Code from violent games could save lives

Violent video games, such as Halo and Half Life 2, could be used to save lives, researchers have said.

Computer scientists at Durham University have found that the codes used to create games in which players use weapons to fight a number of enemies can be modified to build 3D fire safety simulators.

They said the games' software could be converted to recreate real buildings, then modified to create a number of emergency scenarios much more easily and cheaply than traditional virtual reality programmes.

Dr Shamus Smith, lead author of the report, said: "Although virtual environment toolkits are available, they usually only provide a subset of the tools needed to build complete virtual worlds. Although you can create fire and smoke for example, it is not very straightforward.

"In order to include these features using toolkits, it often requires additional programming skills and a substantial time investment on the part of the developer.

"By using readily available computer games, these features can be very easily simulated and are obviously vital in creating a virtual fire evacuation scenario."

The study, published in the Fire Safety Journal, also found that games in which the player saw the environment from a first-person perspective had the greatest capability to be converted.

The scientists said the simulations could identify problems with the layout of a building, help familiarise people with evacuation routines and teach people good practice in fire safety.