Bohemia SDK out yet?

[vagabond985 0]

Hi guys, I'm just wondering if Bohemia interactive had officially released their SDK already or any type of official tools used for addon making. The reason I am asking is because it's seems like the majority of people here, are only doing re-skin, re-texturing and porting various things from the previous games to this new build. I was wondering why is that and thought maybe the tools needed for a completely fresh creation aren't there yet. Even tho I've seen some nice stuff already being done by few modders.

Anyways, I've absolutely no experience in addon making but the lack of it at the moment making me want to start to venture in that direction. Ideas, certainly something I have in abundance, just need help in getting started.

Edited September 11, 2013 by vagabond985

[giorgygr 61]

No..not yet.

Every non-BI's model you see here is created with this version build for ArmA2

You can start practicing on those until the new tools will be available.

I don't believe you will see much difference.

[vagabond985 0]

No..not yet.

Every non-BI's model you see here is created with this version build for ArmA2

You can start practicing on those until the new tools will be available.

I don't believe you will see much difference.

Do you know what's they latest word regarding that? If this is the case, I'd rather wait then and just practice modeling with maya and 3d max.

[STALKERGB 6]

Do you know what's they latest word regarding that? If this is the case, I'd rather wait then and just practice modeling with maya and 3d max.

Depends what you are making tbh, like I've found that using the ARMA2:OA tools I've had no issues creating a full compatible (as far as I'm aware anyway lol) infantry mod (created mainly in modo). I;d imagine it's similar for vehicles if you have the right references for models.

I'd imagine the biggest difference would be for world builders but I've have literally no experience with that so cant really comment.

[vagabond985 0]

Depends what you are making tbh, like I've found that using the ARMA2:OA tools I've had no issues creating a full compatible (as far as I'm aware anyway lol) infantry mod (created mainly in modo). I;d imagine it's similar for vehicles if you have the right references for models.

I'd imagine the biggest difference would be for world builders but I've have literally no experience with that so cant really comment.

I want my first project to be a crown vic lol. There's already some for A2 but I want a brand new one for A3 with believable texture and correct shading. I'll probably go for an unmarked cruiser, will save me time from police marking design. I'll make that and a Tahoe. But I want those to be exclusively used only for Nato military police or air base patrol, would make more sense. There's plenty of references out there for those tow so shouldn't be that hard.

When I actually get those done, I'll go for more accurate Greek cruisers, complete with a variety of authentic police officers model and gear. Law enforcement isn't gonna be my focus tho. I mainly want to focus on special forces and helicopters :)

Like I said, I'm a total noob with no experience. There's a huge learning curve up ahead and what I just said here ain't to be expected anytime soon. I was just looking for reconfort in knowing the tool needed for my vague imagination were somehow already on the table. Seems like not but it's ok.

Edited September 11, 2013 by vagabond985

[da12thMonkey 1943]

The reason I am asking is because it's seems like the majority of people here, are only doing re-skin, re-texturing and porting various things from the previous games to this new build. I was wondering why is that

The same was true of the types of addons that came out in the first few months after Arma 1 and 2 came out.

There are a lot of reskins because it's quick and very easy to do now (setobjecttexture works on most things). A lot of new people seem to be trying reskinning as a first introduction into modding for Arma 3 - which bulks up the numbers somewhat.

Porting forward old projects is also fairly easy for established addonmakers to do, and gives people stuff to play with in the interim before authors start on finalising completely new projects for Arma 3. It also allows us to test and research the implementation of new Arma 3 features without waiting for new projects to mature more fully.

Making good quality 3D assets from scratch usually takes a long time unless you have a lot of free time (not many people do); which is why not a lot of it has been released yet. However, there are plenty of people working on new stuff using the old tools, and in some cases people are learning to use commercial software to enhance the quality of their addons over what they did for Arma 2.

The only thing I'm aware of that you can't do with the Arma 2 tools is binarize addons that use particular features introduced in Arma 3, like PhysX on vehicles (a new version of binPBO is needed to encode this data into the .p3d). However, that's not really much of a hindrance to the peoples ability to develop new content and test it themselves, since you can elect not to binarize models. It might have an impact on the suitability of projects for releasing publicly (not binarizing makes the file size larger and less secure) but I'm yet to hear of anybody say they're at a stage in their project where they're holding back a release just because they can't binarize properly.

