ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead discussion thread

[Maio 293]

There is a new thread for the pointless cover discussion here

Hmm ... I wonder if we will get a new OA website update this week .:bounce3:

[r3volution 0]

Whoever made the Team America comparison a couple of pages back was totally spot on. Its good I don't judge a game by its cover, but sadly many people would and all this one is missing is "America Fuck Yeah!" on the front...

That said, anyone who would be put off by a game cover without actually researching the game, is probably the kind of person who would buy the game, fail to RTFM and then be posting on the forum 15 minutes later saying how much it sucks because its not MW2CloneX. So maybe this is a good thing, it could weed out some of the potential numpties.

All cover stuff aside, I'm totally pumped for this game. I might have initially thought it was a bit strong to replace Arma2, but seeing the content integration planned, as well as the ridiculously cool new features (not to mention the fact that mods should be easily portable) I've been totally won over.

Bring this on, honestly how can I get the next month to pass faster so this damn game will come out quicker? :butbut:

[chris64 0]

I still don't understand this argument. If I had no knowledge of this game I wouldn't even give that cover a second glance, it looks like a terrible budget rip off of MW2 with a cover like that.

[Dwarden 1125]

remember,

if You fan of ARMA 2 or OA please join us on official groups and irc listed in my signature :)

[Alex72 1]

About the cover. Make your own or use EricM's brilliant ones and problem solved. :)

I have all my BI titles in my shelf but they are with the back to me and not the front cover so i dont even see it. I understand waiting for OA brings out a lot of emotions of us all and so we discuss the smallest of things to death, but c'mon guys - it isnt that important (piece of paper wrapping a plastic box!).

In the end its BI's decision and you wont look at the cover when you have it installed as you will be nailed to the screen and forget about the whole thing. You know im right. :D

[Dead3yez 0]

but c'mon guys - it isnt that important (piece of paper wrapping a plastic box!).

For a lot of people, when they will see the game on a shop shelf it will be the first time they've even heard of the ArmA series or know about the game. Not only that, but on online stores often the front cover is shown. It is one of the games primary selling points. It's very important.

Honestly, I only care because as a fanboi I hope BIS get their moneys. I wouldn't want anyone in a shop to feel embarrassed buying this product because of a goon on the frontcover catching flies. :)

[enad 11]

+1

Not only what Dead3yez said, but the ACU and Marpat covers that EricM made just look so much more serious and hardcore than the current. The current gives you the vibe "AMERICA! FUCK YEAH! WE'RE THE BEST!!"

I just feel it will either attract the wrong crowd or not attract a crowd at all. :/

[kireta21 13]

If you feel embarassed buying game with such cover, how can you survive buying porn :p?

Jokes aside. Only real problem with cover will be likely flood of CoD players on MP servers, various retards like teamkillers, people learning to fly in MP, or accusing others of camping and cheating every 30 seconds. But they will die out eventually (pretty fast I suppose), and maybe even some good number of new players will join community. There is a lot of people who would like to play soldiers, they just didn't realized it yet :D.

And yes, I will use ACU "community cover". I wish there would be marpat version for vanilla ArmA 2. They would look awesome, next to each other on shelf. Marpat ArmA 2 and ACU ArmA 2:OA.

Edited May 11, 2010 by boota

[james mckenzie-smith 1]

+1

Not only what Dead3yez said, but the ACU and Marpat covers that EricM made just look so much more serious and hardcore than the current. The current gives you the vibe "AMERICA! FUCK YEAH! WE'RE THE BEST!!"

I just feel it will either attract the wrong crowd or not attract a crowd at all. :/

His covers may look good, but they will not necessarily make sales improve. Two of them look like covers for non-US helicopter simulators - and let's face it, that's a bit more of a niche market than military-themed FPS games. Whose sales would any publisher like to emulate? The sales for DCS Black Shark, or MW2? The ACU one looks good, but what does it tell you, really? That there is some sort of camo fabric pattern on the cover, and not much else. Good art and art direction, to be sure; increased sales, however, are not guaranteed by good art alone, otherwise we would see toilet paper packaging with the Mona Lisa's face on it. The current cover design hits the main selling points, as I have mentioned elsewhere. It certainly does not '(reflect) poorly on the community', as has been claimed elsewhere in this forum, among other peculiar assertions.

As for the complaints about the 'America, Fuck Yeah' aspect of the NA cover, well, you can buy a European release online if it bugs you that much, but the same damned thing was on ArmA2's NA release (along with an open-mouthed, shouty soldier). Face it, the average American tactical gamer is deeply patriotic, and their flag alone is enough to make many of them take a second look at a product. There's nothing good or bad about that, it is just the nature of the market. Remember, just because one person does not like the box, and says that they would not pick it up, one person is not a statistically meaningful sample, and nor are the small numbers of people responding to this thread, who represent but a small part of a market that BIS already has captured.

