arigram

Reminds me of the simulator they had in the boot camp in Corinth when I did my military duty. The differences were that it didn't use live ammunition, but specially modified H&K G3A3s, connected with cable to a main computer. They did kick quite realistically though. And ofcourse they didn't have ArmA or VBS or OFP running... or was it? My guess it was some other software which plus it only showed non human targets. Funny thing was that I managed a perfect score on it but the experience was vastly different in the real shooting range...

Startled flock of birds don't seem such a hard thing to do. You already have birds with all their animations. You only need to reduce its size and change the texture if you don't want the included birds (why not after all?), add a group of them in a spot randomly and add a trigger for the flying animation and the sound. I am not sure if you can script them to hear, but it seems possible.

No, let's just not drop it. You are stuck in the idea that the variation in terrain of Sahrani is not realistic. This is not the first thread with this theme and you are not the first (or going to be the last) to complain. You are beside the point. Like it has said before many times, Sahrani represents a selection of microclimates to satisfy many different needs and desires. Its not meant to be a 100% completely realistic island but a place to create and experience many different types of missions. At the same time, they could have added a tropical forest and more snow to the mountains and still not make it unrealistic. The Internet is a treasure of information, you can travel around the world and see things way beyond your doorstep. I suggest you make use of it. To help you get started: Crete: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/2527705_985d421241_b.jpg Kefalonia: Rhodes: (Yes, green is lush, brown is arrid and the distances are measured in few Kms)

You do. I guess you haven't travelled much, because some Greek islands, where I live, have that environment and the huge change between lush and arrid. Anyway, the point of Sahrani was to make an island for the tastes of everyone, lush, desert-like and so on. Large enough to concentrate a mission on a small section, small enough to travel it and have a large scale war. Since my group is making an island, we have thought hard about the size of it and we are positive that a huge island would be a waste of resources, performance and gaming. But I agree with Dynamax. Too much whining and unrealistic expectations. Sahrani is a a great place and BI has done a great job adding details and differences between cities. Think of the island engine as a spot between a flight simulator and a FPS: enough detail for up close viewing, but taking care of the resources. People complain about performance and detail. You can't have both. Some removed the grass for better performance. Imagine if BI shipped a world without grass. People would whine. Imagine if BI shipped a world with too much detail. People would whine. If you have a desire to make your own world, join a modding group and contribute instead of pointlessly whine.

Eh...what's wrong with them?

Excellent work so far DM and suprisingly they get better every time as it was possible! Honestly, that's how the effects should look in any modern shooter. My two requests, if you have thought about it, would be smoke grenades to be less particle-y and thicker and more smoke and debris when shooting a wall, as if real parts of it broke off.

Sorry to dissapoint you but its not Sparta the island we're making...

As a member of the HAC-HWM group, I would like to point out that any vehicle we create, is not only a model, but also a demonstration of new technologies. For example, for those who haven't seen the video yet, the ramp is of the M113 is not just eye candy. You can see and shoot any passengers inside and you can actually enter the M113 yourself walk around it and use it for cover. Plus you can also fire from the inside and ofcourse you can be harmed. Something that no other model has in ArmA yet. The next model we will soon be presenting will also have new functions. Regarding the whole mod creation, there is some sort of roadmap, including five models we are at present working on, excluding the work on our island and its objects. The problem is that we are a bit short of personnel and not everybody has a long experience in mod making, thus is taking more time than it should. Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially some honest commentary on our work so we can improve it.

When did my millitary service in Greece, at the boot camp's firing range, I took part in the "Vault Crew". The "Vault" is a ditch under the targets of the firing range. Because the targets are not automatic like in more advanced armies, soldiers had to turn them around by hand and count the scores of the shooters. Still to this day, the sound of being under fire still keeps with me. You heard the distant gun firing, the extremely loud CRACK of the bullet passing over your head, a very, very loud BANG of the bullet piercing the paper of the target, a loud DUP hitting the hill behind the target and the WHIZ of the more distant bullets. The CRACK in the game is realistic and it really makes you shit your pants, not just because of the knowledge that you are being shot at, but also because of the piercing and frighting volume of it. I would request the sound modders to make that sound even louder and more scary because it is. The bullets WHIZ when they are a bit distant. They CRACK when they have your name on them.

