Arma 3: Confirmed features | info & discussion

[J-Guid 10]

Yea, Tomorrow :)! Hot hours :)

[danny96 80]

OH I'll have it in 18th Of April :) cuz my time is different.

Edited April 17, 2012 by danny96

[Mr. Charles 22]

Tomorrow? More like 19th around 12-6 pm ;)

[paecmaker 23]

I hate waiting like this if I know new information will come in a few days....:/

[danny96 80]

yeah better to be suprised :D

[Maio 293]

I hate waiting like this if I know new information will come in a few days....:/

yeah better to be suprised :D

Don't worry... I'm sure we will get our regular late night pre-info release teaser in the form of a cryptic facebook or twitter post.

[onlyrazor 11]

Don't worry... I'm sure we will get our regular late night pre-info release teaser in the form of a cryptic facebook or twitter post.

Next up - NATO Recon Helmet in Czech Wireframe view.

[slatts 1978]

a nice birthday (+1 day ) present from bis to me :D

[f27sharps 1]

a nice birthday (+1 day ) present from bis to me :D

Lol Me too (april 21) !

[froggyluv 2136]

I finally got the physics demo footage, goes for about 11 minutes so it might take some time to upload but I'll post a link here soon as it's done. If they have the same physics effects in Arma 3 my brain is going to melt, so awesome I still can't beleive it.

Did VBS2 agents abduct and 'silence' Whirly?

[Steakslim 1]

And he'll never been seen again....

[Clarkey1 10]

Did VBS2 agents abduct and 'silence' Whirly?

LOL yeah, I think he's been 'black-bagged' by the Bohemia Interactive death squad. :p

If you're still out there Whirly I'd like to see that vid, or a link to the article, or anything. Just let us know your alive!;)

[max power 21]

I... have never heard of this person... you are talking about.

Perhaps it would be better if we returned to the topic at hand... before we start talking... about someone else who never existed...

[rye1 21]

BISception.

[CrazykennyNL 1]

Looking good, I'm curious as to if there will be a extensive modding community for ArmA 3 as there was for the previous 2.

[paecmaker 23]

Looking good, I'm curious as to if there will be a extensive modding community for ArmA 3 as there was for the previous 2.

probably, maybe even more because of a more powerfull engine and so on.

[instagoat 133]

probably, maybe even more because of a more powerfull engine and so on.

Personally, I find this doubtful. There´s an established, hard core of modders that´ll unlikely be changing unless people get tired of the hobby or get really alienated by the new direction the game is going in to, but for new people getting into modding the game, it´s likely a little bit too hard and complicated with the current set of tools.

For example, I´m a complete dummy, I couldn´t figure out for the life of me how to do retexes. After asking around on the forums and digging trough the Biki, I stopped after one month of trying.

There seems to be no really easy way to get content into the game. The tools are provided, but that´s about it. Documentation is relatively sparse and scattered, and tutorials seem to be nonexistent.

I hope there´ll be a thriving modding community again, but I just don´t see it, at least with respect to influx of new people. Mission editors, that´s another story altogether.

[antoineflemming 14]

Personally, I find this doubtful. There´s an established, hard core of modders that´ll unlikely be changing unless people get tired of the hobby or get really alienated by the new direction the game is going in to, but for new people getting into modding the game, it´s likely a little bit too hard and complicated with the current set of tools.

For example, I´m a complete dummy, I couldn´t figure out for the life of me how to do retexes. After asking around on the forums and digging trough the Biki, I stopped after one month of trying.

There seems to be no really easy way to get content into the game. The tools are provided, but that´s about it. Documentation is relatively sparse and scattered, and tutorials seem to be nonexistent.

I hope there´ll be a thriving modding community again, but I just don´t see it, at least with respect to influx of new people. Mission editors, that´s another story altogether.

Naw, you just have to do some digging to find out... and retexes are the easy part of modding. But, I'm with you. If their mod tools aren't really that much different than ArmA2's, then most likely the same modders for ArmA2 will be the primary modders for ArmA3 (not that this is a bad thing, just there won't really be any new modders on the scene).

