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Point of Existence

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mathieu121 (talk | contribs) at 16:33, 21 August 2006 (→Finished Models in Point of Existence 2). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Point of Existence began as a total conversion mod for the computer game Battlefield Vietnam (2004). The mod features content based off of a hypothetical conflict between United States and Russian forces in Africa using a mix of real and prototype/future weapons and vehicles of each country. The 'mod' team attempts to put an emphasis on informing the public on the inner workings of the mod. The PoE forums (see external links) showcase most of the latest projects, works in progress, and news for the mod. Widely believed to have a swift and reliable release history, the mod team gained a reputation for stability and professionalism that, for some, refined the community's interest in the mod. A sequel to PoE is currently being developed on the newer Battlefield 2 platform.

The development team behind 'PoE' distributes their mod at no charge to the player and you can be directed to download it at their website.

Story of Point of Existence

Written by "Augustus":

In late 2005, a Russian mineral exploration company discovered a series of large oilfields in southern Sudan. Sudan’s Military government, with its ability to hold the newly revitalised Sudanese People’s Liberation Army at bay beginning to falter, decided this new source of oil was its one sure-fire way to hold onto power. The new problem was that this new oil source was located in the rebellions traditional stronghold in the countries non-Arab, non-Islamic south. With the 2002-2003 cease fire agreement having broken down, and political opposition parties in the North of the country making a common cause with the rebels in the south, the Islamic-Militarist government found itself faced with the prospect that it may be overthrown.

The solution they came up with, was to forge an agreement with Russia, that it would sign over all of the profits from the new sources of oil and gas to Russia, in return for help keeping the rebels at bay, but under the pretense of providing economic aid, cheaper generic branded HIV medication, and help in improving road, highway and long range telecommunication infrastructure.

Russia accepted the deal, not because they believed the regime should be in power, but because they saw an immediate need for cheap oil in Russia. Although Russia has some of the largest oil deposits in the world, much of it is stuck below hundreds of metres of permafrost, the cost of extraction and transportation from the remote, frostbitten areas forcing the price of the oil sky high, and creating an extreme burden on Russia’s economically important long-distance heavy transportation industry.

When the new oil deal was announced, this inflamed the conflict with the SPLA even further, although they hated being oppressed by an Islamic/Military regime, they believed at least the current regimes economic policies were smart, and were benefiting the overall economic status of the country, by slowly implementing IMF macroeconomic strategies. Without the economic benefit of this oil, the SPLA believed the large problem of increasing Sudan’s per capita output would be adversely affected, but most of all they realised the government was doing it to raise help in holding the SPLA and other rebel groups at bay.

Sudan’s neighbouring countries also took umbrage. They felt that by giving the oil to the Russians, they had been passed over. They were of the opinion that the oil should have been sold to them, thereby keeping the wealth in Africa. These countries, which had a history of allowing the Sudanese rebels to conduct insurgencies from within their borders (although they all denied it) were now openly hostile towards the Sudanese government, and began to not just allow the rebels to conduct insurgencies from within their countries across the border, but a few countries, the most aggressive of which was Kenya, went so far as to provide small scale air support before raids, and helicopter reconnaissance after raids, to ensure the area was empty.

Although Sudan knew this was happening, they had no way of proving it, and Sudan and Kenya edged closer to war.

Kenya, knowing Sudan would almost certainly have the operational assistance of Russia in the event of war, began a series of diplomatic maneuverings in an attempt to get the USA to promise operational assistance to them in the event of war. The USA would not have a bar of it, assuming Russia would say that “It is none of our business, it’s a local issue” and not actually even come close to promising assistance to Sudan in a war with Kenya, after all, the US already knew Russia was only their to get oil and advise the Sudanese government on how to suppress a pending uprising, they were not there to help fight in someone else’s international dispute.

When it was soon discovered just how much oil was involved, (a surprise to both Russia and the USA), The USA suddenly became far more interested in the dispute, especially when found that the eastern most oilfield partially lay across the borders of Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda.

The USA decided that if it stepped into the dispute on the side of Kenya, they could use the threat to make Russia agree to share the eastern most oilfields with them. The USA approached Kenya with an offer to help them, but rather than just provide strategic advisers, they would need to send a sizable contingent of troops ‘to protect the advisers’. Kenya Jumped at the chance, and when Russia figured out what was going on, they were outraged, and refused to share the oil at all, and asserted that because the vast percentage of the fields lay in Sudan, that the oil under the other countries was theirs too, especially as it was a Russian company that discovered the deposits.

The USA decided to apply more preassure, they immediately sent more troops to the area, and the dispute immediately became two tiered, the Sudanese – Kenyan conflict on one hand, and the Russian-American conflict on the other. The Russians decided they were not going to bow to such preassure, so began sending tens of thousands of their own troops to the region.

