ARMA 3 on consoles

[PuFu 4600]

Nothing says they have to remove scripting from the Basic 2D/3D ME there are physical keyboards you can buy for consoles that work just fine for typing in scripting commands.

1. i guess less than 1% of the console users own such a keyboard

2. where would you save those scripts? What txt editor would you use? You sure xbox/ps allows files to be loaded from their HDD by the games? I don't. Have a look at OFP:Elite in terms of what would be the extent of the mission editor capability, maybe even less

Mods COULD (though very very unlikely) be released via some vetting process that maybe BI would sgin off on and then MS but that would probably be like only ACE and PR (approved updates might mean you get a fair amount of versions behind the PC version)

1. DLCs for consoles need to go through a process of "approving" by M$/Sony.

I don't even think one can release those for free. If it isn't free it is against EULA, and BIS would need to pay the mod developers (again, there is a high change of fucking this up somehow, since each developer might have a different contribution, there might be content in the said mod that is not commercial license, or sounds taken/ported from other games etc etc etc).

So no, this is a recurring subject, the one about BIS implementing certain mods in the the core game, it is impossible for a long number of reasons.

Even if there weren't any mods allowed I'd still buy it in a heartbeat, Edit: It wouldn't get old for me at all in case you were wondering

Why would you buy an inferior game (read with limited gfx, content and functionality) on an inferior platform, and not on PC?

So you mean the BASIC RV4 engine ITSELF cannot exist on a DX11 console hardware architecture? Like you could make a game of pac-man using the engine and even with the small environments, predetermined AI pathways and simple textures and all that it would not run?

There is NO information whatsoever about those future consoles..only rumors. Last official word from sony/m$ was that they are NOT in a hurry about the next iteration of consoles, because the current ones are quite alright for your average console buyer and game developer.

So, no one can answer you whether RV4 engine can work on a console that has not been released yet, nor there is any info about its hardware.

Kind of pointless question if you ask me...

Hai gai'z am jusht gunna pray arma on mah psxbox3-60...

*Inserts disc*

*Red ring*

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

EDIT:

For everyone saying that BIS will only have monetary gains if they would make console games, and we, their community should only support this:

I am all for BIS making console games, just not A3. They have Carrier Command aimed for consoles as well, and i wish them good luck with that, and with future game titles. But i really think Arma franchise is a PC exclusive title for a good reason, and should stay like that, otherwise, you would most likely end up with a watered down version (have a look at mobile game arma firering range - yes, it's a neat little game, but it's hardly an arma game). I guess for each of us, arma stands/is defined for/by a number of different things. But then again, for most of us flexibility and "do what you want with it" is part of that list.

Edited January 28, 2012 by PuFu

[Madus_Maximus 0]

The only way I can see ArmA 3 or any future such game coming to consoles is when the new generation are released. Right now they just don't have the power to really pull it off, as even a mid range PC from a few years ago is buckets more capable than a PS3 or 360.

The only real challenge will be the controls. ArmA games are just incredibly complex when it comes to this, so unless BIS come up with some amazingly intuitive ways to go about this issue the consoles really won't be cut out for such games. The only way around this is if they maybe bundle a compatible/certified keyboard and mouse with the game for a few pennies more, but I can't see that happening lol.

EDIT:

To the folk using mods as a plus for the PC. Yep, they sure are, at the moment, but there's been talk that Skyrim on the consoles could start to allow mods on it. They'd almost certainly be made on a PC, but they've been apparently toying with the idea to implement it in a way similar to the way DLC is delivered. It's all speculation at the moment, but you should also remember that before this generation of consoles that even patches were seen as a major advantage of the PC platform and being able to install it to the drive so you didn't need the physical disc in the drive. Those things have changed, so there's nothing to stop mods coming to consoles in the future, they just need some kind of system to vet them properly.

Edited January 29, 2012 by Madus_Maximus

[Cripsis 10]

This setup uses a joystick but I'm unsure how advantageous it would be.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colonelkillgore/6767182971/sizes/l/in/photostream/

[Giorgos78GR 10]

any news about ARMA 3 comming in next gen consoles? (ps4 and xbox7200)

[Harzach 2517]

any news about ARMA 3 comming in next gen consoles? (ps4 and xbox7200)

Yes! Good news! It is still a PC-exclusive title.

