To the people who are playing ArmA, how is it?

[twoodster 0]

You shouldn't have to play on 1024x768 with the systems some of you have! It's clearly been poorly optimised - as they aren't cutting edge graphics wise by any stretch of the imagination. We can only hope they'll sort out the performance with the coming patches!

[Peanut 0]

Hi guys,

I've got an intel 4 @ 3,0 Mhz, 1,5 Gig and an ancient Radeon 9600 video card.

Am I in trouble?

Thanks for the replies,

rob

I have pretty much the same rig except that I had a 9800 before.

I had to play ArmA with everything on low.

I got myself a Leadtek Winfast A7600 GT TDH. And now I play with Quality Preference on High. Runs pretty solid even with a lot of units on the screen, it just gets a little choppy in the woods and I haven't even tried optimizing it yet. (I either play or try to edit some textures )

So I suggest getting the Winfast A7600 GT TDH, it's relatively cheap (~170€) and comes pretty close to a 7800 according to tests. This graphic card bought my pc some more months (originally wanted to get a completely new gaming PC in the first few months of next year, but now I'll propaply wait till fall next year )

[regnak2006 0]

Wow !

Had a few problems with crashing when installing it to my D: drive, left on default C: program files folder and it worked ok.

Am on 1.01 german DVD version with sixth sense 0.06 english patch. Wish I spoke german, the keyboard layout and menus are still strange, must get a dictionary ready !

Well - to the game itself, tried a quick multiplayer game, plus the editor to look at the small and large islands. I've played OFP for a good few years now and it's like glimpses of Battlefield2 and Half Life2 etc (nearly!, but really incredible. I flew a harrier over the water and the ripples..omg !!! That blew me away, sunspots looking into sun etc, the leaves and grass...you could really go to town on all this but it's left me really looking forward to playing this over the next few weeks.

Really good job, I've a Nvidia 7800 and it's running smooth as anything, haven't tried any big battles or the campaign yet but will get there and see what the performance is like. I'm on Windows XP 64-bit and having no issues by the way apart from the crash on startup earlier that took a few reinstalls to correct.

See you online on some hill or other !

Mike

[pedro870 0]

I wrote here about very poor performance of ArmA on my PC (athlon 2500+@3200+, ati 9800 128mb, 1gb ram). It was only playable with very low settings in 800x600. Now I have installed the patch, and at the same time changed agp aperture size in bios from 64mb to 128mb and later 512mb. I'm not sure yet which of these caused the change, but now I can play in 1024x768, low/medium settings, using no aniso, antialiasing low, shadows off. It is playable and this way now it also looks nicer than OFP . 20-30 fps, of course it will be problematic in forests, but I'm more optimistic now.

[Scrub 0]

AI skill tests  (sorry for the long post)

Now at maxed skill levels, the AI hides and I wait on the runway for them to return fire.  I wait for some time and the sneaky bastards that have spread out and scurried their way to a fire position open up and kill me in a shower of bullets.

*take two*

Nice test Scrub. Testing the AIs at different skill levels, with the situation being same, is very interesting.  

I have a question regarding the AIs at the highest skill level -- are they using cover properly while fighting, in the manner you are doing ? I had asked this question before but nobody answered.

More AI tests will be interesting reading for those of us who don't have the game yet.  

Just tested this about 8 times. The AI seem to go around bushes when not engaged, a nice feature. When contact is made, and the formation is close enough, they will get near or into the bush. When advancing, they will end up by or behind a bush and let the next guy advance past. In the city, they seem to hide behind anything they can. It's hard to tell, as they try to engage and can't lean (I hope there's a 'yet' at the end of this statement), so they are always revealing themselves. They seem to go past or pause behind street items though. They also seem to stop a leapfrog segment at any change in direction, also a nice feature. but again, this may just be a timing or distance thing. Whatever it is, it works out.

Can anyone confirm a basic group getting stuck in a city? This happened twice to me. I was watching a NS group passing into Ramadi, and the staggered column formation looked a bit funky, and they just sat there for over 5 minutes, every so often the leader would call out 'Move to that' and noone would move. I hope theres a fault/time out for a unit not making it into leapfrog position. or they all would get stuck.

