Survey: Which engine enhancement would you like to see?

[maddogx 13]

TL;DR: If BIS were to focus their efforts on implementing a single engine enhancement, which would you pick?

This is not a wish-list!

Basically, I'm interested in seeing what aspect of the game is most important to people. Personally, I'm in favor of an updated weapon simulation.

Here's a quick explanation to each point:

Object oriented scripting

Support for some form of OO scripting in the game. Could be Lua, or some other language, or something of BI's own creation (.SQO?).

Bullet/PhysX or similar phyisics engine

The implementation of an advanced physics engine in the game.

Updated weapon simulation (chambered rounds etc.)

A re-vamp of the way weapons are handled, breaking the current limitations and adding support for features like chambered rounds, single shot AT, etc.

Terrain deformation

Bombs can create craters that actually deform the terrain.

MP: Auto-(de)activation of mods in-game, mod autodownload

Pretty self-explanatory I hope.

Animation system overhaul (CQB)

Improvement of the animation system, for example allowing for weapon switching on the move, interruption of long animations etc.

Visual/sound FX overhaul (polish)

Overall improved visual and sounds, EAX like effects, pressure wave simlation for explosions, proper volumetric particle FX etc.

Walking/moving in vehicles, shooting from vehicles

Also pretty self-explanatory.

Vehicle physics/handling improvements

For the hardcore pilots and drivers.

None of the above (alternative?)

N/A

Edited May 5, 2011 by MadDogX

[.kju 3240]

MP: Auto-(de)activation of mods in-game, mod autodownload

[-)rStrangelove 0]

Walking around in vehicles and shooting out of windows, that would really make my day.

That, and it would kick open a large door for modders of ships, helicopters, ridable horses etc.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Updated weapon simulation (chambered rounds etc.) all the way

[Defunkt 431]

Hard to pick only one but it would have to be more interruptible animations.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

With an advanced physics engine, animations would have to be re-hauled, so I'm sneaky like that. :cc:

[ArmAriffic 10]

Moving/Shooting inside vehicles, not being able to shoot the guys right next to me outside the car pisses me off

[dmarkwick 261]

Well I had to vote for Bullet, and yes I understand the MP limitations of RL physics before I get any lectures :) ;)

I think collapsing buildings, crashing helos, ragdoll etc would be a great SP enhancer. And of course in a limited way for MP. (As discussed elsewhere to death ;))

[lwlooz 0]

Hello,

What a bunch of luxury features :icon_smile:.

I would like to vote for "Tactical AI control" or even "Very Basic AI control".

[wamingo 1]

Hard to pick only one but it would have to be more interruptible animations.

Agreed, animations are key.

Of course, polish don't sell games like features do, still, polish is what I favour.

Medic module for instance could really use some.

[andersson 285]

Autodownload would be heaven. That way I wouldnt need to spend too much time helping other players and they wouldnt be so negative about joining and playing.

[sickboy 13]

Autodownload would be heaven. That way I wouldnt need to spend too much time helping other players and they wouldnt be so negative about joining and playing.

In the meantime give the new Six Updater a spin; http://six.dev-heaven.net/wagn/Six_Updater

95% of things automatically handled, user clicks a link or finds your server in the server browser and clicks Install or Update and join game, and they will join with the correct mods loaded,

while custom configuration by server admin and the user is possible too.

I voted the same btw :)

Edited May 5, 2011 by Sickboy

[runforrest 10]

also voted for autodownload

what is missing is a vote for - make mp-jip-synchronization (self hosted and dedi server) of all important things(tasks,time etc..) easier for missionbuilders

these 2 things are important to push arma more in the direction of "plug and play" and attract new players

[maddogx 13]

what is missing is a vote for - make mp-jip-synchronization (self hosted and dedi server) of all important things(tasks,time etc..) easier for missionbuilders

these 2 things are important to push arma more in the direction of "plug and play" and attract new players

That sounds like more of a convenience matter, perhaps something that needs some better documentation, but not an engine upgrade. :)

[Pulverizer 1]

Alternative: Performance/optimization/polish (LOD issues, FPS stutter, net lag, bugs, inconsistencies, poor design choices etc).

