ArmA 2 Press Coverage

[NeMeSiS 11]

The textures on the characters (or the bullets) will be better.

I think its bullshit to model every little detail, this solution works perfectly fine as you never actually look that close on models when playing and its a waste of resources.

[Crystal 0]

Ingame scenes of OFP2

I hope really, really, really that BIS can do those animations for the vehicles and soldiers to... This is awesome what Cm has released today.. and the game comes 2009, they can put much more things into the Game. Today the animations have to be better than these in ArmA.. I mean, if a soldier jump into a vehicle this looks so bad because its not animated.

Please BIS show us a revolution in the animations.

[4 IN 1 0]

the problem for arma is that

A. the engine is still very limited

B. some of the control like wheeled vehicals auto centering or effective mouse locking are annoying(why would i have to zoom in every single fucking time to lock on a target? why i couldnt lock onto a target even if the target is at the center of my fuckin screen? shouldnt the MG move together while i am movin my head? etc)

C. animations, not that its bad nor not realistic but they are disconnected, its like looking at a video tape which have many cuts but without fade in fade out between them, and i am tired of not being able to reload while on move, YES it will take longer then doing it while standing stall, but still possible.

D. physic and damage model, we have been talking about it since dinosaur ages, please oh please, improvment them

E. squad management, if you guys dunno about what i am talking about plz play the old OFP PLA MOD(which version i dont remember, but there is a chain of command system to form a platoon size system which do almost every thing we have been talking about, the problem is that due to OFP engine limit and god knows what reason the script is very laggy)

[Praelium 0]

Ingame scenes of OFP2

I hope really, really, really that BIS can do those animations for the vehicles and soldiers to... This is awesome what Cm has released today.. and the game comes 2009, they can put much more things into the Game. Today the animations have to be better than these in ArmA.. I mean, if a soldier jump into a vehicle this looks so bad because its not animated.

Please BIS show us a revolution in the animations.  

I agree. OFP2 is looking really good, and BIS needs to step up if they want to compete. I'm hoping that BIS will have comparable animations, (infrantry, especially reloading and climbing over objects, and vehicles), object detail, (especially when destroyed), Environment (more detail in the cities, like sidewalks) and realistic vehicle datails, (weakpoints, features like infrared), all like in the video.

However, in Arma 2, there may still be some features we haven't seen yet, and more that have been updated since last shown. I'm going to wait until Games Convention in Leipzig on August 20-23 before deciding to get OFP2.  

By the way, I a suggestion for BI developers. Could you please post some quality videos of what's shown? No more of

or this. The quality is so poor that I'm afraid it won't do Arma 2 justice. I think everyone will agree that ingame recording is prefered.

Of course I'm assuming that there will be gameplay videos or new trailers shown, and not just a feature list like Codemasters at E3.  

[The_Captain 0]

I noticed an old arma 2 video on youtube of building destruction, which clearly shows a soldier climbing onto the deck of the BIS m1a1 before getting in. He doesn't go in the hatch, but it looks a hell of a lot better than 'climbing the invisible ladder'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jVCFPEmX8&NR=1 - Towards the end of the video.

[Barely-injured 0]

good find Captain I was just thinking about that video. Now all that is needed is openable cockpits, doors etc. like in SLX mod and that would be good for vehicles.

However there is an interesting point that people mention about the reload animations of OFP2. They look great and I will especially love it if they differentiate between tactical reload and dry reload and I suppose BIS could also add such animations to their standard weapons if they are so inclined. BUT the question is how would both games deal with the need for animations for weapons other than the standard ones that ship with the games i.e third party addons ?

I could be wrong but I suppose that is why BIS have not included these animations in their games so far.

[Crystal 0]

Oh, didnn't noticed that, nice surprice   its the first try to make the anim. better But I think the anims are like alpha vers... so I hope BIS could do much more then that.

wow the video is really old Added: October 25, 2007 I hope BIS had improved much more things in meantime

Thx to the captain to the "new" video, Im feeling me lil bit better now and look forward to GC 2008

[sparks50 0]

Hmm, those videos have really slipped under my scope, thanks for linking to them.

