For those of you seeking some music befitting of the subject:

I suspect no-one in this group knows anything about me, so I'll start off by saying I love airsoft. I love, for instance, Marty Airsoft or Swampsniper on YouTube, both providing footage from different airsoft-larp events, such as STALKER, Western, zombies and todays topic -- Metro 2033.

If you don't know, Metro 2033 is a Russian novel written by Dmitry Glukhovsky, in wich the world ended in nuclear war in 2013, and around fourty thousand people in Russia survived by escaping to the Metro tunnels deep under the city, which where built to withstand a nuclear attack. Twenty years later, a mysterious and terrifying new form of life appears on the surface -- The Dark Ones, and it is up to the young man Artyom to warn the rest of the Metro and save them all from certain death.

It's a very thought-provoking book, detailing many different philosophies and idealogies, and Artyom's journey through the dark Metro tunnels is as much a journey through the tunnels of the mind. It's haunting, poetic, deep and believable. It's actually available as audiobook on YouTube, in case you're interested.

But it's probably more likely that you've heard about the games based on the books: Metro 2033, Metro Last Light and Metro Exodus. All three are great games, in their own ways.

Either way, after the official trailer release of STALKER 2,(in case you didn't know, the people behind the Metro games are actually former members of the team who made STALKER, hence why they are often compared) it got me thinking -- How would Metro 2033 translate into airsoft?

So I wrote this.

First of all; the location. While the books and games are pretty different in their handling of the surface, they all have one thing in common: the underground. Be it metro tunnels, service corridors, catacombs or sewers, the majority of the books and games takes place underground. In the books, the surface is completely irradiated and requires both gas mask and some sort of hazmat suit. In the games(except Exodus) however, you only need a gas mask to survive. So I thought we could combine the two: make it so that you have to wear gas masks outside, but not underground or inside a building.

The location for the game needs to have several things: it needs to be a big area to explore, both underground and above. Bunkers, old tunnels, delapidated buildings and ruins, as well as forests and other things. The ideal place would have been, as I've said before in my blog, the old facility close to my childhood home. The place where we filmed DEMENTIA, something I talked about in a previous thread. But since that factory was torn down a few years ago, having a game there isn't possible.

There would be different factions within the game, with their own bases and goals. Some may be enemies, some may be friends. Firefights could start easily. As for the airsoft itself, it would be kinda restricted. Underground you would be restricted to only simple spring-powered guns, so that it would be safer for the players and feel more desperate at the same time. Ammunition is scarce, so you have to think before you pull the trigger.

On the surface, it would be different. There would be one or two check points where the Stalkers get geared up before they head out, and in those checkpoints, are also given more powerful weapons -- AEG's -- battery-powered guns, much stronger and with longer reach. Naturally, Stalkers and/or Spartan Rangers would have access to better weapons, while other travelers will need to either hire some Stalkers to protect them, or be quick as all hell on the surface.

The goal of the game would vary, with each faction having their own goals and quests, if you like. Alliances between groups could break depending on how the game unfolds, and new ones could be formed. You could enlist in any of these factions, or be a lone wolf or perhaps just a squad of friends, trying to survive.

While airsoft would be a part of the game, it wouldn't be the main attraction: it would be more about playing the roles you have and fully immerse yourself into this harsh, terrifying world. Airsoft guns would be the way to do battle, if you had to.

Clothing would be important too, as you had to look the part.

Depending on the outcome of the game and it's factions, one could follow up with more games and essentially build an entire campaign around it, and maybe having several games a year, like one for each season, as an example. It could be interesting seeing how people cope with the different changes in temperature and weather.

Then, to add an extra bit of spice, there could be "hidden" competitions within the game that is revealed at the end. Such as most money collected, best loadout etc.

But the most difficult part is to find a place to do this, and then actually renting the place. Who knows, maybe one day it'll be possible. I sure think it would be fun.

Any thoughts or ideas? Basically, it's a roleplaying-airsoft game..'

Also, my weapon of choice is a CYMA 045 AKS74U that I've had for years and still love the hell out of.

7289315 I always enjoy reading these game/ media posts you write. Keep up the good work.