Good details about VBS2 v1.5 capabilities.

1. Introduction

2. Scope
Training needs
History
Capability
Breaking boundaries!
Development roadmap 2011
Lessons learnt
Demonstration

3. My (In)Experience
Lots of academic studies
Lots of military training
Lots of time spent playing and developing
games
... no operational experience!
... but I do have a fresh perspective.

4. Training needs
Soldiers, sailors and airmen need
simulators too!
Mission rehearsal Tactical training Capability demonstrations
Navigation training Maintenance training Language and culture
OH&S training Weapon familiarization Tank gunnery
Mission planning Driver training Vehicle recognition
Computer games are the not-so-obvious
solution to meet these training needs
Serious exploitation of games only began in 2003
VBS2 assists with:
Tactical training (combat team and below)
Mission rehearsal

5. Do games work?
Yes! Training transfer is proven.
Canadian Tp Cmd Career Course study*:
VBS2 halved field time (games are efficient)
Pass rate from 67% to 100% (games are effective)
Games are now
accepted as
mainstream
training aids
* Courtesy of “Games – Just How Serious Are They?” by Paul Roman and Doug Brown

6. History

7. 2001: Operation Flashpoint (OFP) released
2001:
Operation Flashpoint (OFP) released

8. 2001: Early VBS1 demonstration to ADF
2001:
Early VBS1 demonstration
to Australian Defence Force

9. 2002: ADF study into COTS games
2002:
ADSO commissions “The Use
Of COTS Games by Military Forces”

10. 2002: USMC funds “Virtual Battlefield System 1”
2002:
USMC funds “Virtual Battlefield System 1”

11. 2003: ADF VISE Experiment
2003:
ADF “Virtual Infantry Section Experiment” conducted

12. 2003: US Army invests in “DARWARS Ambush”
2003:
US Army “DARWARS Ambush” commenced

13. 2004/2005: ADF funds significant VBS1 dev
2004: 2005:
ADF VICE trial validates VBS1 ADSO funds VBS1 development, AMTG mission rehearsal exercise

14. 2006: VBS2 development commences
2006:
ADF/USMC enterprise licenses
VBS2 development commences

15. 2007: UK invests in VBS2
2007:
UK deploys VBS2, funds development

16. 2009: NATO ACT invests in VBS2
2009:
NATO funds “VBS2 NATO”, based upon “VBS Lite”

17. 2009: US Army deploys VBS2
2009:
US Army deploys VBS2

18. 2010: Canada invests in VBS2
2010:
Canada deploys VBS2, funds development

19. 2010: US Army contracts significant development
2010:
US Army contracts VBS2 improvements

20. History – ten years!
2010:
US Army contracts VBS2 improvements
2010:
Canada deploys VBS2, funds development
2009:
NATO funds “VBS2 NATO”, based upon “VBS Lite” 2009:
US Army deploys VBS2
2006:
ADF/USMC enterprise licenses 2007:
VBS2 development commences UK deploys VBS2, funds development
2004: 2005:
ADF VICE trial validates VBS1 ADSO funds VBS1 development, AMTG mission rehearsal exercise
2002: 2003:
ADSO commissions “The Use US Army “DARWARS Ambush” commenced
Of COTS Games by Military Forces”
2003:
ADF “Virtual Infantry Section Experiment” conducted
2001:
Early VBS1 demonstration
to Australian Defence Force 2002:
USMC funds “Virtual Battlefield System 1”
2001:
Operation Flashpoint (OFP) released

21. VBS2 Capability
VBS2 provides an immersive, first-person virtual
environment for collective tactical training and mission
rehearsal.

