Posted on 07/01/2008 9:46:23 PM PDT by LouD
UPDATE: Army shuts down warfare game
At the request of Summerfest officials, the U.S. Army on Tuesday removed a virtual urban warfare game that allowed fest-goers as young as 13 to hop into a Humvee simulator and fire machine guns at life-size people displayed on a computer screen.
"We're determining it's probably not something that we want to have shown at Summerfest," said John Boler, vice president of sales and marketing, said before the decision was made to request removal of the game, called Virtual Army Experience.
The game drew criticism from Peace Action Wisconsin, which called it "totally inappropriate and offensive." "War games should NOT be presented as entertainment," the group wrote in a press release.
"War is NOT a game. Summerfest is meant to bring people together for a good time in peace, not to present opportunities to practice shooting people."
Summerfest officials received a handful of complaints and first requested the Army raise the minimum age of the players to 18 and to stop giving out a DVD of a similar virtual experience. But officials later reconsidered the whole game.
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Earlier Article:
Summerfest may ban Army game
Organizers of Summerfest are in meetings to consider telling the Army to remove a virtual urban warfare game that allowed fest-goers as young as 13 to hop into a Humvee and fire machine guns at life-size people displayed on a computer screen.
"We're determining it's probably not something that we want to have shown at Summerfest," said John Boler, vice president of sales and marketing.
The game drew criticism from Peace Action Wisconsin, which called it "totally inappropriate and offensive."
"War games should NOT be presented as entertainment," the group wrote in a press release. "War is NOT a game. Summerfest is meant to bring people together for a good time in peace, not to present opportunities to practice shooting people."
Summerfest officials received a handful of complaints and first requested the Army raise the minimum age of the players to 18 and to stop giving out a DVD of a similar virtual experience. But officials later reconsidered the whole game.
"We don't have an issue with their physical presence," Boler said of the Army's full exhibit that includes a pull-up bar and recruiters gathering data and answering questions. "It's the digital content."
Boler said organizers thoroughly review and prescreen all exhibits but weren't aware of the details of the Army's digital game prior to the festival's opening.
An Army spokeswoman said the game, called Virtual Army Experience, isn't meant to teach people how to shoot, but rather educate them on the life of a soldier.
"It gives them a glimpse into what it's like to really be a soldier," said Pat Grobschmidt, a public affairs officer.
Grobschmidt said the game is one component of a larger game that is extremely popular with more than 8 million registered users. More than 500 Summerfest goers played the game on opening day, she said.
It was displayed at a concert in Madison and an air show in Janesville last year and did not get any complaints, she said.
“Since the kids are disallowed from playing soldier by this pack of worthless, gutless, feminized eunuch pussies, I suggest we give them with eggs, spray-paint, and a free ride to Peace Action Wisconsin’s headquarters.”
I like the way you think!;D
Who the hell gave “Peace Action Wisconsin” the right to speak for everyone?
Wisconsin = pussies.
Lived there 7 years and I know that state is run by and full of pussies.
Ironic that the the Summerfest grounds are a former NIKE surface to air missile site.
I will be calling today to exercize my first amendment right of free speech. What a crock!
It is bad enough that "Pridefest" is one of the "ethnic" festivals on these grounds each summer. We celebrate our German, Irish, Polish, etc. heritage with food & music, but also give a weekend so the sexual perverts can pretend that they are somehow normal too.
> What a bunch of sniveling little wussies, unfit to bear the label “American”
These wussy jerks don’t realize that the only thing guaranteeing their right to be wuses is a dtrong military.
You mean, because it could be mistaken as a confection?
With all the fights and arrests at Summerfest, somehow I think this game is the least of their worries! I don’t go any longer. Too crowded, too violent, just not fun anymore!
Looks like a weekend trip to Abline for me!
Lived there 7 years and I know that state is run by and full of pussies.
Being from Wisconsin I will accept your assessment of me personally because it is well known that you are what you eat. In that vein Madistan and our government would generally be referred to as dicks.
I went to GermanFest there a few years ago. I was in Milwaukee with the wife and kind of wandered into it.
They had Sprecher beer on tap (drool). Very reasonable price on food and beer. Lots of polka bands and girls dressed in leiderhosen. (sp?)
The state may be run by pussies, but DON’T YOU DARE CALL ME ONE! I have lived here all my life and you don’t speak for all of us!
I just called the Summerfest wusses at 414-273-2680 and of course they insist this was a decision independent of the peacenik commie complaints....lets inundate them with calls!
Where can I get one?
That must be why first person shooter games are just SO unpopular and how there is not a market for those.
Interesting to note that “Grand Theft Auto” is available for play at the arcade on the grounds. The kids can shoot at cops, but cannot “play Army”.
ping
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