ArmA2 - The Xbox 360 thread

[Phleep 0]

Don't leak private messages into public, AVIBIRD 1. The person even asked you not to do so. I have removed the message from this thread and any replies to it.

Everyone, please cool it down. No need to fight. There's still no official, confirmed info whether BIS will be releasing a Xbox 360 port of Arma 2. Period.

Good plan. I think he was feeling a little defensive when he did that.

Since OFP was released on the original XBox I don't see why some form of Arma couldn't be released on the 360. I just hope, if they do do it, that the risk pays off.

[jw custom 56]

Good plan. I think he was feeling a little defensive when he did that.

Since OFP was released on the original XBox I don't see why some form of Arma couldn't be released on the 360. I just hope, if they do do it, that the risk pays off.

Yeah and thats the problem if it pays off good i fear it's the start of the end, the pc audience will suffer like it has many times before.

[maxqubit 1]

do console owners think that Arma will be joyfull and easy to play when you have much less keys on console than usual keyboard (+shift, ctrl,etc....), or than we will see a lot of claims that something happened during gameplay, cause "i had to choose options for a minute and enemy killed me"

do you think engine of console (hardware) can hold the same details as new PC ?

you cannot put whole house furniture into small car , can't you ?

and tell me, what will be taste of this game without addons, mods, islands, custom missions ? it is main reason to play it - community made stuff and customization to use any army or any era you want

Errrm, you should direct those questions to BIS!!!

BIS holds the key! If BIS thinks Arma2 on console would not work they really should come forward and tell it like 'THERE WILL BE **NO** CONSOLE VERSION OF ARMA2' so we (pc and console gamers alike) could finally dump the whole idea.

Now ... did BIS send out this msg? i guess not (yet)

So ... are we (console gamers) from time to time curious if/when BIS will come forward? well, i guess i'm still curious ... but hey, i'm curious what the weather will be tomorrow so no big deal for me to visit this/any forum from time to time just to check up. Don't read anything into it, i know perfectly well that if i want to play ArmA2 atm, i should go PC (problem solved)

[vilas 473]

because people in BIS probably think how to manage all this to work

it is not easy to say "we will do, we will not do"

cause some things are possible, but less effective

BIS must think "will player be satisfied" also, and if for example in PC something is easy 2 keys pressed, for player of console it is much more keys to push and more time for buttons than gaming

so something is technically possible, but what will be people view

imagine - BIS releases console version one day

for us in PC all is easy

next day after such release 20 topics here appear "wtf, i am only pushing button after button, do i payed for game or for pushing buttons"

"campaign is short, very few missions, i am not satisfied"

"i died in first seconds, i cannot even finish first mission"

"i wanted to drive a car, after week of try-and-again i put UAZ in editor, but making simple mission took month"

etc.

you know, releasing Arma2 for console is probably possible (other menu , other something more)

but tell me, what is fun of OFP/Arma1-2 without addons, mission editor ?

only MP ?

but on MP people also play addons

and there will be a lot of claims "i am pushing and pushing buttons, it is too complicated, hard to find options, i was pushing and i died and only few missions"

it is problem, when you want to pack possibilities of Canon EOS to mobile

[RaXz 0]

Maybe they are still looking into it, to see if it's realistic to make a port. It's still a pretty risky business, especially if you take in account that they are now trying to reach another market with Carrier Command.

I went on the CM forums and a lot of people are pissed. Time to step up BIS and take this market. To all you PC fanboys, if BIS wanted/s to bring an ArmA 2 style game to console, they'll find a way.

Don't forget that alot have already tried to bring simulations to the consoles, if it's really a big market, where is it now? Sure they will find a way, but it's another story if it's viable. But don't get me wrong, I would love to see the entrance of more complex games in the console market, the number of keys isn't a issue, if the market is ready for it than MS will allow keyboard and mice on the xbox. Besides, there is a mini keyboard that you can add to a xbox controller.

