A request to BIS regarding the ending of ArmA's Campaign

[sberla101 50]

I have always given great importance to ArmA’s Campaigns, that's why i ask you to give explanations regarding the campaign’s ending, maybe doing a mini campaign as it was for Eagle Wing  :P  :D  :lol:  :rolleyes:  (I know it was a alternative time-line), no, no kidding i think many ArmA’s players would like know what happens after the mission "Status Quo", mission that i consider the true ending of ArmA

 

Excuse me for my English

 

“i know perhaps i ask too much†:P 

[inlesco 233]

A3 Campaign's ending was a typical Hollywood-esque cliffhanger to keep the audience hooked and waiting for more.

 

In fact, considering Arma's genre (mil-sim), an RPG-like ending with elaborate explanations is out of question.

[Wiki 1558]

What I wonder is: will we play with Kerry again in Tanoa?

At the end of status quo, they call him back because they have a situation.

Maybe it's in Tanoa and they send him over there?

[IndeedPete 1038]

In fact, considering Arma's genre (mil-sim), an RPG-like ending with elaborate explanations is out of question.

 

And why's that? Why should a MilSim and a good story exclude each other? I realise, it is quite hard to tell decent stories without losing mission design possibilities. But it should be possible for BI to tell an interesting if not outstanding story while delivering the military gameplay experience many people wish for. Let's hope they find a good way to conclude what they started with the East Wind. I'm hoping for more gameplay variety and a satisfying ending. I also don't care if it'll take some extra time after release again. I just hope we won't see another rushed and (compared to the other chapters) somewhat lame "Win" episode.

[drebin052 323]

What I wonder is: will we play with Kerry again in Tanoa?

At the end of status quo, they call him back because they have a situation.

Maybe it's in Tanoa and they send him over there?

 

I doubt we'll be playing as Kerry again. His part in the storyline has been pretty much wrapped up, and considering what he went through I doubt he would be eager to go on another extended deployment once more.

 

Miller on the other hand...  B)

[2nd ranger 282]

What I wonder is: will we play with Kerry again in Tanoa?

At the end of status quo, they call him back because they have a situation.

Maybe it's in Tanoa and they send him over there?

 

THE GENERAL: "Kerry, we've got a situation in Tanoa! The Chinese have invaded, and they're stealing all the mineral wealth, killing civilians at random and poisoning the water supply! The President called and told me to send my best man, so naturally I chose you, a twentysomething asshole who's been a sergeant for five minutes. Your plane's here, get moving soldier!"

KERRY: What the literal fuck!?

 

I sincerely doubt it. Also, Kerry sucks and I hope he's dead.

[inlesco 233]

And why's that? Why should a MilSim and a good story exclude each other? I realise, it is quite hard to tell decent stories without losing mission design possibilities. But it should be possible for BI to tell an interesting if not outstanding story while delivering the military gameplay experience many people wish for. Let's hope they find a good way to conclude what they started with the East Wind. I'm hoping for more gameplay variety and a satisfying ending. I also don't care if it'll take some extra time after release again. I just hope we won't see another rushed and (compared to the other chapters) somewhat lame "Win" episode.

While I completely agree 'Win' ep. was a huge letdown compared to the first two, taking high risks by focusing on a multi-path and dynamic storyline in a mil-sim game is... not the brightest idea, unless you're capable of marketing your strong points of the story very well. BIS never hires studios to make epic military action CGIs or something and all Arma 3 have been, so far... quite underwhelming... so, you get the idea.

 

In fact, I loved OFP's story, although it wasn't as personal as Kerry's because we didn't know shit about OFP story character's pasts, thoughts, etc., except for the very solid Resistance expansion :).

 

Hopefully, BIS will return to its storytelling glory. Even without lots of linear paths and incredible setpieces that cost dev time, it's still possible in this day. You just have to give it your best shot and hone the craft.

 

The craft of minimalism, so to say. Scene complexity, of course, is always a nice thing to have. Look at GTA5 - 90% of its locations are gorgeous, 50% - unique. :D

[2nd ranger 282]

Hopefully, BIS will return to its storytelling glory.

 

 

I'm perfectly happy to be proven wrong on this, but I've always suspected that Codemasters had alot more to do with the OFP campaigns than anyone is willing to admit.

[IndeedPete 1038]

They don't need to do another Mass Effect or Witcher, complex storylines like these are certainly out of scope. It would be fine for me if they'd stick to a Tom Clancy level of standard action-thriller stories. My problem with the earlier campaigns were flat and boring characters mostly, such as Kerry, or the Operation Arrowhead guy(s). BI actually made a nice move with adding that simple multiple choice system in Arma 2. It's sad that it was not developed further in later parts of the Arma series. Especially the hub missions in the East Wind campaign could have been used to bring more light into the different characters' backgrounds as well as more detailed information on the relationship between NATO and the AAF by adding small optional conversations with Miller, James, and the other survivors.

[inlesco 233]

I'm perfectly happy to be proven wrong on this, but I've always suspected that Codemasters had alot more to do with the OFP campaigns than anyone is willing to admit.

Codemasters had made Red Hammer campaing, which I think, had its moments, though, in military terms, being way too off. But who gives a shit... People enjoyed playing for Russians for a change.

