America's Army and Vladislav Vančura: Difference between pages
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{{Titlelacksdiacritics|title=Vladislav Vančura}} |
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[[Image:9mountains.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Vladislav Vančura in [[Giant Mountains]], Bohemia, 1930s]] |
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''This article is about the computer game '''America's Army'''. For the Army of the United States, see [[United States Army]].'' |
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<!-- begin WikiProject Computer and Video Games infobox-->{| cellpadding=2 cellspacing=2 align=right width=256px style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; padding: 6px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 10px; background-color: #f7f8ff; border:1px solid #8888aa;" |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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| align=center colspan=2|<font size="2">'''''America's Army'''''</font> |
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|- |
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| align=center colspan=2|[[Image:America's Army1.jpg|230px|Americas Army's CD cover]] |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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| style=width:80px|[[Video game developer|Developer]]: |
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|[[US Army]] (MOVES Institute, other army organizations) |
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|- |
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|[[Video game publisher|Publisher]]: |
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|[[US Army]] |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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|Engine: |
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|[[Unreal engine]] |
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|- |
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|Release date: |
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| AA- July 4, [[2002]] AA:SF- November 6, [[2003]] |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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|[[Computer and video game genres|Genre]]: |
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|[[Tactical Shooter|First-person tactical shooter]] |
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|- |
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|Game modes: |
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|[[Single player]], [[multiplayer]] (see text) |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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|[[ESRB]] rating: |
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|Teen (T) (13+) |
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|- |
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|Platform: |
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|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Linux]], [[Mac]] (not all versions) |
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|- style=background:#ccccff |
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|Minimum Requirements: |
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|direct Internet connection ([[K56flex|56K]]+) or faster, [[Pentium]] 1.3 [[GHz]] [[CPU]]+ (or 700MHz G4 CPU for Mac. Pentium3 766 for linux), 256[[Megabyte|MB]] [[RAM]]+ (128MB for linux) and 1.6 [[Gigabyte|GB]] [[hard disk]] space (version 2.2) |
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'''''America's Army''''' is a free [[multiplayer]] [[first-person shooter]] [[computer game]] series, with releases for [[Windows]], [[Macintosh]], and [[Linux]]. It is the official game of the [[United States Army]], and the first version was released to the public free of charge on [[July 4]], [[2002]], with numerous updates since then. The second major release was ''America's Army: Special Forces'' in November [[2003]], a major release that has also had several patches with the latest being known as ''Firefight'' (version 2.3). ''America's Army'' was developed in part by the ''[[MOVES Institute]]'' at the [[Naval Postgraduate School]] and is based on the [[Unreal engine]]. The game, while mostly well received by the gaming community, has been subject to some criticism. |
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'''Vladislav Vančura''' ([[23 June]] [[1891]], [[Háj ve Slezsku|Háj]] near [[Opava]] – [[1 June]] [[1942]], [[Prague]]) was one of the most important [[Bohemia]]n ([[Czech]]) writers of the [[20th century]]. He was also active as a [[film director]], [[playwright]] and [[screenwriter]]. |
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==Overview== |
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''America's Army'' falls into the [[subgenre]] of [[tactical shooter]] and also belongs to a category known as [[serious game]]s. According to the game's official website, America's Army "provides civilians with an inside perspective and a virtual role in today's premier land force: the U.S. Army. The game is designed to provide an accurate portrayal of Soldier experiences across a number of occupations. In the game, players will explore progressive individual and collective training events within the game. Once they successfully completed these events they will advance to multiplayer operations in small units." [http://www.americasarmy.com/support/faq_win.php#faq0] |
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== Early years == |
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As of [[February 20]], [[2005]] there were were 4.6 million registered players, of which 2.7 [[million]] had finished basic training.[http://www.americasarmy.com/] Also, there were over 15,000 servers active with a average number of rounds per day of 1.3 million, taking up an average of 90,000 thousand hours collectively in a day. Successive updates to the game have kept a steady player base. It can be found as a free download on the [[Internet]] or on a [[CD-ROM]] at recruiting centers around the [[United States]]. |
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[[Image:01young.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Young Vladislav Vančura]] |
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Born on June 26, 1891 in Háj near Opava in the province of Bohemian [[Silesia]] in [[Austria-Hungary]] (today [[Czech Republic]]), of an old non-[[catholic]] [[nobility]]; his parents were Václav Vojtěch [[Vancura|Vančura]], born 1856 in [[Caslav|Čáslav]], [[evangelical]], Director of Sugar Refinery in Háj and Marie Svobodová, catholic, born 1863 in [[Kluky]] near Čáslav. In 1896, the family moved to [[Davle]], a beautiful place on the riverside of [[Vltava]], ca 12 miles south of Prague where they lived in a large country-house. The broadminded father became the director of a complex of nearby stone pits and brickworks. In Davle, young Vladislav was educated by a home teacher ([[tutor]]) between 1898-1904. In 1905, he and his older sisters moved to Prague to study there; Vladislav entered the fifth class of Elementary School in Josefská Street. |
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== First prose-works and teenage years == |