[buddhiraja73 0]

Just tested this about 8 times.  The AI seem to go around bushes when not engaged, a nice feature.  When contact is made, and the formation is close enough, they will get near or into the bush.  When advancing, they will end up by or behind a bush and let the next guy advance past.  In the city, they seem to hide behind anything they can.  It's hard to tell, as they try to engage and can't lean (I hope there's a 'yet' at the end of this statement), so they are always revealing themselves.  They seem to go past or pause behind street items though. They also seem to stop a leapfrog segment at any change in direction, also a nice feature. but again, this may just be a timing or distance thing.  Whatever it is, it works out.

Thanks for the detailed reply Scrub.    I also hope that 'AI leaning' is introduced by a patch in the near future.

[Rg 0]

I would suggest 1280x960 with no AA, rather then 1024x768 with low AA. When I tested that, I only lost about 1, maybe 2 frames max. I think the game looks better with the higher resolution then 1024x768 with low AA, because both are going to have the same jagged lines except the pixels won't be as visable with 1280x960.

As a reference, I scored a horrible 1789 in ArmA-Mark

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....4;st=15

Thats with the "Normal" preset. Then I scored 1858 with custom settings (1280x960,N,N,H,N,L,N,N,L,H)

When I get a new computer, hopefully I'll be playing it at 1600x1200.

[Zorbtek 0]

I just got the game (German version) in the mail yesterday (Thanks buyarma.com), I have my graphics set down to way low. That's because my computer is only a 1.6 GHZ - 512 MB RAM and and ATI Radeon X1300. (I will probably upgrade my PC soon just for this game, and mod making).

I have not played through it all the way yet, so far, I'm liking it because it's still good ol' Operation Flashpoint from 4+ years ago. Yes the game does need some fixes and tune ups here and there, mainly some performance fixes, but I'm sure these will come more sooner than later.

I do have one problem however. This game was certainly released a little too soon. I can tell the publishers wanted to push Bohemia to the 'before christmas' release.

So really, I don't blame BIS for any of the issues found in this game. If 505 wanted alot of money, they would have done a 'before christmas' release as well. But it seems 505 sees more in this game than any other publisher BIS has had, and they are taking their time with it letting Bohemia tune up the game to its TRUE release. I see 505 as the grand daddy publisher of ArmA, too bad they were not the worldwide publisher.

I'm 99.9% sure when 505 publishes ArmA, the game will be in its prime by then.

I'm not putting the other publishers in the dirt, I'm just slapping them on the wrist for doing a no no, but thanking them with all my heart for having interest in Armed Assault.

[Wa_Va_Voom 0]

I just got the game (German version) in the mail yesterday (Thanks buyarma.com), I have my graphics set down to way low. That's because my computer is only a 1.6 GHZ - 512 MB RAM and and ATI Radeon X1300. (I will probably upgrade my PC soon just for this game, and mod making).

I have not played through it all the way yet, so far, I'm liking it because it's still good ol' Operation Flashpoint from 4+ years ago. Yes the game does need some fixes and tune ups here and there, mainly some performance fixes, but I'm sure these will come more sooner than later.

I do have one problem however. This game was certainly released a little too soon. I can tell the publishers wanted to push Bohemia to the 'before christmas' release.

So really, I don't blame BIS for any of the issues found in this game. If 505 wanted alot of money, they would have done a 'before christmas' release as well. But it seems 505 sees more in this game than any other publisher BIS has had, and they are taking their time with it letting Bohemia tune up the game to its TRUE release. I see 505 as the grand daddy publisher of ArmA, too bad they were not the worldwide publisher.

I'm 99.9% sure when 505 publishes ArmA, the game will be in its prime by then.

I'm not putting the other publishers in the dirt, I'm just slapping them on the wrist for doing a no no, but thanking them with all my heart for having interest in Armed Assault.

Well its logical, 505 is not a well known company for game distribution unlike Activision or EA games, so 505 would rather loose money and release a stable game, rather then make money and release it before Christmas the only problem with releasing an unstable game is they loose their reputation. So in other words they are sacrificing the little fish now so they can get the bigger fish later.

[EiZei 0]

Introducing.. EiZei's ArmA-o-meter

As you know ArmA is far from complete so rather than keep posting the same stuff everybody says on hundred different threads I have decided to include an up-to-date mini-review of Armed Assault in my signature, which (hopefully) shall become more positive as patches, addons and other neat stuff starts to roll in. Eventually I hope to replace the warning level bar with a small picture of Ondrej's rocked hair.