Aircraft (airplanes and helicopters) need flares, chaff and a missile warning system and armored vehicles need their smoke screens working and a laser warning system. I can't see why they are not present especially since they exist in other less realistic games, are not hard to implement and particles are already used for smoke and flare effects.

Is it possible to script the AI to understanding the presence of the minefield when a mine explodes and to react accordingly? I do not know anything about scripting but since minefields are static, can an area trigger be created that will tell the AI to stop, scan (as they do now) and then retreat or go around or order an engineer to work it out instead of running to their deaths?

Is it possible to edit the camera.sqs script and enhance it to include further functions? Examples would be, more control of the camera object (if its a soldier make it playable,etc), TrackIR control of the camera, first person/third person view, depth of field/field of vision control, tilt, etc.

The only difference in engine and effects I saw in the VBS2 video is the tracers and I believe that BI could add them later on with a patch to ArmA. They could have been developed at the very end, just before VBS2 was released and because of that they didn't make it to ArmA. After all, its just a small visual thing and has no relationship to the real differences between the two products such as the amount of vehicles, AI and software/hardware intercommunication.

Even though these suggestions should be better included in the main ArmA engine, I think they can be hacked in with some scripting. As I am no programmer myself, I can merely suggest them. Maybe this topic is better suited to the AddOns request thread and if that is the case I don't oppose its change of place. 1) Explosions. They are at present none existant in regards to their physicallity in water. Flying craft do not create any reaction when they hit the water and ships get hit and burn not unlike land vehicles even when an explosion should send lots of water upwards. I don't think it would be difficult to simulate the effect with the particle engine. 2) Shells. Even though small caliber ammunition gives a satisfying effect, larger shells, such from an armored vehicle or A/G missiles enter the water silently. 3) Sound. Speaking of silently, there should be some good sound effects following the above. 4) Underwater colors. While swimming (or being inside a shot down aircraft) most of the time, there is no color to represent the water and the ground appears clear is in the land. Sometimes there is, but the effect so far is unstable. 5) Sway. Ships have a good feeling to their sway, but they only do so bow-aft and not port-starboard when rocked by the waves and the effect is too gentle. They should rise more when in high speed. The effect should also be considerable in foul weather. Targetting a weapon on a moving platform should be more difficult. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Falmouth_irb_02.jpg 6) Wakes. The particle effect should be "meatier" , especially in bad weather. I do not think that it could be affected by the ship entering and leaving a wave though. Also, the propeller doesn't create any effect. The wake should also create more of a foam in the water which follows the ship and makes a long tail to mark its passage. Shouldn't a swimming soldier also splash some water? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Us_navy_rhib.jpg 7) Water sound effects. Strong "plaf" sounds when inside a speedboat which runs at high speed and hits the waves. 8) Particle effect of water drops when wearing goggles, using binoculars and such and inside a speeding boat. 9) Not unlike number 1), proper particle effects should be made for when some unit reaches the water by drop and depended on its size and shape. An inflatable craft should create a different effect than a man with a parachute. 10) Tracer bounce. Should tracers ricochet on the water like the do in land? 11) Rotors. Helicopters should also create the circular waves when flying close to water along with the spray. Considering how much care there is regarding land explosions and effects, I consider these suggestions visually important if action is to take place near any water bodies.

It would be nice to have the option of the older NVG effect for use in a mission or mod with first generation goggles.

Is it possible to have blown off parts that make trails of particle smoke and maybe be a bit on fire? EDIT: Another idea would be if it is not too much for shot down debris to dig in a bit inside the ground and leave a black mark with smoke and fire trailling until they stop. That sounds complex though.

On the subject of the two seemingly different climates in a small island, the greek island of Crete where I am from, it is very much alike. It has parts that look very north african, desert-like, lots of rocks, dry shrubs and palm trees and parts that are very green, lush with lots of trees, pines and such. I don't oppose the fact that you got "two maps in one". You can always limit the action in one part, or when the tools are out you can cut Sahrani in half and release them as seperate entities.

I think, fishing boats, speed boats, jet skis and landing craft would be most useful in a game like ArmA, especially considering that the focus is infantry combat and ships that can be used in combination with infantry operations would be best. I wouldn't mind seing the Zubr monster though... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zubr/Pomornik_%28LCAC%29