Ebden

Try the AGW tournament. It's not exactly what you asked, but still a well run tourney, AAS game mode.

Check out AGW Tournaments for a 100-player capacity tournament in AAS. They start recruiting for the next campaign in a week or so. Good group of players.

Right on Steiner. I am a pre-noob in scripting, but I'm building up a big charge to contribute more than just forum posts and a little server admin time to this game. (Really, honest, I will learn to make a mission! One day..) It's good that you note in your last sentence where the game industry ends and the gaming community begins. We've had similar discussions at legionofsparta.com about the same. The reminder I think many need is that the BI offices have bills to pay. Making games is their day job. Once the game is out the door and selling, they should keep up a bit on support and patches, but that work doesn't keep an office running or the lights on (It shouldn't at least, but I think it did for the first month or so of the AII release). They need to move to the next thing they can sell, building on the success of their previous release. It's just business. The twist with this and some other PC games is the industry releasing game editing software as well. That's where the success lies for the game. Even though it doesn't bring in cash directly, enabling the community to work via the right tools is what made Arma popular, and what brought me to Arma II from BF2. I just hope BI keeps up their end with appropriate editing software. I've read strong criticism elsewhere in the forum.

I'll have a first crack at these answers: 1) The hydra, because it's an unguided rocket, is usually controlled by the pilot, who lines up the shots. It also allows the gunner to focus with his cannon on other ground threats when the pilot is preparing his run on the given objective. Arma II doesn't allow simultaneous mixed-weapons fire from the cobra (gunner or pilot only), but I think some clever addon makers elsewhere in the forum are working on the issue. Actually, I think the 'manual fire' option dissapears from the pilot's controls when two human players are flying the cobra, so in that case it's gunner only. 2) Someone yesterday told me that the pilot of a cobra should have redundant weapons controls, and could use the other weapons in a pinch. I think that's what you mean by 'remotely' right? If so, check out this GDT helicopter weapons addon by HeinBloed. I haven't tried it, but the vet I was talking to yesterday said it was great. 3) See above two answers. 4) I can only assume secondhand. In the tragic event that a cobra gunner was incapacitated, I assume a pilot would engage his objective if he and his helo were battle-capable. It would be almost entirely situational, since I can only imagine what shape the helo would be in for it's gunner, sitting in that nearly-bulletproof underbelly, to be taken down with the pilot and helo still battle ready.

It looks like Arma II will get even more attention now that OFP has stated in the codemasters forum that "it will not be possible to implement standalone dedicated servers post-launch for the game."

Jeez, aren't the comparisons between a console-port arcade game and the ARMA2 milsim a little dated? Dice dropped the ball with PC gamers, so the filter-in from BF2 is also helpful. With the shift in game production focus to consoles, I don't see anything but a growing fan base for Arma 2 and BI with their PC-first mentality. How many other game producers are PC-dedicated, really?

Instructions are available here and here for downloads to enable Avgani. Krazi I'm sure will release any other addon requirements when he begins beta testing the mission. In the meantime, the mission Back in the Vill is available for those maps, probably a few others as well.

It needs plenty of work given the trailer, but you're on the right track with CAA1 and Avgani (I've heard it's one of the best maps around).

You might be able to borrow something from the KA-52. Its electronics will go cross-eyed when damaged, visible via the HUD flashing (intermittent loss of signal), and the control monitors go green. I think other lights shut off as well. Associated weapons are then no longer available, like the vihr (vihktr?). I don't think there's too much flexibility though, nearly every time a mando missle landed a punch in the demo missions I was dead, no falling gracefully, no ejecting, just dead.

I agree that lower survival chances for air are good to incorporate into a fun game title, too many times a good pilot ruins the fun for other players (BF2, for example). The difference with Arma 2 is the simulator argument. It depends how you approach the game, but as a simulator of a real battle theatre, air support is one of the most devastating weapons in an arsenal. Mando wanted to provide the tools to help that air be the weapon it is supposed to be in a simulator, since Arma2 vanilla only provides the simplest interpretation of flight weapons. It is the mission maker's responsibility to balance his or her scenario for the immersion level he or she intends. This could mean providing only the one attack helo instead of 5, or turning off vehicle respawns, or changing any of the other elements incorporated to accelerate game play at the cost of realism. (there's value in both, I'm not taking sides). What none of us want to see are mission makers who take Mando's addon and create painfully unbalanced scenarios. What that means is we need to make the missions that implement mma as it was intended. Like TheCrusader said, don't forget that Mando's AA is wicked compared to the stock Arma 2 AA. Mando AA v. Mando-enabled air support, (when flown by 90% of us in the game), will decrease our survivability big-time. This addon, when combined with proper missions, will build a niche for skilled pilots AND coordinated ground movement (to destroy the enemy AA for effective air support) eventually forcing a higher level of cooperative play. Time for me to get reading Mr. Murray's guide. @luckyhendrix-I just saw your second post (#61). Although I haven't made a mission to my name, I'll vouch for some very realistic user scenarios in this game already. The best realism-dedicated MP maps (versus realism-oriented) will be those that pay homage to the game engine limitations. I'm sure you can dream up a realistic scenario that uses MMA, provides all the toys that would be appropriate to the scenario, and still feels balanced and challenging. Don't forget how 'realistic' many battles versus the USMC tend to finish. U.S. military air superiority is formidable, and should be in a realistic mission as well...but what happens when your F-16 has neutralized all air patrols and no AA threats remain? A few choice bombs perhaps, but it's tough to combat guerilla tactics from the air alone. If you want to clear a position of all opfor, then it's boots on.

