2 Pieces Of A Puzzle

[Guest]

Hey fellas,

So i was thinking today of when opf was first released all those years back, and how amazing the game felt and how new and refreshing it was. I remember how although it was not a mainstream game, you had bohemia doing an ace job on the game itself, whilst the large codemasters company published the game.

Now today we have ofp:dr, and Arma 2. When i look at these 2 games and the paths they have taken, i see a real tragedy. On the one hand, i'm looking at flashpoint 2 and thinking:

"Wow, the graphics are wonderful and realistic, the visuals and sounds and models are beautiful! Amazing physics engine too. The feeling of visual/sound immersion is fantastic! If only the game could portray anywhere near the diversity and realism of arma 2 though..."

Then i'm looking at Arma 2 and thinking the exact opposite:

"Wow, this game is just so diverse and realistic, its truly staggering. The realism is absolutely mind blowing. Its a shame the sounds are not too amazing, and the radio coms/dialogue is terrible. And its a shame the physics engine is so bad, and its a shame the graphics engine and visual effects feel only a tiny bit better than opf did 9 years ago."

Now im thinking about how i feel for the 2 games, and it seems like 2 pieces of a puzzle. Flashpoint has what arma 2 needs, and arma 2 has what flashpoint needs.

Now i could simply say something unconstructive or stupid like,

"Why did you and codemasters split up in the first place, how dumb"

"why dont you and codemasters get back together?"

But i know its not that simple. I just think its such a shame that when 2 people could be creating an ultimately amazing game, circumstances have led to a split which has damaged both's product.

I just hope that BI get to partner with someone on their next release of arma, because it would be a real shame to see so much potential slung out the window.

Anyway, thats my post finished. Maybe some of you will understand what i am trying to say and post your opinions, maybe some of you totally disagree, either way, thanks for reading.

Regards,

Rich.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Guest

[celery 8]

Where can I see OFP2's superior visual and sound quality?

[SWAT_BigBear 0]

This is from your future speculations?

[paragraphic l 2]

Please just shut this thread down before it starts an fanboy shout-out all over.

I know what you mean but I'm 100% not on your side with this.

ArmA II has amazing graphics, I don't think "its a shame the graphics engine and visual effects feel only a tiny bit better than opf did 9 years ago" because it doesn't it way better.

The sound quality is also improved a lot and with the new engine can be done a lot, there is allready a great base delivered by BIS imho.

So we only don't have the physics, but we only really notice this is on akward situations where explosions make units move in strange ways. We can really do much with a good physics engine that's true.

It's great there is another entry into squad based tactics mixed with fps with the upcoming dragon rising game, but we really should just stop comparing the two with each other.

[Master gamawa 0]

Mommy Bohemia and daddy Codemasters got a divorce.

We are the children fighting for their attention. I, too, wish mom and dad were back together...

:(

[Dallas 9]

I might be biased, but I don't see any redeeming values about FP:DR.

[nominesine 0]

I agree with the original post, even if I don't agree about OFP2 as superior in visual quality. Codemaster's new game looks rather arcadish, judging from the promo videos released so far. But nevertheless I see your point. Codemasters played a major part in making OFP1 what it was. Dialogues and a believable story line has been missing in every BIS release after the break up. This is very unfortunate, in my opinion, since it adds so much immersion to the game.

OFP-ArmedAssault-ArmA2 still remains my favourite games. I don't believe that will change if/when OFP2 is released. Unless it's shipped with a fully working editor and a less arcadish aproach. Wich I seriously doubt.

[Guest]

No no, i'm not at all knocking arma 2! Its an amazing game on all fronts. And of course the graphics engine is way better than ofp, buts its still pretty much the same engine, so were still seeing some very dated features. Also, i think the graphics engine in OF:DR looks better in alot of situations then arma 2, at least in the special fx area.

All i am trying to say, is that if the game was made alongside someone else, like it was when opf was first released, it could be so so so much better.

The sound engine is fantastic, i am simply talking about the default sounds, like guns and planes etc. And the radio comms system is terrible imo. Why should a game only be complete/amazing after its been modded by a million people? Why is it when arma 2 is released, all everyone talks about is how good it will be WHEN ace 2 is released? Arma 2 is a fantastic game, and i understand it thrives of the community. But you cant charge us full price for a game that has amazing potential, which is only realized when modders fix it for free.

I love arma 2, and you all know i do, its fantastic. But its a mixed game. Sometimes i find myself thinking,

"Arma 2 = Best game ever, ever ever!"

But then sometimes i think:

"arma 2, most frustrating, buggy, crappy game, ever"

Obviously the latter is a rarer thought than the first, but does that make it right?

Edited July 9, 2009 by Guest
Changed some of my wording

[paragraphic l 2]

OFP was almost finished before they found codemasters actually.

At least that's how much I know about the story, I think codemasters

did manage the voice acting and that is something that we are missing

but the rest is al BIS' their work. Even the support was always something

done by BIS not by codemasters.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Good read Postmortem: Bohemia Interactive Studios' Operation Flashpoint

[nominesine 0]

OFP was almost finished before they found codemasters actually... I think codemasters

did manage the voice acting and that is something that we are missing

but the rest is al BIS' their work.

