Imagine if virus protection, instead of being the foundation for commercial software, was considered the "goal" in an application? For example, I kind of like the idea of a mod for Unreal Tournament 2K2 that doubles as antivirus software, wherein the user is made to take an active role in defending his system. Consider: When the software detects viruslike activity, the "game" is launched, and every virus, (or currupted file) is made into an enemy object, based on its inherant "stats:" the complexity of the virus corresponds to its AI routines, the scope of the virus'' reach in the system corresponds to the number of enemies the user is made to deal with, etc. Every enemy the gamer defeats is one more infected file the software makes secure (through deletion, quarentine, or whatever it is virus software currently does to infected files). If the gamer is defeated, then, consequently, the system is forfeited to the virus, which will obviously have an unpredictable, negative consequence as far as the user is concerned. Why would anyone inflict this kind of a program on himself? Think of the kinds of emotions that could be tapped if your "game" had actual consequences! Consumers (from what I''ve read in video game forums ) have been begging for more emotionally involving, intense, and ultimately satisfying software. This is it! My idea has the potential to inspire a truely authentic sense of fear in people, a sense of relief, a sense of joy and quite possibly severe anguish, not to mention finally allowing gamers the opportunity to experience the awesome burdon of responsibility most video game heroes carry. The fate of a virtual world is nothing compared to the fate of a critical system file. So I guess my question is: can you indentify and contain a virus while the game software executes? Even if no one will ever capitalize on my idea, it''d be strangely comforting to know that it''s possible... My other question is: will the Macintosh users feel left out?

Needless to say, the game would have a steep learning curve.

I swear I indented my paragraph intros. Why were the spaces removed?!

Needless to say, the game would have a steep learning curve.

I swear I indented my paragraph intros. Why were the spaces removed?!

I don''t think it''d fly.
Whenever I scan my system and *anything* shows up, i want it gone ASAP, no exceptions. Whether it''s a &#106avascript exploit(which is all i''ve ever gotten in 3+ years on this system running pretty much partially protected) or Klez, I don''t want to jerk around with it, I want my system clean.


-Run_The_Shadows@excite.com

If people wanted consequences, they wouldn''t be playing GTA3, they''d be out there stealing cars and shooting people.

Using "win or your computer gets screwed" is a cheap way to get emotional involvement.

let''s do it this way:
when a virus is found, that antivirus deletes it ASAP, but it stores some information of the virus. When the scanning (and cleaning) process is complete, you can play a game based on the previous scanning. If lots of virus found, you will see lots of enemies. But this is just a simulation, not real, the real virus has been deleted. So you can say things like "Die you stupid virus! You just erased my 1GB porn collection!!" while bombed them with rocket launchers.

My compiler generates one error message: "does not compile."

Ahem. 20 GB porn collection, thank you.

Since when do people play games in order to experience pressure, fear and anguish?

Again, judging from what I''ve read in the forums, people want to be emotionally manipulted by games. So far, the general reaction to successful manipulations (like those in Resident Evil, Half-Life, and the love story Square keeps recycling in Final Fantasy) has been extremely positive. Fear and joy are obviously popular candidates for manipulation, but a sense of urgency or responsibility could equally enhance a game. The point of my post wasn''t to promote a game like the one I suggested, but to discuss the aspects of games that are abused, such as an artificial sense of achievement. I actually have a design laid out for a game similar in premise to the virus hunter I talked about, where the sense of achievement is the crucial aspect. In many ways my idea is similar to the RPG genre, or the Sims series, but I think too many things are taken for granted in RPGs (like destiny, for instance). I was never serious about the first "game" I talked about, because it wouldn''t be successful OR ethical, but I hoped that discussing games in a different light would produce some new ideas.

What you''re basically saying is that I basically get a game without enemies 364 days a year and the one time someone sends me a .vbs via e-mail I get a single enemy? I really can''t imagine that to be all that fun.

- JQ
Full Speed Games. Are back.