Thoughts on the ofp community

[GoOB 0]

So, why did I create this thread? Partly out of boredom, but also out of curiousity. I want to know what everyone thinks about the OFP community. Your expectations before you bought the game, your thoughts on the community today.

What is absolutley perfect about it and what needs improvement? When you first got on any forum did you expect the community to be running as strong as it is today?

And finally, to BIS. Did You expect that the OFP community would be running as strong as it is today? What was your expectations of the community? And what do you think of it as it is today?

OFP is the only game that never left my harddrive for more than four hours. The only game I am still playing actively after a few years. Time flies when you are in a community such as this.

P.S How bored am I? D.S

[iNeo 0]

I liked it the best in 2001 when it was all new and everyone was nice to eachother on the MP sessions that you found using Codemasters' d-chat for Flashpoint. Everyone was nice, I liked that.

Now a lot of ex CS kiddies seem to have switched to OFP, formed "clans" to argue with eachother on ladder forums and play CQB CTF maps with no other weapons than G36. Good thing is that you don't see a lot of that on this forum.

This forum is great but some things have changed here too. For a while in fall 2002 or whenever it was, it got really silent for a few weeks or even a month or two. That's restored. But if you look back into threads started in 2001 / early 2002, you'll see a more relaxed feeling, and more (but not too much) off-topic talk between the posts in threads. And it used to be more activity in General, fun threads seldom locked. When it was all new.

But I still like it a lot.

[iNeo 0]

By the way, this should be moved to General! More life is still needed over there. Good night

[blackdog~ 0]

Now a lot of ex CS kiddies seem to have switched to OFP, formed "clans" to argue with eachother on ladder forums and play CQB CTF maps with no other weapons than G36. Good thing is that you don't see a lot of that on this forum.

This forum is great but some things have changed here too. For a while in fall 2002 or whenever it was, it got really silent for a few weeks or even a month or two. That's restored. But if you look back into threads started in 2001 / early 2002, you'll see a more relaxed feeling, and more (but not too much) off-topic talk between the posts in threads. And it used to be more activity in General, fun threads seldom locked. When it was all new.

But I still like it a lot.

Yeah.... I hate maps like Urban or that Desert one... so f*cking pointless...

I still think the offtopic boards should be very limited in what we discuss.. this is a game board, not a place to get grudges on fellow forum members for their view (usually private) on politics or other crap like that.

I mean, a 2000 page (plus the old one...) thread on IRAQ!? What the hell is wrong with you people... post some stuff in General or make missions, instead of posting over and over and over and over in that topic, arguing and creating grudges (like I said before...). IMO the only good threads in the offtopic boards are ones like the military stupidity thread, ones on games, etc... may I ask why the iraq and middle eastern threads are stickied? It wouwld be nice to have them get out of people's faces right when they click the offtopic board.... otherwise there will be more and more and more posts there.

No offense intended to anyone though...

[Renagade 0]

The forums were a much happier and lively place when they were  new now its more quiet but u get  more serious discussions  on  current  affairs.

The start of OFP in MP was a load of shit though.There was a ton  of  little asswipes and  general shitbags on  gamespy.

Theres hardly any left that  i`ve  ran into but u still find them from time to time.

[Harnu 0]

When I bought the game, I expected another fully American community. At the time I was till playing CS, so I was expecting a lot more 0f T}{|$ (|2@P.

I also never really expected full islands. I thought they we're jsut exaggerating when I heard about that.

Then once I started playing, I fell in love. All the things you could do, the complete different tactics from so many people. The AI that was so much better than CS Bots that I had used before.

Then I started visitin the fourms, infrequently at first. But came more often to help out new players. Then I tried my hand at the off-topic forum, and took the name a bit too literally.

All I can say is thank god for Operation Flashpoint. I'm a lot more up on current events and recent conflicts than I ever would have been without it. I know a hell of a lot more about a lot of things (science, politics, military to name a few). If I we're playing CS, I'd still be that depressed looking kid, with the long hair in high school sitting across the room from you. But I did a 180 and am the complete opposite now. Partly in thanks to OFP.

The community as a whole is the best one I've met thus far for gaming. You run into the occasional ass, but far, farrrrr less frequently than anywhere else.

