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ladlon

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Posts posted by ladlon

  1. Posted

    Hi. The copters that are in Arma2 are great, but I was wondering about two other types that don't appear to be in there. I'm not sure what their names are (...I know my Huey's and my Apache's, but can't remember what these two are called)... but they are smaller copters, both used in Vientnam. One is like a mini Huey (has the little nose), and the other is smaller and has a spherical chasis (kind of similar to a civilian Bell(?) helicopter).

    First of all, could someone tell me what the names of those are, and also if they are in vanilla Arma2. If not, are they available via downloads? I thought I saw them in Arma2, but I'm probably mistaken.

  2. Posted

    Not sure if this would be wise or not, but it seems like it would be great to have the external heli/plane view lock pointing towards the target (with the heli/plane in the middle of the screen, as is) so that you could actually follow a bomb run easily and see if it hits.

    I'm still new to this, so I'm currently finding it almost impossible to follow the bombs down with manual camera controls.

    Then again, maybe you shouldn't have that ability... I'm not sure. I totally respect the 'realism' philosophy here, but I also know it would be great both for learning (see how you were off), and would be 'just cool' to watch it drop and hit.

    Maybe even just a key to do a 180 degree camera shift ('look behind')?

    Heck, even a key to switch to the weapon's view, or a cam following the weapon, or a view of the target?

  3. Posted

    I might start adding mods to Arma2 soon, and I'm getting the impression that I should be using a mod manager, rather than just manually installing them.

    That said, what's the public vote on the best/safest/cleanest/more reliable/sexiest mod manager out there currently?

    I have read some negatives against the Six[something] one that ACE2 is currently using. Was that justified, or is it considered okay? (I'm just trying to get a sense if there's any issues with it that I should be aware of).

    I'm kind of on the fence about adding mods as it is, right now... mostly due to the fact that things like ACE2 SEEM to make things harder/more realistic... and I'm still quite green at this whole 'real military sim' world, and subsequently getting my butt handed to me on a regular basis, even on easy level. Granted, I'm not at all a run and gun type (..I love stealth and proper technique), but still have a lot to learn about 'real level' warfare.

  4. Posted · Edited by ladlon

    I may be wrong on this, but it seems like part of the problem with the segmented text effect is the SPACES between the words. Listening to it, it seems like if the spaces were shortened, it might flow a bit better.

    Also, I'm thinking that removing the word 'that' might help too.... Like 'Target... enemy' might be better than 'Target... that... enemy'

    Just a thought... Seems like something that modders could actually fix.

    (I do realize that a lot of people are also pointing out that several voices are being used for the same sentence, and that there are inflection/intensity inconsistencies, but that would require re-recording to remedy, I'd think.)

  5. Posted

    I'm wondering what mods (aside from ACE2) are recommended by the community?

    Does ACE2 not address certain things that other mods do? Ex. Sounds, graphics, etc?

    About the only 'complaint' I have with the vanilla Arma2 is the squad voices (the choppy 'made by separate pieces' quality that a lot of people are complaining about. Does ACE2 address that, or is there another mod that does a better job?

    I don't want to load up a TON of mods... just ones that are highly recommended, and really benefit the sim (...and nothing silly.... although I'm always cool with zombies!). Extra missions are not really necessary for me at this point, as I've only recently bought this sim... but feel free to mention any that you feel are really worthwhile.

    Thanks!

  11. Posted

    Curious about something... Most of the time that my squadmates call out an enemy they have spotted, they indicate the direction by saying things like 'ahead of us' or 'flank'... While I understand what this all means, I'm not sure how it works in regards to the entire squad's position. If everyone is spread out, different spots, doing their own thing, I'm not really sure how the direction description relates to my postion.

    Example: If one of my squad members is far east of me, doing his own thing, facing south, and he says 'Enemy man ahead far' (or however it's stated), is that in relation to him, or to me, or somehow to the squad as a whole?

