower costs of doing business. Eidos' creative director and head of acquisitions recently said that the mainstream of the UK still treats games makers as "one notch up from pornography," and the government's posture doesn't help. Not sure how effective Mr. Foster will — Liberal Democrats are the third largest party in Parliament — but at least he's showing some support.

UK MP Backs Games Industry [Edge Online via GamePolitics]

Retailers would be hit with a $5000 civil fine should they be found in violation of the act. Similar legislation has been attempted in Massachusetts, New York, Louisiana, California and beyond to hilarious, ruled as unconstitutional result.

Terry argued for the bill, saying that "In some games high scores are often earned by players who commit ‘virtual’ murder, assault and rape." Ah yes, the old "virtual rape" fantasy game. Glad to see this fiction still being tossed around by our elected officials.

Bill targets teen gamers [Variety - thanks, Carlos!]

Bartle smugly namechecks Tanya Byron's level-headed report on the plight of raising children in a digital age, with access to realistic, sometimes violent video games. He finally warns "Gamers vote. Gamers buy newspapers. They won't vote for you, or buy your newspapers, if you trash their entertainment with your ignorant ravings." Yeah! Get 'em, Rich!

We've won: get over it [Guardian]

Second Life is a convenient punching bag for gamers, and I feel kind of bad caning on it two days straight. But it invites the abuse with this kind of oblivious, self-serious self-parody: Rep. Ed Markey's avatar gaveling the online hearing, and in the public gallery there is "a goth character with feathered wings, a pink cat, a phantom with shimmering gray dreadlocks, a winged grasshopper, women in tube and bikini tops, and a naked man floating through the air." At least the griefers didn't show up to overrun the meeting with flying penises.

Here's something: In real life, I loathe it when some demonstration making a point I support is inevitably overtaken by stilt-walkers, puppeteers and bongo-drumming hippies. Like, way to take that message to the mainstream, folks. In Second Life, aren't they sick of having every furry, faerie and goth speak for the whole — especially in Congress? Or are they the communities busybodies, the ones who come to every Second Life PTA meeting?

The Washington Post's Dana Milbank, writing about the hearing, notes that its ostensible purpose was in probing the downsides of online worlds (child exploitation, terrorist recruiting, etc.) He correctly points out that it amounted to "an infomercial for Second Life." The founder got to play a promotional video and boast that Second Life is changing the nature of communication itself. Um, no. Sequestering people at their computers for hours out of the day and ensuring their only contact with a human being — some of it sexual — is through the prism of a computer screen, is not for my money a real communication breakthrough. A variant, sure.

This reminds me of the time on King of the Hill, when Hank confronts the Christian rock band. "Listen, you're not making Christianity better, you're making rock and roll worse." I'd like to say the same thing, substituting "communication" for Christianity, and "online gaming" for "rock and roll."

Goofy Characters and Weird People — Sounds Like a Hearing [The Washington Post, thanks OriontheSmiter]

Wii controls to defuse bombs [Metro.co.uk]

The Sony marketing coup disguised as purchasing request reads "The processors in the Sony PlayStation 3 are the only brand on the market that utilizes the specific cell processor characteristics needed for this program at an acceptable cost." We can only assume they're going to be running something fairly code intensive in a Linux install or that an announcement about the the War On Giant Enemy Crabs is imminent.

Presolicitation Notice: 70 — 40 GB Console Systems [FBO.gov via PS3mods]

Reynard will seek to identify the emerging social, behavioral and cultural norms in virtual worlds and gaming environments. The project would then apply the lessons learned to determine the feasibility of automatically detecting suspicious behavior and actions in the virtual world.

They do describe it as a 'seedling' effort that 'may increase its scope to a full project' if early results are promising. I have nightmarish visions of TSA meets virtual worlds, which won't be pretty. You can find the full PDF version of the unclassified data mining report at Wired.

U.S. Spies Want to Find Terrorists in World of Warcraft [Wired]

Internet cafes have been repeatedly targeted for breeding juvenile crime and promoting truancy, despite widely ignored rules barring anyone under 18 from admission. Located in towns and small cities throughout China, internet cafes mainly offer online games that are popular among young people. Authorities have blamed the cafes for Internet addiction and for encouraging juvenile crime as a way to earn money to play online games.

First the problem was that kids were so busy playing WoW and other MMORPGs that they didn't have time for anything else; now the problem is that WoW's keeping them too busy ... with crime? Does this mean we'll see a related drop off in suspect addiction 'treatment' methods?

China Targets Internet in Crime Sweep [AP]

Several folks in the Chinese games industry stressed the ways that online gaming reflected the loneliness and isolation of single children who were forced to reach out beyond their own families or even local communities in search of playmates. Whether understood literally or metaphorically, this link between the one child family and the debates about games addiction helps to explain the intensity of this concern.

There are lots of interesting thoughts contained within if you keep an eye on the Chinese gaming scene - and several other entries relating to this Shanghai forum are worth taking a look see at.

