Frontlines Fuel Of War 2

[Mireille Duhon]

FrontlinesFuel of War is a first-person shooter game for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. It was released February 25, 2008, in North America. It was produced by the now defunct Kaos Studios. Frontlines: Fuel of War was also originally in development for the PlayStation 3, although THQ announced it had canceled work on this version on January 24, 2008,[3] seemingly as a result of problems with developing for the PlayStation 3,[4] issues that had been referenced in interviews prior to the PlayStation 3 version's cancellation.[5]

Frontlines includes a multiplayer mode as well as a single-player campaign that uses the Frontlines system found in the multiplayer component. Single-player mode limits the players to the fictional Western Coalition, while online modes let players play as either the Western Coalition (WC) or Red Star Alliance (RSA). It is not bot compatible. A multiplayer demo of the game was released for the Xbox 360 on February 11, 2008.[6] A demo was also released for the PC. Towards the end of 2012, the PC online multiplayer mode of the game was no longer available, although the LAN mode still operates.

The gameplay focuses on a central mechanic: the frontline. This is designed to keep the action in one place, by focusing objectives closer together on the battlefield. The frontline also has bonuses. By moving it back and forth across the battlefield, the player may gain or lose weapons and equipment.[7] The frontline mechanic is used in all game types, which forces players to choose which objectives they will pursue or defend, adding a strategic level to the gameplay.

The UCAV Drone plays a crucial role in gathering information in real time on the battlefield. The drone reconnoiters enemy units, which are visible through walls, and then shows them on the player's HUD and map. Some drones can also be used as a kamikaze bomb, by running them into enemy infantry and self-destructing them.[7]

There are four other drones: the Assault Drone, a small treaded vehicle with a mounted Gatling gun; a Mortar Drone, with a mounted four-barreled mortar; an RC drone, which can be packed with C4 and used to destroy armored targets; and finally, a variant of the UAV drone equipped with anti-infantry rockets.[7][8]

In an interview, Kaos stated that there would be more than 60 vehicles and weapons in the final game.[7]Airstrikes will also play a large part in gameplay, being an effective way to destroy an opposing force from a distance.[7]

In an interview with developer Joe Halper, Kaos had stated that 32-player multiplayer would be supported for the console version.[7] Near release, the maximum player count was raised to 50.[9] The PC version of the game supports 64 players online.[7] Near release, it was confirmed that the game would not support cross-platform play, but the developers have stated that they are considering eventually moving the franchise towards becoming a Live Anywhere title.[10]

Frontlines shipped with a total of eight multiplayer maps. These maps range in size and location from a small city block to a solar array over 4 square miles (10 km2) in size.[11] Kaos Studios stated they were looking into releasing extra maps in the future as downloadable content.[12]

This began with the brand-new map: "Boneyard". The map was released as a free download on Xbox 360's Marketplace. The map not only offered another well-sized map, but it also offered more weapons and vehicles. This included an all-new Automatic Shotgun, a Carrier Helicopter for the Red Star Alliance, and a "Rocket Jeep".

In addition, the downloadable content clearly stated that this new map was the first of five to be released. The other four maps are named "Sunder", "Wide Awake", "Hind Sight", and "Infiltration". On September 19, Kaos released these maps on Xbox Live. These were later released for the PC as a free download patch.

The game features dedicated servers similar to Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, as well as client-side hosting found in the majority of Live-enabled Xbox 360 games. This is done in order to support the 50-player limit, which was unprecedented on the console. The dedicated servers have been shut down of August 31, 2011. Although client-side hosting is still available, servers can only support a 16-player maximum.[9]

By 2024, a global energy crisis and a worldwide avian influenza outbreak plague the world. As supplies of oil and natural gas wane and with alternative energy like solar power, biofuel, and nuclear energy still insufficient to replace oil completely, diplomatic relationships between the East and West are strained, causing two new alliances to be formed, the Western Coalition, an evolution of NATO, and the Red Star Alliance, an evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Red Star launches a surprise attack on the Western Coalition in retaliation to proof of the Coalition supporting a coup d'tat in the oil-rich Red Star member nation Turkmenistan in 2021. As the last oil fields in the Caspian Sea start to go dry, the countries move to secure what resources are left, leading to several small outbreaks that turn quickly into full-scale war.

