US army releases 2 games to help recruit

faded glory · May 24, 2002, 12:24

The first is called "Training".

The second, is "Operations".

I dont have any information yet. But they sound kinda boring...anybody heard anything yet?

kittenOFchaos · May 26, 2002, 12:44

My thread for it at Civfanatics

I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS UP-COMING GAME!

Link to "Official" Website

Link to "Official" forums

Release date: expected July/August 2002.

Order it for free in the USA

Foreigners (like me) would probably be best to download it for free

Quote:

The America’s Army game blends two vivid simulations: Soldiers, a role-playing portion in which players navigate life’s challenges to achieve goals, and a first-person action game,
called Operations.

Developed by the U.S. Army and a world-class team of Department of Defense experts in simulations and virtual environments, America's Army will be available in August. The Army will distribute America’s Army for *free* in response to requests at America's Army and GoArmy.com, through distribution partners that include leading computer game magazines, at Army events, at recruiting stations, and through internet download. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.

Anticipating large-scale distribution this summer, the Army unveiled the game at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the computer and video games industry’s major convention in Los Angeles.

Screenshots:

FOR FULL SET OF SCREENSHOTS

Link to "Official" Website

Link to "Official" forums Which seems to be inhabited by freaks...

I will be keeping track of this for sure...will post after Wednesday as much concise info as possible about what looks to be shaping up into an excellent "soldier sim".

:king:

I will be updating the civfanatics thread, not the Apolyton one

General Ludd · May 26, 2002, 13:18

You wouldn't catch me dead with a game made by a military organization.

It's a big stinking heap of propaganda.

I wonder though - if soccer moms get so angry at games that promotes random violence and the such, would they get upset at a game that is essentially a recruitment platform the for military? (

especially when it's being handed out like candy.)

Lemmy · May 26, 2002, 13:58

hmmm...candy...
hey, wait a muinute....this isn't about candy

anyway, the game looks good, and i don't care if it is for army recruitment, i know i'll never join the army....

Smash · May 26, 2002, 15:46

Knowing the military and the way they like to spend money,I wonder how many billions this cost?

Looks pretty slick.Can't be all that good can it?

Lemmy · May 26, 2002, 16:45

Quote:

Knowing the military and the way they like to spend money,I wonder how many billions this cost?

lol, that is funny, the US-tax payers are buying me a new game

moomin · May 26, 2002, 19:54

What a splash screen. "You tax dollar at work!"

Apocalypse · May 26, 2002, 21:04

I really only wonder what the RPG will be like

tniem · May 26, 2002, 23:02

I at first was outragged at the idea of the government spending the money like this on recruitment. Then I reconsidered. They are paying to use the Unreal engine and then spent money on a design team to complete the game. No more than like five million.

Once the game is completed than distribution will be the cost of shipping. I mean, it does not cost more than a few cents to make a copy of a CD. So cost should be relatively low.

This is compared to television ads that they run where they have to pay someone to make them and then spend a bunch to show them all the time. So in the end it costs less. And heck, it probably has a better chance of bringing some people into the military. In the meantime, since I am not a big fan of FPS, except once in a while when I need to kill someone, I get a free game legally! Good luck to the military in making this free game.

Lonestar · May 27, 2002, 23:00

I went and ordered it.

Course, I'm already contracted with the Navy...

Skanky Burns · May 28, 2002, 07:22

They've already gotten to you, Lonestar!?!

/me runs around screaming!!

child of Thor · May 28, 2002, 08:11

Well my contract is done, but if i was an American kid(or parent come to that) i'd be intrested in this approach from your military.
It is a very smart recruitment drive, that's for sure.
Now if i was a kid in any other country(or a parent

), i'd be less intrested and more worried........why does the American military need to get them while their 'young', is it as simple as just a measure to shore up a recruitment problem? Or maybe it's something more sinister.......I'm glad i'm on America's side in so far as i live in an American friendly country. Computer games are changing it seems, finally becoming exceptable to the real world.

faded glory · May 28, 2002, 12:23

Well the graphics are slick, and since it Mplayer I might give it a shot! Hell its free, so what. It probably pays off in terms of recruiting. Probably will be more effective than the "Army of one" commercials. So not really a waste, it probably costed no more than a million dollars. I mean, the army has its own programmers, devolopers and manufactures, they didnt need to hire anybody from the civilian market. Nor does the army have to deal with copyright and advertisement issues. Again, thats covered. so the cost is probably really low for the CD anyway. The army isnt out to make $$$, just to recruit. Ill give it a shot, again its free. If I dont like it i can let it collect dust.

So It might be fun.

As for Euro's gettin it for free. Theres nothing wrong with that. Why should they have to pay if the game is being sent out for free.

You can get anything you want for free at warez sights anyway.

