ARMA 3 Alpha - Java Virtual Machine

[Deadfast 43]

That sounds very intriguing. I'd be interested in helping a bit with the standard library, if you don't mind me putting stress on the word 'bit' :).

In any case, I look forward to the dedicated case.

[mikie boy 18]

just came across this thread - Carma sounds very interesting indeed - like to hear the progress on it - perhaps its own thread. As for Java well i guess its sometime off before its reappearance

[major_shepard 82]

Yes, I do understand that it comes down to knowing what is safe to execute, but JRE does enforce a browserplugin that can execute malicious java code. And that piece of software is alarmingly insecure. see this page http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/14/us-java-oracle-security-idUSBRE90D10P20130114

And just because ArmA requires JRE, a whole lot more is installed that is not used by ArmA.

There are many sites that are legit and use ad networks to generate income. these networks do get hacked and malicious code is introduced and spread to the legit site's visitors. So the chance of being hit with a virus (java, or non java) from the net while not visiting the "dark side" of the net is greater then you may think.

Plus code executed by java are all executed by java.exe, so it is much harder for security programs to recognize malicious code IMHO.

Please dont get me wrong, I do understand your point and a lot comes down to knowing what you can execute.

I'am pretty sure you have Microsoft .net framework installed on your machine with is barrely the same thing than Java and that doesn't seem to worry you.

Interesting ^^

[gossamersolid 155]

I'am pretty sure you have Microsoft .net framework installed on your machine with is barrely the same thing than Java and that doesn't seem to worry you.

Interesting ^^

Yeah it's pretty much the same thing.

People just want to complain for no reason.

[MadocComadrin 12]

I think some people have forgotten that unlike your general JRE, the JVM for ARMA 3 is embedded in the application (not the executable, mind you). That makes it more secure.

[Radtoo 10]

First: I was wondering if there's any word on whether the Java GUI would allow for interactive on-screen layers / canvas' that can interface with the game, so we can have proper keyboard & mouse GUI elements as well as visual things like, IDK, a red "hot" painted machine gun or a new inventory system in mods, using Java? A quick search didn't tell me.

Most articles on Java are dominated by the mention of security leaks and that makes me dislike Java.

And with C/C++ -whose immediate execution platform is usually the OS they run on-, you get a lot of reports on OS security flaws (and a lot of patches for them) when you look for it.

Never mind that there are also many frameworks and programming techniques that did / do have security problems systematically. No need to panic over C, C++ or Java, It's just the nature of complex code.

That said, Java applets (the ones that run in browser plugins, specifically - which is not the same as Java applications in general!) have been completely useless to most people and often a security / privacy risk. I suggest you turn these off.

Now, what's also nice about Java is that you actually have quite fine-grained control on the VM what is allowed to run, and how. Even with the standard JVM, BI (or a player itself) could ensure nothing writes to another folder except the game profile folder where 100MB are available for it, and that everything only runs on the fourth CPU core with no access to sound, for instance (this may or may not be relevant, I just picked random constraints). And it would generally work across platforms.

With Java multiple browsers and other applications can use the same engine to exploit it.

If they used an external / standard JRE, it'd be far more secure than ArmA 3 itself, I imagine. At least I'm pretty sure a lot more people are paid to investigate and deal with Java security than ArmA3 security.

Granted, I imagine if this JRE has the sort of ingame access to game features it'll require to be "good" for modders (basically, it would know everything about everything), people surely could also use it to cheat - "exploit" in the wallhack and aimbot and "find the right guns on bodies 2km away" sense. Not that I care much for the game being cheat-proof, myself - I'd rather have more fun-to-play mods with sophisticated features.

Edited July 20, 2013 by Radtoo

[bulletcollector 10]

1) any updates on Java for the Beta?

2) it would be awesome to get at least an api to get used to, even if its not working ingame yet! preparing data structure or own helper classes could save loads of time when release is done!

[roshnak 41]

I'd be happy just to know if Java is still going to be in the final release.

[Alwarren 2767]

I'd be happy just to know if Java is still going to be in the final release.

Don't count on it. It's a bit late to bring in an entirely new feature.

[roshnak 41]

It wasn't like two years ago when they announced it as a feature.

Edited August 13, 2013 by roshnak

[Alwarren 2767]

It wasn't like two years ago when they announced it as a feature.

No arguing there. That goes for a number of features. But now it is only something like 30 days left.

[fragmachine 12]

To add an optimistic note:

Devs answer to this (like with many other features) is:

Maybe in ArmA 4.

[_x_ 10]

Now that the game is out a new guesstimate would be cool.

[Antorugby 2]

Just a noob question, with Java, is theoretically possible to have like apps on the tablet/phone linked with the game?

Inviato dal mio GT-I9300 con Tapatalk 4

[Luomu 10]

Just a noob question, with Java, is theoretically possible to have like apps on the tablet/phone linked with the game?

Not necessarily any more than with current scripting. Java wouldn't be able to access anything outside the "sandbox" for security reasons (file access, network, external libraries) unless BI allows it.

[Vigil Vindex 64]

Not necessarily any more than with current scripting. Java wouldn't be able to access anything outside the "sandbox" for security reasons (file access, network, external libraries) unless BI allows it.

It's possible to interact with a database, you could then have an external system interact with that database and thus have some level of interconnection.

[roshnak 41]

Yeah, I'd like to know if this is even still happening. I don't think we've had an official comment in months. I know a couple people who are waiting on java implementation before they purchase.

[windies 11]

I think they axed Java implementation honestly.

[Vigil Vindex 64]

I am personally happy that Java has not been implemented yet, I think V8 Javascript would be more useful, and is already being worked on here - http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?156304-JavaScript-for-ARMA

[roshnak 41]

Anything is better than .sqf. I'm just waiting on any kind of official word on what is happening either way.

[seannybgoode 10]

Yeah I've been wondering about this. Java support was something I bought the game for, and now they haven't delivered. Very unlike BI. The last word was "yeah java is coming", and then nothing.

[twisted 128]

hope this is still a thing. im trying string search functions and in sqf its quite slow. in java it'd be done in a flash.

[semiconductor 309]

hope this is still a thing. im trying string search functions and in sqf its quite slow. in java it'd be done in a flash.

This game is not about string search functions. Let's get real.

[twisted 128]

This game is not about string search functions. Let's get real.

 

really, that's your contribution? :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:  This game is a lot about modding. I'm writing a script that uses string search functions to populate an add on, and the promise to hugely improve that functionality is only a partial subset of the increased utility that java could offer. but in sqf I'm getting things taking dozens of seconds that should happen in a flash.

[semiconductor 309]

Well, I happen to write sqf scripts too and in my opinion sqf is perfect for an infantry simulator game. It's easy to understand for newbies, it doesn't really require much learning and it can satisfy all reasonable needs of a mission maker interested in making infantry-oriented PvE and PvP missions. It's like the Minecraft: player can make an extremely big, slow and basically useless processors if he wishes to but the game itself is about collecting various blocks, making ugly late-soviet-style houses out of them and then proudly showing your magnificent creation to everyone on server. :)

JVM would be cool thing to have, sure, but how often an average mission maker requires super fast string search functions? Objects? How many missions that can fit into game's focus will benefit from it (even though BI seems to deny that Arma has any focus at all, they can't really run away from limitations of 15 years old engine designed for infantry-centered shooter)? Enough to justify spending months to implement JVM? I'm not so sure.