Nothing in Arma2 Seems much Different

[Dogtags 0]

I am hoping that someone can put some excitment back into the wait for Arma2 for me.

I love Arma even though it had a bug ridden start but Arma2 to me from screenshots and what I have read looks as thought it is just Arma with new skins for all objects as well as maybe some new vehicles. Is it just me or does it just seem like a big addon for Arma?

To me a version 2 of a game should add many new things like dropping from a rope from a heli, much better graphics, shooting from windows of buildings and make it more common place for city assaults, maybe gradual building destruction rather than just one puff of smoke and a pile of rubble.

As it currently stands from what I have seen it wont be worth forking out $100 AUD for a game for new landscape/missions, same reason I wont buy Queens Gambit.

I am really hoping that someone can point me to threads or info, maybe some other site that they have found that will convince me otherwise.

[Heatseeker 0]

BIS blog entry.

Read it..

You could say the same about Doom3/Q4 or GRAW/GRAW2, etc but nobody complains about those.

People like you are one of the reasons publishers dont usually release early information. Boo!

Its very early and they have plenty of time to work on the game, im confident that they will put it to good use..

[mike@uk 0]

The way I see it is that OFP/ArmA/ArmA2 are all the same project, continualy updated and improved over time.

If you remember back to when we first heard about Armed Assault the screenshots didn't look that much different from OFP / OFP: Elite, however now it's completly different as they continualy changed it as they went along, granted Armed Assault 2 is meant to be out next year but I wouldn't be surprised if the look and feel of it changed by then.

Anyway, all Armed Assault was ever meant to be was the fill-in between OFP and Game 2 to keep us all interested, so is it realy such a surprise that ArmA2 looks the same?

The only thing I'm worried about is that showing Videos/Info this early might make the average gamer think that ArmA2 is just a small upgrade to ArmA, thus not bothering to keep track of it and watching it develop, unless they do alot of PR around/just before release to show the gamers what's new and why they should buy it.

[hardrock 1]

I personally think that releasing information incrementally is a very good thing. Of course, right now you might think of ArmA II as of nothing. On the other hand, there is a lot of time left until the release of ArmA II in 2009 (I don't count on 2008). So if BIS do indeed release information more or less frequently, we as the consuments have more insight on what's going on.

Wasn't BIS' information policy the most criticized point? Why do you worry now that the actually start to release information?

[sickboy 13]

I second what basicly has been said by most. Complaining about the current state of a game that hasn't even been released, nor had a feature-freeze afaik, and isn't going to for the next full year at least... is simply unthoughtful and totally useless.

[Inkompetent 0]

And BIS never post news about stuff that isn't complete, or very near completion. Look at the 1.09 patch log. It is growing constantly, and that's since they only add what they have managed to fix, not what they intend to fix.

It seems like they are doing the exactly same thing with ArmA II, and that's a good thing in my eyes. That means they won't create false hope in any other way than possibly being unclear when they describe features of ArmA II so that they can be misinterpreted.

[opteryx 1562]

Quote[/b] ]Look at the 1.09 patch log. It is growing constantly

Huh? It's been the same for ages at the BTS, would you care to direct me towards the change log you're speaking of please?

[baddo 0]

I would also like to see where that "constantly growing 1.09 changelog". The one I can find (see what has been fixed in 1.09 at the ArmA Community Bugtracker, 4 items) doesn't really have much, and it has stayed like that for a long time now (one update in September).

Maybe that list doesn't reflect what BIS has actually done, it's just what we see. But I don't know so I will just look what comes.

[Inkompetent 0]

Okay, constantly and constantly. But there was three items in the list to start with, and now it's what? Six?

[mrj-fin 0]

There is always a needed to make improvements to games, nothing is perfect ever. Its true that to many people the game engine looks so much of ArmA but u cant say anything about its features from few screenshots and videos.

[xnodunitx 0]

The way I see it is that OFP/ArmA/ArmA2 are all the same project, continualy updated and improved over time.

If you remember back to when we first heard about Armed Assault the screenshots didn't look that much different from OFP / OFP: Elite, however now it's completly different as they continualy changed it as they went along, granted Armed Assault 2 is meant to be out next year but I wouldn't be surprised if the look and feel of it changed by then.

Anyway, all Armed Assault was ever meant to be was the fill-in between OFP and Game 2 to keep us all interested, so is it realy such a surprise that ArmA2 looks the same?

The only thing I'm worried about is that showing Videos/Info this early might make the average gamer think that ArmA2 is just a small upgrade to ArmA, thus not bothering to keep track of it and watching it develop, unless they do alot of PR around/just before release to show the gamers what's new and why they should buy it.

Indeed.

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/news/pics3/CGMArma1.jpg

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/news/pics3/CGMArma2.jpg

and this was one of the first updated screenshots.

