Interview with Ondrej Spanel ( Suma )

[Taxidriver 0]

Maybe it will be detrimental for them but not for us.

We need combact simulator which is free of bugs, easy to edit and friendly to our hardware.

I think this 3 points will decide which product wins this competition.

True, but that's assuming that both games can actually be seen as a somewhat credible combat simulator in the first place, which is not completely certain or irrelevant IMO.

[Heatseeker 0]

I'm now kicking myself for not submitting a question about the MP modes that will be included in Arma II...

Aha, he would probably answer: "I have no idea about it yet, im the lead programer, not a game/mission designer..".

He's escape to: what other game outside this franchise would you like to do? was rather sneaky.

I think this interview exposes a diferent perspective of the game to many of us, not what we look at and interact with but whats behind to make all of it run, sort of like looking at the game from his point of view.

[NoRailgunner 0]

Thanks for interesting interview and little "previews"!

@BIS + Placebo

New and other informations about BIS and ArmA would be nice too.

What's about little info's + picture updates at Blogs or ArmA2.com?

Don't let this fall asleep.

[tomcat_ 0]

it was a nice interview and I think Suma was quite honest. I think BIS as a whole are trying to be an honest back garage developer....

I was quite surprised to be have heard any question (irrespective if it was mine or not) about the netcode. Netcode in arma is quite ancient and although we have got used to it over the years, new players or even squads that want to move over to Arma-arma2...will find it difficult.

It uses tons of bandwith (up to 512kb per person sometimes), 100% of server cpu most of the times, it has parameters that are not well documented on what they do with examples and the worst of all the units are warping either close or from distance...along with vehicles when you are in them.

Although it might sound like a minor issue, you need to put yourself into the shoes of poor admins and new players.

An admin has to rent a dedicated server to host the game (hard to imagine running more than 2 servers in one box). New players join the game and because of the warping they think that is something wrong with their pc, that the game is not playing well etc., although in reality is that there is not interpolation taking into account on the netcode...

on top of that, they is limited functionality for community to develop remote admin tools, like rcon etc..

now...as Suma says that support depend on how many players are playing the game...then admin support and netcode is key to it...no matter how nice a game is....unless there is proper netcode and server support then it's bound to die...

hence my questions that would be nice to have some answers from Suma were:

Therefore, are there plans to optimise netcode in order:

1. Use less bandwith per player and less cpu power on server?

2. Are there plans to eliminate the warping of units via the use of interpolation in order for the game to look smoother

3. Are there plans to allow functionality for development from the community of a remote admin

4. Can we get a more detailed info on all the parameters that someone can use in order to tweak the server?

[Dallas 9]

Jerry I have to praise you, you're really growing with the job, each interviews raises the level. I have no idea how much time you spend preparing the show, but it's really well orchestrated, always entertaining and very relevant.

In Suma's honest and modest replies, were also a few provocative points. That BIS Developers are only humans doing a job. That there are more to this life than this game. That the developing cycle can't just add a feature because someone demands it and that ArmA had gotten as much support as they possible could give it. Some will really take offense of these, I didn't.

It seems my expectations of ArmA2 are quite correct :-)

Can't wait for release :-)

I totally agree, I also think it's important to set your expectations at a realistic level. I think it's important to see this forum as a community and not a direct channel to god: Where you can post demands and threaten to switch religion, if your prayers aren't meet. I'm looking forward to ArmA II, because BIS's history of games and support.

Many thanks to Jerry and Suma for great interview.

[txalin 2]

Someone can make a little summary? my english is not so good to listen (and understand ) this interview

[opteryx 1562]

I think it's important to see this forum as a community and not a direct channel to god: Where you can post demands and threaten to switch religion, if your prayers aren't meet.

That's a hilarious yet well said analogy.

[-Snafu- 77]

Yeah, that's sig worthy Dallas.

[baddo 0]

Thank You Suma. It was very interesting to hear your comments. I did not notice any typical marketing speech in your replies and as such the interview was very good. It sounded like you were saying things exactly as they are and did not try to sugar coat anything.

Thank You Jerry Hopper for doing the work to arrange these kinds of interviews. I appreciate this kind of work very much. Keep it up!

[maddogx 13]

I think it's important to see this forum as a community and not a direct channel to god: Where you can post demands and threaten to switch religion, if your prayers aren't meet.

Hear hear! Signature worthy statement.

[mr reality 0]

I'll give credit were its due and say that Suma does indeed come across as an honest and realistic guy, but...there's nothing in that interview that made me go "I can't wait for ArmAII". If anything i'm beginning to think ArmAII will turn out more like COD4..

In reply to a question regarding the updating of tank/vehicle combat, Suma said a few times about a certain type of gameplay that there aiming for, but i wanted to know what this was. Does it mean more focus on squad combat and less on vehicles. As it stands vehicle combat in ArmA is totally unrealistic so to not develope it any further isn't realy what I wanted to hear.

It was atleast good to hear about the tracers but this game will be released in about a year or so, VBS2 was released over 6 months ago. So to hear Sumas' exact words on this question wasn't exactly mouthwatering. It was pretty much expected.

