ArmA or ArmA 2?

[robmypro 10]

Hey guys I am just discovering this sim. Looks awesome. I downloaded the demo for ArmA 2, but it just isn't very fluid with my current gaming PC (Athlon FX-57, Single Core, 9800 GTX+, 4 GB RAM, XP). So question for you. Would it make sense to just buy ArmA at this point? I am assuming I can run it with all the bells and whistles turned on, so would it be that much worse than ArmA 2 with the settings lower? I also figure ArmA is mature, so the remaining bugs should be minimal.

What do you think? Is ArmA a good place to start, or should I just go for ArmA 2 and turn the settings down.

Thanks!

Rob

[Herbal Influence 10]

Look my specs. Runs great. Isn't you cpu better than mine?

Arma2 is no more buggy in a relevant way.

EDIT:

Did some research.

Wow ... you are quite a "borderliner" !

Very difficult question !

Very much dependend on your wish to have great fraps.

I estimate an average of about 15 fraps.

Performance could be comparable to an AMD 3800+ X2, but not more.

So ... check your sockets and try to get my cpu for about 60 Euros?

Edited January 22, 2010 by Herbal Influence

[robmypro 10]

Hey thanks for the reply. I am not sure about my CPU vs yours, but our specs aren't that different. So what settings do you run ArmA 2 at?

[Adzy28394 10]

For what it's worth, ArmA2 is great and your computer will definately run it, play it from patch 1.05 and the performance issues are no longer issues for most people.

With the original ArmA, if you find it for cheap, you should get it just to play it I think, I have both ArmA Gold and ArmA2, and I alternate between, both are great games and run fluidly

[robmypro 10]

Also I am running the sim at 1280 x 1024. Does that make a difference in performance vs. your higher resolution? I would assume so.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:35 PM ----------

Thanks for the help Adzy. I've only tried the demo. Is there a patch for the demo to bring it up to 1.05? I think the demo I have is based on 1.02. I guess I will pick up both.

[mosh 0]

I have run Arma 2 on a single core cpu (AMD 3800, with 7600GT 256 MB video, 2 gig ram). Obviously on very low settings, but it ran ok for me.

Arma 1 would run a little better than Arma 2 I would think, but not much better.

You can get Arma 1 for under $10 (legally) on a few digital download sites.

Of course I say go for Arma 2, but you'll get more responses hopefully with other points of view.

Either way, you just discovered a great game and community. Good luck.

[robmypro 10]

Thanks Mosh. I think I'll pick up both of them, since they both sound like fantastic milsims.

[Herbal Influence 10]

Hey thanks for the reply. I am not sure about my CPU vs yours, but our specs aren't that different. So what settings do you run ArmA 2 at?

Highest.

Perhaps you find something here and here, but game runs now much more smoothly than on release date.

And welcome to this great community!

Edited January 22, 2010 by Herbal Influence

[robmypro 10]

Thanks Herbal!

[afp 1]

Buy them both, you can find ArmA 1 for like $7, and you will buy ArmA 2 when you make an upgrade.

[desertjedi 3]

Arma 1 would run a little better than Arma 2 I would think, but not much better.

With Arma, I get anywhere from 60-120 fps on high to very high settings. With Arma 2 v1.04, I never saw anything really higher than 25fps regardless of what settings I used. I use a C2D@4.18Ghz with a GTX 260. I will give v1.05 a try but I'm not holding my breath.

I gave up on Arma 2 for now because of the AI behavioral bugs and the sheer ugliness of it. I'm hoping that after all the mods and patches it will eventually resemble nothing like BIA's vision of Arma 2.

I don't experience any bugs in Arma at all.

But get both - both have much to offer in their own ways.

[Tom1 10]

how much for a copy of ArmA1 at a store not to dl off net ?

[desertjedi 3]

If you mean an online store, you can get it here for $3 and change. Look below the $17 price of Amazon's.

If you mean a "real" store, I'm not sure you could still find it.

[Binkowski 26]

There's something about ArmA1 that keeps it installed on my computer, and still playable. Same thing with flashpoint (well that's obvious, it's Flashpoint!) but yeah, I have all three installed. And honestly, I play OFP and ArmA more than ArmA2. I mainly just make stuff for A2.

[Pain0815 10]

by the way, if you use arma 1 conten via mod (caa1) in arma2 then you have same framerates like in arma1. You can use much of the arma1 mods too then with caa1.

Get arma2 and if chernarus runs too slow change to dessert maps or arma1 content for arma2.

Or just wait for Operation Arrowhead...

[celery 8]

CAA1 is a nice thought but in its current condition there isn't much gameplay content and the maps themselves aren't working 100%, for example you can't operate any ladders or doors.

If you want to play A1's missions and campaigns, the best way is to get Armed Assault.

[Pain0815 10]

Do not buy arma1 anymore, get part 2. For more Fps play dessert maps.

Then you buy arrowhead, and you can load the whole arma2 content as mod for arrowhead then.

If you buy arma1 you need arrowhead and arma2 later to use all content.

And im sure thats not your last pc, so you will have much more fun later with that way.

But arma1 is cheap to (a1 10 bucks/ a2 15 to 20) and its not a bad game. You could have mine then is dont use it anymore.

otherwise get jcove or vbs2 lite use version for free.