Describe your first hour with the game. Did you read the manual? Were you confused at all? How did the game prepare you to play it?
My first hour was miserable! I hate video games! No, I didn't read the manual, since there was no manual. Yes, I was absolutely confused. There doesn't appear to be a Help button anywhere. Finally stumbled on a keyboard map, but even that is cryptic. For example, "W" is to move forward (walk?) but I haven't found a move backward. Backspace key is "Drop Weapon", but that's also what you must press to discard a spent shell. (I had to Google "America's Army discard" to find that out.) This was painful.
Describe your second hour with the game. How was it different?
My second hour was no better than my first. I'm trying to get through basic training. I made it through Basic Rifle Marksmanship (I made Sharpshooter, but not Expert Marksman.) I was terrible with a machine gun. I must have shot 20 times before I qualified. I thought the antiartillery gun had a cool effect: when you use the sights to aim it, you can hear "yourself" breathing as if trying really hard to steady the weapon. I tried repeatedly to get through the shoout out house but failed miserably every time. I can't tell the good guys from the bad guys. I keep shooting civilians. Also, I have flash bangs for use in a dark room, but it never told me how to use them. I was also told that I have night vision goggles, but I was never told how to use them. I am afraid i may never get out of the shoot out house. (Maybe I should Google it for tips.)
Try to draw some connections to the Gee readings as well as the Gredler and Squire readings.
About all I can say is it was engaging enough to keep me going. Though truthfully, if I wasn't doing this for a class I would have walked away during the machine gun fiasco.
Anything else?
Where's the learning? Seems to me there should be some multiple choice quizzes ("shoot" at the right answer?) about military history, ranks, protocol, etc. interspersed throughout the game.
I guess 52 year old grandpas are not really the game's target audience.
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Awesome! I can feel your frustration! Some would say that even though they have bizillions of bucks to spend on the project, the Army still doesn't have the best commercial game developers....by the sounds of it, the playability is perhaps a bit lacking.
ReplyDeleteYour "where's the learning" question cracked me up. I wonder if you'll find more "content," traditional or not, as you progress in the game.
Bill, your comments are honest and hilarious. I felt the same way with the first hour of Wii Fit, but then I decided to pick/choose the activities I like, so I now enjoy my game. I hope you find something valuable in America's Army.
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