Virtual Battlespace 2 VBS2

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Virtual Battlespace 2( VBS2 )
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Scope

• Who is Bohemia Interactive?
• Motivations, history
• Operation Flashpoint
• VBS2
• Graphical Improvements
• Functionality Improvements
• System Requirements
• Future
• Virtual Tool Kit (VTK)
• VBS3

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Bohemia Interactive

• Bohemia Interactive is a game development studio
• Formed in Czech Republic, 1999
• Vision to create an open-ended 3D game engine
• Real Virtuality Large, dynamic worlds, unlimited
  options for the player (go anywhere, operate all
  vehicles)
• Operation Flashpoint (OFP)
• released, Game of the Year
• 2001

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Operation Flashpoint

• OFP has been very successful as a serious game
• VBS1
• USMC, ADF, NZDF, CF
• Ambush!
• US Army
• Incident Response (VRT), Loadmaster Training
• OFP is still heavily used today, 5 years after
  initial release!

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Operation Flashpoint

• OFP has been very successful as a serious game
• VBS1
• USMC, ADF, NZDF, CF
• Ambush!
• US Army
• Incident Response (VRT), Loadmaster Training
• OFP is still heavily used today, 5 years after
  initial release!
• How much did OFP cost?
• 600,000 USD development budget over 4 years
• 10 full time developers, 3 contractors
• 10,000 files, 250,000 lines of C code
• 5,000 textures, 800 3D models
• 100,000 words (6 languages)

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Commercial off the shelf

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Commercial off the shelf
• Flexible game engine, easily modded
• Any aspect can be customised
• We develop our own tools

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Commercial off the shelf
• Flexible game engine, easily modded
• Any aspect can be customised
• We develop our own tools
• Includes a powerful mission editor

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Built from the ground up, highly optimized
• Flexible game engine, easily modded
• Any aspect can be customised
• We develop our own tools
• Includes a powerful mission editor
• Simulates any weapon platform or vehicle to
  varying levels of fidelity

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Commercial off the shelf
• Flexible game engine, easily modded
• Any aspect can be customised
• We develop our own tools
• Includes a powerful mission editor
• Simulates any weapon platform or vehicle to
  varying levels of fidelity
• No levels, only worlds doesnt play like a
  game!

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Why was OFP successful as a serious game?

• Commercial off the shelf
• Flexible game engine, easily modded
• Any aspect can be customised
• We develop our own tools
• Includes a powerful mission editor
• Simulates any weapon platform or vehicle to
  varying levels of fidelity
• No levels, only worlds doesnt play like a
  game!
• Bohemia Interactive modified the engine to suit
  the requirements of serious users, resulting in
  VBS1

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BI Engine Development
2008
VTK
Real Virtuality 2
2007
VBS2, LVRS
2006
Armed Assault
OFP Elite
RD
2005
VBS1 v2.07 ADF update
Ambush!
2004
VBS1 v1.99 Public release
2003
2002
VBS1 v1.94 USMC
Commercial computer game
Operation Flashpoint
Serious Game
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Bohemia In 2006

• Still a private company with the same core
  programming team
• Several VBS programmers dedicated to implementing
  military functionality
• Development studios in Prague, CZ and Anna Bay,
  AU
• Numerous projects underway
• Armed Assault
• VBS2
• LVRS
• VBS contract work (VMAP import, terrain, HLA/DIS)

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Why VBS2?

• Our new engine is driven by the needs of both the
  gaming and military markets
• VBS2 provides a high fidelity virtual
  environment, suitable for a wide range of
  training and analytical purposes
• Doesnt train a tank
• gunner how to shoot
• Does provide a tool to
• train a tank crew to work
• as part of a Troop
• The focus is on
• collective training

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Potential Uses of VBS2

• Out of the box
• Mission rehearsal and/or AO familiarization
• Tactical training, up to Combat Team
• Combined Arms or Joint Training
• Convoy Training (incl VR integration)
• Analysis of options (decision support)
• Fire support / fwd air controller training
• Complimentary virtual environment for live and
  constructive simulation or crew procedural
  trainers
• Navigation
• Requires an amount of development
• Procedural training for UAV operators
• Cultural awareness training (eg Arabic interface
  for USMC)
• Visualization of weapon effects
• Weapon (or platform) familiarization,
  experimentation
• Force options testing

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Graphical Improvements

• Game influence we get this for free
• Adds to immersion, helps acceptance
• Realistic environment on a computer screen
  Sergent looking over shoulder immersed trainee
• Detailed textures up to high-res satellite
  textures
• Shadows properly rendered
• Dynamic lighting, high dynamic range (glare,
  pupil dilation)
• Time of day, weather, tides, stars, wind
• Ambient life
• Moving trees, grass (ground clutter)
• Insects and birds, civilians
• Higher fidelity urban environment
• VBS2 scales from the micro (urban) to the macro
  (open) level
• Realistic physics, interact with objects in the
  environment