 

 

They don't need to do another Mass Effect or Witcher, complex storylines like these are certainly out of scope. It would be fine for me if they'd stick to a Tom Clancy level of standard action-thriller stories. My problem with the earlier campaigns were flat and boring characters mostly, such as Kerry, or the Operation Arrowhead guy(s). BI actually made a nice move with adding that simple multiple choice system in Arma 2. It's sad that it was not developed further in later parts of the Arma series. Especially the hub missions in the East Wind campaign could have been used to bring more light into the different characters' backgrounds as well as more detailed information on the relationship between NATO and the AAF by adding small optional conversations with Miller, James, and the other survivors.

Agreed. Also, some opposition 'out of nowhere', some people who found out Kerry is one of the few survivors and don't believe his background. They approach him at the tense moments asking stuff, stand in his way, etc.

 

Some goddamn simple drama was needed to create an inner conflict to the point many soldiers no longer trust each other, but still have to operate like a single glued unit. Also, things like terror, suicide, sacrifice for no reason, unprecedented losses, civilian casualties, etc. should've been touched to create immersion and a feel of desperation on both sides.

 

I've got a .doc file with all the PROs and CONs laid out for East Wind camp. Could post it somebody for public ;) I really liked analyzing stuff BIS made. In fact, one of the flaws was no recognition of a hostile authority, no sense of actual danger coming from CSAT other than their presence in the field.

 

A general-gone-insane could've been too cliche, but there are other ways to handle this.

[AveryTheKitty 2626]

What I wonder is: will we play with Kerry again in Tanoa?

At the end of status quo, they call him back because they have a situation.

Maybe it's in Tanoa and they send him over there?

I don't know if this means anything, but when I played that ending, after Crossroads said "We have a situation" I heard a few explosions in the distance. I was using JSRS at the time.

[Wiki 1558]

THE GENERAL: "Kerry, we've got a situation in Tanoa! The Chinese have invaded, and they're stealing all the mineral wealth, killing civilians at random and poisoning the water supply! The President called and told me to send my best man, so naturally I chose you, a twentysomething asshole who's been a sergeant for five minutes. Your plane's here, get moving soldier!"

KERRY: What the literal fuck!?

 

I sincerely doubt it. Also, Kerry sucks and I hope he's dead.

Well, it was not Kerry in particular, but as the situation in Altis is now handled, they might need available troops and deploy a whole new TF in Tanoa - not Kerry specifically.

[Varanon 892]

In fact, I loved OFP's story, although it wasn't as personal as Kerry's because we didn't know shit about OFP story character's pasts, thoughts, etc., except for the very solid Resistance expansion :).

 

How much do we know of Kerry ? Except that he's a somewhat whiney diva ?  ;)

(In fact, how much do we know of anything in the campaign, CSAT, AAF, what have you, all somewhat blurred)

 

Honestly, I still don't understand why a mil-sim should not have an ending that explains itself ? Unless a continuation of the storyline is planned for the expansion, I wonder why it wasn't possible to explain what was happening. There's so many questions unanswered (who is Miller, what is the device that you see in the end, etc). I don't see why it should not be possible to tie up lose ends and give a satisfactory closure to the whole.

 

Storytelling is independent from it's medium. Sure, you can do some things in one medium that you can't do in others, but in essence, you can tell a story anywhere, and you don't need to be an RPG for that.

[war_lord 934]

Hopefully Tanoa's campaign returns to multiple character perspectives, Kerry was bland and his level of participation in everything in the war stretched suspension of disbelief. Also they need to invest in some better actors, some of the performances were pretty bad.

Miller was in command of a British black ops unit called the Combat Research and Development Group, or at least its Altis team. Judging by the name it's the future British equivalent of real life USSOCOM units Delta and DEVGRU. They were sent in to Altis after the British security forces left to retrieve the device. Said device is implied to be the reason for CSAT's sudden interest in annexing Altis. It's heavily implied by the ending where you bring the device to Miller that he did something that triggered the invasion in order to learn the location of the device. The device  is an Earthquake machine.         

 

[inlesco 233]

How much do we know of Kerry ? Except that he's a somewhat whiney diva ?  ;)

(In fact, how much do we know of anything in the campaign, CSAT, AAF, what have you, all somewhat blurred)

 

Honestly, I still don't understand why a mil-sim should not have an ending that explains itself ? Unless a continuation of the storyline is planned for the expansion, I wonder why it wasn't possible to explain what was happening. There's so many questions unanswered (who is Miller, what is the device that you see in the end, etc). I don't see why it should not be possible to tie up lose ends and give a satisfactory closure to the whole.

 

Storytelling is independent from it's medium. Sure, you can do some things in one medium that you can't do in others, but in essence, you can tell a story anywhere, and you don't need to be an RPG for that.

Well said, Varanon ;)

 

However, we must understand everything comes down to the resources at-hand. Achieving the perfect combination of variety - action, calm moments, introductions, etc. - is the most difficult task I think. Whatever type of story (more personal or a large-scale operation sim) you've got at hand, you have to reshape it, adjust it to the standards of the current industry trends.

 

I always wondered what was the budget of A3 development and how it compares to other titles (FPS, RPG, etc. genres).

 

Speaking of Kerry and all the subjects in action, yeah... We don't know shit about them. But the question is - how many players, statistically speaking, end a game or reach its halfway or... care about these little stories, details, especially considering mil-sim niche market?

If the stats are underwhelming, no need to invest in this. 

 

I found Kerry and all the other military personnel, mostly, walking cliches. The unidentified mysterious unexplained device and the earthquakes seemed like... cheap plot devices. Which are, unsurprisingly, very frequent in video game stories.

 

What do you think, Varanon?

 

P.S. Of course, A3 is no longer a niche game because of its sandbox gameplay that allows other genres to be born.