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==History== |
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In [[1999]], [[Lieutenant Colonel]] E. Casey Wardynski, an economics professor at the [[United States Military Acadamy|U.S Military Academy]] at [[West Point, New York|West Point]] who later became head of the "''America's Army''" project, exhibited to the ''Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel'' as well as the ''Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Military [[Manpower]]'' the idea of an online computer game done by the [[United States Army]]. That same year U.S. Army recruitment had reached the lowest point in 30 years[http://www.cnn.com/US/9909/30/army.recruitment/#1]. [[Congress of the United States|Congress ]] decided to carry out "aggressive, innovative experiments" with regard to the number of recruitments. |
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In 1907 Vladislav entered the Royal [[gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]] in Prague [[Malá Strana|Lesser Town]], but problems with school routine and pedantry of professors made him leave the next year. Between 1909 and 1910, he attended Royal Gymnasium in a small town of [[Benesov|Benešov]], ca 30 miles SE of Prague. It was an old school founded in 1704 and formerly led by the [[Piaristic Order]], with severe discipline and rigid professors. Vančura hate this school extremely; on May 14, 1909, he published his first short story ''V aleji'' (In Alley) in the Literary Supplement of ''Horkého týdeník'' (Horký's weekly magazine). The studies in Benešov ended in 1910 by a [[consilium abeundi]] because of his membership in a secret student club. Parents sent him to [[Vysoké Mýto]] for trade practice to a bookseller Čermák. He felt depressed and dreamed to be a painter. In 1911, he studied technology of photography in Prague and also entered course at Arts and Crafts School; unsuccessful was his attempt to enter Royal Academy of Arts and start a career of a painter. He considered suicide because parents wanted him to be a marine officer or soldier. Due to the illness of his mother Vladislav returned to Davle. In 1912 he studied private at home and did the exams of 4th and 5th class of the gymnasium. The next year he entered Royal Gymnasium in Křemencová Street, Prague and finished the 6th class and between 1914 and 1915 was again a student of Prague Lesser Town Royal Gymnasium where he took the final exam on June 6, 1915. |
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The first release was July 4th 2002, and was followed by further patches. On [[November 6]], [[2003]], version 2.0 of ''America's Army: Special Forces'' was published. (See [[America%27s_Army#Versions|here]] for versions). The Army is spending roughly $3 million [[United States dollars|USD]] a year to develop future versions of the game. The developing studios are working on future versions, which will inlcude things like drivable vehicles. |
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== University studies, journalism == |
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Another AA version to be called ''America's Army: Rise of a Soldier'' is planned for release on [[Playstation 2]] and [[Xbox]] by summer 2005. The console version is being developed by [[UbiSoft]]. [http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/873/Americas-Army/] |
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[[Image:3nezval.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Vančura with his friend poet Vítězslav Nezval]] |
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In October 1915, Vladislav entered the Faculty of Law of [[Charles university]], but this bored him; from winter 1916 he studied medicine at the same university; his family changed Davle for a country manor [[Humburky]], not far from Prague and Vladislav met 19-years old Ludmila 'Lida' Tuhá, a student of medicine. In 1917, painter group ''Tvrdošíjní'' (Stubborns) was founded by [[Josef Capek|Josef Čapek]], [[Jan Zrzavy|Jan Zrzavý]], [[Vaclav Spala|Václav Špála]], [[Vlastimil Hofman]], [[Bedrich Feuerstein|Bedřich Feuerstein]], [[Zdenek Rykr|Zdeněk Rykr]] and other close friends of Vladislav. He wrote about them and Josef Čapek became the congenial illustrator of his later book ''Rozmarné leto'' in 1926. Between October 1 and December 31, 1918, Vladislav took medicine practice in hospital in [[Nemecky Brod|Německý Brod]]. Few days later, on October 3, he published his small prose ''Ráj'' (Paradise) in [[Stanislav Kostka Neumann|S. K. Neumann]]'s magazine ''Červen'' (June) and worked on a fairy-tale book ''Kolébka'' (Cradle) and on a play ''Iason''. In 1919 Vladislav returned to Prague to continue his university studies; in years 1919-1920 he published many art reviews in daily newspaper ''České slovo'' (The Czech Word). |
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== 1920s and great novels == |
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Since the release of ''America's Army'' the game has generated criticism for its purpose. There has been debate sparked over the being paid for by US tax dollars, and what the implications of the game's goals are, and what it means to society and army recruitment. (see '[[America's Army Controversy]] for more on this debate). |
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[[Image:02humburky.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Vančura family at Humburky Manor]] |
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On June 2, 1921, Vladislav and Lída graduated as [[doctor]]s of [[medicine]] and married on August 16, the same year. In autumn, they moved to [[Zbraslav]], where they opened a surgery. In 1923, Vladislav published a book of short stories ''Amazonský proud'' (Amazon Stream). More important was his second short stories book, published in 1924, ''Dlouhý, Široký a Bystrozraký'' (Long, Thick and Sharpsighted), containing excellent texts like ''Cesta do světa'' (Journey to the World) or ''F. C. Ball''. The third book, ''Pekař Jan Marhoul'' (Baker Jan Marhoul), published in 1924, introduced him as a great author to the public. It is Vančura's first novel and maybe also his best - story of tragical life of a wealthy baker who is continuously declining into destitute and death for his gentleness and goodness. The story is written with extraordinary language and style brillancy. In 1925, Vančura published novel ''Pole orná a válečná'' (Fields of Plough, Fields of War) and the next year novel ''Rozmarné léto'' (Peevish Summer), which became a bestseller. It is a humorous story of three men - a colonel, a priest and a bath-keeper - during rainy summer holidays. In 1967, the book was successfully filmed by the Czech director [[Jiri Menzel|Jiří Menzel]] who also played the role of Arnoštek in this movie. In 1928 Vancura wrote his fourth novel, ''Poslední soud'' (Last Judgement), published 1929 and built his new white [[functionalism (architecture)|functionalistic]] villa in Zbraslav designed by architect [[Jaromír Krejcar]], the husband of [[Franz Kafka]]'s friend, journalist and translator [[Milena Jesenská]]. |
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== 1930s and great novels == |
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==Gameplay== |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:4davle.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Vančura with bath-keeper Sura]] |