[Col. Faulkner 0]

I'd like to say that personally I'm quite pleased with ArmA

and am looking forward to see how it develops now.

My PC is a couple of years old and does not boast of a

high end graphics card (it is a 3.2 GHz machine with an

ATI Radeon 800 SE). I am playing with everything set to

low or middling settings (but with "postprocessing" set high)

and still it looks visually impressive and interesting to me,

and runs quite satisfactorily smoothly. I bought the German

edition and applied the 1.01 "performance patch" (I left it

in German language).

It does not strike me as a "new" game, rather as a revitalized

Op. Flashpoint with many of the features I had often wished

OFP could have had; better weapon sights, better character

animations, leaning, rolling, a better "inventory" system, more

pleasing graphics, better "immersion".

The most immediately and strikingly apparent change is of

course in the animation and modelling of the human figures.

The quality of the modelling and texturing can be seen in any

of the hundreds of screenshots that can be found here and

elsewhere. The variety of physical actions the soldiers can

now perform by default is superb and streaks ahead of

anything in Flashpoint or any of the community "anim" packs.

The game characters are now able to move and behave much

more convincingly like real people and not like horrible

gimcrack toy soldiers as they always did in OFP. The "motion

capture talent", according to the manual credits, included

Czech special forces soldiers, and their expertise is apparent

in the way the characters handle their weapons and generally

disport themselves. Right now I seem to find myself in "3rd

person view" a lot just admiring the appearance and the

animation of my character!    

I have not played too much of it so far apart from some  

firefights and other simple situations set up in the mission

editor (The BIS-supplied missions or campaigns do not look

interesting to me so I have avoided these for now), but

based alone on these first dabblings with it I can state now

that I would be most reluctant to have to go back to Flashpoint!

I know the software still has many problems, I also know of

several things I wish I could still change or improve, and sadly

not everyone who is interested in it is lucky enough to own

the requisite hardware to enjoy it, but I'll echo many others

in saying that I'm sure that most of these issues could be

resolved as time goes on. I certainly do not so far find

it "unplayable" by any means, as some have asserted. I

should say that I play OFP/ArmA mostly for the infantry

action. Vehicles and aircraft tend to mostly be "supporting

actors" for my in-game activities, so the bugs related to

vehicles and aircraft are not of overwhelming concern to me

for now. They work well enough, enough of the time to

satisfy my current modest requirements.

I'd also just like to say thanks to all at BIS for the sterling

work they put into this so far, under what I'm sure was

considerable and mounting pressure. I sure if we all continue

to support the game, it'll only keep getting better. As far as I

am concerned, there's still nothing else out there that even

comes close to it! Thanks for reading.

[retrofly 0]

Hi

I downloaded the German version, and patched it using the the 0.6 language patchers.

Works fine, had no crashes.

It runs faily well on my computer with normal/high settings.

Spec:

3Ghz P4

7900 BFG GS 256 Graphics card

2 Gig ram

Ive been playing it alot, so it must be a good game as I go off games fairly quickly. The Campaign missions are good, though can be a bit clitchy, IE mission not finishing, but it dosnt happen all the time. The gameplay is great though a few of the textures could be sorted, and the AI does need tweaking a bit. The editor again is fantastic, and is easy to use and very quick to set up short custom battles.

Once you get use to the controls choppers and planes arent to bad to control you just have to learn it.

I think the amor in the game could do with some tweaking, it feels very basic, (crap textures etc) and amour AI takes about a month to do anything.

Infantry combat is excellent though.

9/10

And think, with more patches/mods/addons, things are only gunna get better

[charlieromeo77 0]

hi

i must say after gettung soe quirks out of my system, i played several hours last night and i was having a blast.

although my config does not allow for too much eyecandy (intel p4, 1gig ram, 7600 gt) i was happy to see that multiplayer works fine on a proper server.

i like the gun sounds, especially the cracking sounds of incoming bullets. the game has a great feel to it, very similar to operation flashpoint and an easy access multiplayer (have not touched the campaign yet).

i love it, and i have not played sth similar since operation flashpoint. (joint ops was also a good mix of realism vs arcade, but arma is more like... the old ghost recon on a larger scale)

[CanisDEK 1]

Introducing.. EiZei's ArmA-o-meter

As you know ArmA is far from complete so rather than keep posting the same stuff everybody says on hundred different threads I have decided to include an up-to-date mini-review of Armed Assault in my signature, which (hopefully) shall become more positive as patches, addons and other neat stuff starts to roll in. Eventually I hope to replace the warning level bar with a small picture of Ondrej's rocked hair.

