Share your first Arma3 Beta Impressions (all first impression type posts here pls)

[GRS 10]

I hate the Alpha, because it is not yet the final product :D

Fantastic work, BIS. This is amazing thus far. I've been seeing a number of issues in the editor. AI pathfinding is occasionally lackluster. For example I set up a 4 waypoint cycling patrol around a few vehicles in a town, and the guy moves to the first one and even though there is plenty of room between the vehicles and building, he goes around. One time he even went into a building (good) and then through a wall to exit the building (not good). Also a number of railings on the buildings do not act as solid and can be run right through. I will tinker with it some more.

Regardless, for an ArmA alpha release, I am shocked and blown away. :cool: My hat is off to the devs. If I ever somehow get the chance to be in the area, free cold ones on me! (so long as the final version is even more awesome of course ;))

Edited March 6, 2013 by GRS

[Corsair 10]

Same here, really really good work; it looks much better than ArmA II and run as fast; features are very good for an Alpha. Thanks and keep up the good work !

[-Coulum- 35]

Well I can't say that the alpha is everything I wished for (and I wasn't expecting it to be) but I will say I am really happy with the weapon handling, recoil and sway. Animations are great though sometimes confusing, and tactical pace is well done. It will take sometime to get natural at controlling all these things but I can see the game reaching whole new levels once I do. Well done BIS keep up the great work.

[a6-intruder 0]

Yes very impressed overall. Look forward to the ongoing development with this many Alpha testers its going to be amazing!

[tortuosit 486]

Impressed too. Stability-wise and performance. Runs smooth on my gtx570/i72600k... Expected a much wilder performance beast. Thumbs up, BI.

[zoog 18]

Agreed, one hell of a job for an alpha

[Muscular Beaver 0]

Very disappointed here. Controls are generic ones now, just with added stance options, far too fast now, which makes it unrealistic. Animations are unrealistic and stiff, graphics arent that great (actually worse than ArmA 2 in some cases), the annoying dirt/blood overlay seems to be stolen from generic shooters too. When you customize controls a lot, the whole game seems to break, the switch from map to game still has a long delay and I just entered a multiplayer game that was stuttering horribly. Not like slow graphics, but like massive loading stutters, even though my game is on an SSD.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Muscular Beaver

[Steiner34 12]

Also I still hate the fact that this game is exclusive to that moneygrabbing,greedy and powerhungry Steam dictatorapplication(I had luck a friend bought it for me so Steam is not getting any money from me) the overall impression after playing for around 4 hours is quite positive.

1.Performance

At the first startup I was nervous cause I personally thought my PC couldn't handle the game but after starting up the editor the first time I just said to me WOW. The Alpha build runs even smoother than Arma 2 in the current state on my machine in standard settings. So from that point of view a very good improvement but I guess without Steam it would run even better.;)

2.AI

Definately the best improvement so far I've seen in all the Arma games. Especially the house to house combat is much smoother and better now although the AI still wont use buildings correctly.(Was putting in 3 Opfor groups against 4 Bluefor groups in the biggest village near the airport with 2 mortars on each side) Most of the time they just open the door move a little bit around like retards and get out again. I also like the thing that the AI mortars are shooting now on enemy contact which gives the game whole more immersion. Very good job on that side.

Also when attacking one of the outpost in the wilderness the AI is not willing to cross the barriers around the camp. They just stay behind it and wait and wait and wait until I come out and shoot them.

BTW what I noticed is that the Opfor side is much better right now than bluefor. Everytime I played 2 vs groups Opfor won with only small casualties ;)

3.Editor/Modules

So far what I've seen from the Editor is that is much more easier to use now. You have function and debugs modes now and of course a ton of new modules.

So far the whole system of modules is a little bit confusing and I guess most of them wont work correctly at the current state or I'm just to stupid to use them properly. Hopefully there will be a complete documentation how to use them.

4.Compatibility with older Addons

I like the idea that you can port all the maps from Arma 2 into Arma 3. I tried it yesterday with very good results. Also you can port basically all the guns. Just make an Addon folder and load it up.

5.Bugs

Overall there weren't any crashes for me only small bugs like bushes and trees are popping up out of nowhere sometimes. Also it seems like the inventory of fallen soldiers is bugged. There are basically no magazines for their mainguns in the inventory. Hopefully that one will be fixed soon.

I'm really looking forward to the more improved versions. I think it has a lot of potential to become the best Arma of the series. Unfortunately there is still that bad taste that there is that fascistic program called Steam running the background to play this great game. Hopefully at some point BI will patch Steam out of the game.

[purgi 10]

Performance on my machine seems to exceed that of ARMA2 as well.

I loved ARMA and I can see a lot of potential here to step it up. The graphics look great which adds to the immersion and I've already had a firefight that was cooler than any that I had in ARMA2. Especially when I had an MG firing down at me from the top of the ridge and he was barely visible against the sun. I had been wounded, heart racing, screen blurring in and out and saw a slight silhouette from where I could see the tracers eminating from and could make out a bunch of sandbags below the ridge that he was using for cover. Popped a couple of shots and the firing suddenly stopped. Silhouette gone. One of the best moments in a shooter ever, done within 1 hour of playing an Alpha build!