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Vančura's fifth novel ''Hrdelní pře aneb Přísloví'' (Criminal Dispute or The Proverbs) published in 1930 in Aventinum Publishing House, Prague, was not very popular at its time; it is the most complicated of Vančura's novels, the genre of which lays between a [[detective]] [[novel]] and a [[tractate]] on [[noetics]]. From the language point of view this book is a serious problem for translators because of hundreds of old [[proverb]]s used in text; there is only one translation today - [[Polish]]. In 1931, the novel ''Markéta Lazarová'' (Marketa Lazarova) was published and became a bestseller. The novel was inspired by a true [[Middle Ages]] story of the knights of the Vančura family who were in a private war with other noblemen and with the King's town [[Mladá Boleslav]]. Vančura dedicated this book to cousin and friend [[Jiri Mahen|Jiří Mahen]]. In 1967, the book was successfully filmed by director [[Frantisek Vlacil|František Vláčil]]. In the same year (1931) Vančura also published a fairy-tale book ''Kubula a Kuba Kubikula'' (Kubula and Kuba Kubikula) that remained popular for decades. Vančura's activity continued next year as he published the novel ''Útěk do Budína'' (Escape to Budin), a contemporary story of love, marriage and life of a Prague middle-class woman and a [[Slovak]] nobleman. In 1934, two other books were published: ''Luk královny Dorotky'' (Bow of Little Queen Dorothy), a collection of short stories and ''Konec starých časů'' (End of the Old Times) a bestseller, satirical and humorous novel about the life at a Bohemian country-chateau in the first years of the republic. Book was also successfully filmed by Jiří Menzel in 1989. With the 'End of the Old Times', the time of Vancura's best books ended too. His next two books, a play ''Jezero Ukerewe'' (Ukerewe Lake) from 1935 and a socialism-influenced book ''Tři řeky'' (Three Rivers), 1936 were not successful. |
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''America's Army'' is a team-based war game in which the player controls a soldier of the ''US Army'' from the [[first person]] perspective. |
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Players fight as either the 'US Army' or, on "Special Forces" [[Level (computer and video games)|maps]]) ''[[Indigenous peoples|Indigenous]] forces'' ("IF") against an opposing team called "OPFOR" (Army lingo for "[[Opposing Force]]s") and specifically as ''[[insurgent]]s'', ''[[enemy]] forces'' or ''[[terrorists]]''. |
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== 1940s, political crisis and war == |
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===US/OPFOR Transformation for Teams=== |
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[[Image:pohreb.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Vančura at the burial of Karel Čapek, December 1938]] |
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One of ''America's Army'''s unusual features is the design of the player's opponents. The players are divided into two teams, usually into an ''assault'' group and a ''defense'' group, with the ''assault'' losing the round if the time limit runs out, which is usually set to ten minutes. |
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In March 1938, [[Hitler]] annexed Austria. Vančura's friend, playwright [[Otokar Fischer]] died of a heart-attack as he got known about it; Vancura wrote an obituary about him to Literární listy magazine. In 1938, ''Rodina Horvátova'' (Horvat Family), a novel about life of three generations of a [[gentry]] family was published with no interest of readers due to the political crisis. In December 1938, Vančura took part on the burial of [[Karel Capek|Karel Čapek]], the famous writer and his friend who died after psychic and health problems originated by the capitulation of [[Czechoslovakia]]. Vančura entered the strong anti-Hitler cultural movement and started to write the book ''Obrazy z dějin národa českého'' (Pictures of the History of the Bohemian Nation); its first parts were published and became a bestseller and symbol of resistance. On March 15, 1939, the rest of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Hitler and a week later, on May 22, Jiři Mahen commited suicide in a protest against [[nazism]]. As a response to Hitler's terror against Czechs, Vančura joined a secret military resistance group in Autumn 1939. On May 12, 1942, at 5:00 AM, [[Gestapo]] assaulted his house in Zbraslav, arrested him and tortured him in the Prague Gestapo headquaters. On May 27, 1942, a [[Commando (military)|commando]] of the Czechoslovak Foreign Army from Britain assasinated [[Reinhard Heydrich]], Hitler's Prague governor. [[Nazi]]s started a wave of revenge: in next weeks more than 2.000 people of Czech elites were executed. One of them was also Vančura, executed by [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] members in the military area Prague-Kobylisy on June 1, 1942, 6:45 PM. |
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== External links == |
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The players on each team see themselves as American soldiers carrying American weaponry, such as the ''[[M16A2]]''. They see their opponents as non-uniformed foreigners carrying primarily [[Eastern bloc]] weapons, such as ''[[AK-47]]''s (the counterpart of the ''M16A2'' in the game), except for in training maps, in which the only distinguishing features are the players' [[uniform]]s. In this way the development team tried to preserve realism for players on both sides, allowing all to play on the side the game promotes while avoiding the politically thorny issue of asking players to kill American soldiers. |
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* [http://www.freewebs.com/vvancura Complete list of Vančura translations] (English, French, Spanish, German and other translations) |
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On the Special Forces maps, players can also play as non-uniformed foreigners carrying primarily [[Eastern bloc]] weapons (known as Indigenous forces ("IF") in the game), but fight along with the regular army forces (not on the OPFOR). |
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* A four minutes [http://www.radio.cz/cz/clanek/56369 recording of part of the ''Peevish Summer''] (in [[Czech language]]) |
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[[Category:1891 births|Vladislav Vancura]] |
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Where this becomes confusing to many players is the realisation that when they pick up an enemy weapon, it behaves differently to its US counterpart. An AK-47 removed from a fallen opponent is fully automatic, more powerful, but less accurate than his M16. Yet when his opponent possessed it, to him it ''was'' an M16. The key is that each weapon behaves as the owner sees it, with an invisible transformation taking place as it's picked up. Players paying great attention occasionally notice that weapons in enemy hands behave "wrongly", but the effect is subtle. |
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[[Category:1942 deaths|Vladislav Vancura]] |
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[[Category:Czech writers]] |