Playa del Carmen · June 3, 2002, 01:09

Quote:

Originally posted by tniem
I at first was outragged at the idea of the government spending the money like this on recruitment. Then I reconsidered. They are paying to use the Unreal engine and then spent money on a design team to complete the game. No more than like five million.

Once the game is completed than distribution will be the cost of shipping. I mean, it does not cost more than a few cents to make a copy of a CD. So cost should be relatively low.

This is compared to television ads that they run where they have to pay someone to make them and then spend a bunch to show them all the time. So in the end it costs less. And heck, it probably has a better chance of bringing some people into the military. In the meantime, since I am not a big fan of FPS, except once in a while when I need to kill someone, I get a free game legally! Good luck to the military in making this free game.

I thought the same thing that you did at first. A game seems like a waste of money as a recruitment tool, but what you said makes a lot of sense.

I read about this in PC Gamer magazine and I was sure they were kidding, especially when they mentioned "governmen- run servers". How long do you think that's going to last?

tniem · June 3, 2002, 16:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Playa del Carmen
I read about this in PC Gamer magazine and I was sure they were kidding, especially when they mentioned "governmen- run servers". How long do you think that's going to last?

Well, if you listen to what has been said is this same forum about the end of free online mp, then however long it lasts will be better than nothing.

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 11:44

Quote:

Originally posted by tniem
I at first was outragged at the idea of the government spending the money like this on recruitment. Then I reconsidered. They are paying to use the Unreal engine and then spent money on a design team to complete the game. No more than like five million.

It is going to cost more like $7 million.

From CNN:

Quote:

Recognizing that the target audience knows a quality title when it sees one (and ignores and ridicules poor quality efforts), the Army has assembled a team of proven developers and licensed one of the premier engines on the market to make its games. Quality doesn't come cheap, though. The budget for the first titles in the "America's Army" series is in the $7 million range.

That's not as expensive as it sounds. Publishers say the average PC game typically costs between $2 million and $6 million dollars and "America's Army" will launch with two titles - "Soldiers", a role-playing game that lets you live boot camp life, and "Operations," a multi-player first-person shooter that, developers say, accurately reflects rules of engagement and squad teamwork.

Thats for two games so it is more like $3.5 million for each, which is a pretty good deal.

tniem · June 4, 2002, 11:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
It is going to cost more like $7 million.

Thats for two games so it is more like $3.5 million for each, which is a pretty good deal.

Even at 7 million that is a bargain price. Once a game is produced it is easy to make copies of. It can't cost them more than a dollar to ship and hell I have been getting about that much in mail every month from the American military anyways. So it would seem cost is not very high.

Then there is a chance that this will bring in some recruits. Or at least have a better chance than their tv ads that they are paying to show every time on top of production costs. I think that this game will be more cost effective for them.

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 11:57

It won't recruit me. I'm joining the Merchant Marines

Cyclotron · June 4, 2002, 12:48

to the Army. It's about time they start using recruiting methods that actually work.

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 12:58

They have been using methods that have worked. This way other people can benefit from it.

MBD · June 4, 2002, 13:23

There was a movie a few years ago that had the same premise. I forget the name of it though.

A space-invaders type video game had been put in a bunch of different places by an alien race to find the best human pilots for their interplanetary war. Some kid in a trailer park in the Southwest US was recruited by the aliens and ended up saving them from the invaders.

So maybe there is something benefit to playing war games after all.

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 13:30

That was The Last Starfighter. It was made back in the early 1980s. There weren't really any invaders, but just two sides fighting some war.

Cyclotron · June 4, 2002, 13:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
That was The Last Starfighter. It was made back in the early 1980s. There weren't really any invaders, but just two sides fighting some war.

And that movie holds my record for the worst movie of all time.

"What do we do now, sir?"
"WE DIE!!!"

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 13:44

It was really funny at times though.

10 year old kid seeing a clone of the starfighter pilot with it's head off: "Holy ****!"
Clone of the starfighter pilot: "Go to bed or I'll tell mom about your playboys."

Or something to that affect.

Cyclotron · June 4, 2002, 13:45

And the "special weapon" or wahtever it's called... talk about dizziness...

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 13:49

I forget the name of the weapon, but it was pretty cool looking. It was better than any of the starfighter weapons in Star Wars.

Cyclotron · June 4, 2002, 13:55

But... he just spun like a top, magically shooting everything! It was pretty funny, especially because the "boss" ship looked like a biplane, and the spiky scepter thingy... but in general I think that movie should be burned. Many times.

Now, let us never speak of this again.

EDIT: Actually, this sums up what I think of that movie quite nicely:

Apocalypse · June 4, 2002, 13:57

It has a place in movie history. I'm pretty sure it was the first space movie to use cg graphics.

DanS · June 6, 2002, 00:26

Looks like it could be really slick. It's stress on teamwork and multiplayer is refreshing. None of this Army of One BS.

DinoDoc · June 6, 2002, 00:50

It looks like it might be a Counter-Strike killer.