By now, 2 years of diplomatic maneuvering, counter-maneuvering, political rhetoric and military build-up had passed, now 2007, the conflict has grown much larger than just two small third world nations bickering, but is now two of the worlds heavyweights arguing in someone else’s country.

Finished Models in Point of Existence

Russia

United-States

Point of Existence 2

Template:Future game

With Battlefield 2 hitting the stores in late June 2005, the development team has prepared for the new Battlefield 2 engine. With the possibility of including next gen, rich, graphics, game mechanics and new physics, Point of Existence for Battlefield 2 adopted an entirely new and separate story from the BF:V version. It will take place in Ukraine, Germany, and other rural areas all over Eastern Europe. The U.S and Russian forces may also be included in the conflict. The story will change and be added to as each individual build is released to the public. This creates a sort of 'epoch' style chronology, allowing for the story to undulate with twists and sudden new elements that will be designed to intrigue and amuse the public with new settings and content.

Story of Point of Existence 2

After a long, bloody war in the Sudan, the governments of the United States and Russia struck an uneasy cease-fire over the fate of Africa and its burgeoning industry. This peace would be short lived, for to the north a new conflict was brewing. Ukraine, a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, sought to gain back the power from which it once reveled in.

As the snow fell in a heavy midwinter storm, Ukrainian troops moved towards the border of Belarus. Without warning, Ukrainian troops attacked with a speed and effectiveness not seen since the blitzkrieg of WWII. With their aggressive tactics, the Ukrainian army reached the capital of Belarus in a matter of weeks. The lightly armed and ill-prepared Belarusian army could do little to stop this onslaught of men and metal.

The fall of Minsk signaled the end of resistance throughout Belarus. The bordering countries of Ukraine and Belarus began to wonder if they were as vulnerable to occupation as Belarus had been.

The United Nations condemned these attacks as unjust and illegal but was unable to pass a mandate to take action against the expansionist aims of Ukraine. The UN's inability to act upon the actions of the Ukrainian army only strengthened Ukraine's resolve that they could not easily be stopped. Six months came to pass with no military action against Ukraine but rumors had started that Ukraine was systematically killing their former political competitors. With no clear evidence of the assassinations, the United Nations was still reluctant to take action.

As time passed, more evidence surfaced of executions, illegal imprisonment, and torture; however, it was all unconfirmed information until a Kramaerican Photo reconnaissance satellite passed overhead. The satellite caught pictures of mass graves where the Ukrainian army had been dumping the bodies of political enemies and what appeared to be unarmed civilians.

This information was promptly forwarded to the UN Security Council. With an unprecedented 93% majority, a mandate was drafted and signed. Troops would be sent into Ukraine and Belarus to bring those who had committed these crimes to justice. In an underground bunker, military advisers and command staff from around the world met to plan the attack.

The principal military force to go into Ukraine would be led by Germany and the United States. They planned to hit Ukraine first in the hopes that if the Ukrainian public found out about the war crimes their government had committed in their name, the citizens would lay down their arms and greet the American and German troops as liberators. The plan consisted of a massive airborne assault and armored spear head from Poland. The German forces would rush to Kiev in the heart of the country, while the United States protected their northern flank from the Ukrainian troops based in Belarus.

On a dim night in September, the invasion of Ukraine was started. Through the darkness came ten thousand airborne troops, dropping from the sky like a heavy rainstorm.

The destiny of Eastern Europe now lies in your hands. It is time for you to choose which side of this epic conflict you shall fight on to prove your Point of Existence.

Finished Models in Point of Existence 2

Ukraine

Germany

United-States

Russia

D_FAST stirs up speculation

A thread started by developer "D_FAST" in the developers section of the Point of Existence forum has sparked the curiosity of the forum members. Many speculate this thread means the release of PoE:2 is coming soon.Link to thread(Requires Registration)


Awards

PoE has recently won the “Visual Delight Award" from Mod DB, which recognizes the most visually appealing and professional efforts in the PC game modding scene.ModDB Page with Award

They have also received the title of 4th Best Released Mod Of The Year on January 28, 2006 in the Mod DB MOTY awards for their modification of Battlefield Vietnam. The event was broadcast on the Electronic Gaming Live Network.

Release history

The mod had its first public release on the 23rd of August 2004, a 0.1 beta version. In December 2004 a version 0.2 Beta was released which included many new weapons and vehicles. A version 0.3 Beta was released in February 2005. On May 29 2005, the 0.4.2 Beta was released followed by the 0.4.4 patch in June of that same year, it was the final version for Battlefield Vietnam. The first PoE:2 beta, '1.0' is expected to be the first version of the mod for BF2.

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