A quantum leap - Arma 4

[negah 26]

Im pretty fine with ArmA2 + mods too. Going back from ArmA3 to ArmA2 is not that big of a problem as for example from ArmA2 to Armed Assault or OFP.

Still I keep all of those installed, ArmA3 and 2 to play normally and older titles in case of acute nostalgia attacks.

If BI plan a new game it should be more of a platform as descibed in the previous comment IMO.

Perhaps with a built editor capable of creating islands (like in men of war or any other RTS editor) and creating/editing own units.

[dwaight 17]

Rewrite some parts of the engine..

[rekkless 240]

I don't think ArmA needs to do anything more that what it is good at: Modern day realistic Military Sandbox.

 

Get rid of the fantasy and go back to what made ArmA 2 so great: Real Military Real Deal.

 

Minimum 4 factions would be great: USA, UK, Russia and China. with genuine weaponry and genuine items.

 

 

But most of all finally sort out the bugs and issues that have plagued the entier series up until now:

 

- Multiplayer optimization (we all know it isn't a case of "More Frames Code" but in 2016 20 FPS in multiplayer on a dedicated server with a moderator amount of players is just not good enough for a $60 title).

 

- Proper functioning AI we all know the AI is pretty bad, even on a good day it is bad.

 

- Streamlined modification process and editor. There is no doubt ArmA is a power game and tools that are available are powerful, but damn if it doesn't take a wiz to learn how to script, program and run things. Hopefully the Eden update will smooth much of it out. But any time people have to ALT+TAB to write scripts into a description.ext or look up event handlers instead of there being a button or drop down menu for all of this you know the mission building is not streamlined.

 

- A reactive world, While buildings do fall, the way they take damage and eventually fall is just plain archaic. It was ok for ArmA 2 but not in 2016-18 we need proper animations and damage

 

- Same goes for players, be it bandaging, holding guns, sitting in helicopters, reloading or whatever proper non clipping or magic hands animations need to be flushed out.

 

 

BI have been around for 15 years they have made multiple successful titles, they can no longer go under the "We are a Indi game development company" they might not be EA or Ubisoft but they have the experience, ability (i think) and the capital to actually make ArmA 4 feel like a proper AAA title.

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Here's my thought on Arma 4.

Era? Modern, near future. Existing gear, that can easily be chosen from Military Expo's from around the world. Not too hot on fictional assets, even though some of which are pretty neat.

Features? I'm not for Arma being a full blown simulator. How ever, I think that for the series to be called an infantry focussed combined Arms military sandbox, is a bad idea when vehicles don't have basic working tech. Solution? Make it true to its name. Here's how I imagine it, let's go next gen with A4.

•Overhauled Animations

- fix up 3rd person so that looking over walls is either impossible, or too much effort.

- getting in and out of vehicles should be fluent.

- multiplayer characters should look more natural and fluent, unlike the current 2 feet auto-rotate 360 degrees in a very stiff like manor.

•Physics

- vehicles should have decent physics characteristics that compliment their class, and capabilities. As of right now, vehicles are weird and can auto flip themselves... Not very realistic. This means people can speed around with no penalty. You want see someone going 140 in an MRAP 24/7, because it puts their lives at risk if they hit something or flip.

- Hydrodynamics for boats is... Pretty bad. Not as bad as planes, but it's still not good. Amphibious vehicles suffer the most from this, and it shouldn't look like someone inexperienced with development implemented such a feature. Currently, the amphibious vehicles drift in the water. Not in a good way, or remotely realistic manner. If you tap left, you will skid violently to the left in the water as if being pushed from the left as if rammed by a tug boat.

- Fixed wing... This topic is heavily disputed, but to put it simple, one of the Dev's considered using JBSim (I think it's called) for the Fixed Winf model. This, I could imagine, was dropped due to either to time, or skepticism, or both. Reality is, it should be that serious to implement a proper system that's not as jacked up as the current flight model. Removing auto rudder and then dropping all progress was the worst thing any developer could do for a game, it looks bad, currently functions like some arcade space game.

