The title of course refers to the recently released flop, Snakes On A Plane, starring Samuel Jackson, a movie that generated an amazing amount of buzz based entirely on the fact that it was a stupid title for a movie. Yes, that’s right folks, we’re living in such an abysmal state of culture in the 21st century that stupidity is not only admired, it’s rewarded.

Well, maybe not entirely. After all, although everyone on the planet has heard of Snakes On A Plane for the past six months, it’s not exactly like people are flocking to see the movie. And why should they? For crissakes, it’s snakes. On a plane. Why not simply air it straight to the Sci-Fi channel and save the embarrassment of having those box office totals made public?

Yet though it may not be turning into box office gold it did successfully get the name out, and even if you have no intention of seeing it you know about it at least, and like those PSAs say, knowing is half the battle. Or something like that.

Now, when was the last time a wargame had that kind of buzz? Is it all about a stupid name?

“Men Being Shot On Beaches” (An Overlord game).

“Skirts And Swords” (Ancients).

“Oh Sh*t!” (The Battle of Little Bighorn).

Maybe that’s why our hobby isn’t on the cover of major entertainment magazines, and we don’t have lines of t-shirts and Suduko books. So come on game designers, start publishing some wargames with really stupid titles so we can take the entertainment world by storm…

-Scott

Have you always wanted to see what it’s like to be behind the scenes of a game?  Do you like to squash bugs and be a part of a winning team, perfecting a game before it hits the streets?  Well we’ve got the opportunity for you!  Yes folks, we are looking for some additional people to test ProSim Company’s newest game, Air Assault Task Force!  So if you always wanted to say, “Hey, I worked on that game!” then this is your opportunity to be a part of a game from the inside out!  We are looking for testers with various levels of experience with ProSim Company games, so if you’re a fan of Prosimco or if this is the first time you’ve ever played one of their games, you are still invited to apply.  The following is everything you need to know about the AATF beta test.  So, if you fit the minimum specs below, are interested in Air Assault Task Force and have a desire to be a part of great team of gamers, please send an email to me, Mindi Arnesen, at mindi@shrapnelgames.com! Be sure to include your name, system specifications and whether or not you are new to ProSimCo games.

Approximate Minimum Specs:
1 GHz processor
256 MB RAM
Windows ME or Windows 2000 or later
DirectX 8.1 or better
DirectX compatible sound card
Direct X compatible video card with 64 MB or greater video memory

Basic Description:
Air Assault Task Force is an entirely new game engine.  We have redesigned the user interface from scratch.  We have completely re-thought how gamers play, and designed a game with playability first and foremost.  Our goal was to create a game that retained all of the realism of our previous releases, but presented it in a natural way, that would require no effort to learn.  We want our fans fighting the enemy, not the game!

• Completely new graphics engine.   Built on the latest DirectX technology, this game is shaping up to be our most attractive title ever.  But this isn’t eye candy!  Every graphical upgrade is designed to make the game easier to use, clearer to understand, and more realistic. 
• A completely new paradigm. We have switch from the “select order-select unit” system of our previous titles to a “select unit-select order” paradigm which will be immediately familiar to players of real time strategy gamers and wargamers, alike.
• Easy to play, hard to master. This game is not “dumbed down”.  The new simulation elements we have added to the engine make it even more fun to master than our previous titles.  But you are going to spend more time facing intriguing tactical problems, and less time learning the interface!

As the name suggests, Air Assault Task Force explorers the complexities of air assault operations.  From its birth in Vietnam, to the dusty battlefields of the Global War on Terror, you will get to coordinate attack aviation, light infantry, artillery, engineers, and armor in challenging, asynchronous warfare.

• The history of air assault operations.  Take command of 1st battalion, 7th Cavalry at LZ X-Ray and command air assault soldiers in Operation Anaconda.  We explorer some of the most storied battles of helicopter-borne infantry throughout history.
• Fight on the real terrain!  No hexes or elevation levels in this game!  You will fight on detailed digital elevation maps, with hand crafted terrain taken straight from the military maps used to fight the actual battles.  The signature ProSIM Company map technology returns to bring you the most accurate terrain model available in any commercial wargame today.
• Hyper-accurate databases.  We have recreated the soldiers and equipment in this game right down to the Kevlar helmets and desert boots!  From the 3rd battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, to the soldiers of the British 16th Airmobile Brigade, we have painstakingly recreated every vehicle and weapon system in the game.

Built to replicate battles at the battalion-level and below, Air Assault Task Force is more realistic than any wargame before it.  We started with the firm foundation of the Armored Task Force Engine, used by Lockheed Martin and many other defense contractors as a foundation for their simulation and training tools.  Then we added all of the stuff that we just couldn’t do in our previous releases.  We built the game we always wanted to play!  Here are just a few of the new features.

• Vehicle damage. Rather than the “dead or alive” system of previous releases, vehicles and personnel will suffer damage to weapon systems and injury to personnel.
• Increased obscurants. Artillery impacts, landing aircraft, burning vehicles, and anti-tank missiles will all add smoke to an already chaotic battlefield.  
• Vastly improved AI. Through its evolution the ATF Engine has been lauded for its ground-breaking AI.  We have worked very hard to surpass this benchmark.  Improved path-finding, new and improved tactical missions, and revised targeting algorithms make your forces even smarter, and make the enemy harder to beat.

I hope to hear from YOU!

-Mindi

Mindi Arnesen
Beta Test Coordinator
Shrapnel Games