TheAmerica’s Army booth at E3 was a site to behold this year, inside and outside
the building. Outside the building there was a helicopter on display to help
promote the game. Inside of the building the America’s Army booth was decked
out in a military décor and included special guests. Even with all of this
hoopla there was still a game that needed to be displayed. The developers
talked about several new updates to the core game along with a major update
that is coming down the road.
There will be two new
expansions released within the next few months, version 2.1 and version 2.2
(Overmatch). The first expansion will include two new maps with additional
maps possible within a few weeks after the release. The version 2.1 release
is scheduled for release in June. The next version, Overmatch, will be the
biggest upgrade to the America’s Army core engine. The new version was the
version shown behind closed doors at E3.
The developers did advise
us that this version is still early and the demo was missing several features
that will be included in the final version. The biggest difference noticeable
was the graphic overhaul in the game. The graphics in this version were much
more detailed with better textures and effects included in the engine. The
developers showed off a sun flare effect that looked great. They even
mentioned that the sun flare effect could be used as a tactical advantage
since your opponent won’t be able to see you while looking at the sun flare.
Another big update is the
inclusion of a new physics detection system within the game. The game will
have the rag doll effect that you see so common in new first person shooters.
So when you shoot the enemy the character will fall down with their own unique
animation. Some new weapons were displayed as well. The first one was a door
buster, which acts like a remote control bomb that can be attached to a door
to blow it open. Another new weapon was a proximity detector, which is
similar to a land mine. When someone steps on one of the detectors the weapon
fires by launching a small explosive projectile in the air. One of the last
new features was the inclusion of vehicles that you will be able to use.
As with the original
games’ release and expansions the developers have the full cooperation from
the US Army. If they want to investigate a special weapon that the military
uses, they have full access. They have access to thousands of experts because
they can ask soldiers and experts within the military for advice. But for
gamers the biggest feature is the cost which is zero. The regular game is
currently available from the America’s Army’s website. All future versions
will be available for free from the website as well. You’re not alone if
you’ve downloaded the game from the site, since there are a total of 3.5
million registered users for the game. America’s Army is becoming one of the
largest games available right now and the Overmatch expansion could draw even
more players.
