Why is this game not more popular?

[NoRailgunner 0]

Another reason why is not so popular is that AI is still in development.

If you like to play with AI in MP you have to be sure that some units in your group are human players eg pilot, corpsman/medic, SF, AT(with M136/RPG18), AA, driver of any vehicle...

AI can still see and go through objects.

AI still got stuck in the loop "Go I'm covering", "Go move"... and teamleader aren't able to stop this chatter or give orders.

AI still get stuck on crossroads/narrow roads

AI is still wasting ammo eg AA missiles (manpads) on MBT's

etc

Face it - A2 is not a mainstream shooter neither its an military simulation.

BIS have successfully created their own game niche. Thats very good because one can rely to a certain degree on the community and their dedication. On the other hand there are less people who know/buy it because its a niche/special interest game.

[BeerHunter 0]

I still maintain that the reason the online community is small is because they have played online.:p

My few ventures onto servers were efforts in futility ; more like the old DoD and Cod days. Very little co-operation , little direction ,lots of Rambo's , few that understood the tactical aspect of ArmA2 and just wanted to shoot everything and of course everyone looking for that elusive sniper rifle.:p

Didn't take me long to realize that since ArmA2 has some of the best AI out there (even with their flaws) , a relatively simple to use editor and some good custom downloads that SP with all its advantages was the way to go for me and haven't looked back since.

There are some excellent well run servers out there but scheduling (ie populated when I want to play) , pings (most are over 160 to me) make SP gaming so much more appealing and I have lost any desire whatsoever to venture online.

As I've said before , just because the servers aren't packed doesn't mean the game isn't popular. Popular titles that come to mind everyone has heard about that have a small online community are MS Flight Sim and Silent Hunter,but these also are "simulators".

So it's NOT that ArmA2 isn't "more popular".That's an assumption.

It's that ArmA2 isn't all that popular as an online game.

[-Total- 0]

Most of the highly coordinated servers are generally passworded to keep the Rambo's out.

There's also servers out there that do not report to the master gamespy browser listing. They leave that line in their server.cfg blank. Members connect directly by IP or by the -connect command in the shortcut.

I stand by my remark about not being the average gamers though. ArmA2 is not the average game. JellBro's post lists attributes that are not required for the average game.

Are we a cut above? That's open to interpretation.

When playing ArmA2, repeat ArmA2 players are after more then a stretch of twitch-based kills or some ranking on a stat's board. They're after a tactical, strategical, and immersive experience.

Could ArmA2 be improved? Yes. It gets improved with each patch.

As far as the AI - two words: CounterStrike. Dumbest AI in history, yet the game is still as popular as ever.

I talked several people into buying ArmA and ArmA2. Their biggest complaint was the slow game pace. They just don't have the patience for it.

[Grizzle 0]

I am reminded of the Battlecruiser/Universal Combat series from 3000AD. A complex space simulation that never gained mass appeal but had a hardcore group of devoted fans. It too is/was one of those games that took a while to get into, but once you did the experiences to be had were simply awesome. I'll bet there's even a few Arma players that have played those games.

I've only played ARMA2 online a little bit and that was back when I first got the game. It was probably a bad time to experience MP as I recall joining games full of TK'ers and people destroying our own assets. I read up on all of these private servers and clans and while it sounds great, I personally feel it's too much trouble. I'm not the type to schedule my game time.

Interestingly, I had thought that I would be playing MP all the time, but as it turns out I have so much fun with SP and just messing around with the editor and writing scripts that I don't think MP is needed. Just my personal tastes of course.

[wamingo 1]

It's not that I "don't want to share". Years of experience have taught us (the little group that I play with) that letting "that kind of player" onto our server is always a negative experience.

I don't see why that would stop You or anyone else from sharing their content - like on armaholic. If it's as great as you claim, it's sort of a shame that so few get to enjoy it, wouldn't you say?

[galzohar 31]

Some people find getting credit for what they do is the most important thing. Others just make stuff that only work if played in a certain way (ex. with enforced limitations that are included in the clan/squad/whatever's rules), and others just require too many players to work.

