WWI Source (Video Game Modification)

[Gamburd]

In case some of you are interested in PC video games, this came out about two weeks again.

WWI Source (Beta; for PC):

http://www.ww1-source.net/forum/

It's a computer modification ("mod) for the video game Half-Life 2 (published by Valve, Inc)..

It doesn't cost anything; you can download the mod for free.


Here's a few screenshots on their homepage:

http://www.ww1-source.net/



However, you do need to own Half-Life 2, plus the game Half-Life Death Match, or some other Source Engine based video game.

You may be able to use some other Source based engine game such as Left For Dead or perhaps Day of Defeat; I'm not sure about that, so you may want to ask them about what games you need to play the mod.

I have Half-Life 2 and Half Life Death Match, and those two games work for the mod (for some reason, you need both HL2 and HL Death Match for the mod to work).

They also released a Patch today to fix some of the errors people noticed.


It's a Beta Release, meaning it is a preliminary Release for the public to play, before they finish with a final release some years from now.

I would rate it around 5.5 /10.

It is more of an arcade style of video game than an attempt at historical realism.

There isn't much barbed wire; both sides (German and British) have post-1915 uniforms for all the maps (so, no Pickelhauben); the British SMLE rifle only fires six rounds.


But I thought the artillery was portrayed well; the machine guns for both sides are also well done (Lewis Gun).


It's entertaining, but I don't think it comes close to a somewhat realistic WWI computer game simulation experience.

I am in the process of trying to make a more realistic WWI computer modification which uses the for Tripwire Inc.'s upcoming video game 'Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad'.

My computer modification is called 'Iron Europe: 1914-1916', and you can visit our website here:

http://www.ironeuropegame.com/news.php

 

[joerookery]

Anything for a Macintosh?

 

[Gamburd]

No, sorry Joe, it is only for PC.

It seems like most commercial video games are released for PC.


There is also very small trend more recently to release some video games only for gaming consoles such as Microsoft's XBOX 360 and Sony's Playstation series.

I don't think it would be worth buying a PC for this mod; it's on an older gaming engine (the Source engine); the community for the mod is small (I think you would be very lucky to find 15-20 people playing it together at one time); the graphics are generally not that good.


There are not many WWI PC games; there are a few WWI flight simulation games; those require the purchase of a decent joystick.


However, there are some pretty good commercial WWII PC games: 'Call of Duty' series, Tripwire's 'Red Orchestra' and its Normandy mod 'Darkest Hour'; some of the 'Medal of Honor' series.

I would even recommend the PC game 'Battlefield 1942', although it is a very arcade style WWII game; some of the modifications modding groups made for it, Forgotten Hope .70 and Battlegroup42 make the game somewhat more realistic (realistic looking uniforms, new weapons, new armies, new map scenarios, but it is still an arcade style game).

 

[Peter_Suciu]

I've played a number of the aforementioned games (part of my beat as a journalist remains video games). Honestly, the WWI setting is not really good for a shooter.

You're not going to simulate the "over the top" nature of WWI trench warfare unfortunately.

I did talk a few developers and there was talk of a Spanish Civil War or Gran Chaco type shooter. Those would be good, slow moving plans, lightly armored tanks but plenty of machine guns.

And I should mention that I have been playing Napoleon: Total War, the follow up to Empires: Total War. This is set (as the title suggests) during the Napoleonic Wars, so it is still a little early for some tastes. But you can play Prussia, Russia, Austria, England or France. I was playing the Russians and defeated the Turks before deciding to stab my Prussian and Austrian allies in the back. I'm showing them who the real Peter the Great is I suppose!