Games and Social Responsibility — Perspectives from Shanghai [via CNET]

We suppose that this sort of diversion of funds makes more sense than others. I just hope they don't limit the use of PSPs for these poor kids brought to tears by the prospect of experiencing "nature." And, please New Mexico, make sure these kids are well stocked on Happy Meals.

A Tax to Remember [The Huffington Post via GamePolitics]

In a sweep designed to "clean up young people's online environment," police in the southern Chinese border city of Shenzhen uncovered 563 illegal Internet cafes, Xinhua said. The crackdown netted 1,407 computers, while 7 people were arrested and nearly 5,000 Internet accounts closed.

Shenzhen police in one case discovered 30 computers crammed into a 40-square meter room.

Other unregistered establishments were tucked in the upper floors of otherwise empty buildings. "This shows the difficulties the law enforcers face," Xinhua noted.

Promising more crackdowns and more laws, the Chinese government is attempting to bite back. I'm just unconvinced it's actually going to do anything other than flush out some illegal businesses and further bloat the bureaucracy.

China flags crackdown on "undesirable" online games [Reuters]

Since when have we let these Bollywood actors and socialites dictate what the citizens of India can or cannot do? Maybe it's time Mrs Tagore sorted out her own house, paid more attention to the kind of games her grandkids played especially when the games have big letters saying MA printed on them instead of urging the government to baby sit the nation's children at the expense of the tax payers hard earned money.

Why should others pay for her blatant ignorance and negligence?

Will the parliamentary proposal be successful? We'll find out soon - this doesn't seem like a huge surprise (everyone loves an easy target), but the family drama is enough to make my head spin.

Video Games Censorship Comes to India [GameGuru] and Government To Regulate Video Games in India [Desicritics] [both via GamePolitics]

Senators urge tougher rating for "Manhunt" game [Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

Regulators Clear Electronic Arts Deal [AP/Yahoo!]

Anti-war veterans protest at Black Expo [STLtoday via Game Politics]

"Players fight their way through one level after another, overcoming all obstacles to eliminate corrupt officials and enter a spring-like paradise filled with birdsong and the scent of flowers, a peaceful world where people live in love, harmony and national prosperity," the Ningbo [Zhejiang province] city government said in a statement.

Unfortunately, so many people were eager to play the game that the website crashed, and it's still not back up yet. With China having several high-profile scandals under its belt in the past year, I suppose it's no surprise that they're trying to help the future officials of the party understand that corruption is a bad, bad thing. Though as one Beijing University professor put it, "Government officials should be the ones getting anti-corruption education, not local youngsters."

China enjoys anti-corruption game [BBC News] and Chinese Gamers Hunt Corrupt Officials Online [PC World], with photo credit to Stefan Landsberger's Chinese Propaganda Poster Pages, which is incomparable.

Nintendo and its developers and publishers lost an estimated $762 million in sales in 2006 due to piracy of its products. Nintendo's anti-piracy team works closely with law enforcement officials worldwide to seize mod chips and counterfeit software. Since April, Nintendo has seized more than 91,000 counterfeit Wii discs globally.

Kou Xiaowei, deputy director of the Audio & Video and Online Publication Management Division of GAPP, has told local media that fully implementing the anti-addiction system is an important measure taken to carry out the State Council's rule on molding Chinese teenagers' morals and promoting the sustainable and healthy development of China's online game industry. He has called on the companies to strengthen their social responsibility and consult with the concerned departments to ensure the anti-addiction tasks can be carried out smoothly.

No word on whether or not the government has figured out who's actually cheating the system or what they'll do when they find out.

Game Operators Receive Anti-Addiction System Warnings [China CSR]

A summarized policy:

Sellers who do between 6 and 12 million won [~$6,500 - $13,000]/half year in business will have VAT auto applied by transaction's middle-man

Sellers who do more than 12 million won/half year in business will need a business license and will pay the tax by themselves

The entry at im69 points out that according to the TOS of many games, in-game items and currency traded for real money still belong to the developers - so who exactly is responsible for the tax and how is the industry going to respond? Korean game publishers have been silent on the issue, but the increasing interest real-world governments have in regulating virtual transactions is getting more and more interesting.
RMT Taxation starts in Korea from 1 July 2007 [im69 via PlayNoEvil]

"Serious games" is a term used in an article in FCW that is associated games that are developed for training purposes, such as in the military or medical professions and could be a more successful way to train staff than with traditional texts:

When students learn information only from books, they don't get the deeper training that they need... Students must master information so well that it becomes instinctive knowledge... Researchers are studying the role of video games in learning. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) released a report in 2006 that identified skills that researchers found students could learn better from playing games than from conventional training. Those skills included the ability to make fast decisions in critical, high-stress situations.