    I'm not really sure why they don't always state it as a compass direction. Even then, with the squad members spread across the map, facing different directions, it would be at least a bit more useful to pinpoint where they are indicating.

    Can anyone fill me in on this?

  12. Posted

    @Pilcrow: Seems like non-moving objects (buildings, etc) can't be tabbed, even though they appear on the radar. Manual says that it needs to be manually clicked on, but I'm not sure how you to that, since there's no mouse or movable crosshair. Does the Maverick not have a tv view? I got a tv view from a copter firing other weapons, but can't seem to get that sort of thing in an A-10.

    @Jakerod: Thanks again!

  13. Posted · Edited by ladlon

    MORE QUESTIONS (...feel free to continue to comment/answer any of the previous ones)

    12: Sorry, I've looked around, but can't find the answer to this... How do you use Mavericks in a jet? Can they only be used against moving targets, and can you only use the Tab key to lock them? I thought it said something about clicking on them manually if it's a non-moving target.

    13) Haven't managed to set up my Saitek X52 Pro yet, but how will the throttle be handled by the X52? Using keyboard, you have to keep pressing it (otherwise the plane decelerates.... which is seriously annoying). With the joystick throttle remedy that, or do you have to keep 'pumping the throttle'? (good grief....)

  14. Posted

    COMMENTS

    3) Zombie thing may actually only be in Arma1... I spotted them in the list of elements in the object library (in the Arma1 Editor manual).

    5) Ya, after a bit more research, it seems not many people DO know how to use the leaf sights! Many are saying that they are worthless, or are incorrect. Guess we'll just lob them for now! (I hear some users get the AI to take care of grenades, as they are better at it at this point).

    6) But, do you have to keep lazing the target until the weapons hit it, or is it a snapshot type thing (laz it, then you can stop and go away, as the pilot has the info)?

    ---------- Post added at 02:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:01 PM ----------

    MORE QUESTIONS:

    10: Can you get a copter to land, or is Disembark the only way? Seems like you can only tell them to move to a spot (where they will hover), but not for them to actually land there (without using the Disembark command). Not a biggie, just wondering if there's any other way...

    11: How would I set up (in the Editor) an A-10 (for example) that my squad could call in for and airstrike? It's not under support, and creating an unplayable A-10 on the ground results in it driving around on the grass! Will a 'parked' airplane on an airfield (that I've placed there in the editor) take off, or just drive around, forgetting it can fly? Any way to have it parked and ready (and will take off if it spots something)? I guess the AI on the pathfinding would be a nightmare (runway, etc). Not sure how 'aware' planes are of runways and taxiways...

  15. Posted

    More questions:

    3) Okay, I'm embarrassed to ask, but I noticed that the sim includes zombies in their library of people. Any way to use those in the editor? Ya, I know it's a sim and all that... but, hey... zombies!

    4) How specifically do you throw grenades? I finally figured out you ACCESS the grenades via the F key (and I can certainly throw them).... but what about the circle above the center cross hair? What does that represent? Is the throw controlled by how long you hold the LMB at all? Any other controls/options?

    5) How do you use the crosshair/scale thing on the grenade launcher of the standard riffle? I've never known how to use that! Even in Battlefield2. I assume the markings represent some sort of distance, and you line it up with your target somehow... Can anyone explain it's use?

    6) How does one use the laser designator? Do you have to keep the LMB pressed until the target is hit, or is it just a toggle thing? Do you have to keep lazing the target (keep laser on it) until it is hit, or just laz it for a second, then bugger off? Do you call for support, THEN laz it? Does the pilot/shooter confirm when they have the target? (Seems like they did, but they did it before I lazed!)

    7) When commanding a tank from inside, I found it really hard to give direction orders, since my 'scope' was independent of the tank chasis (and there seemed to be no easy way to see if you were aligned to the front). Is there something I'm missing here? Commanding from the external view obviously is much easier, but I prefer the 'realistic' immersive method... I just suck at it. Is there some way to lock the 'scope' to the chasis, or some other method that makes giving directional orders a bit less confusing?