22. VBS2 Capability: Scenario Editors
Offline Mission Editor (OME): Generate a scenario
using 2D and 3D interfaces in accordance with the
training need
Place entities in the virtual environment
• Objects (e.g. structures), characters, vehicles, aircraft
Add editor objects to define entity behaviour
• Waypoints, triggers

23. VBS2 Capability: Runtime Scenario
Runtime scenario: interacting with the
virtual environment from the first person
perspective
Individually or collectively (networked)
One soldier per computer
Operating a wide range of equipment and vehicles
Commanding AI subordinates where appropriate
Real Time Editor (RTE): modifying the
scenario at run time in accordance with
training needs
Influencing AI behaviour
Interacting with and changing the virtual environment
Administrative functions

24. VBS2 Capability: After-Action Review
After-Action Review (AAR): reviewing a saved
scenario to draw out lessons learnt
2D and 3D replays
Time acceleration
Bookmarking
Measures of
effectiveness

25. VBS2 Capability: Development Suite
VBS2 Development Suite: Import new content (3D
models and terrain) to support different training
needs or mission rehearsal
Visitor 4 for importing terrain
Oxygen 2 or 3D Studio Max (from v1.50) for importing 3D models

26. VBS2 Capability: Connectivity
LVC (Live Virtual Constructive) Game: Connect VBS2
to other simulations or C2 systems
Trainees can use “green gear” like FBCB2 alongside VBS2
VBS2 can stimulate and be stimulated by constructive simulations
like OneSAF and JCATS

27. VBS2 Capability: VBS2 v1.50
Our focus for 2011: Breaking Boundaries!
Overcoming “game” limitations to meet a wider
range of training needs
VBS2 will soon be ready to go head-to-head
with “mainstream” image generators
A first for a game-based virtual environment!
VBS2 v1.50, due May 2011, addresses:
Terrain size and view distance limitations
Support for underground spaces
Fidelity of armor (UK MOD focused)
Support for multi-channel
Vehicle physics (through PhysX)

28. VBS2 v1.50
Underground spaces
Full support for underground spaces
placed in Visitor 4, OME or RTE
Trenches, basements, sewers, caves,
tank ditches are all now supported

30. VBS2 v1.50
Underground spaces
Full support for underground spaces
placed in Visitor 4, OME or RTE
Trenches, basements, sewers, caves,
tank ditches are all now supported
Terrain size and view
distance
500km x 500km maximum
40km view distance maximum
Night vision improvements
Change brightness, intensification

31. UK development: Tank gunnery
Contracted by UK MOD
Delivery in VBS2 v1.48, April 2011
Focused on Challenger II, but we aim to allow
other armoured vehicles to be improved
reasonably easily (“open platform”)
We are working with UK MOD for
Challenger 2 CPT integration for CATT
Parallax error correction Realistic loading Realistic sounds
Aided lay FCS simulation Gun / optics stabilisation
Validation of ballistics Realistic impact effects Correct TI and day optics
Correct internal tank model Range add / correct Correct voices
Support for boggy ground Support for tank ditches Tank transporter simulation
Simulation of gears RWS simulation Deep water fording
Significant AI improvements Floating aiming mark Correct HESH firing

32. VBS2 v1.50
3D Studio Max plug-in
Vehicle and building search
Certain objects can have other objects
placed in them and searched
Select furniture, cars, buildings
setDrawMode script command allows
objects to be wireframe or transparent
AAR playback can be
transmitted over LVC Game
Infantry periscope

33. VBS2 v1.50
Lighting improvements
Multiple point and spot lights
possible in the one place, with
proper shadowing
Units can properly hide in shadows
Large objects (>50m) may
have collision geometry
Proper loiter waypoints for
UAVs
Improved driving simulation
Gearbox and brake key mapping

34. VBS2 v1.50
Improved window damage
Different damage states
Configurable penetration
Fire rocket launchers from
standing and prone
positions
Accurate grenade throwing
Improved wounding model
Support for assault ladders

35. VBS2 v1.50
Situational awareness
improvements
Visual cues to indicate direction of fire
Ability to move Visitor 4 placed
objects in the OME
Choose specific get out position
from vehicles
Safety switch for personal
weapons
Three new training missions

36. VBS2 v1.50
Artificial intelligence improvements through
Xaitment integration
Video

37. VBS2 v1.50
Multi-optics technology
Multiple optics can be fitted to a personal weapon or mounted on a
turret
Reworked difficulty
options
Better sorting
Captions
Separate Admin and
User settings
Ability to “force”
User settings

38. VBS2 v1.50: Multi-channel
Allows VBS2 to be displayed across multiple screens
(wide screens or dome displays) and frame-synched
Documentation
°
‐54
25° 25°
5°
25
°2
°2
25
5°

