VBS2/3 Discussion thread - the one and only

[froggyluv 2136]

Full PhysX implementation is the best way for many of these features to be implemented. And you have to go the whole way to do it right. E.g. the only reason the tank can destruct the building is because both the tank and building are simulated using PhysX.

PhysX does allow differentials to be simulated to a high degree of fidelity. PhysX is really awesome :)

I've been critical in the past but lead me away yet again Pied Piper!

[progamer 14]

I've been critical in the past but lead me away yet again Pied Piper!

Arma 3 doesn't fully use Physx in it's engine yet. We need better Physx support at the engine level. Or at least I think that is the case.

Edited December 12, 2013 by ProGamer

[Maio 293]

[ProfTournesol 956]

Flock of birds and Advanced water simulation (=rivers) ? Awesome....

[barakokula31 10]

VBS3, y u so perfect?????

[maturin 12]

Isn't that ArmA 3's fog?

And if it is, can we please stop hearing about how srsly u guyz, BIS and BIA are totes different companies that have nothing to do with each other and it's totally wrong to ask for features that already work in VBS.

[Smurf 12]

That is impressive.

BIS and BIA are going head to head now?

[pauliesss 2]

The water simulation(rivers) looks amazing.

[goldenfiver 11]

amazing, how big is their staff? BI should learn....

Edited December 13, 2013 by goldenfiver

[Make Love Not War 10]

That is impressive. BIS and BIA are going head to head now?

If so, VBS has my undivided attention; they are this >< close to getting my money. I'm not sure what the limitations of the simulator's personal edition are going to be, but both as a gamer and an aspiring modder it makes a lot more sense for me to invest, say, $250 into a sim and company that is pushing the tech forward and seems to be in-touch with its (potential) users' wants and needs, rather than spending $30 (a fraction of the money) upfront but then wasting countless hours and massive amounts of psychological capital on trying to wrestle with an extremely limiting SDK (calling SQF and its attendant tools that for lack of a better term). Watching especially this last vid makes me weep for Arma.

[noubernou 77]

Isn't that ArmA 3's fog?

And if it is, can we please stop hearing about how srsly u guyz, BIS and BIA are totes different companies that have nothing to do with each other and it's totally wrong to ask for features that already work in VBS.

It is not that BIS can't do it, obviously the engine got to the state it is in VBS3 from the RV engine originally... It is just BISim has different resources and time frames to work in. Also a lot of the code is based on contracts with specific clients that are fronting the money to do this stuff. Some of it is capital investment by BISim and their partners, but a lot of it is XYZ military/organization saying "hey, we want this, can you do it, we have money!" (though often not that simple).

Also the only thing in there that was really improved upon RV is some of the HDR stuff, some nicer reflections on water surfaces, and flowing water simulation. The rest can be done in A3 already.

[snYpir 0]

BIS and BISim are still very close. However, these companies have entirely different business models. BIS builds a game, releases it, and builds the next game. BISim is funded by clients to continuously improve VBS for training. Snow is a good example - it only exists in VBS because the Swedes helped pay for it. Likewise the USMC wanted physics-based destructible buildings. We build it, roll it into the baseline, and move onto the next development.

The graphics improvement was funded internally because unfortunately there is a perception that without nice graphics an engine is obsolete. Good graphics are not necessarily required for good training. Good graphics aren't even necessary for a good game, e.g. Minecraft. FTL. Insert a zillion other examples. Immersion comes from gameplay, not from graphics. However, certain aspects, like supporting highly complex 3D models or forcing the engine to render certain or large objects at a far distance, are graphical aspects that do matter for training.

BIS is very committed to the Arma community and I hope they plan to add further improvements to keep the community engaged (noting that I don't speak for BIS - I am not privy to their plans). As I said previously, the thermal implementation in Arma was from VBS, and you may or may not see other technology ported across in the future. Please note that we are not waving this technology in front of the nose of the Arma community just for fun. We hope that our VBS clients see these videos and buy more licenses of VBS! If you want to see certain features in Arma, then make a noise and let BIS know :)

Regarding our size, we are about 150 employees now and growing pretty fast.