But still, PC is just another flavour, it allows other kind of games than the consoles, even with all that cheap multiplatform crap you see today that limits the functionality on the PC. That's not fanboyism, it's a whole other story compared to the PS3 vs. Xbox360 trend. It's just that PC's tend to be more simulation friendly, hardware and market wise.

I just don't like it how everything has to be multiplatform now, I just have to look at R6 Vegas and see the horror. I am more a fanboy of complex games, doesn't matter if it's on PC or console. We'll see, the console version of IL-2 Sturmovik wasn't a failure, and it has a semi-simulation game mode. Maybe the market is growing, time will tell.

Where's TrackIR for the consoles? :D

Here, someone asks if there are plans for a console DCS Blackshark, it's kinda like this topic.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=37130

It reminds me of the old days, when games like F-15 Strike Eagle were released on the consoles. History is starting to repeat itself.

[waterinthefuel 10]

I happen to know about a dozen Xbox gamers who play COD religously. I spoke to them about Arma and Arma2 and this is basically the response I got.

I explained to them how in Arma and Arma2 the maps are huge and that you might have to drive for 15 minutes to get where you are going if you don't have a heli to jump in. I told them that battle times are realistic and so are battles, that you might go 30 minutes without seeing anyone, walking through the woods, checking all around you for potential threats. They basically replied that was "bullsheet" and that they wanted action here and now and immediately. They didn't really care about bullet ballistics over distances or realism of guns or ammo or anything. The map wasn't very big so who cares? You used the M4 up close, the sniper rifle for long distance and the throwing knife for "cool kills." Realism was out the window of concern.

I think for most part the console gamers don't know nor care about realism, they want immediate action. Nothing wrong with that. They're just different from say, me, who will pay 3 times as much to play a game that is very very real-world accurate. They think $200 for the console is a good deal, which it might be as they don't even mention words like "bugs" and "crashes to desktop" and "errors." They turn it on and play. A true dream for the PC guys! LOL :D

I don't think one is better than another but I will say I have found that the xbox guys do not know nearly as much as I do about computers. I wouldn't say that about ALL xbox guys, but the dozen or so that I know personally (who all play together in a clan) don't know nor care about PC's. And that's perfectly fine. Hey, I used to play super nintendo a lot. I just get more out of Arma2 based on the realism.

I think PC's have more capabilities, but those capabilities come at the cost of errors, bugs, hardware incompatibility issues, etc etc.

Edited November 19, 2009 by waterinthefuel

[RaXz 0]

Hell, I own both Falcon 4.0 and Ace Combat 7, I can enjoy both. It just depends on my mood, if I want some fast action I go with Ace Combat flying planes with hundreds missiles. But I mostly in the take my time mood, if I want some action I go for the console gaming.

All my friends can't understand what fun it is to play a simulation, they just want instant action. I am renowned for my taste of games that you have to learn before you can play it decently.

There is a reason that people say:

Patience is a virtue.

:D

[Colt45_GTO 10]

I'm ex CoD series (pc) i'm also ex BF series (pc) i used to also play JOTR, i tried playing an FPS on consol (ps2) i gave up after 3 mins, i seriously couldn't control it. after playing this game i don't know how you could impliment god knows how many buttons into a game pad, without using multiple dropdowns. and unless the xbox gamer is one hell of a player to be able to use commands under fire, anyone els like a CoD player would have to hold right back to use the commands so he doesn't get taken out while in command mode.

not really sure how you could make this a consol game its way too indepth for that and as stated above me, consol gamers want direct action. i like this game simply for its playability at whatever pace you want. and to be fair i doubt many consols could handle the graphic of this game unless a similar engine was used that DR is based on?

