Mid east answer to america's army?

[Oligo 1]

Yesterday the game magazine I read published news that Hezbollah has made a game called Special Force, which is supposed to be sort of like America's Army, but... oriented a little differently.  

I checked the net and indeed they have a website:

Special Force Website

Unfortunately I don't know arabic, so could somebody who does check out this site and tell me if the news in the magazine was correct or if it was an April fool's joke.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

No, it's for real. I've seen it reported in several magazines, including the Economist.

[theavonlady 2]

I can get it for you at a discount.

[Oligo 1]

No thanks Avon. I don't know arabic, so it would be a little hard for me to play it.  

I guess they got tired of all those games where generic middle eastern terrorists get mowed down by special force this and special force that. I wonder how well this game is selling...

The screenshots in the website are... illuminating.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,10:06)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">No thanks Avon. I don't know arabic, so it would be a little hard for me to play it.<span id='postcolor'>

We could form a language mod team!

[theavonlady 2]

So help me this looks like it was cloned out of Delta Force:

Hey! Novalogic! C'm here!

[dayglow 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,00:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yesterday the game magazine I read published news that Hezbollah has made a game called Special Force, which is supposed to be sort of like America's Army, but... oriented a little differently.  

I checked the net and indeed they have a website:

Special Force Website

Unfortunately I don't know arabic, so could somebody who does check out this site and tell me if the news in the magazine was correct or if it was an April fool's joke.<span id='postcolor'>

Just hit the 'english' button on the top left.

COLINMAN

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,09:13)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">So help me this looks like it was cloned out of Delta Force:

Hey! Novalogic! C'm here! <span id='postcolor'>

Maybe Novalogic licensed their DF2 engine to a Hezbollah? Who knows- maybe Osama will license the Lithtec engine and make his own game

[Oligo 1]

What I don't understand is that why they use such obvious propaganda. If they had money to hire people to code a game, why didn't they hire professional p.r. consultants to make up good propaganda, like the western powers do?

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,10:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What I don't understand is that why they use such obvious propaganda. If they had money to hire people to code a game, why didn't they hire professional p.r. consultants to make up good propaganda, like the western powers do?<span id='postcolor'>

Because you're encountering pure hatred in it's truest form, without attempts to massage the actual message intended.

Welcome to the Middle East, habib!

[Oligo 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (DayGlow @ April 07 2003,09:15)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Just hit the 'english' button on the top left.<span id='postcolor'>

Seriously, I think I must be going blind, I didn't see that button.

Anyway, I think that the Delta Force screenshots are there to show how unfairly the arabs are treated in western games. To see the screenshots from the actual Special Force game, you have to access them from the arab language website, for some reason.

[Oligo 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,09:26)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Because you're encountering pure hatred in it's truest form, without attempts to massage the actual message intended.<span id='postcolor'>

Obvious propaganda may sink well to arab audiences, but if they try to market the "revolution" to wider audiences, they should really learn how to write good propaganda.

But like I have said before, the situation with Israel and her neighbours is an issue I would not touch with a twenty-foot pole.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

here ya go:

[Oligo 1]

Why do those israelis always decorate EVERYTHING with David's star?

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,10:32)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Obvious propaganda may sink well to arab audiences, but if they try to market the "revolution" to wider audiences, they should really learn how to write good propaganda.<span id='postcolor'>

I bet they won't feel the need to if the game is as popular as it appears to be.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">But like I have said before, the situation with Israel and her neighbours is an issue I would not touch with a twenty-foot pole.<span id='postcolor'>

Me neither.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,10:36)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Why do those israelis always decorate EVERYTHING with David's star?  <span id='postcolor'>

Maybe that's only in CADET mode, to help the player target better.

Israelis? This is a game designed by Hizbalah. Ask them. There are no Magen David's on a standard IDF uniform, for example.

[Oligo 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,09:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Israelis? This is a game designed by Hizbalah. Ask them. There are no Magen David's on a standard IDF uniform, for example.<span id='postcolor'>

Avon, I was joking. I KNOW there are no David stars in IDF uniforms. I own an IDF combat vest (a robust and very roomy vest BTW) and there are no stars in that. I was just pointing out the lameness of the Hizbollah propaganda.

[theavonlady 2]

I think I'm gonna start an Xbox version poll.

[Oligo 1]

Talking about assault vests, here is a picture of the vest that I own (except mine is colored black). Nice piece of kit.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Oligo @ April 07 2003,10:52)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Nice piece of kit.<span id='postcolor'>

/avon tosses away handbag collection for IDF vest

Anyone planning on joining their forum?

[Oligo 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,10:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyone planning on joining their forum? <span id='postcolor'>

Not me. I think my internet access is being monitored already. Now where is my tin foil hat?

[Col. Kurtz 0]

3--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,183)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyone planning on joining their forum? <span id='postcolor'>

You could, I'm sure they would looove your sig

I must say that I find the whole idea of a game featuring Arabs as the good side quite interesting. Could be quite funny. Hey, if we can get hours of entertainment out of games with a definite Western Slant, one with a Middle Eastern slant could be quite amusing. What next? Mujahideen made by Al Queda?

There are many posibilities. I would say this game 'Special Forces' will be a bit like a Castle Wolfenstein game. Wolfenstein had all is Swastikas and evil Nazis, now you will go in the stronghold of the IMI complete with uh, banners with the star of David and a snake's head in the middle  

*Edit-Spelling

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Col. Kurtz @ April 07 2003,11:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What next? Mujahideen made by Al Queda? <span id='postcolor'>

Have you played mission "1979", available on the MOM section at The FAQ?

OFP is extremly flexible, in this respect.

[Col. Kurtz 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,18:47)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Col. Kurtz @ April 07 2003,11:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What next? Mujahideen made by Al Queda? <span id='postcolor'>

Have you played mission "1979", available on the MOM section at The FAQ?

OFP is extremly flexible, in this respect.<span id='postcolor'>

I haven't but I will. That page with the link to download the mission also had links to the Dessert Malden Island that I wanted and some Arabic fighters which I am also  happy to now have.

But Al Queda need to make their own terrorist training guide-become game. That would give the US Government something to do,run around shutting the game game down before a generation of terrorists is borne

[-TU--33ker 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Tex [uSMC] @ April 07 2003,09:16)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ April 07 2003,09:13)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">So help me this looks like it was cloned out of Delta Force:

Hey! Novalogic! C'm here! <span id='postcolor'>

Maybe Novalogic licensed their DF2 engine to a Hezbollah? Who knows- maybe Osama will license the Lithtec engine and make his own game  <span id='postcolor'>

this is not a screenshot of special force.