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America's Army: Proving Grounds due this year, beta testers being enlisted
The next version of America's Army will arrive this year, the US Army announced on its Facebook page. The developer is taking beta tester applicants for the next Army game, which its official forums users were given a head start on two weeks ago.America's Army first launched in July 2002 as a free PC first-person shooter and Army recruitment tool. The most recent update to the series, America's Army 3, came out in June 2009.[Thanks, David!]
America's Army franchise cost $33 million to deploy over 10 years
According to information obtained by GameSpot from the United States Army, the America's Army series has cost $32.8 million across the 10 years of the franchise's existence. Development costs have risen and fallen over the years – starting with a first year budget of $3.5 million and a 2009 budget of approximately $3.4 million – though we can't imagine that the America's Army program will be spending as much in 2010 considering the developers of America's Army 3 were summarily canned after completing the last game. Over the course of the 10 years that the franchise has existed, the US Army has never released any statistics on recruitment efficacy, profitability of the franchise, or results of the programs efforts, among other things. It has equally drawn support and contempt from critics, with some saying the "recruitment centers" target underage youth and others saying they offer insight into real war. One idea we think most Joystiq readers will agree on, regardless of politics: a gaggle of much better (though admittedly not free!) FPS games are out there right now, just waiting to be played.
Report: Video games create drone pilot 'naturals'
A column in the Washington Examiner explores the continuing intersection of the military and gaming -- actually, can we call it a long-standing rotary, with concepts and people coming in from all different directions and popping out randomly? Anyway, one of the more interesting parts is the reference to a 2008 MIT study, which apparently found that 30 percent of Americans aged 16 to 24 had a more "positive impression" of the Army due to the America's Army video game. The game also impacted recruitment more than all other forms of Army advertising combined. Later in the piece, an Air Force colonel is quoted as saying that young recruits are "naturals" when it comes to flying the Predator drones, but that he had concerns about the video game generation "distorting the reality of [war] from the virtual nature." In other words, while video games granted the pilots their skills, it also made it harder for them to weigh the consequences of their actions. But considering it's real life and a job, wouldn't it be the boss's role to tell them "game over" (er, discharged!) if they were inclined to take the drone on a joyride to blast buildings willy-nilly? [Via GamePolitics]
Take part in space exploration with NASA's coming MMO
How would you like to take a trip into space? No, not the stylized science fiction that Star Trek Online promises, or the fantasy-with-spaceships of Star Wars: the Old Republic. We've heard the announcement about NASA's coming space MMO, Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond, but the game hasn't been making the rounds in the usual gaming circuit. An in-depth article about the game's development and planned release is interesting for any fans of the rigors and challenges of spaceflight, not mention a look at a game that's moving far outside the usual realm of our genre. Much like America's Army, the goal of the game is to try and give players a taste of what it's like to actually work in the field being simulated. While the game is focusing on creating enjoyable gameplay first, players can expect to see landscapes and tasks grounded in solid scientific principles and based upon actual astronaut missions, complete with the real and tangible challenges of exploring inhospitable worlds. The article also discusses the MoonBase module, which is set to be launched as a free standalone component on Steam in January to serve as both a preview and a testbed for the game. Take a look at the full article for a closer examination of what the game could mean, and what it might be like to play a space game where you were less concerned about arming weapons and more concerned with understanding the world around you. (Or, if you have to, start imagining an expansion set in the 1980s adding the Soviet space program as a new faction. Which is only slightly less realistic.)
House representative speaks out against 'Virtual Army Experience'
Ohio Democrat and US House rep Dennis Kucinich has got some serious beef with America's Army (the game, not the US Army) and the US government's "Virtual Army Experience." Billing the recruiting center-cum-arcade as a "high-tech traveling exhibit" and saying it advertises to "children as young as 13-years-old," Kucinich requested a variety of improvements be made to the experience -- for instance, not targeting the experience at people under 18 years old.The House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton acquiesced to Mr. Kucinich's requests in monotonal agreement, matter-of-factly stating, "I support the VAE -- at the same time, I know it can be improved." To see the entire thrilling exchange play out on C-SPAN, check it out after the break.[Via GamePolitics]
Rumor: Layoffs hit America's Army 3 studio
If you're a US Army game developer, do you get laid off or discharged? In any event, Shacknews reports that the Emeryville, Calif. development studio responsible for the just-released America's Army 3 has been closed, its staff let go and future work on the series handed over to a different team at an Army facility in Redstone Arsenal, Ala.Its official forums bursting with bug discussions, the free-to-play game's launch has, thus far, been troubled to say the least. If the team has been let go in its entirety, the question becomes: Who's going to fix the game? We've contacted AA3 HQ for an official comment.