For me personally I release anything that got enough playtesting. If it's a small mission than I release it after me and my friends did enough play-tweak-play-tweak cycles and if it's a big one I will only release it after it goes through something similar on Zeus. Though to be honest so few people actually play missions I (or anyone) release and only a small fraction of those (which is often close to 0) actually comments about them, which does not encourage me much to make an effort to turn my missions into release quality unless my friends (or Zeus) want to keep playing them.

It's really far from just the mission makers' fault for not having enough (and easy enough to find) quality content out there, but people who just refuse to release stuff just so that they can "own" it is simply lame. It's not like you're ever going to sell it, and if you're doing it to "show off" so that you can get a better job somewhere then I wish you luck...

If people were actually testing and commenting I'd actually consider releasing more "beta" missions, but since nobody ever comments on them, releasing them will just increase the flood of untweaked missions we already have too many of.

[avibird 1 154]

I don't see why that would stop You or anyone else from sharing their content - like on armaholic. If it's as great as you claim, it's sort of a shame that so few get to enjoy it, wouldn't you say?

I think most good mission makers don't share missions for the reason they work real hard making a good mission and then put the time to test play the crap out of it with some good friends to make them well balanced and playout right.

Someone can just download them and just reedit the missions changing waypoints add things that will just make the mission unbalanced and so far from the original concept they had in mind when making the missions.

Why would anyone who put the time to make missions want that. Now if there is a way to lock the mission so if you downloaded you could not reedit and F up the mission just to make it easy to complete.

[rübe 127]

Someone can just download them and just reedit the missions changing waypoints add things that will just make the mission unbalanced and so far from the original concept they had in mind when making the missions.

Why would anyone who put the time to make missions want that. Now if there is a way to lock the mission so if you downloaded you could not reedit and F up the mission just to make it easy to complete.

I know a good joke, had a really hard time to come up with it, but I ain't telling anyone, for if I would, some jackass could retell my joke and screw up the punchline...

I've written a novel. And I can tell you, it's the best ever! Of course, I worked hard on it! Therefore I'm gonna burry it somewhere, deep in the forests, where noone will ever find it again. I mean, imagine in 50 years or so some jerk might get hooked on my tasty novel and is going to make a stupid film out of it! NEVER!

Also take note of all the red harvest clones and tweaks out there! They are all horrible and I can't enjoy my original red harvest campaign anymore! arrrrgghh!! Also one guy tweaked benny's warfare, the mission is so terrible now and I can't enjoy my benny warfare anymore! Everyone is playing the other screwed up version. hu.

Should I draw some more pictures for you or have you realized by now how silly your argument is?

I'm sorry, but guys routing for the encryption of missions just piss me off. Especially if their arguments are that weak. I mean, usually it's all the "hey ho, I invented a script that can do something. It's genius, and due to my learning disability I had a really hard time to make it work, so NO you can't just have it! "-drivel.. but this?!...

*Uh, ooohh, noes!!11, some other guy might have some fun with something, I had to suffer for horribly! Ohe noes, he might even pick some scripts and steal!!! them. He might even learn something or get inspired by MY mission!!! I can't let that happen! oh, and also, if they have fun, I can't have fun anymore. Simple maths, aint it? Duuuuurb... oh please.. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Mysteryman5150 10]

@Ruebe- LMFAO:).

[kklownboy 43]

@Ruebe- LMFAO:).

+1 and +2

[InnerCynic 10]

Hello all. First post after having just bought the game today. I'm a long time FPS player and something of a multiplayer "junkie" so I've been around and am familiar with most games out there. Being older I've also found that I no longer have the patience to listen to stupid "smack" comments online by bunny hopping goof balls and people who feel the need to "hack" and cheat shamelessly. Where is the challenge if you're "godlike" and every shot finds its target? Its gotten so absurd and childish that it was no longer enjoyable and I even sold off all my FPS games. I started to look elsewhere and discovered ArmA 2 and after downloading the immense demo file I was mesmerized by the detail and even put off by just how easy it was to DIE. That took some getting used to I can tell you. Been playing COD and BF2 far too long so the twitchy finger was too eager to pull the trigger and you have lots of bad habits that need to be deep sixed if you intend to survive your missions. Still, I keep coming back because it is different enough from the mainstream. ArmA is a challenge and I feel the time invested in learning this system and even exploring the editor will pay off for those who can afford to be patient. The downside is a smaller but hopefully more mature community of players. There is more to say but its late and I'll comment some other time.

