Game needs an attachment system

[D00mbuggy 10]

What really irked me out is that ArmA II claims to have 73 guns in it's arsenal even though most of it is just variants of guns such as M16A4, M16A4 w/ ACOG, M16A4 w/ ACOG and M203. What Bohemia Interactive needs to do is cut the weapon's list of crappy variants and add in a more stream lined approach to this even if it is sacrificing a point of advertising for ArmA II. First off, no more combinations of guns on the gear list. I want to find a gun fast and not browse through huge amounts of variants. ArmA II needs to add in attachments such as Bad Company or Modern Warfare 2. When picking a gun that you wanted to use, there would be a window showing the rails and attachments that you could use on your weapon with a neat description at the bottom. Operation Arrowhead already is trying to make the ArmA experience easier to new comers, why not make an attachment system as well?

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Would probably be a nightmare for scripters/mission makers. :j:

[D00mbuggy 10]

Would probably be a nightmare for scripters/mission makers. :j:

There could be a limited amount of attachments. If you went into a crate, you could have 2 Acog sights, 4 GP-30 launchers, that sort of stuff.

[tyler4171 10]

ArmA II needs to add in attachments such as Bad Company or Modern Warfare 2.

Changing optics/sights may not be hard, but I have never seen or heard of a soldier changing his attachments in the heat of a battle. Plus, it saves time for the person choosing weapons, lets use an example, domination per say: People would sit there for 20+ minutes configuring their own weapon when you could simply just choose a variant of that M4 or M16 out of a box. To be honest, I dont even think a soldier is allowed to field mod his guns (do not take that as a fact i am not exactly sure)

[Montanaro 0]

I actually prefer ARMA system over any shoot em up gun system any day.

It's not that hard to read the name of a gun and know what it is even if you have basic knowledge of weaponry. Plus there is a description if you click on it.

and why are you in such a hurry anyway? If you are in such a pinch for time, go with your default gun, it kills just like any other gun.

[rstratton 0]

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/11711

[Imperator[TFD] 444]

Pretty sure this would not be possible given the current limitations of the game engine unless a script was developed where an interface is displayed to the player where they pick what available attachments they want and then that specific setup is then spawned into the player's inventory.

So for example, you take the basic M4 model, add the red-dot and M203 and it then selects the M4-Red dot - M203 and gives it to the player.

A lot of fart arsing around when instead players can just pick what gun they want from a list that takes all of 2 seconds to scroll through.

[no use for a name 0]

You gotta admit that the current system of 50 variations of the same 5 rifles is pretty annoying. I don't think it needs to be added in-game for on-the-fly switching; but at least in the Gear menus when you pick weapons (granted the attachments are available in the crate). That would really streamline the interface IMO. Only show what attachments are compatible with the selected weapon and you won't have to fumble around thru more selections.

easy:

Pick your "base" rifle (M4, AK-47, Mk16, etc. etc.)

Pick the type of optics; only listing the ones compatible with your current weapon (Aimpoint/Kobra, Acog/PSO, etc.)

Pick grenade attachments if compatible with current weapon

And I think that's all you need; not some in-depth over the top menu interface. Flashlights and/or IR lasers are pretty much standard anyways so no need for an option.

Edited July 7, 2010 by No Use For A Name

[That guy 10]

it aint realistic to have a dynamic attachment system. you slap your optics on before going in theater and leave them there for the duration. and if there is a situation you need to swap optics/aim aids you still need to zero them properly (some unit let you buy your own optics, but are you really going to spend 1500 for an acog?). yeah there are alot of crazy variations with different attachments and combinations that cant be achieved, but oh well.

you use what they give you.

that is something that irritates me about public MP, is the missionmakers give every one everything. everyone has rifle w/acog/GL/or semi auto sniper( and with OA thermals im sure), and a AT launcher running around like little ramboes

i prefer the arma system. and this definitely not the first time someone suggested this

[CarlGustaffa 4]

that is something that irritates me about public MP, is the missionmakers give every one everything. everyone has rifle w/acog/GL/or semi auto sniper( and with OA thermals im sure), and a AT launcher running around like little ramboes.