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/news/pics3/ArmA_hires_01.jpg

But I agree with you, I wouldn't be suprised either, Arma did the same right? A few months in it looked like OFP:E And then suddenly the new version popped up.

I hope they do release more info soon but not too soon, that way the community won't bite their head off because "omg it looks the same".

[Dogtags 0]

Please don't get me wrong I am not complaining, all I am doing is asking questions about Arma II to see if there is some more info around that I have not seen.

What I said is true IMO based on the current state but I am not impatient and will continually check back for updates on Arma2. I have high hopes that it will be a big improvement over Arma eventually.

Afterall I stuck with Arma through bad patches and horrible graphics lag (6600GT) until I just got an 8800GTS, I am glad I did.

Thanks for the feedback.

[simulacra 0]

I would like to see that arma 2 had the same control over your team as in GRAW 2 for PC, that's the best movement command system I've seen...

It's really close to the system in full spectrum warrior.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I would like to see that arma 2 had the same control over your team as in GRAW 2 for PC, that's the best movement command system I've seen...

It's really close to the system in full spectrum warrior.

However it misses dozens of commanding options which can be found in OFP/ArmA.

When you have so much options you have to stuff them into some menu's, you cant do everything with a context sensitive system.

[Dwarden 1124]

u know ... same You can say about UT2003 and UT2004

yes 2003 was flop yet it still was success ,

just not as big as original UT and even UT2004 was unable to match UT popularity

also since Unreal all Epic games are based on same forward developed engine ... which is very similar to IDsoft Quake engine ... hell Valve with Source too

so i wonder why are all now shocked that BIS uses constantly improved engine OFP>OFPR>(VBS1)>OFPE>ArmA>(VBS2)>ArmA2

[Mtn Goat 0]

I know of a game company who's "secretly" working on a new PC title for nearly three years or so and haven't really revealed or announced ANYTHING.

Personally, they don't like bringing out info about their games because the community might flame them for saying something that's not particularly true (e.g: they say there'll be really good AI but when someone plays the final game they see different).

Besides, I do think games will be more unpredictable if no info gets leaked out. Then again, it's always good to inform the community of such things.

And about ArmA 2 looking really similiar to ArmA - personally, I actually agree with that, a bit. However, it's far from the release date so we don't know yet.

Chris

[simulacra 0]

Yea, it does seem like ofp/arma/arma 2 is more or less one ongoing game.

I have 1 problem with that, arma is inherently flawed in some ways, the animation engine is problematic, the audio engine is bad.

And the things that DO get fixed are superficial things that have little or no bearing in how the game actually works.

I'm glad to see that the AI will get a work over, I was REALLY glad to see that fighting units actually recognized cover in urban areas and doesn't lie down in an open street while under fire when there are buildings to get behind 2 m to either side.

What I find lacking in armed assault is "tightness" a bit non descriptive I know but I cant really explain it any other way.

It just feels detached, it's fun to make a small battle in the editor and see it being played out, and I love the fact that that battle will never play out the same at 2 different times.

But where's the thrilling campaign? where are the missions you remember for life.

The way I see it there ws some error in jugdement when arma was developed, BIS relied TOO much on community content, OFP didn't and was in that way a better GAME.

The sandbox simulations in arma 1 are great fun, but please make arma 2 a game aswell as a simulator.

[wolfbite 8]

Its because they havent finished it... and havent released anything to go by

[sv5000 127]

the images shown for Arma2 are probably placeholders.

Its the work on the guts of the game, the engine etc, that cant be seen from pics...as mentioned look at the evolution of the Arma sreenshots.

I have alot of faith in BIS, they are working on the mechanics of the game, hires graphics are nice, but how the engine works is more important to me.

I mean thats why Arma is superior to ofp, and I am sure that Arma2 will be superior to Arma.

[Scrub 0]

ArmA and ArmA II are 'evolutonary' steps.. OFP was the 'revolutionary' jump to a good thing.

By the news releases ArmA II will have a more efficient and capable GFX system with some new features, tighter AI path resolution and more realistic AI behaivior, upgraded animation system, RPG elements, and player skill elements. Quite a bit of evolution when looking at the list of improvements and additions.

[Commando84 0]

yeah im siding with the two last posters about arma being more a evolution than revolution.

All the stuff they said they are fixing for arma 2 are things that maybe didnt work with arma 1 so its better to work them into arma 2. Can't wait for CQB A.i improvements and for new animations and for a couple of 4 life campaigns.

Oh hope they can make 1 campaign for coop play, but imo they should make it playable with 20 peoples at least. But hey maybe its better to make it with 3 and work their way up after release so the game gets released by the end of 2008 and not later.

[Elcivor 0]

does ArmA2 uses a bit of the Agent AI? or will it stay on the "better improved"-Game AI?