The player steps in the shoes of the members of a violent and battle-hardened Western Coalition strike force nicknamed the "Stray Dogs" that are to spearhead assaults against defensive positions of Red Star across Central Asia and Eastern Europe, as Red Star tries to secure resources in the best of worldwide interest. Wayne Andrews, a reporter for the Affiliated Press throughout the game, joins the Stray Dogs.

The game ends after the final mission entitled "History Repeats," upon bringing the Russian military to a collapse and cutting the nation off from the rest of the world by destroying a satellite uplink. As pockets of resistance are hunted down by Coalition forces across Moscow, a questionable future is proposed by Andrews, stating that the Russians are forming a government in exile, and Chinese troops are amassing on the border. In the final cutscene, Andrews states that he wishes to live to see humanity begin anew and manage to solve the energy crisis with more research on alternatives like nuclear fusion. The game ends by showing Red Star fighter jets opening fire on Andrews, leaving the story open for a sequel.

As well as gamer pictures and three Frontlines themes for the Xbox 360 dashboard, along with various gameplay videos from the developers, a new game mode was released for download. Called "Conquer," it allows the game to be played like Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, in that instead of trying to push the Frontline forward, all spawn points are available for capture by both teams. To win, one team must capture all points on the map, and eliminate the other team.

A Collector's Edition of the game was released in the UK, Australia, Denmark, and New Zealand. The Xbox 360 Collector's Edition contained a T-shirt, an Art of Frontlines book, a poster, and a bonus disk containing the game sound, behind-the-scenes videos, and more. The PC Collector's Edition contained an official strategy guide, Stray Dogs insignia patch, a deck of Frontlines playing cards, an Art of Frontlines book, a poster, and a SteelBook case. This edition was never released in North America. In Denmark, the PC Collector's Edition contained a "Stray Dogs" T-shirt, an art book, a CD with the soundtrack and a 60-by-42cm poster and sold as a Special Edition instead of Collector's Edition.

Players who ordered Frontlines: Fuel of War from GameStop or Best Buy were given a special code which gave access to one of two Challenge Maps. This code has since been distributed on the Internet.[13] Players who purchased Frontlines: Fuel of War from Circuit City received a copy of the Frontlines: Fuel of War soundtrack. Players who ordered Frontlines from online retailer Amazon.com were given a limited-edition collector's tin.

THQ announced the launch of an alternate reality game for Frontlines: Fuel of War in order to promote the game via a website. Visitors are challenged to unearth the mystery surrounding Exeo Incorporated by finding ten passwords scattered across the Internet. Users who find all 10 passwords were eligible to win a grand prize, including fighter pilot training, and a complimentary copy of the game.

Set in the year 2024, after peak oil production. World War III is taking place. You are cast as a member of the Western Coalition 125th Strike Division, the "Stray Dogs". The game mostly takes place in the former Soviet Union, though the Chinese are present as hostiles. You start in Turkmenistan, where the Red Star Alliance stages an ambush of a routine guard duty rotation. By the end, Russian nuclear weapons have been used on their own soil. You succeed where Hitler had failed, taking control of Moscow, forcing the Russians out of the war... Officially. The Chinese are still fighting, and partisan fighters, coupled with the harsh Russian winter, have usually been able to beat back any invader. It's obvious that the war is still ongoing.

