Comments on the Sea

[sproyd 2]

I have been working feverishly in the editor for the last few days. I've predominantly been working in the sea environment of the map - something that Arma 2 CO didn't really have.

I just have to say that, BIS - the sea environment is phenomenal - amongst the best I've seen in a game. I feel I'm qualified to comment as a PADI Open Water Diver and someone who grew up on all manner of boats and beaches in Auckland, the City of Sails.

- I'm most impressed by the wave physics and the way the boats sit on the water. This is really evident if you place the game in 4.0x speed mode (press = sign twice). The physics of the boats rolling on the swell is excellent - as is the ability to forecast the weather, and increase the swell over the course of a mission.

- The lighting on the water is great - even the lighthouse causes a shine on it at night.

- The outboard engine sounds and placement of units in the inflatable are really accurate.

- The diving experience is great - the sounds are very accurate, as are the animations and speed.

What I would like to see improved (some of this is probably due to Alpha);

- Eject from boat animations for diver units - it would be great to see them roll backwards with a hand on the mask/regulator.

- Where the water meets the shore - the whitewash looks a bit silly.

- This would be difficult, and a nice-to-have, but it would be cool to see surf at the shore - making beach landings and launchings challenging (although I've never been to Greece so don't know if they get much surf).

- Sea spray when boating at speed.

- Realistic buoyancy for divers - currently Z makes the divers sort of jerk around and they sink and Q does nothing. Divers can micro-control their depth through breathing as well as swimming up or down. (I've suggested some other diving changes here but that is probably more suited to the mod community).

- Losing light as you dive deeper and implementation of dive torches (drool) to explore wrecks realistically.

Edited March 11, 2013 by sproyd

[Winfernal 2]

One thing i'd see improved:

Waves aren't synced. If your mate is swimming on top of a wave, you would see half of his body floating over the surface, for example.

[sproyd 2]

Didn't realise that - probably on the BIS to do list though.

[Dimebag 1]

The thing that i would change about the water (From seeing youtube videos) is when you dive in, and you dive out, you should get droplets on your screen (First and Third Person)

like that ^

[Flax 397]

I must agree the water experience is incredible, with the exception of the waves always rising and falling to the exact same height. It would be nice to see some variation but I understand this would most likely entail a lot of work.

Also it would be nice to be able to remove the water so we can see the seabed modelling as I'm sure it looks just as great as the land modelling.

[qbert 10]

One thing i'd see improved:

Waves aren't synced. If your mate is swimming on top of a wave, you would see half of his body floating over the surface, for example.

I never noticed before, but this is gonna bug me from now on since I know about it now lol.

[sproyd 2]

The thing that i would change about the water (From seeing youtube videos) is when you dive in, and you dive out, you should get droplets on your screen (First and Third Person)

LOL is this a joke ? Why would you get droplets when you dive in? And when you surface your eyes are focused afar and not on your mask so don't see how this would be anything but a cheap effect. At the moment if a unit goes underwater without a diving mask they have blurred vision - even without PP effects enabled. Now that's realism. Go try it yourself - its awesome.

[chrisb 196]

I must admit, diving and swimming along the seabed towards the coast line at night is a really errie experience. The immersion is fantastic, slowly working your way up towards the surface at the shoreline, then surfacing, its breathtaking. I didn’t think at first the underwater thing was worth it…

I eat my words, missions are just rolling around in my head…:).

[johncage 30]

LOL is this a joke ? Why would you get droplets when you dive in? And when you surface your eyes are focused afar and not on your mask so don't see how this would be anything but a cheap effect. At the moment if a unit goes underwater without a diving mask they have blurred vision - even without PP effects enabled. Now that's realism. Go try it yourself - its awesome.

his picture sucks, the focus is on the droplets. play rise of flight, fly through clouds or toggle rain for a good idea of how rain and mist looks on goggle.

[metalcraze 290]

Underwater is great, wait till we get those minisubs or whatever they are called. Need harpoons too, considering we have physX now (plus harpoons are silent too)

[Planetside 1]

The water is too blue. It should be greenish-blue.

[chortles 263]

Underwater is great, wait till we get those minisubs or whatever they are called. Need harpoons too, considering we have physX now (plus harpoons are silent too)

Harpoons will/may be interesting as a gimmick weapon, but I believe that the "minisubs" (SDVs) will be the "game-changers" for underwater and swimmer mobility, not least because they may become the basis for 'larger' submarine mods.

[roguetrooper 2]

The first thing I noticed standing at the coast: They have removed/changed that really annoying wind/wave sound that drove me crazy in Arma II. A3 is fine now.

[chrisb 196]

Not sure if this happens in Arma 3, I know it didn’t in A2, but it would be really nice to have the sea sounds to suit the weather conditions. They probably can’t give us the waves lashing up against the rocks, visually, but the sound of that when the weather is set to bad, would be great.

Also at the other end of the scale, nice peaceful sound of the sea on a really nice day. All adds to the immersion I think..

Some nice ones here.. http://www.soundsnap.com/taxonomy/term/138/rated: :)

[sproyd 2]

his picture sucks, the focus is on the droplets. play rise of flight, fly through clouds or toggle rain for a good idea of how rain and mist looks on goggle.

What picture? There are no droplets when underwater and when above water you don't wear your mask. It has no similarities top flying.

---------- Post added at 12:04 ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 ----------

Underwater is great, wait till we get those minisubs or whatever they are called. Need harpoons too, considering we have physX now (plus harpoons are silent too)

I think you mean spear guns