New animations: What does it mean for gameplay?

[nodunit 397]

No you do have a point, the animation system is definately one of BF3's stronger points. Just have to wait and see.

[krazikilla 5]

", we abandoned the idea of rotating heads "

Does that mean, we wont be able to rotate our head anymore and always have to totally turn around?

[nodunit 397]

Hoping not but since it was reference to AI I'm guessing they mean moreso that AI won't use that animation. Nah if they dropped head movement that would toss track IR out the window and piss off maaaaaaaaany people, they'd never hear the end of it since it is a core feature that really differentiates it from the rest.

[Tonci87 163]

Yeah I hope so too. I definately see the Head movement as a core feature. Arma is the only FPS that has it and everytime I play some other FPS I find myself holding the ALT Button to turn my head.

[froggyluv 2136]

Yeah I'm wondering how the whole 'no AI turning heads' will play out as well. On one hand, they sometimes look silly doing this when an obvious enemy is closeby, 12'oclock and engaging -as if THAT shouldn't warrant their full attention. On the other hand, won't this tie them into tunnel vision and/or worse, constant full body orientation adjustments to check their flanks...?

Edited April 5, 2012 by froggyluv

[krazikilla 5]

ye i would rather see some robotic head movements, then robotic all body movements all the time to be honest :D

Imagine an enemy lying on ground checking his left and right side and his body rotating all the time..

[pathetic_berserker 4]

", we abandoned the idea of rotating heads "

Does that mean, we wont be able to rotate our head anymore and always have to totally turn around?

I hope not, that would be a step backwards. Be nice to get some clarrification on what exactly was meant.

[JdB 151]

Nice movement, quite an improvement :)

I noticed a space observatory in that video, I hope it will be functional :D

[Tonci87 163]

Nice movement, quite an improvement :)

I noticed a space observatory in that video, I hope it will be functional :D

That was a radar dome

[Ragingbear505 10]

I hope not, that would be a step backwards. Be nice to get some clarrification on what exactly was meant.

I don't think we should worry. Reading the interview I believe they're specifically referring to purely cosmetic animations for AI characters only. You know how when they sit in vehicles or be crouched and sometimes awkwardly rotate their head back and forth as if scanning the horizon? I think they're just saying that the AI will now just have a canned animation rather than try to utilize actual game mechanics. I think in practice the AI will still scan without rotating their bodies, we just won't see the awkward animation. At least that's what I took from it.

[maturin 12]

Removal of free look or scanning AI isn't remotely possible. I just think they are going to have a whole animation that involves their neck and shoulders. It might mean that a soldier appears to look over his shoulder when his attention if focused only a couple degrees to the side, or vice versa.

[Clarkey1 10]

", we abandoned the idea of rotating heads "

Does that mean, we wont be able to rotate our head anymore and always have to totally turn around?

Hah, removing free look would pretty much cause a riot on BIS' doorstep. I think he just meant that the AI will have an ambient scanning animation instead of using the free look as a player would. It does make them look a bit weird sometimes so this should be a good thing. It's purely aesthetic I'm sure.

[JdB 151]

That was a radar dome

Then I hope that will be functional :D ;)

[Fox '09 14]

i like this, though I urge BIS to make it as loose as possible for custom unit addons. I find the default anims colliding with the pouches & the armor all too often, even on the regular arma 2 units, let alone custom stuff.

[whiskeytango 11]

The method used to display the rotating head and facial expressions will be changed to standard animations similar to cod or bf3 etc. That should make players look less like alien robots in MP.

Super exciting new features!

[antoineflemming 14]

Hah, removing free look would pretty much cause a riot on BIS' doorstep. I think he just meant that the AI will have an ambient scanning animation instead of using the free look as a player would. It does make them look a bit weird sometimes so this should be a good thing. It's purely aesthetic I'm sure.

I think you're right. Look at how the character walking (CPL Kerry) was looking around while walking. I think that's what they're talking about.

---------- Post added at 08:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:10 PM ----------

Yeah I hope so too. I definately see the Head movement as a core feature. Arma is the only FPS that has it and everytime I play some other FPS I find myself holding the ALT Button to turn my head.

I do the same thing!!!

[Clarkey1 10]

Yeah I hope so too. I definately see the Head movement as a core feature. Arma is the only FPS that has it and everytime I play some other FPS I find myself holding the ALT Button to turn my head.

