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MPC: You have extensive experience as a sniper with the USMC and SEALS. This is probably one of the areas that’s seems least likely to even model how a sniper team would operate. In most games, for example, a sniper will fire multiple rounds from the same location and operate on his own. Would a sniper ever fire more than one round from a location or is it really “one shot, one kill?”
Sawman: For traditional infantry Sniper application, one shot from a given location is ideal. However, in today’s dynamic environment, where numerous threats present themselves in rapid succession and the newer Sniper systems are semi-auto, we’re taking as many shots from one location as we need to in order to effectively cover our team.
It’s almost never one Sniper by himself for real world operations. A Sniper is vulnerable when he’s on the weapon system and focused on targets at a distance. So, we cover each other in these situations so we don’t get flanked, or ambushed from the rear. Like the old cowboy prayer I heard in a movie once: “Oh Lord, don’t let someone shoot me in the back while I’m shootin’ somebody else in the front!”
MPC: To balance how miserable a sniper team can make it for the grunts, Battlefield 3 now has “scope glare.” What happens essentially is if the sniper is looking through his scope at a target, a glare from his scope will give away his position. How prevalent is scope glare in real life and would this ever happen to a sniper?
Sawman: Well, at the higher levels, we take certain precautions to ensure we don’t have scope glare, or “flash” to deal with. Other units still might not have the technology to prevent this. It can be eliminated through simple, even crude means if the sniper has the understanding of scope glare and takes the effort to make the needed modifications to his equipment.
A belt-fed weapon such as the M249 SAW isn't ideal for getting close with your enemies but can be used in a pinch.
As for whether or not this can happen and give a sniper’s position away… I’ve seen it many times in different scenarios. It’s just a simple reality of what happens when the sunlight hits the scope’s glass at the right angle.
Some of the techniques of eliminating scope glare are: Specialized chemical coatings for the objective lenses, scope hoods and the honeycomb-shaped glare reduction devices. Even a sniper’s veil will eliminate scope glare if applied properly.
MPC: Guns Akimbo or dual pistols is another favorite video game past time. Would you ever dual wield pistols and why not?
Sawman: No, I would not. The reason is that I can shoot more quickly and more accurately with both hands controlling the recoil of one pistol at a time.
MPC: Interestingly, the most favored pistol in video games is a nickel-plated Desert Eagle, or Deagle, in .50 Action Express. Would such a heavy pistol (or HK’s massive Mk23) ever rate a role in combat?
Sawman: Yes, but not as a backup sidearm. A huge pistol like the SOCOM HK 23 is best utilized as a primary for very specialized applications when a long gun is inappropriate.
MPC: Suppressors are also gaining popularity in many video games. How prevalent are suppressors in actual operations?
Sawman: In conventional units, suppressors still aren’t used as much as I would expect. I mainly see them on certain Sniper systems. In the Special Operations community, however, suppressors are used extensively to cut down on the noise signature, thereby minimizing the likelihood of activating an enemy reaction force, and reducing muzzle flash at night, which reduces your visual signature the amount of return fire you get. Nobody wants to be signaling their position as an aiming point during a night fight. Suppressors help in that regard.
MPC: How quiet do suppressors really make a weapon, and what are the negatives to running a suppressed weapon all of the time?
Sawman: The level of sound reduction is dependent upon several factors, like the type of ammo being used, the size and design of the suppressor, etc. I personally like running a suppressor whenever possible. They do, however, have their drawbacks. The weapons tend to get much dirtier, much more quickly when running a suppressor. The mirage from a hot suppressor can make it look as though you’re under water with the amount of distortion through magnified optics. Suppressors can be heavy and bulky, but are getting lighter and smaller all the time as technology advances.
Suppressors can also alter the trajectory of the ammo being fired, so an Operator needs to know what differences to expect when he runs a suppressor, when that’s the case.
MPC: Video games make a reality compromise by allowing you to make tactical reloads, or swapping a half expended magazine for a full magazine at any time and simply adding the remaining half empty magazines to your total round count. We can accept that, but how often do you think a tactical reload should be performed? Is it better to have a half empty mag in a charged weapon, or be caught mid-reload by an opponent (assuming you have no partner to cover you during a reload).