[cnickcj 0]

I'm ex CoD series (pc) i'm also ex BF series (pc) i used to also play JOTR, i tried playing an FPS on consol (ps2) i gave up after 3 mins, i seriously couldn't control it. after playing this game i don't know how you could impliment god knows how many buttons into a game pad, without using multiple dropdowns. and unless the xbox gamer is one hell of a player to be able to use commands under fire, anyone els like a CoD player would have to hold right back to use the commands so he doesn't get taken out while in command mode.

not really sure how you could make this a consol game its way too indepth for that and as stated above me, consol gamers want direct action. i like this game simply for its playability at whatever pace you want. and to be fair i doubt many consols could handle the graphic of this game unless a similar engine was used that DR is based on?

well nobody is complaining about the graphics in OFPDR , i think the main problem is only afew missions .. if that game had a mission editor , it would be a different story ..:) didn't you have to learn the keys for arma Pc , ? well some ppl will learn the dropdown menus , and you don't have to unless you are the leader ,...

[maxqubit 1]

Where's TrackIR for the consoles? :D

I'm not going to 'defend' consoles, but ...

say for the sake of argument that PROJECT NATAN actually will work (in 2010) and say for the sake of argument that shooters (like RS, MW, DR, FC, GR and Halo, Gears and what not), racers and flight with minimal trouble will include your basic head tracking (looking around) out-of-the-box ...

That certainly will step up the realism and you need a console to make it mainstream. TrackIR is very nice (btw, i don't have it) but it isn't mainstream, it is very exclusive.

You want to bring headtracking to the masses, you need a console platform to do it for you, adn MS sure is on its way it seems.

Same as XBL. It did bring online to console, no big deal, pc had that years before. No but the big plus to XBL was the integrated friends list AND the voice communicator, both out-of-the-box.

(Dumb) masses need things which work out-of-the-box. XBL, FL, voice comm were those things in the past. Who knows NATAN will be the next big thing.

I'm very curious (but have a strong 'see it before i believe it' attitude towards it)

[Colt45_GTO 10]

well nobody is complaining about the graphics in OFPDR , i think the main problem is only afew missions .. if that game had a mission editor , it would be a different story ..:) didn't you have to learn the keys for arma Pc , ? well some ppl will learn the dropdown menus , and you don't have to unless you are the leader ,...

haha yes ok fair do's ;)

[cnickcj 0]

Same as XBL. It did bring online to console, no big deal, pc had that years before. No but the big plus to XBL was the integrated friends list AND the voice communicator, both out-of-the-box.

(Dumb) masses need things which work out-of-the-box. XBL, FL, voice comm were those things in the past. Who knows NATAN will be the next big thing.

I'm very curious (but have a strong 'see it before i believe it' attitude towards it)

i am happy my cooker worked out of the box / i couldn't imagine putting all the parts together myself , when i used a pc for games i had teamspeak internet etc , it would be nice if teamspeak or something like that was inclued in windows 7 , ,

many items are out of the box and i can name milllions of things ppl use in every day life which are out of the box , i also hear that ppl still buy car building kits , going to take a while before you can go round the block a few times , opps a wheel fell off , i wonder whos fault that is ...:)

[RaXz 0]

I'm not going to 'defend' consoles, but ...

say for the sake of argument that PROJECT NATAN actually will work (in 2010) and say for the sake of argument that shooters (like RS, MW, DR, FC, GR and Halo, Gears and what not), racers and flight with minimal trouble will include your basic head tracking (looking around) out-of-the-box ...

That certainly will step up the realism and you need a console to make it mainstream. TrackIR is very nice (btw, i don't have it) but it isn't mainstream, it is very exclusive.

You want to bring headtracking to the masses, you need a console platform to do it for you, adn MS sure is on its way it seems.

Same as XBL. It did bring online to console, no big deal, pc had that years before. No but the big plus to XBL was the integrated friends list AND the voice communicator, both out-of-the-box.

(Dumb) masses need things which work out-of-the-box. XBL, FL, voice comm were those things in the past. Who knows NATAN will be the next big thing.

