Online, confusing and not much help.

[thedudesam 10]

EDIT:[sORRY JUST RELISED I POSTED IN THE WRONG PLACE, COULD A MODERATOR MOVE IT PLEASE :O]

I was in a game, called CTI, which i belive means capture the island.

And seriously what the hell is it about?

Noone talks whatsoever, i even changed message to global, even still, nothing, so i couldn't get help on what it's all about.

I managed to get through the menus and build myself some troops and then i set off for a group of allies, as i thought "no idea wtf im meant to do so ill just follow and shoot"

But on my way i heard, enemy to our left, i thought ok let me just get out my map and see where...oh wait, no red dot?

Im sorry but that's just silly, i mean sure its not realistic to have a red dot on the map to spot the enemy but damn, give me a little more intel than "to our left" if i remember correctly they used to say 1 oclock 2oclock in arma 1 which was much much better to identify a threat.

So what am i supposed to do in this game mode, and why dosnt anyone communicate and cooperate? seriously ive seen more cooperation in HALO3:butbut:, sorry but it's true from what ive seen so far from the 4 online games ive played.:(

Edited June 24, 2009 by thedudesam

[mosh 0]

Nowhere in your post did you mention asking for help or advice in game (if you did, sorry I missed it). Communication works both ways. Many players don't mind answering questions. It only helps them to help you. Ask on side chat or global chat. People are generally real helpful if you just ask.

I myself don't know much about CTI either (especially with everything in German) but try playing on empty servers to practice and try out different things.

[whisper 0]

He's right in the fact that too often, communication is lacking, severely concerning newcomers who will obviously feel lost in a CTI game

[thedudesam 10]

Nowhere in your post did you mention asking for help or advice in game (if you did, sorry I missed it). Communication works both ways. Many players don't mind answering questions. It only helps them to help you. Ask on side chat or global chat. People are generally real helpful if you just ask.

I myself don't know much about CTI either (especially with everything in German) but try playing on empty servers to practice and try out different things.

I did ask for help dude and noone spoke =/

Ill just stick to CTF for now, as i know what you do in that mode :rolleyes:

[Arrowhead 0]

Pretty much everybody online is acting utterly noobish right now. No one has a clue, especially in CTI. In order for CTI to shine, it needs players that know what they're doing. I just got off a server where I scouted nearly every town looking for Opfor, only to find out they didn't bother capturing any... Doesn't help that the servers tend to lag out just when I save up enough cash for some expensive toys.

Basically, all that CTI is is that two teams get an HQ, where you initially spawn. You should form up an AI squad and lead them to capture towns systematically using your map as a reference. Black indicates the force in the town is unknown because it hasn't been encountered yet, Green indicates that it is being held by independant AI forces(which all towns are held by initially), Blue indicates US forces, Red indicates OPFOR.

Keep liberating towns from the boring AI resistance until eventually you should meet the opposing forces who are doing the same and get some PvP action.

Honestly, I wish they'd just get rid of the resistance AI in Warfare. They just slow the game down and get in between the conflict everyone is looking for with the other team. Not to mention all the server resources they must take.

[mant3z 1]

In ArmA2 there is no RED an BLUE color. There is only GREEN which means that i taken by your side and BLACK which means that is not yours.

Extra info

Also if you scroll middle button you will see OPTIONS(T), chose it and buy yourself AI soldiers or some armored units, but this costs you some virtual money. You must earn it by killing enemy soldiers and taking towns (stand close to the flag in the center of city)

You can send some money to your friend, also you can ask for some money... but honestly most people think that those money are real and give you nothing :)

If you want to equip yourself with a cool gun ant AT go close to the barracks tent, scroll middle button and you will see Buy Equipment option.

That should help... about commander issue somebody with better English should explain it to you.

[Arrowhead 0]

In ArmA2 there is no RED an BLUE color. There is only GREEN which means that i taken by your side and BLACK which means that is not yours.

There are Reds and Blue on the map as I described in my previous post. Green certainly doesn't mean that it's yours in Warfare, it means it's indepedently controled (expect to encounter resistance). Black simply means unknown.

TRUST ME, I've been playing this thing all day. ;)

[Slyder73 10]

Very new to Arma2 here as well and am working on getting over the learning curve and the confusion. Awesome game, just the realism I was looking for.

I was checking out some of the MP servers, enjoying getting killed over and over and have a question. Are there CTI servers where there is no AI?

The reason I play multiplayer games is because I want to battle it out with my team against other HUMAN players, no AI. Co-op mode isn't for me I've discovered, when I realized the other team is all AI. CTI mode looks by far the best, most comprehensive but the downside is there are AI charactars on it. Do servers have any option to remove these?

[walker 0]

Hi all

In reply to Slyder73

All missions are made in the editor so yes CTI can be edited to be PvP or player controled AI. Or it could be made into a high command type missions thus allowing you to have two player strategy duels.