Thank you BIS, and everyone in this place!

[The Frenchman 0]

The forums were a much happier and lively when they were  new now its more quiet but u get  more serious discussions  on  current  affairs.

So true, though I still concider myself new here (am I? please tell me seriously!!!!!) to know what it was like but I did look back at the archives. Bring back the Cereal thread!

[Pukko 0]

When I got hooked to the OFP demo in april 2001 I had never been involved in a gaming community before (or wait, I was quite active in the Grand Prix 2 community back in '98, but only for ~6 months). My part of the OFP community is still limited to this forum, primary offtopic which I mostly just reads but also posts in when I feel for it.

I started out at operationflashpoint.com before it was closed july 10 2001, with questions and suggestions for the demo. I had no particular expectations for the community back then. I really liked the game and participated, but the community was just another gaming community for me back then - with the usual whining and growling.

But then came 9/11, and I was at once surprised over the relatively mature and open atmosphere in here. I posted a thread ~9/14 with the question of non-violent solutions to terrorism - and to my big surprise it became a quite creative discussion! At a war gaming forum!! Even if the forum was unmoderated at the time, there was'nt too much flaming IMO. Indeed the spamming took over completely in October 2001, with the hillarious celeral thread being decent since it was limited to one thread.

I have become addicted to follow the tracks of 9/11 and other international developments here, and I must say that it has been quite worth the time... And now I have quite high expectations on the community.

I must say however to the ones with more stereotypic views:

There are many many different reasons for people to be interested in the game and the community. And I can promise you that BIS gets back the money spent on bandwith for offtopic discussions.

I have read posts where people cant understand "why there are peace-nicks at an war gaming forum!!" I for one can tell you that I dont actually enjoy the 'killing' in OFP at all. Actually, I can feel pretty sad at times when massacring enemy soldiers in a mission - their screams and death animations are all enough real to me; and I  dont really enjoy killing...

Rather I'm deeply fashinated with the extremely innovative and well done 'virtual reality' in OFP. The great freedom, the (at least with some custom scripts) unlimited amount of actions available. I mean, I often just enjoy stating a mission to run/fly/drive around the islands. Just adding something in the mission editor if I get bored - its really great recreation right here at the computer, to clear my mind and having a break from other stuff.

Actually, I rather think that the 'war part limitation' of the game is one of its dowsides, I would love more meaningful peaceful missions/campaigns. I played bn880's 'working on Nogova' mission, and would love to see more of that stuff being created, and developed way further. Back in 2001 I started making a civil campaign myself, but it never got finished.

I'm sure that we will see more civil stuff in the future of OFP and OFP2. And for those yelling and shouting 'this is a war game for fuck sake', cant you just respect that there are people with other interests, that love other parts of the very same piece of software that you enjoy?  

EDIT: Actually, there is one thing that I've got some problems with here. And that's the military hardware/unit discussions that pop up here once in a while. Must you guys be so military-horny? Can't we just talk about peace, love and understaning instead I have done Swedish military sevice, and for me military stuff is really quite dirty and sick. I dont get an hardon when thinking about my old k-pist (see the Operation white night mod) if I put it that way On the third hand, older military stuff, from the world wars and good old knights and such, have some romantic shimmer indeed...

But now I got to get back to where I was born in the OFP world and take a ride - to the three houses at Lolisse on Malden

[The Frenchman 0]

Even if the forum was unmoderated at the time, there was'nt too much flaming IMO.

There was a time with no mods?

[Pukko 0]

Even if the forum was unmoderated at the time, there was'nt too much flaming IMO.

There was a time with no mods?      

Well, as I recalled it, it was like a moderator popping in at offtopic once every month, and just deleting all threads older than 14 days or something...

Well, thats quite exgragated (sp? ), but it was something like that

[Renagade 0]

There was a time before <span style='color:red'><span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>placebo</span></span> although maybe panman would of taken over if he was left to his own devices

There was quite a bit of spam so its a bit of a double edged sword.

