A first person shooter (FPS) that gives players extra motivation for NOT getting shot is being touted as the next big thing in 3D gaming simulation. The product, developed in conjunction with military hardware company Raytheon (on behalf of the US Army) and simulation specialists Motion Reality inc. is not just a gaming simulation, but a fully immersive, total-body, battle simulator.
Sensors are attached to the soldier's muscles to better demonstrate the sudden paralysis of being shot in the field - and making players deal with the problem of losing control of the arm carrying a gun.
Trainee Shot Stimulation
The resulting muscle spasms are long enough to cause the soldier significant discomfort, in what is being devised as a more comprehensive way of motivating trainees not to get shot in typical simulation environments.
Because of the ingrained 'non-reality' of any 3D virtual world, it's thought that physical simulation can add an extra layer of believability to such scenarios. The physical simulation hardware used by Motion Reality is known as VIRTSIM and attaches to as many as four different muscles.
How the system works
The device is not just a muscle modifier, but an entire body suit worn by the player (soldier). An area roughly 50 feet wide and 50 feet long acts as the central gaming area, where senior officers and other military staff can watch trainees duke it out.
The VIRTSIM hardware can simulate field obstacles such as walls and barriers via low-level vibrations - a kind of force feedback device already seen in most flight simulators, racing games and some gaming controllers.
Gaming vests
While Raytheon'ssystem is designed for military training, some see potential for other gamers. One gaming company, TN games, has even created a gaming vest (known as the "3rd space") that uses compressed air to simulate shots around the chest. It's currently compatible with games such as Call of Duty 2, but has failed to set the public's imagination of fire after critically being panned by gamers for not being realistic enough. Could the VIRTSIM be the answer?
The soldiers in the training exercise also carry full size weapons to better replicate the physical properties of war-time scenarios, while there is also a law enforcement option for police trainees, who choose to use a handgun instead.
We'd really be interested in seeing technology like this filter into the civilian domain. We're keen to see how muscle paralysis could add special credence to online FPS gameplay.
Apart from the legal minefield that companies selling such devices would undoubtedly need to navigate, it would certainly 'up' the stakes in 3D action gaming considerably: that blood splatter you see on screen could one day be felt in the side of your lower bicep.