United Kingdom Gets Its Own Version of America’s Army!

According to a Gamespot.com article, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (not the Harry Potter one, that’s the Ministry of Magic) is having a new 3D video game (simulation) developed to help train its military!

The game is called Virtual Battlespace 2, and its predecessor, Virtual Battlespace was based heavily upon Operation Flashpoint, a FPS released in 2001.

Just another example of how modern military forces are taking advantage of the improved gaming technology.

Here is the full Gamespot.com article:

British soldiers may soon be playing the latest version of a “military alternative” to Operation Flashpoint as part of their training–the UK’s Ministry of Defence has purchased an enterprise licence for the 3D training system Virtual Battlespace 2.

Virtual Battlespace 2 was announced on April 17 and is based on the commercial gaming engine Real Virtuality, created by Bohemia Interactive. It includes a number of new features not in the original, such as an after-action review system and a library which lets all vehicles and weapons be tested.

Virtual Battlespace 1–described as “based upon the popular computer game Operation Flashpoint, [which was] a very advanced game for its time”–has been used by customers including the United States Marine Corps and the Australian Defence Force.

The MOD has bought the enterprise licence for the latest incarnation, which also comes with the VBS2 Virtual Tool Kit, a series of editors to modify and configure simulations for various training demands.

Other features offered to the MOD include a custom terrain editor, with an urban area, a large detailed building complex, an airfield, and a harbour; three training courses; and specially tailored modules containing UK vehicles, weaponry, aircraft, and ships.

Bohemia Interactive is an independent game developer, founded in 1999, and has studios in the Czech Republic and Australia. Other simulation titles it has worked on include Virtual Battlespace, the Virtual Responder Trainer, and Loadmaster Virtual Reality Simulation.

Codemasters has recently announced that Operation Flashpoint 2 is under development.

Of course, this will be referred to as a “simulation” because calling it a video game would lower its credibility as a military training tool.