US Army game developers show off CryEngine 3-powered environments

@Raquor ME WANT PHOTOREALISM NOW! URG SMASH!

@Raquor

Later today....

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I'm sorry, General, but you've been relieved of your command.

GENERAL: What? How could this happen?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I was reading Joystiq this morning, as I am wont to do, and I saw that one of their users, a Mr. Raquor, I believe, was unimpressed by the graphics on our recent soldier-training game. Since this was the entire point of the project, I feel impressed to relieve you of your position. Mission, UNaccomplished, General.

@Raquor
I agree, why are they making such a fuss about this? It looks decent, but nothing I havent seen before. Or maybe we are just spoiled.

@Raquor It's a simulation, not an actual game -- the graphics aren't supposed to impress you. I would imagine they're spending more time on accurate physics, large-scale environments, scripting, etc.

Graphics aren't the point of a project like this.

@belasco
This is a military simulation! SIMULATION! Got the message?

@Raquor Elsewhere I've read that this isn't something you're going to be looking at a screen playing with a controller. Well I guess technically it could be said that is what you are doing. But, the point is, it's VR. As in googles. Which makes it amazing.

@Raquor

what part of CryEngine 3 don't you understand? sure it can make some pretty good pre-rendered cutscenes, but this also adds AI, scripting, etc, etc, etc, all in real time. besides the only difference between a "game" and a "simulation" is one "simulates" real life and the other doesn't. i'll let you figure out which for yourself.

@drballsey

$57 million in tax payer money?! This is ridiculous! I'd understand the spending if this nation had no debt but we are broke! At least they didn't spend that money on buying MW3 for the troops...

*zips up flame suit *

RON PAUL 2012!!!

@latin trident
Ron Paul 2012!

@latin trident

Sarah Paling 2012!

@kilroy214

Damn you, predictive text!

@latin trident

This simulation is going to help train troops, they didn't make it cause they can noob.

@drballsey

http://www.americasarmy.com/

nothing new, been going on for 10 years now.

@LexStewther
America's army is a recruitment tool, Not a training simulator that the public will probably never see in its entirety.

@latin trident $57 million is NOTHING to the government. They spend in the BILLIONS....millions are nothing.

@eat it I know right? They could've put thousands of people through college and back again on scholarships and what not for that kinda money.

@Kougeru
I got a better idea. How about the Federal Government stops printing money for us to pay for later. It used to be tax and spend. Now it's spend and tax. It's still taxation without representation.

Ron Paul 2012

And before anyone gets on with the flaming of Dr. Paul, remember he has the most donations from Active Military Personel than all the other candidates combined.

@doodles Doesn't make him less of a racist or asshat. Having the most military support doesn't make him a good candidate.

Here's why people like Ron Paul: he oversimplifies things. Things that shouldn't be oversimplified, that is, because there's not simple solutions.

@Ayepecks

in all fairness, politicians are generally the ones who over complicate things when they shouldn't be (i.e., tax laws). they run this country with a "what's in it for me" attitude and not how does it best serve the country.

@LexStewther Tax laws should be complicated, because a one-size-fits all philosophy doesn't make sense. A flat tax hinders the poor, and a progressive tax is viewed by many as discouraging attempts to gain wealth and work hard (the Republican party is pretty staunch in that belief). There's not a simple solution, so you have to make different laws for different classes -- unfortunately, that's benefited the rich, as lobbyists and corporations will do anything to keep the rich rich and the poor poor.

@eat it

THIS JUST IN: THE MILITARY BUDGET IS COMICALLY LARGE. FILM AT 11.


in all fairness though this being a simulator and not a game, means they need to do more than develop just the software, they need to work on all the custom displays, controls, etc. that will be involved in the simulator. the money spent on the project can also entail things like hardware platforms to operate on, displays, and controls. whereas a true game dev is already going to have a PC/ps3/xbox to test their systems on.

I just don't think its fair to compare the two the difference between this 'game' and a normally developed games, they are quite different when it comes to motivations, implementation, and objectives that it has. normal devs make a game to entertain people and make money. This is being designed to train people, which means that it will probably have more assets than a normal video game (diverse military hardware, which you'd want to operate as accurately as possible, Diverse environments. the list could go on) This game will also probably would not be very much fun to the average 'gamer.'

Im sure some money has been wasted, it's the nature of development, but lets keep in mind this isn't just some game being dev'ed.

Finally, lets also keep in mind that in terms of funds this isn't horribly high. For example the WSJ claims that Blizzard spent about 100 Million on Developing starcraft. MW2 is rumored to be made for about 50mil Gt5 was made at around 60 mil. in 2010, The average development budget for a multiplatform next-gen game is $18-$28 million

so it seems that they've spent quite a bit, but nothing terribly ludicrous when in perspective.

@Ayepecks

before you call Ron Paul racist, you should check out this video and hear his opinions straight from his mouth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3EADdr-5AY

@latin trident Racists generally don't say they're racist. There's plenty of documented evidence out there of Paul's racism and bigotry. There's plenty of articles that have come out about it in the last two days, in fact.

Nothing Ron Paul says erase his previous actions and publications.

@doodles

The fact that you were down-voted makes me incredible fearful for the idiots who are able to vote.

@Ayepecks

Did the TV news tell you that he's racist? Sounds like you can't think for yourself.

@A Sandwich You forgot about 37 "UHMs" in there.

LOL the USA isn't broke.

@thatdamnprinny

You're talking about a government entity that awards contracts with specifications for $8000 toilets... or some crazy shite like that.

@JonahStein

Wow. They sure know how to overspend.

@geniuswithagun i think they did this already, joes vs bros or someshit like that

Doesn't really change the fact they released two trailers to the public for a game we can't play trying to show off the graphics... Get it? No? Then I guess you're wrong as well

@RedTeamHasTheFlag

You're probably thinking about Iraq?