Another example noted is how some gamers experience how to work well in a community. In World of Warcraft, people learn how to work together in organized groups in which members have specific roles and responsibilities. To be able to learn not only the skills of a trade but communication as well through a game could be in invaluable resource for companies, but because of the current cost it takes to produce a game, the industry has remained a profit-making one. Hopefully, with this bill, developers will take more of an interest in making serious games. Kim Phu

Serious Games = Serious Training [[FCW]

Second to only watching the Colbert Report, of course. The US State Department may consider opening up a branch in Second Life, particularly surround Karen Hughes, the Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. That means that Second Lifers can visit the State Department regarding issues the government is actively engaged in, for example, issues surrounding the handicapped.

Although this is a great concept, it seems strange that subscribers to Second Life be the only "people" to participate directly with the government. There are plenty of other online outlets that haven't been saturated, or rather, properly used. Where is the active US State Department public forum or active email links to our Congressmen and their staff?

Perhaps the idea of having a brick and mortar, as it would in Second Life, is what gives its legitimacy, but it shouldn't make the buildings in real life less relevant than they already are. Kim Phu

U.S. State Department Considering SL Project [3pointd]

Not one to be outdone by Microsoft (and really, who is?), the Mexican government has swiped the world's biggest effing piñata record held by the Viva Piñata piñata and done one better. Created to celebrate 2007, the new champ was built in Mexico City and is 30 meters in diameter and 27 meters tall, dwarfing Microsoft's 14.6 meter tall effort. Speculation maybe, but I *heart* the idea of Mexican officials plotting to one-up Microsoft's effort. Brian Ashcraft

New Title Holder [Ultimavida, Thanks Grow!]

"We will be watching to see whether or not the change is effective in reducing the reports," said Julie Vallese, director of information and public affairs for the commission.

She said that there are two ways in which the commission can get involved in a product safety issue. One is by discovering the problem on their own, either through consumer complaints or their own research, the other is by the company notifying them of an issue.

In this case Nintendo contacted the commission and asked to fast track the solution, which involved offering to replace about 2 million Wii remote safety straps.

"Nintendo wanted this to happen very quickly," Vallese said. "We worked with the company and their representatives to get an announcement out very quickly for this program."

In the report, Nintendo told the commission that they had received three reports of injuries that were not serious. Vallese did not have details but said typically that would include minor cuts and bruises. She said the commission only receives detailed reports if someone is treated by a health care provider like a doctor or in an emergency room.

All three of the injuries, she confirmed, were a direct result of the strap breaking. None of them, she said, were connected to people getting hit by someone playing the game too close to them.

Because Nintendo self-reported the issue, the commission will not do its own investigation unless new issues crop up with the new strap.

"If the problem continues with the new strap that's where we might step in," she said. "We also would have to decide if it's a safety issue."

Vallese added that that means that if remotes were, for instance, smashing into a television hard enough to cause the tube to explode or somehow stop working in a dangerous way, it could also be deemed a safety issue.

While the commission has the power to issue civil penalties, Nintendo wouldn't likely fall into that category because they reported the issue and are following the program they developed to replace the straps, she said. Brian Crecente

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is blaming video games not for violence, but for his own possible political overthrow. The presidente's politburo contend that the upcoming Mercenaries 2: World In Flames from Los Angeles-based Pandemic Studios is part of a US Government plot to dethrone Chavez. The next-gen game simulates an invasion of the South American country to dispose of an imaginary Venezuelan "tyrant."

"I think the US government knows how to prepare campaigns of psychological terror so they can make things happen later," said Venezuelan congressman Ismael Garcia. The US and Venezuela's relationship has been rocky since Chavez came to power in 1998. Chavez increased state control over Venezuela's oil industry, which is the world's fourth largest. The plot for Mercenaries 2 follows soldiers out to overthrow "a power-hungry tyrant [who] messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone".

An insider at Pandemic just shot us an email, shedding some light on the situation, writing:

Personally I'm rather amused that they would think that we would be some sort of psychological tool for the current administration (which I personally abhor). We're just trying to make a cool game.

Mercenaries 2: World In Flames is set to take over living rooms not dictators in 2007. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [BBC]
Good Press [Pandemic]

While the numbers have improved, at first glance they seem frustratingly low. Only half of cashiers and clerks asked the child shoppers their age. I personally find that pretty embarrassing, but I'm not the ESRB, ESA or IEMA. They find these results pretty pleasing. Check out the follow up story at Game Politics for reactions from the industry.

Obviously, there is a long way to go to ensure that kids don't get their hands on violent games. Any suggestions?

Undercover Shop Finds Decrease in Sales of M-Rated Video Games to Children
Game Industry Reacts to FTC Secret Shopper Survey [Game Politics]

Senate holds violent-game hearing [GameSpot]

"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."

Yep. Two years, trolls. According to CNET, Sen. Arlen Specter slipped this into the must-pass bill in order to sneak it through. The ruse worked. The bill sailed through the House of Representative and the Senate, because we all know those guys don't read every bill they pass.

Here's the sticky bit. While cyberstalking can be a serious problem, defining a word like "annoying" is relative. What bothers me may or may not bother you. And now, that could mean a federal crime. Take note trolls, take note.

Full Story [CNET News] Thanks, Gant!