Part 2 Contents

Filming COE clips Unused footage Hidden out-takes

R6 Realism HBS Weapons

 

Aggression : Had you heard of the Rainbow-Six series of games prior to Red Storm contact?

Mr Levatino : I am very, very, familiar with the R6 series and have had the game since the start. I happened to have sent an email to RSE on another issue which I am not at liberty to discuss right now. They thought it would be good, in light of my experience, if I met with the guys from Magic Lantern who were developing the COE Training Disc.

I had an initial meeting with Paul Schuytema and John Fowler during the week of E3 in Los Angeles. We all hit it off right away...my first interview scene was shot poolside in Marina Del Rey while a bevy of Virgin Atlantic stewardesses were frolicking in the water...quite distracting!

Aggression : So I can imagine; it cant have been easy with a pesky interviewer distracting you.

Have you read any Tom Clancy Novels, or any CT novels? Who is your favourite author?

Mr Levatino : Uh, Clancy is my favorite (or favourite) of course! I have read all of his books. I am also partial to Stephen Hunter.

Aggression : How long did your COE involvement take? Was the filming complete in one day or over a period of weeks?

Mr Levatino : I started with them in March 2000. Lots of email on ideas, concepts, logistics, and research. The weapons filming was done in one day. I have to say that I personally am issued, by way of my Special Operations duties several weapons (HK MP5/40, M-16, M-14, custom 7.62 rifle) and have access to a host of other weapons, however, as a consultant I make sure to never mix my business with my real job. To do so would be considered a "conflict of interest." Therefore, all the weapons you see, I obtained through "other sources."

Aggression : Are there any parts of your involvement you are not happy with, scenes you would like to shoot again?

Mr Levatino : I guess I should ask you that. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, but I was not really allowed any second takes. I think they did a good job of editing.

If you see any scenes with voice-over while I was shooting it had to do with a sound problem. I can tell you that you did not see even half of the weapons that I did demonstrations with. This was due to the amount of available disc space even though bink format does a good job of compression. Weapons you did not see, but that we have footage for are:

If they could have given me another week I could have had a PSG-1, M249, and an Enfield. I think the only way for you to see those is to convince Red Storm to do a sequel. I would get into some live-fire entry, sniping, explosive demolitions, and maybe a frag grenade or two.

Now I have a question for you....did you find the out-take videos hidden on the disc?

Aggression : No, and neither has any other gamer - or it would be all over the R6 community. You wouldn't like to give us a heads-up on that would you?

Mr Levatino : Ha. Now it wouldn't be any fun if we gave away all the secrets. I think it is enough of a hint that I even mentioned that there are out-takes on the disc.[1] I will make you a deal...if no one can find it by Christmas I might consider telling you how to find it. When you do, you will see an interview of me poolside...becoming very distracted by those VAA stews.

Aggression : Well thats got to be worth searching for - I'll put our best sniffer on it!

Which of the series have you played, and to what degree?

Mr Levatino : I played the original R6, Rogue Spear, Urban Ops, and Covert Ops..all of them. I have quite a few mods, maps, and additional missions...my computer is quite full in this regard. I have done all the missions at all difficulty levels.

Aggression : Were you impressed with the level of detail in the games? Which aspects impressed you most and least?

Mr Levatino : Yes, I am quite impressed with the level of detail. I am actively involved in "training simulation" which is how I kind of got involved with Red Storm, although I don't want to elaborate any further on any other projects. The LOD is the best; Delta Force cannot even compare...sorry Novalogic, although their game engine handles large amounts of real estate reasonably well. The aspect that impressed me the most was the multi-player Internet capabilities. I think it is a very stable platform and reasonably reliable game-play. The least impressive...can't think of anything. I think this is the game by which all others will be measured.

Aggression : How "realistic" is the Rainbow Six series compared to real-life CT tactics, missions, equipment and such?

Mr Levatino : As compared to real-life, simulated bullets do not hurt as much. I have had friends killed in action and training accidents more than I would care discuss. Just a few weeks ago in a live-fire kill house that I use a trainer fell off the catwalk and landed on his head, killing him.

I got a compression fracture in my neck jumping off a 10' wall on a call-out, and have had 3 operations on my wrist from going over a wall...for obvious reasons I now try and go around walls. There is so much risk-taking in R6 because you will live to play again.

Everyone seem to hate "campers," but camping is more like real-life. If you are patient, and the other guy is not, he will get sloppy and rush in, other than in a planned hostage rescue that is suicide. RSE has done an excellent job with the realism and I think that for a game it has done something that no other game of this genre has captured. Of course, in real life we do not have Kit Restrictions and you could carry more gear.

