ArmA 3 on Steamworks?

[chortles 263]

I don't know if the single-player alpha will still work after the beta period begins, unless June 15th is just when the invites disappear/become invalid and any redeemed Alpha Lite invites mean that the user will have Alpha Lite in perpetuity/even after the alpha period ends?

[Leon86 13]

Your argument is invalid. I'm not even going to bother tell you why.

nah, it's perfectly valid.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

nah, it's perfectly valid.

The free Alpha without MP doesn't exist to me, those 3 Lite invites in my Steam gift inventory will be POOF - gone to people who are interested, yet undecided and we'll be enjoying the real meat instead.

[zoog 18]

nah, it's perfectly valid.

No it isn't. As stated in the dev blog it was about maintaining all those different retail versions during the entire life span of the game up till the 1.62 patch which is currently the latest version of A2. The Alpha lite is only available for 3,5 months and basically some sort of demo. The alpha lite has nothing to do with update and QA cycles during the lifespan of Arma 3 which probably will last at least till 2016. They don't have to worry about the alpha lite version after June 18th 2013.

See? Your argument is invalid ;)

Edited February 28, 2013 by zoog

[Tintee 10]

Arma 3 was probably the only must have game for me this year and being a long term op flash, arma player from the early days, i have to say i`m not happy about steam being forced upon us this time.

To top it all we have people claiming we should all love steam because they love it and if not then we should give a valid reason that satisfies them as to why we don`t.

Well, some people like "man love" but i don`t want any of that either thanks. I also don`t feel like i need to give anyone a valid reason for not wanting it.

[Alexei Guba 10]

The free Alpha without MP doesn't exist to me, those 3 Lite invites in my Steam gift inventory will be POOF - gone to people who are interested, yet undecided and we'll be enjoying the real meat instead.

What exists to you and what not is irrelvant. Wake up and realize that you are not everyone, but just yet another random fanboy.

Fact is that there is a "Free Alpha" which isn't more than a playable demo. It has no MP, runs only for a limited time and probably won't even allow saving in the editor. Get your facts straight before posting crap in every 2nd post.

[Hicks_09 10]

Arma 3 was probably the only must have game for me this year and being a long term op flash, arma player from the early days, i have to say i`m not happy about steam being forced upon us this time.

To top it all we have people claiming we should all love steam because they love it and if not then we should give a valid reason that satisfies them as to why we don`t.

Well, some people like "man love" but i don`t want any of that either thanks. I also don`t feel like i need to give anyone a valid reason for not wanting it.

Pretty much sums it up.

If there was an announcement of a later drm free release then that would quieten things down. That way the people that don't mind being shackled to a drm client can be so while people that would rather not have consumer rights trampled over can also do so. Blindly supporting a company just for the shiny though... not a chance. I'm a customer first and foremost, not a "gamer" or to put it more frankly - someone with an open wallet and little self control.

[Alexei Guba 10]

I'm a long time fan too, forced to be away for a long time by a broken computer and illness.

It's sad but true that there a blind fanboys praising the game and developer left and right while ignoring other people's valid concerns. They don't even think for a minute if these people maybe have a good point. But that's todays youth, if you are not with me then you suck and better go away. Their only interest is playing the newest game, as if there is nothing more important in life.

[vegeta897 13]

Well, some people like "man love" but i don`t want any of that either thanks. I also don`t feel like i need to give anyone a valid reason for not wanting it.

Please tell me this is a joke. You're seriously equating people who support steam with homosexuality? You're saying that it's okay to not want to use Steam for no valid reason, because it's okay to not like men if you're heterosexual?

Jesus.

If you want to dislike something without feeling the need to give any valid reason why, then you're just wasting everyone's time. Your analogy to sexuality is the most flawed and ridiculous thing I've ever read. Being a heterosexual IS a valid reason to not like men. It's THE valid reason. Not liking something and refusing to give a valid reason is just childish and/or ignorant.

Edited February 28, 2013 by vegeta897

[dm 9]

pretty ironic, they made it steam exclusive so they only have to make 1 version, then make 2 alpha versions.

Pretty sure you dont understand the mastering process...

Protip: only having ONE distributor makes life a LOT easier, even allowing for more versions of the game (like, for instance, a limited version of the Alpha) to be distributed.

Remember, the Alpha is NOT just for the long term fans. Its designed to get more NEW people interested too.

