Yvan Eht Nioj in the MMO Games

"yvan eht nioj, yvan eht nioj"

In an episode of the Simpsons, you might remember the time wherein Bart formed his own boy/rockband sponsored by the government. Their breakout and very successful single was "yvan eht nioj". It was played continuously, and as a consequence a lot of people signed up for the navy and even the army even the most unlikely characters. It was only Lisa who was curious enough to play back the music video with the words running at the bottom. Of course she found out that it meant "join the navy".

True to form, the Simpsons indeed reflects the true American society. Because the US government now uses Massively Multiplayer Online(MMO) games to recruit people. The US armed forces already use online gaming as a recruitment tool. America's Army for example introduces players to the "seven Army Core Values" and now claims to be one of "the most popular computer games in the world".

And now it is NASA that is soliciting game makers and providers to simulate space travel as a game platform. They released a Request for Information (RFI) and asks that the providers submit it by February. Actually, NASA is already in the 3D virtual universe. It owns an island in Second Life where individuals and groups with an interest in the space programme can meet, share ideas and conduct experiments.

This time it wants to promote participatory exploration. The director of the project, Simon Worden said, "We are looking at how this island can be a portal for all to fly along on space missions," so that "When the next people step onto the surface of the Moon in a little over a decade, your avatar could be with them. "

NASA believes that games in virtual worlds with scientifically accurate simulations could permit learners to tinker with chemical reactions in living cells, practice operating and repairing expensive equipment, and experience microgravity. It calls for "powerful physics capabilities" that can "support accurate in-game experimentation and research". I wonder if scientific secrets can be obtained from this and then the powerful nations would againt race to who gets to do what first.

Not only can this nurture career options in the NASA and provide an effectively cheaper and shorter training compared to an internship. This also gives "opportunities for students to investigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics career paths while participating in engaging game-play."

In my opinion, the NASA project is laudable. Maybe this is the solution to the out lagging Science and Technology problems. The government should sponsor alternative learning tools that the youth can actually use. Plus, it's a lot cheaper than creating and maintaining more Science Curriculum schools. this will boost the education of the minds of the pre-teens and teens that already spend most of their time playing online games.

On the other hand, I wouldn't want the government to subliminally recruit or manipulate people for jobs or acts that the person in his normal state would not take or do. I once read that there is a jihadist game that actually spur the players to do acts of terrorism. If the television and music are checked for dangerous and pornographic content, all the more should these games be checked. The target market of these games are the impressionable youth. We have constitutional and legislative mandates against this even if they also go against freedom of expression or art.

Sources:

http://www.americasarmy.com/

http://colab.arc.nasa.gov/background
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7195718.stm