•Vehicle's, And General Interaction

- the current interaction is nasty. So much detail goes into vehicles, and not many people even care for the first person view. Some games have vehicles with no interiors at all, that's fine, but Arma has very rich detailed interiors that don't get used. Solution? Bring the TKOH (Take On Helicopters) interaction system to the Arma series. It was entirely too good the be left out of any future games. Here is why. Currently you hop on a vehicle, instantly take off by pressing forward, and you are most likely in third person. It's extremely simple, but depletes some of the effort that goes into the development of a large variety of assets. Using the TKOH interaction menu will force people to go first person in order to start vehicles. This then closes the gap between infantry and Combined arms. Having infantry more involved with how their vehicles operate, makes the entire gameplay of Arma more interesting. Having to start the engine before you take off, or speed off, brings the game to life more, and the entire experience of using vehicles becomes more appreciated and enjoyable. In short, it's boring I simply press a the forward button and everything functions the same. The same could also be used for CDP(common display panels) in vehicles. There could be a switch that you can toggle in first person to change between different functions such as IRNV, Thermal, NV, and regular modes, and in aircraft, it can be changed to either an FLIR camera, or an artificial horizon indicator for example, or list of armament. Making the entire series more interactive, would be a big step in the Arma series as a whole.

•Logistics and Infantry core

- for awhile the Arma series has simply been play, fun in hand, walk, shoot. It's fun with the mechanics Arma is well known for, but it doesn't quite provide a feel of a finished game. My solution to this is a logistics system that is required to allow Infantry to operate in different ways with less need of scripts. For example, infantry should be able to do a couple of things. First is move supplies and objects with and without the help of vehicles. Infantry should be able to transport gear by hand, or put it in/on a vehicle physically, and have it moved. Currently, you have to look in cargo of a box, take its contents out, and painstakingly transfer all of the contents into the unit cargo of another vehicle. This has problems such as possible loss of items and ammo, or even duping glitches. Being able to simply shop a carton of medical, hardware, or weaponry via. Vehicles is a key feature that I believe is missing. I have already proven that transporting goods with the use of vehicles other than zhelicopters is possible. You can check my YouTube demonstration of transportation by sea, which uses a mod made boat that allows the manclass to walk around in while it's stationary, and ACE3 which I only used to pick up items as infantry, and place them on board, by hand. Everything else is completely inscripted, which proves that Physics already strongly supports the ability to move a large variety of objects by using vehicles capable of carrying said physics objects around.

-Infantry are also capable of setting up emplacements in Arma, but at a vastly limited scale. You can set up an HMG/GMG and a few other items, like drones and camera's. But it's all very limited. My suggestion is to expand this part of the game too. Infantry should be able to gather supplies and put them together to form outposts, FOB's, defensive positions, and command centers all in live gameplay. For example, you could have a backpack with poles, and another with a tent fabric, which can come together to form a standing tent that is enterable. There is currently camo tents in game, but are only place able via. Editor and scripts. But the ability to assemble that kind of asset, should be available during gameplay alone. There have also been scripts that allow a screen to display UAV feed. The ability for a recon team for example to set up a hidden tent in a jungle, with a table and screen that they can connect the feed of a UAV to, would be extremely beneficial in a decent amount of scenario's. This is just one example of many set ups that would benefit infantry the most.

•Next Gen Tech to Compliment the Engine and Gameplay

-we are all familiar with Nvidia's technology demonstrations. Before I hit on that note, we'll take a look at the that is already being used. Currently A3 uses SimulWeather TrueSKY, which is a 3rd party weather module that allows for some of the best weather generating technology available. The only sad part about this, is that it's not being used to its full potential. Of course reasons could be we don't need a snow storm in the middle of the Pacific, or because features like mountain range fog and shadows cast from the clouds themselves present issues and even performance drops to gameplay. However, the reason is unknown, and hasn't really be exposed officially. None the less, over time, the use of TSky has been watered downs once its inception into Arma 3, and its script commands blocked in game. While making use of TrueSKY would be great for making the game look good, it would also provide misdeed and the community to access its features for thei content as well, example being actual engine supported snow storms on a mod made Winter maps.

