What is wrong with Arma 2 players?

[Edd1e 1]

Yeah thats exactly what I changed, fixed it right off. Luckily only one poor player got banned this way, before I shut the server down. I am sorry Alex.

[doveman 7]

I've only played a couple of Co-op but I enjoyed them much more than PVP, precisely because I was always with my squad and had clear directions as to what was going on and what I should do.

When I join a PR server, I first have to find a squad that isn't already full or locked and then join it, not really knowing what the players who are in it are like in terms of co-ordination. Then I'm in that position where I'm stuck at base and the action's miles away, so I'm useless to the squad but eventually a vehicle spawns and I can drive to join them but then I get there and find they're not really working as a team and are just saying "there's a man on the hill by the big rocks" which isn't very useful and the squad leader's not giving useful instructions.

One thing that makes it hard is someone might say "I need help setting up a FOB" or something but I have no idea where that person is and the map doesn't show names (even if it did it wouldn't be that easy to find them amongst all the others) so I don't really know if I'm near them or in a position to assist. It would be useful if there was a button to open the map centered on that person or a list of names on the map that could be clicked on to center it on that person. Of course it would be useful if they'd set map markers as well.

It varies to be fair though. I've been in some games where the team worked very well together and the squad leader was very good and gave clear instructions and used the map markers effectively. There's still that annoying start where you're miles away from your squad and don't really know what you should be doing though and if they're in the thick of the action you can't expect them to give you advice as well.

So I think I'll be playing more Co-op from now on :)

[terox 316]

Having run an ofp/arma./arma2 server for well over 10 years now, here is my two penneth on how you should approach this

Use voip to talk to the new player when they join the server, try to get them on your teamspeak server (Hopefully you will have one of these, if not you are wasting your time)

If they dont respond, try a couple of times more and maybe global chat (Don't spend too much time doing this, they arent worth the effort

If they fail to respond then, kick them

When you have done this to all your "Guests" and filtered out the potential problem ones, then launch the mission and LOCK THE SERVER

Leave the server locked unless someone comes on teamspeak and asks if you can unlock it while they get in

At the end of the mission, the server should unlock automatically

repeat the process again for the next mission.

I know some "Publics" wont like this approach, however thats their problem, if they come on your server and dont respect the way you run the show, you dont want them anyway

They can always get their own server

[doveman 7]

The problem with using TS rather than VON is then it doesn't show on-screen who's talking. Even if I run dual-screens with TS on the other monitor, by the time I've looked over the person's often stopped talking and their indicator light has thus gone off.

I guess it's fine if you are that familiar so that you recognise everyone's voice but otherwise it can be rather hard working out who's talking to you.

[terox 316]

The problem with using TS rather than VON is then it doesn't show on-screen who's talking. Even if I run dual-screens with TS on the other monitor, by the time I've looked over the person's often stopped talking and their indicator light has thus gone off.

I guess it's fine if you are that familiar so that you recognise everyone's voice but otherwise it can be rather hard working out who's talking to you.

Teamspeak overlay is the solution to that

or

A second monitor Especially if you are an admin

[doveman 7]

Teamspeak overlay is the solution to that

or

A second monitor Especially if you are an admin

I explained the problem with using dual-monitors. As for the Overlay, I understand that's either buggy or can cause problems with BattleEye so I've avoided using that.

[delta99 34]

I explained the problem with using dual-monitors. As for the Overlay, I understand that's either buggy or can cause problems with BattleEye so I've avoided using that.

I haven't had any problems with TS Overlay and BattleEye or anything else so I would give it a try if I were you.

[doveman 7]

OK, cheers. It's when I enable it in TS that it warns that it might cause problems with anti-cheat software and get me banned for which they won't be responsible, which is obviously worrying. I also found this old thread (2010) which suggested there were problems with the Overlay not working reliably and asked for current advice but never got a reply.

I think I'd like BattleEye to confirm they won't ban me for using the TS3 Overlay though, rather than just hope that I won't get banned, thus wasting the money I spent purchasing ArmA.

[delta99 34]

I think there is a dedicated BattleEye thread so might be worth posting there to try and get an answer or have them look here and provide an answer. I'd like to know as well for certain.

[doveman 7]

Good idea, thanks, I'll look for it.

[doveman 7]

Well I didn't find a thread but I e-mailed BE support and they've replied

"yes, right now you can use it without problems on BE servers"

so that's good. It does beg the question of whether an update to either TS or BE could cause problems though.

[mach2infinity 12]

Thanks for querying with them doveman. I was wondering the same. I too wonder the same whether an update on battleye or teamspeak would cause any problems.

As for the OP, I'm really interested in a co-op game. If you or anyone would like a player to join, then please PM me.

[delta99 34]

I don't think this is an issue at all and I wouldn't worry about it just as nobody has really worried about it over the past 4-5 years or possibly longer.

I don't think BattleEye would let it happen. TS has been used very heavily in clans/squads for many years going back to Arma1 and before. Its a necessity with the extremely popular ACRE mod that every clan/squad uses. I just can't see BE or BIS breaking that. Just doesn't make sense whatsoever.

