How are Mods preparing for ArmA?

[Abs_01 0]

Hi,

I was wondering, with all the new features that will be available for ArmA, how are mod and addon makers preparing for ArmA?

For example, are you just creating models so far? With things like mutli-textures, bump maps, etc, is it even worth texturing for ArmA right now? How much more poly's are you adding to your models? Are you writing a config, or will you just wait to see if there's a new format?

I was just curious about how the community was preparing for the release of the game. I figure if we all figure out the best way to prepare, none of us will be behind once the game is released and there will be no wasted effort on anyone's part.

Abs

[JdB 151]

Hi,

I was wondering, with all the new features that will be available for ArmA, how are mod and addon makers preparing for ArmA?

For example, are you just creating models so far? With things like mutli-textures, bump maps, etc, is it even worth texturing for ArmA right now? How much more poly's are you adding to your models? Are you writing a config, or will you just wait to see if there's a new format?

I was just curious about how the community was preparing for the release of the game. I figure if we all figure out the best way to prepare, none of us will be behind once the game is released and there will be no wasted effort on anyone's part.

Abs

I suppose you can only answer most of your questions by having the game installed on your HDD, lets wait and see what the system requirements will be and exactly how far the engine has been optimized.

Of course it never hurts to look at some texturing or normal mapping tutorials.

[Abs_01 0]

Of course no one can know for sure until the game comes out. I'm just curious to see what others are doing in anticipation of the game.

Abs

[jtec 0]

Nothing really can be done to prepare for Armed assault as nobody really knows what to expect till we have the new o2 installed on our systems, Really looking forward to it tho and also hoping some bugs are done away with, making o2 much better and quicker to use. Models will increase a little in size but im guessing alot of teams will try to keep poly numbers down due to the fact the more faces the model has the harder it is to texture. I think we are all excited to play with all the new stuff that will be in o2 tho.

[Llauma 0]

Learning normal mapping and other real time lighting methods is something all addon makers should look into. Making normal maps which works like bump maps is quite easy but making advanced normal maps takes some time. The best way to do them is by making a ultra high poly model and then generate the normal maps with the available tools, I know both nvidia and ATI provides a few for free. It takes time but the result is a low poly model which looks ultra high, so you better start working on them now. Sure, the current O2 isn't the right tool for it but 3ds max and similar programs are much more suited for ultra high poly modelling anyway.

If you wanna try and learn about the new posibilities then make an addon for HL2 or other modern games. That's a great way to prepare for ArmA.

[JdB 151]

If you wanna try and learn about the new posibilities then make an addon for HL2 or other modern games. That's a great way to prepare for ArmA.

Agreed, taking a current addon and making it to HL2 or BF2 specs is a good training for any future addonmaking (and it's fun as well ofcourse).

That of course doesn't mean that you actually have to play with those fun, but unrealistic games!

Learning to work in 3DSMAX is the right way to go anyway. It includes tools that I hope will be in the next SDK from BIS (not for my own sake, but for others). And it is an industry standard tool, so it never hurts to master it.

Edit:

With so many more or less experienced addonmakers it at least won't be like just after the OFP1 release, when just about everyone had to start from scratch.

[granQ 293]

SFP is preparing for Armed assualt, and we will probaly go from SFP 4.x to SFP 5.x sometime after Armed assualt is released.

The soldier models will be remade in order to have Armed assault quality but other then that i think our weapons, vehicles have enough quality (except some that can be made better even for OFP) so we waiting to see if the new engine can make something possible that havent been possible.

Maybe we can code the antitank missile systems better, or finaly fix the 4 rounds burst mode on Strf90 so it works in MP. Ai tweaks.

So its not so much about using all new fancy functions for bumpmapping, we will probaly look into it when the game is released, its more discussing what we want to have in Armed assault, or OFP. what would be the next step.

but we dont know when armed assault will come, so we contine work with our updates for OFP.

[KTottE 0]

Yes, phase one for SFP after arma is released is to move the current things over to arma properly.

After that we will most likely look at improving what we have now in terms of the new texturing options and so on, as well as explore how much of the scripting/config bugs and limitations we can eliminate.

Making new things will most likely not be a priority right at first.