ArmA 2 Press Coverage

[Colossus 2]

Same graphics, animations, hud, weird voice sounds, flight model looks the same too (with the traditional looping engine sound).

Couldn't agree more. If this isn't planned to be changed I think BI is doing a big mistake in terms of classifying ArmA2 as a brand new game. Sure there might be alot of changes behind the curtains, but for the buyers this isn't the first thing they will be looking at.

I think another year is needed to finish the product and scale it up to a brand new game. Quite frankly I think the developers (or some of them) are quite fed up with the ArmA/OFP idea now and would like to move on to something else, but if this is going to be the final chapter for the ArmA/OFP legacy I think another year is definetly needed.

[jakerod 254]

Translation on Arma.info

There is a little bit of information at the above link if anyone is interested.

[MehMan 0]

If the loyal fanbase isnt all that impressed how will the general audience react?

They don't care yet. The general audience doesn't keep track and chart down every move that BIS does, doesn't analize the videos, doesn't analize every statement BIS makes. The loyal fanbase is half perverted.

[Barely-injured 0]

Quote[/b] ]What I'm most curious about is just how 'new' these videos are. Yes they are new to us but were they recorded and held from public for a few months or so?

Yes I know that method wouldn't make sense but if you think about it, it has been the way BIS has worked, look at Arma for example, screenshots and some videos they released dated back 3 months or so, how are we to know this isn't similar.

A big thanks goes to Valhalian for the translation of the article

It says that these footages are from their old visit that means it dates all the way back to February.

[mr.g-c 6]

Well, i always hoped to never see such videos after the previous public-made and good looking pictures, so that it never get the feeling i have now

Quote[/b] ]I agree with the negative feedback on these videos and hope that they are in fact old and lacking most of the new features. Because if this is what we can expect from ArmA2, then its not going to be worth buying.

Well sadly i have to agree here too. However currently i don't really care anymore to a certain point what they do or not, because if i see what the ACE-mod will bring us to ARMA1 - No need for Arma2 for me (so far).

I even play OFP with WGL 5.1 currently (some user made campaigns), which really chains me in front of the screen, like Arma could not ever do at all! A great story mixed with a certain (bigger) amount of realism, really makes up a awesome experience - just like you would await it from a SIMULATION.

Isn't Arma2 be called "The Ultimate Military Simulation" ? I hope this time we can really await a simulation....

But i'm more the realism freak who loves a variety of weapons, vehicles and ammunitions mixed with a realistic implementation of them.

I hardly believe BIS could ever satisfy me with their "standard" products, but thats just me.....

Quote[/b] ]....And thats all we see in these videos... no major changes, same old models, and no sign of "Game 2" or the "next gen PC game" we have been promised. Want a good laugh? Read one of the old "Game2" articles for a couple years ago... almost every thing that made "Game2" sound great has been removed....

Uhh better be careful.... Or you will get written down to the list of the so called "usual complainers" or "bi-basher's", just like myself as i had written similar posts.

But according to the latest information we have avaibale, you are right... this is what makes me feel a little bit sad.

To address the obviously not-available get-in animations and no animations for open doors, etc. :

I hope they will implement this sooner or later, everyone knows that the engines weakest point are the animations (besides the AI and other smaller issues), so the animations should be addressed at most by the Arma2 team, in my opinion. It would be really a shame if there would be no open doors/hatches in their third product at all.

I mean even the community-modders could model this afterwards into Arma (SLX-Vehicles).....

I just really hope that these recent videos are older than the stage of the great pictures we saw some weeks/months ago....

Best Regards, and i hope we all will see soon some better videos/pictures from the "chocolate-sides" of Arma2

- Christian

[xnodunitx 0]

A big thanks goes to Valhalian for the translation of the article

It says that these footages are from their old visit that means it dates all the way back to February.

Big thanks to Valhalian for the translation..that probably sets a few minds (including mine) to rest.

I wonder if they told the person to hold them back of if the user just took awhile...either way, glad to hear that this is NOT the present build.

[mr.g-c 6]

A big thanks goes to Valhalian for the translation of the article

It says that these footages are from their old visit that means it dates all the way back to February.

Woo! Sorta, glad to see that my questioning was correct though it still doesn't make much sense to hold the videos back over a course of a few months.