Sawman: The answer to this question lies in the quality and amount of training an Operator has. On the higher end, we ditch half-loaded mags in a heartbeat before entering a new space with an unknown threat. With the right preparation, magazine changes get to where they’re so quick, they’re almost a non-issue. It’s just a slight pause on the move as we top off our systems out of instinct.
Guns akimbo or dual-wielding guns would decrease your chances of hitting your target but enhance your style by 25 percent.
Even this, though, can depend on the mission. If a target location is remote and support is limited, we’ll tend to run a mag longer before swapping it out.
I still do a lot of tactical instruction for various groups and I notice some are geared more towards conventional units, encouraging them to run magazines completely dry before swapping out in a fierce fight, and even then, they’re putting the empties away in a dump pouch first. This is a slow method and is mandated by large units with small budgets. It’s backwards thinking from an Operator’s perspective whose life is on the line right there, right then. For me, I’m not worried about saving my unit commander some money or paperwork, I’m concerned with solving the task at hand, which is winning this particular fight and living to do it again next mission.
MPC: Let’s settle all of the Internet arguments: AK or AR?
Sawman: AK for absolute reliability and ammo effectiveness, AR for better refinement and accuracy. It’s a preference issue.
I know gunsmiths now who are making some nice AK modifications, causing them to be used as accurately as an AR and with upgraded furniture. In that configuration, you get the best of both worlds.
MPC: Pistol caliber: 9mm or .45?
Sawman: .45! The contest isn’t even close. However, the .40 S&W is performing terminally (when it hits human tissue) as well as the .45 and is much smaller, allowing the same firepower with a much higher mag capacity.
MPC: Pistol: Glock vs. 1911?
Sawman: Glock! It's simpler and more reliable than the 1911 for combat use.
MPC: Rifle caliber: 5.56 or .308?
Sawman: .308! Again, there are new advances that change that, too. The new .300 Blackout round is currently under development and is performing very impressively in the smaller package. Time will tell how that one works out, but it’s looking good so far. Until then, it’s .308 all the way for me.
The reason is that 5.56 was never designed to kill man. It’s a varmint round that made its way into the military system only through a survival weapon for pilots, which eventually became the M16 and was put into service as an infantry weapon. Bad politics there. They’re still trying to fix that mistake almost 50 years later. 5.56 just doesn’t perform on humans like .308.
MPC: Do you think any of the new wildcat rounds; 5.7x28mm, 4.6x30mm; 6.8 SPC, .408 CheyTac have any chance of ever supplanting standard NATO rounds?
Sawman: Yes, some of these rounds look very promising and if allowed, can make a significant contribution.
MPC: Piston-based AR or old school direct impingement system just as Eugene Stoner intended?
Sawman: I think Stoner had a good handle on what worked for that system. I do like the piston-driven concept, but only for larger weapons. The smaller 5.56 just seems to run better and more efficiently with direct gas impingement. The piston-driven 5.56 rifles tend to be over-driven and suffer from increased recoil, weight and metal fatigue.
MPC: Do you have a preferred optic for CQB work? What about up to say, 300-500 meters? Beyond 500 meters?
Sawman: Some of the variable optics now are high quality and reliable enough to use as a primary, allowing an Operator to run CQB with zero magnification and then zoom in on a target at 800 yards and make positive identification and ventilate that target appropriately. My preferences all seem to be coming out of the same shop lately, U.S. Optics. Those guys aren’t playing around.
MPC: What weapon system that is available now would you have like to have had when you were a SEAL?
Sawman: Ya know, I really like the Patriot Ordnance Factory piston-driven .308 assault rifle. It’s got a massive heat sink on the chamber, piston driven reliability, an adjustable gas system so you’re not over-driving the weapon, billet aluminum construction and their bolt carrier groups and receivers are nickel plated for maximum reliability under adverse conditions. With a variable optic, a short barrel and a collapsible stock, this weapon is extremely versatile and reliable, from CQB, all the way out to a good 900 yards, depending on ammo and shooter skill. Hard to beat that combo for all-around effectiveness in my book.
MPC: If you were serving today in a general patrol mission, what would be your ideal weapon selection and loadout?