Maybe I was a little unclear. I am aware of the fact that publisher and designer have different duties as well as agendas. I simply meant that a publishers job is to ensure that the game has a well polished finish before it is released. This is where Codemasters shines, wich I have to admitt even though I don' like the majority of the games they publish (OFP being the exception to the rule).

I miss the aforementioned quality aspects they added to the game (marketing, voices, etc). But I also appreciate BI's sandbox approach to gaming. If I have to chose I'll stay with BI. Bugs or no bugs.

[Guest]

Maybe I was a little unclear. I am aware of the fact that publisher and designer have different duties as well as agendas. I simply meant that a publishers job is to ensure that the game has a well polished finish before it is released. This is where Codemasters shines, wich I have to admitt even though I don' like the majority of the games they publish (OFP being the exception to the rule).

I miss the aforementioned quality aspects they added to the game (marketing, voices, etc). But I also appreciate BI's sandbox approach to gaming. If I have to chose I'll stay with BI. Bugs or no bugs.

Icompletely agree :)

[katua 10]

OFP was a mainstream game, it got a lot of awards and sales. It created a new sub-genre: "tactical shooter". Losing the franchise´s name was a huge punch. A lot of people lost track of the game, plus the media was hard with it.

[nominesine 0]

OFP was a mainstream game

I would put it this way instead: OFP became a mainstream game, even though it wasn't supposed to be one. Codemasters managed to give the game excellent publicity. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if they hadn't achieved that.

[arma2mods 10]

BIS hassled too much whit CM. They should have broken immediately after OFP 01 release when they got some cash to get independence. Budget have been low due no money, but there is now plenty more money to make the way currently BIS does the business. I dont see any reason , that under any bigger publisher would be any benefit to game, sure there is then much more mainstreamed games to then followed and whole orginal idea of this community would be vanished totally.

They should making the ultimate military SIM/ game hire 5000 chinese/indian IT employees with food salary. Take the best integration people from community as manager/advisor and keep your current BIS employees as control management unit. In few years we can have a product without any single bug/ complishing every single request/suggestion from any people in this community ever made. There is one product I sure know which is very much everything I ve been asking I dont also want to talk this scenarios alternatives as that BIA product to militaries.

[nominesine 0]

Maybe I'm biased, working for a publishing company and all :o Albeit it's in the books/paper business. But nevertheless...

I think it's a common misconception that publishers only hoaxes money out of honest developers, who would be much better off on their own. My point was simply: A good publisher adds something to the product before it is released. In my opinion Codemasters did just that to Operation Flashpoint.

I do not know why Codemasters and BIS decided to go separate ways. Nor do I wan't to delve deeper into their respective causes. I'm just sad they did. Opinions tend to be divided on the matter though - as usual.

;)

[atledreier 10]

And about the statement that 'Modders have to complete the game". Look at flightsimulator from MS. It's basically a platform for modders. Same with the race sim rFactor. Developed as a base for modders. I see ARMA as the same. Why else would they ship it with an editor and scripting system that can do basically EVERYTHING we can think of?

[Andi 10]

They should making the ultimate military SIM/ game hire 5000 chinese/indian IT employees with food salary. Take the best integration people from community as manager/advisor and keep your current BIS employees as control management unit. In few years we can have a product without any single bug/ complishing every single request/suggestion from any people in this community ever made.

I don't know if I should cry or laugh at that. Please tell me you're being sarcastic. :butbut:

[Alex72 1]

Have to agree. That was low. Even if there is a joke in there its not appropriate on an official public forum.

[paragraphic l 2]

Maybe I was a little unclear. I am aware of the fact that publisher and designer have different duties as well as agendas. I simply meant that a publishers job is to ensure that the game has a well polished finish before it is released. This is where Codemasters shines, wich I have to admitt even though I don' like the majority of the games they publish (OFP being the exception to the rule).

I miss the aforementioned quality aspects they added to the game (marketing, voices, etc). But I also appreciate BI's sandbox approach to gaming. If I have to chose I'll stay with BI. Bugs or no bugs.

Okay I missed your original point. Should we cheer Codemasters for doing this good with OFP or be mad at the ArmA and ArmAII publishers? I think we should look at the latter, the publishers of the last games should have combined forces and worked together to make sure the quality is high.

I believe the current publishers actually aimed for ArmAII being a niche game where Codemasters did look at OFP at a mainstream game I think.

[nominesine 0]

Judging from what I've seen of Dragon Rising I would guess: Codemasters want's something in-between niche and mainstream. Never a good idea in my opinion. It's better to decide from start wich leg you want to stand on. Placing both feet firmly on the ground is a stable approach, but it doesn't take you very far.

;)

[Uziyahu--IDF 0]

This isn't Parent Trap. :D

I kinda understand what you're saying, but Codemasters are going to make you groan with what you see in OFP:DR, too. You'll see.

It's a shame that a rail shooter like CoD 4 has given me one of my most immersive "combat" experiences in PC gaming.

Games are getting to the point that they almost need a blockbuster movie size production crew in order to look spit-shined.