[barakokula31 10]

Regarding our size, we are about 150 employees now and growing pretty fast.

And BIS is around 70, right?

[ProfTournesol 956]

If you want to see certain features in Arma, then make a noise and let BIS know :)

Making noise is something we're fond of :lookaround:

[snYpir 0]

And BIS is around 70, right?

Don't know - they scale up and down depending on the number of projects.

[Maio 293]

And BIS is around 70, right?

The team that worked on Arma 3 consisted of about 70 people.

[noubernou 77]

Regarding our size, we are about 150 employees now and growing pretty fast.

Is that across all fields and branches?

As far as I have heard the people touching the RV source is a lot lower than that, most are designers/modelers.

[snYpir 0]

Is that across all fields and branches?

As far as I have heard the people touching the RV source is a lot lower than that, most are designers/modelers.

Over 100 developers in total working on VBS and related projects. This includes artists, designers, programmers and testers in our three main development studios - Prague, Orlando and Farnborough. Of these, over 20 are programmers working on the RV engine (we have a bunch more programmers working on plug-in development, especially in the Orlando office).

[noubernou 77]

Over 100 developers in total working on VBS and related projects. This includes artists, designers, programmers and testers in our three main development studios - Prague, Orlando and Farnborough. Of these, over 20 are programmers working on the RV engine (we have a bunch more programmers working on plug-in development, especially in the Orlando office).

Hrmm well if you guys decide to ever open any offices not in Florida or CZ (though England sounds tempting) I'd totally work for you guys. Florida is just a deal breaker for the US offices though. *shudder* I know its located close to everything but... Yah. I like having seasons and the other niceties of a more northern climate. ;)

*calls his senators to try and lobby for reallocating simulation center funding to JBLM*

[Smurf 12]

All that was very informative, thank you.

[papanowel 120]

Hopefully we will have rivers and trench in Arma 3 ;)

This video is outstanding.

[snYpir 0]

Hopefully we will have rivers and trench in Arma 3 ;)

This video is outstanding.

You actually just reminded me. Trench/underground tech in VBS is also kind of cool. I just uploaded an old video I made showing how it works. Maybe someone already modded it into Arma, I have no idea.

[instagoat 133]

This is seriously Crysis level graphics by now. The amount of fidelity this simulation is getting compared to a AAA title is frustrating. I wonder how well the implementation really is done, because if they`ve not used shortcuts and accepted bugs (re VBS shooting from vehicles with its clipping issues and all of that.), then this really is ahead of arma 3 by a long nose.

Edited December 13, 2013 by InstaGoat

[Make Love Not War 10]

Hrmm well if you guys decide to ever open any offices not in Florida or CZ (though England sounds tempting) I'd totally work for you guys. Florida is just a deal breaker for the US offices though. *shudder* I know its located close to everything but... Yah. I like having seasons and the other niceties of a more northern climate. ;)

Climate is the deal breaker? Try the fact that Florida is FLat... so very, very flat. And a swamp. Also, you want seasons but don't mind England? :P

You actually just reminded me. Trench/underground tech in VBS is also kind of cool. I just uploaded an old video I made showing how it works...

OK, I think it's more than fair to say that now you are officially teasing us! Not that I'm complaining; these videos are sexy enough that I actually don't mind watching even if I can't touch. :)

Edited December 13, 2013 by Make Love Not War

[noubernou 77]

Climate is the deal breaker? Try the fact that Florida is FLat... so very, very flat. And a swamp. Also, you want seasons but don't mind England? :P

Climate can be more than weather... ;)

Also trenches in Arma can't be done. There is no way to clip terrain surfaces sadly. They BIS claimed they didn't add it to A3 because of AI problems. Frankly that is unacceptable in my opinion and is the one feature I am amazed they have not added.

How long have trenches/dug in fortifications been part of warfare? 1000 years? Yea, they are kind of essential.