[Dwarden 1124]

i really wonder why people thinks BIS needs single worldwide publisher (except the $ for game release ...

in todays world with publishers BIS already got signed all they need as bonus is simply put it on STEAM, IMPULSE, GamersGate, GameTap, Direct2Drive and own Sprocket

for online distribution

and to avoid 'undercutting' local retail box distributors sell it either 5 bucks more expensive or use regional pricing in areas where retail box exist (e.g. STEAM supports that) ..

that covers huge market by default + lot of free advertising / PR just from 'be' there

in the end developers, publishers and customers are happy

[Crystal 0]

Another old Video:

shows the early Engine of ArmA2?

This old Game 2 / ArmA2 - preview show some nice Pictures of the early Engine.

1. Nice grass far away.. and good evenings sun light effects on the trees.

2. Nice lightings and good modelled object's too (for this early status of the Engine)

3. Tall grass..

4. Very nice lightings and good colours  (not to much HDR~ or to shiny like other new Games, good balanced).

5. Much more small object's than ArmA..

6. Nice viewdistance of litle object's (stones, bushy ground). And we see a early V22 Osprey

So, can we expect much more detailed ground and object's @ better viewdistance? I hate the small radius of grass in ArmA. And these lightings in the very very old picture, can we expect these or better ones in ArmA 2 too? I hope so, than this material is very old..

What I did noticed, since ArmA 2 was announced, the graphic at screens & Videos has been changed radicaly to ArmA style (if i compare this and other old material of Game 2 with new ones of ArmA 2).

Of course I compare and analyse only graphic details but since OFP they was improved slowly.

[mr.g-c 6]

Yes, good find. Even though i knew all pictures already, the video is quite interesting to watch.

According to the look of Ondrej, Marek and of course the game engine, i assume this is early Pre-Arma1 stage.

The way that Ondrej look in this video, i would not recognize him on the street. I have the picture from the Sahrani-Radio Interview still in my mind where he looked totally different....

Anyway, there is still a other gallery floating around at this tiscali-games site from Game2 early shots (pre Arma1 release), which contains around ~60 pictures... sadly i don't have the link anymore.

Regards, Christian

[kavoven 4]

The upper screens are that what was anounced as Game 2 quite some years ago.

The lower screen is an old VBS or even Indepedence Lost screenshot.

[Yeb 0]

What is Independence Lost? I know it has been cancelled, but have you got some info about it: what it was supposed to be, etc...

[Colossus 2]

What is Independence Lost? I know it has been cancelled, but have you got some info about it: what it was supposed to be, etc...

I think it was a expansion pack for VBS(?), which was concentrated around ADF/INTERFET in East Timor.

Speaking of which, I think the carrier they used in that "game" is the same we saw in one of the interviews with Marek (ArmA2).

At least the model they based it on.

[Heatseeker 0]

What is Independence Lost? I know it has been cancelled, but have you got some info about it: what it was supposed to be, etc...

It was supposed to be a standalone game using the old OPF engine.

Independance Lost

But because OPF was so modable this project never stood a chance and some of that stuff ended up released in VBS1, a shame imo... the idea was far more interesting than Armed Assault.

And those pre-Arma game 2 shots are just WIP/promotion shots using the OPF:Elite engine, you can tell by the terrain .

Game 2 was just a myth, Arma is game 2 and we are all looking forward to game 3.

[Crystal 0]

Whad? Game 3 lol

Are you really sure that they are only "OPF:Elite" shots? I dont think so, some of them are in the desert or have much better graphically details..

[kavoven 4]

They weren't Elite shots, the graphical style is completly different, even compared to ArmAs.

I think Seventh was behind Independence Lost (he made (some of) the music of OFP) and I was always really interested in it. A shame that is was never released!

[max power 21]

And those pre-Arma game 2 shots are just WIP/promotion shots using the OPF:Elite engine, you can tell by the terrain .

Game 2 was just a myth, Arma is game 2 and we are all looking forward to game 3.

ArmA is ofp 1.5, game 2 is the sequel.  Game 2 was also in development before ArmA 1. You can't tell by the terrain because the terrain isn't generated by the engine, it's generated by artists. They own those assets and can reuse them for whatever they want.

[Sosna 0]

Quote[/b] ]The lower screen is an old VBS or even Indepedence Lost screenshot.

It's a Game 2 screen. It only looks different because it's a photo of a monitor. (click)

The things I like about Game 2 visuals is the nice tonal range, and the more gradual shading. While Game 2 had lesser textures and mapping, visually it has more depth (in certain situations at least).