Oh man, I always do this. "Oh whats over the... ah damn it, I guess I'll just have to turn my whole body around like a chump!"

[Whirly 1]

If the enemy AI also uses the new 'tactical pace' feature (a jog with weapon raised) and the 'alternate poses' feature (ability to adjust to have a high/low or left/right variant to stand, kneel and prone stances) it could have a profound effect on gameplay. For instance the enemy AI could now have the ability to hit you while jogging and could also have the ability take position behind cover and 'lean-out' or 'pop-up' just far enough to get a clean shot at you, keeping most of their body hidden safely behind cover.

Now I'm not sure if those new features actually do apply to the AI, but if they do, it will be a fundamental revolution for the Arma series.

[maturin 12]

That's very true, whirly. If the AI would fire while jogging in CQB, it would practically erase one of THE biggest weaknesses, all without actually changing their decisionmaking.

[-Coulum- 35]

Okay what exactly is so great about the combat jog. Won't it be supper inaccurate to fire while running. And if not totally inaccurate would this not make arma into more of a run and gun game. If I wan't to move while shooting I walk. If I am running I don't need to be shooting.

And I don't see how making combat jog for the ai will improve their close quarters that much either. I believe it would be more beneficial for them to be able to walk and shoot at the same time as this is more precise and cautious, same as reality. I am kind of scared that combat jogg will make arma into more of a fast paced shooter. I can already see people using combat run to make themselves hard to hit (running back and forth in random directions) while spamming shots trying to hit others. not exactly realistic.

If combat run is implemented I hope it is a super inaccurate way of shooting. but if it were so inaccurate it uses would really be limited., mainly to suppressive fire, or spray and pray. so can anybody point out why combat jog is going to be useful?

[antoineflemming 14]

Okay what exactly is so great about the combat jog. Won't it be supper inaccurate to fire while running. And if not totally inaccurate would this not make arma into more of a run and gun game. If I wan't to move while shooting I walk. If I am running I don't need to be shooting.

And I don't see how making combat jog for the ai will improve their close quarters that much either. I believe it would be more beneficial for them to be able to walk and shoot at the same time as this is more precise and cautious, same as reality. I am kind of scared that combat jogg will make arma into more of a fast paced shooter. I can already see people using combat run to make themselves hard to hit (running back and forth in random directions) while spamming shots trying to hit others. not exactly realistic.

If combat run is implemented I hope it is a super inaccurate way of shooting. but if it were so inaccurate it uses would really be limited., mainly to suppressive fire, or spray and pray. so can anybody point out why combat jog is going to be useful?

Uh, I'm sure SF do it. Have you actually moved while firing a weapon. It's more like a fast walk, or between a walk and a jog, not a run. You don't even know how fast it will be...

[-Coulum- 35]

Uh, I'm sure SF do it. Have you actually moved while firing a weapon. It's more like a fast walk, or between a walk and a jog, not a run. You don't even know how fast it will be...[/Quote]

I have moved while firing a weapon... but I have never run while firing a weapon. I walk and fire, just like you can already do in arma. No I don't know how fast the combat jog will be... maybe I am misinterpreted what its supposed to be. I figured that combat jog would be would somehow involve a jogging pace. I quess if it is more like a fast smooth walk it won't be that bad but I always thought that walking while firing good enough. I am not sure I understand the need for a combat jog.

[rye1 21]

You can counter accuracy issues by: 1) Stopping to shoot, 2) Slowing to a walk to shoot. You could be fairly accurate in Close Quarters, and it's easier for clearing the fatal funnel. Think about the pro's - where would you want to mix speed with being able to fire?

But agreed with all the con's, I could see it turning out the same way -- it's up to the developers and testers to try iron out those issues or cancel development if it gets to that stage. Game-breakers suck.

[HKFlash 9]

I have moved while firing a weapon... but I have never run while firing a weapon. I walk and fire, just like you can already do in arma. No I don't know how fast the combat jog will be... maybe I am misinterpreted what its supposed to be. I figured that combat jog would be would somehow involve a jogging pace. I quess if it is more like a fast smooth walk it won't be that bad but I always thought that walking while firing good enough. I am not sure I understand the need for a combat jog.

I think this new "combat pace" will simply allow for a better response in CQC. Meaning once the threat appears you won't have to raise your weapon, you just stop and shoot.

[Whirly 1]

Here is a real world example of 'tactical pace', however I'm not expecting the animations to look anything like this in-game.

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