Seeing is believing
March 09,2006
CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF

When pumping lead into unsuspecting terrorists, “First to Fight” plays like your standard shoot-em-up video game.

But then, while clearing a room with your Marine Corps fire team, you notice some marijuana baggies on a table, even a rolled spliff or two. Later in the mission, after calling in an airstrike on a heavily fortified insurgent position, suspicions are aroused when one of your Marines starts noticeably coughing.

“Is my SAW gunner smoking that stuff?” you ask yourself.

Obviously, “First to Fight” doesn’t offer the usual gaming experience. The first-person shooter is the hybrid offspring of two seemingly opposing parents: a violent video game designed for thrills and an educational program with a serious message.

That message is simple: In the military, drugs can get you or your comrades killed.

But getting that lesson across to young Marines is another thing. For a generation raised on technology, the Marine Corps believes video games are an excellent medium in which to encode an anti-drug message.

“This generation is different,” said Caroline Graham, a drug demand reduction specialist at Camp Lejeune. “It’s an audio/visual generation. Instead of a lecture, (the Marine Corps) thought about incorporating the training into a disc they could play.”

The game debuted Wednesday at Camp Lejeune during an open-hour at French Creek Recreation Center that allowed Marines to try the game and take a copy home. Networked together at four computers, the Marines got a chance to work as a fire team participating in a fictional combat operation in Beirut.

Copies of the game are being distributed at Marine Corps bases worldwide. Graham said they have been distributing copies to various base commands, and plan to set it up at Lejeune recreation centers on a rotating basis. The game can be played at the French Creek recreation center for the next six weeks. Marines can also go there to pick up a free copy.

“First to Fight” has been in development for two years, a joint effort between the Marine Corps and Destineer Studios, which designed the game. They consulted 40 battle-hardened Marines to ensure the game dripped realism.

That research seemed to pay off. Most Marines who played the game Wednesday gave it two thumbs up and agreed that the game was a much better way to get an anti-drug message across than a stern talking to.

“I’m not big on computer games, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Cpl. Jadd Smith, a 25-year-old with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. “You have to find the drugs while you’re getting shot at, which is pretty interesting.”

Sgt. Craig Wilcox, also with Charlie 1/10, said he thought the game would be a good way to teach Marines about drugs.

“It’s a good idea because a lot of guys are really into video games,” he said. “It puts it into perspective for them.”

“I like it,” said Cpl. Ernest Salamanca, with Headquarters Company, 2nd Marine Division. “It’s more realistic than a lot of the military games like ‘SOCOM’ or ‘Medal of Honor.’

“When you talk to them (about drugs), it just gets old. I think it’s better for Marines to see what happens, whether it’s a video or a videogame.”

The game’s message of relying on your teammates to make healthy decisions is not lost on many Marines.

“I’ve been in combat three times, and you don’t want to do anything to endanger your unit,” said Salamanca.

Yet all that combat experience was little help. The keyboard and mouse proved a bit to unwieldy for him at first, and an insurgent killed him only minutes after he started playing. He glanced around as the game loaded back up, making sure no one noticed his premature demise.

“It’s pretty hard,” he admitted.

Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 229.

Ellie