Development Blog & Reveals

[Alwarren 2765]

I have tried with several games including Iron Front Liberation with little to no luck in being able to do so.

Right-click on the game's title in your steam library, then select "Properties". Go to the "Set Launch Options" button, and add "-window" to the command line. That will launch Window mode.

[NeMeSiS 11]

It's simple, they have started using Steam as more than just a content delivery platform, they plan to integrate some of it's features into their application. That means that a non-steam version would have to be a separate version that would have to be supported specifically, which is a bit what they are doing at the moment (not exactly as all versions are fully featured, but close enough as they describe in the blog).

But it doesn't even boil down to that, it's apparent that they plan to use Steam in a more complete manner.

For example here are a couple of potential major bonuses over how things currently work, so it's not all grim news:

- Beta patches being released via Steams opt-in system. This means that it's not necessary to manually download the patch from their site and install it. Opt into the beta branch and you're up to date on betas at all time. If you want to go back to stable, you change a dropdown field and you're set.

- Older versions can still be supported through the opt-in system. The current stable version of a game is 1.37, and to downpatch to 1.35 would traditionally mean uninstalling, installing and then patching up to your required version. With Steam, this can be made possible through the opt-in system as described above. Change a dropdown to say 1.35 and Steam downgrades your game to 1.35. While this is not the intended use of the opt-in system (mostly for beta builds), I've seen multiple developers do this.

EDIT:

To illustrate how easy it is.

http://i.imgur.com/AFTblZN.png

Well, that just makes me sad. Distributing it through steam is one thing, but forcing me to use it if i want to play ArmA3 is just unreasonable.

[slatts 1978]

I'm sorry but how does this have anything to do with what I said? Am I missing something? I read the release, just like i hope everyone else has.

Sorry mate, thought Alwarren was replying to you for some reason

[Maio 293]

Someone made a remark that BIS becoming a "more mainstream" developer.

I hope that doesn't mean that there will be rechargeable health in Arma's next installment.

No :) That's quite a stretch.

[[frl]myke 14]

You would see my face right now you would understand that your sentence is an understatement. Twenty five year of PC gaming to see this happening. Oh God please help me.

Beat you by 3 years. While i can't say i'm fully happy, i can understand the reasons why BI decided to do so.

@All

Please read the full blog, would you?

Will I be able to buy a boxed copy of Arma 3?

There will be boxed copies in most regions. These may either be Steam Codes in a retail package, or also contain DVD data (speeding up installation). You will still have to run and update through Steam the first time.

[scrim 1]

^^ This.

Dev time costs dev money.

Meh, it's cool. We all know dev money is nothing but sparkly dust donated by Irish leprecons.

[alex6511 1]

Oh okay, I was just confused. Thanks for clearing that up.

[metalcraze 290]

Everyone spewing this crap has no clue what they are talking about :). Steam going down would not kick you out from servers since they will still be the same dedi servers we have today. That only applies to games that use Steamworks for P2P multiplayer.

It was happening to me and a community I play with way too often in L4D2 and DoW2 Retrib during steam sales. I checked - steam profile not connected even for a second = kick.

Same goes for EYE. No connection - kick. Sometimes I was connected through direct IP in L4D2 which means the connection should have nothing to do with steam and yet it still kicks. Never happens to non-steamworks multiplayer games. BloodBowl CE has steam DRM but doesn't use steamworks for multiplayer and so no problems.

If it will be different with ArmA3 which I have my doubts about - then fine. But I have a very bad impression about Steamworks-ridden multiplayer after years of games using it.

[slatts 1978]

Meh, it's cool. We all know dev money is nothing but sparkly dust donated by Irish leprecons.

Careful now ;)

[NeMeSiS 11]

Meh, it's cool. We all know dev money is nothing but sparkly dust donated by Irish leprecons.

I thought it was donated by us buying ACR because we liked BI, even though we didnt really care about some units and a campaign with mostly disappointing missions. :p

[Smurf 12]

----

Both DoW2 and L4D* use P2P (or matchmaking if you will) through Steam to connect players, which isn't the case of ARMA series.