I wonder if they told the person to hold them back of if the user just took awhile...either way, glad to hear that this is NOT the present build.

So all the excitement was for nothing?

Glad to hear that...... puhhh......

So the rest of ma evening is saved and ill continue my OFP-WGL campaign.

Best Regards, Christian

[mrj-fin 0]

Keep in mind these are WIP videos not advertising stuff

All those pre-rendered stuff/pics never tell nothing of real final game so I'd expect to see reality in this WIP videos.

I want to see BIS to be fair to this loyal community and keeps us in big picture what is going on. They should (BIS) give a public commitment if they really arent anymore creating for realistic military FPS games, that they gave image back in years 2001-2005 (VBS sims have many engine restrictions due based on same engine than BIS releases). All this "Ultimate Combat Sims" hype etc... create only false hope.

A2 Game engine doesnt looks anything different from ArmA and BIS capability to change it in few years seems quite impossible. I am not really keen of any GFX upgrades but more to all the rest beginning from game play to all those "promised" features that would make Game2 to be real sequel to OFP.

It to amaze me that how little they have managed to improve from 2001 to this day even they now have double times bigger and more experienced teams...

BTW do they still use that 3rd party ODE physics engine and how BIS did expect it to improve the game?

[Sosna 0]

As far as visuals go, in regards to the forest video in particular: LOD morphing is still very apparent. I find it very distracting, even at this low resolution. I realize though that the models need to change at some point... I would suggest making it so that LODs only transition while moving, and at high zoom levels (optics, binoculars). The models shouldn't morph when casually eye-zooming, or using iron sights.

Also, the lighting in the forest shadows looks very bland - shading (aside from textures) seems almost nonexistant. HDR overbrightening dark areas may be partly responsible for the effect.

[dmitri 0]

BIS shouldn't allow websites to release gameplay footage at this quality.

[stakex 0]

Quote[/b] ]....And thats all we see in these videos... no major changes, same old models, and no sign of "Game 2" or the "next gen PC game" we have been promised. Want a good laugh? Read one of the old "Game2" articles for a couple years ago... almost every thing that made "Game2" sound great has been removed....

Uhh better be careful.... Or you will get written down to the list of the so called "usual complainers" or "bi-basher's", just like myself as i had written similar posts.

But according to the latest information we have avaibale, you are right... this is what makes me feel a little bit sad.

lol development companies need a certain level of complaining and bashing otherwise they turn into companies like Electronic Arts.

@ dmitri

Would you rather we see nothing but pre-rendred screenshots and such only to have the game come out look nothing like the released media? I will actually praise BIS for not hideing what the game looks like before its ready to be released... at least with videos like this we can give feedback and let the devs know what we think before the game comes out.

[paragraphic l 2]

point is, that if bis has to keep track on what they show and what the reactions are they have a lot of extra work!

first of all, probably 90% what's being talked about by us is allready seen, fixed, or written down for fix by the team itself (if they have to provide all this info with every released media it would halt the entire progress of game making for this)

second, who says we know what we want? everyone is discussing about features but BIS is supposed to know what is the correct decision.

Offcourse it's great we get new media and I've posted how much I like what I see, as I only look at the improvements, not at the lack of it. But to much 'crappy' media will only raise to much BI-bashing which probably isn't even needed as I've allready pointed out. So BIS reputation degrades and initial 'fan-boy'-sales drop and BIS really needs the current fan-base as extra promotion, support and motivation. They might be doing it for themselves, but then they could have stayed with VBS and drop ArmA, so they also like us to enjoy their product.

[TrunkzJr 0]

Quote[/b] ]First of all we would like to apologize for the poor quality caused by the lighting, author's shaking hands and the equipment, a small digital camera...

Keep in mind these are WIP videos not advertising stuff

Let's see if BIS get little time again to write something new in their developer/community blog.

Okay we get it their still in WIP mode, but try to understand this:

"22nd Aug 2007

Bohemia Interactive announces ARMA 2"

Your telling me after 8 months or so and were still seeing a game that still looks like ArmA?

Once again this moves me slightly towards OFP2 once again...

[xnodunitx 0]

Which is just as bad if not worse off.

