Arma feedback thread - based on 1.14

[Heatseeker 0]

The new units... the woodland guys are great except theres only 1 model and no wound textures.

Who is wounded? Who is the squad leader? Who is the medic? .

You can give them additional gear using a script or the init line. The squadleader is the one giving the orders, the medic is the one with the redcross icon in the unit list.

It's a pity they have no wounded textures but hey - they are a free giveaway and since when one complains about something that comes for free?

That's at least the 6th compaint about these units having no gear besides the M16 - c'mon guys use your imagination! So far I have seen no one complaining that the SF units have no machineguns or AT weapons. With these the addweapon command works, so why not with the free woodland units.

Really....

Because i already converted a mission to the WDL soldiers .

Changed loadouts via init field and pasted their squad role in the description field.

Now i still cant tell the diference betwean the squad leader, teamleader and medic and the medic cant tell wich of those 20 guys is bleeding, fun coop times ahead .

I think adding woodland blufor to Arma is a great idea, i just wish it would have been done like the desert marpats (wich are useless).

Its an opinion and its feedback, if another patch ever comes out it would make me happy to have this fixed.

[KeyCat 131]

ODEN @ May 25 2008,21:13)]More likely his shadow setting went up enough to be managed by graphicscard instead releaving the processor doing else.

I highly doubt that would give a ~350% increase in FPS, some increase maybe but not this...

Anyway, I'm still testing 1.14 but for me this version is unfortunately less stable than anything previous and I've received a few CTD's as well as BSOD's (first ever in ArmA).

First I suspected that it was related to when/if I ALT-TAB'ed out of ArmA but right now I got a nasty BSOD in SP with sound looping even without ALT-TAB'ing to desktop even once  

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

...

No point in selection zamerny.

No point in selection zamerny.

No alive in 10000

note: Minidump has been generated into the file d:\games\armeda~1\arma.mdmp

===FROZEN====>>>>>>BEG

Version 1.14.5256

Fault address:  7C90EB94 01:0000DB94 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntdll.dll

Prev. code bytes: 49 00 90 90 90 90 90 8B D4 0F 34 90 90 90 90 90

Fault code bytes: C3 8D A4 24 00 00 00 00 8D 64 24 00 90 90 90 90

Registers:

EAX:292E6000 EBX:0008FA01

ECX:00000000 EDX:000B6D5C

ESI:0125F9E4 EDI:00000000

CS:EIP:001B:7C90EB94

SS:ESP:0023:0125F980  EBP:0125F9D0

DS:0023  ES:0023  FS:003B  GS:0000

Flags:00000246

===FROZEN====>>>>>>END

Will try some more and see if there is a way to isolate the problem (I did use a couple of 3rd party addons at the time I got above BSOD)... Also, full specs and report/dump files are available if they will help anyone at BIS?

/KC

[Correction 0]

The new features seem pretty cool. However, I'm disappointed to see that vegetated areas are still virtually unplayable for me regardless of how low I configure my video settings.

Pentium M 2.00 GHz

1.00 GB RAM

ATI Mibility Radeon x700 256MB

I realize my computer (unfortunately a laptop for now) isn't the latest and greatest, but I should still be able to play this game at least at the same quality of Operation: Flashpoint. I think the problem is simply a lack of advanced control over video settings. It seems like I can only choose between having everything look like Play-Dough, or having everything including every single blade of grass in super high-res shader quality.

[SlipperyJim 0]

Bug with phantom AI asking "where are you" still present.

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

Was on browser screen and everything froze and graphics went funny. Never had this problem on previous versions.

[whisper 0]

Bug with phantom AI asking "where are you" still present.

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

Was on browser screen and everything froze and graphics went funny. Never had this problem on previous versions.

Where you playing Warfare and got voted as commander?

I just had this issue myself when taking the commander role after connection

[wipman 1]

Hi, someone have noticed the SU-34 Berkut lights bug?, they're

allways On, and when the plane closes the gears... the lights still

there shining (the lensflare + it's texture) while the plane already

in flight has closed the gears. Plus the very annoying fact that

during night/late noon (like 19:45PM) without NVG's you can't see

anything than the HUD data in burned green, how it goes off the

edges of the HUD glass model; that you can't see anything. This

didn't happen before with the 1.08; i flown alot lately the SU-34's

in the 1.08 to get use to 'em, and i tell you that at least the thing

with the lights in the front wheel... wasn't there. Let's C ya

[SlipperyJim 0]

Where you playing Warfare and got voted as commander?

