VBS3 snow... in ARMA 3?!?!?

[oktyabr 12]

BEFORE you say it's "impossible", watch the video!!!!

I wouldn't had even thought it realistically possible if I hadn't seen the video. Could we please have similar snow FX for ARMA3? This would vastly improve the game for players, map makers and mission creators. And probably wouldn't hurt sales either.

"This video highlights the new procedural snow technology in VBS3. Snow layers are defined using rulesets and rendered at run-time. Snow has depth and affects the simulation of units and vehicles. New fog and snow fall effects are included."

Vote UP in the feedback tracker here: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=16735

[Nicholas 5]

Do we really need a "VBS3 has this, it should be in ArmA 3!!" thread?

[tinemem 11]

yes we do

[oktyabr 12]

If it's *possible* in VBS then it should certainly be possible in ARMA. If it's possible then it should be a worthy topic for discussion (and voting!) in General! :)

[2nd ranger 282]

Realistically, this isn't something BIS is going to pursue. The game is currently set in the mediterranean. If the setting was some place cold where snow was more regular, there might be some merit in a feature like this. Currently, there just isn't. Personally I'd love to see some sort of Alaskan terrain in future. Or even another Chernarus-like place where it might snow enough to warrant such effects.

[MissionCreep 12]

Realistically, this isn't something BIS is going to pursue. The game is currently set in the mediterranean. If the setting was some place cold where snow was more regular, there might be some merit in a feature like this. Currently, there just isn't. Personally I'd love to see some sort of Alaskan terrain in future. Or even another Chernarus-like place where it might snow enough to warrant such effects.

When people are sick of Altis, they may want to fight somewhere else - like Namalsk ... or Staszow or Baranow or Panovo or Ivachec. Imagine adding a snowstorm to a battle in Iron Front 1944 (now playable in Arma 3). How about having Namalsk covered in snow in DayZ between the months of December and March? I wonder if you would be able to track enemies across the snow? The possibilities are endless.

Edited January 2, 2014 by MissionCreep

[oktyabr 12]

Realistically, this isn't something BIS is going to pursue. The game is currently set in the mediterranean. If the setting was some place cold where snow was more regular, there might be some merit in a feature like this. Currently, there just isn't. Personally I'd love to see some sort of Alaskan terrain in future. Or even another Chernarus-like place where it might snow enough to warrant such effects.

We already have user made maps for A3 based in Denmark and one that is still pre-release in Finland. The ARMA series of games have *never* been limited to a single geographical region or climate. Chernarus was certainly northern enough to see snow (imagine DayZ in a blizzard!) and there was the excellent Thirsk"W" version too, still one of my favorites... And btw, did you know it even snows in Greece on occasion? ;) Hell, it just snowed in EGYPT! This is supposedly set in 2035. If climate change continues to provide dramatic events like snow on the pyramids today... maybe we'll really be seeing half meter snow drifts on "Altis" in another 20 years?

I'd love to fight the battle of Ardennes via Iron Front + Arma 3 + All-In-Arma with REAL snow! I bet I could even get my BF4 and COD buddies to buy into it for something like that.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Oktyabr

[2nd ranger 282]

Yes I did know that. But not enough to make it worthwhile to implement this feature. Also, BIS isn't going to add advanced snow features because there are some user-made islands set in cold places.

[MissionCreep 12]

We already have user made maps for A3 based in Denmark and one that is still pre-release in Finland. The ARMA series of games have *never* been limited to a single geographical region or climate. And btw, did you know it even snows in Greece on occasion? ;)

Nice ... but looking at the video, it would be nice to have snowfall too! A Finnish Army Mod circa 1939 + Winterized Red Army would be an amazing addition to Iron Front 1944.

Yes I did know that. But not enough to make it worthwhile to implement this feature. Also, BIS isn't going to add advanced snow features because there are some user-made islands set in cold places.

The earth's 2 biggest weapons makers and competitors face each other in a cold place - the Bearing Sea.

