Hiya.

Just a casual question/observation. It seems you are heavlily into the "realistic recoil and gun effects" part. Not my cup o' tea, but hey. And *why* do I not like "realish based army-type" games? Two reasons.

First, they almost ALWAYS force the player to be the "good guys"...which is fine, except that the "good guys" are always british, american, canadian or possibly french or austrailian. Just for *once* I'd like to be able to pick to be a guy from any 'world contry'. I'd actually find it more entertaining to be on the underdog side fighting the more advanced countries. For example, being a palistinian fighting against the technologically superior israel, or maybe an african fighting against the us-armed warlords, etc. Hell, even to just be able to pick 'either' side and play them. You know of the board game "Axis and Allies"? Something like that would be more entertaining for me.

Second, the 'realism' in these games tends to be..well, *completely* unrealistic in every sense other than "Oooo...look at that [insert some gun] model! It even has the [insert gun-nut obscure knowledge about said firearm]!". So, if you are focusing on 'realism', then at least put a setting on for "realistic damage"; in other words, if you are shot 4 times by an AK-47, you die (or at least it's "Game Over"). Too close to a granade blast? Game Over. Shot by a shotgun at point blank range? Game Over. Stabbed 3 times and kicked in the groin? Game Over. Otherwise, well, what the hell is the point of "realistic recoil and gun accuracy"? Seriously? Who cares if it's still better to just run accross a field, guns ablazin', while 14 "bad guys" (viet cong, US marines, whomever) shoot at you...you have 92 Armor and a health of 100...those bullets will bearly hurt you. Get up close and shoot; hard to miss from 3' away.

Sorry if that sounds like a rant, but as a game fan, I'm sick and tired of all these games that claim "realisic combat", yet the player can still get shot 14 times, stabbed twice, blown up by a pair of grenades and step on a land mind before they finally 'die'...yet the "bad guys" (usually some third world country or nebulous comunists/dictatorship) die after two flesh wounds.

(PS: Sorry again for the ranting...it just really bugs me).