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[[cs:Vladislav Vančura]] |
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Each round starts with the two teams [[Spawning (computer gaming)|spawning]] simultaneously. Players can join the the other team, but cannot play as the OPFOR. Equipment is not bought but selected through choosing a class[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America's_Army#Classes_and_its_weaponry]. |
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[[fr:Vladislav Vančura]] |
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===Goals and scoring system=== |
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The goal of the game is to complete the missions [[Level (computer and video games)|objectives]]'s, or to eliminate the enemy. For example, one objective might be to kill the ''rebels'' ''[[V.I.P.]]'', who are trying to survive and escape, or, if you join the other team, you must prevent the same ''V.I.P.'' from being shot. The round ends when a team wins the round (which can only be done by either completing the objectives or killing all members of the ''OPFOR''), or when the round's time limit is reached. For a listing of missions see [[America%27s_Army#Missions_and_maps|below]] |
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The game tracks how many kills each player has, how many times each team has won, how many times each player is [[killed in action]], and how well the player is contributing to completing the objectives. The game then distributes score which calculates the player's ''Honor'' level. |
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Every death you suffer by another player, every time you fail to protect an objective which you are assigned to defend, and especially every killing of fellow teammates or their [[allies]] caused by your [[friendly fire]] is called a violation of the ''ROE'' ([[Rules of engagement]]) in the game and has an extremely negative effect on your score and "Honor". If too many points are lost in a round, the player is put in "jail" and kicked from the server. As of February 2005 95.2% of AA players had 0-20 HONOR points, 3.3% had 20-40 points, 1% had 40-60, and .4% had 61-80 points. |
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Every healing of injured teammates and every killing of opponents, by contrast, increase your score and "Honor". The accomplishment of the game's missions affects your score favorably and therefore your "Honor" points as well. The score is saved in the player's account that was being used. Some servers only allow players with certain Honor levels to join. The most common is to disallow anyone with less than 10 Honor, which is the base level that all players start with. Some also restrict players with too much Honor. The developers claim this reward system ("Honor") is modeled after the values "[[Loyalty]], [[Duty]], [[Respect]], Selfless Service, Honor, [[Integrity]] and Personal [[Courage]] or [[Leadership]]", though its main purpose in the game is stop team-killing, which is a common problem in many online first-person shooters (see [[team killer]]). |
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==Game content== |
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[[Image:Americas Army Operations Screenshot Winter.jpg|thumb| A screenshot of a soldier with a M4A1 eqipped with a silencer, ACOG 4x scope, and M203 grenade launcher]] |
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===Weaponry and equipment=== |
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The game depicts real-world [[small arms]], modeled carefully for the standards of the early [[2000s]]. Each gun has differing qualities of accuracy, deadliness, [[recoil]], and rate of jamming. To aim, there are both traditional [[cross-hairs]] and [[iron sights]]. |
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Players may select from several "classes" including ''squad leader'', ''rifleman'', ''automatic rifleman'', ''[[grenadier]]'', and ''sniper''; these classes decide what weapon the player will receive at the beginning of a new round. A few players from each team may also be ''medics'', able to stop the bleeding wounds of their teammates. Being a medic is an additional ability which is added on top of the chosen class. The Honor points are used in the allocation of class spots. Players with more Honor generally get the first choice of classes. |
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Each gun also can jam in action and the player needs to press a button to perform an action fixing the gun's jam. Due to both the fact that the player cannot use the weapon while it is jammed and that it takes several seconds to be fixed can be a crisis for the player since it occurs inherently when they need to shoot. AA was the first game ever to model weapon jamming for the players firearms. |
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Every [[firearm]] in the game has either [[iron sight]]s or a [[telescopic sight]] (for [[Sniper#Sniper_rifles|sniper rifle]]s); while using the sights, a zoom effect enlarges objects in view. The iron sights enlarge to a small degree, the telescopic sights to large one. Until he stops zooming, the player's moving speed is additionally decreased. |
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In early versions, weapons only damaged players and glass. For example, a frag grenade could not destroy a television while a gun could put a bullet hole in the glass of the TV. Compared to most other first-person shooters, however, explosive weapons are more deadly. The blast radius of grenades was intended to be more realistic than it has been made in other games. Damage by weapons always leads to at least some bleeding (though no blood visibly comes out of the player), which causes a player's health gauge to deteriorate over time. Wounds reduce movement speed, weapon accuracy and health points. In some cases if the virtual wound is not treated by a player of the medic class, the player can die. |
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Weapon modifications were introduced in later versions. The [[M4 Carbine]] can be configured in a variety of ways and allow the soldier to have features suited to a particular map. For example, on a large map a scope and a bipod might be chosen, but on a urban map one might choose only iron sights and [[M203 grenade launcher]]. |
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===Classes and weaponry=== |
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Every player starts the round with one or two firearm(s), a small number of grenades and, on some maps, [[night vision goggles]] and/or [[binoculars]]. A list of weaponry available follows: |
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*Firearms |
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**''[[Rifleman|Riflemen]]'': [[M16|M16A2]], or the [[M4 Carbine|M4A1 carbine]], and the M136 AT-4 [[anti-tank]] weapon on certain maps. The [[AK-47]] or on other maps the [[AK-74|AKS-74U]], opposite the M16A2 and the [[M4 Carbine|M4A1 carbine]] |
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**When playing as rifleman on Special Forces, the M4 can be configured with the M4 SOPMOD kit using one modification from each of the sight category. |
