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PreviousOperation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising Interview
PC
Xbox 360
PlayStation 3
Interview
by
Robert Purchese
Page 1 of 4.
Page 2 
As we all know, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is positioned as the realistic war game - the fact to Modern Warfare's fiction, if you like - and Codemasters' ballsy approach has worked well: the game is enjoying a third week in UK charts top-five surrounded by blockbuster competition.
But then selling a wargame to some of us as being "realistic" is like telling a small child about Santa Claus - we have no grounds to argue otherwise. That's why skipped off to quiz former army Major Neil Powell - a veteran of the Balkans - about the game, hoping to catch Codemasters out.
In the spirit of sportsmanship we also quizzed the developer, and wrangled plenty from both parties about army games, downloadable content and Modern Warfare 2. The interviews are presented separately, one after the other. Dragon Rising executive producer Sion Lenton strikes first.
The Maker
Eurogamer: Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising has been out for a few weeks and reviews are in - are you happy?
Sion Lenton: On the whole, yes. In reviews I'm seeing that a lot of people are 'getting it'. That was one of the big things from my point of view. The game does step up and do something different, and it does require thought because it is different to [Call of Duty]. I'm also really enthused that the co-op and online is going down an absolute storm, which I knew it would because we love it here. Server numbers are up as well, so that's all good. There's still a way to go, but I'm very encouraged!
An old, never seen online (apparently), print concept of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.
Eurogamer: What's first on the fix-list?
Sion Lenton: We're hoping to get some optimisation to the network code [and] streamline that a bit further. The problem with that is you never know, unless you do a full beta test, what the performance is going to be online. We're tracking it now and it's in line with our expectations. We've got some more tweaks that we can do just to optimise that experience and make it flow a bit better.
Eurogamer: When are we going to see the first Xbox 360 patch?
Sion Lenton: Very quick. Weeks as opposed to months.
Eurogamer: So one is just around the corner?
Sion Lenton: Yes. Within two-to-four weeks of release, tops. Our intention is to align it with the first DLC pack that's coming out as well, which is due around the end of October. Hopefully we'll do the whole thing in one.
Eurogamer: The "first DLC pack" - does that mean there will be more?
Sion Lenton: Yeah!
Eurogamer: Have you got a number in your head?
Sion Lenton: Not yet, no. But, given the engine, it's quite open-ended. It's not a lot of fuss for us to make new content - it's actually quite easy for us to get it out there, with regards to things like levels, game modes, etc.
The other thing we actually like to look at is getting some new equipment in there as well. One of the things we're hoping is we can address the balance of vehicles in the game, as there are people who expected to be able to use them more than they can in the final game. We're really ramping up the vehicle-specific missions in there. It's all really great tech, it all works, you can get in these things, so again, we'll be trying to exploit that as well.
Eurogamer: Will you expand on the campaign missions at all?
Sion Lenton: Who knows? I'd like to. As I said, we're pretty open-minded at the minute. We've got some stuff initially planned for this year, which I'm sure we'll be announcing soon - I'm looking at the PR here. I guess at the end of the day, let's see how it goes. But we'd love to do more stuff with it, we really would.
Codemasters has the tech and desire to expand on vehicle use in OFDR.
Eurogamer: Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising is billed as realistic, so I'm talking to a real-life army man tomorrow to see what he thinks. What do you think he'll say?
Sion Lenton: He'll probably tell you that you don't carry a gun like that - that's one of the bits of feedback we've been getting. Most of the people that pick this up are people with military experience, so we've got something right. We had Marines playing in multiplayer, barking orders at each other, totally in the zone. The irony is that they were barking the same orders and instructions that are in-game. Even the tactics lend themselves very well to people with military experience and a military background.
As long as he's got experience playing first-person shooters then I'd expect him to pick it up pretty quickly. I bet you he plays it completely differently to anyone in the office, and probably better! No seriously, these guys, we've watched them playing, and it's very impressive watching them, they know exactly what they're doing - it's obviously a vocabulary they're familiar with.
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21 December, 2009 [0]
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Comments: 1-44 of 44 in total
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azurelas_2
21/10/09 @ 13:27
+15
That's the best article I've ever read on Eurogamer.
Congratulations. |
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LeemanRuss
21/10/09 @ 13:46
+1
Very interesting read, good article! Now if only my 360 would hurry back from Frankfurt so I can play the darn game!