[iceman77 18]

Last week we had public weekend on our server, but sadly the quality of the players we received was really low. Usually when people join they spend a couple of minutes wondering in the mainbase and leave, thats pretty normal and nothing wrong with that, but doesn't lead into anything. Now the problem, It seems like the majority of players don't actually even plan to play the game. They just prefer to join a server and blow something up, usually all the vehicles in the mainbase. Whats up with that? Is the world overrun by mindless drones and special people? Well I know how to deal with these people, I must have banned atleast 4 of them. But is it possible that people just don't know how to behave in public servers?

Here is what you should do after joining a server, especially if you join Arma 2 coop weekend.

- Start of with a friendly greeting. Open the communication.

- If you don't know what the mission all about read the note or ask. Personally I just love to talk about my own handywork.

- Provide the fellow players with assistance and support. Great way to make friends.

- Bring your A-game. Do your best, atleast don't break any rules.

Hope to see you this weekend and hopefully I don't have to ban you. :D

Oh don't worry about that, those are just dayz players wanting to check the actual game out. But since they can't have instant, fragfest action, they have to make sure and blow something up and act like immature kids before they leave.. It's the cod/dayz players way of doing things. You didn't know?

Edited October 26, 2012 by Iceman77

[chortles 263]

Oh don't worry about that, those are just dayz players wanting to check the actual game out. But since they can't have instant, fragfest action, they have to make sure and blow something up and act like immature kids before they leave.. It's the cod/dayz players way of doing things. You didn't know?

Considering your take on DayZ, I'll have this take on "milsim": if for example a mission is preceded by a long-winded briefing where the guy voices an overly complicated/micromanaged "strategy" (Fast_Edd1e's "I just love to talk about my own handywork" just set off alarm bells in my mind) and then the mission involves having to hike it on foot for minutes on end, or even if it's minutes on end in a vehicle where I don't get a gunner position... then I'll just Alt+Tab out until I overhear over VOIP that we'd gotten to the action. Parachute jump? Even worse, especially once ACE factored into it... I remember participating in a mission that had to be restarted at least twice after the players were hopelessly split up from the drop :rolleyes: Although once we finally got to an area with enemies, that went fine enough, i.e. arranging and executing a hasty ambush (I'm aware of the difference from a deliberate ambush) was handled smoothly, even if none of us were using radios despite having ACRE and so literally everyone was on direct VOIP.

It's no coincidence that the SP mission that I've kept coming back to was a "Neptune Spear" type mission -- the first time you're able to move your character on foot, you're already in the courtyard! :D

I'll notice that Fast_Edd1e posted rules for newcomers to behave towards the longer-tenured players, but not rules for the longer-tenured players about how to ease in the newcomers... hmm. doveman actually posted a pretty sound take on where I believe the problem really lies, albeit he's referring specifically to one particular PVP mod, but then again I'm not sure that he'll have much better luck with the co-op scene.

Still, "rules for behavior" when new players are involved are a two-way street... UO at least has their training sessions, for example.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Chortles

[iceman77 18]

... posted rules for newcomers to behave towards the longer-tenured players, but not rules for the longer-tenured players about how to ease in the newcomers...

Yeah, lack of communication and an understanding of how the game works can frustrate the newcomers. It's still no excuse to team kill, blow up assets, troll and in general just be a nuisance. From what I've seen over the years, if you act mature, then veterans of the game have no problems helping out newcomers. If you ask politely (not demand and then get mad because there's no jets for you to fly), but if you act civilized then this isn't a problem. Most veterans are happy to help the new players. It's the newcomers that get angered quickly and start doing stupid things.

In general there usually aren't "written" rules and/or guidelines intended for veteran players because veterans of the game (most) know how to carry themselves in the presence of newcomers. So a rule of how to treat newcomers would be pointless. It's a given that if someones new, you help them out the best way you know how.

[mach2infinity 12]

I don't think this is an issue at all and I wouldn't worry about it just as nobody has really worried about it over the past 4-5 years or possibly longer.

I don't think BattleEye would let it happen. TS has been used very heavily in clans/squads for many years going back to Arma1 and before. Its a necessity with the extremely popular ACRE mod that every clan/squad uses. I just can't see BE or BIS breaking that. Just doesn't make sense whatsoever.

Still, it's good someone has queried it to be sure. I haven't played ARMA online for ages and certainly not with the TS overlay. So I have no experience there to say otherwise. In addition, the developers of TS have issued the warning so there must've been some issues for them to state such a disclaimer in the first place. For those with little to no experience with TS it's perfectly reasonable to exercise caution.

Edited November 2, 2012 by Mach2Infinity

[delta99 34]

Still, it's good someone has queried it to be sure. I haven't played ARMA online for ages and certainly not with the TS overlay. So I have no experience there to say otherwise. In addition, the developers of TS have issued the warning so there must've been some issues for them to state such a disclaimer in the first place. For those with little to no experience with TS it's perfectly reasonable to exercise caution.

Do you have this warning from TS developers? Or is this just a standard disclaimer that they put in their use policy that has nothing to do with anything specific whatsoever.

[doveman 7]

Do you have this warning from TS developers? Or is this just a standard disclaimer that they put in their use policy that has nothing to do with anything specific whatsoever.

It comes up when activating the Overlay plugin, warning that it might get your online account banned (not specific to ArmA but it doesn't exclude ArmA either).