Bohemia Interactive announces United States Marine Corps (USMC) VBS2 Enterprise License and development of the VBS2 Virtual Took Kit (VTK)
Australia - 9th August 2006
Bohemia Interactive is extremely pleased to announce that the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has purchased an enterprise license of Virtual Battlespace (VBS). The license provides an unlimited number of VBS1 and VBS2 licenses to the Marines for use in tactical training, mission rehearsal and experimentation. The decision by the USMC to purchase an enterprise license of VBS marks a milestone for the product and validation that the Real Virtuality engine remains one of the most flexible, extendable and cost-effective military simulation tools available today.
Bohemia Interactive is delivering a wide range of VBS1 modules and functionality improvements including the USMC1 pack, After Action Review 3 (AAR3), Instructor Interface and other USMC-specific enhancements. Two versions of VBS1 will be delivered - 'VBS1 Developer' provides a fully functional product for use in simulation centers, and 'VBS1 Lite' is provided for wider distribution.
Bohemia Interactive is working closely with the USMC to finalise Virtual Battlespace 2 (VBS2), a completely new product based upon the brand new game engine Real Virtuality 2. VBS2 is being constantly improved in accordance with military feedback received from a range of VBS1 customers, including the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the USMC. VBS2 extends the adaptable, customisable nature of Operation Flashpoint and VBS1 to provide a tool that delivers rapid terrain generation for mission rehearsal in high fidelity, realistic environments, in addition to a host of other functional and graphical improvements.
Thanks to LVC (Live-Virtual-Constructive) Game by Calytrix, VBS1 and VBS2 will also be integrated into the USMC DVTE network, seamlessly interoperating with simulations such as JSAF. The DVTE will soon leverage a wide range of VBS2 enhancements including command and control functionality, modifiable agent-based AI and real-time mission editing. VBS1 and VBS2 may also be integrated with C2PC to provide a high-fidelity, networked environment linking the live and virtual domains (live marines in the field, tracked by GPS, interoperating with virtual entities controlled from within a USMC simulation centre).
Beyond VBS2 - VBS2 Virtual Tool Kit
Bohemia Interactive will soon commence development of the Virtual Tool Kit (VTK), a project designed to allow the end user to modify every aspect of the simulation. As most users of serious games have already experienced, it can be difficult if not impossible to effect a change in a simulation engine without either a great deal of time or financial investment. Bohemia Interactive intends to reverse this model through providing a range of editors that will enable every aspect of the simulation to be easily modified and configured; to the extent that the product could be repackaged by any typical user to suit a new training requirement or demand.
To be sponsored by the USMC, the VBS2 VTK provides configuration, weapon and unit editors, improved (easier to use and more functional) terrain and modelling tools, easily modifiable artificial intelligence behaviours, an API for 'plugging-in' new AI models, deformable terrain and a range of other improvements beyond the extensive enhancements already available in VBS2. Bohemia Interactive intends for VBS2 VTK to provide the benchmark for the serious games industry; a completely modifiable, low-cost and customer-oriented product suitable for any conceivable use (be it military training or otherwise).
Bohemia Interactive will be directly supporting both the USMC and Joint Combined Training Centre (JCTC) at I/ITSEC 07. A full press release will be available at http://www.virtualbattlespace.com shortly, as well as information on the upcoming VBS2-based product Virtual Responder Trainer.
About Bohemia Interactive
Bohemia Interactive is an independent game development company, with studios in Czech Republic and Australia, founded in 1999, that focuses on developing state of the art computer software and the research of advanced real time 3D graphics, artificial intelligence and physical simulation technologies for real-time interactive environments. For more information about the company visit http://www.bistudio.com.