"I was only obeying orders"

One of the more ambitious first person shooters currently under development is "Battlefield 1942", a Second World War tactical combat game in which you can also drive a variety of vehicles and take part in large scale battles with dozens of players on each side. As you rise in rank during the game's single player campaign you will gain control of more of the soldiers fighting alongside you and get more complex tasks to carry out. At the end of the day battle objectives are handed down by your commanders but, as Ola Holmdahl explained in a recent interview with TacSim.com, you are still free to use your initiative in carrying out your tasks.

"The overall strategy of your side is determined by an AI commander, who opposes another AI commander. This means that there will be an actual war going on while you complete your missions. For example : if you're behind enemy lines, you could easily run into his reinforcements heading for the front. If you avoid them, you could watch as they arrive at the front and relieve his forces. If you manage to ambush and destroy them, your side could win that battle and your mission might get easier. Of course, you could also draw attention and end up killed..."