Additional BIS supported PvP platform running along side ArmA as we know it

[zoog 18]

Ok, hear me out before jumping to conclusions too quickly with all the hate towards stuff like BF3 etc.

Today I was thinking about something: with the new and improvement movement and shooting mechanics the PvP aspect of Arma has already improved a lot. It feels more natural en you are not fighting your character while in heavy firefights against other human players.

OFP/ARMA is based on the premise of full customization and modding, which results in a full range of different community made game modes, missions, mods etc. etc. The things we all love about the ARMA series. However, stuff like this comes with a price. Things are fragmented, some PvP game modes can be completely different from others (with different role select options, weapon select options etc, depending on mod, mission and author), it can be cumbersome to join a random server running all kinds of mods etc. But of course ARMA needs to stay open and moddable like it is now.

But what if, on top of what we have now(!!), BIS also launches a more "closed vanilla PvP platform" which you can access from the main menu (Multiplayer > Give_it_a_name). This will show you all servers running specific PvP BIS missions (for example in line with BF3 conquest, squad rush etc) which are not moddable and always accessible for anyone and require vanilla. The game types are official gametypes provided by BIS. You can always jump right in and know what to expect. It includes a whole lobby/squad/role/weapon system etc. specifically developed for this "closed system" (and lots of filters to find your type of game/server). Basically an official PvP game inside the ArmA 3 environment. You can take this a step further, and also include CQB game modes / maps ala Rainbow Six: Raven Shield for example (with pre-set mission lists which can be put into specific order, build in number of rounds, round timers between round with weapon selection screen etc). So this would be an environment run by BIS, which every vanilla player can easily find and join, with an overarching continuity in experience, gameplay, squad features etc. Very accessible without sacrificing the tactical slow paced game play we all love!

This way the full range of possibilities of the Arma framework with tactical slow paced game play is addressed. We will still have our beloved co-op, we will still have our custom pvp and tvt developed by mission makers, development teams (project reality etc) and we have a more confined regulated experience with continuity in features and game modes filling the gap for users who like the premise of for example games like BF3 but don't like that type of gameplay. You know, I played BF3 for about 30 hours when it was released, the core idea is great (big scale pvp, combined arms etc), but the excution is not my thing (arcade, no simulation, etc). I also liked to play games like Rainbow Six: Raven Shield TvT, absolutely awesome, but no other developer currently has this type of game released recently. With all the improvements of Arma 3 I think it can provide a broader experience separate from what we already have. I know there are custom missions replicating things like this, but there is no continuity and poor accessibility to easily jump into this type of games.

[dayglow 2]

I'm not sure you would accomplish anything re-packaging the default content as default content. It's already there for people to use. I play mostly co-op with friends so I don't really use the filter except to find our server, is there no 'default' filter to filter out any modded game? If not that's really what you need then, a check-box for 'vanilla' to filter out modded games. No need to create a whole new front end.

The community will still be fractured as people play modded or vanilla even if there's a new front end.

[Winfernal 2]

I think it would be too much work compared to the resulsts for BI. We could use improvements in the browser, though.

[zoog 18]

The community will still be fractured as people play modded or vanilla even if there's a new front end.

I'm not really talking about the fractured community, because that's no issue TBH and there will always be modded and vanilla and any mix in between. I'm more talking about an experience that can be provided with more continuity within a partly closed additional system. So not just front-end cosmetic changes, but also a default role select or weapon/gear selection screen before mission start, default scoring systems, default respawn mechanics or revive/heal mechanics across the board etc. Because if you look at games like Bf3, these confined games deliver always the same experience, because only the developer provides this experience. With ARMA, thank god, this is not the case. But it might be beneficial for the PvP crowd so to speak, as an optional part of the game.