Iron Grip: The Oppression
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Iron Grip: The Oppression is a total conversion mod for Half-Life 2 (HL2). The game is set in the Iron Grip universe. It features an urban guerrilla-warfare by combining elements from both first-person shooter (FPS) and real-time strategy (RTS) games. A player can choose one of two sides in this game — Rahmos or Resistance. The Rahmos side is a real-time strategy game generally played by a single player (or a very small number of players in large games). The Resistance side is played as a cooperation of several players, each playing first-person shooter in a very similar manner to HL2.
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[edit] Story
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The game is set in the planet of Theia, the setting of the fictional universe of Iron Grip. The game takes place 25 years after the destruction of the Majestic, the largest airship created by the Sovereign Republic of Rahmos, a large superpower consisting of a collection of nations. Supreme Chancellor Lossing, the head of Rahmos has issued a Zero Tolerance Act across the territories of Rahmos, and things are not looking good for the Kathos Resistance - a group of people who object to the Rahmos presence on their homeland of Kathos. With the Fahrong Union, the second superpower in the world and other nations fighting, Rahmos being pushed back and Kathos Resistance forces constantly being exposed, all hope seems lost. Resistance cells desperately hide in the Kathos cities Mercos, Garados, and Torun in an attempt to escape the storm.
Rahmos Special Forces are uncovering more and more Kathos Resistance groups. Despite these setbacks, Resistance members continue to hack Rahmos television broadcasts and try to gain more support. The hacked broadcasts teach people about the Resistance and their goals. These programs greatly anger the Rahmos government, who will stop at nothing to destroy the Resistance.
The remaining Resistance cells have to lay low. If discovered, they have draw attention to themselves so other groups are not captured. In the game, every map starts when a cell is exposed. The location of Resistance forces has just been revealed and Rahmos has evacuated the city. Everything is sealed off and the only way for the Resistance to escape before the airships arrive is by assassinating the Rahmos General or defending the control points. Without the control points, the General cannot call in the airships. If he is killed, Rahmos forces do not have the proper codes to bring in the ships.
[edit] Gameplay
Iron Grip: The Oppression prides itself in offering a unique game play that combines RTS and FPS in a completely new way. In other words, Iron Grip will provide a significantly different experience to two players playing the same game at the same time, depending on their choice of sides. . The idea behind this, is that both FPS players and RTS players are supposed to find an upgraded experience with this game, in the sense that AI interference with the game is minimal. RTS players play against real people, each playing a single soldier, and the FPS players plays against a real person that is supposed to surprise them with changing human tactics rather than with a more predictable AI tactics.
[edit] The "Rahmos” Side
The RTS player or (few) players play the role of a Rahmos City Legion Officer, burdened with the task to crush an Insurgency which has started in one of the Rahmos cities. The Rahmos player creates and commands AI controlled NPCs to flush out and destroy Resistance cells (played by a larger number of human players playing what functions as a FPS game from their point of view). The troops available to the Rahmos officer are mainly young men who are preparing for front-line duty. Despite their inexperience, the Rahmos City Legion has proven to be extremely versatile in urban combat, due to the strict and thorough training they receive. The objective for this team is straight forward - construct armies to hunt down Resistance players and capture the control points. This side also has one Officer Unit who must survive the assault. This unit provides moral support to the other troops. It is also much more effective in capturing Resistance key location. The player can also switch to a First-Person view in which he or she directly controls the Officer. If the RTS player's officer dies, that player loses the match.
[edit] The Resistance side
The Opposing Team, called “The Resistance”, consists of a group of human players. Each player chooses a unique hero character with diverse personalities, weapons, and abilities to match. This team plays a full FPS game. It usually uses hit-and-run tactics to create anarchy amongst the Rahmos forces. The goal is to kill the Rahmos officer leading the attack before the Rahmos officer manages to conquer all resistance key locations.
The Iron Grip website promises that other game play styles (such as other missions) will be made available on future releases of the game, without detailing these modes.
[edit] Maps
As of version 1.3 there are 3 official maps with various variants. Fan-made maps are available on CrosuS.
Mercos - a small town map set in the slums of Kathos' largest city. Vistorg - a large town map in rural Kathos, known to be a Resistance arms trade center. Ambush - Rural winter map, centered around the downed airship Zyphier. Dynadares - A Resistance attack at night on a Rahmos-occupied seaport town. Locomotive - Resistance have caught a Rahmos troop train en route to Crescu and are attempting to assassinate the General on board. Silberstad - A city on a beautiful peninsula, Silberstad was a haven for the aristocracy, until the Rahmos airships came to put an end to their "secret" financial support of the Resistance.
Main variants include
Assassination - Resistance players have to kill the Rahmos General unit, while the Rahmos attempt to capture three "key locations".
Hold - Rahmos has to capture three "key locations" within a certain time period, and the Resistance must stop them at all costs.
Control - Both sides fight for control of points on the map.
Since v1.3 mappers have been able to create custom conditions for their maps. This means that any form of objective could be created.
[edit] Characters
The game's site details ten characters to the resistance side and three types to the Rahmos side. While the Rahmos soldiers are just generally characterized, each character of the Resistance is listed with his or her own biography and weaponry. The Rahmos soldiers usually have more reliable weapons, as well as armored vehicles, while the resistance usually use home-made weaponry, although having a larger variety per unit.
[edit] Weapons
While the Rahmos usually use different kinds of automatic weapons or grenades, the Resistance are using many kinds of home-made and stolen weapons that range from simple knives and Molotov cocktails, to surplus and stolen military rifles and sophisticated anti-tank weapons.
[edit] Media
A teaser and trailer videos that include in-game cut-scenes are available both on the game's website and on youtube. Screenshots and sound effects from the game are also available on the game's website, irongrip.net.
[edit] Development
The game is developed by Isotx. Isotx was previously known for their “Mideast Crisis” mod for C&C Generals, and CrosuS, the mod-management software, created by them. Both are still available on the developers' site at www.isotx.com. Iron Grip was released as on open beta on the 25th of September 2006 and is currently at release 1.33
