Adapting Commercial Off-The-Shelf Games for Military Simulation 70

Adapting Commercial Off-the-Shelf

ABSTRACT Games for The interactive digital medium of computer games holds promise for application in the realm of military simulation. Military Simulation This paper presents the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) and the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) initiative to leverage commercial computer games for military applications, how several SAF schools have adopted modified commercial games to enhance classroom instruction, and our future plans to extend the use of games in the SAF.

Gwenda Fong Adapting Commercial Off-the-Shelf

Gwenda Fong Adapting Commercial Off-the-Shelf Games for 68 Military Simulation

the extremely lucrative game industry that has While these games developed by the US Army National Servicemen (NSF) displayed great INTRODUCTION since produced numerous titles that begin to have since been introduced into the interest and aptitude as mod makers during rival military simulators in terms of the level mainstream gaming community, several COTS various formation trials conducted in early of detail and richness of experience. It is a common perception that computer games games such as Delta Force 2, Steel Beasts, and 2003 to identify suitable COTS games that may supplement the SAF’s existing training and military simulators are very different Falcon 4.0 have also been adapted by various curriculum. Under the direction of the officers- entities. Many games entertain by drawing GAMING IN THE MILITARY armed forces to enhance their relevance to in-charge, these NSFs embarked on projects to participants into a virtual world that calls for military training (Macedonia, 2002; Calvert, create new game content specific to their a suspension of the user’s disbelief; military Indeed, the potential of computer games as a 2003; Zyda and Sheehan, 1997). respective arms formations, thus enabling the cost-effective conduit to motivate and engage simulators, on the other hand, seek to attain formations to quickly move ahead and a game-savvy generation of soldiers in a high level of realism in order to derive LEVERAGING COTS incorporate these relevant mods in their repetitive tactical thinking “anytime, meaningful simulation results. In reality, they anywhere”, has not gone unnoticed among GAMES THROUGH MODS training curriculum. In addition, students from both share a common set of enabling various armed forces. Singapore’s Nanyang Polytechnic with skills in technologies, and it is beneficial to both the digital media design and information Adapting a game for military application game industry and military simulation In 1995, the US Marine Corps had the prescience technology were engaged to create localised typically involves engaging a game developer community to tap each other’s innovative to take advantage of the Doom shareware in game content for the SAF’s use across the to create customised game content under strict solutions (Zyda and Sheehan, 1997). This paper the development of Marine Doom, which was various arms (see Figure 2). licensing agreements. However, this may soon describes the DSTA-SAF initiative to exploit designed to hone the teamwork and be the exception rather than the rule. Game- coordination of four-soldier fire teams (Riddell, computer games for military applications, the development toolkits, once the tightly-guarded 1997). The advent of fully 3D games presented approach adopted in successfully modifying bastion of game developers, have been made new possibilities for military application. In the suitable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games increasingly available by developers, to the past few years, the US Army has spent millions to find relevance for training, and our delight of an emerging breed of gamers – the of dollars to work with developers to create future plans. mod makers (The Straits Times, 2003). With various games, including America’s Army, which access to the tools used to create games, these started out as a recruitment tool but has since technically-inclined gamers are able to create been used to train future officers at West Point CONVERGENCE OF new content – characters, weapons, vehicles, (Roth, 2003). Another such game is Full Spectrum SIMULATION AND GAMES maps, missions – collectively forming Warrior, which aims to train squad leaders in modifications (or mods, in gaming jargon) of real-life combat tactics of urban warfare the commercial game, which they then freely Military simulation systems evolved as Figure 2. Screenshots of the SAF mod (Reuters, 2003). share with other gaming enthusiasts over sophisticated applications that run on high- created by Nanyang Polytechnic students the Internet. powered computer workstations, while computer games were A good mod will invariably garner plaudits There are many benefits in leveraging COTS initially programmed by Training from the gaming community, and the status games to create mods for the SAF. First, there hobbyists to run on Value Emergence of is low risk and little cost involved. In developing dual-purpose and acknowledgement awarded its creator is machines like the games motivation enough for mod makers to spend a game for commercial release, the developers Commodore Amiga countless hours creating new content (Herz, would no doubt have allocated a significant 2002). The game developers also stand to budget towards the research and development (Herz, 2002). However, Traditional New breed Military benefit as mods become a source of new of a robust game engine with leading-edge the availability of faster of simulators Simulators technology. By creating mods of COTS games, processors, larger hard content that extends the shelf life of games (Smed and Hakonen, 2003). It is this symbiotic we are thus able to leverage the sophisticated disks, and graphic relationship between game developers and game technology already in place for a fraction accelerators to PC owners COTS games mod makers borne out of the unique social of the cost. enabled game developers Convergence of simulators and games based on similar enabling technologies: ecology of games that we wish to leverage in to leverage advances by • Real-time 3D graphics and animation the modification of COTS games for the SAF. Secondly, the game-development toolkits computer scientists in • Character and terrain modelling released by the game developers provide a • Artificial Intelligence areas such as real-time 3D layer of abstraction from the underlying code, • Networking Games graphics, artificial • Sound of the THE DSTA-SAF EXPERIENCE allowing experienced mod makers to create 69 intelligence and • User Interfaces past • Tools for creating synthetic environments game assets with a relatively short turn-around networking. The As a conscript armed force, the SAF has a large time. While the tools may take some time to increasing power of the Fun Figure 1. Convergence of Military Simulations pool of young national servicemen, many of master, there is a wealth of online resources PC heralded the rise of and COTS games whom are eager gamers. Several full-time Adapting Commercial Off-the-Shelf Games for 68 Military Simulation