I just had this issue myself when taking the commander role after connection

Nope. Evolution and I don't use any mods/addons.

Just had a nasty crash in 1.14 that I have never seen in Arma before in all the betas and previous patches. The server crashed and all the clients crashed to desktop.

So far 1.14 has been really bad for me. Funny enough all the beta patches worked better. I guess they are getting us ready to want Arma 2's fixes.

[dm 9]

Now i still cant tell the diference betwean the squad leader, teamleader and medic and the medic cant tell wich of those 20 guys is bleeding, fun coop times ahead

You clearly cant be playing the game right then!

Many users are watching the trigger finger of their squad leader in order to tell when he opens fire! If you cant even see the weapon, let alone the finger, then your doing it wrong [sic].

[jakerod 254]

Not sure if this was a bug before but I can't command men when im in the commander's seat of a BMP-2. It might also happen on other vehicles I am unsure.

[john_mcclane 0]

I'm very impressed with the performance boost I'm experiencing with the patch. I am getting a solid 30 - 40 FPS (even in the forrests) with basically everything maxed out and the view distance set at 4500. It looks fantastic, and no more stuttering or other issues. I also just played it for hours without a single hiccup.

Vista 32-bit

8800GT (nvidia 175.16 drivers)

Intel Q6600 CPU

3GB 800MHz DDR

[Balschoiw 0]

While playing a mission I realized that searchlights do shine through

solid terrain. I was behind a hill and could see the shine of the searchlight through the hill with no problems. It did not blind me but it is clearly visible. If you need a screenshot or demo let me know. Needless to say that it looks very strange.

[Undeceived 392]

Bug with phantom AI asking "where are you" still present.

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

Was on browser screen and everything froze and graphics went funny.  Never had this problem on previous versions.

OOOH yes...   Awefull!

Experienced this too...

I JIP the game, was not voted as commander...

I was grateful that the game ended after a little while.

But here the game did not freeze and I could continue running around etc.

I also had a CTD in Warfare lately. Don't know if this has something to do with 1.14 or not but I just reinstalled the whole game new, so I don't think it has something to do with my PC (can't remember the last CTD in ArmA).

Did anyone else experience a CTD in 1.14?

[whisper 0]

Bug with phantom AI asking "where are you" still present.

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

Was on browser screen and everything froze and graphics went funny. Never had this problem on previous versions.

OOOH yes... Awefull!

Experienced this too...

I JIP the game, was not voted as commander...

I was grateful that the game ended after a little while.

But here the game did not freeze and I could continue running around etc.

I also had a CTD in Warfare lately. Don't know if this has something to do with 1.14 or not but I just reinstalled the whole game new, so I don't think it has something to do with my PC (can't remember the last CTD in ArmA).

Did anyone else experience a CTD in 1.14?

I've been able to play for 2 hours in these conditions. After a while, the blabble gets in the background.

Horrible experience nonetheless.

OFP have encountered the same kind of issues back in the days (infinitely repetitive sentence by AI), but it's quite different now : I kept recieving messages from IAs that were not in my squad and probably handle by IAs (otherwise there must have been another player really annoyed )

I had the whole

Quote[/b] ]2: Where are you?

4: Where are you?

5: Where are you?

8: Where are you?

10: Where are you?

ad nauseum even though I had no one in my squad. I could go add members to my squad, that were taking the 2, 4, 5, 8 or 10 spot, and talking "in parallel" of the ghosty IAs using the same member number, acting normally.

The ghost AI #2 would not respond to my orders to my real #2, and was continuing spamming its "Where are you?" mantra

[spamurai 3]

Technically, everything is great with Patch 1.14 from my perspective (aside from not having a proper Steam version of the patch ready to go). Only some issues with the AI's Bridge path finding ability remain. Mainly the Delores bridges and the Northern Corazol Bridge. The AI can travel the bridge most times, but... if for any reason they are stopped on the bridge... everything falls apart and this bog down.