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***Top Rail |
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****Standard Ironsight |
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****ACOG 4x Sight |
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****M68 Reflex Sight |
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****HeatShield |
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***Front Rail |
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****CQB Reflex Sight (Must Be used with Ironsight on Top Rail) |
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****Leaf Sight (Only applicable with M203 Grenade Launcher) |
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****HeatShield |
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***Bottom Rail |
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****M203 Grenade Launcher (Must Be used with Leaf Sight on Front Rail) |
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****Flare Launcher (Must Be used with Leaf Sight on Front Rail) |
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****Harris Bipod |
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****HeatShield |
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***Muzzle |
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****QD Suppressor |
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****HeatShield |
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***Left and Right Rails |
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****HeatShield |
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*''[[Grenadier|Grenadiers]]'': [[M203]] mounted under an [[M16|M16A2]]. For opfor it appears as a [[GP30]] mounted under an AK-47, opposite the M203 mounted under an M16A2 |
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*''Automatic Riflemen'': [[M249]] [[Squad Automatic Weapon]], [[RPK]] appears opposite the M249 |
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*''Special Operations Weapons Sergeants'': [[M4 Carbine|M4A1]] SOPMOD. The AKS-74U [[Spetsnaz|SpetsNaz]] is the Modification opposite the M4A1 SOPMOD. |
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*''Advanced [[Marksmen]]'' ([[Sniper]]): [[Beretta 92|M9 Pistol]], along with the Barrett [[M82A1]] SAMR, the [[M24 SWS]] or the [[United States Navy Mark 12 Mod 0 Special Purpose Rifle|Special Purpose Rifle]] (SPR). The [[Dragunov]] SVD is opposite the M82A1. The [[Makarov PM|Makarov]] opposite the M9, the [[Mosin-Nagant]] opposite the M24 SWS, and the [[VSS Vintorez]] opposite the SPR. |
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*[[Hand grenade]]s: M67 [[fragmentation grenade]](s) (replaced with [[MILES]] grenade(s) in training levels), M83 HC white [[smoke grenade]](s), AN-M14 TH3 [[thermite|incendiary hand grenade]]([[Thermite grenade]]) (for some objective maps), M84 [[Hand grenade#Concussion grenades|stun grenade]](s) |
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*The [[RPG-7]], a [[Rocket propelled grenade]] launcher appears as itself for both IF and OPFOR. |
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*On some maps there is an Indigenous Forces class that can use the weapons normally only used by the OPFOR (for example, the RPG-7 or [[AK-47]]). |
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*US [[Stryker]] [[Armoured Personnel Carrier]] appearing to be a Russian [[BTR-80]] if on the other side. It current releases A 50-caliber machine gun on the roof can be controlled from inside, but cannot be driven around. |
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For more on classes see [[America's Army classes]] |
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====Weapons planned for future versions==== |
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*The [[XM25]] weapon. The XM25 in AA will be a sort of air burst assault weapon that fires an [[Airburst]] round via a specialized launcher. |
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*[[TALON Robot]]. The robot will be a radio controlled machine similar looking to the [[WWII]] era [[Goliath]], but rather than exploding it has special instruments such as for defusing a bomb or helping people trapped in dangerous locations. |
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*[[JAVELIN Rocket Launcher]]. The Javelin is a shoulder-fired "fire and forget" anti-vehicle self-guided rocket. It can also be used against bunkers and other hardended locations. In AA it will have a special scope target system and can be carried on a player's back. |
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*Other planned game weapons include door breacher explosives, a shotgun (also for door breaching), and land mines. The land mines are armed and placed like a handgrenade, but would not detonate until triggered. Also be worked on are more drivable vehicles, such as a up-armored humvee, which was in a video at E3. |
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===Missions and maps=== |
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The map list is sorted by the version they were released with, with most recent maps coming first. The game currently features 28 [[multiplayer]] [[Level (computer and video games)|maps]] in various locations as well as 14 [[single player]] training missions whose completion unlocks certain options for the player, namely the ability to play [[online]] or to become [[medic]], special forces unit or [[sniper]]. Maps vary in size, objectives, and weaponry available to players. |
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However, no known custom maps have been done as there is no [[level editor]] for the game and the developers have made it impossible for players to use the [[level design]] software ''[[UnrealEd]]'', which works for other [[Unreal engine]] games. |
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*AA: Special Forces (Firefight) (v2.3) |
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**''Woodland Assault'', a woodland map where one side must identify and destroy a weapons cache, and the other side defend it. |
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**''Urban Assault'', a urban map in a desert climate. Each side must secure weapon caches. |
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*AA: SF (Vanguard) (v2.2) |
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**''SF Taiga'', a winter map in a forested area. |
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**''SF Oasis'', set in a desert climate one side must escape a canyon and the other must stop them. |
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*AA: SF (Downrange) (v2.1) |
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**''SF Village'', a urban map in a desert climate. |
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**''SF Arctic'', a winter map one side must defend a convoy. Includes immobile [[Stryker]] vehicles. |
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*AA: SF (v2.0 and v2.0a) |
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**''SF Sandstorm'' (came with Sandstorm v2.0a), a desert map set during a sand-storm among buidlings and ruins. |
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**''SF CSAR'', a urban desert map with a downed [[blackhawk helicopter]]. Can play as US Army or indigenous soldiers against the OPFOR. |
