Using Commercial PC Games in Defence Research


Authors

Helen Bowyer, Peter Waggett, Steven Poltrock and Mark Handel

Abstract

Research to improve defence technologies and training in defence methods require simulation environments that are generally expensive and inflexible. Commercial PC military games provide a low-cost and flexible alternative, but raise questions about the validity of the research results and the training experience. We developed a simulation environment to support research in advanced defence technology using the commercial game Battlefield 2 with extensions for recording results and manipulating events. In our initial experiments we observed reckless behaviour that we would not expect in a real military setting, but we found that the environment could be made more realistic with changes to the rules and missions. We also found that a realistic simulation of military behaviour requires military participants. We conclude that PC games offer a promising means of conducting both research and training in the military domain.

Publication Date

November, 2008

Venue

Proceedings of Swansea Animation Days (SAND 2008)

Published To

Conference


Publication Type

Externally published

ITA Area

Project 10, Technical area 4

Download a copy of the paper here

SANDPaper2008-Final.pdf

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