Sawman: The biggest belt-fed machine gun in the lineup! On the SEAL teams, that would be the MK 48. I just like being able to change the course of a fight by aggressively chewing through barricade material, like walls, vehicles, etc.
In fact, that’s one thing I wish they’d give more credit to in video games. If you’re going to bother picking up a heavy, belt-fed machine gun and endure the weight and heavy handling that comes with that, you should enjoy the benefits, like being able to penetrate barricade material the lesser weapons can’t.
MPC: So using a MK 48 (the 7.62mm version of the M249 SAW) would it mostly be in a suppressive fire role? Or do you feel you can be as effective with it in a CQB situation as with a carbine with it? Can a belt-fed be used as effectively as a carbine up close?
Sawman: No, a belt-fed machine gun is an area weapon and isn't suitable for CQB. You can clear a house with one, but you definitely wouldn't want to try to do a hostage rescue mission with it. One exception is the HK 21, which is pretty accurate, can be fired semi-auto, has a solid rail system on top, because the feed tray opens from the bottom, and it fires from the closed bolt. This weapon is the closest a belt-fed machine gun comes to also serving as a potential sniper rifle, or assault rifle. While useful in those alternate roles, it still wouldn't be suitable for CQB.
MPC: What else would you like to see fixed in video games as it pertains to weapon’s handling and tactics while keeping in mind that it still has to be fun for most people playing?
Sawman: Well, FUN is the main objective with a video game, so anything goes, really.
MPC: Is it preferred to make center mass or headshots due to the amount of body armor in use today? Or is the classic failure drill of two in chest and one in the head actually preferred?
Sawman: I shoot to the body unless I'm at closer ranges. When I can take head shots with relative certainty, that's my preferred choice. Ya just shoot until the guy goes down, but head shots bring that about much more reliably, when you can get them.
MPC: Firing while moving is normal, but, sorry we have to ask, is there any training for firing while jumping? What would actually happen if you started to jump around while firing your weapon?
Sawman: Maybe in the future some super-human Operators will be able to shoot effectively while jumping, but for now, shooting while jumping is a non-issue.
MPC: So, if a team mate started jumping up and down with his knife out, he’d be an idiot right?
Sawman: I can’t think of a reason to jump around with a knife in your hand. Keep in mind, in a real combat loadout, you can hardly jump to begin with. If you pull your knife out, it’s because something need to be cut. Why not just cut the item and return your knife to the sheath and carry on with the mission?
MPC: In many games, slinging your rifle and pulling out your knife lets you run faster. Yes, silly, but is there ever a time where slinging your weapon and running (without the knife) would make you run faster because you are pumping your arms faster or is it not tactically sound not to have your weapon in your hand?
Sawman: If you have a good sling that will allow you to snug the rifle against your torso while you run, I could see doing it in rare instances where there are no threats within visual distance, if absolute speed is essential. Maybe bolting for a waiting helo while other guys cover you, or something like that. As a general rule, though, guys don’t do that, we just run with our primary in our hands at the ready.
MPC: Just what is the color of the boathouse at Hereford? Sorry, I know it’s an SAS joke, but I had to ask.
Sawman: I’ve actually cross-trained with the boys at Hereford and I don’t remember there being a “boathouse” but we were traveling around the country quite a bit from one training site to the next. If there was a “boathouse” there on their home compound, I wasn’t aware of it. That’s the truth. Now, even if there had been, I would not talk about it. That’s the code we keep.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to training. Today’s topic; ambushing someone with a cup of coffee. : )
Want to ask the Sawman a burning question about video games and weapons? Post your question here, we’ll collect the top few and ask the Sawman to respond.
Comments are closed on this article
theriot72
November 16, 2011 at 1:48pm
Gordon, what's your gamertag for BF3? Let's rack up some frags!!!
Arclite
November 14, 2011 at 5:04pm
Sawman,
Do you play video games? If so, which ones and why?
I've heard that lots of soldiers like to play shooters, but that seems odd to me: after working as a soldier all day, do you want to spend your time off playing one in a game?