The Warfare game type is awesome... some things needs tweaking IMO for gameplay. Most notable:

- AI Supply and Salvage Trucks need to be unlocked to correct problems after they become stuck (so a player can drive them out of difficulty). Usually this stems from pathfinding problems... like on a bridge or a congested area of the map. It would be good if the commander could lay out a supply path of waypoints the trucks could use to help them navigate tricky spots.

- A means of scrapping constructed items needed. Since odd thing happen and stuff ends up in built in places that just don't work... there needs to be a means of scrapping an item that is not needed or in the way.

- There needs to be a means of ordering an AI out of a constructed object, like a defense turret. It's great that they auto-man the guns... but sometimes you don't want them manned by the drone AI.

- AI need a means of ordering a Support Truck automatically. If they run out of fuel or ammo they need the ability to rearm and refuel. This is especially true for constructed turrets. If they call for support, the appropriate truck should spawn in and attempt to help them.

- The support Radius of the Repair, Rearm and Fuel trucks should be increased and automatically service all vehicles in that radius regardless of who controls them (AI or Human). This would dramatically simplify the process of commanding an AI to support another unit. You can not order a unit that is out of fuel to go to the support vehicle (it's out of fuel duh), but you can't order the Fuel Truck to go to the stranded vehicle because it just doesn't work that way, nothing happens. The AI support vehicle isn't able to position themselves properly to assist another unit and that same unit won't initiate service even if it is in the proper position.

- There needs to be a means of dismissing Squad AI from your personal group. Sometimes AI have problems that simply can't be resolved without hunting them down and shooting them. Dismissed AI bots should just assume the role of the typical HQ drone and act accordingly (just like the individual AI bots the spawn randomly from the Barracks). That way you could deliver the bots to a spot for some purpose, like manning Turrets to guard a distant camp and then dismiss them and go get other ones.

- "Enemy Base" marker should be randomized and not pinpointed on the HQ. Or it should be a server side option and toggled on or off. It makes the Base easier to find then it should be, and many times the player hasn't actually found the base, merely come close. If the player finds the base, they can mark it themselves.

- There is a bug in the Map Markers that makes all player made markers visible to both teams regardless of who made them.

- Top down "Builder" view used for constructing objects lacks the proper perspective to gauge contours in the landscape. This makes it awkward to know where to place a turret so it's not blocked by terrain (like a drop in the landscape.)

- Land Mines need to be visible to friendly AI so they do not drive over them. Currently placing Land Mines in the map is futile as all the natural places to put them to ambush the enemy are also used by friendly AI. There really isn't any means of telling Friendly AI "Don't go there, it's Mined" like you would human players.

- When I board a vehicle, the AI crew and myself "turn out" and open the hatches of the vehicle (assume "safe/blue" behavior). This occurs even when I'm just riding in the back as cargo. If I'm a crewman, I can order them to "turn in", if I'm a passenger they will not "Turn In" unless I dismount (sometimes they turn in if I order another AI bot to board the vehicle as crew).

- The bridges of Corazol and Delores are murder on the AI pathfinding... the AI Teams tend to be slow in navigating them and sometimes bog down with too much congestion grinding a teams ability to conquer the map to a halt. This can make these cities a handicap for the team finding themselves in such positions.

[Seitan 8]

Best ArmA patch so far.

No CTD's. No major lod problems. Good frames. Good games.

8800GT, Vista64, E6600, 4Gb

ah the joy when you can use 3km+ viewdistance and scout for enemy base from the mountains in warfare.

[frostybits 0]

Thank you BIS  

Been playing revive lanning with a friend on teamspeak. Custom maps with the usual mods....

Chammys, vegetation, real artillery.

Just brilliant thank you soooo much  

Vista 64

8800gtx

4gig ram

6600 dual

btw we are down under in New Zealand  

[[aps]gnat 28]

Wow ...... hard to imagine we're all talking about the same patch, seems results are all over the place .... again

[Nicolas Eymerich 0]

Great Bis for the patch.

No problem here except one.

I still have the brightess bug.

When I zoom with my gun, my monitor begins to shine and get dark when i stop zooming.

Same, but with less intensity, when I move my head or gun.

