Development Blog & Reveals

[benjamin1 10]

And now it starts again. So many people were asking for this one special tank to be in the game, because it was shown on previous screenshots.

Now Bohemia does exactly that - and it is wrong for some people...

I am looking forward to this new Slammer-Variation!

I don't think it's wrong for some people customers, it's just a weird signal from BIS, like the motive to release content is based on a 'ONE-YEAR anniversary'.

I think the perception on 'adding a tank' because it was on screenshots is wrong, it was simply was added a year later. i think it's not about adding content, it's about the timing for adding more value to a product.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Benjamin1

[nmdanny 22]

A new slammer variant is nice but its what should have been in the game on release, like many scrapped vehicles and weapons(astute submarine static, XM-25, mortar and command variant of the AMV, shotguns, etc etc)

I also don't understand the logic of fitting a weaker cannon, I'm sure like the TUSK abrams, the merkava can retain its 120mm cannon. It better have a higher rate of fire and a larger amount of rounds(especially HE rounds)

[Mr. Charles 22]

I just wonder what the tactical sensibility of equipping a completely different gun (of smaller caliber than the default one no less) on what surmounts to a TUSK kit on a normal Slammer...?

Why not go all the way and give it an autocannon and an AT launcher instead, make it some kind of NATO super heavy BMT?

Smaller cannon = Moar rounds. Combine that with a shorter barrel and maybe something like canister shells and you got a nice kit going on.

[james2464 176]

Looking forward to the new Slammer variant!

[Tonci87 163]

Does balancing raise it´s ugly head again? We give it better armor but we compensate that by giving it a weaker gun too?

[chortles 263]

i think it's not about adding content, it's about the timing for adding more value to a product.

That makes sense to me: even if the development just happened to coincide time-wise, tie the two together in the public eye for promotional purposes.

Personally what items interest me in the SITREP are:

1. The however-"ideally" ETA on dev branch testing of the new CSAT jet and truck(s).
   
2. The new samples "for various vehicle types".

[Smurf 12]

At BIS:

Can you please make announcements with more pictures and less mysteries? Thank you.

[Guest]

At BIS:

Can you please make announcements with more pictures and less mysteries? Thank you.

indeed, not to be disappointed...

[benjamin1 10]

That makes sense to me: even if the development just happened to coincide time-wise, tie the two together in the public eye for promotional purposes.

Personally what items interest me in the SITREP are:

1. The however-"ideally" ETA on dev branch testing of the new CSAT jet and truck(s).
   
2. The new samples "for various vehicle types".

What we've been testing on dev branch in the early stages are behaviors of templates an infantry-, Armour -, car -, helicopter - and a jet template. Now it isn't a matter of testing but rather 'tweaking'. as seen in the last SITREP "..We are primarily tweaking the jets' flight models and getting the final sounds in place..." Thats why for example we've seen the second campaign released on dev branch later before release on the main branch than for example the first campaign i guess.

The same goes for the vehicle releases like the urban variant of the slammer. It does makes sense, since what doesn't need to be severely tested, doesn't need to be released on dev branch or at least not as early.

However i think that the idea behind the upcoming Tempest heavy truck which is basically an 'excuse' truck. It is the product of vehicles being shared between factions.

Personally i don't have any discontent with the current available assets, but what ruffles my feathers is the ambiguity of completeness as final product, like there is one point in time where for example nothing is added anymore besides DLC. hopefully this will be episode 3 where it marks that line.

[Largos. 10]

This is what the scrapped version looked like, I can't imagine it'll be all that different.

http://www.clanbrancaleone.eu/clanab/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Arma3-tank-screenshots.jpg

[Gutsnav 13]

At BIS:

Can you please make announcements with more pictures and less mysteries? Thank you.

Don't forget that they had a countdown to an announcement of a video explaining a feature that was put into beta testing for 2 months...

[nodunit 397]

Does balancing raise it´s ugly head again? We give it better armor but we compensate that by giving it a weaker gun too?

It's funny how they don't think to balance tanks by removing their radar, forcing the occupants to scan and track targets on their own.

Regular Slammer already have a short cannon , so why you would use weaker cannon on TUSK like armour? that doesnt make sense

Far more sense it would be if it had bigger cannon + ATGM missiles + 60mm mortar

Eh? You want to go into an urban environment with a bigger gun that would hinder your mobility? One of the biggest problems our abrams had in Iraq was that the big gun was "too much" and the coaxial was not enough, which brought about mounting the 50 cals to the cannon so in a way having a smaller gun with more rounds that don't cause quite as much damage or can be damaged by being knocked around sort of sounds sensible.

Edited March 5, 2014 by NodUnit

[Tonci87 163]

It's funny how they don't think to balance tanks by removing their radar, forcing the occupants to scan and track targets on their own.

Eh? You want to go into an urban environment with a bigger gun that would hinder your mobility? One of the biggest problems our abrams had in Iraq was that the big gun was "too much" and the coaxial was not enough, which brought about mounting the 50 cals to the cannon so in a way having a smaller gun with more rounds that don't cause quite as much damage or can be damaged by being knocked around sort of sounds sensible.

Well, why not go for a 40mm auto cannon then?

[roberthammer 582]

For urban areas the 40mm cannon is strong - hell even 25mm bushmaster cannon is strong enough to make some serious damage

Also Slammer aka Merkava IV is already made for Urban , adding better armour kit + .50cal on top makes sense but if you make main cannon weaker for example from 120mm to 105mm , then the tank cant defend himself against Kuma tank

Yes you are right about Abrams Tusk but still , atleast they could add those ATGM missiles to be somewhat stronger

[GranolaBar 10]

Don't forget that they had a countdown to an announcement of a video explaining a feature that was put into beta testing for 2 months...

??? I lost a countdown, where ?

After one year, i'm happy to see the Arma 3 product more solid, ok we lack 3D Editor or more but i think that the studio delivered it a day. Also, i'm very happy to see Zeus. I'm just disapointed with the potential of the sea tactics, so less content and big problem with the shader of the surface of the water.

[Varanon 892]

??? I lost a countdown, where ?.

Zeus announcment

[Guest]

we're including a new variant of the Slammer MBT in tomorrow's update

OK but when is the update ?

[13islucky 10]

OK but when is the update ?

Erm... tomorrow maybe?

[maddogx 13]

Erm... tomorrow maybe?

SITREP was yesterday, so... today, more likely.

[nikiforos 450]

Yeahh , I think it's today.

[otto 1]

Released!

Got it ;-)

Cheers

[Wolfenswan 1]

Steam just started a ~700MB download for A3 stable. I assume it's the update.

[KC Grimes 79]

Yup, just finished for me. Anybody know of the location of patch notes...? Its mentioned to use the Dev Branch Changelog, but not only is that very spread out, there's no way that 100% accurate to what was done.

[Wiki 1558]

Tsss, the new tank is... useless:

smaller canon (105 instead of 120) and less protected - can be destroyed much more easily.

what's the point?

[papanowel 120]

Tsss, the new tank is... useless:

smaller canon (105 instead of 120) and less protected - can be destroyed much more easily.

It looks more protected to me, it has extra armor plate. Agree about the smaller canon.