News - American military pays through the nose for video game

[HEXUS]

A freedom of information act request has unveiled how much the US military has paid out for the video game "America's Army".

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[OilSheikh]

$32m on a game development? And, one which is free?

[Revilgo]

Seriously? For that kind of money you think it would have better graphics. Hmmm, I wonder if the Taliban uses it to train their fighters too, now there's a thought. Mornings to study the Koran and in the afternoon it's off to the internet cafes across the road for some point and shoot and get to know thy enemy. Yeah, that's the way to do it.

[aidanjt]

It's spanning nearly ten years of on going development, $32 million is actually pretty reasonable. Well under a typical DoD project budget.

[detonator]

It's spanning nearly ten years of on going development, $32 million is actually pretty reasonable. Well under a typical DoD project budget.

Yep, $32m is pretty much "loose change" in a budget of (an example of this years) $651.2 billion per annum.

Crazy money.

[dave87]

Crazy money.

I'm sure I have a suitably sized bank account for that

[12GaugeShotty]

$32m on a game development? And, one which is free?

It was free to download and play. You don't think support, development and providing servers is free to the company that releases the game do you?

Seriously? For that kind of money you think it would have better graphics. Hmmm, I wonder if the Taliban uses it to train their fighters too, now there's a thought. Mornings to study the Koran and in the afternoon it's off to the internet cafes across the road for some point and shoot and get to know thy enemy. Yeah, that's the way to do it.

Well, they didn't create the graphics. The first release used the Unreal 2 engine, so they merely paid for the license. The latest game uses the Unreal 3 engine.

Not sure if you have seen terrorist training videos. They don't play video games. That is a naive comment to make.

[Lee H]

America's Army was actually okay when it first came out, I don't know what it's like now as I've not seen it for well over a year so I couldn't really comment.

I wonder if they tell the Army recruits that in real-life there is no respawn

[12GaugeShotty]

America's Army was actually okay when it first came out, I don't know what it's like now as I've not seen it for well over a year so I couldn't really comment.

I wonder if they tell the Army recruits that in real-life there is no respawn

The new one looks okay with graphics but I hated having to go through the training again. For some reason my old AA account did not carry over for veteran status.

I am sure that real Army recruits learn real quick that there isn't a respawn. Of course if you join the US Army I think you should understand intent to kill or be killed is there.

[Revilgo]

Not sure if you have seen terrorist training videos. They don't play video games. That is a naive comment to make.

Must hit the sarcasm/irony/flippancy branch again. Doh!