Stop being a demagogue...

Don't presume to know what everyone else think about the game and especially not when you present such an incredibly juvenile statement as the game being far from complete.

Far from complete would mean that the game can't even be half finished. If a game is half done, then it is not far from complete.

[EiZei 0]

Don't presume to know what everyone else think about the game and especially not when you present such an incredibly juvenile statement as the game being far from complete.

That is simply my opinion. I dont presume anything. However, the general consensus on the forums seems to be that ArmA will eventually be improved way beyond it's original form just like OFP.

Quote[/b] ]

Far from complete would mean that the game can't even be half finished. If a game is half done, then it is not far from complete.

As far as games go ArmA is a bit of an abortion, ive seen worse but ive seen better as well. It's no söldner thankfully enough.

You seem to taking this a bit too personal, eh?

[Jezza_NL 0]

I'd say that overall ArmA is a good game. Not because of what it is at the moment, but because of the HUGE potential for modders. The engine features many improvements and things the community wanted, such as multiple gunner pos. per vehicle, or swimming, and a more dynamic environment.

What has actually disapointed me the most is the campaign. It is total and utter crap. Its all rambo-style missions, such as going into impossibly hostile terrain in clear daylight, and snipe an enemy officer, and then having to get back to the starting point. Or having to go in ALONE to destroy 4 armoured units at an enemy camp, with only a reloadable AT4 (not realistic! and a satchel to destroy these units. Or what do you think of 4 SF units being send in in broad daylight to neutralize a town full of hostiles! Ridiculous.

The game as is is not that impressive. But it sure has alot of potential.

[Placebo 28]

I'll pin this seeing as it's still continually being missed.

If you think ArmA is the biggest pile of brown smelly stuff since Justin Edinburgh won a competition to be a professional footballer you post here, if you think ArmA is the greatest thing since Referee decide when someone's injured or not you post here.

[pedro870 0]

I would suggest 1280x960 with no AA, rather then 1024x768 with low AA.

This was a good idea, works, thanks.

[Lange 0]

Please let the rest of the world know how you like ArmA!

Did it meet your expectations?

Sorry, no!

its slow its buggy and it does not provide a linux dedicated server. no it did not meet my biggest expectations so far.

How's the AI compared to OFP?

not better. afaik. let me reflect again if im through...

How's the netcode?

well, before testing this we need a server - not a listenmode server.

How does it run on your system (include specs)?

laggy, buggy:

XP Pro SP2

AMD Athlon64 X2 4800

2GB RAM

ATI Radeon X1950XT 512MB

ATI Radeon X1800XT 512MB

AudigyII Platinum

Is you wife ready for divorce yet?

No, shes on the way to BIS HQ to cut some heads off....

Please let us know!!

i did, u better start running....

Simon

[drakaan 0]

ok i eventually got the game     or did i mean  

if i could i would cry, just not all i hoped it would be.

i'll be waiting for UK release and hoping that patches and fixes will be released to make the game play more like ofp and more playable, that was the whole point of the new game i thought, 'ofp with better graphics'. The game looks like Black Hawk Down, Americas Army style.

My experience may have been the way it was because i need a better spec PC to play it on a higher res and settings (but i dont think so).

P4 3.2ghz...1 gig ram...Nvidia 6800

Armed Assault is an appropriate name as Flashpoint 2 would not have been as appropriate. (this is my personal opinion people, you dont have to like it).

[Ghad 0]

To be honest, my personal view after 10 hours of playing the czech version, with sickboys patch to english:

ArmA does not fullfill its potential in its present state, and feels like a beta version.

The biggest problems are:

AI is not convincing at all.

Flight model is not convincing at all.

Sound seems flawed, especially sound from tanks or helicopters.

SP campaign scripting if very buggy.

No linux dedicated server??

The game engine is very power hungry.

