Editing SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle (section)

==Gameplay==
[[File:Swat 3 0004.jpg|thumb|upright|Computer-controlled SWAT officers attempting to coax a stunned suspect into surrendering]]In ''SWAT 3'', players control a [[police tactical unit]] as they are deployed to handle situations such as [[Arrest warrant|arrest warrants]], [[Hostage|hostage-takings]], [[Bomb threat|bomb threats]], and [[Shootout|shootouts]]. ''SWAT 3'' is a tactical shooter, where characters can be killed easily and in few hits; therefore, tactics and planning are emphasized over mere brute force. ''SWAT 3'' is played as a team consisting of five to ten [[Non-player character|computer-controlled]] or [[Multiplayer video game|player-controlled]] officers over a 16-mission campaign. Enemies, referred to as "[[Suspect|suspects]]", range from individuals and small groups to trained and heavily-armed terrorists, with the game maintaining a [[learning curve]] for players as the complexity of suspects intensifies.

Unlike military shooters, such as the comparable ''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six|Rainbow Six]]'' series, ''SWAT 3'' emphasizes that the player is part of a police unit tasked with [[Arrest|arresting]] suspects instead of killing them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/22/swat3/|title='SWAT 3,' you don't need gore for good gaming|first=D. Ian|last=Hopper|date=November 22, 1999|website=[[CNN]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020602122359/http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/22/swat3/|archivedate=June 2, 2002|url-status=live|accessdate=January 12, 2022}}</ref> Much of the game centers around following the [[rules of engagement]], [[Use of force continuum|use of force policies]], and proper police procedure. Violations of such policies—such as failing to recover [[Evidence (law)|evidence]] or dropped weapons, not securing hostages or surrendering suspects, attacking civilians or other officers, or using [[Police brutality|excessive force]]—results in penalties ranging from losing points to mission failure.

[[File:SWAT3 loadoutscreen.jpg|thumb|upright|The pre-mission loadout screen. The weaponry and ammunition loadout of each officer in the element is customizable to suit different situations.]]

The weapons and equipment available to the player are tailored to fit the police setting of the game. Lethal firearms—[[Handgun|handguns]], [[Rifle|rifles]], [[Submachine gun|submachine guns]], and [[Shotgun|shotguns]]—are based on real weapons issued to the LAPD SWAT, such as their custom [[Springfield Armory, Inc.|Springfield Armory]] [[M1911 pistol|M1911A1]] that appears as the standard-issue [[Sidearm (weapon)|sidearm]] in-game. Lethal weapons come with different varieties of ammunition, primarily [[Non-lethal weapon|less-lethal]] alternate weapons, such as the [[M4 carbine]] having a [[bean bag round]] launcher. Bullet penetration is simulated, making "[[spray and pray]]" fire risky due to the possibility of hitting an unseen NPC. Available equipment includes [[Stun grenade|stun grenades]] and [[CS gas|tear gas]] grenades to stun suspects; [[Door breaching|explosive breaching charges]] to break through locked doors; [[Glow stick|glow sticks]] to mark items or locations of note; [[Multi-tool|multi-tools]] for utility actions such as [[lock picking]]; and most prominently the "Opti-Wand", a [[fiberscope]]-like camera on a telescoping wand used for safely looking around corners and through doorways. Officers wear [[body armor]] and enclosed [[Combat helmet|combat helmets]] with built-in [[Respirator|respirators]] and [[head-up display]] projectors inside the faceplate, used to explain the presence of the [[HUD (video gaming)|HUD]]. The HUD is minimal displays the player's [[Reticle|crosshair]], stance, commands, and [[Health (game terminology)|health]] (the latter as [[vital signs|vital sign]] sensor readings); health in particular cannot be healed or regenerated during a mission.

Missions can be approached in either ''stealth'' or ''dynamic'' mode. In stealth mode, the SWAT team moves slowly and deliberately, speaking softly and avoiding loud noises (e.g. quietly lock picking a locked door instead of kicking it down), giving the player the element of surprise. In dynamic mode, the team moves quickly, speaks loudly, and freely uses loud weaponry and equipment (such as breaching charges, grenades, and firearms) to clear an area rapidly. Modes are not set, and the player can freely shift between them, though the game automatically shifts from stealth to dynamic when the team is compromised by a loud noise or contact with a suspect. [[Difficulty levels]] range through easy, medium and hard, affecting the aggression and likelihood of surrender of suspects. The player can also separately adjust the amount of time the AI has to determine its actions, from 1 to 20 milliseconds.

''SWAT 3'' also includes a [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] mode, including traditional [[deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch]] and [[team deathmatch]] modes, as well as [[Cooperative video game|cooperative]] play using the singleplayer missions. Following the purchase of Sierra by [[Activision]], the ''SWAT 3'' multiplayer servers went down permanently, though unofficial third-party servers are still maintained by players.

''SWAT 3'' includes tools and support for modifying the game. A [[Mod (computer gaming)|modding]] community has grown around ''SWAT 3'', producing new missions, maps, weapons, and character models for use in both singleplayer and multiplayer modes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swat3reunited.com/news.php|title=Swat 3 Mods|website=Swat 3 Reunited|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820062318/http://swat3reunited.com/|archivedate=August 20, 2022|url-status=live|accessdate=October 12, 2023}}</ref>