January 8th, 2008 german magazine shows off some OFP2 "artwork", most interesting to follow is this- http://www.ofp2.info/ftp/pics/news/pics1/ofp2pcactionscan2.jpg

March 25th, 2008 CM release some "new' 'renders'

http://www.ofp2.info/ftp/pics/news/pics1/ofp2picsmarch01.jpg buh?

Anyway its not likely they will release OFP2 (if it exists, thus far all we have seen are renders) anytime soon.

"Some of you have to realise a few things here. With GRID, the game is deep into development, so assets for the game are free flowing. However, with OFP2, it still is in development - very early still and there is a lot of work to do.

If we were to release screens of an untextured map, or vehicle, many would say how crap it looks. Ideally it would be nice to take a game through the development cycle with screenshots (for example) but it would really have a negative impact on the game overall.

We ARE working on releasing alot of information for the community when it is available, and we promise, it will be an information overload! Lots to come soon!"

Source- http://www.ofp2.info/

[gonk 0]

again this moves me slightly towards OFP2 once again...

Be wary of codemasters and their total lack of fan commitment. At least BIS listen to their fan base and try to incorporate in what we ask for. They cannot please everybody. If they tried we would get feature creep and never see the game..

[7 0]

point is, that if bis has to keep track on what they show and what the reactions are they have a lot of extra work!

first of all, probably 90% what's being talked about by us is allready seen, fixed, or written down for fix by the team itself (if they have to provide all this info with every released media it would halt the entire progress of game making for this)

second, who says we know what we want? everyone is discussing about features but BIS is supposed to know what is the correct decision.

Offcourse it's great we get new media and I've posted how much I like what I see, as I only look at the improvements, not at the lack of it. But to much 'crappy' media will only raise to much BI-bashing which probably isn't even needed as I've allready pointed out. So BIS reputation degrades and initial 'fan-boy'-sales drop and BIS really needs the current fan-base as extra promotion, support and motivation. They might be doing it for themselves, but then they could have stayed with VBS and drop ArmA, so they also like us to enjoy their product.

yeah because who cares what the potential buyers want?

[BigRed 2]

point is, that if bis has to keep track on what they show and what the reactions are they have a lot of extra work!

first of all, probably 90% what's being talked about by us is allready seen, fixed, or written down for fix by the team itself (if they have to provide all this info with every released media it would halt the entire progress of game making for this)

second, who says we know what we want? everyone is discussing about features but BIS is supposed to know what is the correct decision.

Offcourse it's great we get new media and I've posted how much I like what I see, as I only look at the improvements, not at the lack of it. But to much 'crappy' media will only raise to much BI-bashing which probably isn't even needed as I've allready pointed out. So BIS reputation degrades and initial 'fan-boy'-sales drop and BIS really needs the current fan-base as extra promotion, support and motivation. They might be doing it for themselves, but then they could have stayed with VBS and drop ArmA, so they also like us to enjoy their product.

Yeah sorry dude I will voice what I want because I already blew money on ArmA and I want to play a sim that I will enjoy because I am getting tired of the crap I am playing now (COD4).  I don't remember in too many thread people asking about a map to zoom in and out on but 80% of the moans are animations and AI (which I really don't care about because I play PvP).  The PvP community just want animations that flow (ex. the ability to stop and go with out delaying or over running, the ability to running and even if the gun isn't out in front to have a general idea of where the shots will go when you do need to shoot) better instead of the way they are now just some tweaking they don't even need to be re-done totally.  Realism is cool and all but for PvP you have to still have the fun factor to keep people playing it.

[SHWiiNG 0]

I think the recent dissapointement is due what the community has been exposed to over the years.

Arma-----> New of Game2*------> News of Arma2

* Game2 last year was advertised in magazines (And has screenshots) of Dynamic campaigns, Hugely detailed vehicle interiors i know these were concepts but something tells me that all the old screenshots of Game 2 were the marks of a brilliant looking game. it seems that the look of Arma 2 (next gen game) are below what we saw in these concept screenshots.

[paragraphic l 2]

yeah because who cares what the potential buyers want?

Never said that, but if BIS is providing more media from WIP's, which show loads of bugs, to check our comments and wishes they will have to search through 20 pages of BI bashing to find 1 or 2 good comments. As they probably know themselves what the shown bugs are

So I would say it's no drama if BIS only shows some stuff which is 100% done instead of this type of videos. So they only have to check comments on what people think about that content; if they made something we like or totally think is unrealistic.