Thanks for the note. I saw an earlier post about conflicts with CBA. I was running that addon when testing. I'll leave it off next time and see if there is any difference in lag. As far as the LD maximum range, I found this link that might help determine the proper range. I don't know a thing about the gear, what model laser designator Arma 2 includes, but it looks a little like the AN/PED-1. Maybe the two units (PAQ/PED) both have the same range? If so, then 1500m effective targeting would be the figure to use. It seems unrealistic to permit handheld laser designation across multiple kms in game. If you incorporate the UH-1Y laser, it may deserve a longer laser range due to improved equipment on the helo. It seems easy enough unless Arma2 restricts an easy modificationby using the same laser desig script for both the helo and handheld. Edit: Ricnunes' preceding post went up while I was writing this post. I agree with his comment on flares. I understand Mando's attempt to maintain balance and proper use by limiting flare release, but acceptable scenarios for limiting flare use are quicky overshot in a game so freeform. Example: I had a hell of a time avoiding two close incoming missiles with only one flare to use between them. If spacing was greater, sure, but at the time I dropped my flare and finished my first jinx from the first missile, the second missile's total range was just coming into the RWR. No chance. On second thought, bad example. Maybe it's a good tactical twist for the opposition (use two valuable AA missiles, but gain a significant increase in hit probability). I'm no combat sim pilot, but I did look at some of the websites for flight junkies, and there is plenty more to learn toward sim flight tactics now that this addon is nearly finished.

Diddo on the kudos. Possible issue (pardon, at work, so I can't recall the specific test mission names): A)In editor test mission player v. SU34s (dogfighting test), the lag I experienced was crippling. I'm not sure why, but the OC'd E8400 @3.6 had a ton of trouble with this test mission. Others seemed fine. B)In test mission for Javelin, TOW, and Spotter laser, the spotter appears to communicate with the sea launcher erratically. Please tell me if the following brief sequence is how you intended: -Place blufor spotter on map, set as player. -Preview mission. -Bring up laser designator -Activate laser on target (One of three T72s, in this case) -Select the send laser info from scroll menu. At this point, I repeatedly received the 'no target info' white message. Spamclicking did the trick every so often - it would work and begin firing on the laser at a set interval until I deactivated the laser mark. Is it a bug or am I missing a step? C) When using the TOW hummer and in the stealth mission, my L-Win key provided a very, very loud beep/alarm. It did not make the noise in the scud test mission. Is this a bug, an intended noise, or something unrelated to your addon? If it is an intended 'fire' alarm, can you modify the volume and bring it down a bit? I had a spook when I first heard it, reminiscent of the 1990s dying-Macintosh beep, thought I broke something.

It should be a good day for Mando too, but I don't think an FTD bouquet is quite the ticket. Although Mando's open beta isn't yet out (sometime today?), people like Mando, the ACE2 team, and others deserve some hardcore kudos, more than we can offer from a stack of smileys and 'huzzah's' on the forum (though still part of the necessary praise given how we communicate). For pouring god-awful amounts of time into flushing out this game for other players without the talent or dedication to do the same, and for lack of a budget to send Mando a check for his time... 'Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah!' :bounce3::bounce3::bounce3::bounce3:

Since it's open beta, where will the addon itself be released, armaholic? Also, will Mandoble or another group host a server with the addon running?

Mandoble, You've got a hand here for help with an open beta, and I'm sure I'll get some of the SPARTA vets to dive in as well. Let me know if you are still looking for bodies.

Try Sparta-Airdom, it's a coop map based on Xenos Domination and edited by StrongHarm and MH6. Put 'sparta' in your mp server name filter. It's still in beta, but you can fly the KA-52, AH-1, UH-1Y, MH60, F35, AV-8, A10, and probably some other bits I've forgotten. Some mean SU-34's roam the map, so you'll have something to shoot at, too.

Shark, With the ofpec forum down, we can't get at v8.1. Could you send an update to armaholic or post a mirror here? Thanks.