Eno75
November 14, 2011 at 5:56am
I like the connection between the game and the reality and the fact that a healthy compromise has been made between fun and getting shot in the face real-time. I think "Saw" brings a nice connection between the two, exposing some of the realities of the job to those who think it's all about getting it all over with in 120 minutes or less.
I had the opportunity to bump into a US Air Marshal some time ago and we got talking about some of the work he'd done with the special forces guys in predictable training subjects. Words to this effect were uttered by him following some stories: "It was inspiring for me to see to what human level of precision and performance could be achieved." He was resoundingly impressed.
The training involved is what impresses me the most... as I've read before: Train hard, fight easy... train easy and #$#@ die. Keep the fight easy out there boys.
h e x e n
November 13, 2011 at 11:02pm
H E X E N's question:
How prevalent or how often does new technology overtake known reliability? What I mean is, how often are new weapon platforms/attachments adopted for a specialized unit like the SEALS? Would you clarify all your equipment as cutting edge or do you still use some older gear like the 1911?
What are some failed technilogical advances in your opinion, in which the standard method/equipment is superior to new designs?
Killer article Gordon, and my thanks for your insights Sawman. Great stuff!
Navarri
November 13, 2011 at 3:24pm
I found this to be a solid article. I think one thing that Sawman does well is describe things from his perspective ie. the perspective that he has ascertained. It is interesting though that the military loadout system is so unique depending on your unit. For instance I was in a regular army Stryker Brigade for 3.5 yrs. My M4 was loaded with what I wanted, but like with most active duty units it was mostly only because I was in good with the commander. That being said I saw a lot of other guys who had similar situations and they went INSANE with their geardo crap. My favorite hands down is the guys who have Peq-2/4/15's AND NO NODS!! BTW that is the other big myth about these video games. Is all the lasers, yah sure you can get lasers that mount, but the ones in these games can usually only be seen with NVG's on.
I like a very stripped down M4...EOTECH/ACOG depends on mission, Redimag (because I dont like tape), and a Peq-15. Others went insane, Stock replacements (I hate the SOPMOD because I find it harder to get that solid cheeck to stock with IOTV, regular plate carriers not too bad).
One of the things that I think they miss alot in video games is the tools that you have on mission. I always had my M4 and sidearm of course, but I would also carry a belt knife (accessable by both hands), and usually mounted to the rear sides of my kit I would have a sap and blackjack.
He is right though, if you have a tool you will have to pack it...so you better need that tool something fierce, or get rid of it.
HSI-Agent72
November 14, 2011 at 1:02pm
Great article, however, the title is very misleading especially with the majority of the questions relating to COD and MW3. BF3 seems to try and keep things a bit more realistic, you won't be able to run around with a gold .50 Desert Eagle or two p90's. Craig’s input was insightful and much appreciated; it is always a treat to hear about unique tactics from someone with so much experience. I am a bit surprised that Craig mentioned the POF .308 rifle and didn't mention the LWRCI Reaper .308. LWRCI is very popular in federal law enforcement circles and the piston system utilized is generally considered to be the gold standard of piston M4/AR-15 style rifles.
GaryIKILLYOU
November 13, 2011 at 8:12am
>> We talk Battlefield 3 with Navy SEAL
>> Half of article references CS and CoD
??????
jimmythestu
November 13, 2011 at 5:58am
Being a Marine ('75 to '81) I have always wondered if they have started to let Marines the opportunity to try to join the SEAL's without having to join the Navy first what since we're all on big happy family. Did you have to get out then join the Navy or did they let you straight up and go to BUD's? By the way Happy belated birthday all!
visvivalaw
November 12, 2011 at 12:07pm
Aside from his many other awesome accomplishments, Craig Sawyer also appeared in the zombie-horror web series, "Universal Dead": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRxGiuLR9X0
He did a great job as an actor and was a big help on set as a technical advisor. Thanks, Craig!
I Jedi
November 12, 2011 at 10:50am
Navy Seals are an elite group of soldiers inside of the United States Armed Forces. They're considered second best only to S.A.S., and they have a reputation for getting the job done. If you ever meet a Navy Seal in combat, stop, drop, and place your hands behind your head. These fuckers live the real thing compared to our shitty perspective of playing video games, your GF will flock to them once your now ex-girlfriend finds out she can be with a strong, 'A' type personality man over our weak, scrawny and geeky/nerdy asses. I've only met one Navy Seal in my life, that I know of for sure. Jesus was he built and tall.