I'm very curious (but have a strong 'see it before i believe it' attitude towards it)

Yes, I am aware of Project Natal, but I doubt it will be the end all be all, I am rather sceptic of it myself but we'll see.

Headtracking will be another matter, it took me a while to get used to the fact that I had to move my head in game, now it's second nature. The problem lies that people's head explode when games offer to many options. I suspect that Natal will be used more for the rest of the body than the head. But still it might be good that some specialized games offer the option, games that aren't aimed at the exploding head crowd.

Oh, the days on the console were games did offer a lot of game options. Today even a invert controls is slowly being phased out.

I am pretty curious too what's coming out of it, if it goes further than dancing and jumping around and turning a imaginary steering wheel.

[pj[cz] 2]

Heres my 2 cents on why arma2 should not happen on current generation consoles. Imho it would be pretty much like asking ID software to port Doom1 to the nintendo NES console.

1) Did you know that Arma2 has more than two times the number of bind-able config entries the original flashpoint had? The sheer number of actions you need to do durig the game is a big gamepad no-no. Remeber some recent games (Dragon Rising/ Modern Warfare) had to even drop leaning because there simply were no buttons left?

2) The hardware thing has been discussed here of course and there is no way the game in its current state can be runned on any present console. It will take tons of cut-offs, dumbing down and reverse engineering to make it happen and i really hope BIS arent in the mood of going back just for a buck

3) The spirit of communities making addons, using 3rd party software to enchance the game, sharing auto-downloadable missions etc. etc. cant be utilised on the console platform

4) The scale of the game kinda prevents it being released bug-free, which is kind of a problem on consoles as you have to pay for the enchancements on consoles and not many people will be happy paying for overlooked bug-fixes

5) Call us PC-boys all you want but after seeing what happened to Dragon Rising mainly because it was multi-platform (eg. no dedi servers, 60 degree FOV, crapy graphics, AI limmits, unbearable LOD issues, one tree copy pasted all over the island etc etc...), scares the cr** out of me. We still suffer some unwanted side effects of flashpoint elite in Arma 2 you know. So NO thanks...

And dont get me wrong, I am all for BIS making extra money off the console market. I only wish it will happen without any side effects on their current flag-ship product, which i belive is kinda impossible

[maxqubit 1]

If i were BIS i wouldn't bother with a 360 port either ... surely if the pc sales would suffice, why on earth make it difficult for yourself.

Make a nice pc game, let the pc guys pay and have a happy life. I'm all for it. I would do the same. I work 4 days, why would i work 5 (6/7) days if i can earn my living in 4.

(but it would be nice if BIS would state this 'no console port' thingy, we could get over it, and our pc friends would not have to worry about the ill side effects a console version might have ... as said 1 Elite is more than enough:))

[walker 0]

Hi all

There are many reasons to port ArmA II to consoles.

One it is an extra income stream on code that is already written. Contrary to some opinions porting would not cost much in terms of time or effort since BIS already released elite it has proven it can do the Control interface. It is standard cash cow strategy. Certainly an X Box conversion would be simple.

Two there is a major strategic reason:

Placing ArmA in the console market forces all other console developers to compete and BIS have a massive; even spectacular, head start on them. ArmA II is so far in advance of other FPS that it cuts the legs out from under other FPS developers. You have only to look at how it forced Codemasters to try and play on the same ground and was so decisively beaten on it. Since DR came out ArmA II sales have increased as disappointed customers have flocked to ArmA.

Three is that the market is larger than the PC market and taking market share. So that is the way the wind blows.

Four it is less susceptible to piracy and simpler to protect your IP.

Five is another strategic reason. BIS's real product is its engine. Not ArmA. Once BIS has its engine working well in a console it can start churning out game after game after game based on it.

Kind Regards walker

Edited November 21, 2009 by walker

[pj[cz] 2]

Hi all

There are many reasons to port ArmA II to consoles.

