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by Gail Helmer

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Wednesday August 14, 2002

PC News
New Screens: Platoon
Monte Cristo today announced the release date for its upcoming 3D real time strategy title Platoon, based on Oliver Stone’s harrowing portrait of the war in Vietnam, as November 2002. Monte Cristo has also released these new screenshots

Platoon’s gameplay focuses on the 1st Airborne Cavalry Division in the early days of the Vietnam conflict in 1965 to the height of the war – and rapidly mounting casualties – in 1968. Starting out as Sergeant Martin Lionsdale, newly-wed and new recruit, players will need to learn from their experiences of the cruel jungle quickly to be able to succeed in their missions and rise in rank. Ultimately, they’ll be responsible for a full platoon of specialised ‘grunts’ comprising riflemen, snipers, scouts, machine gunners, grenadiers, engineers and commandoes.

In Platoon, each infantryman has his own unique personality and reacts to orders, situations and environments accordingly. The lush 3D terrain, containing dense elephant grass, rice paddy and jungle and the dynamic weather effects, including wind, rain and monsoons, affect each soldier’s speed and combat abilities and also the enemy detection through both sound and line of sight.

With over 400 motion-captured animations, Platoon’s infantry movements are all realistic and use vertex shaders for movement as well as grass effects. Gameplay mobility will also feature full vehicle control, including the hardy M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers and the mighty M48 Patton Tanks, as well as static supporting units, including mortars and recoilless rifles. Furthermore, to add to the all-important battlefield authenticity, a complex particle system is used to create explosion effects, smoke and fire.

Battlefield 1942 Countdown to MP Demo
Last month, EA released a single-player demo of Battlefield 1942, but since the game is focused on multiplayer team action, the upcoming multiplayer beta is likely to draw more attention. On the official site for the game, EA has put up a timer that is counting down to the release of the multiplayer demo this Friday. The demo will include one map, Wake Island, which is a horseshoe-shaped island that challenges the Japanese forces to capture American bases by launching aerial and amphibious attacks from the carrier and destroyer anchored offshore. The demo will include eight vehicles and all five of the game's infantry classes. For more information on Battlefield 1942, check out our preview coverage of the game.

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