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Posted: **2007-08-22 12:15pm**

Codemasters announces new modern day theatre of war for Operation Flashpoint™2: Dragon Rising.

Full title revealed as first video trailer launches at Games Convention 2007.

Operation Flashpoint™2: Dragon Rising was today announced as the full title for the return of the leading name in modern military simulation gaming.

Codemasters also revealed an explosive video trailer for the game on its booth (Hall 4, F01) at Games Convention 2007, Leipzig, Germany. The trailer is now available to view and download from www.codemasters.com/flashpoint2

Coming in 2008 for major console platforms and PC, Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising marks the long-awaited return of the total conflict simulator. It will challenge a new generation of players to survive the chaos and rapidly evolving situations of military combat in a new and contemporary theatre.

"Set on a vast oil-rich island, located off the eastern coast of Russia, north of Japan, Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising's fiction occurs during a time of tension between Russia and China over the island's disputed ownership," explains Andrew Wafer, Brand Manager for Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising, at Codemasters.

"The game will open as Chinese forces launch an offensive and, referencing the title, as the dragon rises over the island, players will find themselves in a situation that is set to flare up into a flashpoint like never before."

As depicted in the trailer, soldiers, weaponry and military transportation will be authentic and realistically detailed. The game environment will be a comprehensive simulation of a real world location, densely packed to create a rich and challenging tactical environment.

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising is in development at Codemasters Studios utilising an evolved variant of Neon technology, the studio's proprietary middleware. For the trailer video and to sign up for future development briefings, please visit: www.codemasters.com/flashpoint2

The trailer download requires a free registration but for those who can't be bothered by it, here's the YouTubeversion.

Posted: **2007-08-22 12:16pm**

So it's Russia and the US vs China? Cool.

Posted: **2007-08-22 12:44pm**

Yesssh, when did Russia become the good guys?

Posted: **2007-08-22 03:36pm**

Ypoknons wrote:Yesssh, when did Russia become the good guys?

'Bout 16-17 years ago.

And am I the only one a little dubious of the idea of OpFlash on consoles? OpFlash has always been a very complex game and I think that complexity might be sorely missed. Streamlining is good, but dumbing down is not.

Posted: **2007-08-22 03:46pm**

Reminds me of Force 21, though that one involved Central Asia and was from Tom Clancy's company.

There's also Frontline Fuel of War which is peak oil, with China and Russia shooting it out with NATO.

Posted: **2007-08-22 03:53pm**

Brother-Captain Gaius wrote:And am I the only one a little dubious of the idea of OpFlash on consoles? OpFlash has always been a very complex game and I think that complexity might be sorely missed. Streamlining is good, but dumbing down is not.

Depends how much of the complexity is upfront, and how much is what the engine is doing. The only real necessary difference is the interface. Consoles give you 16 or so buttons, not over a hundred. But then, how many do you really need for a squad based tactical shooter? Even on the PC, complex interfaces don't make for complex games, just obfustication of simplicity.

From the sounds of the preview, everything is going to be modelled in extreme detail, to the extent that they're actually doing proper ballistics for the guns, rather than fire cones, that's complexity, but it's not interface complexity.

Posted: **2007-08-22 06:17pm**

Vendetta wrote: Depends how much of the complexity is upfront, and how much is what the engine is doing. The only real necessary difference is the interface. Consoles give you 16 or so buttons, not over a hundred. But then, how many do you really need for a squad based tactical shooter? Even on the PC, complex interfaces don't make for complex games, just obfustication of simplicity.

I actually thought Flashpoint Elite didn't handle it too bad. Though that may have been just because I was already a veteran of OFP at the time I played it.

It would be awesome if they tried out an audio command system of some kind. Giving orders with a mic would be cool.

Posted: **2007-08-22 06:59pm**

That kind of thing is certainly on the cards for the future.

Endwar will apparently be fully playable with voice commands only. (and there, for once, we're getting full on WWIII, NATO vs Russia).

I'd actually expect some level of voice command. Rainbow Six: Vegas had some, and it worked alright, but it was a limited range of commands.

Posted: **2007-08-22 07:30pm**

But how would the PLA get to Sakhalin or wherever it is in the first place? It's not like China has any direct access to the Sea of Japan or what not.

And with all the Russophobia the neocons are spreading around, I wouldn't be surprised if the campaign was a three way business. Haven't seen anything on the press releases about a US Russia alliance.

Posted: **2007-08-22 09:13pm**

I support the dumbing down, if it'll prevent the abomination from Armed Assault happening again. Obscene difficulty level, archaic control scheme, and buggy.

Posted: **2007-08-22 09:43pm**

I don't think it's a question of *if* they simplify, but if they can make a new control system that doesn't suck. Vegas was okay, but some things (like fire-selection) were unnecessarily fiddly complared to the 'press mouse 4' action on a PC. Unlike a PC where you can remap the whole shebang, on consoles you're often stuck with UI abstractions like the weapon/fire select menu in Vegas... if you don't like it, too fucking bad.

I didn't mind the Vegas UI, mind you, it's just an example.

Posted: **2007-08-22 10:16pm**

Vympel wrote:I support the dumbing down, if it'll prevent the abomination from Armed Assault happening again. Obscene difficulty level, archaic control scheme, and buggy.

It's not the same developer. Codemasters just ended up with the rights to the name. I full expect "OFP2" to be ridiculously oversimplified to appeal to the mainstream. It's actually a little offensive that they are using the OFP name/reputation to try and push this game, to be honest.

Posted: **2007-08-22 11:46pm**

Resinence wrote: It's not the same developer. Codemasters just ended up with the rights to the name.

I know. Bohemia blew it with Armed Assault, AFAIC, so Codemasters has a shot to legitimize their hold on the franchise with whatever developer is taking over.

Of coursel, Bohemia is making a "true" sequel to OFP (Armed Assault was just OFP 1.5) - but it ArmA was still very disappointing and if they take that approach to their OFP sequel they can go take a flying leap. After so many years since the first game Armed Assault was just slapped together drek.

I full expect "OFP2" to be ridiculously oversimplified to appeal to the mainstream. It's actually a little offensive that they are using the OFP name/reputation to try and push this game, to be honest.

Meh. Rights are rights. I don't care what they call it, so long as it's good. OFP was a flawed game that was fun, but Bohemia simply churned out more of the same with ArmA. It just wasn't an acceptable standard of quality for the second time round.