I hope you'll fix this one (who forced me to stop playing)

Regards,

My spec

P IV Prescott, 3.4. Ghz

Ati 1950 Pro, 512 Mb.

2 Gb Ram.

p.s The game is pretty fluid. No problem even if i am in the forest with 5000 and most of the setting on high. Vanilla version, no mod, no max mem

[Correction 0]

I also should have also mentioned that I'm still able to sit down and watch a battle from the sidelines and spot several AI magically running through buildings and obstacles.

[Balschoiw 0]

Quote[/b] ]I also should have also mentioned that I'm still able to sit down and watch a battle from the sidelines and spot several AI magically running through buildings and obstacles.

That´s most probably a result of your hardware that is at the lowest line of minimum specs. As a result pathfinding calculations are very limited.

[walker 0]

72 @ May 25 2008,18:30)]Ok i try to be honest here and even though it might portrait me as a moron - so be it.

I did something i never ever did in arma before. I used the "Quality Preference" button in options/graphics. Now, i was looking out over sand and there was 1 tree. It pissed me off royally when it run that particular image @ 25FPS and i thaught to myself that either my computer has seriously died on me or the 1.14 patch is completelly useless. But! I used the Quality Preference button and set it to "very high" and my settings changed in a little weird way. Not as i would like them but actually higher settings than i usually have. And what happened with the FPS after this? Went from 25 to 85!!??

I dont get it?! Maybe that did a reset to the graphic options in some weird? Because i got tons of FPS and that even at higher settings. I need to go play now and see if this holds up, but so far ive been driving around - shooting things with my tank and the FPS is incredible. LOL *scratching my head hard*.

So just thaught i put it out there if someone else never did this. Try it.

/alex

Hi all

It is already known that running ArmA on a fast machine in low settings causes problems.

I suspect it is the way chunks of data are handled. I seem to remember Suma saying something about it some time back.

To those with HIGH SPEC MACHINES try turning you ArmA settings UP not DOWN!

By the way since 1.14 I am running ArmA maxed out at higher view distances and I only have medium spec machine.

Kind Regards walker

[Alex72 1]

72 @ May 25 2008,18:30)]Went from 25 to 85!!?? I dont get it?!

It's a good ~350% increase youv'e got there

My guess is that by using the presets it reset'ed your view distance to stock 1200 m as well as to a lower resolution and you ran at higher VD and/or resolution before. If thats not the case and you run the exact same settings it's pretty amazing....

/KC

Your guess was wrong. Im not that stupid mate. Im using Mykes Dynamic View Distance. So mine is set to 1500 at ground level at all times, overriding arma VD settings.

[Correction 0]

Quote[/b] ]I also should have also mentioned that I'm still able to sit down and watch a battle from the sidelines and spot several AI magically running through buildings and obstacles.

That´s most probably a result of your hardware that is at the lowest line of minimum specs. As a result pathfinding calculations are very limited.

I don't understand why pathfinding calculations would be dependent on hardware. In fact, it's not even pathfinding that's the problem, although it is still a problem if the AI are looking at a wall between them and their destination and deciding that a straight line is the shortest route. But really the biggest problem here is collision detection. Even if an AI does decide to run through a wall or a building, the physics engine should stop him the instant he smacks into it.

And again, I don't see how any of these calculations would be correct on one system and incorrect on another. The math should all be the same regardless of which ALU performs it.

[baddo 0]

I don't know but I can believe that ArmA is coded so that sometimes, if not often, the AI ignores collisions with buildings and other objects of that sort when searching for paths. I think they can even make them ignore collisions with each other as long as player is not seeing it. As long as you don't see it it most often does not matter one bit.

It is such an easy way to increase performance: don't do it!

Why would BIS not use that kind of optimization trick would be a better question. So I can even place a bet that they do it based on some conditions.

Another question is that why are you able to see it. Maybe an optimization is done a bit too eagerly. Or then there is the possibility that it is broken. But my point of this post is that it sounds very plausible that there is some sort of "ignore collisions with these types of objects with these conditions" in place somewhere in the game. I would be surprised if there isn't.

[khayes 0]

bis'people, what can i do to recover the sounds of the game ?? there are no more sound/music since i applied patch 1.14...