It may have become increasingly ridiculous since it left World War Two behind, but the Call of Duty series still consults with veterans when putting a game together. Ever wonder why those veterans decide to spill the beans?
Hank Keirsey, a retired lieutenant colonel and military historian, has worked on all six Call of Duty games (including the upcoming Black Ops) as a military advisor, meaning he's often the guy who pays a visit to old war veterans to hear their stories, see if they can contribute something to a game.
"At first these veterans would tell me that they didn't want to have anything to do with a video game," Keirsey says. "And I'd say, 'Well, then, your story will never be told.' And they'd say, 'Well, OK.'"
So why go talk to the vets? It's not like Call of Duty games have ever been biographical in nature. Instead, Keirsey says, it's so the developers can get that "one gritty story" which results in a key set piece or cinematic moment to really make the game feel "real".
The Real Soldier Behind the 'Call of Duty' Games [AOL]