ArmA clearly has the potential to depict modern battle in a way that no other game has dared to try, but Bohemia will probably need 4-5 months at least to iron out the most important flaws.

I just hope that this will not hurt Bohemia financially, so that it hinders further development of ArmA and Game2. I will follow patching closely, I refuse 100% to give up on ArmA yet! There is gold inside the ugly rock, one just need to refine it and get it out in the open!

[Camelhammer 0]

Please let the rest of the world know how you like ArmA!

Did it meet your expectations?

It's been a mixed bag.

How's the AI compared to OFP?

Virtually non-existent. They don't engage or spot each other at over 200 meters, and AI placed on rooftops over a couple stories don't engage my squad. There's problems with vehicles engaging eachother in cities, too. I haven't seen any helicopters or harriers provide real support, either.

How's the netcode?

Not sure yet, played one game online, the frame rate was too bad, though.

How does it run on your system (include specs)?

P3 2.4 ghz, Gforce 6200 128mb, 512 megs ram. Normal texture settings, 500 viewdistance, low-normal model settings, low HDR, 640*480 resolution (Haven't seen games like this since Duke Nukem 3d). Runs mostly smooth, a few hiccups for sounds (My sound card's pretty old, too) loading. The foliage brings it to its knees, also. I can't fight in the woods, it's a slideshow. A couple bushes can slow things down.

Is you wife ready for divorce yet?

Not yet, she likes this one better than OFP.

[Eidron 0]

Correct me if im wrong, but didnt the linux server for ofp get released after the game was released? I believe one is planned so be patient.

@Lange

If ArmA runs slowly for you on that PC then you are doing something wrong. It runs fine for me:

AMD S754 3700+ @ 2.4GHz

1.5Gb Ram

ATI Radeon X800XT (AGP)

SB Audigy 4

[KeyCat 131]

AI skill tests  (sorry for the long post)

Just got off the editor.  Set up a situation on Ramadi where I was a NS Pilot in the middle of the runway with a west basic platoon at the N end.  I'd fire a few shots to get their attention and try to make a stand in the village.  After a run or two I'd step up the AI's skill level and run it again.

Just plopping a squad down will get you the lowest skill levels on all except for the first two or three units (officer and team leaders).  With this set, I had to send a hail of bullets downrange and wound a guy or two before they'd give me the time of day. (not easy at range with a snubnosed AK).  I started running to the village and they popped a decent amount shots my way until I was out of sight. I waited some time for them to follow.  A single unit came over the hill toward the point I broke contact.  Killed him with little fanfare and the others moped over like cattle to the slaughter.  No fun.

With skills at the halfway point, the group faced me the second a shot pinged on the ground before them.  Most got down, and after an unlucky soldier got winged, sent a storm of pretty well placed shots in my direction, got lightly wounded.  A few units were already moving up, and I did my run to the village.  I had to stop by some boulders to return fire at the units that were already coming over the hill at me (one unit heading in an intercept, one trailing to my rear)  I made it to the village and just got to the west walls to defend as 3 units were charging up the final rise to the village.  One was unaware and ran into my bullets.  The second stopped for a minute and shot at my position, so I moved.  In the end, the charge of the cattle was a bit more lively.  I still killed them all, though the odds were pretty good if I did the same again I'd get nailed.  Truly 50% settings for my personal skill level.

Now at maxed skill levels, the AI hides and I wait on the runway for them to return fire.  I wait for some time and the sneaky bastards that have spread out and scurried their way to a fire position open up and kill me in a shower of bullets.

*take two*

This time, I'm able to run.  The fire is concentrated and coming in heaps.  Wounded in the arm, I know I'm in trouble.  There are many units already heading to cut me off, and they try hard to pin me all the way to the village.  One stays on the hill and suppresses, several are now out of sight running the last stretch to the west wall.  These are no cattle.  I fire on the nearest, he's wounded, drops and returns fire forcing me to lean back behind the wall.  I hear a distant *thump* and change positions to another opening in the wall, the grenade lands close to where I was and I only get wounded again.

I see the wounded soldier crawling to cover and am able to nail him before he's totally hidden, and another unit not far behind.  More suppressing fire and I fall back to the next set of buildings.  Leaning out I see three more units have moved up and they drop me.  The feeling from that struggle was awesome.  I'm going to try hanging out in the 50%-75% skill level, as that seems where the AI really start to wake up, and below the supersoldier settings.  

