Whats the point!

[Stugwi 0]

We have all these lovely addons but few are being utilized in MP maps. Most servers hosting evolution, me thinks kiljoy should have a souped up evolution map with the best addons included.

Evolution is a great map and accounts for at least 60% of maps hosted - spice it up please

[Commando84 0]

i made a mission for mp that uses addons but im not sure anywan will host it yet.

[dm 9]

This is indeed a concerning situation.

It was similar in OFP - the vast majority of servers would run no addons, those that did would be one or two "mod" specific, either running an entire mod like FDF or a "complete" set of addons like BAS.

We [bAS] will be promoting the mission side of the game much more this time round, as can already be seen with our framework, we will also be producing missions and hopefully mini/regular campaigns too. One team, however, can not change the entire community. But we are ever hopeful that other addon/mod teams will follow suit and make sure their addons are used for something more than just Combat "Photography".

[Messiah 2]

same here - every addon will be released with at least one, if not more mission(s) - although as well, we will be inviting people to submit their UK based missions to be hosted alongside our addons, so there's lots of choice

[Donnervogel 0]

Well I think the addon system just causes too much hassle so the only way to promote addons in MP is to make them part of a larger "mod" or some addon pack or something similar that provides good missions (this is crucial). Many OFP servers provided addon packs that were needed to play on their servers so that was ok. But you need someone to make missions for those addons

[Jack-UK 0]

Well i dont think ArmA is that old.. i think the vanilla ArmA is good enough right now.

A lot of addons around right now are just reskins, tho there are a good few new models etc.

Addons mean everyone has to download them, which means public players wont bother, they'll try to join a map, get kicked off and go to another server.

We at 22SAS play our own private missions with some addons as we all have the addons and its cool. But public servers + addons arent the best of friends at this stage of ArmA IMO.

[Skaven 0]

For such an effort to prevail in my opinion there is just one possible option, a combined effort between 3 or 4 major MOD teams making a single pack that covers all sides of the game. And than some publicity in ARMA's websites as well as some dedicated servers at the beginning .

I have plans for this and I have the preliminary organization finished as well as many of the necessary contacts approached with lots of success.

Although it's too soon to start such a project, let the tools come out, the expansion too and than it should be the correct time for it imo

[maatz 1]

jay, same here. as we saw in ofp many addons were mostly used for taking photos instead of beeing used by missionmakers or in MP missions, which is quite a pitty! :-(

EDIT: isn't this thread meant to be in A&D:Discussion?

[Guest Ti0n3r]

I think this will change as soon as people start to release custom islands based on other parts of the world like the mid-east or africa. Germans, Russians, Brits etc on Sahrani doesn't make any sense to me.

[-Puma- 2]

Well I think the addon system just causes too much hassle so the only way to promote addons in MP is to make them part of a larger "mod" or some addon pack or something similar that provides good missions (this is crucial). Many OFP servers provided addon packs that were needed to play on their servers so that was ok. But you need someone to make missions for those addons

thats the only way to go. I wouldnt want to join public servers, and force to DL some 30mb addon just to play the mission.

A simple pack with the best addons included would be nice, and mission makers would use only the addon pack with they're missions. I dont mind to DL a 600mb addon pack, If every1 would use just that to make missions.

[Hit_Sqd_Ack 0]

Solution = ARMA Watch

Just wait it will come out soon enough.

-Ack

[granQ 293]

or you do like me..

KP CTI.. got:

be32 transport plane

sam sites

bulldozer

uav

and more..

First did mission, then the addons for it.. instead of doing addons and trying to make missions for it.. (ok done that aswell, alouette, btr80..) but guess what gets used..

[hund 0]

A little shameless promo:

If it's addons and missions with addons you want, try the 6thsense community. I think the total package is up to 30-40 different addons now, selected from among the best of the community's efforts.

http://www.6thsense.eu/

[Ezekiel 0]

Having read Maruk's comment I can only assume BIS will not be concentrating on doing much extra content for the game and will instead focus on improving the engine whilst releasing the odd expansion pack (whether its them or outsourced) with new islands (and better missions) as the the main focus.

It kinda makes sense, since A: making islands in ArmA is looking very hardware intensive and B: VBS2 has absolutely tons more official content than ArmA and it has to stay that way to justify the $1500 price tag.

Is there going to be some sort of official community standard for user made content (mainly new models/units)? Once the tools have been out for a while and there's plenty to choose from the community is going to need to get together and pick out all the best stuff to put in one easy to find package..

[Adv 0]

I really thought people would at least use the Hind. Even switching it fromt he Ka-50 flying around to the hind in evo would add alot at least to me.

I can't speak for all the helo pilots but for me its one of the most enjoyable to fly. And like others in terms of multiplay its been up to this point mostly wasted. I still think these mods will eventually surface in multiplay but its taking alot longer then I thought.

[Jack-UK 0]

I think this will change as soon as people start to release custom islands based on other parts of the world like the mid-east or africa. Germans, Russians, Brits etc on Sahrani doesn't make any sense to me.

