Development Blog & Reveals

[papanowel 120]

Hopefully we will see how the alpha goes on steam before the game is fully release on that platform. It may be tricky at the beginning for those who play on multiplayer.

Those screenshots are awesome!

[slatts 1978]

For those who won't buy A3 because of Steam, all I can say is I'll be having the best 5 minutes of my life before my PC explodes in a massive fireball engulfing me as I laugh from dying at the awesomeness of Arma3.

[mattxr 9]

hmm I use steam a lot and don't really see any downside to using it.. but that's just me I know nothing anymore haha!

[jefferspang 2]

Because mod installing and management in ARMA is and has been much more easy than that.

Devs aren't happy.

Yes, with Six. Oh I see, the devs aren't happy, so instead they've decided to make a few dedicated players unhappy instead. The real reason why Steamworks was used was to combat software piracy but you know what, I can't remember a single Steam exclusive major title game that isn't on the Pirate Bay, and it's ironic that it's the guys who are torrenting that don't have to put it up with the whole Steamwork malarky.

I am not going to argue my point anymore, I think I've made my beliefs explicitly clear and I know that there will always be those who don't agree with me - and I'm fine with that, plus I am not achieving anything since we all know BI won't take a U turn even if they agreed with my views so I am only wasting my time.

Consider yourself the victor

Edited February 21, 2013 by JeffersPang

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

Cant agree more with LordJarhead,the modding scene IS the heart off arma,without it it would died a long time ago! and yep we dont bring in the money only the mods,missions etc that makes it what it is today.

[valnwt 11]

For those who won't buy A3 because of Steam, all I can say is I'll be having the best 5 minutes of my life before my PC explodes in a massive fireball engulfing me as I laugh from dying at the awesomeness of Arma3.

I strongly concur on this :D

Edited February 21, 2013 by DanielV

[Alwarren 2767]

Again THAT'S not my point, I think the fact that I found out how to disable auto update from you of all places show how user unfriendly Steam is. If you want Steam, fine I don't care but don't drag the rest of us into what you perceive as the perfect game platform because; and this may surprise you but believe it or not, everyone's opinion differs. What's wrong with what ArmA II's distribution is at the moment where both Steamers and non-Steamers are happy?

Well, I tried to google that and found it within 2 seconds. Yes, it's not perfect, and I think that some options would be better off in that oversized but mostly useless game library "detail" page. But calling it a disaster just because of that? I don't think so.

Yeah, because comparing manual updating to an outhouse isn't reductio ad absurdum (or "overdoing it" as you say so). :rolleyes:

No sh*t man ;)

I know that was slightly absurd, what I wanted to say is that comfort doesn't mean it's bad. I like the auto-update feature. The times you actually want the latest versions greatly outnumbers the times you want to keep an old version, so I don't really see this as a make-or-break fact.

As I said earlier, the biggest gripe I have with Steam is that it doesn't allow me to sell my older games. I recently read in an interview, though, that they are planning such a feature. Valve is a company that usually makes good on their promises. And yeah, Valve, where is my Half Life 2 Ep 3??

[tonygrunt 10]

The only positive thing for me is that I won't spend any more for extra versions in support of BIS.

Owner of CD versions of ArmA2/ArmA2OA, Sprocket DLCs, Steam Arma2/ArmA2OA+DLCs, Steam ArmAX.

[metalcraze 290]

metalcraze since where we said we will block any community made tools or user installed mods ? ... stop jumping to false conclusions

please look at e.g. Skyrim mod scene and Civilization 5 mod scene ...

My point wasn't that something is going to be blocked.

It's good and all for Skyrim and Civ5 until one realizes it's all about singleplayer modding there. It doesn't really matter if mod X goes into this or that folder. There are no gamechanging mods for either of games that will conflict with other gamechanging mods and with how it all being set up on the server if MP. Will it ask me which folder I want to install this mod into? Will it handle mod profiles? What's the point in it then?

The point is that Workshop isn't an advantage in the case of ArmA since it's way too limited. Not that it will destroy something.

[Azzur33 1]

Some facts:

1) Most Arma II fans Will buy Arma III (as soon as possible),

2) Some Arma II fans Will complain (overreact) about Steam, but they'll buy it (later).

3) Steam Will bring new players - and new fans - to the game, the installation and updating Arma II was quite a mess for many "newcomers".

I don't say Steam is cool, nice or great. I don't actually care.

It's the game I'm interested about.

A fan not buying Arma III just because of Steam, that is really difficult to understand. Anti-Steam fanaticism?

Like all the fanatics, they should open their minds a bit. Give it a try.

[Smurf 12]

My point wasn't that something is going to be blocked.

It's good and all for Skyrim and Civ5 until one realizes it's all about singleplayer modding there. It doesn't really matter if mod X goes into this or that folder. There are no gamechanging mods for either of games that will conflict with other gamechanging mods and with how it all being set up on the server if MP. Will it ask me which folder I want to install this mod into? Will it handle mod profiles? What's the point in it then?

The point is that Workshop isn't an advantage in the case of ArmA since it's way too limited. Not that it will destroy something.

And if you JUST download stuff from Workshop (you are not forced to, others sources works aswell) and use a launcher to manage and launch the game, as have been done until now?

Sure, it isn't an advantage, is an addition.

[zoog 18]

Well, you finally did it. You killed my favorite game for me. And for all others like me, who have a shitty 20 kB/sec 0.10$ per MB satellite internet. This news sucks ass.