There is a list of ArmA MP mission types in this thread, it is by no means complete:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=75001

there will be one that matches the game form you like, but try to be open and try out some of the other game modes, ArmA has a habit or rolling over peoples preconceptions and you may be pleasantly surprised.

I would suggest you join one of the many clans. ArmA II is an excellent MP game there are already many servers and new ones starting every day. Have a look here to find one that suits you but wonder around a bit just to get the lay of the land:

http://forums.bistudio.com/forumdisplay.php?f=90

The top stickied thread has a directory of clans, but read the threads that each clan you are interested in has started and follow the link to the clans website to get extra info.

Be aware that; that the nice facilities like map markers that follow your opponents round and things like cross-hairs and third person view will probably not be available on veteran servers.

Kind Regards walker

[Bunkers 0]

Threadstarter has a point about asking ppl online. In crCTI you should get the basics by playing along and using the interface. But the mission is rather complex in it's full depth and a manual could be very useful, at least for the commander role.

If you ask anybody during play you are very unlikely to get an answer. Not sure why, this was not the case in ArmA1.

BTW is it possible in crCTI to turn off the base-destruction win mode? Many a game ends redicolously early because one side finds the enemy base. At that point you might have spent a good hour working hard to earn money for a decent ai squad and equipment only for the game to end. CTI means Capture The Island right? It's not DEB Destroy Enemy Base :) I wanna fight long and devastating battles over the towns.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Bunkers

[whisper 0]

I posted an issue request about a little fact that may explain a bit the difficulty for newcomers to communicate, even when checking controls and knowing the chat key :

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/show/2284

The default channel when connecting is "Group", which prevent communicating in missions where you're not grouped at startup.

Apparently, it's not the case anymore in demo, so it may be corrected for next patch

[eem 1]

CTI is where it's at! Superpowers is the version I play right now. That's because it uses the whole map and comes with the game. crCTI currently does not use most of the map but probably will at some point. It's got more depth, but also to a detriment I think gives players too much cash to start with so the game quickly becomes a tank/air rush.

With the default cash flow in Superpowers, it may take you a few towns and kills before someone has earned enough for heavy armor. It is definitely a while before folks are purchasing air as it can take a fair amount of time to earn the cash required to purchase some. This makes the air assets more valuable to the player and less risk is taken when using them.

I've been on servers where it can be super quiet between human players, or it's so chatty once I start answering a few questions that it's hard to get real orders out over the 1 MC... :) The point above about the influx of new players will make this even more difficult, but worth it for the ones who thrive on the realism and scope.

In any event, CTI is for sure in my mind the best PvP game mode. It takes parts of Real Time Strategy and mixxes it with FPS. The games can last for hours or days but to the above poster about bombing the HQ it can be real quick too. The counter for the base rush is to move the MHQ early and often after the initial offensive. Try building in concealed areas like a forest or right in a town where the camo might disguise your MHQ and buildings.

A manual for Warfare/CTI is definitely needed!!! I would be willing to write a few sections if someone else stepped up and helped... For example, you now only get the "T" Options screen in the crCTI Warfare version. It is not available in the default Superpowers mission as the options are now available in other ways. It is also missing some options though too. An outline might look like the following:

1) Introduction and Description

2) Commander and his role

3) Base buildings and their roles

4) Town Colors and their descriptions

5) Using the new Tasks option from the map to assign and take missions

6) Taking and holding ground

7) How the City system works (i.e. assigning defense vs supply ratios)

8) Rewards! Sending/Receiving funds between players and commander.

9) Building base defenses

10) Setting waypoints and waypoint behaviour (ie Patrol, seek and destroy, wait until, etc...)

11) Joining other player's squads.

There are other sections probably as well. Recommendations welcome... :)

L8r,

eem

[CharlieRomeo 10]

There is a manual for Arma 1 Warfare, it came with one of the of the patches.

I would put it online if i ever knew how to attach a file here :p

[richardg 10]

I love the CTI. Superpowers is confusing though.

I couldnt find anyway as commander to build AI units (only defensive structures).

And why does Superpowers automaticly save game, it slows things down, and why would you save a multiplyer online game anyway?

[BlackLord 0]

I don't know exactly what mission type I played. It was called something like 'air cav'. I was spawned on an airfield with a bunch of other soldiers then choppers came we hopped in and they took us near towns we had to capture (honestly I don't even know if the opfor was AI or real :S) after we finished the choppers came back and took us to another target anyway it was fun.

[eem 1]

...

I couldnt find anyway as commander to build AI units (only defensive structures).

And why does Superpowers automaticly save game, it slows things down, and why would you save a multiplyer online game anyway?

You're right on the Saved Game issue. It just started doing that on the recent patch...almost like an auto-save or something. It can be useful though to save some multiplayer game types but maybe not always a PvP type like Superpowers/Warfare unless you are practicing by yourself against just the AI or something...