Zoog also sums it up very nicely:

No it isn't. As stated in the dev blog it was about maintaining all those different retail versions during the entire life span of the game up till the 1.62 patch which is currently the latest version of A2. The Alpha lite is only available for 3,5 months and basically some sort of demo. The alpha lite has nothing to do with update and QA cycles during the lifespan of Arma 3 which probably will last at least till 2016. They don't have to worry about the alpha lite version after June 18th 2013.

See? Your argument is invalid ;)

Also, this is lols:

Being a heterosexual IS a valid reason to not like men. It's THE valid reason.

I think you'll find every single hetrosexual female disagreeing with you there ;)

(I'm sure you meant "being a hetrosexual male...")

For the lulz

[celery 8]

On the other hand, the average Steam fan's reason for their loyalty and monopoly fantasies is that nothing bad has personally happened to them on Steam regardless of the problems they know other people have encountered.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

Fact is that there is a "Free Alpha" which isn't more than a playable demo.

So what? You're against free demos?

It has no MP, runs only for a limited time and probably won't even allow saving in the editor.

Oh-oh, so you want the near-release game experience, albeit on a "small" 20 km^2 island of Stratis, for free? Doesn't happen.

You're not buying the Alpha, you're Pre-ordering ArmA III with early access starting March 5.

End of story, and this is the wrong topic for A3A discussion.

[vegeta897 13]

(I'm sure you meant "being a hetrosexual male...")

For the lulz

:p

monopoly fantasies

Say what?

nothing bad has personally happened to them on Steam regardless of what problems they know other people have had.

I've never heard of someone having a problem with steam that wasn't resolved. That's worth something.

Other than that, my own personal experience and the experiences of everyone I know is the only solid basis I have to hold an opinion without making baseless assumptions, so I don't see what you're criticizing.

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

we know you going crazy over it Plisking, but we do have a right to mention our views 2, its not only yours where intrested in!

[dm 9]

On the other hand, the average Steam fan's reason for their loyalty and monopoly fantasies is that nothing bad has personally happened to them on Steam regardless of the problems they know other people have encountered.

So, I drive a car/ride a bus every day despite knowing that 10's of 1000's of people die in car crashes every day...

I also breathe Earths atmosphere every day, despite knowing that its caused cancer and killed millions over the years...

If you operated on a "I dont like anything if other people have had bad experiences with it" principal, then you cant do anything...

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

So, I drive a car/ride a bus every day despite knowing that 10's of 1000's of people die in car crashes every day...

I also breathe Earths atmosphere every day, despite knowing that its caused cancer and killed millions over the years...

If you operated on a "I dont like anything if other people have had bad experiences with it" principal, then you cant do anything...

QFT.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[metalcraze 290]

Oh-oh, so you want the near-release game experience, albeit on a "small" 20 km^2 island of Stratis, for free? Doesn't happen.

FYI it happened for every BIS game before. It was called a demo.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

FYI it happened for every BIS game before. It was called a demo.

Demo, which is the ArmA III Alpha LITE, got downsized (along with INVITE-only access) this time around as not to give a false impression to a potential customer base about the final product's quality, since the whole project is still in Alpha stage.

By "Pre-ordering" the Beta & Full game through the early Alpha access, people are reminded that any bugs/annoyances they find by playing the Alpha, will be dealt with by release.

[metalcraze 290]

Demo, which is the ArmA III Alpha LITE, got downsized (along with INVITE-only access) this time around as not to give a false impression to a potential customer base about the final product's quality, since the whole project is still in Alpha stage.

But a full version of Alpha will give a false impression to a customer - is that what you mean?

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

But a full version of Alpha will give a false impression to a customer - is that what you mean?

Like I said, the purchase of Alpha is already a statement of hope that any and all bugs will be squashed by release, otherwise said customer wouldn't touch anything with the term "ALPHA" in it in the first place.

[Sealife 22]

Quote Originally Posted by Tintee View Post

Arma 3 was probably the only must have game for me this year and being a long term op flash, arma player from the early days, i have to say i`m not happy about steam being forced upon us this time.

To top it all we have people claiming we should all love steam because they love it and if not then we should give a valid reason that satisfies them as to why we don`t.

at the time of voting here , i was of the same opnion and voted no , however when the statement about they had actually decided to go Steam route and the reasons why , taking into account BIS honesty and sincerity based on my own opinion ,built up since OFP i was persauded they had made a good business decision and was not only good for the game but indtrumental as to whether A3 was to be released at all

I would like to hear your own reasons for not being persuaded ,given you seem to have a similar experience as my own .