-Now, on to NVidia. Waveworks is a noticeable advancement which provides the absolute most realistic ocean/water capability in a game since its inception to the developers choice. Waveworks provides an amazing amount of detail with minimal performance, depending on how it's implemented. Of course, it adds to the gameplay as much as it does to the visual side of things. For example, a storm passing through an Archipelago would provide tough challenges to a force that depends on water ways to get around. Waves crashing on shore also means less visibility in some cases, and amphibious vehicles would have a tough time either supporting while inserting or during an operation. Waveworks would also solve the nasty looking particle effect issues with vehicles, and crate actual wake. NVidia also likely has solutions for underwater visual improvement as well, but they probably know more on things like that and the water line issue than me. As for other NVidia tech, like Grassworks, I have not seen that used in a game yet, and which they claim it creates dynamic interactive grass on a massive scale while barley touching performance, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole until properly demonstrated in another game. Smoke works on the other hand, could really benefit Arma's effects, and steer us away from the vastly aging circle smoke syndrome that has carried all the way up to A3. It works, but it's also performance heavy and doesn't look good on current engine anymore.

•Sound Engine and Audio Improvement

- I can't say anything on this matter just yet, as BI have been heavily improving the Audio and it appears that the sound may actually get the treatment it has needed for a long time now. In short, the Arma 2 revolver sound actually fit more perfectly in Mini-DayZ than it did in Arma 2. I'll probably update this section sometime after Apex.

•Overcoming General Engine Limitations

- circle fog. The phrase I use to identify the effect visible when your view distance is forced to stay below 1.5K. It's a disgusting Engine limitation that has carried on since the beginning of 3D games really. The visibility limitation in Arma needs to be overcome. I don't know entirely too much about the topic, but I believe a combination of using tech like Sub-Pixel rendering from long distances and new render tech like the ones being developed for DayZ (which claim 100+ FPS in urban areas), are some reasonable strides that have been made to vastly improve performance. I think that Weather should be the only limiting factor to visibility, and would help get rid of that visibility limitation that is holding the game back. Improving the visibility will provide improvements for other gameplay aspects such as infantry play, Fixed and Rotary wing, which is the most used aspect of the game.

These are my current thoughts on what would make Arma 4, at least for a handful of people, more fun, immersive, and enjoyable. The Enfusion engine, which the next generation of BI games are most likely to be developed, has enabled some of these things to be possible, simple example being Players can actually pick up objects like wheels and carry them in. Their hands. Of course, though - decent amount of these things could be expanded upon to make for the next Arma installation an amazing experience, that doesn't get old as quickly as its current games capabilities and limitations. What do you guys think?

[ProfTournesol 956]

- Proper functioning AI we all know the AI is pretty bad, even on a good day it is bad.

 

Who is we ? I never thought the AI was bad, in fact it's so much superior than any other title i know.

[R0adki11 3949]

Who is we ? I never thought the AI was bad, in fact it's so much superior than any other title i know.

The AI was perfectly fine in OFP and has been improved upon since. Show me a game that does AI better?

[calin_banc 19]

That's a big fallacy, Roadkill. You'd probably want a game very similar if not exactly like ArmA as an example, however it doesn't work like that. The AI has to work for the game it's design to work in. You can't make a quite realistic game without an advanced enough AI. You may get away with some of its flaws in games in which the gameplay is designed in such way that overcomes the limitations and you're not forced to work around that with everything you do - at points, even more than focusing on the experience, on the gameplay.

 

PS: And no, it's not perfectly fine even now, far from it. Quite the opposite.

[Ranwer135 308]

What I'd love to see in ArmA 4:

- Frostbite 3

- Better movement controls.

- Better AI. (I have to agree with R0adki11 on this ;) )

- Explosion effects as good as Battlefield 4.

- Snow Maps, including snow vehicles and camos.