If BIS would update Oxygen from a 3d modelling perspective at least (maybe similar to a simple 3d modelling program like Wings 3D), and make it more user friendly, that alone would make modding more accessible I guess. Especially since there's customization in the game, it'd be nice if a casual ArmA player could at least be able to get some content, like gear/clothing/equipment, in game relatively quickly. I don't really mod that much (just a couple personal addons) so I'm not sure to what degree BIS tools need improving, if they really need improving at all.

Biggest thing is documentation. Whatever tools, if BIS can provide some full documentation on all their tools (this just based on your comment about the lack of documentation) then yeah, we could see an increase in the ability to create addons for the game.

[PuFu 4600]

Looking good, I'm curious as to if there will be a extensive modding community for ArmA 3 as there was for the previous 2.

This is to be seen. It depends on the popularity of the game. I am pretty sure BIS does recognize that their game longevity and sales are based on community content (be it addons or missions) more than their own. They are the LEGO of the gaming industry. They provide the pieces, which (depending on each individual's skill, experience yada yada) can turn into better or worse final toys.

Of course, there are a lot of people (read the vast majority) who only want to play with those finished toys (might be lack of time, skills, interest etc etc).

probably, maybe even more because of a more powerfull engine and so on.

It is a balance between the tools and the engine possibilities. Please remember that back in OFP days making and addon was a) a lot easier b) a lot better received, for free, by the people who were getting it and c) the lack of out of the box addon-manager (and the precautions or lack of time/knowledge from the server admins) means the players are limited in terms of addons they can use = why would someone new bother learning the ins and outs (especially if he is not familiar addon/game making in general) if no one would ever use it?

Today the standards are a lot higher (read industry level), and most of the time require better tools. Also, the community (for some weird reason) got a lot pickier (and so did the addon makers in the end).

Personally, I find this doubtful. There´s an established, hard core of modders that´ll unlikely be changing unless people get tired of the hobby or get really alienated by the new direction the game is going in to, but for new people getting into modding the game, it´s likely a little bit too hard and complicated with the current set of tools.

For example, I´m a complete dummy, I couldn´t figure out for the life of me how to do retexes. After asking around on the forums and digging trough the Biki, I stopped after one month of trying.

retexes are sort of banned if they require hex-editing. Should find plenty of documentation if the model is set of hiddenSelection.

There seems to be no really easy way to get content into the game. The tools are provided, but that´s about it. Documentation is relatively sparse and scattered, and tutorials seem to be nonexistent.

I hope there´ll be a thriving modding community again, but I just don´t see it, at least with respect to influx of new people. Mission editors, that´s another story altogether.

new people, if they get together with some older blokes, yes. Or, if they have some a lot of time and patience to read through the said scattered and rather incomplete documentation.

Naw, you just have to do some digging to find out... and retexes are the easy part of modding.

And what is the hard part...?

If BIS would update Oxygen from a 3d modelling perspective at least (maybe similar to a simple 3d modelling program like Wings 3D), and make it more user friendly, that alone would make modding more accessible I guess. Especially since there's customization in the game, it'd be nice if a casual ArmA player could at least be able to get some content, like gear/clothing/equipment, in game relatively quickly.

BIS is a different type of software developer. Hence upgrading an old software bit a bit weird from a commercial pov.

I would find it a lot easier to take the same route as everyone else who has a SDK took: provide some tools, but also plug-ins for the industry standards. Hell, even some sort of plugs for blender (which is free) would be (from my POV) faster than upgrading Oxygen.

That said, i really doubt that will happen. We will most likely see the same set of developing tools, with little to no improvements (and that is ok, i've seen this going at least the last 3 years from proper big software developers like adsk, and their software is not being released free). And that would be ok if, as it has been said, those things get the very basics documentations in ;).