He's right, you have adequate settings to run simultaneously a joypad, keyboard, mouse, joystick, trackIR, and probably that amount again. Practice is all you need. There's plenty of room for tweaking which controls, or controller types, you use for different actions. As far as adjusting to flying the helo, don't focus on moving the helo body, but the rotor joint. That's your pivot point at high speed, and the helo is more of a counterweight to the rotors. When you bank (at high speed), you are banking around the rotors, not the helo body. The body is just swinging around beneath. It's different than banking a plane, too b/c your thrust is behind, pushing the plane, rather than carrying it. And don't be afraid to use the auto-hover control if you feel yourself getting out of control. It'll bring you back from most flying mistakes (in a helo) to a steady hover. You might be best to practice in the Mh60/blackhawk instead of the UH-1Y. It's big and ornery, but it responds the least to over-steering and makes for a good first-flight trial. Some drills to try when you are flying are Master Gamawa's technique for specific map locations, like small fields, islands, rooftops, etc. In a plane, unless you are using a VTOL-capable jet, don't bother trying to land on anything other than the three Chernarus runways. Planes aren't supposed to land elsewhere, so save that move for advanced tom-foolery nights. (and USE YOUR FLAPS for landing and takeoff) Another drill for the helo or jet in hover is to pick an elevated object, like a tower or building in an open area, and fly around it in as many different ways as you can. You'll learn how to manage your speed, when to bank and when to use rudder control. Use 3rd person view to see the geometry. A useful technique is to learn drift. From a hover, rock left (or right) and then back to vertical. You'll see yourself drift perpendicular to your compass direction. Don't leave the helo rocked, otherwise it'll pick up speed and slip through the air, probably downward. Incorporate your rotor while controlling your drift, and you'll find you can rotate around your helo nose nicely. Great maneuver for an attack helo, and for the Uh-1Y or Mh60 gunners to engage a radius without the helo rotating static. The Armory and Boot camp are good to get the basic feel for flying. Also, if you want to add a little more shooting, try Strongharm's 'tweaks' to Xeno's domination. It's called 'Airdom', presently in Beta3c, and you have your pick of juicy vehicles to play in a map made expressly for players to get their big-boom rocks off. Filter servers by servername 'sparta.'

As a rule of thumb, Retro is on the ball. A little more detail: Your ping is a millisecond reading of how long it takes for your computer to exchange data with another computer over the web. Your ping is most critical when playing TvT, PvP, or when you might be in the same vehicle with another player (Ex, 2 people flying and gunning a helo). When playing in real-time online, higher pings create inconsistency, in so far that what one player sees is not the same as another. Characters could appear in the wrong position, or jump around erratically on your screen. You might be lining up an anti-air shot on a 'hovering' opponent helo, only to find the helo bearing down on you the next moment as the game information is updated. Other elements contribute to lag in game, but ping is one contributing factor. If you have a high ping, you will find tomes written in various forums on identifying root causes. Some are fixable, some are not. Enforcer is right. Some servers may host their own ranking system, updated to a website, but ArmaII does not support game-wide ranking. In servers where you do find yourself advancing through rank, such as in Xeno's Domination, the rank is only valid until the server resets, at which time the information is cleared. Server tracking websites, such as gametracker, will save basic player stats, but only for servers registered with the website. Don't be dissapointed, individual score is immaterial to completing your objectives in Arma II anyway, no matter what the scenario (unless, of course, scenario success is score dependent). It takes time and patience. Decent resolution and a big monitor help, too, but focus on time and patience. You'll do fine on a used 19' Dell CRT (I do!). The key phrase is 'situational awareness' and is repeated throughout these forums and associated guides, like Dslyecxi's ArmA2 Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures Guide. This compendium is the best available for instruction on how to use your available assets, and how to be a good game-soldier. Don't try for a one-time read, but pick through it while playing to integrate Dslyecxi's methods. If you are really, really new, then this basic advice should get you going. Move methodically (i.e, move with a purpose), check your map frequently (default key m, and watch everywhere! Your default free-look key is alt, and numpad + will provide a quick 'zoom' to your view without binocs. The advantage to free-look is that your character will not move when looking around, and staying still is critical when movement is the #1 giveaway, in my experience. Toward the enemy, look for movement above all else when you start, and study what you see. There are lots of animated objects in the game in addition to enemies. You will learn the difference between a tree branch and the arm of a concealed enemy in time. You'll also, after your first TK, begin to recognize the difference in uniforms. Try 'em all in the SP Armory mode in your game. The most common primary weapon used on the Sparta Domination servers seems to be the DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle). It isn't the most realistic scenario for half a squad to run around with DMRs, but given how combat seems to play out, the semi-auto action of the DMR, hard hit of it's 7.62 round, and mil-dot variable zoom scope easily make it a favorite game weapon from 100-500 meters. The kick is greater than in weapons using the 5.56 or 9mm, but you use less ammo on the whole and drop more targets in less time. Your other US alternatives for optics and high rate-of-fire are the M16A4-ACOG variant, G36 series, and XM8 series. The Mk12 SPR is also among this group. They all use the 5.56 round, but you can sneak a 100-rd MG36 mag onto some of the variants if you really hate hitting that reload key. If I expect to engage at medium range, I will bring either the ACOG M16A4 or DMR, depending on anticipated resistance (DMR) or cover available on the approach (M16A4). A personal favorite is the Russian VSS Vitnorez. It uses the weakest round available for primary weapons, a 9mm, and has the expected shorter range (big drop after 400m) but its silenced barrel, fixed power scope, and full auto fire function (useful for CQB), make it a weapon I watch for when checking dead Spetsnaz. It's also the only silenced weapon with a scope provided in the packaged game. If you haven't yet, complete the SP boot camp missions, or at least those concerned with infantry movement. Once finished, come to the Sparta Domination servers (filter by 'Sparta' in the server name) and join us on Teamspeak if over 18 (207.252.2.35:8072). Someone will happily walk you through the basics on any regular pub night. Just make sure you can walk, shoot, and listen first! We only expect you to be good at the latter; the former two will fall into place.

