Digital battlefield and futuretech

[mmaruda 20]

I was just wondering, with Arma 3 being set in the future, will the game feature some advanced technology for situation awareness, communication and other stuff? I know many people would prefer to stick with the old ways, but in the Alpha it seems that a 2035 soldier has less tech at their disposal than an average smart-phone user. We now have some cool technology like google glasses, GPS and others, yet we still have yo use an analogue map and the good old compass in the game. Now I know that most players would prefer it stay that way, but since the game is set in the future, will BIS introduce any of these goodies?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Soldier

I am not saying Arma should turn into GRAW, but the possibility to use some of this stuff would be quite logical (as an option of course), and it would also be awesome to have it done simulation style not the recent Tom Clancy games arcade crap.

[samco 1]

i completely agree , also augmented reality glasses are already in-game but by now have little use .. the hud system is quite naive .

it would be nice to add a minimap , ability to mark locations for targets and video feed from other soldiers.

strangely google glasses looks more advanced than even US Future Force Warrior program augmented reality , having a pair of those would greatly improve the situational awareness of a soldier.

[mmaruda 20]

The tricky thing is to make it look the way it does IRL with all it's benefits and difficulties (dust getting in the way, batteries etc.).

[hekuball 10]

this is where you have to be a bit careful and to remember that what we want, at the end of the day, is a game. In the military, the means to an end of technology is to remove the end-user from harm and to make the process of killing and destruction as effeicient as possible. In games, it's essential to retain challenge and difficult, in RL the purpose of tech is to remove it. I know people aren't espousing removal of challenge but if you introduce too much of this stuff, there's a danger that you are taking what challenges remain out of the mix. Just saying.

[2nd ranger 282]

I feel that way about thermals. And even scoped weapons to some extent. I'm afraid BIS are going to add thermal vision to the OPFOR by default.

[mmaruda 20]

Looking at the futuristic gear OPFOR have, it would be weird if they din't have any tech goodies (like thermals). From what I have read in early announcements it's the NATO forces that are supposed to be at a disadvantage in the campaign. Anyway, as I said this should be left up to the mission designer, but 2035 without digital maps and such just seems off to me. We'll see what BIS cooks up with the final release. I am sure the game will still remain true to the Arma series we know, still some info as to what the devs intend would be nice.

[chrisb 196]

Looking at the futuristic gear OPFOR have, it would be weird if they din't have any tech goodies (like thermals). From what I have read in early announcements it's the NATO forces that are supposed to be at a disadvantage in the campaign. Anyway, as I said this should be left up to the mission designer, but 2035 without digital maps and such just seems off to me. We'll see what BIS cooks up with the final release. I am sure the game will still remain true to the Arma series we know, still some info as to what the devs intend would be nice.

I agree with the thread, should be considered to have a little more spec for units, google are already working if not near release of their gps glasses or whatever they are, small lightweight etc, so yes BIS should think about it.:)

[lugiahua 26]

this is where you have to be a bit careful and to remember that what we want, at the end of the day, is a game. In the military, the means to an end of technology is to remove the end-user from harm and to make the process of killing and destruction as effeicient as possible. In games, it's essential to retain challenge and difficult, in RL the purpose of tech is to remove it. I know people aren't espousing removal of challenge but if you introduce too much of this stuff, there's a danger that you are taking what challenges remain out of the mix. Just saying.

Technology balance is actually less concerned in Arma series.

Operation Arrowhead had vast unbalance factions(technology term) as OPFOR (third world militia) didn't even have NOD or GPS, had no airforce or armor beyond T-55

The multilayer balance was achieved cheaper OPFOR units compared to NATO.

[Kieran 11]

Technology balance is actually less concerned in Arma series.

Operation Arrowhead had vast unbalance factions(technology term) as OPFOR (third world militia) didn't even have NOD or GPS, had no airforce or armor beyond T-55

The multilayer balance was achieved cheaper OPFOR units compared to NATO.

Play the game again. have a look at the editor.

[lugiahua 26]

Play the game again. have a look at the editor.

yeah, I know that they have trainers, but no dedicate fighters...maybe I should make that statement clearer.

(and I realized that some country consider helo as part of air force)

Edited March 24, 2013 by Lugiahua

[nodunit 397]

I'll be real surprised if we see this but I doubt we will, I doubt we will even see GPS with blueforce tracking inside vehicles or anything of the sort. I'd love to see something more like this on vehicles, especially helo's rather than relying on pressing M to see the darn map. (start at 2:53)

It's the future and we have advanced tech but it doesn't quite feel like the "digital battlefield". Of course the game being in alpha means that there is a chance albiet slim that this may change but..I'm not holding my breath.

Imagine a map like that on the ifrit passengers big screen, or one of the boat screens and so on, give a sense of digital connectivity.

We have new tools but the mechanics feel a bit of the same, vehicles aren't really any more advanced in terms of weapon systems than they were before save for remote weaponry, we have PIP yes but by comparison it is just a gimmick versus optics mode since it cannot perform the same functions.

Edited March 25, 2013 by NodUnit

[samco 1]

yes a screen in the vehicles or just a map in the corner of the hud beacause soldiers in the game have head mounted displays ... now the game rather than feeling futuristic is more contemporary than it should be

[metalcraze 290]

People watch too many movies. Technology doesn't advance that fast.

It's 2013 and US still uses choppers, planes and tanks from cold war. In 2035 countries will use prototypes of today.

