New animations: What does it mean for gameplay?

[Dreepa 10]

Hey,

I just read on PC Gamer that ArmA 3 will feature "completely new motion-captured animations" and I was wondering if that is actually something which will improve the handling of your soldier.

Since OFP the handling always felt choppy and snatchy when trying to move small inches (like when moving around a corner, only tipping the movement keys).

Now I am wondering if this change is purely cosmetical or if it actually changes the feeling of how you move.

[boredgunner 1]

Hey,

I just read on PC Gamer that ArmA 3 will feature "completely new motion-captured animations" and I was wondering if that is actually something which will improve the handling of your soldier.

Since OFP the handling always felt choppy and snatchy when trying to move small inches (like when moving around a corner, only tipping the movement keys).

Now I am wondering if this change is purely cosmetical or if it actually changes the feeling of how you move.

If trying to move in small inches, just use the walk button and you'll have no problems. As for your question, I guess we'll see in the community alpha or when the game releases. The aiming of ArmA 2 does feel a little awkward though, like there is a ton of mouse smoothing even when you have it disabled.

[rainbird 1]

different animations are bound to change the feel because motion should be linked to character animation.

[instagoat 133]

The problem has never been the animations, it has been the choppy, archaic system underlying the animations. You can make your anims as nice as you want, if the underlying structure is unsound, characters still will play like they have their pants full of bricks.

[rye1 21]

Moving in small inches imo won't happen - each step is a whole lot more than small. Yes, it matters in CQB because of over-exposure but on the overall not a big deal.

[PuFu 4600]

The problem has never been the animations, it has been the choppy, archaic system underlying the animations. You can make your anims as nice as you want, if the underlying structure is unsound, characters still will play like they have their pants full of bricks.

what this lad said...it is the system that can insure a better control or interaction etc etc.

just because this is aimed at animations, i'll leave this video here, showing possible live interaction for some of us actually willing/wanting to create some custom anims:

[james2464 177]

I love the fluid movement DICE has for BF3, Arma 3 won't be like that but if BIS can nail the realistic animations and camera movement with some smooth fluid movement then that'll be a miracle.

[Whirly 1]

i'll leave this video here, showing possible live interaction for some of us actually willing/wanting to create some custom anims

Really cool. I recollect teacup creating a animation kit for Maya years ago, there's been some considerable progress since those days lol. Do you plan on using Maya?

[PuFu 4600]

i use both max(primary) and maya(secondary) on daily basis at work, as well as home for my own projects

[Defunkt 431]

If trying to move in small inches, just use the walk button and you'll have no problems.

This.

If I try to enter or negotiate the interior of my house at a run, i.e. at the same gait as I might jog across a field, I will careen into door frames, furniture and what not and generally make a poorly coordinated hash of most things I attempt. If I walk then I can of course happily move around in confined spaces without incident, the same is true of ArmA.

The real issue is that generations of video games have allowed a player's avatar to run everywhere (as a sort of time compression to keep covering distances from becoming tedious) but allowed them to turn and stop on a dime. The player, who's really just a roller-skating viewpoint with gun and hand models in frame can come to an immediate stop anywhere and the disconnected 3rd person animation visible to everybody else continues to run on the spot until the sequence comes to an end.

I'm all for more natural feeling avatar control (they could achieve a lot by just making 'W' default to walk instead of run) but I hope they don't abandon the current animation system's integrity to achieve it.

[Whirly 1]

i use both max(primary) and maya(secondary) on daily basis at work, as well as home for my own projects

Quality software, I'm suddenly inclined to be a lot nicer to you lol. I hope some of your future home projects involve Arma 3, and good luck with your proffessional work.

[feralcircus 2]

I'm all for more natural feeling avatar control (they could achieve a lot by just making 'W' default to walk instead of run) but I hope they don't abandon the current animation system's integrity to achieve it.

Just double tap SHIFT and it swaps them over :-)

[PuFu 4600]

Quality software, I'm suddenly inclined to be a lot nicer to you lol. I hope some of your future home projects involve Arma 3, and good luck with your proffessional work.

no comment....