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cianchristopher
21/10/09 @ 13:46
+4
That was an outstanding article! Good work Robert!
The soldier (Neil Powell) spoke very well, modest but forthcoming.... And, of course, all soldiers should really be on the battlefield with their Xbox 360 pads in real-life ;) |
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john_silence
21/10/09 @ 13:50
0
Great, great read :D
Indeed cianchristopher, the fate of nations should be decided through virtual war games don't you think? Instead of all that messy traumatizing real-life killing on the battlefield, stemming from such childish nonsense at the upper echelons. edit: cian christopher, didn't we remarkably agree sometime in the past?
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/10/09 @ 14:51
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+3
Yeah that Boer reference did throw me a bit, lol. I even asked my South African colleague to clarify what I thought was and is over a century ago.
I agree with the point about video games replacing actual warfare. But then again, the problem is money. Less developed countries would be more prone to past-gen consoles. Compatibility issues immediately. Perhaps that would eradicate war altogether! ;) Anyway, the sooner governments declare 'Noob' over 'War', the better. |
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stoopidgreg
21/10/09 @ 15:02
0
Sion Lenton: "No hiding behind rocks to get better in real life, I tell you."
what, you mean like in DR when you hide behind a rock and use the magical med pack on yourself? or when you've been shot 5 times and the medic comes over and sticks his magical syringe in you and brings you back to full health? that is SO much more realistic than COD... |
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minusblindfold
21/10/09 @ 15:32
+4
I thought codies would get more of a grilling over the quality of the game.
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ThisWillDestroyYou
21/10/09 @ 15:50
0
wtf is this, forums are in uproar over the quality of this game and no real hard questions to the chump that is sion lenton!!!
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+10
I'm glad someone finally decided to get a real soldier to pass comment on an army game. I'm ex army myself and I have no problem with games portraying modern conflicts provided the audience is educated about the reality, and how far removed these games are from it. I meet people all the time who think war is literally like CoD4 and it's very frustrating.
Something else Major Powell touched on, which I thing is VERY important in the case of this game, is why everything is so US-centric. Codemasters are a British developer, and the British army is the best standing army in the world. We also have the best elite units in the Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment, and of course the best SF. It's crazy that they passed up the opportunity to portray and work with our own people! |
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TheRealBadabing
21/10/09 @ 16:29
+3
Superb article and I was particularly happy that Maj Powell mentioned the lack of choice in loadout. After the moronic AI, that was one of my biggest gripes with the game. Amazing how much more fun it became when you managed to loot a scoped gun.
Maybe in real life, US Marines are sometimes given unsuitable firearms for their mission, but then again maybe in real life they are not equiped with magic limb-regenerating syringes. |
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+2
"All of these games ultimately deal in the death of other people. It doesn't matter if it's Fallujah in 2004; whether it's Afghanistan now; whether it's the Barbarossa campaign, D-day - people die as a result of it. You can't honestly say, "Call of Duty, Brothers in Arms: good. Anything modern: bad." They all have their roots in the management of violence. They are all games that deal with the death of somebody, and I don't think it matters much whether those deaths occur in 1944 or whether they occur in 2004. All of us that play those games have to accept some responsibility that that's precisely what we're doing."
Quite possibly the most profound thing i've read on Eurogamer...great article and great game despite its little foibles.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 21/10/09 @ 18:18
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mcmothercruncher
21/10/09 @ 18:00
+7
I can barely believe DLC is in the immediate offing whilst the game still has more holes than a sieve.
The DR forums were on fire after launch when people actually got to compare what was promised with what was delivered. If DLC is released- and charged for- with the glaring issues still unaddresed that corner of the internet is going to have an aneurysm that no magic needle can fix. |
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+2
I thought COD 4, Modern Warfare where both way overrated!...Was gonna get this OF - but due to the mix reviews and problems with the ai, I'll have to give it a miss. Sad! was really looking forward to this game; Rainbow Six has been dumbed down, Ghost Recon is becoming more arcade, and OF is losing it's appeal to bad Ai, and full of glitches esp on console versions.
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0
So the worst thing about the game and the least realistic for this soldier was the actual combat! Says a lot about a so-called realistic military combat game.
