Operation Flashpoint (series): Difference between revisions

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Released in 2001, ''Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis'' is a [[Tactical Shooter]]/[[Simulation Game|Soldier Sim]] that was quite revolutionary for its time, earning critical acclaim for its innovative open world gameplay and consistent focus on realism (so much so that the engine was even adapted for real militaries to use as a [[wikipedia:VBS1|training simulator]]). OFP let players roam on massive islands several square kilometers in size and use a wide variety of vehicles however they see fit, and all this at a time when most FPS games limited the player to oppressive indoor settings and small outdoor arena-style maps, and typically only featured usable vehicles in [[Unexpected Gameplay Change|on-rails shooting sequences]], if at all.

* [[All Your Base Are Belong to Us]]: The invading Soviet army most of the time, with the defenders [[Watching Troy Burn]]. Inverted later, when the NATO and [[La Résistance]] forces finally start recapturing conquered territory.

* [[Alternate History]]: The plot of ''Cold War Crisis'' involves a conflict between U.S. and Soviet troops in an Eastern European island chain (the titular flashpoint), which started when the Soviets invaded a neutral island nation protected by NATO. The Soviet authorities deny any involvement in the invasion, saying the local commander (one General Guba) has gone rogue (which is implied to be a lie to maintain [[Plausible Deniability]]). What starts as a skirmish soon becomes a full-blown war with heavy casualties on both sides, {{spoiler|and the situation is only defused when American forces defeat Guba and prevent him from launching nuclear missiles at the neighboring islands. Dialogue in the following cutscenes suggests that both governments [[Rubber Band History|covered up the entire incident, with Western radio reports describing the conflict as a terrorist attack on a U.S. training camp that was easily resisted]]. }}

* [[Anyone Can Die]]: And they do, mostly. The only unique characters are either player characters or simply kept out of harm's way entirely (Colonel Blake, for instance, is only seen in cutscenes). The minor exception is the player's squad in the first half dozen missions. They can die too, but they just reappear in the next mission until they're [[Killed Off for Real|killed off for good]] later on.

* [[Artificial Brilliance]]: Although it hasn't aged particularly well, the infantry AI in Operation Flashpoint was ''extremely'' good for its time. [[Weaksauce Weakness|As long as they stayed outdoors]]. The vehicle crew and pilot AI was...[[Artificial Stupidity|significantly less impressive]].

** Also, the [[Wham! Episode]] mission from the campaign of ''Cold War Crisis'', where private Armstrong {{spoiler|manages to hide in a forest after his entire squad has been ambushed and gunned down. His two-way radio is malfunctioning, so he can't contact the nearest NATO camp and hears about NATO forces evacuating the island. [[It Got Worse|Worse yet]], some of the Soviet soldiers readying the area for re-occupation are out to hunt him down. Good luck crawling it out of the forest and then trying to sneak through a highly visible meadow and through several groves and forests to the nearest evac site. It lies several miles from your starting position and is surrounded by enemy-infested terrain...}}

* [[One Bullet Clips]]: Averted. Ammunition is divided into tangible magazines, and if you reload when your magazine still holds any ammunition (even if it's only one round) it goes back into your inventory to be used later when you run out of full magazines. This can be a headache for compulsive reloaders, because they'll soon end up with half a dozen half empty magazines.

* [[POV Sequel]]: The ''Red Hammer'' campaign from the eponymous mini-expansion pits you on the side of Guba's army, where you play the role of recently demoted soldier [[The Everyman|Dmitri Lukin]].

* [[Prequel]]: The ''Resistance'' expansion, taking place in 1982, three years prior to the events of ''Cold War Crisis''.

* [[Sniper Rifle]]: The Americans have the M21, while the Soviets use their well-known classic, the SVD Dragunov. The ''Resistance'' expansion added one for the resistance fighters as well. Since they're understandably lacking a lot of purpose-built military equipment, [[Improvised Weapon|they use a scoped Remington hunting rifle]] to fill in the role.

* [[The Squad]]: You and your fellow fighters.

** Of course, as with much about the games, this can be adjusted and modded.

* [[Sticks to the Back]]: Primary weapons and launchers do this when not being held.