Agreed, also a lot of addons come WITH a new island, e.g. if its a desert type island, then you'll get desert camo units etc

Plus if theres one large addon like an island, then other addons will be more freely used as they wont be using Vanilla arma

[Average Joe 0]

Heh, Ive only downloaded retextures right now, as far as addons I want to save my sanity until the tools arrive

[franze 196]

Moving to ArmA A&M:D.

[OkitaMakoto 0]

Im new to the addon world of arma, but when I download an addon, its annoying how i will never see it in singleplayer... are there ways to override the old textures/models so that you see them in singleplayer/already made missions?

This is probably a dumb question, but i was just wondering... i get all these sweet addons and the only way i get to use them is to make my own mission in the editor... and my missions are incredibly straight forward

Thanks

[Odie3 0]

Well, I have to say that the Addon/MODs *system* for ArmedA is rather silly. If a server is running a Addon/MOD it should send it to the client - so the clients do not have to go find them. A good example of a nice system is UT Mutators, where if the Mutator is server side the client will get it sent to him on connection (unless the client already has it installed). The only draw back to this is if the client and the server do not have the same version installed you can often get a mismatch error (but at least the error will tell you what is not matching). Also, its impossible to tell what a ArmedA server is running, on a UT server you can get server information telling you what Mutators are running (from the game browser details). It seems the best that ArmedA can do is force MODs for Server/Client are equal but on connection all you get is your version is not the same - that is not helpful at all.

While ArmedA has a great system to be able to create Addons/MODs, getting the Servers and Client to play nice with each other once they are in use plainly sucks. What a shame this is... its not like UT invented their system of handling mutators yesterday!

So, it would be nice if:

1. Addon/MODs when set on the Server would push down to the client the files [if the client does not have them] and not force MOD command line at the client.

2. Server would use redirect file compression for the Addons/MODs! So the ArmedA server bandwith is not eaten up with sending files (this should be used with the map files too)

3. The Server should have a new line(s) for Addon/MODs that it is using in the Server Response when a game browser queries it!

I have no clue how hard this would be to add into ArmedA but if it was I think the whole subject of "Whats the Point" would go away.

[ArMoGaDoN 0]

Rather than the server serving the addons, a far better approach would be an automatic 'torrent' like system, that ArmA could call upon to download from multiple REGISTERED addon-servers, that would not affect game-lag or desync's for folks already in game etc.

To do that would require co-operation from BIS on allowing an outside program to be called upon by ArmA.

Or they could supply the need themselves if they'd rather do that instead?

[Deadeye 1]

Solution = ARMA Watch

Just wait it will come out soon enough.

-Ack

Why wait?

ArmASpy has already been released

http://www.armedassault.info/index.p....temid=2

[MehMan 0]

Well, I have to say that the Addon/MODs *system* for ArmedA is rather silly.  If a server is running a Addon/MOD it should send it to the client - so the clients do not have to go find them.  A good example of a nice system is UT Mutators, where if the Mutator is server side the client will get it sent to him on connection (unless the client already has it installed).  The only draw back to this is if the client and the server do not have the same version installed you can often get a mismatch error (but at least the error will tell you what is not matching).  Also, its impossible to tell what a ArmedA server is running, on a UT server you can get server information telling you what Mutators are running (from the game browser details).  It seems the best that ArmedA can do is force MODs for Server/Client are equal but on connection all you get is your version is not the same - that is not helpful at all.

While ArmedA has a great system to be able to create Addons/MODs, getting the Servers and Client to play nice with each other once they are in use plainly sucks.  What a shame this is...  its not like UT invented their system of handling mutators yesterday!

So, it would be nice if:

1. Addon/MODs when set on the Server would push down to the client the files [if the client does not have them] and not force MOD command line at the client.

2. Server would use redirect file compression for the Addons/MODs!  So the ArmedA server bandwith is not eaten up with sending files (this should be used with the map files too)

3.  The Server should have a new line(s) for Addon/MODs that it is using in the Server Response when a game browser queries it!

I have no clue how hard this would be to add into ArmedA but if it was I think the whole subject of "Whats the Point" would go away.

Yeah, but I bet Mutators are only a couple of KBs in size.

Addons and mods can be anywhere from 50 megs to 1 gig in size. Not very practical for a game server.

The same deal exists in the BF series. People have to download mods and maps in order to play those mods and maps. And they don't get them from servers.

[Odie3 0]

Yeah, but I bet Mutators are only a couple of KBs in size.

Addons and mods can be anywhere from 50 megs to 1 gig in size. Not very practical for a game server.

The same deal exists in the BF series. People have to download mods and maps in order to play those mods and maps. And they don't get them from servers.

True, but in UT you do not get a Full MOD downloaded either (say RO) - just the Mutators.

Say XAM 1.3 would be a full MOD but 6thSense.eu Presents: "Pack1" would be a mutator.

Even if a mutator is ~20mb compressed you still can it pretty quickly if it is coming from a http:// redirect site. If you are not, then you could go find it and install it manually (assuming the game would tell you what you are D/L'ing like it does in UT).

Currently all you get is your version does not match - that is not helpful at all!

[landdon 0]

Addons are great! There problem is that making sure the players know what addons are being used in the map so people can use them. Some people do not like using them because they make take up to much space.