- Being able to Jump.

- More script commands to play with. :D

- Built-in Database for persistent servers.

- New weapons and config: CfgMeleeWeapons

- Submarines that can fire torpedoes.

- Tweak to terrain engine, allowing users to easily build caves, underground bases, etc.

- Another MANW competition. (I Wanna rematch!) :P

[PuFu 4600]

What I'd love to see in ArmA 4:

1. Frostbite 3

2. Better movement controls.

3. Better AI. (I have to agree with R0adki11 on this ;) )

4. Explosion effects as good as Battlefield 4.

5. Snow Maps, including snow vehicles and camos.

6. Being able to Jump.

7. More script commands to play with. :D

8. Built-in Database for persistent servers.

9. New weapons and config: CfgMeleeWeapons

10. Submarines that can fire torpedoes.

11. Tweak to terrain engine, allowing users to easily build caves, underground bases, etc.

12. Another MANW competition. (I Wanna rematch!) :P

1. lol one of the worst engines out there, without a sdk anyways

4. apples and pies

5. yes

6. what for?

9. yes

12. bring it on! ;)

[x3kj 1247]

That's a big fallacy, Roadkill. You'd probably want a game very similar if not exactly like ArmA as an example, however it doesn't work like that. The AI has to work for the game it's design to work in. You can't make a quite realistic game without an advanced enough AI.

How's that a fallacy? No other game i know has to deal with the same complex environment. Other shooters use corridor levels with predetermined coverpositions and walkingpathes and that's it. That there are many issues doesnt make it any less advanced or complex compared to the rest.

[calin_banc 19]

You have your answer in that post and in your quote. Let me rephrase it: if my job is to guard something and while it's a simple job, I do it well. There is no need for a guy from special forces to stay guard at the entrance of... don't know, a small warehouse. However, although if a train conductor can do the same job and probably more, if he cannot do what he suppose to do at his workplace properly, he fails in his duties. It doesn't matter the job is more complex, it doesn't matter that no other small time guard duty guy doesn't do what the train conductor does (he's not suppose to and most likely, he's not interested). The 2nd one fails!

 

I don't mind the AI of Half Life 2 is not as complex and capable, because it works in that scenario, I don't experience its limitations in the way I am in ArmA. It doesn't matter the AI in Just Cause 2 is basic, because the gameplay allows to overcome that and doesn't put much emphasis on it. 

 

For the last time: If you cannot do your job properly you fail. It doesn't matter others can't do it as well (it could be because they're not even interested in doing it anyway).

[Ranwer135 308]

I don't mind the AI of Half Life 2 is not as complex and capable, because it works in that scenario, I don't experience its limitations in the way I am in ArmA. It doesn't matter the AI in Just Cause 2 is basic, because the gameplay allows to overcome that and doesn't put much emphasis on it. 

 

 

Aliens: Colonial Marines' xenomorphs are pretty advanced of what they can do (although there are tiny bugs like being stuck in walls, very rare). I guess if they focused upon the AI, we may see better battles than just see every one of them prone or worse.  :P

[AveryTheKitty 2626]

Railguns, exoskeletons, and maybe even vertical tanks. That is all.

[pharoah 65]

I'd love to see:

1. Nam - recreation of the vietnam war ie. large map of South Vietnam, Mekong Delta, highlands. Ability to conduct LRRP missions plus normal S&D as well.

2. Modern day but in the Middle East. Like it or not, I'm sure most players would prefer current day stuff ie. the M16 vs the AK47, not some futuristic sharks with friggin laser beams. Probably based in the middle east or Africa.

3. Africa! The wars in Africa (Anglola, Sth Africa, etc) would be another possibility.

 

What I'd love to see is either modern day or something set in a specific war eg. vietnam, korea, WW2, etc OR current day (Syria, Iraq, etc). We humans love our wars...its 'good for business'.

[tk300 11]

I think the future setting of Arma 3 has spoiled the game a little... i think the people want weapons (as well as vehicles and aircrafts etc) which they are familiar with. The time should be set between WW2 and today (at maximum), but nothing too crazy like space, or 2050 or something.