I'd say most authors here are still just sinking time into their projects without any major barriers (other than limited free time) but they're still a way off hitting a release date in many cases. Hopefully the release of updated tools from BIS will coincide with several authors finalising their projects and preping them for public release, since both will probably still take a bit of time.

There are a lot of really interesting script addons already being released for Arma 3 though - I don't remember this many appearing for Arma 2 until quite late on after release.

[vagabond985 0]

Alright thanks for the insight. One last question, do you remember how long it took them to release the tools on the previous installment?

I guess I should follow the advice of the experienced by going ahead with practicing with the current tools.

[da12thMonkey 1943]

For Arma 1 it took over a year IIRC (BI Tools). But it was only ~2-3 months in the case of Arma 2 (BI Tools 2).

They were updated for Operation Arrowhead almost instantly though (BI Tools 2.5).

[Jackal326 1181]

For Arma 1 it took over a year IIRC (BI Tools). But it was only ~2-3 months in the case of Arma 2 (BI Tools 2).

They were updated for Operation Arrowhead almost instantly though (BI Tools 2.5).

And the original OFP it took over a year (almost two years I think) of people hex-editing and hacking the crap out of the P3D file format and using tools like P3D2OBJ and OBJ2P3D to edit existing models (no new models allowed, the edits had to contain the exact same number of vertices etc as the "original model"). Those were the days...

[da12thMonkey 1943]

Hah. That was a little bit before my time (even though it feels like I've been here forever), but I can certainly remember some of the old-timers at UKF etc. telling me how easy we now had it in the years after I joined. :D

We are lucky nowadays, but I suppose the obstacles to modding in those early days is counterbalanced a little by the sheer amount of work it takes to create all the various features that are necessary for an Arma 3 standard addon today. In terms of the need for doing high-poly to low poly, creating materials, animations, additional LODs and config parameters for things like PhysX and the load-carriage system - the work-load has increased rather a lot.

[Darkhorse 1-6 16]

Hopefully it won't take too long this time around. I think I remember reading a Dev comment somewhere saying Oxygen will come shortly after the release but that Visitor will take longer, which is a bit annoying for my terrain work, but oh well. Now, if they don't provide us with the updated tools we oh so desperately need, I think people might riot, so we should definitely see them in the next 6 months or so. (Hopefully much, much sooner.)

[vagabond985 0]

And the original OFP it took over a year (almost two years I think) of people hex-editing and hacking the crap out of the P3D file format and using tools like P3D2OBJ and OBJ2P3D to edit existing models (no new models allowed, the edits had to contain the exact same number of vertices etc as the "original model"). Those were the days...

Well if this is the case, i guess we can all say that the original serie wasn't really made with mods in mind? Considering the fact that it became one of it's selling and recognition point later in time. I myself bought the original OFP a few days after it release and only came to realization that there were mods for it a few years later. i didn't have Internet in those days but i guess i didn't miss much from the moment of discovering that haha.

Oh well, I'm now confident in saying that the modding community is what really made this company stand out and last long in this industry and this genre sector, pretty much untouched.

[vagabond985 0]

Been away for a while. So did Bohemia have said anything considering this topic lately?

[mistyronin 1181]

Been away for a while. So did Bohemia have said anything considering this topic lately?

Yes, read the last SITREP, it's all about it.

[LykosMactire 298]

they claimed they are putting finishing touches on them right now, so very soon

[theevancat 277]

Apparently they're on Steam Tools as well, like the Source SDK.

[PuFu 4600]

Still no eta, but a rough estimate

We are trying to make it as soon as possible, it makes some sense to have them still in the Adapt part, hopefully before the release of second part of campaign :icon_twisted:

[chortles 263]

Which in turn suggests December, the ETA given for the second part of the campaign.

[vagabond985 0]

Alright, awesomeness :) Thanks for the heads up guys.

[archbishop lazarus 24]

Judging from the "quality" of the game, BI$ will definitely release the tools as soon as possible, since they want the community to finish their product...