When i heard the question regarding continued support i nearly fell of my chair. Were still getting support for ArmA so that it works like it was supposed to. If BIS only released one patch then they wouldn't have a community full stop. This is my understanding atleast.

Hearing about the lack of interest in military games didn't suprise me one bit. ArmA is a perfect example of a military game with virtually no realism (with regards to military spec).

ArmA was a must buy game after the success of Flashpoint, ArmAII is certainly not.

It wasn't all doom and gloom........hold on a minute ...it was..

[Second 0]

Good interview.

Nice to hear honest and direct-speaking words from guy who knows the game.

[NeMeSiS 11]

Well i prefer honesty over false expectations, and it seems like ArmA2 is going to be what i expected.

[funnyguy1 0]

Thank you guys. Really nice and honest interview, without any marketing mumble...

I kinda feel there could have been more info about arma2 though, well probably because it wasn't the main scope of the interview. My suggestion would be to create another one (maybe with Placebo this time), that will focus only on arma2. Why? Just to clarify some things, confirm or deny certain features etc.

That would reduce the number of whinning.

edit: and yes, after this interview, I can say that ArmA2 is going to be more or less what I expected...

[W0lle 1042]

...

That would reduce the number of whinning and

...

Sorry but that is an illusion

[Abbe 0]

Surprisingly honest interview since this is a guy trying to make a living on ArmA2! Nice to hear, thanks Suma (and Jerry...).

[BraTTy 0]

Nice interview, thank you Jerry and Ondrej

One thing that got me through the whole interview is that Ondrej referring to Arma's name as "Armored Assault"

But there is already a game by that name and I thought Arma's name was "Armed Assault"

http://www.ient.com/publishing/armoredassault/armored.html

Possibly just his accent and the way he pronouncing it but correction may be needed, sure sounded like Armored to me

I still await ArmaII and any game from this publisher

[Col. Faulkner 0]

Possibly just his accent and the way he pronouncing it but correction may be needed, sure sounded like Armored to me

That is how persons of the foreign persuasion typically pronounce "-ed" words.

[Rhodite 3]

It's interesting to see what expectations each person had regarding the interview, personally I liked the personal approach taken in the interview.

ArmA II will come, so it was rather hopefull of any of you to expect some jaw dropping revelation so early on into the development, and I do find it amusing that you are already writing off the game, you have to ask yourself why are you even here if that is your final thought on the matter.

Ondrej clearly had to work hard talking in english, so I have no doubt that caused a little confusion in his replies.

A final note, don't be ruining this thread with trolling posts, it was a rare community interview with a lead member of the BIS team, be positive, I am sure I speak for many when I say that more interviews of this type would be VERY welcome indeed.

Thankyou Jerry and Suma.

[max power 21]

He was pronouncing it 'Arm Ed Assault'.  It's quite common for languages (and i'm making an assumption about czech here) where you pronounce every syllable with equal emphasis.  In french, for instance, in many cases the ending syllable of the word is almost completely silent.  So when listening to new francophone english speakers, they often truncate the conjugated endings of verbs so that they sound like they are in the third person singular tense regardless of the subject of the sentence.  The point is that non-native english speakers will often default to the pronounciation and meter of their mother tongue, as I'm sure that english speakers do in other languages.

I think it's important to realise that this interview was not a marketting stunt meant to wett your appetite for consuming BIS products.  It was a frank and honest conversation with a man about his occupation.  Expecting a polished, mind blowing feature list zomgz0rz for ArmA 2 was not what the interview was about.  It think that it was much better that Suma didn't put on the salesman's cap.  We can learn about ArmA 2 by reading the ongoing propaganda campaign.  This opportunity was so much more than simply an avenue for pushing ArmA 2, and I am highly satisfied with the interview despite the fact that not everything I wish for will be in their next commercial product.

[W0lle 1042]

Well said and explained plaintiff1.

I finally was able to finish the interview. It's obvious that Ondrej had partially a hard time explaining things in english. But overall he did very well.

Jerry repeatedly called him 'Suma' and sometimes he cut Ondrejs words but besides that, well done Jerry.

Interesting interview, thanks to both Ondrej and Jerry.

[Heatseeker 0]

Jerry deserves some interrogation too...

Q: Will Sahrani Radio become Chernarus Radio in the near/far future ?

[sparks50 0]

When will the next Interview be? I want to hear it live

[W0lle 1042]

In reply to a question regarding the updating of tank/vehicle combat, Suma said a few times about a certain type of gameplay that there aiming for, but i wanted to know what this was. Does it mean more focus on squad combat and less on vehicles. As it stands vehicle combat in ArmA is totally unrealistic so to not develope it any further isn't realy what I wanted to hear.

Yes I think that's what he tried to say and that they can't make ArmA2 all inclusive simulation incorporating realistic tanks and planes behaviour.

And if we're honest, OFP also was no tank nor flight simulation. Sure you can debate now if tank/plane simulation was better in OFP (imho it was) but it's realistic to say that we'll never get ArmA+StealBeasts+FS X in an all-in-one package. The development of such a simulation would take forever.

[jerryhopper 285]

Due to server outage the interview is only available thru filefront.

http://files.filefront.com/suma+fi....fo.html

( the whole armedassault.eu server is down, but will be back tomorrow )

my excuses for that.