Considering an attempt at a map and storyline, lots of ideas, very little practical on the editing side (plenty of other software use though, so I'll figure it out). I'd like to make something local, and I can likely get topographic info from a number of sources, most likely ESRI(ArcGIS) databases. Can existing terrain/elevation environments be imported for use in ARMA 2? If so, what is the appropriate pre-import format?

I second Hallii's suggestion.

I saw in this thread that you are already considering an addon-free mission, but please include whatever addons you feel will help the immersion of the game. There are so many tempting addons available, and for people like me on the leech-end of your talents, we are at the whim of what you'll put together. As far as the addon being signed or not, I was hosting the mission from my home computer. I imagine this is equivalent to server-side auth as far as addons go. Would those of us hosting the mission need to do something different with addons?

I do have the PMC addons included in your mission download. The location is: C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2\@pmc_apache\Addons Sentinel weapons is set up similar and works just fine, so it could be the addon that is bugged. I wouldn't know how to test it though. By air cover, when the error comes up in the mission, I anticipated a few helos coming in overhead and engaging whatever was left in the LZ area. Being a bit of a chaotic mission start, once the enemy jets begin destroying all your armor, I haven't had a chance to look closely at the existing air support. Er, I'll ask this then. In your original post you note an apache and F35 squad which provide air cover. Those groups both appear when you start the mission as uncontrollable squads (to the SE and NW of your start position), yes? I assumed that the PMC apache was another apache squad that was scripted to join after a few minutes, but didn't via the error. Are all apaches designed to be the addon type? I'll have to check the mission again for any friendly helo nato symbols.

I found the same issue this evening when hosting the mission for the first time. I had it setup both in an @extras folder, then in it's own @-folder in the appropriate method. I launch ARMA II using alpinestars launcher 1.0. The error occurs a few minutes into round start, but the map carries on fine following the error. I assume this helo isn't working in the map, and the air cover which CptBravo anticipated with the helo is not in play. I look forward to either the vanilla version with cobra air cover (or whatever he wants to add), or a working addon helo. I haven't had a chance to examine each squad thoroughly, but I don't think it would go awry for some AA defense in the beginning (if it's there, it seems pretty ineffective!) Loads of fun though.

Please post here if you've developed a dynamic mission or campaign (SP/coop/MP) which contains detailed elements (a focus is preferred) on humanitarian aid/refugee work/defense of civilians/related. I'm posting to find missions which deviate from the common progression of you v. them, small battles to big battles, etc. Particularly, mission makers who have worked a well thought story into their creation AND where the character/team's goal is something other than wipe out the enemy. No need for a USMC-focused plot. Lots of AI engaged in a larger theatre where you play a smaller support/rescue role, or MP with agressors and defenders of civilains or civi targets, or a standard mission with a twist to defend/rescue/evacuate/or otherwise integrate the mission with lots civilian elements. Take advantage of CDK/independents/Russians, put us in the seat of a farmer defending his homestead and his family from foreigners (Russia/US/gurellas, whomever). There is lots of room in Arma II for good stories to flesh out which keep the character in a subordinate role. Lots of missions are about civilians, some genocide-related missions (ex. A2-SP, Chesty Puller), but I'm looking for missions and campaigns from someone who's stepped it up a notch. I'd write a campaign along these lines if I knew how. I'd like to see what you all have developed.