I've watched documentaries on what Navy Seals go through, and all I can say is that I would never make it past the first 10 minutes of training. These guys give meaning to physical fitness. I myself bitch if I have to carry 20 pounds on my back while going to college back and forth. These guys are carrying over 100 pounds for several days at a time.
Navy Seals... Fuck yeah.
Caboose
November 12, 2011 at 10:08am
At one point, it was mentioned that an empty weapon is discarded. How often are your empty weapons left at the combat site, or is that a big no-no? I can see re-holstering your sidearm, but your primary is big and cumbersom, expensive and if you don't have it, I'm sure your CO would be mighty pissed.
Sawman
November 12, 2011 at 11:59am
@ Caboose,
Let me clarify,
I didn't mean to imply we would ever discard our own weapons. If we come across weapons that provide greater firepower, we'll sometimes (situation depending) pick them up and make effective use of them until they're dry, discarding them at that point and returning to our primary.
I hope that makes more sense. I should have worded that more clearly.
~SAW
Ghost XFX
November 12, 2011 at 8:11am
Having been a missile cop myself, I've always hated when these games added the gold plated Desert Eagle as part of the optional arsenal. Only a fool like Gaddafi would go out there with bling in the desert sun (or anywhere for that matter). It's no wonder they found him eventually...
Sawman
November 12, 2011 at 7:40am
Guys, this is "Sawman" from the article.
I really enjoyed contributing on this and realized I have tons to share on this topic. If you liked the info, please share the article as much as possible and give some strong feedback. This should help increase the likelihood of me coming back to share more of my observations and answer more of your questions!
Thanks for the support!
~SAW
death.tiago
November 15, 2011 at 11:33am
hey saw, awesome interview! really made my day. hopefully devs will reach out to you to get an insight of how you really work. thanks man!
Arclite
November 14, 2011 at 5:01pm
SAW, Thanks for making yourself available to Max PC. Great perspective on games vs. reality. As games get more realistic looking and acting, with more powerful computers able to better simulate physical environments it's fascinating to know what parts of combat the developers are trying to realistically simulate, and what parts they aren't to increase the fun factor. You've provided the best perspective yet on that.
And thanks to Gordo for the preparation that obviously went into selecting these questions.
mellamojay
November 14, 2011 at 4:29pm
I think you would really enjoy doing an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on www.reddit.com I know we would have a million questions to ask. I am going to post an AMA request on the site right now.
szore
November 14, 2011 at 8:19am
Awesome article. My nephew is SEAL, and my brother was Green Beret. Thank you for you're service and God bless you!
dgrmouse
November 12, 2011 at 8:21am
What a fantastic contribution! This is, hands down, the best article I've read on any video-game centric publication for quite some time. That you both have tremendous real-world knowledge and experience and an understanding that games are for fun makes you a tremendously valuable resource to the gaming community. Thanks.
As an aside, I had to guess from context that CQB has something to do with close-quarters combat. It would be nice if articles of this sort were a bit more careful to qualify jargon in the interest of the layman.
SteveSilver
November 12, 2011 at 7:14am
Good to have some input from the real world. The remarks about the tremendous loads carried are dead-on target, imho. In my own service (USMC, '67-'72, US Army '06-'09), while technology has reduced weight in some areas (M-14 vs. M-16), those gains have been more than erased by additional technology that needs to be carried, such as communication gear and body armor. How bad is it? Well, we're seeing more people injured from weight-related incidents, such as jumping out of a vehicle, than wounded. I'm still waiting for a FPS where the player has to limp through the last half of the game after throwing out his/her back diving for cover while wearing body armor, a full ruck, weapons, and a Kevlar helmet (or can't play the last half because of being medevaced to Germany with a lower back injury and has to spend the next year in physical rehab). I'm not arguing against the gear - I'd rather my taxes paid for rehabbing a bad back than rehabbing a "TNT GSW" - but think games would benefit from taking weight and mass into account.
