What about training? Can you pilot a small ship? Drive a semi-trailer? Things like that.

What about, zombies, and the logistics?

I am talking about on-line games.

Left 4 Dead 2, games like that.

There are boat games, that tell you how to pilot a small ship.

There are trucker convoy games that show you how to drive a semi-trailer, use air-brakes etc.

There are even farming simulation games, so you know how to plant crops and harvest them.

Of course there are helicopter simulations that tell you how to fly a chopper, but do you really want to try that?
Not really.

But a ship? You might make it to the coast, and find a PT boat, like this one...
HMCS Grizzly

Would you know how to pilot it?

What about first aid? Have you taken any courses?

Since I am actually a boat captain for real, I could definitely run that boat, or anything else that floats, but that's from over 40 years of practice. Playing video games does not teach you how to do real world stuff, maybe a little bit.

I want to get a pilot's license, too, just in case. But, you know, you have to fly real planes to learn that, not just the simulator.

Actually I want to build one of these:



Definitely would come in handy in a SHTF scenario. And, no license needed!

reply to post by CaptChaos


I agree, nothing beats experience, but I think the OP was referring to a more fundamental aspect.....Can you do it, and i have to agree with stipulation to the OP....video games can in some fashion teach the basics.....not much more, but they can teach you how to turn the dang thing on.....and in a SHTF moment, that might be the difference between life and death....I have never flown, but i think i know enough about a small craft to get it off the ground....not a big bird, but a small one, yes. I have spent tons of hours piloting in both fresh and salt water ships, I think i could figure out how to get most boats up and running, not the big ships, but a smaller craft, no prob....I think that is what the OP was referring to, just the basic skill sets, do we have them.

Originally posted by CaptChaos
Since I am actually a boat captain for real, I could definitely run that boat, or anything else that floats, but that's from over 40 years of practice. Playing video games does not teach you how to do real world stuff, maybe a little bit.

I want to get a pilot's license, too, just in case. But, you know, you have to fly real planes to learn that, not just the simulator.

Actually I want to build one of these:

Definitely would come in handy in a SHTF scenario. And, no license needed!

No license needed? Just a will prepared in advance.

Well I have been in a boat, and I can drive an inboard outboard, but navigate? I don't know. I think I'd be screwed.
End up on the rocks.

I can drive a truck, drive a standard, but take a semi on the highway? Only if most people were dead and there was no traffic and I drove 20 MPH.

I can farm though.

And I can shoot a gun.

Ride a scooter.

Can't sail a boat though and that would be handy, since you don't need fuel.

Well you certainly have an advantage over most people if you can captain a ship.

Originally posted by Rocketman7
What about, zombies, and the logistics?

I am talking about on-line games.

Left 4 Dead 2, games like that.

There are boat games, that tell you how to pilot a small ship.

There are trucker convoy games that show you how to drive a semi-trailer, use air-brakes etc.

There are even farming simulation games, so you know how to plant crops and harvest them.

Of course there are helicopter simulations that tell you how to fly a chopper, but do you really want to try that?
Not really.

But a ship? You might make it to the coast, and find a PT boat, like this one...
HMCS Grizzly

Would you know how to pilot it?

What about first aid? Have you taken any courses?

A simulator for a ship might be ok, but not from no damn video game.
Tractor trailer, skid loader, tractors, semi's, boats, planes and helo's...yes you need to know what your doing and forget video games...life isn't a game, and there is noway you can learn any of what you need to know from them.

A question for you...do you need to turn on a blower, or any pumps...before or after attempting to start it?
Do you know how to control a boat with 2-3 engines? do you have them in forward or reverse...or one in each? Which way do you turn the helm(thats the stearing wheel)..right, left or straight?
I ask, because if you mess up, you'll be like the cruise liner in the Med., right now...dead in the water...and resting on the bottom.

Video games are for entertainment, they are nowhere near real life...if you think you've learned from an X BOX...YOUR AN IDIOT!!!

Personally, I think that a boat simulator is completely different to getting aboard any kind of boat/yacht.

The actual aspects of piloting a boat are pretty easy, however, as a marine engineer, I can attest to how difficult some boats are to prep and start.

