So over the past decade we have gone from WWII games coming out the ying yang which many developers tried to stay true to the source material and create realistic experiences. Then finally some developers decided to begin making more modern combat games, I remember when CoD:4 came out it was called the most realistic modern day combat simulator.

But increasingly we are moving further and further away from realism. BattleField3, ModernWarFare3 are so far from realistic its hard to even call them modern warfare titles. They are based in completely fabricated wars as has been since CoD:4 With weapons that exist and some things that don't. Scenarios that are truly out of this world and nearly impossible. Yes I love BF3 and am sure I will love MW3 when I purchase it, but it is so unrealistic that it is hard to consider either game to be true combat simulators.

Then we have titles closer to realistic like Medal Of Honor based in Afghanistan and the older America's Army. The more realistic war simulators don't have all the nuke explosions the enemies aren't almost always in uniform. The games have input of actual soldiers fighting in modern conflicts, while these titles lack the eye candy of nukes and huge apocalyptic warfare they offer a more down to earth gritty and realistic appeal.

So the question is where do you want the FPS industry going? Do you want the companies to continue going further and further into fictional conflicts distancing themselves from reality, or do you want more games based on actual conflicts past or present using real weapons in real locations?

Its a question do you want realism or fiction in your FPS titles?

Just because as games plot is based on fiction doesn't truly make it unrealistic. The gameplay elements (minus regenerating health) are all realistic and its easier for developers to pace the storyline when its is made up. It doesn't have to be 100% accurate, just plausible and believable. Take the Stalingrad mission in Call of Duty: World at War, that isn't based on fact, just as the characters are also fictional.

neither COD nor Battlefield have ever been realistic, America's Army, ARMA, Operation Flashpoint (the original) are war simulators everything is games for gamers, just having a real guns doesn't make it a real shooter

oh and I perfer realism in my war simulators

Realism all the way. At least up to a certain level (Battlefield).

All I want is solid team play, large scale, lots of variety, vehicles, and plenty of unending action.

Well COD and Battlefield do a much better job making the guns look and sound real.

Exaggerated realism.

Your absolutely correct but I included "Scenarios that are truly out of this world and nearly impossible" to support my statement a realistic plot is necessary for you to have a realistic combat simulator. I guess BattleField3 and ModernWarFares plots are as plausible as Canada invading the United States, I guess technically it could happen. However its not likely going to happen, other things like an earthquake just happening to go off mid mission in BF3. Yah because that is such a common occurrence or Iran having Russian nukes etc...etc...

Look realistically speaking MW and BF totally stretch the realms of plausibility. A realistic shooter needs to be based in something that is plausibly either going to happen or has/is already happening.

Personally I like games that actually put you in the boots of real soldiers and try to replicate the actual combat situations they find themselves in. Not some high octane , eye popping candy filled apocalyptic over the top impossible explosion filled adventure into chaos. Yah its fun sometimes but in all honesty I would rather play something that is actually possible or experience something other people actually experience.

My ideal game would be set in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Mexico, Somalia or one of the other current conflicts. Another thing why do the games always have to feature American's as the main force. Seriously other countries fight wars to and their conflicts are equally interesting. I would love to join a Mexican military patrol as we go into a town to rid them of the cartels. Or join the Kenyan forces as they take on Al Shabab or the UN forces in many other countries.

Wouldn't mind a game in which you play as the UN Forces which stayed behind to try and stop the Rwandan genocide. Their are so many wars that would be perfect for military games both modern and old. So many untold real life stories and a rich tapestry of plot lines which could easily beat anything Activision or EA has done recently.

But I guess when I watch action movies I get pissed off when they are too unrealistic as well. Example Die Hard 4, I almost turned it off because of how outlandish it was!

I get your point there, but as America have such a large military capacity and arguably the most adanced warfare technology and a large proportion of gamers and game developers are American, they tend to go for the patriotic option. Is rather boring continually having plots that involve wars between the US and Russia. Thats why I found Homefront (fighting North Korea) and Call of Duty 4 (fighting alongside the Russians) quite refreshing.