By the way, the correct spelling is "Marine Corps" - note the use of the "s." Last Thursday, 11/10, was the Marine Corps birthday - best wishes to all Marines and Corpsmen. Semper fi.
Arclite
November 14, 2011 at 5:10pm
Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield simulated bodily injury. If you got shot in the leg, you really lost a lot of mobility. And shot in the arm affected your aim. It's a bit long in the tooth now, but at the time it was a tense shooter that opted for realism over "fun." Here's to hoping the next version of this that comes out will be as good.
Pball1224
November 12, 2011 at 12:35am
I just had to add to the praise. This is one of the most entertaining and interesting articles I've read on MPC. I really enjoy FPS games, and movies involving military, and it really gets me upset when sometimes they are so blatantly off the mark in terms of what is even remotely possible or realistic. This article rocks!
Danthrax66
November 11, 2011 at 8:38pm
YOU DIDN'T ASK HIM WHAT HIS FAVORITE FPS GAME IS??? I'll just assume CS:S.
I Jedi
November 12, 2011 at 10:52am
Obviously real life. What game could compare to having the privilege to be a part of the real thing.
makius
November 11, 2011 at 6:19pm
First of all, great article! Thuroughly enjoyed it.
Here's my question:
How prevelant is the use of UAV's/drones etc. within the Spec Ops community? Are they even relevant in a small-squad setting? Or are they typically reserved more for the large-scale conventional unit operations?
Also: What are his favorite "gadgets" or non-standard equipment to use?
acidic
November 11, 2011 at 7:25pm
in iraq, we were never given any decent UAV support. so, we relied on ravens to for our squads. its basically a remote controlled airplane (just like you can buy) with 2 cameras in the nose piece
std error
November 11, 2011 at 6:08pm
I love this article; the questions are well researched and the answers are clear and concise. My favorite question is the mid-clip reload question.
Question for Sawman:
In video games we often have overhead markers to denote friendlies from enemies and therefore don't have to rely on uniforms. Obviously in real-life this isn't the case, so in the heat of combat how easy is it to distinguish friend from foe both in conventional warfare (i.e. WWII) and unconventional warfare (Afganistan today) ? What steps are taken in the field and in training to prevent friendly fire?
US_Ranger
November 11, 2011 at 6:29pm
I can't answer for Sawman but I was in a spec ops unit in Afghanistan so I'll take a stab at an answer for you until ol' Sawman can chime in. (if he does)
1) First off, it's called a "magazine" istead of a clip. I'm not being a douche so don't take it that way.
2) In WW2, uniforms were generally worn so distinguising enemy from friendly was much easier. In terms of aerial attacks, it was more a form of Total Warfare and indiscriminant bombing. We just didn't have the technology to see what we were hitting.
3) In modern day Afghanistan, it's going to depend on what unit is there and the distance of the fighting. As explained in the book "On Killing" the indiscriminant attacking still takes places but it's mostly from the air and from artillery. So, there isn't a whole lot you can do to indentify friendlies from the enemy when fighting from distance. We have forward observers (it's an actual job in the military) that do their best and we have different colored panels for daylight and IR tape on individuals/vehicles for night so that helps as well. Still, in foggy and dusty conditions, many mistakes are still made.
3b) With spec ops units, most of the fighting is done at a somewhat closer range. I can't speak for Seal Team 1 or DEVGRU but the rangers had similar training in the sense that sight picture and target indentifcation was taught day after day. Raise weapon, safety off, finger on trigger (all within a split second) and then the mental judgement on whether to fire or not. In very urban environments (such as Somalia) it's basically impossible to know who's who but in a more spread out area, you can usually get that split second to make a choice.
3c) Most importantly, for friendly ID, is the size of the group moving and complete awareness of everyone involved. Seal Teams move in small groups and everyone knows where everyone else is. Ranger units move in slightly larger groups but it's still small enough to know what platoon or squad is where. Bigger infantry units don't have that luxury and that's usually where confusion of where everyone is comes into play. Mistakes still happen in small groups (Pat Tillman death in Afghansitan for example) but it's more and more rare in the smaller spec ops groups as everyone had a basic idea of the movement involved and where everyone is.