I think it would be best if bis had a debate/current affairs forum and a true offtopic made becaue if not theres gonna be a lot of locked threads when OFP2 comes out

Anyway i was over at the other OFP forum that codemasters had setup,i think they changed a few times since then and lost all the original account info ,then i came over here,otherwise i would of had an account here at the start

Some of the things thing about the demo i remember were being carted off to the battlefield ,although those OFP trucks don`t convey the hideous bumpy feeling of sitting in a real one , also the time where i hid under a ural and shot up all the enemy until a tank blew me up

[Milkman 1]

Although I find being an american in such a world-wide game very hard to cope with. There are still many others out there who are mature, well meaning players. But the invasion of BF1942 Lamers, and CS h4><0r2 has hurt the community. Except for this forum, which thanks to its moderaters and has kept the forum relativley clear of these punks.

[The Frenchman 0]

I have learned many things from OFP:

what a spetznatz is

what millitary hardware that the FDF's uses. (thanks FDF mod )

and much much more.

[TopCover 0]

This is a very special community. Intelligent, witty and at times, very openminded. Other forums could take an example from the OFP forums when it comes to cooperation and willingness to share views on OFP related matter or real life issues. Sometimes I wonder what a blast it would be if all these people got together for one big OFP party.

[4 IN 1 0]

I have played OFP since it was placed in the PC game store, i think i may be the first few who started to play OFP in Hong Kong that time, and after i played this game it makes me stay away from many other FPS, not even AAO makes me move my feet, cause this is the only game which could make me feel like i am in a war, and IT IS NOT NICE. Just like Pukko, but much earlier, i found i dont really like those screams and blood sheds in game, both enemy and teammates, it is helpless when your AI teammates get hit, so i started to try all kinds of thing at editor, doing silly, crazy, relax things which u could hardly do in real world, spend times flying a chopper over the island, doing some emergency landing try the new addons, and thats what i call fun

[4 IN 1 0]

Now a lot of ex CS kiddies seem to have switched to OFP, formed "clans" to argue with eachother on ladder forums and play CQB CTF maps with no other weapons than G36. Good thing is that you don't see a lot of that on this forum.

the only thing i play on MP is Coop, thats what this game engine are suppost to do, i hate those team deathmatch thing, if u really like to play such kind of things, why dont play other game? I always wonder why there is no map like American's Army, which one side assult while the other side defence objective , deathmatch is 100% not the thing this game engine focus on.

the other thing i not really like is RESPAWN, yes may be thats sucks to watch people play and all u could do is be a headless bird and flying for notthing, but the point is that you dont have a secound chance in real world!

like Liberation of Loukov, this is one of the best MP map i have seen, hard, but full of fun(thats nice when you see a greendy noob get into a mine when driving a bus across the birdge and watch now they piss off )

[hellfish6 7]

What attracts me to any game is the idea of freedom that you have. This is why I tend to only play flight sims, or games like OFP, GTA and Delta Force - simply because every other game out there seems to confine you in a very specific game world and places very strict movement limits on you. Games like Ghost Recon or Doom or CS or any other kind of game out there (RPG, Action/Adventure, Racing, etc.) do not appeal to me because they always force you to attack from this place or move to that place... you know? You don't have to think. The game points you in the right direction and all you have to do is click the mouse button. Sure, they look nice, but they sacrifice any need to think in order to look good - kind of like the cheerleaders in high school.

OFP is the game that most accurately simulates a "world." To play OFP, you don't have to shoot anybody. You don't need to go to point A to unlock the door at point B so you can get the Cup of Magik to kill the evil boss so you can go to the next level. In OFP you can do whatever you want to in order to accomplish a mission in the campaign. You can get online with your friends and just putz around - like taking turns flying under the bridge on Nogova or racing KLR 250s across the island. Or, you can open the editor and just buzz around in Little Birds or drive around in a Skoda and take pictures by yourself. It is the closest to cyberfreedom we can experience.

So while I do like combat games, I only play them because that is all that is available that meets my need to experience thought and freedom in games. Granted, I play OFP not simply because it offers me freedom, but also because it is a war simulator - and I've been a wargamer/historian since I was 7 years old. And it's really cool because I can do stuff I never did in the Army - I never got to fly into a hot LZ (luckilly), but now I have an idea of what it feels like.