[Guest]

Good to hear it mate, welcome!

[whisper 0]

I think most good mission makers don't share missions for the reason they work real hard making a good mission and then put the time to test play the crap out of it with some good friends to make them well balanced and playout right.

Someone can just download them and just reedit the missions changing waypoints add things that will just make the mission unbalanced and so far from the original concept they had in mind when making the missions.

Why would anyone who put the time to make missions want that. Now if there is a way to lock the mission so if you downloaded you could not reedit and F up the mission just to make it easy to complete.

Errr, what?

I can perfectly understand protection for addons and mods, but for missions? No way.

The real problem for mission makers is lack of tests and feedback, as simple as that.

For whatever reason, as stated by Galzohar, be it mission not catering to enough players, general lack of interest, whatever

[noubernou 77]

I think most good mission makers don't share missions for the reason they work real hard making a good mission and then put the time to test play the crap out of it with some good friends to make them well balanced and playout right.

Someone can just download them and just reedit the missions changing waypoints add things that will just make the mission unbalanced and so far from the original concept they had in mind when making the missions.

Why would anyone who put the time to make missions want that. Now if there is a way to lock the mission so if you downloaded you could not reedit and F up the mission just to make it easy to complete.

That negates one of the best parts about the OFP/ArmA community. People learn from other people. I know I learned tons of things from looking at how other people attempted things. I always give credit where its due as well.

If someone sees something I have done, and then expands on it for the better of the community then I do not mind one bit if it took them 5 minutes tp modify it and me 5 days to make it in the first place. Its all about progress.

[galzohar 31]

The sad thing is that I wouldn't be surprised if some mission makers don't release their missions to the public for the reasons AVIBIRD stated, in addition to all the other possible reasons I mentioned. Some people are just "possessive" of what they make.

The biggest problem the way I see it though is that there are way more mission makers than mission testers.

[Herbal Influence 10]

But you seem to be missing the point that players numbers that are playing online are dropping quite rapidly and that the overall player base from old ArmA is alot lower.

Online gaming does not decrease according to swec stats.

EDIT: 16:37 European Time

Players Online: 590

Servers Online: 701

And I am quite optimistic they will rise soon again:

The biggest problem the way I see it though is that there are way more mission makers than mission testers.

Many gamers are so fascinated in mission or even island making - they simply do not show up online for weeks.

Was the same for me.

Some of my clan colleagues are that much sticking to editing, island and mission making ... they are constantly online on teamspeak, but wouldn't show up in the swec stats.

The problem is now:

How to make editing/island making/addons creating less interesting? :D

We could - others already started - commence to bash every new release as for being not perfect or not matching my personal expectations. Soon these ugly Creatives would begin to hide :cool: their works .... :D

Nah, not seriously ... I hate people who bash Addon-makers.

We could ask BI to release a urgent beta that makes editing and Addon-Implementing impossible for, lez say two months?? :D

Bah ... this game is hit by its own means ... :o

This isnt because theres a difference in what games people wanna play if arma or whatever is tactical and differnt to others, theres always going to be differnt games the gameplay in A2 is still pretty much the same as before its just that the current way for playing online is broken and is causing a general lack of interest to alot of people overtime.

What is broken? All fine here - even better with the newest beta (-> delete ol' beta-folder first!!).

Or do you mean the diversion of the setups needed to get onto a public server?

Edited February 5, 2010 by Herbal Influence

[[aps]gnat 28]

I'm sorry, but guys routing for the encryption of missions just piss me off. Especially if their arguments are that weak. I mean, usually it's all the "hey ho, I invented a script that can do something. It's genius, and due to my learning disability I had a really hard time to make it work, so NO you can't just have it! "-drivel..

LOL. Yep +1

If you think encryption belongs in mission making, you have joined the wrong game community.

[bangtail 0]

I don't see why that would stop You or anyone else from sharing their content - like on armaholic. If it's as great as you claim, it's sort of a shame that so few get to enjoy it, wouldn't you say?

I never said they were "great" but we like them :)

I'll never release anything publically.

I don't design missions for public consumption neither do I want people going through my mission pbos.

Edited February 5, 2010 by BangTail

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Also I think many are scared of releasing something of "bad quality". A long time back, I got the feeling that any single player mission not containing intro and outro was automatically considered "bad", or "could have been better if missing parts were in". It doesn't have to be a masterpiece to be enjoyable to some.