Nice read Scrub, thanks for sharing!

Maybe thoose who are experience/complaining about to many AI headshots should check their skill level settings and try it again? I think to many just slide it to max (i.e skill level 1.0)...

Judging from your inital tests described here it does seems the skill level slider in ArmA can scale the AI rather well and thats a good thing!

/KC

[r2101 0]

after having some time with current release... patched...

about the ai... well you don´t have to put the sliders up to the max to make them sharpshooter-like... but imho this was the same in opf. actually i think the default skill levels are a tad higher than in good old opf.

all in all i did like the infranty engagements (enormous potential... will be a great game with a few patches) til i switched back to opf *sigh*.

aiming got a tad harder than in plain old opf imho... but that isn´t wrong imho. actually i tought it was too easy in opf to snipe with an assault riffle

thing is (again imho im not talkin absolute truth here, and of course my opinion is open to discussion...before i get flamed to death) that it is a balancing problem imho. if aiming becomes harder for the player... well maybe it should have become harder for the ai too? at least that is what i did to my plain vanilla opf config... increase the dispersion values for the weapons, but also increase sensivity values for the ai. and from what i have read mods like wgl do something similar...

what was a show stopper were e.g. tanks. couldn´t play with tanks. soundwise that is. no problem with loud sounds, could have overlooked the fact that i can´t get the direction ...again soundwise. but digital clipping is ... yuck... again i am not dissatisfied with the infranty weapon sounds... love the crackle like effects and such. i think this is a improvent. but that is just my opinion. putting a couple of tanks on the map became a sonic nightmare *megasigh*

but all in all the soundengine, and especially the compability with most soundsystems in use, needs a lot of testing and tuning imho.

about ai in general... movement in towns looks "better" to me than it was in old opf. but some of the "tested" new ai behaviour has - imho - alot to do with the fact that there is much more "micro-terrain" in armed assault. (compare the operation flashpoint editing center discussion about cover)

there are so much view obstructing things in armed assault (great btw) that the ai just isn´t so exposed as in opf imho. whereas flanking got them easily killed in opf, because you could see without a problem what they were trying to do.... in armed assault it is not that easy anymore

some of the driving problems could be based on that imho. just too much objects for pathfinding; but that is an assumption

positiv (and that is very positive! is the island and the new soldier modells... beautiful... actually beautiful doesn´t describe it adequately. the new island is just lovely crafted. a lot of effort went into the island and i am completly stunned. congratulations bis!!! i love the blue newspaper/postboxes (now that is what most of you wanted to know...right...how are the new postboxes...but believe me...they are magnificient!!...

hdr... positive.. works (in daylight that is) wonderfully... truly adds another dimension to opf... no more static lighting. getting blinded by bright sunlight is a very nice addition...

hdr negative... at least i think the problems are based on hdr... textures on walls turn "grey" in houses, same in some vehicles... overlightning (prolly wrong word...srry no native speaker here)

graphical presentation...

positive... as i said...the island is beautiful, most of the objects look positively gorgeous. soldier modells and animations rocks!

negative...

sloppy performance...even after the patch... lod/texture errors are still present (quite a lot actually). sometimes textures don´t get loaded at all *sigh*. but well... the patch was a great improvement... was unplayable - out of the box - before...

tank modells don´t look too good to me... at least if you see the enormous increase in detail with the soldiers... tanks didn´t make a comparable leap imho

ah ...and btw... my machines specs... pentium d 3ghz, 2gb ram, fast hds, ati 1900gt graphics card... very clean (new) windows install, drivers up to date... no it´s not my computer... other demanding games run extremly fine...e.g. oblivion, fear, falcon, swat4 etc... and no..no spyware, resource hungry antivir apps in the background...it is a dedicated ...non multiplayer box ...

i think... it will become a great game... it has tons of potential...one of a kind... if the quirks can be worked out (it has tons of bugs too *sigh*)...that is... the german release was rushed imho... it wasn´t ready (read non finished imho) for release imho (lotsa scripting errors in the single player missions, somewhat excentric graphics engine etc.). more a late beta... prolly some developer/publisher contract thingie... christmas and so on

but i am patient and quite happy awaiting the next couple of patches... i guess armed assault is here to stay

in the meantime i am back to opf