For building AI when you are commander, hit CTRL-SPACE to toggle in and out of high command mode. You can build your own AI troops as normal when not in HC mode. From what I can tell, you can not order other squads to change their job. The mission appears to automatically decide when the AI squads get upgrades or change their role...

I will usually just order a SITREP on each squad in order to receive their load outs and combat effectiveness then make assignments and waypoints based on that. Sending a squad on a mission that has just one riflemen left can just be a big waste of time... :)

L8r,

eem

Edited June 30, 2009 by EEM

[KorJax 10]

This sounds totally different from the demo.

In the demo 99% of CTI servers have a blank map with no objectives, and whenever I join I'm some random guy in the middle of a field.

When I finally find an enemy by pure chance (as the map is totally blank except for showing where a friendly AI would be), once I kill him or be killed I just respawn 5 seconds later right where I died (and get spawn killed/or I spawn kill constantly until a ragequit happens).

I've gotten nothing but the impression that multiplayer is set up abolustely horribly from the game demo.

Am I to assume that in the full version it doesn't work like this at all? I've only played one CTI server that wasn't like that, and actually had a working map/objectives/purchasing (took a while to figure out I could do that)/respawning, and I actually had some fun. But the demo gives me the impression that the entire multiplayer system is broke.

[cjsoques 0]

ARMA public online is ridiculous and I don't play enough to be in a squad or a clan but I do love serious play.

BF2-Project Reality did a great job of finding ways to make casual players play as a team. I'm heavily dissapointed in the missed potential of ARMA2 being somewhat like PR but on a larger scale...oh well maybe in ARMA3 they'll get their crap together. I wanted good casual multiplayer so bad.

[eem 1]

Not sure what to say on your experience with the demo as I never played it. Empty maps sound odd though. I bought the German version early and have been able to play it MP since I know most of the commands by memory from playing ArmA 1 and of course a handy @english mod.. :)

...CTI server that wasn't like that, and actually had a working map/objectives/purchasing (took a while to figure out I could do that)/respawning, and I actually had some fun.

Sounds like Superpowers or crCTI Warfare.. that is the most fun way to PvP IMO...

But the demo gives me the impression that the entire multiplayer system is broke.

I can neither confirm nor deny that... heh.. it's definitely not the entire multiplayer system...just a few bugs and occasional annoying out of battle order stuff especially from other players on public servers. But even on some public servers you will be able to get great matches with no glitchers. It's a crap shoot really...

L8r,

eem

[KorJax 10]

Well the game mode was just called "CTI", for all these cases.

What I was talking about, was the map didn't show a thing except the locations of a few friendly units, the fact that wherever you died, you respawned at over your previously dead body 10 seconds later. You also had no control over your weapon/loadout and the only thing you could do at HQ's (if you happened to spawn near one when you started) was construction of basic turrets.

It just felt totally broken to me, except one CTI game I joined where everything seemed to play great and none of the above issues happened. But that was only one case out of many...

[.kju 3240]

Try the AAS game mode:

Arma2_Advance_and_Secure

[KrilionGD 0]

ARMA public online is ridiculous and I don't play enough to be in a squad or a clan but I do love serious play.

BF2-Project Reality did a great job of finding ways to make casual players play as a team. I'm heavily dissapointed in the missed potential of ARMA2 being somewhat like PR but on a larger scale...oh well maybe in ARMA3 they'll get their crap together. I wanted good casual multiplayer so bad.

I run a fairly varied group of guys, we are a tactical clan for a couple diferent games. I can't count the number of times I have heard "this isn't what I thought it would be .." in reguards to OFP/ARMA/ARMAII.. It is like comparing 'Nascar Racing Sim' to 'Need For Speed'.. One is def NOT the other.. If you want 'Casual' FPS playing stick to COD, CS, UT etc etc..

[cjsoques 0]

I run a fairly varied group of guys, we are a tactical clan for a couple diferent games. I can't count the number of times I have heard "this isn't what I thought it would be .." in reguards to OFP/ARMA/ARMAII.. It is like comparing 'Nascar Racing Sim' to 'Need For Speed'.. One is def NOT the other.. If you want 'Casual' FPS playing stick to COD, CS, UT etc etc..

Just to clarify, there is a difference between "Casual" play and "Arcade" play. For example, I love the realism effect of ARMA as I am used to complex simulators such as DCS:BlackShark, X-Plane 9, and FlightSim X.

I play them for shorter periods of time than most but I still play them on just as hardcore mode as those that player for hour on end. Hence I am a casual short time-frame player. Not an arcade player.

Just like them, I play ARMA for shorter periods of time and keep the realism up. In singleplayer I am able to save. Unfortunately in multiplayer, I would like the option of joining a server and going head to head quickly against some human players.

There is big fundamental difference between playing casually, and playing an arcade game.

---------- Post added at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------

Try the AAS game mode:

Arma2_Advance_and_Secure

I actually got to try AAS for a short time last night and had a blast. Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately only a few servers are running AAS :(