Monte Cristo today announced the release date for its upcoming 3D real time strategy title Platoon, based on Oliver Stone’s harrowing portrait of the war in Vietnam, as November 2002.

Following the cinema release in 1986, Platoon was widely-acclaimed as the most important Vietnam movie ever produced. 16 years later, Platoon on PC will go a paddy field further by capturing all of the uncertainty, drama, sweat, fear and horror of this Oscar-winning classic into a masterpiece of real time strategy gaming.

"We're excited and proud to be releasing Platoon, the first PC strategy game based on the Vietnam War,” commented Pascal Hery, external productions Manager, Monte Cristo. “With Digital Reality developing this important title, we aim not only to create a great real-time tactical game, but also to recapture the suspense involved in the day-to-day life of a platoon in the Vietnam War. The latest 3D graphics and sound engine from Digital Reality will add to this feeling. The licensing agreement we've signed with MGM should help to guarantee an even greater success for the game.

“Digital Reality’s development passion combined with Monte Cristo’s strengths are fully realised with the inclusion of MGM’s Platoon film license,” added Neil Haldar, Vice President of Production and Business Development, MGM Interactive. “I am proud that we continue our momentum of crafting high-quality games that take advantage of MGM’s tremendous film studio resources.”

Platoon’s gameplay focuses on the 1st Airborne Cavalry Division in the early days of the Vietnam conflict in 1965 to the height of the war – and rapidly mounting casualties – in 1968. Starting out as Sergeant Martin Lionsdale, newly-wed and new recruit, players will need to learn from their experiences of the cruel jungle quickly to be able to succeed in their missions and rise in rank. Ultimately, they’ll be responsible for a full platoon of specialised ‘grunts’ comprising riflemen, snipers, scouts, machine gunners, grenadiers, engineers and commandoes.

In Platoon, each infantryman has his own unique personality and reacts to orders, situations and environments accordingly. The lush 3D terrain, containing dense elephant grass, rice paddy and jungle and the dynamic weather effects, including wind, rain and monsoons, affect each soldier’s speed and combat abilities and also the enemy detection through both sound and line of sight.

With over 400 motion-captured animations, Platoon’s infantry movements are all realistic and use vertex shaders for movement as well as grass effects. Gameplay mobility will also feature full vehicle control, including the hardy M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers and the mighty M48 Patton Tanks, as well as static supporting units, including mortars and recoilless rifles. Furthermore, to add to the all-important battlefield authenticity, a complex particle system is used to create explosion effects, smoke and fire.

To share the experience amongst friends, Platoon offers network play for two players over four exclusive maps and to add to the overall cinematic ambience, Platoon’s gameplay has been set in a heart-moving musical score from BAFTA ward-winning musician Tamás Kreiner.

Platoon is being developed by Hungary-based Digital Reality, famed for Imperium Galactica I and II and Hegemonia. Digital Reality has created a revolutionary game engine which will carry Platoon’s breathtaking speed and complexity with ease. Furthermore, to keep the battlefield action fast and furious, Platoon features a scalable Level of Detail system (L.O.D.) to suit all operating systems above PIII 600 Mhz or equivalent.

Platoon will be published for PC by Monte Cristo in November 2002. Northern American publishing rights are in the hands of Strategy First