Classic News: Battlefield 1942: Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon - Neue Mod - Leser-News von Kukulza

Battlefield 1942: Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon - Neue Mod - Leser-News von Kukulza

Today we have another classic news item for you. This time it's from PC Games. In May 2012, they published a reader submission from Kukulza. We've added new, updated images of the mod to the article. If you want to read the original article, follow the link at the end.

It would be great if magazines would take another look at FHSW today and report on it. A lot has happened since then, both on the part of developers in Japan and in Europe. That's the motivation behind today's article.

 

Developers still tinkering with Battlefield 1942 10 years after its release? Yes, they exist, and there's no end in sight, thanks to a loyal Japanese community. Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon started as a small mini-mod in 2007 and has since evolved into one of the most comprehensive shooter mods ever. And yes, it runs on Windows 7.

Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon is a mod for Forgotten Hope, which in turn is a mod for Battlefield 1942 and, like it, is set in World War II. Many will already groan at the antiquated engine, but those who look beyond the dated graphics will discover a true gem of the tactical shooter genre with elements unique in the gaming industry, which will be described in more detail below.

After development of Forgotten Hope 1 was discontinued in 2005, a group of Japanese gamers took it upon themselves to create their mod, Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon, in 2007. As the name suggests, the initial primary goal was simply to add a few "secret weapons," similar to the official Secret Weapons of World War II add-on. One of the first vehicles was the gigantic P-1000 "Rat," which brought the mod some recognition outside of Japan, though nowhere near the same extent as Forgotten Hope 1. Practically from the beginning, the Japanese community has maintained a full server every day, which is likely the main reason why there's no end in sight to the development. A smaller community has also formed in Europe, meeting once or twice a week to play together.

Gameplay

The start menu. Now, let's look at how the mod actually plays: The basic gameplay elements are easy to learn and should be familiar to anyone who has ever played a Battlefield game: You select your desired soldier class (e.g., engineer, anti-tank, or rifleman) on the overview map, then a suitable spawn point (usually a flag), and you're right in the thick of the action. Your task is generally to defend your own flags or spawn points, or capture enemy ones to win the round. Depending on the map, various vehicles are available for this purpose. A special feature of Battlefield 1942, or rather the mod, is the ability to control aircraft carriers and battleships. Furthermore, it also has a sophisticated yet straightforward artillery system, more on that later.

Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon focuses on more realistic and tactical gameplay than the main game, but within a "healthy" framework. You don't need to pore over military history books or spend hours reading tutorials before you start. Simply put, if you can handle Battlefield, you'll have no problem with the mod after a short adjustment period.

A small selection of some features:

Rideable and "armed" horse.

Source: FHSW devs - 550 different land, air, and sea vehicles from World War II, including many secret weapons such as jet fighters, air-to-air missiles, and experimental tanks

- All models are highly detailed and feature beautiful textures

- Approximately 130 maps covering a wide range of scenarios, from fast-paced urban combat to large-scale tank and air battles, and even naval warfare

- 12 nations: Germany, Japan, Hungary, Italy, Finland, USA, Soviet Union, Great Britain, Canada, France, Poland, and Australia

- Depending on the map, complete freedom of weapon and vehicle choice, whether you play as a simple infantryman, tank commander, submarine captain, naval anti-aircraft crewman, air gunner, artilleryman, or any number of other roles

- Interesting gameplay mechanics: attachable and detachable guns, ammunition selection for many guns, extensive tunnel and trench networks, and the objective mode, where you must destroy or defend a specific target (e.g., a ship or factory)

- Despite Getting started is very easy, even just a quick 30-minute round is no problem.

- Very atmospheric soundscape; each caliber and engine has its own characteristic sound, which becomes quieter and muffled the further away it is, and at very great distances, can only be heard as a distant rumble.

- Great effects, e.g., tracer rounds, animated ricochets, or lights on night maps.

- Horses!

Due to the many complex features that simply aren't designed for the Battlefield 1942 AI, the developers abandoned single-player support with one of the recent updates and have since focused solely on the multiplayer component. 

Infantry

Deployable machine gun and mortar, holding a K98k with a ZF41 scope and silencer. The first thing you notice when playing as an infantryman in Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon is the very imprecise crosshair. You have to stand still for a short time with every weapon to fire an accurate shot. This was implemented to prevent the more arcade-like run-and-gun gameplay of the main game. 

 

Also, unlike in the main game, all projectiles are significantly more lethal, and hand grenades are ineffective against tanks, so a cautious approach is recommended.

 

Furthermore, unlike in the main game, all projectiles are significantly more lethal, and hand grenades are ineffective against tanks, so a cautious approach is advisable. 