3d) 15 degree field of fire is also another way to prevent friendly fire when not sure of identification. When one group is moving while another covers, a "hang loose" sign with the hands with one end pointing at friendlies means the other end of the hand sign is a safe area to shoot without hitting a friendly. As the friendlies move, you keep that 15 degrees of separation. There are more tactics for identification such as trench movement and identifiers but I'm not sure if I'm actually allowed to discuss those so I'll leave it at that.
I hope this answer was satisfactory.
tornato7
November 11, 2011 at 5:35pm
This is great! you need to make more original material. I'm clicking on 5 ads just for this great interview.
c8503
November 11, 2011 at 3:48pm
one of the best MPC articles I've read, boosted significantly by the Ronin references. did you ask him if sprays bullets with Teflon?
lunchbox73
November 11, 2011 at 3:18pm
What a GREAT article! Really intesting. It is strange how devs go out of their way to make certain aspects of shooters as realistic as possible yet we all except getting shot 5 times and magically getting healing by a med pack acceptable. But I suppose the more realistic a game is the less fun in many aspects.
t.y.wan
November 11, 2011 at 2:14pm
People should also know that with that much C4 (like in CODsssss) it will take out the whole floor of a building...
and one shot panic knife while getting shot is a piece of S***. (and the cross map throwing knives. - -")
merc784
November 11, 2011 at 2:11pm
Excellent Interview.
Especially liked the question about the practicality of ditching half mags in the real world.
US_Ranger
November 11, 2011 at 2:10pm
Good article MaxPC, very original too. I was skeptical when I saw the title but this guy knows his shit. A guy with real DEVGRU experience is quite an accomplishment as well. It's refreshing to read this as compared to a bunch of fat 17 year olds arguing about ballistics with their "expert" opinions.
TylerFehribach
November 11, 2011 at 1:58pm
I loved this article. Was very amazing to see how a true person in the military looks at games and either scoffs or says "congrats" on actually getting something real? I think games should take a note from what you've done here and actually incorporate something of the things you mentioned above into games. I mean come on how hard would it be to get some advice from a real marine for a marine portion of the game? Might be stupid but I think it sounds pretty cool.
whathuhitwasntme
November 11, 2011 at 1:55pm
first
Semper Fidelis, brother
second, I think it would be fair to address the fact that bigger rounds only equal effective kills if you can hit what you are aiming at. I have seen time an time again that a guy with a 1911 misses the target completely, and my sig 9mm are bullseyes time and time again. So, just keep that in mind when you are picking the BIGGEST GUN YOU CAN GET, that in video games, that's fine, in the real world, you need the biggest gun that you can hit what you aim at!(also not a bad thing that 9mm ammo is lots lighter to carry, but that would be more of a team issue and having ammo you can use in multiple weapon systems is always more important.
hmp_goose
November 11, 2011 at 1:46pm
I'd like to ask the gentlemen what he thought of the 10mm Auto cartridge for non-silenced SMGs. ("Subsonic 10mm" means you should have gone for .40 S&W, as I understand it.) I would imagine a SMG, like the MP5/10, is heavy enough to soak much of the recoil.
The leads to a question about subsonic/ silenced rifle rounds: Isn't that counter productive?
streetking
November 11, 2011 at 1:35pm
cannot express how much i appreciate this article. nice and objective, puts things in perspective, and respectful, while still being entertaining
thanks gordon! and craig, for fighting for us! happy veterans day
jowens203
November 11, 2011 at 1:10pm
After the past week of posts covering MW3 and BF3, thank you for a decent write up looking at this game from this perspective. It is refreshing to read an article that hasn't been blasted by teenagers thinking they have some sort of knowledge of what is "more realistic". It is a game kids....
acidic
November 11, 2011 at 1:07pm
good article. i just wish that more of the CoD kiddies would read it. i love killing kids in games and then hearing them whine and cry how "that gun cant shoot that far or that good". there is like a 99% chance they have never fired a weapon in their life yet they know it all because of CoD. i myself have shot weapons ranging from the M9 to M1A2 abrams and just about everything in between. i had a few squadmates that liked to "accessorize" their M4s with any and everything. they were heavy as hell and hard to maneuver
