Virtual Shooting

[Dr T]

I came across this when scanning technology articles. It describes the results of an academic study investigating the relationship between playing a first person shooter video game (in this case Call of Duty: Modern Warfare) and real world shooting performance (albeit with an airsoft gun). While it does not turn a novice into a sniper, it does appear to help on tactical drills.

See http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/...prove-accuracy-but-wont-make-you-a-sniper.ars

 

[Skribs]

One of the big things, for me, is that any game which has you actually use the sights teaches you the basics of how to use them. For example, lining up the three dots is second nature to me after playing America's Army, and especially using Ghost Ring sights. It doesn't teach me long distance, but at short ranges I've learned very well. Some of the better games for realism (once again, thinking of AA) have also taught me the proper method for charging various weapons.

 

[mgmorden]

Never been much a fan of FPS/military type games (though I am an avid video gamer - just more a fan of strategy and RPG), but I can see the relationship. Even moreso for some games where you use actual gun-controllers (think of the Light-Blaser for NES that people used to play Duck Hunt with).

It's long been shown that playing video games helps with problem solving skills, which in general can help you in lots of situations.

 

[Skribs]

All duck hunt taught me was that if your gun is 0.5 inches away from the target, its harder to miss.

 

[mj246]

I never really found FPS games to help me that much with actual shooting. The sights automatically align no matter what in those games (at least the ones I've played) and all you have to do is point in the right spot (using controller or mouse, I'm sure it's better with a special gun-shaped remote). I already knew you had to point at something to hit it. I have more trouble when trying to find the right sight picture for a gun I haven't shot before. Maybe I just don't pay enough attention to detail when it's a video game to apply it to real life.