In terms of people trying to force your beilef that steam is good, your right its for you to decide based on your own experience , i think if you check SOPA will end the internet and Windows 8 will finish the PC forever , this kind of debate is frought with Lies , hearsay and pure bull with inserted "my Friend " or " a guy i know" etc, however you can find amongst it real experience and good information .

[Alexei Guba 10]

Like I said, the purchase of Alpha is already a statement of hope that any and all bugs will be squashed by release

Yes of course all the bugs will be gone in final Arma 3. All of them, it will be the perfect game. All of Bohemias games were bug infested on launch. OFP, ArmA (especially that), ArmA2, ToH, Carrier Command... And it will be the same in Arma 3. But you know what keep your hopes up and if there will be bugs in the final game I will laugh my ass off about you and your childish dreams, more then I do already now.

How much Valve and BI pay you for these blind fanboy posts, ignoring any other opinions? Now as I think about it and checking your recent posts it must be like that. Christ, how many hundred posts you made already defending a game that has not even released yet?

[celery 8]

Say what?

You're not aware of the segment that wanted Arma 3 to be Steam-exclusive even before the recent news simply because they happened to buy most of their games on Steam? They showed a truly dumbfounding lack of acknowledgement of any reason why people might prefer some choice in distribution methods.

I've never heard of someone having a problem with steam that wasn't resolved. That's worth something.

So you're absolutely positive that everyone in this thread that has or has had a problem with Steam have gotten their issues fixed and are no longer opposing Steam because of them? Do you count people who have gotten their accounts suspended and games taken away for arbitrary reasons as having resolved their problems when Steam has replied to them that the decision is final and the case is closed?

My point here lies in the fact that Steam fans are usually people who haven't encountered any trouble with Steam. Which is of course extremely logical, yet sadly near-sighted.

Other than that, my own personal experience and the experiences of everyone I know is the only solid basis I have to hold an opinion without making baseless assumptions, so I don't see what you're criticizing.

It's just peculiar that you demand "valid" reasons from those who don't want to be forced to use Steam while those who do want Steam-exclusiveness have pretty shoddy reasons for their stance.

So, I drive a car/ride a bus every day despite knowing that 10's of 1000's of people die in car crashes every day...

I also breathe Earths atmosphere every day, despite knowing that its caused cancer and killed millions over the years...

If you operated on a "I dont like anything if other people have had bad experiences with it" principal, then you cant do anything...

QFT.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Let's try a better analogy, shall we?

A Steam fan is an SUV driver who personally doesn't have any problems with that mode of transport, either technically or pertaining to the environment in which he drives said SUV. He refuses to believe that there is any valid reason why anyone would not want to drive an SUV, and thus he wouldn't mind at all if all the world's vehicles were SUVs regardless whether it would suit someone else's financial status, driving environment or logistical needs. Because he happens to own an SUV and like it.

If that same person happened to live in a place where a big car is very impractical, he would, for some strange reason, suddenly not like SUVs that much anymore and see why all those other people didn't want SUV exclusivity either.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Celery

[Alexei Guba 10]

at the time of voting here , i was of the same opnion and voted no , however when the statement about they had actually decided to go Steam route and the reasons why , taking into account BIS honesty and sincerity based on my own opinion ,built up since OFP i was persauded they had made a good business decision and was not only good for the game but indtrumental as to whether A3 was to be released at all

BIS? Honesty? You are joking now no? That "Full steam ahead" blog is full of marketing and PR crap without giving any real details. You or me mean nothing to them, we are just numbers generating income. There is no need to be honest with us and really - how do you know what they are telling you about the Steam decision is the truth? Who says that it's not just a lame excuse and the real reason is just "With steam we make even more money out of our customers (and then they can piss off until the next DLC)"?

No one knows except those who made the decision, and they will never tell the story to such unimportant people like me and you. Fact.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

Yes of course all the bugs will be gone in final Arma 3. All of them, it will be the perfect game. All of Bohemias games were bug infested on launch. OFP, ArmA (especially that), ArmA2, ToH

The Alpha is unprecedented for BIS AFAIK - a great testing model, if you want to achieve great MP quality/results by release.

That's why there's an Alpha & the Beta on which we will spend our personal time and provide feedback for the next 6 months, so that casual people like you can get the best possible quality, so that in turn, I can have more cannon fodder to kill in MP.