Difference Between A1 and A2?

[jasonnoguchi 11]

Is it just graphics or is there something more?

[ebanks129 10]

Graphics and Some AI Improvements (Especially with the AI enchancements released by the community) are the only ones i can think of atm.

[no use for a name 0]

there's a lot more...although most are subtle changes. i.e. you can reload while moving, better animations, better sounds, AI seems smarter, more ambient objects, stuff like that.

Basically it takes everything from Arma and replicates/improves them

[jasonnoguchi 11]

All of the "improvements" so far are what the A1 modding community has already done... anything specifically different between A1 and A2 or is A2 just a hardware pushing version of A1?

[Avgeris 64]

ArmA1 is more realistic as for the AI who cares? its for n0b0z

[ebanks129 10]

I guess the only way to find out would be to try the demo or something

[no use for a name 0]

ArmA1 is more realistic as for the AI who cares? its for n0b0z

and do you have details on why Arma1 is more realistic? Or why no one cares about the AI? You're 'point' is...well, pointless

[froggyluv 2130]

All of the "improvements" so far are what the A1 modding community has already done... anything specifically different between A1 and A2 or is A2 just a hardware pushing version of A1?

No A1 mods were able to implement cover properly for the AI as the AI didn't understand incremental spacing - this is the biggest draw for me. This also allows far better pathfinding in terms of your squad keeping up with you in urban areas.

[Windexglow 10]

For the most part - everything. If you're a long time player of A1 you might be disappointed in some weapons, vehicles, and terrain types being gone though. Arma2 doesn't really have any cities. They have tons of small villages and 2 industrial centers, but these aren't very big.

[BeerHunter 0]

ArmA1 is more realistic as for the AI who cares? its for n0b0z

and so whats a n0b0z?

Far as the AI is concerned , it's smarter than a lot of online players (see quote above as an example :p) and the only reason I bought ArmA2.

They obey orders , go where you want them to and basically do what they're told for the most part. The only thing is you have to LEAD them (like you're supposed to) as the squad leader. Some players are just too damn lazy to bother then have the nerve to call the AI dumb.

As far as graphics etc. go , some improvement IF you have a capable machine and can turn them up full.

Other things such as loading while moving have already been mentioned.

[Jockson 10]

Although still poor compared to OFP, vehicle controls in A2 are a lot better compared to A1. No more that horrible instant mouse auto-centering that made steering with a mouse such a pain in A1. The game is worth it for that reason alone to me but it's also better than A1 in pretty much every way. Not by much but still better.

[jw custom 56]

This also allows far better pathfinding in terms of your squad keeping up with you in urban areas.

Which still is a PAIN and need a lot of work :)

[fantsu 10]

are there urban areas in ArmA2?

:confused:

[Beagle 684]

Although still poor compared to OFP, vehicle controls in A2 are a lot better compared to A1.

Compared to ArmA2, vehicles and aircraft control in OFP was very poor and synthetic. Its more lifelike in ArmA2 if you use the right controller gear.

Tanks and APCs do have a basic FCS in ArmA, more hitboxes on all units

, autorotation capability for helos on par with FSX...interactive A.I. etc.

[Windexglow 10]

are there urban areas in ArmA2?

Yes and no. While there are 2 industrial centers, these are about half the size of arma1s cities (but far more detailed)

[Jockson 10]

Compared to ArmA2, vehicles and aircraft control in OFP was very poor and synthetic. Its more lifelike in ArmA2 if you use the right controller gear.

That's probably true, but I was talking about steering with a mouse which I believe most people use. Although the actual driving/flying model wasn't really realistic in OFP, steering with a mouse was super smooth both in first person and third person view. In Arma 1, it was simply horrible. The steering wheel would always return to center as soon you started moving the mouse which resulted in very jerky steering and frustrating controls. It was a left over feature from the console version of OFP.

In Arma 2, the steering wheel still returns to center but only slowly so it's pretty good and easy to control as long as I see the wheel and where it is facing. Not so great for driving in third person, especially for motorcycles but I'm still happy with it.

[Scrub 0]

Latest patches fixes steering, so the reign of driving terror will probably end with 1.05 or whatever the next patch # is.

[jasonnoguchi 11]

Yes, I do agree A2 sports better graphics on high, which is perhaps the most noticable difference. A1 steering has also been fixed in the latest patches. So far, I feel the greatest draw of A2 is the fact that soooooo many communities have moved on to A2, making A1 very quiet in terms of MP and communities. For that reason alone, I will be moving on to A2 once I finish all the campaigns in A1... sigh... time for more modding and tweaking....

[andersson 285]

There are alot of things better in A2 compared to A1.

First of all everything is more updated when it comes to code (smoother trackir as one example and if you try caa1 (arma1 for arma2) you will see that the updated engine is better as everything is much smoother than in A1.).

More scripting commands = better mods/missions can be made.

Character movements are better imo (headbob also).

Animals.

AI is much much better.. The latest betas have fantastic AI.

Better more interesting flightmodel imo.

Better graphics.

[maddogx 13]

The A2 engine is actually more optimized and faster than A1. For example, grab CAA1, load up Sahrani in Arma2 and note how much better it performs, despite superior visual quality. The real performance killer in Arma2 is Chernarussia.

[BeerHunter 0]

Oh.... and no one mentioned the editor c/w templates for various types of missions...

[maruk 80]

The Key Improvements over ArmA that certainly can not be achieved by any modification to Arma 1 at this level:

• Micro AI: AI can precisely navigate, find cover and co-operate with centimetre precision (in comparison to meter precision in ArmA 1)

• Suppressive fire simulation

• Battlefield clearance and first aid

• Dynamic conversation and communication system

• Animations (more fluid and realistic, hand signals, ability to reload while walking, climb over

smaller obstacles)

• Mega SEF - brand new sound engine allowing very complex sound effects

• Player-driven main story with emphasis on the team

• multicore optimisations (more troops and higher detailed scenes combined with a solid frame rate)

• Shader Model 3.0 (hemispherical lighting, parallax maps etc.)

• support for multiple joysticks/controllers

• tons of new scripting options http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Category:ArmA_2:_New_Scripting_Commands_List

This is almost direct quote from http://www.arma2.com/supply/presskit/download/15-arma2-factsandfigures.html?lang=en

Some more detailed info can be found here:

http://www.arma2.com/supply/presskit/folder.html?lang=en

All of the "improvements" so far are what the A1 modding community has already done... anything specifically different between A1 and A2 or is A2 just a hardware pushing version of A1?

Edited November 23, 2009 by Suma
Fixed formatting.

[arthur666 10]

Well, Arma2 has held my interest alot longer than Arma1 did. I think it's the improved AI and the better terrain. I've not played the campaign in either though. I just use the editor.

[jasonnoguchi 11]

Ok, playing A2 demo now and yes, despite the nausea caused by all the motion blur and head bobbing, it is hyper realistic! its like playing out of a movie! hahahah. My machine runs everything on high smooth as well. Very nice... but still very nauseous....

[maddogx 13]

Ok, playing A2 demo now and yes, despite the nausea caused by all the motion blur and head bobbing, it is hyper realistic! its like playing out of a movie! hahahah. My machine runs everything on high smooth as well. Very nice... but still very nauseous....

You can turn the head bobbing down in the game options.