A company called Blackfoot Studio will be releasing their first title called Ground Branch.

Here some details and links.

Ground Branch Details.

BlackFoot Studios is proud to announce to it's loyal and growing community.........


Ground Branch Synopsis.

Ground Branch is the premiere title from Blackfoot Studios. The term Ground Branch is a little known Military and Intelligence reference phrase for the paramilitary wing of the CIA.

Ground Branch is composed of a Command that oversees operational teams which conduct military and intelligence actions in support of the goals specified by the National Command Authority.

These teams are not constrained by the law of land warfare that applies to military units. They operate under the radar and outside public knowledge, often conducting operations in conjunction with Special Operations Forces.

Their members are drawn from the best former SOF operators from around the world including US Army Special Forces, British SAS, Australian SAS, Navy SEALs, Delta Force, and GSG9 just to name a few.

Ground Branch often operates in an area where there is no official or allowed military presence and utilizes the most advanced weaponry, intelligence and support mechanisms.

The story in Ground Branch opens with the expanding Chinese oil companies backing a guerrilla leader in Sumatra. The goal is the over throw of the West Sumatran government in order to allow China easier access to the massive oil strata discovered to the west of the country in Sumatran waters. Loss of communication with an advance Intel gathering team along with Guerrilla seizure of oil platforms and a bold move toward the capital of West Sumatra result in the CIA deployment of a Ground Branch 6 man team to gather intelligence and assess the situation in preparation for possible US Military intervention.

The Ground Branch Team enters the fray and the player begins a whirlwind experience where the battlefield evolves and the morality of right and wrong become a matter of choice. The gamer will chase a warlord and an elusive truth across a country while employing advanced techniques such as covert underwater scuba operations and high altitude parachuting techniques known as HALO to surprise a vastly superior enemy.

The basis for the Ground Branch game experience is, like everything else in the title, realism. There are legions of FPS fans that are constantly saying, “I wish there was a game where I could do such and such just like the real world.” With Ground Branch, they will. All the while getting their hands "dirty" and experiencing the visceral consequences of hard decisions made during desperate situations.


Some FAQ about the game.

1. When will this title be released?
It is planned to be released in 2008.

2. Which version of Direct X will this title require?
This title will require DX9. Please note, some DX10 features will be available as well, the exact ones are not known at this time.

3. What platforms will it be for?
The primary platform for the title is PC, but an XBOX 360 version is also planned (360 version is publisher dependant).

4. What are the system requirements?
At this point in time it is not realistic to set system requirements. When it is appropriate they will be announced.

5. What engine is the game utilizing?
We are currently restricted from saying what engine license we are using per the licensing agreement. At some point we will announce it, but not for the foreseeable future. With that said, rest assured, the engine is "next-gen".

6. What about modding?
A mod system is there from the start, not just tacked on at the end. We will support mods very well. As we approach the later stages of development we will definitely be talking more about it.

7. Will there be a standalone dedicated server?
Yes, with a Linux server also currently planned.

8. I see this term NORG being used frequently on the forum, what does it mean?
For a description of the term please refer to this thread: "NORG Explained"
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=188


Blackfoot Studio.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/

Ground Branch Web Site.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showforum=13

The Team Behind the game.
Blackfoot Studios was founded in 2004 by game development veterans including artists, producers and designers on award winning games for the PC, Xbox, and Playstation 2. Blackfoot Studio employees have worked on award winning products for Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and others.

We are located in Columbus, Ohio in the United states of America.

How many People working on this project?


Reply by: John Soneecker CEO Blackfoot Studio.

"For the record we have 5 people working on the project and a couple others outside the company lending a hand. We are also providing some outsourcing work to clients to help offset the bills and such so it isn't always full time on the project just yet."

-John

Much more informnation can be seen in the above links.



Game images.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9

Hmmmm, interesting.

See how this develops.

/me clicks on some links.

Ground Branch is looking awesome.

If you have any interest at all in this this genre, you should be very excited indeed.