Achievement Mockery: There's a zero-point achievement named "Noob" for suiciding 10 times in a multiplayer game. A Storm Is Coming: Practically used word for word in the intro. Bag of Spilling: Used to the point of frustration. Each mission comes in two halves, and everything you had before the loading screen is gone after it because weapons are provided on a per-map basis. The first noticeable case is the third mission Anvil, where your sniper rifle and shotgun are swapped for a standard assault rifle and your minigun tank drone is removed. Bittersweet Ending: The Chinese are still fighting, partisan militias are coming out of the woodwork, and winter's yet to come. Good luck soldier, you'll need it. Boom, Headshot!: An instant kill, plus you see the enemy's hat go flying. Bottomless Magazines: Although applying realistic ammunition for infantry, some vehicles and emplacements have infinite ammo. Dated History: Post-Peak Oil isn't happening anytime soon. Back in 2008 the doomsday scenario happening in that timeframe seemed more plausible, due to inaccurate scientific data at the time, and a failure to predict the full effect of the US shale boom. Division Nickname: Your division is always referred to as the Stray Dogs. Its official designation is the 125th Strike Division. Failed Future Forecast: Like many works , the game didn't predict the massive boom in US oil and gas production, driven by advancements in shale fracking. This boom made the US a net exporter of oil and natural gas by the end of the 2010s. As a result, the game's Post-Peak Oil scenario in 2024 winds up being very unrealistic. 2022 saw a Russian invasion of Ukraine, creating the most tension between NATO and Russian since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Ukraine invasion, combined with "green energy"-motivated curbs on domestic oil production by the Biden administration and possible unspecified malfeasance by the Trump administration have resulted in oil shortages and skyrocketing prices for gas. While total oil collapse and World War III by 2024 are still (hopefully) unlikely, they're a whole lot less ridiculous seeming in 2022 than they were in 2021. Friendly Fireproof: Standard use in the campaign - your allies don't flinch to your attacks. Gang Up on the Human: Enemies tend to target the player even when it's less efficient to do so. Examples include using bullets on a tank (which do no damage), rockets on infantry (easily dodged and ignoring the nearby tank), and attacking a drone you're controlling (stopping the instant you exit drone control.) Grey-and-Gray Morality: In the game's backstory, natural disasters and resource shortage has forced every country to turn into an authoritarian police state just to avoid collapse. Also, the remaining fossil fuel in the world is only enough to sustain half of it. The Western Coalition is no better than the Red Star Alliance in any way, and the war is motivated solely by survival. Heroic Sacrifice: One unit of Stray Dogs ends up pulling this, trapping themselves in a Russian ICBM base to prevent the missile from being launched. Hold the Line: There are two instances. The first is within Anvil, where you hold out against enemies that try to reclaim the objective for 10 minutes. The second is in the final mission where you and a handful of Coalition soldiers, repel a massive Red Star force by killing them. Hopeless War It's Up to You: In the single player campaign, only the player can capture objectives (even if your allies are standing right next to them). In addition, the player is the only one that can inflict significant damage. One Bullet Clips: Subverted - reloading a clip always works like it would in real life. Taking every opportunity to reload uses up much more ammo than it would in ordinary FPS games. Post-Peak Oil: The cause of the war. The fact that the vehicles being used to fight it are fossil fuel-powered is lampshaded in the loading screens. Non-Fatal Explosions: In Graveyard, the final objective is to plant an explosive charge on the fuel line, with the timer set to five seconds. In the cutscene, it destroys the missile and the attached tower and implies the player survived due to a successful mission. No Sidepaths, No Exploration, No Freedom: Averted; instead of trying to emulate the linear, roller coaster style Call of Duty experience, Frontlines' single-player campaign instead plays like a single-player, slightly more scripted and objective-based version of a Battlefield match, with capture points, more open levels with multiple approaches, etc. Kaos Studio's next game, Homefront, would go the opposite direction and attempt to emulate a Call of Duty single player campaign with only a fraction of the budget. Regenerating Health: You can take multiple rounds to the chest and be inches from death, but as long as you don't get shot for five seconds, you'll dust yourself off and keep fighting. Vehicles also regenerate health, but much more slowly. Royals Who Actually Do Something: The Russian Premier actually fights you in the final mission. He's no tougher than a regular soldier, though he does use an LMG. It is somewhat noticeable since the earlier enemy V.I.P., the General, kills himself off-screen rather than face you himself. Sequel Hook: The ending has the Russians already setting up a government in exile, the Chinese massing on the Russian borders, partisan militias coming out to resist you and winter yet to come. Slap-on-the-Wrist Nuke: At most, the two nukes only hit off-map targets, and they're only called small nukes. While they still inflict radiation, it wears off after you defeat three tank waves. Sticky Bomb: C4 can be thrown on tanks. 20 Minutes into the Future: The game takes place in the year 2024, "post peak oil, post Middle East, post... everything." The Western Coalition uses a heavily modified XM8 as their primary assault rifle, while the Red Star Alliance uses a heavily modified bullpup AK-series rifle, and military robotics are widespread. Video-Game Lives: The single player campaign provides a set number of redeployments per mission. Multiplayer appears to use a respawn ticket system. World Half Empty World War III: The entire point of the game is that oil has run out, sparking it off.

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