Just buy the DVD version, install it, activate it, turn automatic updates off and put steam in offline mode.

Coop. Will I need to be logged into steam for that? Im guessing yes? So I cant play coop with the gf when aT&T decides that we dont need internet for the night?

Coop can be played both online and using a LAN connection. If you play Coop online of course you will need a functional internet connection. That is currently the case and will always be the case, that's the whole point of playing online. As far as LAN is concerned, because I'm thinking you actually meant a LAN connection (or Local Area Network, probably within your own house), we don't know the details yet so there is no need to jump to any conclusions (truthfully I expect/hope for offline LAN support). LAN and online play are two different things, and both can be used to play coop missions.

Edited February 21, 2013 by zoog

[giorgygr 61]

I would still buy ArmA -but i HELL-NOT like stupid STEAM.

Lots of guys seem to not have problem with "dependencies"-This looks more as "anyones favorite crowd (yesMan-consumer) rather

than "open mind" (myAss)

[Maxzy 12]

Ofcourse i do have a local DVD store. How else do u think i'm playing ArmA =). But let me describe my first and only interaction with steam - a while ago i bought DVD AliensvsPredator game. And guess what? During the installation it downloaded 120 MB of some updates and patches without asking me if i want to. And guess what else? It didn't start after all because it stopped at verification process for some reason and there was nothing i could do. So i had to download pirated version of this game from local network to play it.

Edited February 21, 2013 by MAXZY

[tonygrunt 10]

As far as LAN is concerned, because I'm thinking you actually meant a LAN connection (or Local Area Network, probably within your own house), we don't know the details yet so there is no need to jump to any conclusions (truthfully I expect/hope for offline LAN support).

If you have LAN support with offline steam then you could easily circumvent it to connect to internet servers too (hamachi, vpn), so I doubt that we will see support for this.

[Masharra 10]

yea I meant LAN xD

[Serub 1]

Just read about Arma 3 being Steam exclusive. Disappointing news. :(

As a matter of principle I refuse to buy anything thats tied to any kind of "services". This will be no exception. I hoped to further support BIS, but more new customers will be gained this way, so yeah, my loss.

[NeuroFunker 11]

lol, whats up with all the hate for steam? Ubistore, Origin agency perhaps?

[dalber24 165]

That Arma 3 is exclusive steam, you need to have Steam installed or run, is a mistake, there are many users who do not want steam, for different reasons, I think they will lose customers because of this.

Many people prefer a digital copy or a physical copy, but hate steam, there are games that can only be obtained by steam and many people prefer not to have them, to not install steam.

If you want to sell it for steam, do it, but forcing users to install, use, update via Steam is a serious error, the gaming community is not steam.

"devblog says that, if not using steam, There was a very real chance there would be no Arma 3 this year Otherwise."

Well then take your time, I prefer to wait before you force me to use steam. And not only speak of myself, like many people think, in this case I'm talking about me and my community.

Regards

Edited February 21, 2013 by dalber24

[dsi24 12]

lol, whats up with all the hate for steam? Ubistore, Origin agency perhaps?

My favorite part is when they claim that Steam Workshop kills modding, if only those poor Skyrim modders knew they were dead...

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

whats up with all the hate for steam? Ubistore, Origin agency perhaps?

,indeed,btw my hate is the same for all off these they will destroy the gaming bussines to make a buck and to protect it from piracy(but got the opposite affect).nothing beats the bloody dvd:p

[Horus 83]

This is indeed a sad day for consumer options and rights.

+1 :( ...I'll wait a while after the game release but if I can't buy dvd version without having to activate via steam then bye-bye ArmA 3 :beam:

Edited February 21, 2013 by Horus

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

whats up with all the hate for steam? Ubistore, Origin agency perhaps?

,indeed,btw my hate is the same for all off these they will destroy the gaming bussines to make a buck at to protect it from piracy(but got the opposite effect).nothing beats the bloody dvd:p

sry double posted it.

[arkblade 1]

If a modder only wishes to distribute through the Workshop, then that his/her choice. It's not the players choice on how a mod is distributed now.

yes.

so we need to have very superiority mod handling system in ARMA3.

in order to get more freedom and convenience.

btw, some people think i'm steam hater.

that not true. i'm heavy steam user (have 1400+ games on steam!)

but i said "some steam feature need extra support by ARMA 3". because it does not adapt to arma.

and "permanent steamworks DRM have a risk".

it It should have no-steam(NoDRM).exe to few years later.(like ARMA2 release on GOG.com)

of cause, BIS should not make an area that is not provided ARMA3 unduly.

(fair price, all language contain all release, release same day. exclusive online distribution is can be easily cause a terrible situation.

eg: in fact Take on Helicopter have a japanese version. but that language is not distribute on steam...)

Edited February 21, 2013 by Arkblade

[Lokyi 10]

Most noobs to Arma play DayZ, now that's a fact. They don't use ACE or other mods. My biggest gripe is that Arma is going to think they're the next CoD or Battlefield which sadly it isn't. What Arma has always been about is modding, which by moving to Steam, is most probably going to stamp all over.

I'd like to see this issue addressed; how is a Steam distribution of Arma going to handle mods? Because unless Arma somehow includes ACE features in release, then vanilla is probably going to suck balls. Vanilla Arma audio sucked, hence JSRS, ACE_SM etc. Vanilla effects suck, hence WarFX.

Also interested to see what Shacktak have to say as well.