Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising deploys October 6

by Randy Nelson { Jul 18th 2009 at 4:00AM }

Codemasters has announced an October 6 release date for the latest installment in its hyper-realistic modern infantry shooter, Operation Flashpoint. As you can see in the newly released footage of Dragon Rising, the weapons at players' disposals are formidable and the action intense, although we take some issue with Codemasters' assertion that the game is "as close to war [as players] will want to get." As a matter of fact, some gamers do want to get closer to war, which is why they enlist in the various branches of the US military. Well, except for the Coast Guard. (Just kidding, guys.)

Tags: codemasters, operation-flashpoint, operation-flashpoint-dragon-rising, release-date

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

R (XBL: Esoteric Lord) @ Jul 18th 2009 4:04AM

I have totally never heard of this game series before, which is surprising since Im usually up to speed on my FPS games.

Is it any sort of decent?

Ryan @ Jul 18th 2009 4:36AM

It depends.
This is the way it goes:

Operation flashpoint ONE was an extremely realistic military sim that places you in the cold war in a fictional conflict between U.S. and Russia.

The game featured 5 main maps (all of which are islands) that both single player and multiplayer were played on. Each map was around 15-25 square KM big and had their own airports, towns, farms, etc etc. You could fly jets, choppers, tanks, boats, jeeps, and even civilian cars. Dont get me wrong though, its not an openworld GTA. (only in multiplayer)

For singleplayer, you are a U.S. marine (armstrong or something like that) and it follows his missions.throughout the campaign. It is sort of political storyline.

The thing that is awesome is this game has you do everything both in SP and MP: Assualt a village to take it back from the russians, hold off against a counter-attack with tanks and jets flying overhead, conduct recon on an enemy outpost before moving in, charging through the battlefield with tanks, snipe russians from afar, dogfights in the air, bombing runs in an A10, etc. Its completely awesome.

The actual gameplay is extremely realistic, definately NOT for all you noob CoD/Halo/Battlefield players, but you can get used to it. The game had a cult-like fanbase.

The biggest draw of the game is the multiplayer, and the reason for that being there is a mission editor. You can use these mission editor on any of the 5 island maps (remember each is 15-25 square KM and each has its own forests, deserts, villiages, outposts, towns, etc. There is usually 1 airport per map. The mission editor was completely awesome and let you do almost ANYTHING. I got literally hundreds and hundreds of hours just out of the MP b/c of the mission editor and how fun it was.

But there is a problem:
Codemasters has taken over the development of operation flashpoint 2, and they are severly ruining the name, which really pisses me off. There have been reports of people being shot in the head and not dieing, when you look down the sights your aim is completely still, (NOT realistic), there are no more planes in the game, multiplayer will only support 32 players, etc. its complete bullshit.

The solution to this problem is a game called ARMA 2 which was just released JUNE 25 in the U.S. and was developed by the same people who made the first operation flashpoint. I dont feel like typing anymore so go google it.

Capgun @ Jul 18th 2009 10:47AM

well said, Ryan

HSOL @ Jul 18th 2009 11:16AM

@Ryan

Sorry to burst your bubble but Arma II is complete and utter trash. The game is really really buggy. So buggy to the point that it's unplayable. I'm not sure any patch in the future can fix this game because the bugs are so prevalent. The game probably could have used another 6 months of development. When playing the campaign, I spent most of my time strategizing how to fight the bugs instead of the enemy.

It's a shame really because the game certainly had a lot of potential. I really had fun with calling in choppers for extraction and fighting firefights from a really far distance. When the game worked, it was definitely the most realistic shooter that I've played. But the bugs in the game are so bad that it makes you want to throw your mouse across the room! Here's hoping that OF2 isn't as craptacular.

Neuromancer @ Jul 18th 2009 11:51AM

I think it'll be good. There are a lot of haters because the game isn't being developed by the people that developed the 1st one but that doesn't mean it's going to be bad by any means. On the 360, we have to take what we can get when it comes to realistic military shooters.

Breakerchase @ Jul 18th 2009 3:09PM

@HSOL

The first Operation Flashpoint was sure a damn buggy game when it came out in 2001. However, with every patch BIS release, it got better and better and you can't deny the dedicated community of missionmakers and modders that keep the old OFP and ArmA1 pumping with new content.

d889 @ Jul 18th 2009 4:15PM

man i poured COUNTLESS hours into playing flashpoint multiplayer.

CTI was probably the coolest online experience i have ever had

cant wait for the 2nd one :)

Young_Jey @ Jul 18th 2009 4:25AM

you mean Rocktober, right? eh

cue kalamos @ Jul 18th 2009 4:36AM

get if you liked the first OPflash then get ArmA II because that is made be the real developers of this game inhouse codemasters made this and rumor has it that this will be really dumb down from the first game for consoles

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jul 18th 2009 4:57AM

ARMA II is where it's at.

