I'm Finally Stisfied... Well, almost.

[Brainz]

I've found what I was looking for, a game with almost total realism.

You're even forced to go through Basic Training before you can go on any missions!

That game is...

America's Army (http://www.americasarmy.com).

Only thing its missing is a completable Special Forces Training Course, and a built-in Voice Comm System.

Oh well, you can't have everything.

[sfx1999]

I've never played it, but I have heard good things about it. It is free, for one.

Anyway, have you ever played Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory? It is also free.

[botmeister]

I've played it, and yes it's pretty good.

There are things about it I don't like. For one, it's a game built by the US military using tax dollars - well I don't care about the tax dollar expenditure part since I don't pay US taxes, but it's not really a game, instead it's a serious recruiting tool designed to reel in young kids into signing away their souls to the military.

Because it's a recruiting tool, some of the fun goes away, since the idea is to weed out undesirables and get desirables joining the military, you can forget about jumping into the game and having some instant fun. First you have to get through basic training, then you have to get past training missions before you can get to higher levels where the more interesting action is. The training levels may be a bit tedious, but in some ways it is good, since newbies and idiots won't be messing up the game play at the higher levels.

Because it's not really a game, some of the oddities are that you cannot play as the "terrorists", instead both teams see themselves as US military, and each team sees the other side as the terrorists. The result is that you can only play as the US military.

I'd prefer to be able to play as either the special forces or as the terrorists.

The realism is great, but it can get very slow at times. A game like CS struck a balance between realism and fun.

Speaking of realism, the physics and tactics may be relaistic, but the game is not. As a recruiting tool, the propaganda element was taken seriously. The game play does not attempt to show the player what a real war is like.

[Pierre-Marie Baty]

Those americans are still waging war as if we were in 1945. Talk of tactics. First they send the air force, then the tanks, followed closely by the infantry. That's the dumbest way to make war, especially in countries where the opposing force acts in an unconventionnal way (Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq). Bah, they must have lifes to spare I guess. I'm glad we learned our lesson in the 1960s. If the yankees want to learn how to deal with a guerilla, they should perhaps be lectured on the battle of Alger. But I suppose they know everything better than everyone, as usuals.

[stefanhendriks]

But I suppose they know everything better than everyone, as usuals.

word!

[botmeister]

This article may be of some interest to those who are thinking of playing AA.

Army to Hackers: We Know Where You Live (http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=MHRQR2FG1D5SSQSNDBCSK H0CJUMEKJVN?articleID=57701185)

Jan. 13, 2005

The executive producer of "America's Army," the free online game funded by the U.S. Army, is hopping mad at hackers.

The executive producer of "America's Army," the free online game funded by the U.S. Army, is hopping mad at hackers who have taken advantage of the game's security holes, saying, "the Army is angry, and we're coming for you."

In a posting to the game's official forum, Phil DeLuca, said that hackers infiltrating the game were not only "breaking the EULA you're misusing Army property " and, worse, you're misusing US Army computer programs and equipment."

DeLuca's post, which has since been removed from the site, went on to say that "we know who you are, and can track down where you play from." He also went so far as to cite 20th century tensions between Japan and the United States to lambaste who he called "the bad guys."

"In the early 1940's, Japan learned an important lesson " "let the sleeping giant lie." We may not react swiftly, but when we do it's with unstoppable force. The Army has partners that deal with cyber crime as a matter of course. These include not just various Army IT departments, but also the Department of Justice, the Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations."

America's Army has more than 4.5 million registered users, but the taxpayer-funded first-person shooter game has come under fire from some disturbed by its links to Army recruiting.

[sfx1999]

Anyway, that isn't to much different from what Blizzard does, except you get to go to Federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison instead of paying cash.

Does it really matter if they put them in games? You can see Army recruitment ads on TV, or at the mall. Hell, I've had people call me. There are even internet ads.

[Pierre-Marie Baty]

"In the early 1940's, Japan learned an important lesson " "let the sleeping giant lie." We may not react swiftly, but when we do it's with unstoppable force."lol :D

[stefanhendriks]

Funny how they do not mention vietnam

[Brainz]

I'd say give their home coordinates to the US Artilliary corps rather than the Army Lawyers... It really is annoying when all you need is another 500 or so points to allow you access to Special Forces slots, but that one b*d with his download skills drills you through the head with an assault rifle from a position you can only just see with you 10x scope.

But I made it to the 15 honour level... that makes me a Uber l33t Special Forces. Yay! (I did have to complete every training course beforehand, of course.)

[botmeister]

Funny how they do not mention vietnam

... or Iraq :'(

A more realistic version to train kids on, is where rocket launchers are set up on donkey carts, IDE's are planted in the corpses of dead animals on the side of the road, children throw rocks at your patrol, snipers are shooting at you from unseen positions, suicide bombers try to blow you up at check points, and civilians look exactly like the "terrorists" until they pull out an RPG or AK-47.

The above would be much more realistic, but not politically correct (or good for recruitment), so I doubt the Army will ever put out a realistic war game.

[Pierre-Marie Baty]

or Afghanistan, or Somalia.

Ah well.

[folo4]

uhhh

in interested

can non-americans play america's army?

[Brainz]

well, I'm playing it, aren't I??

I'm British, as it says under my 'on air' avatar.

Although if you're going to download it, make sure you get the patch as well... Otherwise you won't even be able to pass Basic Infantry Training.

[sfx1999]

As long as your country isn't under a trade embargo from the US, you can play it.

[FrostyCoolSlug]

I've played it, from what i saw it (as with its predicesors) is built of the Unreal Tournament engine (now theres an irony in itself), the latest version i believe uses the UT2003 engine. I didn't really enjoy it too much, the 'basic training' part is very slow going if you are someone who wants to get busy fragging.. but its not about fragging! ooh no! its about subliminal messages which pop up on your screen saying 'JOIN THE ARMY, KILL THE BAD DUDES' (ok, so not physically, but thats the impression i was given). The game got very repetitive and boring.. the next round i played was.. 'JOIN THE ARMY, KILL THE BAD DUDES.. AGAIN!' and from what i've seen from TV and the internet (ok, so those are bad sources), it doesn't give the impression of real life at all.. when you game, you don't sit and ask yourself.. 'Is what i am doing wrong?', you just say 'Screw it' and TK a mate for a laugh (c'mon.. we've all done it ;))

/me waits for all the comments based on my last statement

Anyway, its a very slow game, which is unfortunant, i thought it had potential :/

[Pierre-Marie Baty]

well, if the next recruits are to be former player of the US army game, the future will be very promising for the yankees :D

[FrostyCoolSlug]

people go running onto the battle field shouting 'OMG WTF WALLHAX0R!', because they have come round the corner shooting weapons like they don't give a shite :D