So, check http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/224069/battlefield-3-simulator-will-blow-your-mind/ out. It looks really cool; you have a gun, and you fire by pulling the trigger. You move by actually moving; little treadmills keep you in place. Paintball guns shoot you when your character gets shot, and the screen moves when you move your body so you're always looking at it. It looks really fun.

But one thing stood out to me: the word "simulator". Remember that derogatory term for violent games popularized by a certain forked-tongued massacre-chasing scumbag? "Murder simulator"? Well, this thing could actually be called a murder simulator. "Combat simulator" might be more descriptive, but it recreates the act of killing people, and it's done with a recreation of the tool that you'd most likely do it with (a gun). This could actually train someone to use a gun. Not only that, but it could train someone to use a gun against people. I've only ever fired a BB gun, but I imagine it's quite different to shoot at a living target that doesn't want to get shot.

I bet simulators like this could become quite popular, eventually, but they raise quite a few questions. Would someone who has played these games be more likely to become violent? How would we defend them against the media, who would almost definitely bring back the "murder simulator" term? I want to hear your opinions; I've been thinking about this for a while.

Wow that looks awesome. I want one! :sadvaultboy:

You are very right when it comes to "Murder simulator". I think a simulator like this will get alot of controversy if it ever were to become a public phenomenom. You could actually teach people to use a gun with one of these without causing harm to anyone or destroy anything. I see this as a future simulator in military, as a combat-simulator.

This is both awesome and kinda creepy at the same time. But people didn't become crazy murderers back in the days where FPS games were considered murder simulators, and altough this looks like a futuristic murder-simulator, I don't really believe people will become mad killers by it.

I want it, I want it now, and I don't care the price. I'll sacrifice Suffca for it.

I want two so I can play my dad head to head, I'll have to sacrifice you AND suffca

What happens when you get hit by a rocket or tank round? A really, REALLY big paintball?

I doubt you could train someone to use a gun with this. It's alot different when you have a real gun, with real mechanisms and real recoil. It might teach them how to aim a gun, no different than airsoft or paintball, but not how to handle recoil and load the gun, unjam the gun, charge the gun, etc.

I wonder how well it actually works. People have been trying to build VR "caves" using treadmill systems to simulate walking for quite some time. The only thing about this rig that's different than what I've seen before is the paintball guns rigged to shoot you...well, and the fact that it's for playing BF3. It kinda seems like it would be easier, cheaper, and more fun to just play some paintball IRL, though.

That would freak the hell out of me... I want it.

Samurai simulator, how about that?

It would not create mad murderer that easily, but making losing lives seem trivial matter. When people became comfortable with lost limbs and heads flying around, humanity will end pretty quick.

This.

In the U.S. at least, it'd be much easier to simply take courses on weapon usage than trying to use a simulator like that. It's probably cheaper at the moment too.

But murder simulation are already existing since very long.
This is called Cluedo. Even more striking are the "Murder Parties", an awesome ancestor of all role playing game, very much in fashion in the 20's. I played already some and I can guarantee you this is really fun.

You actually get shot. :laugh:

Wait, isn't it kinda bad to be having paintballs flying around in that room ? Can the equipment be cleaned easily or are the rounds in the painball guns special in some way or ? How do they keep this clean ?

Over the centuries many peoples have been most comfortable with chopping off limbs and heads, and humanity is still around.

That said, I want one of those.

Does Suffca know about this? Or are you guys planning a surprise party sacrifice?

Yea, I don't know how I feel about that. I mean it must sense where you get shot and and the whole suit your wearing must vibrate or something. That said, it would svck for it to glitch and the whole suit vibrate.

you get hit with paintballs.

It's less about learning to use a firearm - which can be done at any conventional firing range - and more about dealing with situational awareness, tactics, and communication in a combat setting. In the real world they use http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Soldat_fran%C3%A7ais_au_CENZUB.jpg but as more and more training moves to controlled indoor environments I can see this becoming a more efficient method for creating training scenarios (you don't need a hundred extras to play as the OPFOR, for example.) The paintballs also add a moderate dimension of threat that isn't available with blanks and lasers.

I'm most impressed by the omni-directional treadmill, that's some seriously slick tech (though I wonder how "natural" it feels to walk/run on.)

Going to be watching this show when it comes on, since I happen to live in the UK where it's being broadcast.

I'm also very fascinated by the omni-directional threadmill. I do however wonder how running would be on it, and if the threadmill would keep rolling if you suddenly stopped, causing you to slide a couple of inches?

Thats even worse.

It does look really cool, but very gimmicky. I can't convey my negative opinion towards all things motion controlled, and why we should stick to controllers and a mouse and keyboards.

Is this from "The Gadgets Show"? Are they planning on showing us more from this simulator?

Apparently so. I have it set to record next Monday.

What channel is that on?

http://fwd.channel5.com/gadget-show/videos/gadget-extra/coming-up-series-16-episode-11