Yup, completely agree. There is a "limited weapons" switch in Domination (not sure about OA version), but I have never seen it being used. I didn't even make it optional in Domino, this was forced and what you got depended on who you were in the squad and which squad. Mission makers makes their mission popular by allowing everything to everyone. Not my liking though...

[giorgygr 61]

Personally..i love everything that gives me more "options" or "flexibility"

but..so much "flexibility" in MP (as other guyz said) will be exploited. :/

Unless mission makers sets a "limit" for each class

i.e.

The rifleman can choose between Simple ironsights and aimpoint and reflex

The SPECOP all the above +silencer

The grenadier Simple ironsights and aimpoint +M203

etc etc etc...

[hellfire257 3]

I'd love it. I think it is the minority that would complain about it for some reason or another. We play this game to have fun afterall (don't we?). I'd love to have a M16 Eotech M203 for example, but I just can't have one. I'd like a Mk17 Eotech EGLM and a Mk17 Aimpoint EGLM etc.

Again, we can't have these. If we had an attachment system it would solve these problems. Of course though, this attachment system would only be available from the ammo boxes.

[Pain0815 10]

Should be not a big problem with a script which change your gun to the same gun with another attachment.

So you have only the m4 in the box and if you change your attachment then the script will change your m4 to an m4 acog or something.

But for this you need every weapon with every attachment ingame for the script to choose. Happy scripting

Edited July 7, 2010 by Pain0815

[DieAngel 0]

Well even in the editor thiw owuld be nice to have each weapon TYPE and then the options as a sub menu.

Less stuffs in the unit list.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Well, I love the idea myself. Scripted versions are not feasible, as the variations simply don't match eachother. Pick a normal weapon you get some scopes. Pick a silenced weapon and you only have one scope (which may not even be there for the others) to choose from. Ex Mk17 Sniper has TWS and tactical scope (unsure atm what brand), but the SD version only have the fixed Leupold mildot scope. There are also lots of variations within the scope itself. Some are fixed Leupold, some have stepped zoom, some have varied zoom, some have forced NVG, some has NVGs that can be turned off, some have fixed reticle, some have zoomed reticle (not on rifle afaik though). Creating all these as model rifle variations is just not possible from a workload point of view.

If "everything" in the game was "container based", then maybe we had a shot. We could have containers within containers within containers with.... You get the idea; fixed points on a weapon (which is itself a container) that can contain the weapon system (barrel, used to spawn bullets) but could be replaced. M203 would be another weapon system in this container. Silencer an attachment in this container. Magazines several containers, where if you wanted to you could swap every bullet with a different type if you wanted to (i.e. tracers or other ammo type).

"I want attachment points" simply is way too vague. The whole system would need to be completely redesigned. And I really don't think that will happen. It's actually not all that hard to get it to "work good in a flowchart system", maybe even to the point of having a very good interface for it. But then there was the configs...

[PuFu 4600]

not possible unless scripted version is used (and one would need all models done in all variation) due to how A2/OA models are handeled by the game engine.

As it is now, you cannot have the models of the weapons, the models of the sights, GLS etc, and then swap them on the fly, via proxies or whatever

It won't happen unless there is a major chance with the engine itself

[MavericK96 0]

Pretty sure this would not be possible given the current limitations of the game engine unless a script was developed where an interface is displayed to the player where they pick what available attachments they want and then that specific setup is then spawned into the player's inventory.

I think something like this would be awesome. I was for some reason under the impression that an attachment system was going to be included in OA, but obviously it is not.

Since so many variants already exist, making some sort of front-end to choose them makes a lot of sense to me.

[Darkhorse 1-6 16]

^ You cannot do it with this engine. How much clearer can it get? If you absolutely HAVE to have it, go buy SOCOM.

[wamingo 1]

Would probably be a nightmare for scripters/mission makers. :j:

I haven't thought this completely through possibly, but...

if we kept the system like it is currently, where you add the weapons that should be available:

ie an ammo crate contains:

-m16

-m16 + acog

-m16 + m203

but NOT m16+acog+m203

well then you can't choose that combination, but you can choose the first 3.

So put in words: You should only able to change the mods you want at an ammo crate/vehicle/whatever and that container only contains the combo's that the designer wants to be available.

Does that work?

or would people be miffed if you couldn't hand your acog/m203 mods over to your team mates?