I couldn't count the amount of times I have seen experienced boat owners forget something stupid like a sea-cock, start their pride and joy and then cook the engine in less than 20mins because the cooling system was dry. Note - Only recently a customers (very, very expensive) speed boat (inboard petrol v8) had been completely rebuilt, tested and given to the customer with breaking in instructions. He let his son use the boat (second time on the water since the rebuild) and the poor kid(I feel sorry for him as it was unintentional, he loves the boat as much as his dad) forgot to open the sea-cock and cooked the engine. It isn't hard to do.

The same goes for outboards. People forget to take the flushing muffs off and dump it in at a boat ramp. The plod around for 20 mins and the outboard suddenly dies.

Remember .... Don't forget the bung!!!!!

I never got my pilots license but took lessons and have some solo time and I can say I don't believe there is any way someone is going to learn to fly a plane simply by playing a video game simulator.

Liejunkie can do anything.

I just need detailed instructions and enough time to read them

reply to post by Rocketman7


I can drive anything but a chopper, Have been a truck driver and have flown flight simulators for years, and owned several boats. I can fly any plane but landing an airliner is verrrry tricky. Also I suck at backing into a dock with an eighteen wheeler. But then again, in that scenario neatness really doesn't count, does it?

I can drive a small boat, semi-truck, snowmobile, ATV, and motorcycle. I am a paramedic so giving first aid is my niche. My wife has been able to maintain a nice garden so we could have plenty of vegetables. The only thing I have no experience in is hunting. I would have a hard time succesfully shooting game for meat. I would need to fall back on fishing for meat until I was a better hunter.

Well...........even though I am female, I have experience in the following:

I can shoot a gun
Drive a Tractor trailer
Operate tractors
Drive Dump trucks
Drive Buses
Operate & drive Cement Mixers

Not bad for a female, huh???

all i'm good for is self-defense and driving a car or truck

also i'm an excellent marksman sniper.

Originally posted by Rocketman7
There are trucker convoy games that show you how to drive a semi-trailer, use air-brakes etc.

I'd like to see a computer game teach you how to operate a road ranger gearbox. You might master it in a computer game, but real life is a different story. Most people can fluke it changing up gears but struggle greatly changing down when they are learning. If you can't select the correct gear to descend a hill, you will end up on your side with smoke pouring off your wheels.

I'm not sure what you mean by using "air brakes" as there are two separate braking systems that use air. The foot brake uses pnuematics instead of hydraulics (as in a car) but works the same way. But the idea is to avoid using these brakes as they cook real fast if you overuse them. Then the pedal goes to the floor and you go for a ride.

The exhaust brake (the loud one) is simply a switch you turn on.

i have qualified as helmsman and engineering watch in the engine room of navy MSBs, LCT/YFU MK6 landing craft, and MSOs.

MSB 47 foot mine sweep boat
brownwater-navy.com...

LCT/YFU 39 a 119 ft. MK 6 tank landing craft
ww2lct.org...

And a 172' foot ocean mine sweep MSO 437 USS Enhance
upload.wikimedia.org...

Driven a 100 ton mine haul truck and 992 Cat Loader and Cat Dozers from D2 to D9

Been a Underground Mine Blaster, and Mine superintendent, Industrial .Construction Electrician.

Originally posted by saltdog

Originally posted by Rocketman7
What about, zombies, and the logistics?

I am talking about on-line games.

Left 4 Dead 2, games like that.

There are boat games, that tell you how to pilot a small ship.

There are trucker convoy games that show you how to drive a semi-trailer, use air-brakes etc.

There are even farming simulation games, so you know how to plant crops and harvest them.

Of course there are helicopter simulations that tell you how to fly a chopper, but do you really want to try that?
Not really.

But a ship? You might make it to the coast, and find a PT boat, like this one...
HMCS Grizzly

Would you know how to pilot it?

What about first aid? Have you taken any courses?

A simulator for a ship might be ok, but not from no damn video game.
Tractor trailer, skid loader, tractors, semi's, boats, planes and helo's...yes you need to know what your doing and forget video games...life isn't a game, and there is noway you can learn any of what you need to know from them.

