Jan Park
10th May 2002, 13:14
Received this yesterday and thought I'd share it in the spirit of Friday :)
The reuse of some object-oriented code has caused tactical headaches for Australia's armed forces. As virtual reality simulators assume a larger role in helicopter combat training, programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the realism of their scenarios,including detailed landscapes and - in the case of the Northern Territory's Operation Phoenix - herds of kangaroos (since disturbed animals might well give away a helicopters position).
The head of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation's Land Operations/Simulation division reportedly instructed developers to model the local marsupials' movements and reactions to helicopters.
Being efficient programmers, they just re-appropriated some code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions under the same stimuli, changed the mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures' speed of movement.
Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American pilots, the hotshot Aussies "buzzed" the virtual kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the visiting Americans nodded appreciatively - then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter.
Apparently the programmers had forgotten to remove that part of the infantry coding.
Have a great Weekend!
Jan
The reuse of some object-oriented code has caused tactical headaches for Australia's armed forces. As virtual reality simulators assume a larger role in helicopter combat training, programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the realism of their scenarios,including detailed landscapes and - in the case of the Northern Territory's Operation Phoenix - herds of kangaroos (since disturbed animals might well give away a helicopters position).
The head of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation's Land Operations/Simulation division reportedly instructed developers to model the local marsupials' movements and reactions to helicopters.
Being efficient programmers, they just re-appropriated some code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions under the same stimuli, changed the mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures' speed of movement.
Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American pilots, the hotshot Aussies "buzzed" the virtual kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the visiting Americans nodded appreciatively - then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter.
Apparently the programmers had forgotten to remove that part of the infantry coding.
Have a great Weekend!
Jan