PC Magazine: John C. Dvorak -- The DOOM Factor (June 22, 1999) One observer on TV called DOOM and other games "murder simulators," pointing out that the military even practices on DOOM. In fact, as I listened to various pundits discuss the role of violent games, few brought up the incredible effectiveness of many simulations.
Pilots learn to fly those jumbo jets on computer simulators, and the Army tank corps uses computer simulators to make the corps world-class. My eldest son learned to drive a car on a computer, and he's the best driver in the family. I've been using a simulator to practice skeet shooting, and last year when I grabbed a shotgun for the first time, I hit the first four birds out of the chute. The instructor called me a natural. The fact is, computers are great training tools.
There's no doubt that DOOM and other games are in fact murder simulators. If you're going to tear up a place like a maniac, you'll do a lot more damage after playing DOOM for a year or two than if you've never played the game. But so what?