Edited January 2, 2014 by MissionCreep

[taumargin 13]

Looks awesome. Would love to see this in Arma 3 for the community maps.

[oktyabr 12]

Yes I did know that. But not enough to make it worthwhile to implement this feature. Also, BIS isn't going to add advanced snow features because there are some user-made islands set in cold places.

That's the *last* reason they should want to add snow.

We are playing a "sandbox", supposedly the most realistic, versatile of it's kind. Snow *belongs* in this game, whether the current maps are appropriate or not. The fact that BI has *already* implemented it in VBS3 says that's it's possible. Most of the hard work is already done. Just need to make the case that we on the "gaming" side of things would appreciate this too. Hell, I'd pay extra $$$ for this functionality and since it would be the first sandbox shooter of it's kind to have such a feature I bet a lot of other people would too ;)

---------- Post added at 03:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 PM ----------

And the more I think about it the more I wonder just how unappropriate this might be for Mediterranean islands... in 2035. It could even be a twist on the plot line... "climate change"!!! I'd even bet that's the big reason it's being added to VBS. Cue in some stock video footage of cars sliding off the snow covered streets in Cairo, snowball fights in Syria...

[NeuroFunker 11]

we have 2 darn years ahead, of BI supporting arma 3. You can guess, sooner or later we will get some goodies, maybe snow will be among them. But sorry, imo pointless thread mate.

[2nd ranger 282]

I'm sorry, but "it's a sandbox" and "VBS did it" does not mean feature X has any chance of being in A3. We already know how tight resources are for BIS at the moment. If a feature does not directly benefit the vanilla game, it will not be implemented. Also, VBS is made by a totally different studio.

[Degman 73]

Do we really need a "VBS3 has this, it should be in ArmA 3!!" thread?

Do we really need people who doesn't support improvement of Arma 3 ?

[2nd ranger 282]

There are plenty of things that are in DayZ and VBS that would be great to have in A3. The problem is that most people can't seem to differentiate between something that they personally think is kind of cool and something that might actually have a chance of being included.

[oktyabr 12]

I'm sorry, but "it's a sandbox" and "VBS did it" does not mean feature X has any chance of being in A3.

Does not mean feature X DOESN'T have any chance of being in A3/4 either.

We already know how tight resources are for BIS at the moment. If a feature does not directly benefit the vanilla game, it will not be implemented.

And popping in a feature *no other game* can brag about is not a potential feature for future sales how, exactly?

Also, VBS is made by a totally different studio.

Uhmmm.... Yeah, right. I'll just leave this right here ;) http://products.bisimulations.com/vbs3-future-virtual-battlespace

[adumb 0]

yes we do

No, 'we' do not.

Uhmmm.... Yeah, right. I'll just leave this right here ;) http://products.bisimulations.com/vbs3-future-virtual-battlespace

Having worked for them for over 5 years, I can a sure you, It's two totally different companies.

[oktyabr 12]

Do we really need people who doesn't support improvement of Arma 3 ?

^^^^ What he said.

[adumb 0]

^^^^ What he said.

And what have you done to help improve ArmA?

[2nd ranger 282]

And popping in a feature *no other game* can brag about is not a potential feature for future sales how, exactly?

Neither one of us was talking about future sales, so I'm not sure why you even said that. Your initial post was asking for this to be added to Arma 3. Here you also seem to demonstrate a lack of understanding of how difficult it would be to include this feature. I don't think they can just 'pop' it in.

Uhmmm.... Yeah, right. I'll just leave this right here ;) http://products.bisimulations.com/vbs3-future-virtual-battlespace

FPDR

Yes. They're different studios. Bohemia Interactive and Bohemia Interactive Simulations.

Anyway, I'd love to see a feature like this in the game. I just don't think it will happen, and it would be better to focus on something that might actually be included, for example improved rain/wetness effects. I really hope I'm wrong and the BIS environment guys don't have anything better to do. But I think they're probably hard at work. Making things for their mediterranean island. Where snow is not a likely event and thus not a priority.