Want to play America's Army 3? Pre-load now from Big Download
If you live in the U S of A, here's something you may not know: your tax dollars pay for the development of a free-to-play shooter called America's Army. The latest release of that series – America's Army 3 – is shipping out tomorrow; however, if you want to get your money's worth (remember: tax dollars) you owe it to yourself to download it today! That's where Joystiq's very own Big Download comes in. Head on over and pre-load the game client so, while the rest of the world hammers those servers tomorrow, you'll be knee-deep in Rules of Engagement. Download America's Army 3 Deploy Client (273 KB)
Philly columnist defends FPS-infused Army Recruitment Center
At the beginning of this month, a swarm of protesters descended upon the Army Recruitment Center housed within Philidelphia's Franklin Mills Mall. Their qualm with the Center focused on its use of first-person shooters to attract young, Call of Duty-experienced potential recruits. Now, a few weeks after the protest march, Philadelphia Daily News columnist Christine Flowers offers a different look at the technologically endowed Recruitment Center, and the controversy that's been surrounding it as of late.Flowers, a conservative, Philly-based lawyer, doesn't see the Center's use of games as an enticing trap for impressionable adolescents. Instead, she agrees with the sentiment of the Center's manager, Maj. Larry Dillard, who sees the technology as a way to boost "transparency." Flowers writes, "There's no subterfuge in giving someone an accurate picture of the army experience." Any veterans in the audience today that want to compare "the army experience" to a few rounds of America's Army?[Via GamePolitics]
Arrested Army game protester writes up her experience
In an op-ed piece written just one day after the events transpired, Elaine Brower details the actions taken by her and a group of over 300 others last week at a protest in Philadelphia. She and the group of protesters claim to be outraged at the existence of the "Army Experience Center" in the Franklin Mills Mall, a facility which allows folks aged 13 and up to get their hands on PC and Xbox 360 consoles running an iteration of America's Army. According to reports from GamePolitics (who "live Tweeted" the event, may we add), seven protesters (including Ms. Brower) donned "death masks" and were subsequently arrested after two warnings to remove the masks. In its report, GP states, "it seemed like the masked protesters planned to be locked up in order to make their point," something which seems a strong possibility -- especially when you watch the video of the events (that we've embedded for your viewing after the break). [Via GamePolitics] [Image]
Protesters to march against Army's use of video games for recruitment
Right at this very moment, protesters are organizing in a small church in Philadelphia, preparing to march on the Franklin Mills Mall. However, these activists don't have beef with Old Navy -- their destination is an Army Recruitment Center set up in the heart of the mall, which uses PCs and 360s (equipped with first-person shooters) to try to capture the attention of prospective soldiers who may be waiting in the Cinnabon line.The anti-war protesters are expecting several hundred bullhorn-toting Phillies to come out in opposition of the Army's use of video games to boost recruitment. GamePolitics will be covering the protest via Twitter -- we suggest checking it out, so you can voice your support/proclaim your disapproval of the event with even greater accuracy.
America's Army 3 preparing for deployment in 2009
The U.S. Army has chosen Inauguration Day to announce the latest major installment in its self-developed FPS series, America's Army. Slated for release on PC within the year, the free game -- which focuses on a realistic portrayal of Army life, in and out of combat -- is pitched as offering players "a greater understanding of the Army and its values." That and shooting. Lots of shooting.After some 25 different updates and iterations of the series, its development team seems confident tagging this one with the big Number Three. In addition to a visual overhaul (the game is being built on Unreal Engine 3), players will be able to cross-train in various specialties (such as field medicine and combat engineering) to give them added perks both before and during combat. While the Army states that the game -- or recruitment tool, depending on your take -- will let players experience how "the Army has influenced their lives" as virtual soldiers, there's no mention of whether it will tackle more controversial aspects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. We're going out on a limb to predict a big "no" on that one.
