Con il comunicato stampa di seguito allegato, lo U.S. Army ha annunciato ufficialmente il rilascio dell'attesissimo action game America's Army 3, terzo episodio della saga di AA, costruito intorno all'evoluto motore grafico Unreal Engine 3 ed arricchito notevolmente in termini di scenari e gameplay.

Lo U.S. Army promette un netto salto dal punto di vista del realismo del gaming, che ora è in grado di riprodurre in maniera più fedele molti degli aspetti che caratterizzano la vita dei militari statunitensi; a tal proposito è stata curata anche la resa dell'audio del titolo.

Oltre ad Unreal Engine 3, la qualità grafica del titolo, ed in particolare gli effetti di luce e di ombra sono stati implementati con la tecnologia Beast Lighting Solution di Illuminate Lab. Il link per il download di America's Army 3 in versione Full sono presenti un questa pagina, subito dopo la press release ufficiale con cui lo U.S. Army ha presentato il game in dettaglio.

Silver Spring, MD JUNE 17, 2009 – The U.S. Army today launched America's Army 3, the only action game that delivers an authentic and entertaining Army experience by reflecting the training, technology, actions, and career advancement of a Soldier within an exciting, free game experience. Players can download the teen-rated game from Steam (http://www.americasarmy.com/steam/ as well as from partners listed at the America's Army website (http://www.americasarmy.com As with previous versions of America’s Army, AA3 will be constantly updated to include new features and missions and to highlight new technologies being incorporated in today's Army.

In America's Army 3, Every Detail CountsTM and as a result, the game has more authentic military elements including training, technology, weapons, and audio than any other military game. Built on Unreal Engine 3, AA3 delivers stunningly realistic environments, lighting effects, animations, and team-based experiences so that America's Army players can experience how Soldiers train, live, and advance in the Army. Players are bound by Rules of Engagement (ROE) and gain experience as they navigate challenges in team-based, multiplayer, force-on-force operations. In the game, a player's actions and demonstrated Army values are integral to successful mission accomplishment and affect a player's career progression.

The game is launching with five different environments, each with three different mission scenario options for a total of 15 different map/mission combinations. Initially, the core of the gameplay focuses on an Infantry Soldier (11B). Players first complete Basic Combat Training and then progress to Advanced Individual Training for a variety of specialized roles that the Infantry Soldier performs, such as Advanced Rifleman, Automatic Rifleman, Squad Designated Marksman, and Grenadier. This advanced training allows players to unlock new abilities and gear, customize their gear and equipment loads, increase their in-game skill level, and progress in their Army careers.

The America's Army 3 game offers a number of new features including:
New Scoring System - In this new Army values-based scoring system, a player's "Honor" score is a combination of his/her scores from subcategories that represent the seven core Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. The values are matched with certain game behaviors, and demonstrating these values contributes to successful gameplay and accomplishments. For example, personal courage can be demonstrated by accomplishing the mission objectives even if the player is the last teammate to remain in the game. Selfless service is demonstrated by aiding an injured Soldier even though it may put the player in harm's way. Other players will be able to select teammates based on their Soldier profiles, which reflect how players have progressed in the game as well as their player roles/gameplay style preferences.

Detailed Statistics - AA3's extremely detailed statistics give players immediate feedback at the end of rounds and matches in online play, in addition to summarizing player behaviors. Players can accrue a number of stats including marksmanship accuracy; time played; time played by class role; total score; rounds won, lost, and survived; objectives captured, and teammates treated as a combat lifesaver. Players can also monitor where their hits are landing on other players, as well as where they are taking hits. These statistics are used to drive a player achievement system through which players can earn a variety of awards including coins, ribbons, and medals.

Character Movements - In addition to basic movements such as running, sprinting, and crouching, the game supports tactical and combat movement types. A tactical movement is a more methodical, slower movement that reduces the noise associated with the player's motion. The combat movement is louder but faster. Combat movements include the combat roll, a full roll either to the left or to the right in the prone position, the combat slide in which players can slide into a crouch position from a sprint, and the combat dive in which players dive face first into a prone position. These movements enable players to evade the enemy or better position themselves to incapacitate the enemy. When moving throughout the maps, players can vault (place a foot on the object and leap or climb over it) as well as mantle (place a hand down to get over larger objects than the vault would support).

Player Damage Model - The player damage system has a high level of detail that tracks a number of the player's health metrics and divides the player's body into distinct areas that can each be damaged separately. The type and location of a player's injury will affect the player's abilities. For example, injuries in the lower body, such as the legs, will slow the player down, while injuries in the upper body, such as the torso and arms, will hinder accuracy but not movement speed. When players are affected by injuries they can be revived in some cases by their teammates. All players will have Combat Life Saving (CLS) training as part of Basic Combat Training so they can assist and stabilize an injured or incapacitated teammate. However, players must make the right decisions about medical treatment in order to heal, and not hurt, the injured...