Delta Force: Task Force Dagger Q&A

NovaLogic recently announced its fourth Delta Force game, entitled Task Force Dagger. This first-person shooter is actually a stand-alone expansion pack to Delta Force: Land Warrior, and it places you in the midst of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Task Force Dagger aims to re-create the military operations currently underway in Central Asia, and you'll assume the role of a leader of several special operations teams, including SEAL Team 6, Delta Force, US Army Rangers, and the British SAS in an attempt to overthrow that region's military power. We sat down with the series' longtime producer, Wes Eckhart, to find out more about the game.

Vehicles--from pickups to UAVs--will play a big role in Task Force Dagger.

GameSpot: First, can you give us a brief description of Task Force Dagger?

Wes Eckhart: Delta Force: Task Force Dagger drops the player into modern-day Afghanistan to battle through missions that may have been undertaken by the Special Forces units that participated in Operation Enduring Freedom. The player will have the option to play as one of 10 different Special Forces soldiers.

GS: All of NovaLogic's previous Delta Force games have been developed in-house. Why was Task Force Dagger outsourced to Zombie?

WE: Zombie is a company with a solid résumé when it comes to military titles, especially their successful Spec Ops series. They have also worked on Red Storm's Rainbow 6: Covert Ops and Activision's Escape from Alcatraz. Their knowledge of real-world weapons and combat environments is extensive. Zombie has a real passion for the Delta Force games and seemed the perfect partner to develop a mission pack.

GS: The game lets you play as one of 10 different spec op soldiers. Do you get to choose which Special Forces branch you want to play as before every mission, or is that choice a predetermined part of the game?

WE: Before each mission, you are given the option to choose from the 10 Special Forces units, including Marine Force Recon, British SAS, US Army Rangers, and, of course, SFOD-Delta Force. So you can play every mission as any of the 10 Special Forces operators.

GS: How differently do these 10 Special Forces behave in the game? Do they have access to unique tactics, or are their differences strictly based on the types of weapons they can use?

WE: The character differences are based on how they employ the different weapons in the game. Some characters will be more skilled as snipers, while others will be more skilled in close-quarters battle (CQB) or heavy weapons.

GS: The focus of the game obviously reflects the current situation in Afghanistan. How closely does the game mimic the events in that region of the world? Are you actually fighting al-Qaeda soldiers? Are you actually participating in Operation Enduring Freedom?

WE: The game takes place in real geographic locales within Afghanistan, specifically Khandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Tora Bora. We are not attempting to perfectly replicate the actions of Operation Enduring Freedom; rather, we are focusing on the heroic Special Forces units that participated in the conflict. Mission objectives include raiding command and control facilities in Mazar-i-Sharif and capturing Kandahar Airport.

GS: Are you concerned at all that Afghanistan might be a touchy subject for some people?

WE: NovaLogic has been a highly respected global game developer and publisher. Over the years, we have developed games of a military nature, using the utmost sensitivity. We do not sensationalize war in our games. We have established good working relationships with the military academy at West Point, as well as defense contractors, such as Boeing-Sikorsky. Additionally, the US Army utilizes Delta Force 2 as training software for their troops. Zombie has a similar respect for the military and keeps in close contact with members still on active duty. This game is about the heroes of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Special Forces operators.