I think this is why our community gets along so well, especially when compared to other gaming communities out there. We all like games that make us think and challenge us, like OFP. We don't want God Mode or Invisibility or to be pointed in a direction just to point a cybergun at something and pull our virtual triggers. We like the fact that because OFP is so free, we get to choose how we want to attack the objective or move from point A to point B. We like the ability to jump into a boat, helicopter or vehicle if we want to and not be forced to into a course of action because an invisible wall or a blocked off street prevents us from moving (this is usually indicative of poor AI - when the game deliberately puts you into a trap. In OFP, the only traps that you ususally find are the ones you stumbled into yourself).

Essentially, our community is smart, likes a challenge and embraces our cyber freedom. I think the Quakeheads and CS Nutters out there HAVE to be pointed in the right direction and told to pull the trigger, otherwise they will not know what to do or where to go. This very narrow minded mentality, I think, is reflected in their communities. It's incredibly difficult to find a halfway intelligent, let alone coherent, conversation in those forums in my experience. The games they play don't require them to think, thus their communities lack the same ability.

I'm so glad I have you guys. I love you all.    

[Tex -USMC- 0]

I like this community for its maturity, first and foremost. OFP seems to, for the most part, attract the kind of people that I would like to be associated with- squads like PBC, 1/8th, RR, and many others spring to mind, in addition to all the usual forum suspects. I know we have our share of immature idiots, but per capita I think we have a lower amount than almost any other gaming community out there right now.

[Guest]

Or to put it another way....just like any large group, there are some leaders, some great people, some weirdos and some dickheads

[Guest]

- and I've been a wargamer/historian since I was 7 years old.

OMFG! Your parents must have loved you!

Hellfish's Parent: What do you want for Xmas Hellfish?

Hellfish: I want a XM8 Buford Armored Gun System, a Stryker armored car and a M113 ACAV

 

[hellfish6 7]

Hardly. My dad was a lieutenant colonel in the Army, and my family's military history stretches back 80 years. I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. I was invading Poland at the kitchen table when I was still in diapers.

[theavonlady 2]

I was invading Poland at the kitchen table when I was still in diapers.

Stinkas instead of Stukas.

[denoir 0]

Yeah.... I hate maps like Urban or that Desert one... so f*cking pointless...

I still think the offtopic boards should be very limited in what we discuss.. this is a game board, not a place to get grudges on fellow forum members for their view (usually private) on politics or other crap like that.

I mean, a 2000 page (plus the old one...) thread on IRAQ!? What the hell is wrong with you people... post some stuff in General or make missions, instead of posting over and over and over and over in that topic, arguing and creating grudges (like I said before...). IMO the only good threads in the offtopic boards are ones like the military stupidity thread, ones on games, etc... may I ask why the iraq and middle eastern threads are stickied? It wouwld be nice to have them get out of people's faces right when they click the offtopic board.... otherwise there will be more and more and more posts there.

No offense intended to anyone though...

I'll try to answer that.

We're talking about a community here. A group of people that share a common interest. OT helps you put the people in the community in a more human, social context. Simply put, you get to know your fellow community members. And that strengthens the community. I know many prominent members of our community that would have not stuck with OFP if it had not been for the OT forum. I personally would have thrown away OFP a year ago had it not been for the discussions in OT that caught my interest. And there are tons of other examples. It's for instance very unlikely that CoC would exist today as many of the core members met through this very forum.

Now, politics may not be your thing, but many people do enjoy it. OT is a positive bonding influence on the community. It may not be for everybody, but it's your choice if you want to participate or not.

[Guest]

I was invading Poland at the kitchen table when I was still in diapers.

Stinkas instead of Stukas.

Hahahahaha N1

[benu 1]

What i like about the ofp community is that people seem to be more mature than in many other gaming communities and the fact that this community is small. I always wondered if all the people that bought ofp only played singleplayer...

I loved the demo (after some struggling at first) and bought ofp when it came out, end of june 2001 iirc. I just found some screenshots of me and a buddy testing custom faces and vehicle logos from august 2001, must have been 1.11 then. If you had asked me i would have sworn this was only possible much later than that... There were really few servers back then and everywhere you went you met the same players. That was kinda cool. And it's still the same. There are not that many players, not that many servers. You know most of the people that are active in this forum and you happen to meet them online.

This makes the game less anonymous and gives the playing experience a more personal feeling. And i think this influences the way the players treat each other in a good way.