 

The weapons available cover the full range of standard World War II equipment, such as the Karabiner 98k and the M1 Garand, but also include more unusual options like a silenced PPSh-41, the Volkssturmgewehr VG 1-5, and a kamikaze kit. Other perks include deployable mortars and machine guns for fire support, and a fold-out bipod for light machine guns and anti-tank rifles. Smoke grenades are available for protection against machine gun nests and tanks, though they are rarely found for balance reasons. 

 

Equally rare are particularly powerful weapons, such as semi-automatic sniper rifles or highly effective anti-tank weapons. These are available as kits that anyone can pick up, scattered around the map, but mostly found in the main base. This provides a wide range of customization options, adding depth to the gameplay and ensuring varied rounds.

Vehicles

In terms of vehicle selection, Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon is probably the largest mod ever created for a shooter. It includes approximately 550 different land, air, and sea vehicles from World War II—a true paradise for all history buffs. But even for those who just want to play, this is an advantage, as you'll see a new vehicle on practically every map, resulting in high replay value.

 

Ground Vehicles

Ground vehicles, especially tanks, are considerably more realistic than their counterparts in Battlefield 1942. For example, their trajectories are much flatter and were calculated according to the actual shell weight and launch velocity.

All tanks are far more threatening to infantry and can only be engaged by anti-tank troops and combat engineers, the latter only at suicidal close range. However, a single hit with a Panzerfaust or bazooka to the side armor or tracks is usually enough to disable them. Therefore, a certain degree of teamwork is essential for success; infantry and tanks should always cover each other, especially on complex city maps. Cannons that can be detached and reattached. 

 

 

Tank-on-tank duels are also very interesting, as all vehicles possess realistic speed, armor, and penetration power relative to each other. For example, as a Russian T-34, you should avoid a frontal engagement against the heavy but slow Tiger tank, as all shells will simply bounce off. Attacking from the flanks or rear, utilizing the tank's speed, is more promising. In addition to the main battle tanks available in all weight classes, there are also tank destroyers and assault guns. The latter can switch between armor-piercing and high-explosive shells to effectively support infantry. Besides combat vehicles, there are also various ambulance/ammunition and transport vehicles, some of which have the capability to detach and reattach guns for rapid repositioning. 

Aircraft

The selection includes fighter, ground attack, transport, and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as light and heavy bombers. The controls are as intuitive as in any Battlefield game, so you can easily fly with a mouse and keyboard. Fighters are very fast and agile, but most lack the capability to engage armored ground targets. For this, the slower but better-armed ground attack aircraft, such as the Stuka, are more suitable. Bombers carry enormous quantities of bombs and are capable of destroying entire troop concentrations. However, they are extremely cumbersome and require escort. Some can be crewed by up to six people, which also makes them very effective against enemy fighters. Transport aircraft often serve as an additional entry point, dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines. Others can also transport tanks or tow gliders to the battlefield. Finally, reconnaissance aircraft are slow but extremely maneuverable and have the ability to designate targets for artillery fire.

Watercraft

Yamato with countless anti-aircraft guns. A particular highlight is the mod's highly detailed ships; especially in the Pacific theater, both sides possess a whole armada of different destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers. Almost all ship guns offer the choice between high-explosive or anti-aircraft shells, adding further depth to the gameplay.

A particularly noteworthy feature is the highly realistic recreation of the Yamato, complete with approximately 150 anti-aircraft guns. Theoretically, you'd need almost 40 players to man them all! This creates a unique atmosphere unlike anything else in the game.

Another great feature is that large ships list when torpedoed, and if the list becomes too severe, the ship sinks. This means that even small torpedo boats can effectively harass a battleship.

It's also well done that all ships have almost identical armament to their real-world counterparts. The number of anti-aircraft guns on Allied battleships and aircraft carriers of later years is especially impressive, forcing Japanese players to attack in larger formations or even with kamikaze aircraft.

Artillery

Battlefield 1942's artillery mechanics. Battlefield 1942 features a unique artillery mechanic for the series, requiring teamwork, skill, and a bit of luck, but it's still very easy to learn. One player uses binoculars to scout a target, which can be anywhere on the map. This gives the gunner a view of the target, allowing them to roughly adjust their aim and fire. The camera then tracks the projectile until impact, giving the gunner the opportunity to fine-tune their aim for the next shot.

Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon features anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns of all calibers, as well as light and heavy artillery. A gameplay innovation that makes sense is that heavy artillery can penetrate walls and roofs, allowing it to hit entrenched infantry inside buildings.

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of vehicles and options, don't be discouraged! Instead, be glad that you can still discover new things even after a year – I promise. The main purpose of this feature is simply to raise awareness of the mod, as I was quite annoyed that I only discovered it a year and a half ago. Of course, I'm also looking for players for the multiplayer mode, so dust off your Battlefield 1942 and download the mod!

 

Autor: Kukulza

Source:  pcgames.de