There is a Chinese saying: "Playing with objects will lose one's aspiration." However, with the rapid spread of the Internet, foreign militaries have taken a different approach and started to "play" computers. They utilize the educational entertainment effect unique to computer and online games, organically combining education and training, thus becoming a new platform for cultivating new military talents and conducting combat exercises. It was reported that in July 2002, to spark interest among young people in joining the military, the U.S. Army specifically developed an online military game called "America's Army," which was made available for download on the internet. Within a few months, more than 6.5 million people registered. After the game was launched, the U.S. Department of Defense conducted a follow-up investigation on the training of new recruits in a digitized division. The results showed that 40% of the new recruits, due to having played related games beforehand, quickly mastered complex information-based equipment, drawing high attention and importance from the U.S. military leadership. As a result, in recent years, the "game training fever" in foreign militaries has continued to rise.
Cultivating Military Values: Foreign militaries believe that compared to various traditional propaganda and teaching methods, using computer games for ideological indoctrination makes soldiers more receptive, with very significant effects. For this reason, the U.S. Army developed the game "The Growth of a Soldier." In the game, if players adhere to the U.S. military's rules and regulations, are loyal to their duties, work hard, possess team spirit, and perform tasks excellently, they can continuously earn points and promotions, gradually growing into senior officers; conversely, they will be penalized or punished, losing promotion opportunities.
Fostering Interest in Military Training: Compared to traditional training methods, computer games developed with entertainment as a means have prominent fun and appeal. Combining them with military training can stimulate soldiers' enthusiasm for learning and training, cultivating soldiers with excellent comprehensive qualities. It was reported that over 90% of U.S. military personnel dispatched since the outbreak of the Iraq War have been trained in various levels of simulated combat through networked military games.
Understanding Equipment Operation Performance: Currently, foreign militaries not only have computer games for light weapons training but also have developed game software for aircraft, submarines, aircraft carriers, including logistics support equipment operation training. The U.S. military's "Combat" software is designed with strict realism based on actual performance parameters of light weapons. Players can easily understand and master basic operational techniques of various light weapons through this game and successfully complete "combat missions."
Cultivating Combat Command Skills: In military games, players can personally command "thousands of troops." For example, the U.S. military released the game "Battlefield II" in 2005. Commanders facing three-dimensional maps can make battle arrangements, issue combat orders, and organize combat actions through mouse clicks and voice commands.
Cultivating Good Military Qualities: Players can learn and grasp various tactical application principles, methods, and requirements in virtual battlefield environments similar to real combat. It was reported that now several different strategy, campaign, and tactical game softwares such as "U.S. Navy SEALs," "Call of Duty," and "Medal of Honor" have become new platforms for the U.S. military to train transformation talents.
Establishing Logistics Support Awareness: Before the troops move, provisions must be prepared. Players can deeply understand the important position of logistics supply and replenishment in the combat process within the game. For example, in the "Empire" game, to increase manpower, one must produce more food; to build planes and cannons, one must mine and smelt minerals; to use modern equipment, one must ensure sufficient oil supply.
Cultivating Joint Cooperation Awareness: Computer games usually support multiple players operating simultaneously online, thereby emphasizing joint combat awareness and coordinated combat concepts. To defeat the enemy in the game, players must learn to cooperate with allied countries, and soldiers can conduct realistic "coordinated combat" in virtual battlefield spaces.
Foreign military experts believe that game-based training is an important product of the current information age. Through various highly realistic "war simulations," the goal of "fighting in games and gaming in fights" can be achieved. Foreign militaries point out: military games not only cause significant changes in preparation methods but also alter combat methods. Games are not war, and war is certainly not a game, but computer game technology has driven tremendous changes in the art of war.