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**''SF Pipeline'', a redone version of the orginal ''Pipline'' map, but with SF eqipment. The maps layout and objectives remain the same however. |
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**''SF Recon'', a large desert night map in which one side must do a series of identifications, and the other must stop them. |
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**''SF Hospital'', a VIP rescue or defense map set in a urban environment surrounding and in a hospital and heli-pad |
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*AA: Medics (v1.9) |
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**''Mountain Pass SE'', a redone vesion of the orginal ''Mountain Pass'' from AA:0. |
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*AA: Operations |
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**''Bridge SE'' (came with v1.7), a expanded version of ''Bridge Crossing'' which adds alternate routes around bridge and is somewhat less foggy. |
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**''Radio Tower'' (v1.6), a desert map with several objectives. |
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**''Weapons Cache SE'' (v1.5), a expanded and different version of ''Weapons Cache'' with somewhat different objectives. |
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**''River Basin'' (v1.4), is a large MILES traing map with a series objectives set among grassy hills, in a daylight summer environment. |
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**''Mountain Pass'' (v.1.3), a large hilly winter map. |
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**''JRTC Farm'' (v1.2.1), one side spawns in via a [[paradrop]] and must destroy a parked [[helicopter]], the other side must defend it. |
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**''Weapons Cache'' (v1.2.1), a urban map with a series of obejctives inside a large building, a mix of office space and storage rooms. |
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**''Mountain Ambush'' (v1.2), a series of objectives in mixed woodland and grassy environment. |
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**''Swamp Raid'' (v1.2), A dark map that focuses on the rescue or defense of a prisoner. The Rescue side has [[night vision]]. |
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**''FLS Assault'' (v1.2), a night map centering on the defense or attack of a [[field landing strip]]. The attacking side para-drops in from a [[C-17]] and has night-vision. |
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*AA: Recon (v1.0) |
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**''HQ Raid'', a MILES map set at night, in a wooded hilly area where a series of objectives. |
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**''Collapsed Tunnel'', A a dark battle in a series of sewer tunnels. Each side must secure a series of objective points. |
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**''Insurgent Camp'', set at night in afghanistan, the attackers must get into a complex and access computers. |
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**''Pipeline'', a winter map that takes place at a pumping station in [[Alaska]]. One side defends the station, and the other sectures objectives inside, such as turning of valves. |
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**''Bridge Crossing'', a foggy winter maps with each side starting on one side of long bridge. One side must stop the other from crossing. |
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**''MOUT McKenna'', a training level in a re-created urban enviorment, similar to some urban type [[paintball]] courses. This map features [[Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System|MILES]] |
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==Versions== |
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[[Image:Boxart sfas.jpg|thumb|Version 2.0 Cover]] |
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Version 2.3 is the most recent, and is available for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Linux]]. A [[Mac OS X]] version is being tested and will be released. This is following a period that the OS X version didn't ship because of a change in licence pricing for the Mac version of the [[GameSpy]] service. This prevented OS X version 2.2 from shipping. Version 2.3 for Mac OS X will feature a rewrite of the networking code to enable network play with all connected clients without the ''GameSpy'' client directly embedded in the game. The release dates here are only for the Windows release, versions for other system's versions came afterwards in some cases. |
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*Version 1.0.0 and 1.0.1 - ''America's Army: Recon'' — (released [[July 4]], [[2002]]) (Windows) |
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*Version 1.2.0 - ''America's Army'' — (released [[August 23]], [[2002]]) (Windows) |
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*Version 1.2.1 - ''America's Army: Operations'' — (released [[August 27]], [[2002]]) (Windows) |
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*Version 1.4.0 - ''America's Army: Operations'' — (released [[November 27]], [[2002]]) (Windows) |
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*Version 1.5.0 - ''America's Army: Operations'' — (released [[December 23]], [[2002]]) (Windows) |
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*Version 1.7.0 - ''America's Army: Operations'' — (released [[May 1]], [[2003]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac) |
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*Version 1.9.0 - ''America's Army: Operations'' — (released [[August 10]], [[2003]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac) |
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*Version 2.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces'' — (released [[November 6]], [[2003]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac) |
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**Version 2.0a - ''America's Army: Special Forces'' — (released [[December 23]], [[2003]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac) |
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*Version 2.1.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Downrange)'' — (released [[June 1]], [[2004]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac) |
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*Version 2.2.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Vanguard)'' — (released [[October 19]], [[2004]]) (Windows, Linux) |
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**Version 2.2.1 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Vanguard)'' — (released [[November 18]], [[2004]]) (Windows, Linux) |
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*Version 2.3.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Firefight)'' — (released: [[February 18]], [[2005]]) (Windows, Linux, Mac (release planned)) |
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*Version 2.4.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Q-Course)'' — (release date: ''May 2005'') |
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*Version 2.5.0 - ''America's Army: Special Forces (Overmatch)'' — (release date: ''Summer 2005'') |