39. VBS2 v1.50: Multi-channel
VBS2 Server
View Server VBS Clients
View View View
Client 1 Client 2 Client 3

40. VBS2 v1.50
New editor toolbar
Select, move and rotate buttons
Support for boggy ground

42. VBS2 v1.50
New editor toolbar
Select, move and rotate buttons
Support for boggy ground
New pyrotechnics
Parachute flares and trip flare
Terrain grids no longer have
to be specific sizes, but still
square

43. VBS2 v1.50: Content
Lots of new content added!
Full list (preview) is available at:
http://resources.bisimulations.com/contentnew
All vehicles now use PhysX
Old vehicles preserved for
backwards compatibility
Old vehicles no longer
available in editors

44. VBS2 v1.50
Development Suite improvements
Log file improvements
Preferences dialog redesign
Improved progress bars
3D preview in template library
Improved support for GPX and KML vector files
Height-maps can be drawn in custom color schemes
Object layer files in V4 are optimized, improving performance
Optimized generation of satellite and mask tiles

45. Modules of Interest
VBEdit
Create complex structures
and object patterns in 3D

46. Modules of Interest
VBS GUI creator
Tool for creating new
VBS2 user interfaces

47. Modules of Interest
Terrain Pack 1

48. Current Developments: US Army
Terrain paging
Multi-resolution terrain in VBS2 v1.60, September 2011
Terrain paging in VBS2 v2.00, March 2012

50. Current Developments: US Army
Terrain paging
Multi-resolution terrain in VBS2 v1.60, September 2011
Terrain paging in VBS2 v2.00, March 2012
Demonstration scenarios and videos
Due in VBS2 v1.50
VBS2 Content API
Working with SE Core, completion imminent
API for automatically creating and packing VBS2 content
Multi-channel enhancements
Frame locking in VBS2 2.00, March 2012

51. Current Developments: US Army
IED3 development
Support for CIED training modules in VBS2
Development of “IED Vigilance” training scenarios
MC4 parachute and scuba capability
Working with USAJFKSWCS (USSOCOM)
New underwater rendering is at Beta
Due in VBS2 v2.00, March 2012

59. Current Developments: USMC
VBS2Strike
May 2011
VBS2 UPOL/IPOL
May 2011
Software Change Requests 2009
Elements due in both VBS2 v1.60 and v2.00, including:
Chemlights (hand deployed) DAGR simulation AC130 simulation
Dazzlers Aircraft sensor pod IZLID for AH‐1
Boomerang for vehicles Sandstorms F‐15E Strike Eagle
Spotting scope Improved avatar fear factors EOD Talon improvements
Stowing gear in vehicle Improved action menu Coordinate converter

60. Current Developments: CF
Integration with The Overlay Maker
www.theoverlaymaker.com
In-game event recording
Animation browser
Canadian content development:
Sig Sauer P225/P226 HLVW AVR Taurus AHSVS Wrecker
C7A2 and variants AHSVS Mercedes MacMillan TAC‐50 Bison ambulance
C13 frag grenade HET trailer LAV III variants C14
Coyote AEV Badger Aircraft variants TOW anti‐tank
Leopard 2A4 AVLB Beaver UAV Heron CF188

61. Current Developments: MINDEF NL
Marnehuizen terrain development

62. Current Developments: MINDEF NL
Marnehuizen terrain development

63. Current Developments: MINDEF NL
Marnehuizen terrain development

64. Future Releases
Generally working to a major release every 6 months
With monthly minor iterations
VBS2 v1.50 – May 2011
VBS2 v1.60 – September 2011
VBS2 v2.00 – March 2012

65. Lessons learnt
Graphics matter (for immersion), but meeting the
training need is much more important!
VBS2 is not a game development platform. It is a tool
for tactical training and mission rehearsal.
Significant modification is required for a game to be
suitable for tactical training and mission rehearsal
In the case of VBS2, over 8 years of work and lots of $$$
Without government funding, VBS2 would not exist.
Thank you!

66. Demonstration

67. Questions?
Presented by:
Peter Morrison, CEO, BISim Group
Contact:
WWW: http://www.bisimulations.com
Email: sales@bisimulations.com
“We all play computer
games, but this isn't just
a game. It's serious.”
– Pte Frank Boateng,
UK MoD