[takealready 1]

Doesn't this seem strang to you? All of us here all 49,568  (as of 11/13/07) registered members of BIforum have spent more time confused on why BI changed the foundation of OFP Addons (scripts, ANIMATION OF 3D PARTS and the construction of the CPP) then playing the game. It's almost been one year since the release of ARMA and we're still asking noob questions. Most of us here are seasoned OFP/OFPR players (I myself have been playing the game for six years, my OFP folder on my hard drive is 2.89GB worth of files) we shouldn't be having this much hell form ARMA. We shouldn't have to spend more time converting our OFPR addons then playing the game. Just imagine if we could port ovour OFP addons to arma WITHOUT CONVERTING ANYTHING...Can you imagine the amount of NEW ADDONS that would be released?

I brought BOTH VERSIONS OF ARMA (Czech when it was released because I couldn't wait and European because it finally was released). I'm more then upset that ArmA 2 will be a REAL GAME, a REAL up follow up to OFP. While ARMA 1 looks/ feels like an expansion pack. I have a love/hate relationship with ARMA so it makes me wonder about ARMA2.

We the community invested 50% into OFP/OFPR and BI invested the other 50%. BI made this great game and handed it over to the community to mod it. And we modded the game like our lives depended on it. If you look back at the OFP sites their was a mod, update, script or addon being released at least 2 times a day; EVERYDAY.

I don't think BI realizes something.. brand loyality can elevate or destroy a business.

TIME FOR MATH....STAY WITH ME!!

If every 49,568 member of this forum decided not to buy ARMA2 and convince 1 other person NOT TO BUY ARMA 2. That's 49,568 LOYAL customers BI just lost. And another 49,568 potential customers that will go buy some Tom Clancey game instead. That's a total of 99,136 potential sales.

And if each PC version of ARMA 2 costs $45 USD; that's $4,461,120 ($4.4 Million USD and $81,011,976 Czech Koruna) that BI JUST LOST CAUSE THEY SCREWED UP ARMA 1 AND PISSED OF THE WRONG 49,568 PEOPLE (congradulations you've passed my class).

So BI your best bet is to FIX ARMA, learn form the bugs of ARMA, read the reviews, PAY ATTENSION TO OUR WISH LIST/BUG LIST and spend more time mastering ARMA so that you'll have less work to do with ARMA2 (And ARMA will keep the community busy and off your back so you can create AMRA2 in peace). The sales numbers of OFP/OFPR make ARMA look like the mentally challenged bastard child. And OFP/OFPR does not deserve that type of disrespect from it's supposed offspring.

[dmitri 0]

They need to look at the productive OFP era, forget about the complaint riddled days of late. I want a sequel to OFP, not ArmA. I'd rather ArmA 2 be built on the legacy of OFP addons that added gameplay features, not on ArmA's whinging for eyecandy and complaints over stability. They've done a fairly good job modernizing the engine. We need gameplay features next. Look to OFP, not the inbetween ArmA and the resulting community fallout.

So BI your best bet is to FIX ARMA, learn form the bugs of ARMA, read the reviews, PAY ATTENSION TO OUR WISH LIST/BUG LIST and spend more time mastering ARMA so that you'll have less work to do with ARMA2

They're doing this already, it's called ArmA 2. Whether you'd prefer a patch to ArmA is moot, you'll get your fixes - the majority you'll have to pay for (which I'm happy to do).

[mrj-fin 0]

Quote[/b] ]Can you imagine the amount of NEW ADDONS that would be released?

I would not want to see whit that new engine all those old addons and mods in that condition they were done back ago then. Models and textures are absolutely too far from level of modern ArmA and it would break badly the atmosphere seeying some part of game like ripped from other world.

Quote[/b] ]

If every 49,568 member of this forum decided not to buy ARMA2 and convince 1 other person NOT TO BUY ARMA 2. That's 49,568 LOYAL customers BI just lost. And another 49,568 potential customers that will go buy some Tom Clancey game instead. That's a total of 99,136 potential sales.

I think there is nobody here intresting those new Tom Clancys named games at least compared to freedom that ArmA can deliver to OFP fanatics. Those 50k persons are the most maniac fans of BIS games and are the people who does almost every missions, mods and addons to community so without those peoples this game will die instantly. However only some 15.000 of accounts are active.

Quote[/b] ]

And if each PC version of ARMA 2 costs $45 USD; that's $4,461,120 ($4.4 Million USD and $81,011,976 Czech Koruna) that BI JUST LOST CAUSE THEY SCREWED UP ARMA 1 AND PISSED OF THE WRONG 49,568 PEOPLE (congradulations you've passed my class).

Did you know that developers hardly get more than 15% of the money coming from total sale revenues? Major part goes to retail, publisher and the transportation costs also take its part.

I dont wanna attack to u personally but many of your claims have not sense at all.