[tet5uo 4]

What with the engine not handling multi-core CPU's very well, and instead preferring a very fast per/core clock instead, I don't think this game engine would lend itself to good performance on next-gen consoles. Even high-end PC's have issues with low FPS.

[chortles 263]

Mind you, we'll see how "gaming" changes as time goes on (i.e. whether PS4 and the inevitable "console port" habit leads to a shift in PC games towards multicore emphasis) but yeah for now not much of a story.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if a hypothetical DayZ standalone console version serves as a "canary in the mine", so to speak, as far as BI is concerned as to how well RV would do on said next-gen consoles...

[ric 1]

Mind you, we'll see how "gaming" changes as time goes on (i.e. whether PS4 and the inevitable "console port" habit leads to a shift in PC games towards multicore emphasis) but yeah for now not much of a story.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if a hypothetical DayZ standalone console version serves as a "canary in the mine", so to speak, as far as BI is concerned as to how well RV would do on said next-gen consoles...

one way to find out is to reduce your clock(s) to 1.8ghz and play arma3...mind you it will be PvP only as i dont think there is a way consoles could access the mission editor and even if they could most people who use consoles prefer a turn key eviroment i.e hit power start playing.

[chortles 263]

Funny thing is, Arma 3... runs not-that-bad sometimes when I do throttle/underclock my CPU that much :p at least, this is with the Windows 8 power saving power plan...

And on the contrary, a mission editor isn't impossible at all; the closest that you'll see to the vaunted Editor on consoles is Little Big Planet -- I should note that LBP2 was overtly marketed by Sony on the basis of user-made LBP "mods" and promoted as a game maker of sorts -- while Infamous 2 also had a (far more limited) Editor as well. I see a hypothetical "Arma for consoles" more in the vein of how Arma 2: Free works though, user-made missions with vanilla-only assets.

[chrisb 196]

'Operation Flashpoint Elite' for the original xbox had a great mission editor and all round game-play. The graphics were behind the times a little when it came out and of course there were lots of people ready to pan it.

However, it was and still is a great game, the first of its type on the xbox, open world, editor etc. A fine piece of work by BIS to bring ofp (or at least some of it) to console players. I bought an xbox specifically for it, as I did for the other console mess (not BIS) which will remain nameless.

If BIS wanted to put the time in I’m sure they would find a way to do it. But to be honest its great to have it as a pc only, that’s where its full potential lies and of course we want players buying pc’s for gaming instead of consoles. That’s just so pc gaming doesn’t die..

[chortles 263]

Ehhh, if it were to go the Arma 2: Free style route then the PC version will still be more fully featured and more versatile unless the console version also had "asset creation" tools, otherwise (in the vein of A2F) it'd just be creating missions with vanilla content, which is already more than you get on consoles most of the time with the aforementioned exceptions.

[teejayd 1]

Yes! Good news! It is still a PC-exclusive title.

I lol'd

[Tonci87 163]

How would anybody stick that many buttons on a gamepad?

But more important: Arma isn´t Arma without the mods.

[gpha5e 1]

consoles = dumbing things down, nah, thanks

[das attorney 858]

'Operation Flashpoint Elite' for the original xbox had a great mission editor and all round game-play. The graphics were behind the times a little when it came out and of course there were lots of people ready to pan it.

However, it was and still is a great game, the first of its type on the xbox, open world, editor etc. A fine piece of work by BIS to bring ofp (or at least some of it) to console players. I bought an xbox specifically for it, as I did for the other console mess (not BIS) which will remain nameless.

Flashpoint was awesome on the xbox. I loved the 'big'ness of it all and it really set itself apart from other console games at the time due to the sheer scale. Loved it so much I bought Arma when it came out and then A2, then A3.

I have no problem with BIS if they do ever decide to release a console type version of A3 (not that it will happen imo). It would be hypocritical of me to detract from them if they ever did decide to!

EDIT: I remember using the editor with the xbox controller - I don't think I could go through that again having used got used to mouse (mice)!

Edited April 29, 2013 by Das Attorney

[mmaruda 20]

An Arma-like game is already available on consoles, it's called Dragon Rising. :292:

[chrisb 196]

EDIT: I remember using the editor with the xbox controller - I don't think I could go through that again having used got used to mouse (mice)!

It was a nightmare trying to get on with a gamepad for this game, having been used to gaming using a mouse etc, but I thought they pulled it off really well. It was as you say, a marvellous game for xbox, much underrated.

