Navigating the Minefields: Military Accuracy in Tactical Shooters

1. Navigating the Minefields: Military Accuracy in Tactical Shooters Presented by Christian Allen Game Designer

2. Speaker Introduction • A Game Designer, focusing on Military shooters in the Tom Clancy Universe. • Latest title as a Lead is Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 2 on the Xbox. • Military background includes the USMC, USAFNG, and USARNG

3. Why Bother Being Accurate? • When making a game set in real life (just like any game world), accuracy in the details of your universe will set the stage for how your player accepts the gameplay mechanics of the world. • For the purpose of this talk, accuracy is defined as “conforming to fact.”

4. Player’s Perceptions:Keeping up with Hollywood • Movies such as Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down define what is an accurate portrayal of war. • Even if your game is hyper-accurate, it will be judged against the latest Hollywood model of “real.”

5. For Example… • Everyone knows what a Special Forces soldier looks like…

6. And they don’t look like this… • In actuality, this is a Special Forces Operator in Afghanistan, while the first picture was from Black Hawk Down.

7. Choosing Your Model

8. Levels of Accuracy & the Game Vision • The market can determine the level of accuracy in your game, depending on how you want to set your game against the competition. • The two ends of the spectrum in are the Rambo-style action on one end, and the hard line simulation on the other. • Many factors can go into the decision on where on the spectrum you want your game to go, but it is important to nail down the level of accuracy in the Vision of the game.

9. Communicating the Game World Model to the Team • Movies can be a great way to communicate the Vision to the team, whether in whole or using scenes to demonstrate realism, character development, and action. • Providing books, manuals, and other references is important, but it is best to give small bits of information, instead of expecting development team members to read novels or manuals. • When looking at details on equipment fact sheets are a great tool, and you can either use real factsheets, or create your own for different pieces of equipment.

10. Communicating the Game World Model to the Team

11. The Realism Debate • Deciding “what is realistic” in a game world is always difficult, but as long as each game element fits within your game world and stays consistent, you can adjust your level of realism and accuracy. • If your game world has a feeling of authenticity and accuracy, players will accept non-realistic elements as “realistic,” even when they are totally different than real life. • The general rule on when to “fudge” follows standard rules of game design: Gameplay and Fun Rule!

12. The Real World is still a Game World

13. Consistency & Balance • In real life, guns are not balanced against each other. Thus, your game world needs to add inaccurate balancing for good gameplay. However, too much balancing can ruin the immersion of the game world, so you should take care in the selection of weapons and equipment. • Real-life objects can also be used to provide balance, rather than removing it. Ammo load-outs, recoil versus damage, and weight, and other elements work for game balance. • They key is finding which elements you can reproduce in your game, and integrating them.

14. Who is your Hero? • Your Hero or character can help define much of your game world. It is important, in a military setting, to define what your hero “Can do” versus what he/she “Would do”. • The scope of what your missions will do is also defined by the setting and hero characterin your game. Having your hero infantryman pilot an aircraft carrier can work in an a less realistic setting, but can destroy the immersion of the game if it is driving for hyper-accuracy. • The story and setting also must be consistent with your game world. The story must support the level of accuracy that you are driving for in your game.

15. Real Life is Not Fun! • After you decide on the level of accuracy in the game, you must identify what is funabout that model. Is it surprising untrained enemies? Using the latest technology? Mowing down hordes of enemies? Decide what is fun, and then focus on those elements. • Real life sucks. It’s hot, stinky, and often boring. It is important that just because something is realistic, doesn’t mean it should be in the game. • Keeping the accurate elements fun is important. If it is more fun for your players to mow down their allies, instead of fighting the enemies, you need to evaluate your gameplay!

16. Attention to Detail • The details are very important. Getting them right will get the Grognards on your side. Getting them wrong will cause your game to be dismissed by them. No matter what your gameplay is like, making details accurate add to the authenticity of the game. • Fact checking is essential! Do not rely on one resource for all information, no matter how well informed they are.

17. Key Areas of Accuracy • Guns and Ammo • Weapons are some of the easiest things for nit-pickers to single out. The visuals, sounds, and descriptions are very important to nail. This the area that most military shooter fans “know” the most about. • Jargon and Language • Make sure your language fits your subject. Be sure to use enough jargon for flavor, but not too much to alienate players who might not understand what you are talking about. Remember, it is about perception! • Uniforms and Medals • This is another area that is very easy to make mistakes in, and be called out on. Check your assets against appropriate resources, to make sure the details are right.

18. Resources

19. Consultants • Many teams use paid consultants. While valuable, you must make sure that consultants are working for you, not the other way around. Many consultants, especially from Hollywood, can be more interested in building their resume than providing helpful assistance. • Consultants can be a valuable PR resource, adding an air of authenticity to your product. However, you must make sure and identify if that is their primary purpose, or if it is to directly assist the development team.

20. Consultants • Remember, consultants are not game developers (although they may forget that). They should be assisting the team, not telling you how to do it! • Anyone can Google, Why Pay for It? • If you are just getting generic information that anyone can find, why bother? Keep an eye on the information you receive, and evaluate it’s worth.

21. Team Resources • Former Military members can be a valuable asset. However, you must be sure to identify their experience, and make sure to be clear to them the specific information you are looking for. Let them know that it is OK to say “I don’t know.” • Fans can also be a good resource. If you are working on an established franchise, there will be many knowledgeable fans. However, you must judge what you hear or read from them, because their information can be colored by what they “have learned” from games, and not necessarily from reality. • Marketing professionals can be helpful also, with connections to the media and publications, for tracking down otherwise hard to find resources.

22. Public and Local Contacts • The Military • You would probably be surprise at how much the military is happy to provide information to make your game authentic. Often, military members feel it is very important for games to “get it right.” • Historical Foundations • If you are working on a historical game, contact the foundations and organizations that work to keep memories about the conflict alive. They often have a vast amount of knowledge on the subject. • Re-enactors • Re-enactors are an undervalued resource, and if you are looking for detail-oriented advice, these are the guys to give it!

23. Public and Local Contacts

24. Conclusion • By choosing your game model, communicating your vision to the team, and paying close attention to the details of your game world, you can ensure your game stands out in the sea of military shooter titles!

25. Thank you for your Time! Christian Allen Game Designer