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Functionality Improvements

• Terrain Representation
• Streaming terrain textures and height-map
• Rapid terrain generation (req training!)
• Use GIS to determine required area
• Export DTED, VMAP, imagery out of GIS
• Import DTED, VMAP, imagery into Visitor
• Select terrain theme Iraqi, Afgan,
  Australian
• (modify object placement)
• Save VBS map
• Supports larger terrain sizes
• 100x100km (East Timor in 4 maps)

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Real-time Scenario Editor

• Incorporates VBS1 instructor interface, mission
  editor, observer and command and control
• Quick 2D and 3D scenario editing
• Doubles as a command and control system
• Employs new agent AI instead of game AI
• Allows for more AI, and less computing power
  required
• Doctrinal behaviour is now implemented
• Teams of agents form squads, platoons, companies,
  mobs
• Commander has precise control of team behaviour

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Weapon Platforms

• Weapon platform and vehicle simulation
• Fire control systems (low fidelity)
• Multiple weapon stations
• Support for laser designation/range finding
• Integrated CAS / fire support simulation
• Personal weapon systems
• Modular components
• IR laser (eg PEQ-2)
• Tactical lighting
• Realistic ballistics modelling
• Simulated per-weapon

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General Enhancements

• Simplified user and admin interfaces
• Inventory based on weight and fatigue modelling
• Improved networking
• Large numbers of participants
• Join a session in progress
• Improved AAR - records data straight off the
  network
• HLA/DIS integration via LVC Game (by Calytrix)
• Steel Beasts, JSAF already completed
• LockOn, OneSAF, JCATS?

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Limitations
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Limitations

• Wont do all the work for you, VBS2 will fail if
  not employed correctly (manage expectations)

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Limitations

• Wont do all the work for you, VBS2 will fail if
  not employed correctly (manage expectations)
• Rag-doll animation not used for human characters
• Deliberate decision networking load vs graphical
  nicety

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Limitations

• Wont do all the work for you, VBS2 will fail if
  not employed correctly (manage expectations)
• Rag-doll animation not used for human characters
• Deliberate decision networking load vs graphical
  nicety
• VBS2 is not a high fidelity tank crew procedural
  trainer
• Watch for negative training
• VBS2 will connect to Steel Beasts via HLA, VBS1
  already does

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Limitations

• Wont do all the work for you, VBS2 will fail if
  not employed correctly (manage expectations)
• Rag-doll animation not used for human characters
• Deliberate decision networking load vs graphical
  nicety
• VBS2 is not a high fidelity tank crew procedural
  trainer
• Watch for negative training
• VBS2 will connect to Steel Beasts via HLA, VBS1
  already does
• VBS2 will still be hardware key protected
• But we will be offering VBS2 Lite as an
  alternative

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Limitations

• Wont do all the work for you, VBS2 will fail if
  not employed correctly (manage expectations)
• Rag-doll animation not used for human characters
• Deliberate decision networking load vs graphical
  nicety
• VBS2 is not a high fidelity tank crew procedural
  trainer
• Watch for negative training
• VBS2 will connect to Steel Beasts via HLA, VBS1
  already does
• VBS2 will still be hardware key protected
• But we will be offering VBS2 Lite as an
  alternative
• Not everything will dynamically destruct, blow up
  and react like it might in the real world
• But were working on it

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VBS2 Virtual Tool Kit (VTK)

• USMC-sponsored development to improve the
  tactical training and mission rehearsal
  capability of VBS2
• Development of a range of new editors
• TECOM / PMTRASYS - (repackage VBS2)
• Simulation centers - (modify content, terrain
  development)
• End user - (modify scenarios)
• Functionality and content development
• AI API (plug-in 3rd party AI)
• Deformable terrain
• Thermal imaging
• Further improve interaction with environment and
  entities
• Assuming contract awarded - delivery Q3 07 (and
  update all users of VBS2 to VBS2 VTK?)

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Virtual Battlespace 3

• The Bohemia Interactive technology roadmap
  extends far beyond VBS2
• Focus for VBS3
• Integrated virtual and constructive simulation
• Dynamic worlds fully populated with agent AI
• Further hardware integration
• VR doesnt have to cost millions

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System Requirements

• Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, or XP
• DirectX 9
• 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 (3.4 GHz recommended)
• 256 MB RAM (1 GB recommended)
• 3D graphics card with Shaders 2 support (GeForce
  6800 GT 256 MB GDDR-3 AGP or ATI RADEON X850
  CROSSFIRE)
• 16-Bit Direct Sound Compliant Sound Card
• 8x CD-ROM Drive
• 1 GB Hard Drive space
• Mother Board with AGP Support
• 10/100 or Gigabit network

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Questions?

• Contacts
• Peter Morrison
• Lead Developer VBS2
• pete_at_bistudio.com
• Gordon Bradbury
• VBS Support Manager
• gordon_at_vbs2.com