[Throbulator 1]

ARMA is the last great PC exclusive title, i truly hope it never gets ported to consoles, there is just no way it would survive the dumbing down process. Anyone used to playing CoD would have their head explode playing this.

[mmaruda 20]

I am used to playing CoD (at leats until they made MW2 and screwed it up) and my head did not explode so far. Having Arma as an exclusive just for the sake of exclusive is a bad argument.

Now, that said, we all know why Arma on consoles wont happen. Controller limitations is one thing, though you can actually hook a PS3 with mouse and keyboard. Hardware limitations is another thing - probably most important. But what is crucial here is that Arma is not just some kind of game - it's core engine of sort. Arma is a base for mods, missions, MP, whatever. Players mod the hell out of Arma to their liking. You want to make a Stratis rally with a Subaru or Lancer? Can be done. You want Star Wars? Done! Call of Duty? No biggy. Now consoles, have a specific service like Live or PSN. All content going through there must be cleared by the company that provides that service. This alone would kill Arma on consoles, even if it was possible. The current business model excludes gamer-made contend in favour of pay-ware DLC. And that is the end argument.

All that has been said already, so can we just stop feeding the troll? :)

[chortles 263]

Now, that said, we all know why Arma on consoles wont happen. Controller limitations is one thing, though you can actually hook a PS3 with mouse and keyboard. Hardware limitations is another thing - probably most important. But what is crucial here is that Arma is not just some kind of game - it's core engine of sort. Arma is a base for mods, missions, MP, whatever. Players mod the hell out of Arma to their liking. You want to make a Stratis rally with a Subaru or Lancer? Can be done. You want Star Wars? Done! Call of Duty? No biggy. Now consoles, have a specific service like Live or PSN. All content going through there must be cleared by the company that provides that service. This alone would kill Arma on consoles, even if it was possible. The current business model excludes gamer-made contend in favour of pay-ware DLC. And that is the end argument.

This last part is way more important -- there's nothing wrong/off/against-the-Arma concept about making an Arma game designed for one or two hardware specs, and as Das Attorney mentioned BI gave "controller only" a shot with OFP: Elite, so it is possible.

I'd add though that the extent of modding, to reach PC heights, would also require content creation tools and not just an Editor that makes use of vanilla/DLC content.

[Sarlac 1]

From what I've seen the ps4 specs seem capable of running arma as is. The ps3 supports mouse and keyboard. I really don't think they'll drop m+k support for the ps4. So, if bis were to release for ps4 I would buy, even though my pc runs it fine and I play on a 42" TV already. Doesn't really matter to me either way, but it would be cool.

[tonschuh 3]

Seriously, who wants to play a FPS with the help of an Aim-Assistant ?

Consoles are ok for Jump & Run or Racing-Games, but not really for Games like this and does the PC-Community not get punished enough with bad console-ports day in and day out ?

:j:

[Throbulator 1]

I'm not sure anyone's making the argument of having it as an exclusive just for the sake of it. The fact is every single pc game that's made the shift to consoles has been pretty well ruined or ended up significantly worse than it was before it went to consoles. I cant think of one of the top of my head that hasn't changed for the worse. That's my main concern. Devs always shift their focus to consoles and assure people the PC version is being made different to cater for PC's, but it never turns out that way.

Most prominent recent example would be Crysis, so much wasted potential there. Crysis 2 and 3 turned into lame generic close quarters spam fests.

[metalcraze 290]

Consoles are ok for Jump & Run or Racing-Games

Not really. It's impossible to have an in-depth racing simulation on consoles because while you can buy a wheel and pedals - you still need keyboard and mouse to properly tweak the car.

And besides you can always connect gamepad to a PC (just like many other things) making consoles pointless :>

This last part is way more important -- there's nothing wrong/off/against-the-Arma concept about making an Arma game designed for one or two hardware specs, and as Das Attorney mentioned BI gave "controller only" a shot with OFP: Elite, so it is possible.

No it's not. OFP was a lot simpler than ArmA and even then they had to simplify it for gamepads further. While you die just as fast in Elite - depth-wise it's no different from Dragon Rising.

[chrisb 196]

While you die just as fast in Elite - depth-wise it's no different from Dragon Rising.

OFPElite had the Editor, which when first released DR didn't, not sure if it still hasn't. That made 'elite' have a depth that DR could not even dream about. O.k. not as deep as the pc version, but it still ranks as a classic game, with plenty of depth. If thats what you mean by depth..