Gamers embark on video combat mission
By Josh Zelman
CNN Headline News
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"Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin"
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(CNN) -- Don't be surprised if, someday, the war in Iraq appears in your living room as a video game.
Life in the trenches is popular with gamers. Recently I spoke with Jeanne Kim Trais, a contributor to Electronic Gaming Monthly and Computer Gaming World, about one particularly realistic game.
Published by Battlefront.com, "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin" is a PC and Mac based World War II game that takes place on the Eastern Front between 1941 and 1945.
Trais told me the World War II enthusiasts at Battlefront.com have created a very detailed tactical warfare game in "Barbarossa to Berlin." This 3-dimensional release does everything from measuring the morale of troops to calculating wind velocity when firing bullets.
In addition to offering impressive detail, Trais was excited about what she called, "Barbarossa to Berlin's" revolutionary game play.
Say you're on a mission to invade Stalingrad, like players in a chess match you and your opponent will alternately make your moves, but instead of the moves being carried out instantly, they each get saved. Then, the whole sequence is played out simultaneously while you watch.
Trais said the exciting thing about this feature is that it gives the gamer a feel for action happening in real time with no idea of how it will unfold.
In terms of match-ups, gamers have the option of playing against the computer, playing online, or playing what's called "hot seat," that's where you and your buddy take turns battling it out on the same computer.
Because "Barbarossa to Berlin" is so detailed and realistic, Trais thinks the mainstream audience might find game play a little intimidating. However, she told me the greater the effort the greater the reward.