One it is an extra income stream on code that is already written. Contrary to some opinions porting would not cost much in terms of time or effort since BIS already released elite it has proven it can do the Control interface. It is standard cash cow strategy. Certainly an X Box conversion would be simple.

Two there is a major strategic reason:

Placing ArmA in the console market forces all other console developers to compete and BIS have a massive; even spectacular, head start on them. ArmA II is so far in advance of other FPS that it cuts the legs out from under other FPS developers. You have only to look at how it forced Codemasters to try and play on the same ground and was so decisively beaten on it. Since DR came out ArmA II sales have increased as disappointed customers have flocked to ArmA.

Three is that the market is larger than the PC market and taking market share. So that is the way the wind blows.

Four it is less susceptible to piracy and simpler to protect your IP.

Five is another strategic reason. BIS's real product is its engine. Not ArmA. Once BIS has its engine working well in a console it can start churning out game after game after game based on it.

Kind Regards walker

while I agree on your points of income, advantage and marketing I dont think it will be THAT easy to do it as you claim. because if it was i dont think BI are that stupid to let it slip. I mean they had their share of problems of making the game running on cutting edge PC hardware - now imagine optimising the game to run on a four year old PC/Console - if that was easy, we will all have 200FPS by now :)

[Whiskey_Tango 10]

they just need to make a game for console, 360's are basically simplified pc's in how they operate... my main concern is because consoles are taking the market over and that heavy market share coupled with the lack of games with any soul to them are going to ruin future games across the board

if bis produced something for consoles and forced other developers to step their game up as well it would be better for everyone pc and console alike

cod games are turning into the future of fps games and noone can deny this...every fps that competes soon will have to take the over the top antics one step further just to sell copies....unless something fresh comes along and shakes up the fps scene its only going to get worse

[cnickcj 0]

;1494921']Heres my 2 cents on why arma2 should not happen on current generation consoles. Imho it would be pretty much like asking ID software to port Doom1 to the nintendo NES console.

1) Did you know that Arma2 has more than two times the number of bind-able config entries the original flashpoint had? The sheer number of actions you need to do durig the game is a big gamepad no-no. Remeber some recent games (Dragon Rising/ Modern Warfare) had to even drop leaning because there simply were no buttons left?

2) The hardware thing has been discussed here of course and there is no way the game in its current state can be runned on any present console. It will take tons of cut-offs' date=' dumbing down and reverse engineering to make it happen and i really hope BIS arent in the mood of going back just for a buck

3) The spirit of communities making addons, using 3rd party software to enchance the game, sharing auto-downloadable missions etc. etc. cant be utilised on the console platform

4) The scale of the game kinda prevents it being released bug-free, which is kind of a problem on consoles as you have to pay for the enchancements on consoles and not many people will be happy paying for overlooked bug-fixes

5) Call us PC-boys all you want but after seeing what happened to Dragon Rising mainly because it was multi-platform (eg. no dedi servers, 60 degree FOV, crapy graphics, AI limmits, unbearable LOD issues, one tree copy pasted all over the island etc etc...), scares the cr** out of me. We still suffer some unwanted side effects of flashpoint elite in Arma 2 you know. So NO thanks...

And dont get me wrong, I am all for BIS making extra money off the console market. I only wish it will happen without any side effects on their current flag-ship product, which i belive is kinda impossible[/quote']

sorry , don't complain about any game the can be modded on PC, as you know a game on console can not be modded or changed , ,, most of you guys sound like the rich complaining about the poor ......

[jw custom 56]

It would make me cry to see such a huge game as ArmA 2 crippled down to the point it could fit on a xbox.

[paragraphic l 2]

To anyone complaining about a possible console port, my first question is:

Did you ever play or see footage of OFP: Elite?

Mods are still possible on a console but with the Xbox they have to be

released by the publishers, this has it's pro's and cons.

Have you guys ever checked how the commanding in ArmA works?

It's a list with numbers and then a sub-list with numbers. On the console

it didn't took that much time to get actions selected.