So far BI seems to have increased the tonal range from ArmA 1 (on models), dark areas are definitely darker. However the shading is quite abrupt, which takes away from the depth of the object.

I did a quick photoshop to illustrate what I mean:

(original left, modified right)

The lightest and darkest points on the hind remain more or less the same, but the shading in between has been made more gradual. This IMO gives the object more depth as in the Game 2 screens

In the background of this particular screen it's easy to tell the difference good shading makes. The distant trees look very shapely and realistic, while the near buildings and trees look very bland - almost unshaded.

Well, the latest ArmA 2 screens released are quite out of date, so I guess we'll see what the artists have been up to soon.  

[kavoven 4]

No it isn't Game 2. Its VBS or Independence Lost.

Look at the rifle. It's the OFP M16 and the way the choppers reflect the light is comparable to the graphic improvement introdruced during the... 1.5x patches I think.

[SaBrE_UK 0]

The lightest and darkest points on the hind remain more or less the same, but the shading in between has been made more gradual. This IMO gives the object more depth as in the Game 2 screens

In the background of this particular screen it's easy to tell the difference good shading makes. The distant trees look very shapely and realistic, while the near buildings and trees look very bland - almost unshaded.

Well, the latest ArmA 2 screens released are quite out of date, so I guess we'll see what the artists have been up to soon.  

Yes that's it! I've never been able to put my finger on it but you're right it's that depth that makes Game 2, even now, have some advantages over ArmA 2, although ArmA 2 does look better on the whole. A simple graphics engine tweak of the shading and HDR should improve the game no-end.

...well that and distant grass a la Crysis.

[Raptor 10]

@Crystal

That shown Screens are very, very, very old Screens/Vids ( the vid is fom 22.04.06, screens are just older ( http://armed-assault.de/galerie/game-2/ ), tha last uptade on this engine should be the PCFormat Screens) shown the early Game2 Engine. You should know that BIS decide that they wont use this engine until it would take to much time to develope a new engine like the Game2 Engine. So didn't raise false expectations about a new engine in ArmA2! That topic is cleared up for a long time.

And IL is now very older as the other projects. It was a side project to VBS.

Here to clear it finaly up:

http://www.theofpfaq.ashnav.co.il/IL/independencelost.htm

In the comparision with OFP2 Material on the E3 you can noticed that ArmA looks more unrealistic ( lightnings, colors, views) to OFP2 (but as we know its also in an early stage of Developement).

[rainbow 0]

Oh guys, I see you open old and closed discussion about Game2 and Independence Lost.

Game2 had to be on the NextGen Poseidon engine that's why there is huge difference between other poseidon games. Game2 was cancelled in the same time when ArmA2 was announced.

Independence Lost was announced as expansion pack for OFP1. However, Resistance expansion pack was this one which was released. When OFP2 (2004) was announced it was definately sure that IL is dead. If you look deeply on IL photos you will see some vehicles which were used in VBS1 modules packs.

[EricM 0]

Quote[/b] ]In the comparision with OFP2 Material on the E3 you can noticed that ArmA looks more unrealistic ( lightnings, colors, views) to OFP2

Actually, the lighting is better, but the colors are washed out, contrast is maxed and there's a heavy dose of green in the shadows. It's all for the cinematic effect (a la "Saving private Ryan" or "Letters of Iwo Jima"), but Arma colors feel more realistic to me.

OFP2 has a more "artistic" depiction of reality, while Arma 2 seems to be heading for "bland real".

[stakex 0]

Oh guys, I see you open old and closed discussion about Game2 and Independence Lost.

Game2 had to be on the NextGen Poseidon engine that's why there is huge difference between other poseidon games. Game2 was cancelled in the same time when ArmA2 was announced.

Independence Lost was announced as expansion pack for OFP1. However, Resistance expansion pack was this one which was released. When OFP2 (2004) was announced it was definately sure that IL is dead. If you look deeply on IL photos you will see some vehicles which were used in VBS1 modules packs.

Game2 was not cancelled.... Game2 IS ArmA2 as has been said by the devs themselfs. Game2 was just the working title. They have just stripped out some of the cool features from the game when it was still called Game2, but its really still the same game.

And yes... that picture of the game on a computer screen was a picture taken durring the E3 showing of Game2 back in 2005. While I can't find the original site it came from, I remember clearly when it was released... its Game2, absolutly no question.