Why is this game having such a serious lack of user-created content?

Please, as an introduction: do not take this as an offense. Compared to the other games Arma players' effort to create new content is astonishing.

But still, Arma 3 seems to severly lack user created content. Why is that so? Noone liked the game? I kinda do. I am aware that there are a lot of features missing or cut, eg. CAS aircraft for BLUFOR and OPFOR, but I am generally pleased about A3's presence. The modders doesn't seem to be however, and the amounts of user created content after almost half of the year is quite poor, compared to the Arma 2's situation back in 2009.

Why is that so?

It's new and the updated modders resources have been released recently.

To name a few important ones:

1) Takes a lot more effort than most people are aware of.

2) Tools have only been released recently or not yet at all.

3) Tools do not help much to reduce the huge effort.

4) BI doesnt want to release some tools that would save considerable time (mergeConfig, physx, debug, etc)

5) Limited or lack of documentation (very rough/not beginner friendly, no info on many new config parameters, no sample models for each type yet).

6) New A3 tech generally makes creating certain type of content even considerable more effort.

7) Lack of integration distribution (leads to limited MP use)

8) Lack of ways to compensate people for the effort of often hundreds to thousands of hours.

There is also the possibility that people give up on making content because, no one rates or even gives feedback on their stuff. It demoralizes people when they see their hard work go to waste, simply because no one cares enough to throw the creator some positive reinforcement.

and dont forget the MANW contest, some might hold back their content because of it, (speculation)

Plus the fact that Arma 3's setting and futuristic factions don't inspire people in the way that previous versions have. Let's face it, a lot of the most welcomed Arma 3 mods are those that port A2 (and even IF44) content into the new engine, or add recognisable present day factions and weapons.

I've never seen anything positive said about the CSAT 'aliens', does anyone even play OPFOR? Yet I used to love being a Russian in A2.

IMO, the BI team should have done their market research a bit better, and come up with something that grabbed people's imagination.

I also think that BI should publicly thank all of the unpaid modders who are helping to make their game more playable.

There are things coming, but I do agree that it's a little skinny and mostly A2 ports and reskins.

However, the game is still young. That shall change.

Plus the fact that Arma 3's setting and futuristic factions don't inspire people in the way that previous versions have. Let's face it, a lot of the most welcomed Arma 3 mods are those that port A2 (and even IF44) content into the new engine, or add recognisable present day factions and weapons.

I've never seen anything positive said about the CSAT 'aliens', does anyone even play OPFOR? Yet I used to love being a Russian in A2.

IMO, the BI team should have done their market research a bit better, and come up with something that grabbed people's imagination.

This doesn't make sense, it's on the contrary a good incentive for modders.

A3 is still in dev... each new features of the game break the config files or behavior of the vehicles we want to mod... be patient... You'll have a lot of mods when Arma 4 will be out :p

This doesn't make sense, it's on the contrary a good incentive for modders.

Why, when everything is already in Arma2/OA etc. The only thing that A2 really lacks for me is the smoother soldier movement of A3. I've noticed a definite trend on Armaholic's front page: At first A2 mods nearly dried up to be replaced by A3 mods. However, recently, quite a decent percentage of mods are being released for older versions of Arma. There must be a reason for that, right?

Why, when everything is already in Arma2/OA etc. The only thing that A2 really lacks for me is the smoother soldier movement of A3. I've noticed a definite trend on Armaholic's front page: At first A2 mods nearly dried up to be replaced by A3 mods. However, recently, quite a decent percentage of mods are being released for older versions of Arma. There must be a reason for that, right?

Because what kju said, and because A3 isn't stable (and enough documented) yet.

There is also the possibility that people give up on making content because, no one rates or even gives feedback on their stuff. It demoralizes people when they see their hard work go to waste, simply because no one cares enough to throw the creator some positive reinforcement.

Exactly.

See this:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?171190-It-s-sad-that-most-people-don-t-rate-or-comment-on-missions

It's my case for example. I made a lot of things on ArmA 2, but not much feedback, thanks etc... whereas I spend hundreds of hours for the community.

I was disgusted, and I quit.

---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:06 PM ----------

and dont forget the MANW contest, some might hold back their content because of it, (speculation)

Agree with this too, I think the same.