Of course missions shouldn't be encrypted. That wouldn't make any sense. I may download missions suited for co16 and adjust the for the size and skill for those I play with. We're not l33t by any means, but we still want to have an enjoyable time in Arma2. I even disagree about encrypting mods and addons. Sometimes you just need to in order to make your own clan addons compatible with what you want to use.

Although I was able to "re-assemble" ECS into readable form (regular expression find & replace to the rescue), it still was too sluggish to "get around" (bad readability) so we eventually abandoned ECS to make our stuff work.

Where would Arma2 addon scene be today if we couldn't learn from other peoples stuff? Re-inventing the wheel takes a while if you don't have the schematics.

Back on-topic: Many in the start has left to play other games they find more interesting, or where some of them may continue their childish behavior (the TK kiddies in the start). Also, many that were serious "gamers" in the start may have been bitten by the editor bug. They've found missions to learn from, mod and improve to their own ideals, and they don't have the same amount of time to actually play the game. Been there, done that. Crap, I'm still there :D

I've released "my" mission, but not really publicly, as I know it's not public friendly like the original. No comments whatsoever feels sad, but at the same time I really didn't expect it either. Maybe I should just spend some more time playing than in the script editor? :)

[EMERY 10]

i see nothing wrong with sharing i also don't see why you should have any problem sharing because no doubt you had to get all the scripts con figs from some one else or a websight that is how the community learns

we would have no of my addons i have made if it was not for the ppl around to help and teach me

[Herbal Influence 10]

i see nothing wrong with sharing i also don't see why you should have any problem sharing because no doubt you had to get all the scripts con figs from some one else or a websight that is how the community learns

we would have no of my addons i have made if it was not for the ppl around to help and teach me

+1

But maybe return to topic ?

[dmarkwick 261]

I know a good joke, had a really hard time to come up with it, but I ain't telling anyone, for if I would, some jackass could retell my joke and screw up the punchline...

I've written a novel. And I can tell you, it's the best ever! Of course, I worked hard on it! Therefore I'm gonna burry it somewhere, deep in the forests, where noone will ever find it again. I mean, imagine in 50 years or so some jerk might get hooked on my tasty novel and is going to make a stupid film out of it! NEVER!

Also take note of all the red harvest clones and tweaks out there! They are all horrible and I can't enjoy my original red harvest campaign anymore! arrrrgghh!! Also one guy tweaked benny's warfare, the mission is so terrible now and I can't enjoy my benny warfare anymore! Everyone is playing the other screwed up version. hu.

LOL :D I like this argument :D

I too don't understand the "I'm keeping it to myself 'cos I made it myself" ethos. We ALL HERE LEARNED FROM SOMEONE ELSE. If you think you did not, fine, keep it we'll just make a better one :)

Funny thing, related to the above quote. I went to the cinema to see Watchmen. A great, great movie. But fans of the book wailed because it was *slightly different* in *some* areas. The filmmakers ruined the story.

Well, I got the book on the shelf right behind me now, it's been there since 1986, and, as far as I can tell, it's just as good a story now as it was pre-movie. But, as a book, it's not a very good film ;). The film, makes a terrible book.

[bangtail 0]

i see nothing wrong with sharing i also don't see why you should have any problem sharing because no doubt you had to get all the scripts con figs from some one else or a websight that is how the community learns

we would have no of my addons i have made if it was not for the ppl around to help and teach me

Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups.

I write missions for my group and it's not up to you (or anyone else) to tell me whether I should share them or not.

I'm eternally grateful to the many talented people who share their work but I simply choose not to.

As someone else said, back on topic.

Edited February 5, 2010 by BangTail

[cri74 10]

Sharing is the mother of all communities ?

Yes.. but back on topic

[Herbal Influence 10]

Sharing is the mother of all communities ?

Yes.. but back on topic

Yeah, last post on topic was this.

Accidentally my own. :p

My thesis was, but read it, as I shouldn't repost it, Arma2 could have much more online gamers, if it wouldn't be that attractive to commit yourself to mission editing, addon and map making! :eek:

But - ... I don't miss online-gamers now. 1200 each evening is more than enough for me.