If Eurogamer can get hold of anyone with experience of any of the vehicles used in the game, I'm sure they'd have many complaints. Not least of all that your head isn't bolted into a forward facing position only. I already know the answer on what a helicopter pilot would say about this side of the game, but it would be interesting for people duped into believing this to be a simulation just how arcade/unreal like it is. A quick mention about the load-outs. I have gamed with several military and ex-military guys, and they always say the same thing... in reality grenades, ammunition and scope are never realistic to what would either be standard issue for a typical soldier or chosen by the Special Ops guys. As was hinted at in the interview, soldiers are generally sent into battle with the equipment needed for the mission. I think it's extremely rare that a soldier on a typical mission (if the missions in Op Flashpoint can be considered this) find themselves needing to scavenge for ammo, or other essential equipment. And isn't it time the games industry realised that passing ammo to team mates should be standard in any game with guns. What is it with the industry's inability to include a very basic and surely a very simple feature into a combat game. Good article all the same. Shame it was wasted on this game. I'd have preferred to read a similar article about a better and more realistic game, say Modern Warfare 2. Regardless of how Hollywood-stylised the missions will be, it's combat/gun/aim/shooting mechanics are but a dream for the hacks at Codemasters! Perhaps they should stick to what they know best... ruining racing games from their past.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 21/10/09 @ 22:06
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mcmothercruncher
21/10/09 @ 21:41
+2
And it was going so well until this point too "...more realistic game, say Modern Warfare 2"
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-1
Well done EG, majority of posters so far are impressed and so too am I. I'd like to see more articles comparing sims to real life by interviewing professionals - this was a great idea, but would like to have seen more indepth comparisons. "The optimal sights that are attached to most high-quality weapons now mean you can see very clearly at 300-400 metres. And that scenario seemed to be about 150 metres.". So how small does a target appear when shooting at this range and how can it be easier in real life? Surely the target will be tiny! They're very small in the game as it is. Maybe this is to improve the gameplay.
Edited 3 times,
most recently on 22/10/09 @ 00:58
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AlistairUK
22/10/09 @ 01:20
0
Suspect that should be optical, rather than optimal :) That British SA80 used to use a 4x sight, so look at someone at 300m and scale them up by 4. Basically you'd expect to hit a man at 300m if he was standing around, and at 600m you might hit him if you were lucky.
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metalangel
22/10/09 @ 08:02
+2
I wonder what he'd say about ArmA2 or the original Operation Flashpoint?
My experience (and soldier friend) told me that you get a much more 'realistic' sense of being a soldier if you play airsoft or paintball. Not least of all, because being hit by a volley of paintballs can frigging hurt! (as can, if you're me, putting your hand into some nettles while crawling in the brush with your gloves off) |
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Chazmeister
22/10/09 @ 09:18
+11
What they should of asked is what happened to all these promises of what the game was going to be like.
Clive Lindop: Lead AI Designer "when it came to looking at doing the sequal, umm it was very much about focusing on you know... what people wanted the game to be" "there's nothing to stop you from ignoring the mission entirely and point in a direction and keep going... you'll find the rest of the war is out there and happening. we really didn't want to try and tell the player how to play the game... it's pretty much your strategy... you learn how to fight in that real-enviroment... it's about what it's like to be a soldier... you have to figure out things for yourself and develop your strategy... you don't get helpful hints as to what to do and where to go... so when we say sandbox WE REALLY MEAN IT. Sion Lenton: exec producer "going to be ABLE TO INTERACT WITH EVERYTHING in that world" "the sandbox environment as well, so the whole island is COMPLETELY OPEN just like the original flashpoint... sort of the things that made it so unique was the fact that YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE." "eh for me it's like giving the player the choice to do a mission whatever way they want to do it" "but this isn't your traditional corridor shooter where you're kinda being told go over, here look at that, do this press this button. It's COMPLETELY OPEN. You can do whatever you want." After all that bull in the months leading up to release, no one at Codemaster has yet to come forward and say why the released game delivered practically non of that stuff. Or why they kept selling the game as a free roaming open world sandbox experience, when quite obviously it was going to be nothing like that. If this first round of DLC isn't: A: Free or B: Makes the game into what they originally said it would be. Then this will be the last Codemasters game I ever buy. I don't like being lied to and mislead into buying a product that was blatently falsely advertised in the run up to it's release. |
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+3
I suspect the mission editor was dropped so that more money could be made selling future DLC missions.