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*Version 3.0 - (release date: ''2006'') |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.americasarmy.com/ Official America's Army Website] | [http://www.movesinstitute.org/ The MOVES Institute (Modeling, Virtual Environment and Simulation Institute)] |
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===Community websites=== |
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*[http://www.aaocommunity.com/php/ AAO Community Site] | [http://americasarmy.filefront.com/ AA:Files] | [http://www.aasf.de/ AASF] | [http://aaotracker.4players.de/ AA Tracker] | [http://www.airdaleops.com/ AirdaleOps] | [http://www.ausarmy.com/ AusArmy]| [http://www.forwardobserver.us/ Forward Observer] | [http://www.infinite-plague.com/ Infinite-Plauge Gaming Site] |
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===Articles about the game=== |
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*[http://internetgames.about.com/library/weekly/aaarmyopsa.htm About.com "Free Favorites - America's Army, Basic Training by FPS"] |
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*[http://www.gamespace.nl/content/ISAGA_Nieborg.PDF "America's Army: more than a game?" by David B. Nieborg] (Institute of Media & Re/Presentation, Utrecht University, The Netherlands) |
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*[http://money.cnn.com/2002/05/31/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ ''CNN'' article about ''America's Army''] (June 3, 2002) |
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*[http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/americas-army-special-forces/505423p1.html?fromint=1 GameSpy Pc Review of America's Army:Special Forces] (April 11, 2004) |
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*[http://pc.gamezone.com/gamesell/reviews/r20650.htm Gamezone Review of AA:O Version 1.21] (October 31, 2002) |
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*[http://www.newsreview.com/issues/sacto/2004-10-14/cover.asp Gary Webb's article about ''America's Army''] (October 14, 2004) |
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*[http://pc.ign.com/objects/482/482289.html IGN.com Webpage on AA Series] |
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*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,960616,00.html "Make cheats, not war" by ''The Guardian''] (May 22, 2003) |
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*[http://www.notinourname.net/resources_links/video-game-7nov03.htm ''Not in our name'' article about ''America's Army''] (November 7, 2003) |
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*[http://www.pcgameworld.com/game.php/id/1196/America's_Army/ PCGameWorld.com America's Army Webpage] |
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*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/features/story/0,,1242262,00.html ''The Guardian'' article about ''America's Army''] (June 19, 2004) |
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*[http://news.com.com/Training+with+the+Armys+game+development+team/2100-1043_3-5580455.html?tag=st.num "Training with the Army's game development team" by Seth Schiesel] (February 17, 2005) |
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*[http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020902&s=hodes20020823 ''The Nation'' article about ''America's Army''] (August 23, 2002) |
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*[http://www.tweakguides.com/AASF_1.html Tweakguides.com "AA:SF Tweak Guide"] |
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*[http://www-ugs.csusb.edu/honors/02/ResTravis.htm University on ''Video game propaganda'' concerning ''America's Army''] |
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===Other=== |
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*[http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/miles.htm FAS article about MILES system] |
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*[http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m16.htm FAS article about M16 rifles] |
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[[Category:First-person shooters]] |
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[[Category:Linux games]] |
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[[Category:Mac OS games]] |
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[[Category:Multiplayer online games]] |
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[[Category:Propaganda examples]] |
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[[Category:Windows games]] |
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[[de:America's Army]] |
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Revision as of 19:29, 29 March 2005
Vladislav Vančura (23 June 1891, Háj near Opava – 1 June 1942, Prague) was one of the most important Bohemian (Czech) writers of the 20th century. He was also active as a film director, playwright and screenwriter.
Early years
Born on June 26, 1891 in Háj near Opava in the province of Bohemian Silesia in Austria-Hungary (today Czech Republic), of an old non-catholic nobility; his parents were Václav Vojtěch Vančura, born 1856 in Čáslav, evangelical, Director of Sugar Refinery in Háj and Marie Svobodová, catholic, born 1863 in Kluky near Čáslav. In 1896, the family moved to Davle, a beautiful place on the riverside of Vltava, ca 12 miles south of Prague where they lived in a large country-house. The broadminded father became the director of a complex of nearby stone pits and brickworks. In Davle, young Vladislav was educated by a home teacher (tutor) between 1898-1904. In 1905, he and his older sisters moved to Prague to study there; Vladislav entered the fifth class of Elementary School in Josefská Street.
First prose-works and teenage years
In 1907 Vladislav entered the Royal Gymnasium in Prague Lesser Town, but problems with school routine and pedantry of professors made him leave the next year. Between 1909 and 1910, he attended Royal Gymnasium in a small town of Benešov, ca 30 miles SE of Prague. It was an old school founded in 1704 and formerly led by the Piaristic Order, with severe discipline and rigid professors. Vančura hate this school extremely; on May 14, 1909, he published his first short story V aleji (In Alley) in the Literary Supplement of Horkého týdeník (Horký's weekly magazine). The studies in Benešov ended in 1910 by a consilium abeundi because of his membership in a secret student club. Parents sent him to Vysoké Mýto for trade practice to a bookseller Čermák. He felt depressed and dreamed to be a painter. In 1911, he studied technology of photography in Prague and also entered course at Arts and Crafts School; unsuccessful was his attempt to enter Royal Academy of Arts and start a career of a painter. He considered suicide because parents wanted him to be a marine officer or soldier. Due to the illness of his mother Vladislav returned to Davle. In 1912 he studied private at home and did the exams of 4th and 5th class of the gymnasium. The next year he entered Royal Gymnasium in Křemencová Street, Prague and finished the 6th class and between 1914 and 1915 was again a student of Prague Lesser Town Royal Gymnasium where he took the final exam on June 6, 1915.