Of course map in vehicles will be fine.

Edited March 26, 2013 by metalcraze

[samco 1]

yes military now still use cold-war era electronics ...:j:

its the electronic equipment that makes the real difference....networking its the most crucial aspect of modern combat......we still use apaches but apart from their exterior look inside are totally different : glass cockpits head-mounted displays guided missiles electro optical systems .... and so on.

Technology does advance that fast believe me ...looks what happened to computers , cellphones in the last 10 years .....

Prototypes of today ? This tech is available even today ... c'mon as already mentioned take a look to augmented reality glasses...

[lugiahua 26]

I'll be real surprised if we see this but I doubt we will, I doubt we will even see GPS with blueforce tracking inside vehicles or anything of the sort. I'd love to see something more like this on vehicles, especially helo's rather than relying on pressing M to see the darn map. (start at 2:53)

It's the future and we have advanced tech but it doesn't quite feel like the "digital battlefield". Of course the game being in alpha means that there is a chance albiet slim that this may change but..I'm not holding my breath.

Imagine a map like that on the ifrit passengers big screen, or one of the boat screens and so on, give a sense of digital connectivity.

We have new tools but the mechanics feel a bit of the same, vehicles aren't really any more advanced in terms of weapon systems than they were before save for remote weaponry, we have PIP yes but by comparison it is just a gimmick versus optics mode since it cannot perform the same functions.

Don't we have the friendly tracking already since OFP? assuming one plays on a lower difficulties..Or the High Command in A2?

and GPS/compass were also there too, just need some redesign so they look like part of HUD/helmet display instead of an individual device.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Lugiahua

[Lucasmnunesk 2]

As someone stated it's all about gameplay dudes, in the real life the purpose of tech is to make things easier and with the less effort possible to be the most efficient as it can, but think about it and it maybe will ruin the gameplay and challenge, i don't think the HUD display will have anything different than we have now, and i hope so.

Maybe adding everything we should have in 2035 maybe will make the game way easier and if it has no challenge it has no fun, and with too many changes it maybe can make the game less immersive

Edited March 27, 2013 by Lucasmnunesk
Adding more things

[samco 1]

Realism > balance in Arma because first is a simulation then a game ( that atleast is what i think and that is the number one reason because i can't play other fps )

[Lauxman 10]

Realistically I don't think we'll see any wide-spread advances beyond maybe a new type of DAGR for infantry types and BFT for vehicles. No silly electronic glasses, please. IR scopes with a little digital readout and rangefinding? Sure, we have that.

[lee1hy 1]

still cover and prone in 2035

combat like ww2

[samco 1]

Silly electronic glasses ? Are already in-game...so are micro-climate suits that prevent thermal imaging at a certain degree....what i can't understand is that they have no use ...those things seems to be there only for eye-candy sci-fi coolness ....sadly this should belong more to COD than ARMA.

Also speaking realistically , you maybe don't see any wide-spread advances in tech ... at the end is a choice that the army have to do in future...but again the technology is here....and the capacity of these systems cannot be ignored.

The fact that a big company like Google have put big money into this also should be encouraging....at least i suspect they know more than you and me about technology .

Also , please , Night Vision with Peripheral vision as is used now among Delta force and other Specia Forces ....in future should be standard among almost all soldiers.

[mmaruda 20]

My initial thought when starting the thread was realism. Pretty much every NATO army now has some sort of Future Soldier program that assumes situation awareness stuff, armour, cloaking and nanotechnology not to mention exoskeletons and IFF. This seems sci-fi but prototypes start to show. My point is - military tech and tech in general have made a great leap in the last ten years, it would just seem out of place if we couldn't see any tech upgrade in 2035 which is 22 years from now. Some people say balance, gameplay, challange, but you really mean to tell me that with all those futuristic tanks, railguns, cars etc. a 2035 soldier has less tech at their disposal than an average smart-phone user? There is something like setting plausibility. I understand that it could ruin the game for some people, but perhaps if it was an optional gear thing, it would work well?

[Lauxman 10]

I'm still not seeing the huge leaps in the last ten years that people keep talking about it, other than UAS.

[PFC Magician 10]

next gen military technology is focused on digital communications and robotics, automated machines, terrestrial drones.

without the presence of soldiers then we do?

ied put?

play a computer game for play computer to control a robot/dron?

i sincerely will love the technology and ArmA2 scenarios with arma3 engine having and not futuristic :(

[scrim 1]

My initial thought when starting the thread was realism. Pretty much every NATO army now has some sort of Future Soldier program that assumes situation awareness stuff, armour, cloaking and nanotechnology not to mention exoskeletons and IFF. This seems sci-fi but prototypes start to show. My point is - military tech and tech in general have made a great leap in the last ten years, it would just seem out of place if we couldn't see any tech upgrade in 2035 which is 22 years from now. Some people say balance, gameplay, challange, but you really mean to tell me that with all those futuristic tanks, railguns, cars etc. a 2035 soldier has less tech at their disposal than an average smart-phone user? There is something like setting plausibility. I understand that it could ruin the game for some people, but perhaps if it was an optional gear thing, it would work well?

I can't think of even a single Future Soldier program that involves cloaking, exoskeletons or even nanotechnology IIRC.

[Planetside 1]

I can't think of even a single Future Soldier program that involves cloaking, exoskeletons or even nanotechnology IIRC.

Crysis 3, if you count virtual future soldier programs.