News America's Army player becomes a hero

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/01/18/america_s_army_player_becomes_a_hero/1

Games aren't always bad for you, y'know? Sometimes they teach you the skills you need to save somebodies life, as was the case for this America's Army player.

 

I think games help to vastly improve your hand-eye coordination, which is something you use all day, every day... Don't think it's ever affected a decision I had to make, or help with something as critical as a car crash though... Props to Paxton.

 

Helps with the amount of data you can analyze quickly too. According to the adverts WoW has helped William Shatner fire lightning bolts from his 'sharrrman' hands and Mr.T become good on computers that he hacked the game and created the night elf mohawk class... classic
Good to see not everyone is blaming everything bad in society on computer games. Wouldn't surprise me if someone turned around and said a driving game was to blame for the accident.
Fair play to Paxton for remaining calm and dealing with the situation, don't know if I could handle someone whose just lost a bunch of fingers.

 

I wish everyone in the world would have followed basic First Aid training on the age of 18 and this should be obligatorily. This alone can save a lot of people in the future.

 

All i learned from computer games is that a rubber chicken can hold a mans weight if a pulley is embedded in it.

 

And you think that by the time you're 35, that basic bit of 'First aid training' will shoot back into your head after 17 years and you'll remember everything? Basic first aid training wouldn't save many lives, being able to put a sling onto someone who you've seen twist their arm may, for all you know, be doing more worse than good. Even CPR that is taught to 'first aid at workers' and in other first aid courses isn't very good. Has anyone ever seen properly done CPR, like by a cardiac resus team? It's scarey....

 

I think I drive better from playing lots of driving games, especially because it lead to reading the original Gran Turismo manual and the LFS manual. Both contain some amazing stuff about car control, position etc

Karl Kennedy had to do it on Bridget the other night on neighbours, my heart was in my mouth :O

 

Jack Thompson files medical mal practice suit against americas army

 

It's great to see computer games receiving some positive press for once!!!

On the subject of first aid training, being taught the basic things like how to prioritise injuries, different methods of stopping bleeding, how to handle broken bones (especially neck injuries) and other things to do in the event of a trauma is going to help while you're all mashed up and bleeding out waiting 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

 

I learned to snowboard from playing 1080 on the N64

Well, when I say learn, I mean I was able to pick it up very quickly once trying it in real life. I knew how to lean and shift my weight around. Me and my brother picked it up far quicker than the rest of our group did.

 

This guy really didn't do anything special. Barely seems like a news story tbh. Sorry.

 

Spinal injuries isn't basic first aid though... Dealing with bleeding really is common sense. Also, I've never known an Ambulance to take 30 minutes, unless of course you're in a field in the countryside! Staying calm and making sure your safe and the area is as safe as it can be is about the best advice they teach you.

Dont' get me wrong, some first aid courses are brilliant, for example the Emergency first responder course that they offer to PADI scuba divers is brilliant, but if the government were to make it obligatory at a certain age, we all know for a fact it would be a shitty course.

 

win

 

If I were in that situation with my TF2 Medic training, I'd take the hose outta the back of my truck and connect it to a hydrant and start aiming at the injured.

 

(LeM lying injured on the ground) "Bless you Sir, I'm parched!"

 

wow, it was so long ago when I played AA. I found the medical part boring but a great addition to a FPS and with the tank and aircraft identification lessons etc.

 

Don't forget to let them know when you have uber ready

I remember those medic presentations... but I didn't pay too much attention to them. Then again that was a long time ago when I did play AA. I play a lot of GT and Forza, but I wouldn't say they've improved my driving. I'll probably test that out if I have the chance to attend a track day. Perhaps WoW taught me that I could stay up for more than 50 hours without sleep, but that's probably done more harm than good

 

I am with you on that one!

 

same here except with nascar 2003. most people are nervous when they start driving for the first time and make lots of mistakes but i had been racing in the game since i was like 6 years with a steering wheel and pedals so when i got my drivers it felt natural and driving at higher speeds is no problem.

 

steveo! good post! played mokey island very recently myself, damn good!

Paxton Cheesecake and showing that games can be educational. AA and Civ up there as most educational IMO