Heart Beat sensors are not "yet" operational...about the smallest units even close to that technology are about the size of a bathtub. All I can say is that 3 companies have demonstrated prototypes of a crude HBS that can detect a HB on the other side of a wall - a very short distance. These prototypes exist in demonstration models only and were shown to governmental entities in an attempt to secure funding for further development. Although not an HBS, I have used a radar system contained in a briefcase that can determine the location of an object on the otherside of a concrete wall. If you know what is supposed to be on the other side, i.e. the layout of the room, the presence of a solid object detected where you know no object is supposed to be can be some very useful information.

Without boring you to death about the history of military training simulator technology, which I know a great deal, I can tell you that governments have spent untold millions of dollars trying to make simulators that will do what your little copy of R6 does right now. The mission planning screen is unique and could actually be used to train personnel on tactical command and planning operations. The people I work with are not gamers, but those who I have shown it to are amazed how realistic it is.

Aggression : Do you feel the weapons are well portrayed?

Mr Levatino : Everything is a compromise, because it is a game. In real-life there is no reticule blooming. An M249 SAW is actually more controllable than is portrayed, but you have to give it a penalty otherwise everyone would carry it because it has 100 round capacity. It is difficult to do any real ballistic testing, but I think RSE did a good job.

Aggression : Which titles have you played online?

Mr Levatino : I played all the above listed R6 titles. My other passion is Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator. I am on The Zone quite frequently, but keep my Zone Name a secret for obvious reasons. My partner and I are a Clan of 2, and I like it that way.

Aggression : At Aggression one of the favourite games is called Killhouse Ten where two operatives go head to head in the Killhouse playing rapid games until one player has won 10 games. Which primary and secondary weapon from R6 would you select for such an encounter?

Mr Levatino : Sounds like fun. If it is that fast, I would use the PDW and the Beretta 92 and go for head shots. After the PDW depletes do not reload, but go for the Beretta.

Aggression : I remember seeing a tape of an SAS operative switching from primary to pistol in the killhouse in a stoppage training situation, the speed at which the primary was swung to the side and the pistol brought up to aim was awesome.

Mr Levatino : That is the standard procedure. You can rarely reload your primary weapon faster than you can deploy your sidearm. We train that if for whatever reason if your primary weapon has a "stoppage" you press the trigger one more time, and if that fails to work you let your primary "hang" and go for your handgun. Your primary can stop for any number of reasons from an ammunition malfunction, bad ammunition, a double feed, damaged magazine, a magazine was bumped and fell out, to a stove-pipe jam. There is never time to diagnose the stoppage..you just draw your handgun and finish the job. When there is time, you move to cover and perform an "Immediate Action Drill." The procedure for this is quite different from weapon to weapon.

Aggression : Some Aggression members are keen snipers. How do you rate the representation of sniper weapons in R6?

Mr Levatino : I think they are under-represented a bit, but they are still adequate. I would have liked to have seen a Remington action-based weapon in the selection.

Aggression : COE Jungle map is taylor made for sniping missions - which rifle would you select for such a mission?

Mr Levatino : If there is no crossing allowed, I like the Barrett for long distance. I would make sure I keep an Observer by my side with an Assault Rifle to cover me.

Aggression : Finally, is there any truth in the rumour that the real reason Greg Stelmack (Quality Assurance COE) has left Red Storm is because he misspelled your name on all COE documentation, and has went into hiding awaiting a New Identity?

Mr Levatino : Ha Ha...Well, no that rumor is not true, but if he re-surfaces, please tell me where he is at! Oh, by the way if it was true you would have to worry too....look at your paragraph #3.."Tony Levantino talks through the use of pistols...." You could run...but you would only die tired.

Aggression : Ahhhh - point taken, amendment made.

Mr Levatino : Finally, would you be agreeable to perhaps playing a challenge game of RS sometime?

Mr Levatino : I would play one of your members - my schedule allowing. [2]

Aggression : Excellent, I will look forward to that! Once again, thank you for sharing your fascinating experiences and knowledge.

[1] Update : You can find the out-takes by browsing the COE Training CD to D:\Videos\outtakes.bik You will need Bink and Smacker to watch the clips in this manner.

[2] Update : I was lucky enough to play Urban Operations with Mr Levatino a few times after the interview, but I didn't go alone, Daywanderer came as my backup. And yes, I did need backup!