Why do Flashpoint’s battlefields need to be this big? It’s so that they can accurately simulate modern warfare. They have to be massive to accommodate real-world tank tactics. They have to stretch on and on to give aircraft time to turn and make another pass. Any compromise could destroy the game. The fact that we can look to the horizon, that battles can ebb and flow far from our current location, is fundamental to Flashpoint’s appeal. More than just big, Flashpoint’s missions and scenarios need to feel realistic. This isn’t one man against an entire army: Flashpoint’s campaign is an infantry experience that eventually morphs into a combined arms sim. You’ll start off as a rifleman, but gain access and training in new toys as your experience with the game increases. Your standard rifle is supplemented by a Javelin launcher (Codemasters show off how Javelins work in-game: they need to be assembled before firing, and the iron sights are identical to the real weapon’s). Soon, tanks and helicopters begin to appear in your missions.
But perhaps the hardest challenge of all is teaching the computer soldiers how to play. That’s Clive’s job: ensuring the infantry know how to cover and flank, that vehicles know their role in the battlefield. He’s developed a playbook system, analogous to a football coach: the AI knows that if placed in dangerous situations, it can implement ‘supressed retreat 3’ to escape. Tactics and plays are ripped straight from the US military protocols (the Chinese Army is also rumoured to use leaked American training documents to drill their troops). Clive promises that the extensive suite of mod tools will also include an AI playbook editor. Flashpoint found massive longevity in the mod community, thanks to a superb map editor. Flashpoint 2 will continue that tradition.
The presentation Clive, Brant and Andrew are giving dissolves into conversation. They talk of the missions they’re working on: of beachfront assaults coordinated with helicopter landings; of night missions to take out Sea Hawk missile silos, allowing troop carriers to break the beachhead; of planning and escaping ambushes; of urban and countryside engagements. It’s clear, in their conversation, that they get it – that they understand that turning Operation Flashpoint into a quick arcade-style shooting gallery simply will not work. It’s clear that they understand the importance of Flashpoint’s original community. It’s clear that they consider the game’s natural home is on the PC (console versions will come, but without the same level of graphical fidelity) and that, even if the game will run well on today’s Core 2 Duo processors, they’re planning for the future, and building in enough overhead to take advantage of next years octo-core processors.
And it’s clear that Codemasters get the importance of multiplayer. Their presentation includes a brief, unassuming slide: multiplayer modes. We ask about co-operative play – about whether we could join a platoon of friends and take on Flashpoint’s hardest challenges together. He smiles. “We have to hold back some things for later announcements.”We ask about co-op for Flashpoint 2’s entire campaign. His smile just widens.
Jul 11, 2008