Top Cat @ Jul 18th 2009 6:54AM

Not sure where to post this so here will have to do:

Nice one Joystiq on the new PC tags, seems like you do actually care a bit more about the platform and those of us that use it!

ShineDog @ Jul 18th 2009 6:57AM

Well. I have to put some qualifiers on Arma2.

It is an amazing effort, it really is. But its a long way from being perfect.

It's still very buggy, and the AI is schizophrenic, wavering from competant to stunningly inept at the drop of a hat.

The multiplayer is great, if you find an organized community. Unfortunately 90% of the servers are filled with idiots playing giant laggy battles vs static AI, scattering away from one another and it isnt interesting and it doesnt work.

Find a good community and you will have fun with it.

But heres the real problem for me... A game like this lives or dies by its immersiveness. and Arma 2 has absolutely none, simply because of the voice acting. Barring absolutely none, its the worst I have heard in 5 years. It's completely unacceptable and I have no idea how they didnt learn from there mistakes with the first one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FlVL5jy4Rc

The bit at the beginning is bad, but wait till you hear the actual gameplay part. Holy shit.

Tyler @ Jul 18th 2009 10:43AM

That was hilarious. I guess when they finished making that sweet looking game they looked in their wallet to hire some good voice actors and said "shit".

The Baron @ Jul 18th 2009 8:26AM

The animation in this looks quite poor. I'm sure there had to be sacrifices to make the game so open and the combat so long-range, but the soldiers walking and reloading looks like Call of Duty 1, as do the tanks.

The Dark Wayne @ Jul 18th 2009 11:33AM

i noticed it first when they bent down. that was really awful

The Baron @ Jul 18th 2009 11:55AM

They might polish that out as it gets further developed, but it seems odd for them to show it in the damn trailer if it's something they're going to sort out at a later date.

Neuromancer @ Jul 18th 2009 4:27PM

It was not the best video, check this one out though. Makes the game look much more impressive in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Unq3dkYbk

Tristax @ Jul 18th 2009 9:53AM

I agree with Ryan and ShineDog.

Either way though, I feel it will be the most realistic military game to hit consoles since the old Ghost Recons (pre: AW).

I'm looking forward to it immensely.

The thing about military sims though - you have to make some concessions for the lack of the other 2.5 senses.

.5 being peripheral vision.
Vibration isn't touch
Smell

All of those things greatly add to battlefield awareness - especially peripheral vision.

Also as far as sights remaining still when you look down them. No they are never perfectly still but the movement doesn't bother you as much in real life due to your whole body moving up and down as you breath and not just your eyes (as a game simulates it).

The guy in the video with the M249 is using Iron Sights. We were using ACOGs on our SAWs (M249) back in 96'. No one but the National Guard and S&S use iron sights anymore.

I'm still really excited for the game though. I'm surprised it's releasing this year though.

The Dark Wayne @ Jul 18th 2009 11:39AM

maybe your character's just a badass who plays by no rules but his own.

Neuromancer @ Jul 18th 2009 4:41PM

I'm hoping you will be able to select your load-out and any reasonable scopes/attachments/extra gear you wanted.

xgarryx @ Jul 18th 2009 10:03AM

itll get delayed to quarter 1 2010

Neuromancer @ Jul 18th 2009 4:41PM

I doubt it

xgarryx @ Jul 19th 2009 8:47PM

it was just just a tounge and cheek coment my friend
. every good game getting pushed back till quarter 1 2010.

Neuromancer @ Jul 20th 2009 9:40AM

Ah

Hard to tell sometimes when someone's being facetious.

nickcaz2001 @ Jul 18th 2009 11:52AM

Is it just me, or does this look near-identical to Battlefield 2?

sicsided @ Jul 18th 2009 11:58AM

Not even the same type of game in any sense

-=A.X=- | 3lite @ Jul 18th 2009 12:05PM

It's just you. =)

Neuromancer @ Jul 18th 2009 4:45PM

On a very superficial level maybe. This is supposed to be a much more realistic game whereas Battlefield is very arcadey in comparison (running around, jumping, capturing flags, taking 50 bullets and living, etc).

Sam @ Jul 21st 2009 1:00PM

I went to E3 this year and REALLY enjoyed this game. I was told by the Booth Attendant that I was the first one to take this game seriously. I guess all the other industry members are too run & gun just like most in this generation. Here's some things I know about the game:
Headshots are too easy to get and I was using the scope from a very long range (sniper-like range). About all I did was get headshots and there was one point where I got cocky and went in with the pistol into an outnumbered group of enemies and I survived but I'm not sure what "difficulty" the E3 demo was running in. I expected it to be in Normal or the equivalent because even though I survived I was only by a slim chance. This has your usual 'Take Cover and Heal' mechanic. If you get seriously injured, you're going to have to back off and deep heal yourself with a D-pad option. The game looks AMAZING and more so on a decent sized HDTV. I have to say the sound is even better than the visuals. I'd tell everyone to check it out, at least rent it because it's definitely worth it.