Edited July 8, 2010 by wamingo

[[frl]myke 14]

Lads, it could be probably easier than you think.

First of all, ArmA 2 allows own config entries. So you can expand weapon configs on your own. The engine just ignores them but they can be used with scripting.

Knowing this, existing weapons would need additional info like what attachements can be applied. Taking Wamingo's post as base (just for this example), this could look like this:

   class acog {
       type = "acog_classname";
       assembleTo[] = {"M16_ACOG", "M16_ACOG_M203"};
       disassembleTo[] = {"M16", "M16_M203"};
   };
   class M203 {
       type = "M203_classname";
       assembleTo[] = {"M16_M203", "M16_ACOG_M203"};
       disassembleTo[] = {"M16", "M16_ACOG"};
   };

This code applied to the M16 baseclass (sorry, classnames are fictional but for the idea it will do it) defines what attachements can be applied and what Rifle will represent the new version.

Also it needs the ACOG and the M203 defined as inventory objects, like map, compass and GPS. It even wouldn't need a 3D model for those attachements since they are only visible in inventory, so a pic for it will do.

From there, it is only checking for inventory items and make use of removeWeapon/addWeapon, maybe in a neat little onscreen dialogue.

If someone can do the onscreen dialogue, i could make the config parts.

:EDITH:

This is a very rough sketch just to explain the idea and a possible way. Surely it needs a lot of finetuning. Amd yes, this limits it to the available weapon configs already existing. It wouldn't allow applying silencers if there is no silenced model version available.

Edited July 8, 2010 by [FRL]Myke

[Master gamawa 0]

You gotta admit that the current system of 50 variations of the same 5 rifles is pretty annoying. I don't think it needs to be added in-game for on-the-fly switching; but at least in the Gear menus when you pick weapons (granted the attachments are available in the crate). That would really streamline the interface IMO. Only show what attachments are compatible with the selected weapon and you won't have to fumble around thru more selections.

easy:

Pick your "base" rifle (M4, AK-47, Mk16, etc. etc.)

Pick the type of optics; only listing the ones compatible with your current weapon (Aimpoint/Kobra, Acog/PSO, etc.)

Pick grenade attachments if compatible with current weapon

And I think that's all you need; not some in-depth over the top menu interface. Flashlights and/or IR lasers are pretty much standard anyways so no need for an option.

that takes a whole lot more time than just picking the weapon you want from the crate. You just scroll a couple of times click and bang! you got it.

Your way is more .. fiddly... Pick a weapon, select scope, select launcher, select laser sight, select silencer etc.

I prefer the standard way.

[Lethn 10]

Please don't turn this game into Modern Warfare 2.

Besides, I'd personally like to see Bohemia put some decent descriptions in of the weapons and vehicles that aren't just military gibberish, some of us don't serve in the armed forces you know.

[Pain0815 10]

^ You cannot do it with this engine. How much clearer can it get? If you absolutely HAVE to have it, go buy SOCOM.

Sure you can do.

Just model all guns with all possible attachments then you can script changing those.

Maybe later with addons which bring those missing weapon variants someone could script changing those attachments on the fly with addtional objects for acogs, aimpoints, eotechs and stuff like those medical objects in ace.

But this would be a mod then not only a little script.

Its possible with that engine! How much clearer can i get?

But its a lot of work to get all those equipment variants for single gun types.

If someone do it, then in boxes there could be only the standard versions of a gun and all possible attachments

Edited July 8, 2010 by Pain0815

[[frl]myke 14]

Ok ok ok...i'll make a "proof of concept" addon just to show it can work pretty easily. Don't ask me to make a complete addon out of it because for this i lack of:

- time

- skills in creating dialogues

However, once the proof of concept is done, anyone who's interested may ask for the source code so he can finish the work. He may even put his name on it, i don't care.

[Montanaro 0]

Please don't turn this game into Modern Warfare 2.

Besides, I'd personally like to see Bohemia put some decent descriptions in of the weapons and vehicles that aren't just military gibberish, some of us don't serve in the armed forces you know.

These threads were around before ARMA1 came out.

People always want to add features from their favorite shoot em ups into the game.

Which begs the question, why are you playing THIS when you want to be playing THAT?