HotShot

I'm not sure if you can get it outside the UK, but here's an interesting documentary which although is on a seperate issue, talks a lot about the rise of Saudi Arabia and its influence on word affairs since the 50s, and today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p02gyz6b/adam-curtis-bitter-lake

I was thinking about this the other day, and how humongous the addon depository is for ArmA compared to Flashpoint whilst for the most part retaining fantastic quality. The BAS addons were like a tidal wave but would now be little more than a ripple, off the Armaholic front page within a day or two. However what it lacks are the total conversions, which added and changed all aspects of the game, such as the FDF Mod which I think was a pinnacle in Flashpoint. I checked their forums the other day though and sadly they seemed to have faded out in the last year or so. RHS Escalation is the closest to this so far (which is amazing!) and hopefully it will expand to become more of a Mod, rather than essentially an addon pack, which also includes a couple of missions. I agree the Flashpoint spirit is generally there in ArmA3, but there's also notable changes. On the positive it feels a lot more "fluid", as Flashpoint did but more so, especially when compared to ArmA1 and 2 (I didn't play ArmA2, but have tried it since ArmA3, enticed by the content, and I'm not sure why but it feels horrendous to play!). However there are also big problems, notably the campaign, which has completely ditched the cutscenes. CWR and Resistance were partly awesome because of this, and the story they told. Relying on briefings, in a first person perspective, might feel more real but it just doesn't tell a story. Imagine trying to describe Guba shooting Angelina in a briefing - not going to be nearly as engaging as the cutscene in Flashpoint. I feel the ArmA3 campaign jumps around, and its just each mission that counts, without working towards opening up a larger narrative. I've no doubt including cutscenes would have helped to mitigate that. And that's my minor grumble over. But ArmA3, and the work BIS have done to keep the series along the same line, and for the vast majority of the time improve upon it, is awesome! Nothing keeps me coming back as much as this series. I continue to be outstanded by it every time. Good job BIS, good job.

One of the saddest things in the EU for 2014 is surely the incomprehensible numbers of people (3,500) that have died in the Mediterranean. This makes the Med easily the most dangerous region for migrants and to put it in perspective the Costa Concordia disaster killed 32 people - less than 1% of that total. Last night a disaster that seems to fit a movie plot was averted when a freighter carrying 900 people was on autopilot heading for the Italian coast after the traffickers scurried off. Hats off to the Italian navy who stopped it 5 miles off the coast. Apparently the Greeks boarded it earlier after a distress call but seem to have not found anything untoward... which beggars belief... But it highlights the need for the EU to do more, not less. The Italian's Mare Nostrum mission has ended and the totally inadequate EU Frontex Triton programme has "taken over", but it's extremely limited in scope to say the very least. The freighter incident last night would have been horrific had it crashed, but similar disasters have been made a reality. In September alone 500 died in just one incident, and then shortly after a further 200 in another. It's insane, and totally absurd to think of this happening off our coast. There is occasionally good news, but without more EU work its essentially a drop in the ocean (of dead bodies).

Outstanding stuff! Really great to play around on. My only comments are as with evil-organ, the palm trees look odd even if realistic, and one of the house blocks needs to be scaled up a bit! I hope you work on St Mary's too to get an airport in.

Smiley Nick's Isle of Scilly and Pansyfaust's BAF Landrovers

Great Mod! I'm particularly happy that it includes a couple of nice missions, along with great units!

Leaving the DLC aside for a moment and thinking about the much more interesting (IMO) expansion.... This is going back quite a bit (!) but does anyone else remember Independence Lost? It basically got turned into VBS-1, but the scenario came to nothing - I wonder if they might be resurrecting and updating that? If so, we're off to East Timor thanks to the UN Security Council! The Avon Lady's great site has a nice page archived on it (see the bottom): http://www.theofpfaq.ashnav.co.il/IL/independencelost.htm

Can we also get Rhys Darby in on the voice acting please?

Great mission! Just played all three in a row and they're all great! All three create great atmosphere, especially Eyes on Ivan - it really recreates that moment of "oh shit I've lost the rest of them!" After the first time getting lost and running into death via a Soviet fire team I stuck to the others like glue on the next attempt. Still hard to keep with them though (they need cat eyes bands for their helmets!) But all 3 are just good, solid, fun missions. One minor problem is the voice acting - it's awesome to have proper voices in a mission but it's hard to differentiate them - so perhaps the HQs could have heavy distortion/radio effects run on the sound files to help with that? I'm happy to help with any voiceacting for the next ones, but I'm British so might sound odd coming from U.S soliders! Let me know if you want any lines though. Also in this mission when you get told to Investigate the CP there's a bit from the Actual saying "...copy Fury 8...", before you get told to head off, but I don't think (might have missed it) Fury 8 actually reports anything. Good job with all of them! Quick snap took during this one:

I only subscribe to singleplayer (MP missions download when you connect.... why bother with steam unless you host?). I wasn't sure about the Workshop at first, but I like it now. And "only 5,000 subscribers" - that seems like a hell of a lot to me?!

Where did you find the tophat/father Christmas/bunny ears from Burns?

Wow these virtual reality entities are scary

Swedish Forces Pack and A3 Map Pack (A2's Proving Ground)

Not sure I like this multiple, mini, specific DLC packs idea that seems all over Steam, and now BIS. I much prefer a more expensive but more extensive expansion pack style addon, as in Resistance for Flashpoint. It solved the whole problem of some people owning it and others not because it was so friggin' good, and wide ranging in content, that everyone bought it!

Hello I've got back into OFP recently after my decrepit computer was replaced so now I can run the Arma series. They're all fantastic! However, I do have a problem with this mission, in that it won't end for me. As far as I can tell I've completed everything and I'm in the right place to complete it, but nothing's happening (see screenshot). I've.... -Found the first cistern -Gone to the second and taken that to Miller's man -Blown up the HVT (although not the APCs escorting them - could this be the problem?) -Gone to the hideout with the remainder of my squad I can hear sporadic gunfire in the distance (towards the first depot I think), but I'm pretty sure I've done everything needed - anyone know how to get it to complete so I can move on to the next mission? I tried using the shift + minus key OFP endmission cheat but it didn't work, any other ideas? Cheers EDIT: Nevermind, used the wrong minus key (not numpad's before), managed to get the mission to end now!