Off Duty Gamers

Military gamers have been searching for the game that will balance out realism with fun in a way that makes sense but unfortunately it doesnt look like Battlefield Bad Company 2 is going to be it (at least not without some patches or mods).

As we’ve been playing for a couple weeks, members at OFF DUTY GAMERS (aka [ODG]) are starting to note the irritations that seem to plague the ‘fun factor’ in these games.

Right tool for the right job

In the real world we don’t (generally) use area weapons for an individual person. It’s a waste of ammunition. Sure there are times when the OPFOR is dug in a like tick or in a position where direct line of sight is impossible. Yet it seems that a common tactic in this game (and others to be honest) is to pop off 40mm rounds like your chucking out gum at a parade.

Anti-tank weapons are for … well… tanks and large vehicles, sometimes for the adventure seeking type you can take a shot at a passing helo but most of the time thats a great way to waste a round and point out your location to everyone in a 10 block radius.

What we DONT do with these weapons is…

1. fire them in enclosed places (rooms, alleys etc) – ever notice that the tube is open on the back? Ever wonder why when you fire one it doesn’t knock the firer on their ass? For those who haven’t passed physics its simple, you expel energy out the back along with the smoke and flame of the propellant (remember kids, this is a rocket in a tube!). In training the military are taught to make sure your ‘backblast area’ is clear. This means we dont take down a tank and cook the rest of the team!
2. fire them at point blank range – I guess it needs to be pointed out that RPGs, Shoulder mounted AT and even 40mm grenades are in fact EXPLOSIVES! Yup… I know, shocker huh? The same person who wouldnt be found 100 yards from a bomb gleefully fires an RPG at a target 20 feet away, tosses a grenade at their feet or fires a 40 mm at someone across the sidewalk.

Parachutes

As a former member of the US Army 82nd airborne division AND a parachute rigger this one cracks me up and makes me crazy all at once. Have you noticed that when confronted with the enemy running up both stairwells to get you on the roof, people are just bailing off the 3rd story, popping a full parachute (ram air stearable mind you) and gliding gently out of your grasp.

1. Parchutes do not repack themselves into your spinal column (I should know, Id have been out of a job) – Its a game, I know but its stupid. It ruins the game play because in the real life, you’d be stuck and forced to fight your way out. This escape doesnt teach you anything about situational awareness and a need to always have an infil and exfil plan.
2. Anything under 100 ft (and Im really pushing it) will make you dead – Parachutes do not open effectively at such a low altitude because they need to deploy and unfold with air pressure.  Even your more advanced BASE jumper will tell you that they will have the chute under an arm or a drogue (small chute to pull out the main) at the ready.
3. Not every joe on the job is parachute qualified! They should be because frankly paratroopers are the most amazing examples of personal courage and … oh wait this isnt my I LOVE ME wall. Basically, it takes a special breed with special training to jump out of an airplane, to make it look like every joe on the block can ‘hop and pop’ is kind of a smack to those who lack the gene for common sense to stay IN the aircraft.

Crouch/Movement

Whomever made the decision that gameplay would be better if you couldnt stay crouched or go prone is in an idiot. Yup, I said it, I meant it and I’ll happily meet that individual any place, any day and tell them to their face.

Remember that boring slow ass scene in Saving Private Ryan where a bunch of guys hid behind stuff, crawled and dug in on a beach in this place called Normandy? Yeah… slowed the whole movie down didnt it? Im sure you found yourself thinking… ‘damn I wish they would only get up and RUN at the german emplacements this would be over quick’.

Now, unless you’re mentally challenged you’ll realize that the natural order of things says that when things are SHOT at you, your tendancy is to get small, get out of the way of the bullets and then try to avoid getting shot at. We do this cleverly by getting behind stuff and thinking about how you can get around unnoticed.

Moving left and right while standing in the middle of the street is NOT a tactical manuever, its DANCING and you look like an ass and deserve to be shot dead on the spot. At no time do you see troops in the field avoiding a sniper by moving side to side unless your running zig zag to get out of the field of fire. This isnt the macarena or the achy breaky heart line dancing competition, get your stupid self to cover!

Someone needs to figure out how to bind a lock for the crouch so we can stay low and behind cover, period.

Prone is a solid tactical tool and WILL save your butt which if you’re smart means you’ll be alive to save the butts of your teammates. It is not a slowdown of the game at all and if you stop for a second and really look around and wonder who is where, I find that the rush of NOT knowing makes the game MORE exciting.

Vehicle respawn

On the battlefield you dont use tanks, choppers and other vehicles like disposable diapers. These are expensive, high tech assets that if used and protected properly can and will turn the tide of a battle. Having them respawn makes them feel cheap and doesnt force players to care about protecting them. They run them into battle, crash them into emplaced enemies and ditch them when they want to run off for a kill.

Hardcore mode idea… take away vehicle respawns and put X of each at the spawn point. When they are gone, they’re gone and a good team can roll out one or more and use an armor approach to impact the operation if they wish.

Reinforcements

This ones an old gripe but its worth covering. Troops in the field do not shit help but I bet there’s been times when they desperately wished they could. Tactics are out the window when the number of enemy combatants can change in a heartbeat. Part of any good tactical plan is to understand how many you’re up against and then decide the best course of action to defeat them. With the ‘spawn on your squad’ format employed here you can be all set for a raid and suddenly you’re facing additional enemy you hadnt planned for.

This one is simple, you die, you pay for it… in the real world your parents get a letter saying how brave you were but the fact remains your dead. In the game world there should be a penalty for being reckless or stupid and that should be either you’re out for the round (my idea of hardcore mode) or you are at least sent all the way back to the spawn point in the rear because THAT is where reinforcements come from. NOT your squadmates REAR, but the assulting forces REAR AREA as in way in the back where you get to ride or run back to try to help the buddy your hosing while they’re being overrun due to your previous hero mongering rambo ways.

In Conclusion…

This isnt the whole list of things that need to be kicked in the ass, only the really REALLY stupid large dumbass items. Now what if a game company could call on a group of veterans who are gamers to improve realism, learn about tactical training and generally respect hundreds of years of military training and doctrine. Oh wait, thats why OFF DUTY GAMERS was born. Ask us, we WANT to help and we can make these games bigger and badder because thats what WE want to play.

Want to join [ODG]? If you’re an active or veteran member of any formal military around the world and appreciate gaming with fellow veterans who know what teamwork and discipline are then lets us know you’re interested.