[andersson 285]

In the meantime give the new Six Updater a spin; http://six.dev-heaven.net/wagn/Six_Updater

95% of things automatically handled, user clicks a link or finds your server in the server browser and clicks Install or Update and join game, and they will join with the correct mods loaded,

while custom configuration by server admin and the user is possible too.

I voted the same btw :)

I know of your excellent work and I use it (thank you!). I was thinking of bringing it up as a good alternative if BIS adds some kind of ingame interface to your program, but I thought I leave it as a pure BIS wish-list ;)

[froggyluv 2130]

Bullet.

[maddogx 13]

Bullet.

There are actually a lot more of those votes than I had suspected. My money was on MP mod DLs, followed by CQB anims. :)

[Cyteless 10]

Bit of a ballache to choose, but I had to go for the mod downloads. It would cut out a lot of the logistical problems groups have when they start up a server. Would make public gaming a lot more enjoyable, in my opinion.

[Mr. Charles 22]

These are all good choices, but i voted for Auto-MP downloads. This is the thing which turns most new players off the game.

[Primarch 10]

All of these things are irrelevant if the game continues to be so jerky and warpy in multiplayer. It kills all the immersion, everything is really dumb looking when people and stuff warps around.

So; Alternative, a better netcode. I can not play the game the way it is right now in multiplayer, that stuff is the stuff that causes nightmares.

[Leg 10]

- Continue improving the AI, until they become almost human-like in their decisions when set to a high or certain skill level/setting. There can be an option to enable AI v2, which would be the new experimental AI system.

- Less bloom and stupid 'fake' graphical effects. I kind of miss OFP and Arma1: even loading up maps that use Arma1 stuff on Arma2 makes it look like it's Arma1. So, I'd say the most improved thing is the detail of the maps themselves, like Chernarus and Takistan, but if you load it up with Arma1 objects on a map like Panthera, you can see it looks the same.. You don't need to pack in bloom, PostProcess, and make a simple game be constantly feeling laggy/glitchy instead of simple like the older series games. The amount of players still on Arma1/OFP1 play them because of this.. So, Less crashes, lagginess, blurriness, and more 'smooth and simple' stuff. Make performance enhancements on your engine instead of pushing in more blurry beta crap.

- More impact on certain weapons. This might be a simulator, but it's still the tuned-down game version of the main simulator. Weapons which used to be cannons like the G36A, M4A1, M4A3, etc. are now like pebble shooters once you are shooting >300m. This makes so many weapons be worthless and literally restricts people who don't want to constantly be at a disadvantage to only use sniper rifles and high powered weapons.. Not that this isn't good, but there's only like 3-4 ones that meet this requirement, so the weapons basically suck.

- Less 'new stuff', less 'tweaking settings and configs', and more making the game playable and fun. Everyone who wants this is usually using ACE2 for their group/realism unit, and they still aren't extremely satisfied with that.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Leg

[Flash Thunder 10]

Bullet Physics and physics blended animations that are all interuptable.

After that I would say Significant AI improvements (driving, convoy formations, overall less brain dead at close quarters) and then an amazing Lighting engine.

[antoineflemming 14]

I'd say animation overhaul, weapon handling (including first person weapon perspective), high ready, low ready, cqb stance, quick reaction animations and handling, ui/gui as far as looking like a true first person perspective (peripheral vision i.e. blurry edges of screen, actually being able to see some of your hand/weapon at the low ready, albeit blurry).

[schmambuman 10]

I'd probably say the increased weapon simulation, and also revamp reload times and maybe even reload animations. It's a little odd how a pistol reloads as fast as a light machine gun.