A question for you...do you need to turn on a blower, or any pumps...before or after attempting to start it?
Do you know how to control a boat with 2-3 engines? do you have them in forward or reverse...or one in each? Which way do you turn the helm(thats the stearing wheel)..right, left or straight?
I ask, because if you mess up, you'll be like the cruise liner in the Med., right now...dead in the water...and resting on the bottom.

Video games are for entertainment, they are nowhere near real life...if you think you've learned from an X BOX...YOUR AN IDIOT!!!

I know what you are saying. Lets suppose, that TSHTF, and I end up on a small boat in the inner harbor, and meet people and the fires and disease are so bad, we have to leave. There is another boat. Except it is a bigger boat. You look inside there on the bridge, and guess what? It does not look like an inboard outboard.

It has a console, that is not even close to the window, and it has dials, and levers and things of that nature on it.

Like so

There is a ship sim game, that will not only tell you what those are, you get to use them, and the conditions are simulated, such as wind, water, waves, everything.
So if you had to, you could at least start the thing, and get it moving. Maybe you won't make it to Australia, but you might make it out of the inner harbor, and up the coast, and anchor in a bay somewhere.

And I have that sim game, and I haven't played it much, but if I had to, I have it on disk, and I could take a few days to figure out how to get the thing going. Thats safer than just well here goes, Homer Simpson Style, close your eyes and start pushing buttons. Don't you think?

Here, have a look and tell me what you think...
Ship sim

the real question is, could you build a boat, could you build a plane, could you build a vehicle or a tank, then use them? most people couldn't, and the chances that you are ever going to be in a position to captain a ship or an airliner is going to be nil, possibly a tank or some other simple piece of equipment, but not a ship or airliner, f-16 or helicopter other military aircraft

Originally posted by OccamAssassin
Personally, I think that a boat simulator is completely different to getting aboard any kind of boat/yacht.

The actual aspects of piloting a boat are pretty easy, however, as a marine engineer, I can attest to how difficult some boats are to prep and start.

I couldn't count the amount of times I have seen experienced boat owners forget something stupid like a sea-cock, start their pride and joy and then cook the engine in less than 20mins because the cooling system was dry. Note - Only recently a customers (very, very expensive) speed boat (inboard petrol v8) had been completely rebuilt, tested and given to the customer with breaking in instructions. He let his son use the boat (second time on the water since the rebuild) and the poor kid(I feel sorry for him as it was unintentional, he loves the boat as much as his dad) forgot to open the sea-cock and cooked the engine. It isn't hard to do.

The same goes for outboards. People forget to take the flushing muffs off and dump it in at a boat ramp. The plod around for 20 mins and the outboard suddenly dies.

Remember .... Don't forget the bung!!!!!

The bung, the sea-cock and the flushing muffs. Got it. Okaaaay... which one is the bungflushing muffsss... hmmm.. this one? Did anything happen? "I didn't see anythng, what was supposed to happen?" I am not sure but the motor will explode if we can't figure out how to do it.
Here, grab the oars forget the bungflushing muffs until we find someone who knows what they are.

A gun is enough. Just point it at someone who possesses the skill you need.

I've got it! Ok, this is what I would do...

SO lets say, zombies have taken over the city and its on fire and disease is rampant, and a hearty band of inexperienced survivors have banded together but alas, no one to pilot a ship and we need to go by sea, out of the inner harbor, up north along the coast, to a safe harbor. I am in Victoria BC, so I want to get to Bamfield, by Pacific Rim National Reserve


I would grab two ocean going tug boats, go where the cruise ships dock in Victoria here and tow a cruise ship to Bamfield and anchor it here off the Marine Sciences Center so we have some test facilities for seafood and since its very rural you can hunt and fish and grow food etc.

Then, I would take the two tugboats to Seattle, about 2 or 3 hours by boat, to the big docks there, and tow a container ship back to Bamfield and anchor it there.

Then I need to find a diesel tanker. Somewhere, and tow it there to Bamfield as well.

So then we have a container ship full of supplies, a cruise ship to live on, and plenty of diesel.

We will need fresh water but Bamfield has water, and somewhere in those few houses, someone has to have a deep well. I hope.

So, then mateys, will we make it?