in the form of tutorials, videos, and forums to both ends of the SAR21 rifle barrel have to be a fairly intuitive graphical user interface for help novices shorten their learning curve. CONSTRUCTING A WHOLE tagged so that the engine can calculate the gamers to define simple rule-sets in the creation Our specific approach of involving NSF and NEW VIRTUAL WORLD bullet’s trajectory. of new missions. More complex scenarios may polytechnic students in the process of creating be designed with additional scripting of the After the game assets have been modelled, mods for the SAF allows us not only to tap on Armed with the arsenal of professional game- computer-controlled units’ behaviour. their in-game behaviour is specified in a their interest and skill sets, but also serves as development toolkits and third party utilities, configuration file that provides information an effective vehicle to reach out to this mod makers have unleashed their creativity in to the game engine via parameters such as CHALLENGES technology-savvy generation and welcome pushing the bounds of the underlying game vehicle speed, armour values, effective range their contributions towards the SAF’s innovative engines. A salient example is The Chain of and damage of ammunition. The daunting approach to training. Command, a mod of Operation Flashpoint A strong element of creativity is integral to task of defining all the parameters of a new developed by a diverse group of dedicated game object modelling and mission design to game asset is eased considerably by using the fans brought together by the common desire make for compelling gameplay. It is this creative Whilst COTS games offer proven game parameters defined for an existing similar to create large scale strategic combat technology, the cultural infrastructure of the object. For instance, a new armoured personnel aspect that sets COTS games apart from simulations on top of the original section-level gaming communities also facilitates an informal carrier like the SAF Bionix Infantry Fighting traditional military simulators and it should tactical first-person shooter. In addition to yet invaluable source of feedback for the Vehicle could inherit the parameters of the be pre-eminent in any effort to adapt COTS strategic level gameplay, the mod makers have verification and validation of game models. In existing M113 armored personnel carrier, games to incorporate military training also created artillery units, torpedoes, mines, traditional military simulators, much care is leaving the mod maker to change only the and combat divers to extend the spectrum of curriculum. given to verify and validate the accuracy of parameters for which the Bionix differs from possible operations in the game. the M113. the simulation models, often requiring many A more difficult challenge to surmount in man-hours dedicated to model testing. In the The exact process of mod-making differs from adapting COTS games for the military is the Custom maps may also be created using Visitor case of COTS tank, naval, and flight game to game but they are likely to involve 2 Light, the official terrain editor released by lack of access to the underlying source code. simulation games or other combat simulation similar steps. The remainder of this section BIS. Geo-specific terrain may be modelled This presents limitations to the degree that games, the experienced soldiers amongst the serves to provide an idea of what is involved based on the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) the original game may be modified. For pool of avid gamers will ferret out any in the creation of an SAF mod of of geographical areas. However, there is some instance, the important phases of mission inaccuracies in the game models and highlight Operation Flashpoint. pre-processing that needs to be done to the planning and After-Action Review (AAR) may them via reviews and forums. These errors may DEM file before it may be imported into the not be easily incorporated in a game without then be rectified by the developer in New game assets such as SAF weapons and terrain editor. Alternatively, a generic tweaking the source code. However, there is subsequent game patches, resulting in better vehicles as well as localised buildings and heightmap may be used in the modelling of a glimmer of hope that more developers would fidelity game models. vegetation are modelled using Oxygen Light, geo-typical terrain. embrace the open source movement that has the official modelling tool released by Bohemia been proven commercially viable by developers Interactive Studio (BIS), the game’s developers. Once the elevation profile has been imported such as id Software. The decision taken by id Photo-realistic textures prepared from actual into Visitor, ground textures such as grass, Software to release the source code of Doom photographs are then applied to the polygons rock, or sand are applied to different parts of and Quake has given rise to a myriad of of the 3D models. Key components of the the terrain. Localised objects such as kampung extensively modified games (Au, 2002). If more huts, a Command HQ building, lamp posts, game developers adopted the same mantra 3D model are identified with predetermined tags model in order for the engine to associate the and vegetation such as mangrove, coconut, appropriate attributes with them. For instance, and banana trees created in Oxygen Light are then Gray-scale Digital Elevation imported into the project WILBUR heightmap Model (.dem) New game asset and may be placed on the (24-bit.tga) island as desired. Lastly, Gray-scale a network of roads texture heightmap Adobe Photoshop is designed. (32-bit.tga)