My only gripe so far and it's one I had with ARMA2 and probably won't be fixable until graphics power increases is the foliage drop off at distance. Can be in quite thick grass that covers your position and at times making it difficult to see out of and giving the illusion of being hidden but enemy at not too far a distance doesn't draw that foliage making you stand out like a beacon. I was hoping something could be done to correct that in ARMA3.

[chortles 263]

Hopefully at some point BI will patch Steam out of the game.

I'm pretty sure that that's not how Steamworks works... :p

By the way, are you sure that when you pitted OPFOR versus BLUFOR, that you weren't including the Ifrit on OPFOR side? I mean, when you've got an AGL/GMG atop that vehicle... :D

[tryteyker 28]

IMO performance is worse than ArmA 2 for me. I could run ArmA 2 on high to medium (mixed settings) with 30-35 FPS solid, but even on Medium I only get like 25 FPS max in some terrains. What I like though is that settings are balanced. Lowering everything to low does make a difference (not like in Arma 2 where putting Shadows on low for example would strain your CPU alot more than putting them on high, as this puts the shadows on the GPU).

The editors config and functions viewer is nice, rest is pretty standard though.

I have to disagree with the AI though. For me they are worse than in Arma 2, and I have had AI clip through walls constantly and not use buildings at all (and if told to regroup inside a building they exit through walls). They also move around slowly if there are enemies nearby, making the mvery ineffective.

[chortles 263]

tryteyker, please report said performance problems along with your computer specs in the feedback thread please? The devs could really use the information!

[tryteyker 28]

I already made like 6 reports on the feedback tracker, including the AI problems I mentioned. No worries there.

[DarkDruid 96]

Overall there weren't any crashes for me only small bugs like bushes and trees are popping up out of nowhere sometimes. Also it seems like the inventory of fallen soldiers is bugged. There are basically no magazines for their mainguns in the inventory. Hopefully that one will be fixed soon.

You have to open vest (it is item in inventory) of fallen soldier by double click on it. Magazines are there ;)

[Steiner34 12]

I'm pretty sure that that's not how Steamworks works... :p

By the way, are you sure that when you pitted OPFOR versus BLUFOR, that you weren't including the Ifrit on OPFOR side? I mean, when you've got an AGL/GMG atop that vehicle... :D

Nope. I put 2 Blufor and 2 Opfor with 2 mortars on each side. No vehicles at all and basically everytime the iranians massacred the blufor side. I think I repeated it around 3 times or so. Always the Iranians won.

---------- Post added at 10:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 AM ----------

You have to open vest (it is item in inventory) of fallen soldier by double click on it. Magazines are there ;)

Ah thank you for that tip. It worked. Thanks. :)

[Delicieuxz 1]

Also I still hate the fact that this game is exclusive to that moneygrabbing,greedy and powerhungry Steam dictatorapplication

Dumb, just... pure dumb. There's a massive difference between disliking something while being educated, and just being purely ignorant. Btw, Steam games only require the Steam app to be running if the developer chooses to force it. Some games and apps can be run from the folder without Steam being running. So place responsibility where it's due.

PS. My Steam, with around 50 games installed, uses around 20 mb of ram. Are you playing on a Pentium I? I can't otherwise fathom where you'd get the idea that Steam is power hungry. I suppose it's from... ignorance.

PPS, games are a lot cheaper due to Steam, with regular sales, and developers receive vastly more money than they used to before Steam, when they sold physical and had to go through a traditional publisher. So again... ignorance. If you want to support a developer, buy digitally. They receive hardly any money from physically sold copied.

[Steiner34 12]

Dumb, just... pure dumb. There's a massive difference between disliking something while being educated, and just being purely ignorant. Btw, Steam games only require the Steam app to be running if the developer chooses to force it. Some games and apps can be run from the folder without Steam being running. So place responsibility where it's due.

PPS, games are a lot cheaper due to Steam, with regular sales, and developers receive vastly more money than they used to before Steam, when they sold physical and had to go through a traditional publisher. So again... ignorance. If you want to support a developer, buy digitally. They receive hardly any money from physically sold copied.

Well good for you but dont rage when for example Valve starts to charge a monthly fee to use steam and if you disagree or cannot afford it you will loose all of your 50 games. Just read their EULA and you may will understand what Steam is basically doing to your bought games here.

http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/english/

Valve may amend this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use) at any time in its sole discretion. If Valve amends the Agreement, such amendment shall be effective thirty (30) days after Valve provides you with notice of the amended Agreement, either via e-mail or as a notification within the Software. You can view the Agreement at any time at http://www.steampowered.com/. Your failure to cancel your Account, or cease use of the Subscription(s) affected by the amendment, within thirty (30) days after receiving notification of the amendment, will constitute your acceptance of the amended terms. If you don’t agree to the amendments or to any of the terms in this Agreement, your only remedy is to cancel your Account or to cease use of the affected Subscription(s). Valve shall not have any obligation to refund any fees that may have accrued to your Account before cancellation of your Account or cessation of use of any Subscription, nor shall Valve have any obligation to prorate any fees in such circumstances.