Edited January 2, 2014 by 2nd Ranger

[oktyabr 12]

You have the post count to know how related the two engines (and studios) are... or at least you *should*. What's your horse in this race? If you don't have anything positive to contribute why are you posting at all? How would such an implementation affect you and your desires? That would be a more meaningful post, in my humble opinion.

[Nicholas 5]

Do we really need people who doesn't support improvement of Arma 3 ?

I definitely support the improvement of ArmA 3 and every other game made by BIS, which is why I've bought the supporter editions of Carrier Command, ArmA 3, Take On Mars, and DayZ. And why I've also recently given away a couple of games. I also support them by buying games on both the BI Store and Steam when I can. I've purchased pretty much everything they've created at least twice. Don't tell me I'm not a supporter of them.

We just don't need useless features added to a game that needs some major improvements before adding anything as massive as this.

You have the post count to know how related the two engines (and studios) are... or at least you *should*. What's your horse in this race? If you don't have anything positive to contribute why are you posting at all? How would such an implementation affect you and your desires? That would be a more meaningful post, in my humble opinion.

I've mentioned it before in another thread that Bohemia Interactive and Bohemia Interactive Simulations are two separate studios with separate CEO's and goals. Even a developer has stated this same thing.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Nicholas

[[aps]gnat 28]

Old, been discussed/proofed already.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?109702-VBS2-Discussion-thread-the-one-and-only&p=2575492&highlight=snow#post2575492

[oktyabr 12]

Neither one of us was talking about future sales, so I'm not sure why you even said that.

You said "If a feature does not directly benefit the vanilla game, it will not be implemented." I cannot imagine how such a feature would *not* benefit the "vanilla game", which isn't even a completed product yet. Future sales motivates most business' in the direction of their development.

Anyway, I'd love to see a feature like this in the game. I just don't think it will happen, and it would be better to focus on something that might actually be included, for example improved rain/wetness effects. I really hope I'm wrong and the BIS environment guys don't have anything better to do.

Did it ever occur to you that two might might not be so unrelated? There is a LOT under the cover of this "game" that is yet to be refined and utilized. See one of the threads on TrueWeather if you haven't already. Again, the proof of concept is in that video. And it seems to work. We can argue about what "totally different" means until the sun goes down but the the fact is that VBS and ARMA are more alike than they are different. The point I was trying to make in my first post stands.

But I think they're probably hard at work. Making things for their mediterranean island. Where snow is not a likely event and thus not a priority.

Again, "not a likely event"? When? You mean right now? It snowed in Egypt this last winter. Are you so sure of the climate in 2035? If they really want to set their game in a realistic future snow, even in Greece, is something they might want to consider... not that anyone thinks two Mediterranean islands are the main attraction of Arma 3.

---------- Post added at 04:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:05 PM ----------

Gnat;2591013']Old' date=' been discussed/proofed already.

[url']http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?109702-VBS2-Discussion-thread-the-one-and-only&p=2575492&highlight=snow#post2575492[/url]

Thanks Gnat! A useful link indeed.

From that thread:

For the record, VBS3 is not directly based on the Arma3 engine. We branched following Arma2, and now we bring tech across as we need it. We still work fairly closely with the game team but military requirements continuously take VBS away from the Arma engine. Every now and then tech goes the other way, for example the thermal model in Arma is based upon the VBS implementation.

The new snow tech was built for the Swedes, because apparently they have a lot of snow. It was going to be an offline implementation (i.e. convert a terrain to be snowy), but the programmers figured out how to do it all at runtime using shader magic. We're quite proud of it. Lakes and rivers will freeze as well. Snow + biotopes allow us to build a single terrain for all four seasons.

[Nicholas 5]

The thermal model is probably the only tech that was shared, besides base engine improvements and a few models. The companies aren't really that close, Oktyabr.