I've never seen anything positive said about the CSAT 'aliens', does anyone even play OPFOR? Yet I used to love being a Russian in A2.

IMO, the BI team should have done their market research a bit better, and come up with something that grabbed people's imagination.

Agreed, The CSATs helmet and skeletor suit are rediculous, I've seen all the threads about how there are prototypes etc but pray for a modded alternative.

IMO, the BI team should have done their market research a bit better, and come up with something that grabbed people's imagination.

This doesn't make sense, it's on the contrary a good incentive for modders.

Yes, but it's not good for sharing of knowledge/ promote community work. We can't tell if this is the case, but people may keep new findings for themself to have an advantage. 200k€ /50k€ pricemoney do that to people.

Learning from 0 is hard. I know how to modell, but getting into arma is tricky, because of the reasons kju mentioned.

It took me 1.5 weeks to get a proper config for my tank, and it is still only moving in 1st gear and lacks many different parts.

What is this post.

There is tons of user-created content in the works or already finished atm. Most of it is work-in-progress, but the games been out for less than six months, what do you expect? ArmA 2 has been out for 5 years, its going to have tons more content than ArmA 3.

Now then, onto that content I mentioned above...

None of these are re-skins or ports, almost everything here is original content made by modders

Islands/terrains-

Weapon packs-

Vehicle packs-

Full modifications

The most notable/unique mods among these would probably be CSLA, I44, Star Trek, Terminator, 2017, Warhammer 40k, STALKER map, and FFAA.

There are also TONS more than this lying around the forums or armaholic, I just thought it would be redundant to list every single itty bitty one. The mods I have listed here are some of the biggest/cool looking

Oh yea and there is a bunch of awesome non-content mods like ALiVE, JSRS, ACRE, TPW, TMR, ect. But I won't get into those :D

There is also the possibility that people give up on making content because, no one rates or even gives feedback on their stuff. It demoralizes people when they see their hard work go to waste, simply because no one cares enough to throw the creator some positive reinforcement.

Exactly.

See this:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?171190-It-s-sad-that-most-people-don-t-rate-or-comment-on-missions

It's my case for example. I made a lot of things on ArmA 2, but not much feedback, thanks etc... whereas I spend hundreds of hours for the community.

I was disgusted, and I quit.

---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:06 PM ----------

Agree with this too, I think the same.

If you are doing it for anyone else but yourself, and expect fame and thanks, you are doing it wrong...

Otherwise what kju said.

If you are doing it for anyone else but yourself, and expect fame and thanks, you are doing it wrong...

Otherwise what kju said.

I was not doing only for others, but when I create something and release it for the community, the least I can expect (and not only me, every maker) is feedback (good or bad - bad is important too, to help us improve what is wrong) and thanks if people liked what we did.

I was not doing only for others, but when I create something and release it for the community, the least I can expect (and not only me, every maker) is feedback (good or bad - bad is important too, to help us improve what is wrong) and thanks if people liked what we did.

each with it's own. The only thing that really gets me is the "you owe me" sort of attitude (disguise or otherwise).

well, it's not a "you owe m" thing, it's just that every maker (mission, mod, addon...) is pleased when his work is enjoyed.

i think it's not a "you owe me", but more something (to me) like :

-i created something

-i take time to make it

-i just wanna know if it was worth it or not and if people are pleased of it

well, it's not a "you owe m" thing, it's just that every maker (mission, mod, addon...) is pleased when his work is enjoyed.

i think it's not a "you owe me", but more something (to me) like :

-i created something

-i take time to make it

-i just wanna know if it was worth it or not and if people are pleased of it

I guess he meant "a user of your mod thinks you owe him something like geting rid of bugs or whatever".

I guess he thought that I said "I made something, so people owe me a thank" or something like that.

As said, it's not like that.

I guess he meant "a user of your mod thinks you owe him something like geting rid of bugs or whatever".

yes. 5char

What I miss most is hardcore missions. I mean missions that follow a concrete briefing and logic and has no respawn (or use GROUP or SIDE respawn, which aren't quite respawn at all). It seems essential for a game with such an emphasis on realism.

In another sense, does anyone know if ACE 3 is about to happen? ACE release can make a whole lot of difference, and may bring back a some of the older modders and players.

They might be working in the dark for the 500 000$ prize