After the custom map and tga2ase ASCII Scene Export game assets are completed, (.ase) Figure 3. Steps in creating a SAR21 rifle everything is put together game model 71 in the mission editor that Figure 4. Preparing a DEM file for use in Visitor1 config file is shipped with the game. 1 Wilbur is a freeware terrain editor developed by Joseph R. Slayton. The mission editor provides The utility tga2ase is developed by Kegen Kotisivu to facilitate terrain heightmap generation for Visitor Adapting Commercial Off-the-shelf Games for Military Simulation 70

of free information access, it would pave the are also explored as an alternative to field the Internet for download and multiplayer way for more extensive modifications of COTS lessons as a wet weather programme, or to online gaming. This would be an effective REFERENCES games to meet specific military interests. overcome limitations of manpower and medium to reach out to NSFs and constantly resources, and safety considerations that result engage them in tactical decision-making. Au, W. J. (2002) Triumph of the mod, Salon.com USE OF MODS IN THE SAF in unrealistic battlefield scenarios. While mods find even more application for - Technology and Business. training, we are also exploring its potential for FUTURE PLANS military experimentation. The versatility of Calvert, J. (2003) Danish Army to train with Steel The versatility of Operation Flashpoint mods mods lends itself as a promising proxy world Beasts, GameSpot, 6 January 2003. has found innovative applications in the various for the evaluation of war-fighting concepts. Herz, J. C. (2002) Computer Games and the SAF schools to engage trainees in achieving As a repertoire of SAF mods is being built, some of these may be made accessible through Military: An Industry View. Defense Horizons, 11. learning objectives. Incorporating these mods SUMMARY AND into the training curriculum has yielded Macedonia, M. (2002) Games Soldiers Play. IEEE additional benefits such as savings in training PERSPECTIVE Spectrum, March, pp.32-37. resources and increased realism in conducting Reuters (2003) Video game hones US soldiers’ drills involving various members of a combat As PC technology advances in response to fighting skills. Retrieved from The Straits Times, unit. The following paragraphs highlight the market demand, COTS games will continue to May 17 2003. initiatives taken by the School of Armour (SOA) grow in sophistication and complement military and School of Combat Engineers (SOCE) in simulators in providing virtual environments Riddell, R. (1997) Doom Goes to War. Wired creating custom game content to suit their that are rich in detail. This trend, coupled with Magazine, 5/04. specific needs. the low cost of games and the ubiquity of PCs Roth, P. (2003) ‘America’s Army’ is Big Hit, And has motivated a closer examination of the The SOA has embarked on an ambitious project Not Just with Civilians. Wall Street Journal, May relevance of COTS games to the SAF. The release 16 2003. to create models of its vehicles such as the of game-development toolkits by commercial Ultra OWS, SM1, Bionix, and Bronco (see Figure SM1 game developers has been a boon in providing Smed, J. and Hakonen, H. (2003) Towards a 5) for use in custom training scenarios. Played us a means to create customised content and Definition of a Computer Game. TUCS Technical in multi-player mode, the missions provide an mission scenarios to suit the SAF’s training Report (553). environment for trainees to practise the various needs with a short turn-around time. drills as well as hone their situation awareness The Straits Times (2003) Here come the mod makers. The Straits Times, 5 December 2003. and team-fighting skills. The Ultra OWS and The initial projects undertaken by SOA and SM1 models, along with a simple block mission, SOCE represent the first steps in our Zyda, M. and Sheehan, J. (eds). (1997) Modeling may be downloaded from the portal commitment to fully explore and harness COTS and Simulation: Linking Entertainment and for SAF National Servicemen at games in engaging our next generation of Defense, National Research Council. http://www.miw.com.sg and played with the soldiers. Overall, the results and feedback have COTS Operation Flashpoint: Game of the been positive, paving the way for future Year edition. projects as we seek other ways that this commercial interactive digital medium may The SOCE has also created new content such Bionix cross over to meet the needs of military as concertina wire, mines, booby traps, and simulation in the SAF. other equipment specific to their scope of operations and incorporated these in multiplayer missions to enhance classroom BIOGRAPHY instruction. This has proven to be an effective way of conducting dry runs as a preamble for Gwenda Fong Su-Yi is a Development Engineer (Simulation and Wargaming actual field lessons or exercises. Trainees are Solutions Centre). She works with the SAF Centre for Military Experimentation able to quickly gain a clear understanding of in the design, conduct, and analysis of experiments that explore future the ground picture and their respective roles warfighting concepts. Her involvements include live experiments that aim to through hands-on gaming sessions. This shape the Command Post of the Future, as well as the exploration of operational translates into cost savings in the conduct of 73 concepts using agent-based simulation. A PSC Overseas Merit Scholar, she field exercises; for instance, there is less wastage pursued her studies at Stanford University, USA, where she obtained her BSc. of materials compared to previously when Ultra OWS (Dist.) and MSc. in Electrical Engineering in 2001. trainees were more unfamiliar with their drills. Figure 5: School of Armour’s custom Besides enhancing classroom instruction, mods tank models Adapting Commercial Off-the-shelf Games for Military Simulation 72