I cannot agree with the implication that ArmA:OA really demands serious and hardcore box art. The vast majority of people play games to have fun, and the subset who prefer 'serious and hardcore' military games as we know them is relatively small. In order for this product to sell a significant number of units, it cannot appear too hardcore and serious, otherwise a large number of more casual gamers who might actually enjoy some of the variety of gameplay and relaxed systems modelling in the ArmA2 series will be driven off. Fewer sales means a correspondingly lower chance of ArmA3 ever appearing, and larger sales means the opposite.

Sure, this might attract some of the 'wrong crowd', as if anyone here has any right to decide who is right or wrong crowd material. This is a gaming community, not the Augusta National Golf Club in the 1930s. MW2 fans have money that is just as green and crinkly to the touch as anybody's, and even if they goof around in public MP games, I have not heard of those being the home of ArmA2's best gameplay as it is. Private servers will still be private, and those of us who would rather play SP will be unaffected, and hopefully we will all see more ArmA games down the road.

Edited May 12, 2010 by James McKenzie-Smith

[Alex72 1]

For a lot of people, when they will see the game on a shop shelf it will be the first time they've even heard of the ArmA series or know about the game. Not only that, but on online stores often the front cover is shown. It is one of the games primary selling points. It's very important.

That might be correct, but in the end - its not our decision. This is what i meant when i say that you going mental over a business deal a company makes that you arent working in. At this point im sure BIS knows how people on this forum feels about the cover so further discussion about it is not necessary. :)

[Flash Thunder 10]

BIS hasn't really talked much about the addition of "torches" but my question is will they cast dynamic shadows?

Also would like to ask if BIS is incorporating ACE 2's Night vision brightness modifier into OA.

[maddogx 13]

BIS hasn't really talked much about the addition of "torches" but my question is will they cast dynamic shadows?

Excellent question. I was actually wondering the same thing a while back but forgot to ask. I guess I should add it to the FAQ while there is still time... done. :D

One thing I noticed in that video where the night vision laser thingy was shown, is that the laser was blocked by obstacle geometry. So the laser is not just a static part of the model, which would definitely be an enhancement to the engine. Considering that, I think it's possible that the flashlights will cast shadows, although I think it is likely that the guys at BI have come up with a way to do that without making them fully dynamic.

I actually have a theory as to how that would work, based on the NVG laser. Hopefully we'll see the flashlights in a video some time soon. ;)

Edited May 12, 2010 by MadDogX

[Flash Thunder 10]

One thing I noticed in that video where the night vision laser thingy was shown, is that the laser was blocked by obstacle geometry. So the laser is not just a static part of the model, which would definitely be an enhancement to the engine. Considering that, I think it's possible that the flashlights will cast shadows, although I think it is likely that the guys at BI have come up with a way to do that without making them fully dynamic.

Most definitely, Im really excited alone for that feature its going to have alot of implications. Thanks for adding it to FAQ forgot about that damn thing! :(

[Steakslim 1]

The may have improved upon the lighting engine itself (finally). As mentioned a day or so earlier with some nighttime town images, the "light cones" seemed to have not be present with nighttime light sources like street lamps. This could be a good sign.

[nodunit 397]

Here's hoping, at the moment sundown and night time aren't quite so great, though mostly at sun set. Here's hoping this picture http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4534554302_580d937263_o.jpg gives some hint to improved lighting at atleast one of those times.

[DancZer 65]

New Report

New Picture

[m1n1d0u 29]

already reported

[nodunit 397]

are most of the pictures broken for anyone else?

[jw custom 56]

are most of the pictures broken for anyone else?

Yes some of them are missing my end too, seems like people are able to see different pictures.

[Steakslim 1]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50100382@N07/sets/72157623921369053

someone uploaded them for those having trouble viewing.

[nodunit 397]

Aww what a thoughtful person, I want to give them a hug, and thanks for the link prior danczer :)

[Maio 293]

That SAW with the thermal sight is pure bad ass .

[snoops_213 75]

Aww what a thoughtful person, I want to give them a hug

Yeah i second that! Nice shots of some of the new models and the -47 with tail mounted mg :D One thing that did surprise me was no inclusion of an OH58D? Oh well enough toys to play with and im sure someone will make 1.

http://next.videogame.it/arma-ii-operation-arrowhead/86923/

Quote:

Il gioco, infatti, si conferma di per sé decisamente massiccio, sia come gameplay che come caratura tecnica. Quest'ultimo aspetto, in particolare, è stato ulteriormente migliorato rispetto all'originale e, in questo senso, ai possessori di ArmA II farà piacere sapere che tutte le migliorie saranno raccolte in una patch tramite cui aggiornarlo e renderlo tecnicamente uguale a questa espansione.

The game, in fact, confirmed it self very solid, as gameplay as technical caliber. This later aspect in particular has been enhanced over the original, and in this sense, the holders of ArmA II will be pleased to know that all improvements will be collected through a patch to update and make it technically equal to this expansion.

Just seen this in another thread and holy crap does that mean all ArmA2 units with the new OA features where applicable? Now that would be pure bad ass!

Edited May 13, 2010 by snoops_213

[Laqueesha 474]

And if you choose to leave on the UAV mission you can hear about them talking of Takistan.

Which mission?

[Tonci87 163]

The Mission where you have to find Bardak