    8) According to the guides, I should be able to select a team by holding down Shift and clicking on a team member (in the 3D view) in command mode... yet that doesn't seem to work. Only the alternate (holding Shift and clicking an F key of a team member) works. Am I doing something wrong? Also, is that not a way to select Red team (...literally, 'select red') via keyboard (or something other than going through the menus)? Not a biggie, since each member's team is marked on their portrait, I guess...

    9) Does the Ambient Vehicle module create only static cars, or ones that travel along roads?

  16. Posted

    Hello again, Jakerod. Thanks for your ongoing help with this. Much appreciated!

    The icon explanations you just gave were very helpful. I figured most of them out, but again, it's always to get a verification, as well as see if there are any others that I'm not aware of.

    I was a bit confused with the vehicle icons, as I wasn't sure if that was the vehicle alone, or there was someone in it. I think I got that figured out now. Initially, I thought the vehicle was considered a squad member, so it was a bit confusing when the numbers changed.

    I'm playing around again, with my 'learning how to play' editor scenario (one squad, plus a copter). Things seem to be going well, although I'm still finding it awkward issuing commands (since I usually have to go to the Complex Command menus, and more often then not, I select the units FIRST, then hit backspace (effectively erasing the unit selection, since the Back and Complex Command are shared by the backspace key). Half the time, I first try the quick command, but then see that what I want isn't there, so I then (awkwardly) fumble to the Complex Command menus, and try and find it in there. A matter of memorizing the number sequences for each command, I think...

    Just having a GREAT time with only the one squad, the copter (as my occasional transport and lookout), and the Ambient Combat creating the random encounters.... Brilliant!

  18. Posted · Edited by ladlon

    Hi, thanks for the reply.

    1) Ya, I'll have to tinker with that some more. I thought he might need some of the other guys in the copter to fly, but still didn't go when I put them in. I even went in as well, thinking maybe I had to be there, but no go. Tried a bunch of different things, and nothing worked (as far as allowing him to go). But,then with everyone in, at one point, I WAS able to get him to fly. In another session, I managed to get him to fly, even though it was just him (and no support crew)... so obviously there's SOME 'unknown' factor there. You're probably right. Maybe he was on the wrong side of the cockpit. I'll have to do some more tests.

    2) Ah! Okay. Up to know, all I could do was select the guy who kept crying out for me, and give him a 'Move To' command, pointing near me.... thinking that by giving him a map point near me, he'd move towards that and eventually see me. Worked for situations where he couldn't follow me and the rest of the squad, because he lost sight of me, but would be counterproductive if you wanted him to actually STAY where he is... Okay, now I know!

  19. Posted

    @Hotshot: Yup, saw those. They were great, but as you say, stopped short! Had they continued on with the other features/commands, that would have been perfect! But, as I said, it seems that most of the tutorials, videos, documentation all explain those main basic things, but then stop short at (virtually) the same spot.

    There's a number of guides on YouTube, but many of them are hardly guides at all, but just video of a guy playing (with no explanation). I'm still digging through YouTube, trying more specific searches (...ex. right now, I'm trying 'Arma grenades' to see if SOMEONE out there is showing how to use grenades!). Just so much crap vids out there (either non-commented 'guides', or guys goofing around or showing off their impressive rigs).

    I keep returning to that Dslyecx guide, hoping I may have missed something. I'll give it yet another read through... since I'm learning a few little things here and there, and some of the previously 'irrelevant' stuff might be of value now.

    One user pointed out the Arma1 Editor guide (I think), which had a nice little chart of all the weapons, vehicles, etc. Didn't give full explanations, but it's at least a start to see them all in a chart, categorized, etc with a photo so you can put the name to a visual.

  21. Posted

    Oh, for sure, and I appreciate that. Once I do get comfortable with the controls and such, I'll slowly ramp up the realism.

    I just use the map as often I'm not clear where people are. Commanding from ground level is certainly a challenge when you don't have that overview.