As you may or may not have noticed on Ubis forums I tend to have a lot of suggestions but everything you can think of for them to get wrong they appear to have already made wise design decisions on.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: spm1138,

I don't mean to sound mean spirited, and I do actually appreciate many of the features in both GRAW games (PC, not 360), but Ubi's devs (or marketers) have totally dropped the ball regarding the actual in-game experience. Sure thare are "elements" of GR still in the game, but the core is more and more like COD/Vegas.
They're confused about what creates immersion, but since this thread is not about Ubi I won't go into detail.
I've been lurking at the Blackfoot forum for months, and I'think that's where my money will be spent in 2008. I pretty sure it won't be spent on a so-called GR or R6 game.

This is an update Interview.
http://www.paniczoom.eu/story-350-pz-exclusive-interview--part-i.html

They still havent revealed what graphics engine they will be licensing... obviously (and unlike Grin) they dont have their own.

I like their ideas and i hope they pull it off but i doubt it will come in 2008.

Cheers colin i was following this from the start but lost all my favourites and forgot about this project..

I can follow it again now

Update.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1511

You do have to be a member for this pdf update document.
The Q and A section is very good.

I only found out about Blackfoot Studios, and Ground Branch a few weeks ago but just by reading the forum i can see they're creating this game from the perspective of the players and the needs they have.

It's looking awesome

Is it a tac-sim?

quote:

Originally posted by BSR_RuGGBuTT:
Is it a tac-sim?

Oh Yes


K

quote:

Originally posted by BSR_RuGGBuTT:
Is it a tac-sim?

Do you remember HF there Rugg? He is in on it. Check it out.

Interesting that Colin would plug this.

Still another year before release.

This is an update today.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showto...id=26427&#entry26427

You will need to be a member to get this news letter.

The latest news letter.
http://www.blackfootstudios.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2050

Many of you here will have much to add to this game, your thoughts and ideas are taken on board and you are listened too, and you will interact directly with the Dev Team makeing the game.

Its well worth signing up believe me.

LOL
Listen to and abused by them

Just try to suggest using openGL instead of
directx

I wouldn't count your chickens this will ever see the light of day. They have been touting this "phenomenal" gaming breakthrough for 2 years and no one has as of yet to see 1 in game footage of it or 2 more than some marked up characters. This one is bound to be another DNF. AND rumor has it they have been shopping it to a few major companies like activision and it was shot down. And with the **** games these companies put out you KNOW it had to be bad to get rejected. Stick with what you know. These guys aint Red Storm.

I think you better learn how to count not to mention learn who owns the studio. The forums first opened up a year ago (the studio has been around a few years longer) and development of the game started at the same time. All images seen so far are either develomental images in 3dSM or actually in-game. Nothing has been rendered.

I could care less if BFS got a publisher. I would buy it via digital distribution if worse came to worse.

FYI, the owner is a former RSE/Ubi dev. He was the guy behind the levels from R6 to GR.

quote:

Originally posted by cdiddyus:
I wouldn't count your chickens this will ever see the light of day. They have been touting this "phenomenal" gaming breakthrough for 2 years and no one has as of yet to see 1 in game footage of it or 2 more than some marked up characters. This one is bound to be another DNF. AND rumor has it they have been shopping it to a few major companies like activision and it was shot down. And with the **** games these companies put out you KNOW it had to be bad to get rejected. Stick with what you know. These guys aint Red Storm.

Which game are you thinking of there?

quote:

Originally posted by spm1138:

quote:

Originally posted by cdiddyus:
I wouldn't count your chickens this will ever see the light of day. They have been touting this "phenomenal" gaming breakthrough for 2 years and no one has as of yet to see 1 in game footage of it or 2 more than some marked up characters. This one is bound to be another DNF. AND rumor has it they have been shopping it to a few major companies like activision and it was shot down. And with the **** games these companies put out you KNOW it had to be bad to get rejected. Stick with what you know. These guys aint Red Storm.

Which game are you thinking of there?

Save it mate. This guy appears to be a troll as he posted a similar post elsewhere on the forums. They are his only 2 posts in year and a half.