[sanctuary 19]

second, who says we know what we want? everyone is discussing about features but BIS is supposed to know what is the correct decision.

No, people perfectly know what they want to see in the game.

But it is just up to the developers to implement what they (the developers) want and don't implement what they don't want, after that it is us that 'vote with our wallet'.

There was none of the feature and the gameplay advances i wanted to see in ArmA1 -> i didn't bought it.

If there is none of the features and the gameplay advances i want to see in ArmA2 -> i will not buy it either.

[Raptor 10]

There was none of the feature and the gameplay advances i wanted to see in ArmA1 -> i didn't bought it.

But how can you be an ArmA Fan without playing ArmA? *lookie on your avantar headline*

Whating for the next official Status.

Ahhmm..also not impressed, yet.

[mr reality 0]

Quite frankly I think the developers (or some of them) are quite fed up with the ArmA/OFP idea now and would like to move on to something else

If i remember correctly this is the problem. On Jerry Hoppers Sahrani radio interview with Suma i'm sure Suma mentioned that there a little tired of the military based game.

You can tell this by just looking at the units used in Arma, there seems to be no real commitment with regards to authentic unit designations. Suma even stated that they don't really care that much if an M4 sounds right, as long as it sounds like a rifle.

For a game which states "ultimate simulation" there's an awful lot of slap-dash with ArmA.

I too shuddered at the sight of those videos, it's deja vous all over again. I for one assumed ArmA would be closer to Game2 than OFP so i was more than a little dissapointed when i bought ArmA, mainly due to the same bugs we had erradicated in flashpoint had returned to haunt us in ArmA.

Now this couldn't happen again could it. ArmAII is closing in on us and it's looking very likely that it will be more like ArmA than this holy grail game2.

I keep telling myself that ArmAII isn't going to be that much better than ArmA because VBS2 isn't that much better than ArmA. If ArmAII is going to be the mutts nuts then we would see a VBS3 first, cynical yes, but understandable from where i'm sitting.

I'm still a fan because i've just bought QG

[smellyjelly 0]

Come on guys, the videos weren't that bad, they just didn't really show anything good. And that's understandable because the strange lighting and low quality makes it difficult to distinguish anything.

Hopefully BIS will have an update soon showing off some features so people will regain confidence again. The last update on bistudio.com/ regarding Arma II was on March 3rd, and that was more about the technical process of creating vegetation than the new features in Arma II.

[Maddmatt 1]

If i remember correctly this is the problem. On Jerry Hoppers Sahrani radio interview with Suma i'm sure Suma mentioned that there a little tired of the military based game.

You can tell this by just looking at the units used in Arma, there seems to be no real commitment with regards to authentic unit designations. Suma even stated that they don't really care that much if an M4 sounds right, as long as it sounds like a rifle..

He was talking about himself, not about the team. He's a programmer, his job doesn't involve the sounds. So what does it matter? You think that every single developer cares about every other aspect of the game as much as the part that they work on?

Same thing with the players. Not everyone cares if the sounds aren't perfect. Some just love the gameplay and don't give a crap about things like 'unit designations'. Others are crazy about sounds but don't care much about having detailed high-res textures.

Personally, I like it for the gameplay. I don't give a shit if a unit designation isn't perfect, or the soldiers shoes are not the exact same type as they should be.

Those videos are old anyway. They don't even show much, nothing to make a fuss over. Amazing how crazy people go over some shaky cam videos that show hardly any gameplay and are old

We haven't had any new info on ArmA 2 in a while. Remember how much ArmA changed every time we suddenly got new screenshots after they were quiet for a while?

And hopefully the focus isn't so much on detailed hardware-killing graphics this time. The trees in ArmA look detailed enough. No more polygons and shaders on them please

[NoRailgunner 0]

"ultimate simulation" you will never get this real in gaming/entertainment industry. Its another buzzword for marketing, sales and those who are dreaming.

Had a talk with someone three weeks back he claimed that Cod4 is 100% real. Reminds me of other discussion long time before - that BF is close to reality..... Degenerated generation spoiled by Hollywood SFX. It was nice to see in service how boys fired weapon with one hand "Gangsta Style" and were suddenly scared/shocked about recoil

Anyway don't judge only by videos, pictures and text. Taste and try before you buy!