The Best of Big Download: November 10-16
The holiday shopping season is about kick into high gear....keep your stress down about buying presents for your mother-in-law by checking out a week's worth of highlights from Big Download:Exclusive features Playing Together: Co-op in PC FPS Games: Doom started the whole co-op mod in PC shooters and we look back at the trend on the eve of the launch of Left 4 Dead. Microsoft talks about Games For Windows Live plans: Microsoft's Michael Wolf gives us the 411 on their plans to revamp their Games For Windows Live service include their upcoming Marketplace additions. America's Army AA3 screenshot comparisons: America's Army is developing an Unreal Engine 3 revamp of their free multiplayer shooter and we have detailed screenshot comparisons of both the current and upcoming versions. League of Legends interview: We chat with Riot Games about their upcoming multplayer fantasy action-strategy game. Reviews: We review the latest American McGee's Grimm episode King Midas MODMonday: Our mod column this week is about a graphical revamp of Wolfenstein 3D, WolfGL Big Iron: Our hardware column this week takes a look at the perils of system restores in PC rigs Mac Monday: This week's look at gaming on the Mac takes a look at the recent fantasy RPG Kivi's Underground. Independent Minds: Our regular look at the indie game scene takes a look at titles made with the Unity platform. Boot Disk and Virtual Bargain Bin: Both our retro gaming and value priced game columns this week are about the turn based strategy game Disciples: The Sacred Lands. Big Ideas: Our regular look at trends in gaming is all about game reviews and how useful they really are. Freeware Friday: Our regular look at free games this week is about the procedural RTS game Dyson. BigCast: Our weekly podcast on PC gaming has some guest chatters this time round from sister sites Joystiq and GameDaily. Contests: We are giving our readers a way to win one of three copies of the PC version of Quantum of Solace and we still have beta codes to give out for Battleforge.
NASA MMO hopes to awaken a stale engineering workforce
We're guessing the interest in a NASA career is dying down after the last hype wave during the Space Camp years. So now the government space agency is looking for a fresh way to get young people interested in reaching for the stars, by following through with their earlier-reported plans of creating a NASA MMO. Hey, the online career-promotion thing worked for America's Army, didn't it? The NASA MMO, still being in the infant stages of searching for an actual developer, is interested in making this the first educational MMO using the "STEM discipline". This promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics within the game to get people interested in these subjects, and help them better understand how to pursue a career incorporating these skills. If you think about it, many MMOS already use this system, but the trick is disguising it in a thin veil of fun. That is the biggest challenge to creating a government-sponsored online game that aims to educate a particular target audience. But with the recent insane growth of games like EVE Online, we don't think the target audience will be a problem.
Player credits America's Army for mad first aid skillz
Video games are a detriment to society, haven't you heard? Apparently Paxton Galvanek didn't get the memo. As the first on the scene at a traffic accident last November, the 28-year old gamer helped two individuals out of an overturned SUV on a North Carolina interstate and began treatment on their wounds, which ranged from cuts and bruises on the passenger to the driver, who suffered head trauma as well as the loss of two fingers. Impressive, particularly since Galvanek credits the combat medic training he completed in America's Army for the PC for teaching him the skills needed to treat the victims.The America's Army team notes that it designed the game's training scenarios in order to help prepare young adults for similar real world events. We don't know how much stock we place in first responders whose skillset can be traced back to a first-person shooter, but in this case at least it all worked out famously. Now, we just wait for a situation when having an accomplished Javelin missile operator on the scene will produce similarly welcome results.
Shipping this week: leap of faith edition
The holiday onslaught continues this week with nine new games for the Xbox 360. Assassin's Creed is arguably the most anticipated of the bunch -- and it's likely many gamers will be buying a copy on faith alone -- but we're sure there are plenty of people out there interested in the likes of BlackSite, Kane & Lynch, and Need for Speed Pro Street. And there are five more games aside from those. What the hell is a frugal gamer to do? Just take a look at all these games. Assassin's Creed BlackSite: Area 51 Beowulf: The Game Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Need for Speed Pro Street Monster Jam Soldier of Fortune: Pay Back America's Army: True Soldiers WWE Smackdown Vs. RAW 2008 We hope you've paid the bills already.[Via Joystiq]
Salute! America gets America's Army demo
There's a new America's Army: True Soldiers demo on the XBLM this morning, exclusive to the United States and exclusively Army-like. The blended co-op, multiplayer AA demo comes in at 535MB and should make you feel like a real US soldier seeing that the game is supposed to be super realistic and based on actual Army stuff. Another war game? Possibly. But we wouldn't get our hopes up too high, because word on the street is this war shooter doesn't live up to any amount of fun that's promised. Oh well, there's always the real US Army to join ...
Next America's Army exclusive to the 360
Yesterday, Ubisoft and Red Storm announced that upcoming sequel America's Army: True Soldier will in fact be exclusive to the Xbox 360. In an interview with Red Storm's creative director, Randy Greenback commented on why they chose to make the game exclusive to the 360 stating that, "First and foremost our experience level on the 360 is much higher, having gone through the development of GRAW and GRAW2 multiplayer. The second factor is that the installed base is much larger, which translates to a greater opportunity for a wider audience to experience the game". Awww, such kind words. The interview also touches on what new features True Soldier will include, how the team's experience on GRAW 2 has helped, and what fans can expect from the game. Make the jump for the latest dish on Xbox 360 exclusive America's Army: True Soldier.