BTW. there is also an non DRM alternative out there. Its called Gog.com where you can buy, download and play games without any Steamworks protection and it works great.

PS. My Steam, with around 50 games installed, uses around 20 mb of ram. Are you playing on a Pentium I? I can't otherwise fathom where you'd get the idea that Steam is power hungry. I suppose it's from... ignorance.

Dude with powerhungry I didnt mean the resources Steam needs itself but the behaviour of Steam to become basically a monopoly which will always ends in tyranny for those who are being forced to use it.

[CzingerX 0]

Overall it feels a lot smoother.

Everything maxed and good performance. Great start for a Alpha Build.

[Zorg_DK 10]

I think the gun sounds are too loud. It would be nice if you could adjust volume for ambient sounds, and gun sounds.

[rory_pamphilon 16]

Steam is the best thing to happen to PC gaming.

[Delicieuxz 1]

Well good for you but dont rage when for example Valve starts to charge a monthly fee to use steam and if you disagree or cannot afford it you will loose all of your 50 games. Just read their EULA and you may will understand what Steam is basically doing to your bought games here.

http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/english/

Valve may amend this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use) at any time in its sole discretion. If Valve amends the Agreement, such amendment shall be effective thirty (30) days after Valve provides you with notice of the amended Agreement, either via e-mail or as a notification within the Software. You can view the Agreement at any time at http://www.steampowered.com/. Your failure to cancel your Account, or cease use of the Subscription(s) affected by the amendment, within thirty (30) days after receiving notification of the amendment, will constitute your acceptance of the amended terms. If you don’t agree to the amendments or to any of the terms in this Agreement, your only remedy is to cancel your Account or to cease use of the affected Subscription(s). Valve shall not have any obligation to refund any fees that may have accrued to your Account before cancellation of your Account or cessation of use of any Subscription, nor shall Valve have any obligation to prorate any fees in such circumstances.

Every license agreement by every developer and publisher reserves right to edit their use conditions, and Valve charging a monthly fee is not only unlikely, but illogical from a business attracting strategy, as well as their large profitability vs cost of hardware point of view. And do you really expect that Valve, or whatever store you buy your games from, should refund your money because you decide you don't want to play the games anymore? Also, Steam's subscriber license is not the same thing as your game licenses, which are a separate agreement between you and the game publisher, which you read (or not) before installing each game. I can legally make use of my game licenses outside of Steam (including torrent-downloading a game I legitimately own a license for and playing with a crack), though this can be difficult if it's an mp game and the developer hasn't made server access possible except through Steam.

BTW. there is also an non DRM alternative out there. Its called Gog.com where you can buy, download and play games without any Steamworks protection and it works great.

I probably have at least 50 games on GoG. I also have games on Origin (though I avoid it if possible, as it truly matches your OP description, and is a second-rate service run by a second-rate company). I take the Steam overlay services, auto updates, download process, forums, game tracking, over GoG, but I'm wholeheartedly unopposed to GoG and buy all the old games I desire from them.

Dude with powerhungry I didnt mean the resources Steam needs itself but the behaviour of Steam to become basically a monopoly which will always ends in tyranny for those who are being forced to use it.

Steam haven't tried to be a monopoly, instead, they broke the true dictatorship that the big publishers held over the industry with their services. Now, developers can afford to do their own things on their own terms, and publish on their own. Smaller digital resellers, like GoG, exist only because Valve pioneered DD with Steam and made it a viable industry. PC gaming in general was very much withered prior to Steam's intermediate establishment.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Delicieuxz

[Darknal 10]

Overall, better than what I expected; Smooth game play & controls, radio VO not as annoying like in ARMA II, Vehicles are easier to control, new stances, and revised engine. Cannot wait until patches come along through it dev stage.

[Delicieuxz 1]

I think the gun sounds are too loud. It would be nice if you could adjust volume for ambient sounds, and gun sounds.

Also, it sounds as though there is only 1 gunshot sound sample per gun, which stands out as repeating ad-nauseum. Some variance in the fired-shot sound sample would be very effective at creating a more natural feel to the game. Multiple recordings of the same shot should be used, or at least the one that's used should be edited into at least several marginally different sounding samples.

[mrmayger 10]

Has anyone else noticed that the vehicle physics are slightly too high, i was driving the featured vehicle in the showcase (cant remember the name of it). when i was eratically steering left to right i managed to almost flip the vehicle. in my personal opinion it should be turned down... thoughts ?

[jonneymendoza 10]

How is the controls and movement? similar to Arma 2 or more Battlefieldish ie more fluid and responsive?

Has anyone maxed out the game at 1080p with a decent quad core CPU and say a 580gtx?

What are the framerates like? anyone finally getting 60fps and above on max settings? at what res?

Gun sounds: have they improved dramatically? sound more realisitic and loud?

Are all buildings enterable and fully destructible like in BF3?

Does the game uses the steam game server browser to select and join a server online?

Can u join a fellow friends server that they are in i.e in steams friends list, if u see them playing arma 3 in server A, u can click your friends name and click "join game" and it will automatically load your game and join in same server as your friend?

Thanks in advance