I don't really mod that much so I'm not sure to what degree BIS tools need improving, if they really need improving at all.

so, although you have used to some degree the tools provided, you have no opinion as a user?

Edited April 18, 2012 by PuFu

[antoineflemming 14]

This is to be seen. It depends on the popularity of the game. I am pretty sure BIS does recognize that their game longevity and sales are based on community content (be it addons or missions) more than their own. They are the LEGO of the gaming industry. They provide the pieces, which (depending on each individual's skill, experience yada yada) can turn into better or worse final toys.

Of course, there are a lot of people (read the vast majority) who only want to play with those finished toys (might be lack of time, skills, interest etc etc).

It is a balance between the tools and the engine possibilities. Please remember that back in OFP days making and addon was a) a lot easier b) a lot better received, for free, by the people who were getting it and c) the lack of out of the box addon-manager (and the precautions or lack of time/knowledge from the server admins) means the players are limited in terms of addons they can use = why would someone new bother learning the ins and outs (especially if he is not familiar addon/game making in general) if no one would ever use it?

Today the standards are a lot higher (read industry level), and most of the time require better tools. Also, the community (for some weird reason) got a lot pickier (and so did the addon makers in the end).

retexes are sort of banned if they require hex-editing. Should find plenty of documentation if the model is set of hiddenSelection.

new people, if they get together with some older blokes, yes. Or, if they have some a lot of time and patience to read through the said scattered and rather incomplete documentation.

And what is the hard part...?

BIS is a different type of software developer. Hence upgrading an old software bit a bit weird from a commercial pov.

I would find it a lot easier to take the same route as everyone else who has a SDK took: provide some tools, but also plug-ins for the industry standards. Hell, even some sort of plugs for blender (which is free) would be (from my POV) faster than upgrading Oxygen.

That said, i really doubt that will happen. We will most likely see the same set of developing tools, with little to no improvements (and that is ok, i've seen this going at least the last 3 years from proper big software developers like adsk, and their software is not being released free). And that would be ok if, as it has been said, those things get the very basics documentations in ;).

so, although you have used to some degree the tools provided, you have no opinion as a user?

Well yeah, in that case I guess plugins for industry standards would be good...

As far as the "retexes are the easy part", I'd think it's more difficult to get a new unit in the game with correct proxies, shadows, lods, etc than to retex a unit... of course I could be wrong so please correct me if retexturing units is in fact more involved than creating a new unit model and getting it in-game. That's just an example, but I was saying that retexturing isn't a complicated task. I haven't used BIS tools that much. Haven't used them to do any more than getting a basic model into Oxygen, scaling it to the right size, and changing the texture information (face properties). So, yeah, I guess I really not in a position to respond to InstaGoat's post, but I did, mainly responding to the comment that there's no easy way to get content into ArmA.

But, PuFu, you're right. Plugins would be better.

[spotter001 82]

BISception.

Inception! (ask Leo Di Caprio):)

Looking good, I'm curious as to if there will be a extensive modding community for ArmA 3 as there was for the previous 2.

am pretty much sure there will. and i don't think that new game direction has anything to do with it. OA is set into modern era conflict and yet we have the modding projects set in the WW2 and the Cold war era. meaning-modders could always choose to bring A3 out of the "future" and into present day...i can bet we'll be breathing the Afghanistan's sand again under A3 engine.

[MulleDK19 21]

Fastroping will be suported.

Shockwaves will be simulated.

Confirmed? When? Where's the source?

[b00ce 160]

Confirmed? When? Where's the source?

I don't know about shock-waves, but Fast roping is already supported.

[Maio 293]

Fastroping will be suported.

Shockwaves will be simulated.

Confirmed? When? Where's the source?

GamesCom 2011- A developer

[Maio 293]

The list has been updated with the info about Stratis and the new video.

Now that we know NATO will have a regular heavy helicopter that seems to be the Merlin, can I get a confirmation that it's called the CH-49 so I can add it to the list? Cheers :)