DisArmaggedon Army:modding god mode in/as serious

games

Cynthia HaynesIT University of Copenhagen

CCCCMarch 26, 2006

Pentagon, September 11, 2001

the birth of ‘god mode’

the birth of America’s Army computer gameJuly 4, 2002

the birth of ‘faith-based computer games’

eternal war: shadow of light (christian computer

game)

“death is gain”

Timothy Huxton’s ‘True Christian’ mod

of Unreal Tournament

We are witnessing a dramatic confluence

of faith, politics, and gaming.

America’s Army Special Forces

‘the official U.S. Army game’

marketed as a ‘strategic communication tool’

U.S. Army NASCAR races recruiting event

where America’s Army tournaments are held

America’s Army developers focus on key attributes

personal growth

teamwork

leadership

warrior ethos

Army values (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage)

“In order to increase the Army’s return on investment for the America’s Army strategic communications tool, the Army created the Government Applications Team to use the

game’s technology for effective and engaging virtual learning.”

“In contrast to other popular computer games, in

America’s Army limbs are never blown off...wounds

are marked by a puff of red smoke.” (Seth Schiesel)

Lance Cpl. Jose Antonio Gutierrez

first U.S. casualty of Iraq warkilled by ‘friendly fire’

March 20, 2003

the task for game studies

reading game studies rhetorically

andreading game studies

ludologically

understanding the game as moral (or not)

understanding the game as game

but always (in the end) understanding war as play.

which means...

the following are‘god mode’ arguments

against using America’s Army

for recruiting purposes--against the ONE ARMY

are you...

Ludology must redraw the line between war . . . .

and play.