University studies, journalism
In October 1915, Vladislav entered the Faculty of Law of Charles university, but this bored him; from winter 1916 he studied medicine at the same university; his family changed Davle for a country manor Humburky, not far from Prague and Vladislav met 19-years old Ludmila 'Lida' Tuhá, a student of medicine. In 1917, painter group Tvrdošíjní (Stubborns) was founded by Josef Čapek, Jan Zrzavý, Václav Špála, Vlastimil Hofman, Bedřich Feuerstein, Zdeněk Rykr and other close friends of Vladislav. He wrote about them and Josef Čapek became the congenial illustrator of his later book Rozmarné leto in 1926. Between October 1 and December 31, 1918, Vladislav took medicine practice in hospital in Německý Brod. Few days later, on October 3, he published his small prose Ráj (Paradise) in S. K. Neumann's magazine Červen (June) and worked on a fairy-tale book Kolébka (Cradle) and on a play Iason. In 1919 Vladislav returned to Prague to continue his university studies; in years 1919-1920 he published many art reviews in daily newspaper České slovo (The Czech Word).
1920s and great novels
On June 2, 1921, Vladislav and Lída graduated as doctors of medicine and married on August 16, the same year. In autumn, they moved to Zbraslav, where they opened a surgery. In 1923, Vladislav published a book of short stories Amazonský proud (Amazon Stream). More important was his second short stories book, published in 1924, Dlouhý, Široký a Bystrozraký (Long, Thick and Sharpsighted), containing excellent texts like Cesta do světa (Journey to the World) or F. C. Ball. The third book, Pekař Jan Marhoul (Baker Jan Marhoul), published in 1924, introduced him as a great author to the public. It is Vančura's first novel and maybe also his best - story of tragical life of a wealthy baker who is continuously declining into destitute and death for his gentleness and goodness. The story is written with extraordinary language and style brillancy. In 1925, Vančura published novel Pole orná a válečná (Fields of Plough, Fields of War) and the next year novel Rozmarné léto (Peevish Summer), which became a bestseller. It is a humorous story of three men - a colonel, a priest and a bath-keeper - during rainy summer holidays. In 1967, the book was successfully filmed by the Czech director Jiří Menzel who also played the role of Arnoštek in this movie. In 1928 Vancura wrote his fourth novel, Poslední soud (Last Judgement), published 1929 and built his new white functionalistic villa in Zbraslav designed by architect Jaromír Krejcar, the husband of Franz Kafka's friend, journalist and translator Milena Jesenská.
1930s and great novels
Vančura's fifth novel Hrdelní pře aneb Přísloví (Criminal Dispute or The Proverbs) published in 1930 in Aventinum Publishing House, Prague, was not very popular at its time; it is the most complicated of Vančura's novels, the genre of which lays between a detective novel and a tractate on noetics. From the language point of view this book is a serious problem for translators because of hundreds of old proverbs used in text; there is only one translation today - Polish. In 1931, the novel Markéta Lazarová (Marketa Lazarova) was published and became a bestseller. The novel was inspired by a true Middle Ages story of the knights of the Vančura family who were in a private war with other noblemen and with the King's town Mladá Boleslav. Vančura dedicated this book to cousin and friend Jiří Mahen. In 1967, the book was successfully filmed by director František Vláčil. In the same year (1931) Vančura also published a fairy-tale book Kubula a Kuba Kubikula (Kubula and Kuba Kubikula) that remained popular for decades. Vančura's activity continued next year as he published the novel Útěk do Budína (Escape to Budin), a contemporary story of love, marriage and life of a Prague middle-class woman and a Slovak nobleman. In 1934, two other books were published: Luk královny Dorotky (Bow of Little Queen Dorothy), a collection of short stories and Konec starých časů (End of the Old Times) a bestseller, satirical and humorous novel about the life at a Bohemian country-chateau in the first years of the republic. Book was also successfully filmed by Jiří Menzel in 1989. With the 'End of the Old Times', the time of Vancura's best books ended too. His next two books, a play Jezero Ukerewe (Ukerewe Lake) from 1935 and a socialism-influenced book Tři řeky (Three Rivers), 1936 were not successful.
1940s, political crisis and war
In March 1938, Hitler annexed Austria. Vančura's friend, playwright Otokar Fischer died of a heart-attack as he got known about it; Vancura wrote an obituary about him to Literární listy magazine. In 1938, Rodina Horvátova (Horvat Family), a novel about life of three generations of a gentry family was published with no interest of readers due to the political crisis. In December 1938, Vančura took part on the burial of Karel Čapek, the famous writer and his friend who died after psychic and health problems originated by the capitulation of Czechoslovakia. Vančura entered the strong anti-Hitler cultural movement and started to write the book Obrazy z dějin národa českého (Pictures of the History of the Bohemian Nation); its first parts were published and became a bestseller and symbol of resistance. On March 15, 1939, the rest of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Hitler and a week later, on May 22, Jiři Mahen commited suicide in a protest against nazism. As a response to Hitler's terror against Czechs, Vančura joined a secret military resistance group in Autumn 1939. On May 12, 1942, at 5:00 AM, Gestapo assaulted his house in Zbraslav, arrested him and tortured him in the Prague Gestapo headquaters. On May 27, 1942, a commando of the Czechoslovak Foreign Army from Britain assasinated Reinhard Heydrich, Hitler's Prague governor. Nazis started a wave of revenge: in next weeks more than 2.000 people of Czech elites were executed. One of them was also Vančura, executed by SS members in the military area Prague-Kobylisy on June 1, 1942, 6:45 PM.
External links
- Complete list of Vančura translations (English, French, Spanish, German and other translations)
- A four minutes recording of part of the Peevish Summer (in Czech language)