TF2 uses Steam to manage the weapons and itens, when Steam goes down you can't use them for a while but can play with no problem.

*= You also have dedicated servers but the norm is matchmaking.

[dm 9]

I thought it was donated by us buying ACR because we liked BI, even though we didnt really care about some units and a campaign with mostly disappointing missions. :p

Insert obligatory comment about DayZ's millions earned here

[toxim 0]

No problems with Steam here. My only worry is that $able might become unemployed if Arma 3 will use VAC instead.

And I bet none of you Steam haters can actually resist the new game so much as to not to buy it...

[scrim 1]

Careful now ;)

What? I thought I'd take the opportunity to mention all those good hearted people who've made Arma possible for us, and receives little recognition for it. Did y'all think it was your money that kept the series going? Nonsense.

[fragmachine 12]

So, what DO I have to say to general? Is there going to be any BIG info today? He is waiting on the phone!

http://s15.postimage.org/pqj5k4x7v/gen.gif (428 kB)

[slatts 1978]

What? I thought I'd take the opportunity to mention all those good hearted people who've made Arma possible for us, and receives little recognition for it. Did y'all think it was your money that kept the series going? Nonsense.

No I was making a joke that I'm Irish and you mentioned magical Lepruchans ;)

[litejk01 10]

Bye then, I guess. No need for me to hang around here anymore :( Saddest day of my life...

This is really a sad day. Woke up and read the "news" from BIstudio and are saddened. This is not a good news for Arma3

I have had Arma2 and Steam and I have had so much trouble keeping things running with addons and soundmoods.

BI - You are going to loose a lot of hardcore and trusty BI gamers unless a DVD ONLY solution also will be released!

_BiB_ Litejk01

Edited February 21, 2013 by litejk01

[samb 15]

I have TOH w/o steam, arma 2 and oa both on Steam, never had any issues with mods at all running all three together. Stop whining guys, Arma 3 is going to be worth getting into Steam even for Steam haters.

[Alwarren 2765]

I have had Arma2 and Steam and I have had so much trouble keeping things running with addons and soundmoods.

Beg your pardon, but in how far does this have anything to do with Steam? The Steam version of Arma 2 is identical to the other versions except for the DRM; Mods still have to be loaded via the in-game UI or the mod line.

[AlexVestin 24]

Yeah. There's not that much that can go wrong with addons through steam. You just have to learn how to do it right.

If you have, you'd know that it's as easy as doing it without steam.

[Iroquois Pliskin 0]

Apart from Counter-Strike, ArmA III will be the only game on my Steam account. :cc: A stream-lined multiplayer functionality & integration (I hope) is a definitive plus.

Wonder how Steam will deal with mod installation. Tbh, AFAIR CS automatically downloaded the required mods, tho they were fairly small.

[mmaker 10]

steam only is really disappointed.. i hate steam and try to avoid it as much as possible.. i rather wait to 2014 if it means regular version.

[AlexVestin 24]

I just think it's going to get a lot easier for the guys to patch the game fully. It's a great move since it's making all more compatible for everyone, even if there's a drawback or two. I don't see the reason to hate steam. It's working great for millions of people.

[maddogx 13]

This is really a sad day. Woke up and read the "news" from BIstudio and are saddened. This is not a good news for Arma3

I have had Arma2 and Steam and I have had so much trouble keeping things running with addons and soundmoods.

BI - You are going to loose a lot of hardcore and trusty BI gamers unless a DVD ONLY solution also will be released!

_BiB_ Litejk01

Did you actually read the blog post or just the word "Steam" in the title?

1. There will be DVD versions, you will just need to activate them through Steam.

2. Modding support was specifically mentioned as something they are looking to improve.

[Alwarren 2765]

Wonder how Steam will deal with mod installation. Tbh, AFAIR CS automatically downloaded the required mods, tho they were fairly small.

Like Skyrim, I hope. The Skyrim Workshop on Steam contains all mods (well, almost all, there are still some that are distrubzted differently), you click "subscribe" and it installs the mod and keeps it up-to-date. Launcher can enable/disable mods. From a user's point of view, it can't get any simpler than that.