 

some other thoughts..

 

-More detailed map (instead of going just bigger and bigger)

 as in most missions the battlefield will be limited to a certain area of the map anyways in most cases.

 The variety of buildings should be bigger, it was already a nice step to have every building entre-able, but i think this doesnt have to be, i'd prefer to see a greater variety and bigger buildings even

 

-More gameplay features

  i.e melee combat, even just to increase the modding ability!

  Other ways to overcome obstacles, like jump (but still keeping it realistic).

  At least an animation when you fall down from some heigth!!

  Better ways to take cover, into the direction of GTA5.

  Maybe a possibility to change the style and speed of stances, like from "at ease" -> "stealth" -> "combat" depending on the situation the player could change this manually.

  Or maybe even automaticly, when you have your weapon lowered -> "at ease", if you raise it -> "stealth" and if shots are fired nearby -> "combat",

  because i guess the least ppl do the work of pressing the C and CTRL+W/S to change the stances, its nice though when making videos for sure!

 

Also i think you should revieve the good old Warfare gamemode! Building up your own base, recruiting units, capturing cities to increase your income, thats one of the coolest things ever in this game.

And an AI commander, so you are able to play it even Coop!

[jw custom 56]

Less futuristic, green terrain.

 

Tanoa gonna rock :)

[Oberst Baum 6]

More character personalization like pants,shoes,gloves,tops masks,glasses,insignias on backpacks and helmets etc. 

And some knives

[PuFu 4600]

barbie game for armymen!

[chortles 263]

barbie game for armymen!

This is unironically one thing I look for in a game -- and why I'm eyeing XCOM 2 as well -- sooooo... :D

[Alex150201 894]

 

 

What I'd love to see in ArmA 4:

1. Frostbite 3

2. Better movement controls.

3. Better AI. (I have to agree with R0adki11 on this  ;) )

4. Explosion effects as good as Battlefield 4.

5. Snow Maps, including snow vehicles and camos.

6. Being able to Jump.

7. More script commands to play with.  :D

8. Built-in Database for persistent servers.

9. New weapons and config: CfgMeleeWeapons

10. Submarines that can fire torpedoes.

11. Tweak to terrain engine, allowing users to easily build caves, underground bases, etc.

12. Another MANW competition. (I Wanna rematch!)  :P

1. Nope.

2. They are pretty good, I don't see how they would improve

3. The AI is pretty good aswell though it can be returded sometimes its much better than 90% of other games

4. Hell no.

5. Hell YES!

6. I am sorry but FUCK no, it would become another call of duty where everyone jumps around to avoid bullets.

7. I agree with you I am very passionate about scripting but dont you think we would loose control? Take a look at my friend who made a video about his opinion on 5 most rare to use commands in arma.

8. Sure

9. HELL YAS!

10. EVEN MORE HELL YAS!

11.  Pleaseeee bohemia WE beg you!

12. I missed my entry, I decided to join late in the contest and I didnt get a chance to finish my entry. I would LOVE to see anoter MANW. Hell, if we had a MANW every year that would be the best. Can you imagine the content we'd be getting on top of what we get yearly?

[Ranwer135 308]

 

Some horses in the next ArmA would be great, btw. ;)

[50cent 1]

The Boer War or the Vietnam War would be cool.

a new upgrade in the engine used for example Outera looks really cool.

[chortles 263]

a new upgrade in the engine used for example

Bohemia's got another engine in the works, a merge of Arma's Real Virtuality engine with Take on Mars' Enforce engine called Enfusion currently being implemented in DayZ.

[Merc4tor 2]

Snow, Winter, Snowmobiles, Ski, Arctic, Polar, White, Cold, Frost, Ice, Tundra, Lonley... northern ....... depressing

[jeza 5416]

Snow, Winter, Snowmobiles, Ski, Arctic, Polar, White, Cold, Frost, Ice, Tundra, Lonley... northern ....... depressing

 

I'm with ya.