[liquidpinky 11]

The control is a lot more fluid using an analogue controller like an xbox one for example, whereas the mouse is always more precise for aiming. Hence I use both. ;)

Keyboard is digital and old hat in an analogue controlled digital world.

I for one hope that the new animations are interruptible or done in short sections to give the impression that they are.

[boredgunner 1]

I love the fluid movement DICE has for BF3, Arma 3 won't be like that but if BIS can nail the realistic animations and camera movement with some smooth fluid movement then that'll be a miracle.

ArmA 2's first person camera movement is the best I've seen, namely the head bobbing. It makes the game look the most realistic when in motion.

[jumpartist 0]

I for one cant stand Arma's jenky animation system. Most notebly when trying to move slowly just a few inches to get a weapon around a rock, or bush, it triggers the "move" animation and drops my gun down just for an instant, but enough for me to have to re aim from a weapons down configuration. Unless Im scoped up. I agree that there has to be a feel of inertia, but I think we all have mistaken the broken jenky BIS animation system as inertia.

I hope they smooth it out, so the transitions are much less noticeable to the first person, but look realistic to the third person viewer. Ill be slightly bummed if all they mean in "totally new animation" is weapon reloading, although that will also be very welcome.

[max power 21]

I for one cant stand Arma's jenky animation system. Most notebly when trying to move slowly just a few inches to get a weapon around a rock, or bush, it triggers the "move" animation and drops my gun down just for an instant, but enough for me to have to re aim from a weapons down configuration. Unless Im scoped up. I agree that there has to be a feel of inertia, but I think we all have mistaken the broken jenky BIS animation system as inertia.

I hope they smooth it out, so the transitions are much less noticeable to the first person, but look realistic to the third person viewer. Ill be slightly bummed if all they mean in "totally new animation" is weapon reloading, although that will also be very welcome.

Use walk. That's what it's there for.

[feralcircus 2]

but look realistic to the third person viewer.

Does anyone even use third person view?!?

Can't see the point myself :-s

[Minoza 11]

Does anyone even use third person view?!?

Can't see the point myself :-s

When he said 3rd person, he probably meant animations observed from other players perspective. Usually games have different set of animations for 1st and 3rd person because usually 1st person is only floating hands.

[feralcircus 2]

When he said 3rd person, he probably meant animations observed from other players perspective. Usually games have different set of animations for 1st and 3rd person because usually 1st person is only floating hands.

Aah right...

That was one of the many selling points for me with ARMA, the fact that you look down and you see your own characters body & legs as you would in real life :-)

[4 IN 1 0]

To understand whats wrong with the old system simply do these in ARMA2:

1.place a squad leader(those who have side arm and binoculars in their gear) in the editor

2.once in the game, switch into binoculars

3.now, without putting away the binoculars, change stance, prone or kneel will do

4.look what happen

If that is not enough, switch into your sidearm, then repeat 2 and 4

[Choki 10]

The problem has never been the animations, it has been the choppy, archaic system underlying the animations. You can make your anims as nice as you want, if the underlying structure is unsound, characters still will play like they have their pants full of bricks.

I agree

[deathil93 10]

Actually the whole core of the problem is the lack of a proper physics component in the game. ArmA3 now has a proper physics engine that can simulate anything they want using motion capture as a guideline. I've seen PhysX in action in plenty of games, the most impressive usage of the software being with Mafia 2. PhysX is also somewhat superior to physics engine of BF3 since it is an all-in-one package. It can simulate organic animations (soldiers), destruction, vehicle collision/driving, trees etc...

But at the end everything is summed up to the budget. If you want to get a truely realistic game you need a hell of alot of money, cash that I doubt that BI has (I'm talking @ 100 million dollars plus). GTA IV had that kind of budget and it managed to accomplish it beautifully. But with BI's budget constraints I doubt they'll be able to go all out and bring gaming realisim to a new level, but it will still be amazing to watch and play.

[Intezar 10]

Good animations adds to the entire experience I feel. If you love troops running around, well, now you can see them running around looking better than ever. That's just love.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

PhysX won't be implemented like that. And I don't expect PhysX synchronized over network to work out well for the number of players we're typically talking about in Arma3.