Now in ArmA II there is the 'quick'-menu before the bigger menu. How

hard do you think it is to use this on a console?

But the thing is, I'm talking to pc-gamers who have no imagination to

how this could work on a console AND no interest either. So why

would it make a difference if I tell you it could work, you are still not

going to use it, are you?

The fear is that somehow BIS transforms into a lazy console oriëntated

company, isn't it? Now does this fit BIS' their track record?

Okay, the second fear is the crowd it would attract, right? Now how can

this be true? The game shouldn't change, so why would the addience?

Wasn't the PC the biggest thing when OFP came out? Weren't games like

Counterstrike the main online games people played? Did the bunnyhoppers

ever came to OFP? Even better example, ArmAII did get a lot of exposure

on release, we did get some 'kiddies' on the forum, are they still here?

I'm sure most are, but they have adjusted to this forum.

Now please, only complain if there is really something to complain about,

BIS will stay focusing on the PC version, and they will keep releasing

patches. Just as they do now even though they are allready busy with

Operation Arrowhead.

Wouldn't you think they'll find some bugs and optimalizations for PC when

they develop for console?

Please prove that you ARE the mature audience you would only find on a PC

by thinking before you post, and makeing sure that what you post is true.

[jw custom 56]

But the thing is, I'm talking to pc-gamers who have no imagination to

how this could work on a console AND no interest either. So why

would it make a difference if I tell you it could work, you are still not

going to use it, are you?

Sorry dude but no i can't imagine how they could sqeeze ArmA 2 onto a xbox while people with very decent computers still are having massive performance problems.

[walker 0]

It would make me cry to see such a huge game as ArmA 2 crippled down to the point it could fit on a xbox.

Hi JW Custom

Not only do I think it is possible for BIS to build ArmA for X-Box 360 but I think it would improve the code we get on PC and I am using historical evidence as proof of that.

Elite was compressed onto the old X-Box; not even an X-Box 360 and was technically more capable than its progenitor and in point of fact large amounts of the code that made ArmA possible and improved OFP and now makes up ArmA came out of that effort.

A tour through the coding history of the Real Virtuality engine would I think prove beneficial to the naysayers.

Kind Regards walker

[spec_ops_sniper 0]

Sorry dude but no i can't imagine how they could sqeeze ArmA 2 onto a xbox while people with very decent computers still are having massive performance problems.

It would obviously be a watered down version.

What could work is:

1.New smaller map.

2. Less content maybe required

Additionally the game would obviously have to be optimized, if this is down you could see the PC equivalent of Medium settings with a 3000- 4000m view.(with a smaller island this could work verywell)

Optimization is key, remember the consoles only have one set of parts.

[paragraphic l 2]

It would obviously be a watered down version.

What could work is:

1.New smaller map.

2. Less content maybe required

Additionally the game would obviously have to be optimized, if this is down you could see the PC equivalent of Medium settings with a 3000- 4000m view.(with a smaller island this could work verywell)

Optimization is key, remember the consoles only have one set of parts.

It has to be watered down, but I don't think it has to in the way you are discribing. The size of the islands isn't a problem as the terrain streaming engine allready proved to work in OFP: Elite. The same goes with content, maybe the scenes can't be as complex as on high end pc's with the highest ingame settings. But all the original content can still be in the game.

View Distance is one of the known limitations to be set on the console, at least that was needed on OFP: Elite, but with a 'cheat' you could have it increase but you could notice a decrease in FPS.

Amount of identities in a mission is the other limitation, you can see this in other games with an editor aswell. You are given a set of 'points' which you can place on a mission and a normal unit is for example 1 point but a tank is 5points.

BUT, as proven with OFP: Elite, it is possible to import missions made on pc to console.

@JW Costum: This is possible and easier to do on a console as EVERYONE is playing on the EXACT same hardware. Solving the problem on one console, should in theory solve it on ALL the consoles.