    I guess one of the frustrations for me at this point is just that each indication of your squad memebers (the map icons, the portrait thumbnails, etc) has a different set of info, rather than them all having the same. Hard to explain, but often I struggle (for example) to find the pilot, so I can order him to return to the chopper. Or to know which guy is holding the rocket launcher, etc... or who is the guy who just sent me a message/talked to me. The indications may very well be there in the interface, and I'm just missing them.

    Still quite awkward for me, but it's getting better...

  22. Posted

    Thanks guys. Ya, I'm playing on total Recruit mode for now, as I'm learning things and getting used to the 'non-standard' controls (which still trip me up a bit). So, I do get a lot of on-screen indicators (which is good, otherwise I'd get my butt shot off right away... Amazing that people can play this without any indicators and stuff! Hard enough to do it even WITH the enemy with big neon lights pointing at his position! heheh...)

    I still have to figure out some of the indicators that pop up from time to time... I have to sort out this thing it SEEMS to have stated where a yellow marker always points North, among other things.

  23. Posted

    Wow, look at the discussion my little thread started! hehehe

    Ya, physical manuals are great. I have the original Falcon one right here! Certainly nicer to read a physical manual out on a sunny balcony, rather than clumsily fumbling through an eyestraining PDF.

    But, I'm actually cool with the normal concept of a small (physical) starter manual, and then a complete PDF manual. Printing does cost money and add weight to the package (...although arguments of profit and where money is better spent can go on forever!). Problem here (with Arma2) is that there IS no such 'complete' manual. Agreed, a PHYSICAL 'complete' manual for Arma2 would probably be the size of a phone book! PDF!!!!

    For previous players of Arma1 or similar sims, the transition is easy. But, for those new to this sort of thing, there's a lot of 'common sense/knowledge' things that are anything but! And the dynamic, dangerous game world... combined with the many shared controls/keys that change their function due to context (often unknown to the beginner player), learning by 'just trying' can be confusing and frustrating.

    Granted, there's bits of info here and there, but that's a lot of time spent searching online, etc for things that really should just be in some PDF. Again, I'm not talking about complex things like advanced scripting in the Editor.... but simple stuff... like throwing grenades!! It really DOES feel like this sim was assuming you've played previous version... and it really seems like the training/manual for actual beginners assumes they are not going to do much but goof around, doing only the basics.

    I think perhaps that since the sim IS being played (mostly?) by players of the previous versions, that even some of the community itself don't realize all that is missing in the training materials (since it's all common knowledge to them). No fault to them....

    But, ya, I"m still tinkering around (simple Editor scenario with my one squad and a copter), trying to get everything working, and spending MUCH of my time trying to figure out what 'context' or event is causing my commands NOT to work (or even exist in the menu options). That's the real tricky part right now. Stuff like 'Why can't I heal this guy?', 'Why won't my copter pilot fly to the place I'm telling him, even though he's acknowledging the order?'. There's just so many 'context affected' things here (and such a huge variety of contexts, due to the dynamic nature of the world), that the resulting lack of 'consistency' (as far as the commands available and their effects) make it quite tricky to often know 'what the hell is going on'.

    Remapping some of the keys is DEFINITELY in order too. The shared keys/mouse buttons is definitely a culprit in some of the 'WTF is it doing that for?!' moments.

    Great to see a lot of very supportive forum users here. I'm VERY impressed with the game (more so each day, as I discover things, and figure out how to properly utilize things.... The Ambient Combat module, for example, is BRILLIANT... basically giving me the random, ongoing gameworld that I was SO hoping for!). The bugs and rough bits are totally forgiven, due to the amazing scope of the sim, as well as the obvious interest and care of the sim's creators towards the paying customers.