I assume this is the same reason map creators aren't included in console games. I can only imagine how much better and longer lasting games would be (not to mention how much better value for money) if they included a map editor as good as one in FarCry 2. Console owners are seen as easy profit, and with so many gamers willing to buy DLC, because they think it's reasonably priced, are ultimately sealing the fate of all games on consoles. In future I wouldn't be surprised if basic game features are held back and charged for as DLC. |
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-1
With all due respect to the good major does he doesn't strike me as much of a military expert. Look what he says: "nobody these days - NATO or UN - has conscripted armies."
Errr, sorry several NATO countries still have conscription, notably Germany but also Denmark, Greece and Turkey. Many more members of the UN also have conscripted armies, incluidng China, being the worlds largest army by far. Making such an elementary error kind of undermines his 'expert' status. Can I have an interview with eurogamer when MW2 comes out? I've only killed people in games and my military experience doesn't extend beyond the boy scouts but at least I can use wikipedia... |
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0
@kwarive
you seem to confusing 'soldier' with 'military historian'. he was quite humble about his military experience but what he said seemed pretty insightful to me. a glib comment about conscription doesn't really affect his general point that the armies in WW1 and 2 consisted of less voluntary soldiers than the big conflicts of today. |
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0
@Gecks
The big conflicts of today ARE being fought by conscript armies. Iraq had a conscript army when it was invaded. Russia has a conscript army fighting its various wars. Israel has a conscript army. Just because the US and Britain and more recently some other NATO countries have dropped conscription (for the moment) doesn't mean that major conflicts will not be fought by conscript armies. I'm not nitpicking here. I'm pointing out the shallowness of his analysis generally. Hes the one who starts talking about history, coming up with that cracker about 'kids don't read books any more'. Probably not the ones who are poor or dumb enough to join the army, no. As a california taxi driver said to me once: 'Don't get me wrong, I'm a patriot, I was in the marines - when I was young and stoopid' Nonetheless I'll probably buy the game and it was an entertaining pair of interviews :D
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 22/10/09 @ 17:17
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metalangel
22/10/09 @ 17:13
0
@kwarive: So they got someone who doesn't know what he's talking about to analyze their game that isn't what they said it would be. Clever Codemasters. :p
@Chavmeister: I'm not surprised in the slightest it's an overly scripted load of old tosh. Or that they lied to us. For it to have been a worthy sequel, I wanted a dynamic campaign (ever played MFCTI for the original Flashpoint? Even if they took the RTS element out, that you had the entire island to fight over against the AI or player-controlled army would have been great) or at least a mission editor.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 22/10/09 @ 18:16
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YourMessageHere
22/10/09 @ 21:23
+1
Excellent article, generally.
What's this about no mission editor? The review on this very site states: It may well be possible - I haven't got round to checking - to add extra save checkpoints to default missions using the bundled editor. My cursory fumblings suggest a powerful tool with a few hopefully-patchable teething troubles. Without consulting the help file, I managed to set up a simple infantry skirmish, and build the sort of firing range that should have been provided by the devs themselves. Things started to go awry when I attempted to stress-test the engine by fabricating a massive pitched battle involving hundreds of individual units and much of Skira's surface area. On jabbing the 'test scenario' button, I found myself staring at a grey, irretrievably frozen screen. Hmmm. |
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metalangel
23/10/09 @ 00:00
+1
Well, yes, to do the sort of massed battles you see in Youtube videos of ArmA2, they're inevitably running a liquid-nitrogen cooled octuple-core Sexium 7.9Ghz with 8Tb of RAM.
Not too hard to set a limit on the number of individual units you could place to stop the game falling over, though. The biggest issue with MFCTI (especially when playing alone against an AI commander) was the sheer number of computer-controlled units overwhelming your processor. Not so much of an issue with human players (all the thinking done by a lumpy grey brain) but it was an extreme mod. For something more mainstream they could just limit the number of units you could place and you could then work on building the best darn mission you could that stayed under the limit. But again, this is far too much effort for a developer that clearly couldn't even be bothered testing the game before throwing it out the door. |
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+3
man, the guy just lied through the entire interview. I HAD this game and 90% of what was said here is missing.
In my opinion Codemasters just stole money from every buyer and I think they are going to sorely regret this game ever being published!! Note to all readers - NO NOT BUY THIS GAME.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 30/10/09 @ 11:44
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Comments: 1-44 of 44 in total
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