    Man, I just wish there was some YouTube video where someone went through ALL the menu items and explained them. Granted, I know a lot of them, but still it's great to hear the 'full story', just to verify what you 'know', as well as point out any little bits that you didn't. Same with using each of the weapon groups and equipment (grenades, mines, laser designators). Most are pretty easy to figure out, but again, there's a few things that new guys won't instinctively know (...ex. Do you have to keep holding the 'fire' button for the laser designator, or is it like a snapshot type thing? Do you have to laz the target until the weapon strikes it, or is it just a 'here's where it is, okay I'm out of here' type of operation?).

    It's often just little things like that which unfortunately leave the beginner left confused and frustrated (especially in the heat of a battle). So frustrating to FINALLY get to the point where you are supposed to do something cool (like laz a target), but then fail because you aren't really sure HOW to do it!

    But, ya, all that said, I'm VERY happy with Arma2. The graphics are really nice, and it runs surprisingly well on my system (...after hearing the stories of how much of a CPU strain it was to others). The Armoury section is brilliant and MUCH appreciated (...I hate 'games' that forbid you to try anything, and 'wander around', etc). And, the fact that it then throws little challenges/enemies at you (so you aren't just wandering around a dead, empty world) is nothing short of perfect. The randomness of it is also a HUGE plus and draw for me. This just seems to get better and better as I discover things.

    ---------- Post added at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:15 AM ----------

    @76: Although I totally understand why companies avoid printing out large physical manuals, you do bring up a very interesting point about how a printed manual can be a motivator to buy a sim/game!

    I personally buy games, and like to support the makers... however I DO get SERIOUSLY pissed when they shaft you (with security/system endangering DRM, or (for lack of better words) fascist registration. I like to buy my product, then not have the company's fingers in my life/system. I should be able to just make the 'money for product' exchange, and that be the end of it... without any of this 'you have to log in, give us info, let us live in your system, let us control things' type of nonsense.

    Good to see that BI has been quite respectful so far, from what I can see.

    But, ya, the draw of a solid, physical manual (with lots of good reading, aside from the quick start type of approach) has an undeniable draw... especially in the case of sims, where a large part of the experience IS the knowledge (systems, weapons, history, etc). So, the manual becomes not only a 'how to play this' instruction, but also an informative book on the subject itself... which I think, based on the general crowd who play this type of sim, is of interest to the customer.

  24. Posted

    Hehehe... Right on!

    Ya, I'm sort of an in between status... I'm not a Halo playing, 'Fast Travel is essential' type of guy, who thinks anything that is actually realistic or in-depth sucks.... but at the same time, I'm not a 'whip your ass with both hands tied behind my back', 'I can disassemble and reassemble every piece of hardware in the current army' kind of guy either.

    I love simulation and immersion. I'm late to the Arma world (just stared a week ago, as this is my first Arma purchase). Closest I've been up to then is the old Rainbow Six series and (dare I say) Battlefield (....ya, I know, but it IS a fun 'Hollywood' type of warfare experience.... and that's partially because I always played offline against bots, and not online with Jedi-powered, bunny hopping, pimple-faced nemisis guy).

    But, ya, I LOVE the fact that it's very real... and I actually LOVE the 'discipline' and 'order' (as opposed to the Rambo, do anything kinda scenario). The teamwork, the coordination, the scoping around and slow approach... Love it!

    Definitely not giving up on this one. Ya, there's quite a few bugs (even with my very superficial exploration of it so far), but it's also doing SO much. Looks great, too. Same thing with STALKER... Sure, a bit rough in spots, but it's great to freely wander through a live, atmospheric world. It's hard to contain things that are dynamic and complex, compared to the usual scripted crap (where they can not only control what is happening, but practically where you are looking!).

    I tend to be an offline player... Usually content with 'wandering around' or setting up some random stuff in the editor, as opposed to playing online, or even doing the campaign.

    So far, the editor is quite intuitive, though I could certainly use a guide for some of the elements (....like a description of each of the modules. Some are self-explanatory, but others aren't). You'll be seeing a lot of posts by me, asking about stuff like that... but it's only because I really WANT to experience this sim. Definitely a gem!

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