Questions and Answers – Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead Talk

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Please place here in an organised manner the questions you'd like to ask Bohemia Interactive about us and our projects, it goes without saying please keep them fairly serious, if at all possible!

Will there be a working 3D Editor, After Action Review as in VBS2?

Do you plan to support multi-home support for dedicated servers? GSP's need and require this feature. It is a critical reason that a significant portion of big GSP's refuse to host the game. - Mik0z

Do you plan to allow more logging? IE logging server chat to logs? Perhaps build into Battleye RCON? - Mik0z

Do you plan to build your own RCON Protocol or just stick with having Battleye do the work? - Mik0z

Is there any continuation of the story from Arma 2? As in Razor Team? -Ryguy

How will the sound engine in Operation Arrowhead differ from the sound engine in ArmA2? Can you give specific examples? - kevb0

How has the development of Carrier Command Gaea Mission changed the development of Operation Arrowhead by BIS? - kevb0

What are some of the little things in OA that you think people will take a while to notice, but fall in love with once they do? - kevb0

What is the estimated retail price for Operation Arrowhead?

Will Operation Arrowhead be available on Steam, and if so, what Steam features will it support?

How will delayed-lock on and countermeasures affect the nature of aerial combat in the game?

Will the flashlights cast dynamic shadows?


--MadDogX 17:58, 5 May 2010 (CEST)

The gamestar preview for ARMA2 said 'Dynamische Lichtquellen bei Nacht dagegen kennt die Engine kaum' (Trans: It seems the engine doesn't 'know' dynamic light at night-times). Will this be improved in OA and will the weapon-lights be a benefactor of this engine improvement, or will we see lights similar to ACE2? - SASrecon

Will OA have improved weather/lighting/sky effects, which can be esily placed via the editor in the vanilla game? -SASrecon

Can you elaborate more on the Armory mode and what has changed in it since ArmA2? - Myshaak

To what extent does BIS and BIA cooperate/communicate? Do both studios share technologies and other resources? - Myshaak

Will the DLC that is planned for A2OA be free or paid and how it will be distributed? - Myshaak

Are we going to be able to switch between LOAL/LOBL modes on Hellfire-equipped helicopters? It makes a huge difference, especially when firing on laser painted targets. - Myshaak

Is there a chance we see the latest CZ weapons (new CZ 75 pistols, variants of CZ 805, CZ Skorpion EVO 3, CZ 750 series sniper rifles) in some future patches/DLC? - Myshaak

Will the random town generator module works for Chernarus and Utes map with Eastern Europe buildings for combined Arma2+OA? Has there been any improvements in Alice and Silvie module? Any additional missions for Secops module? -Muahaha

Has the way a player can control his AI-teammates been improved in OA?

How does OA compete with big military games like Combat Mission or Steel Beasts Pro PE?

Are there any Multiplayer-Bugfixes included in OA?

How does BIS prioritize bugfixes/features? (What are the design procedures for picking what to fix or what to include)

--lwlooz 19:29, 5 May 2010 (CEST)

Will there be a simulation of weight for equipment? Will there be detrimental affects from carrying a large heavy weapon (MK16 with GL/TI scope, m240, m107 etc) AT launcher, and backpack with lots of gear/extra weapons inside? Currently there is no difference if one is carrying an m4 with 1 mag, or an m107 with 8 mags with a javelin launcher and missile (over 100lbs of gear) (that guy)

Since there is now weapons with TI and NV scopes, IR lasers and such, will normal NVGs no longer be able to be used with iron sites and regular scopes? (that guy)

  • In OA, there will be any language locks imposed by the distributors? (see [1],[2])

alef 20:12, 5 May 2010 (CEST) 

 When you announced arma2 it was told to the community that

[quote]in order to maintain smooth frame rate in real-time content, time limit for all scripts in each frame is enforced by the engine in ArmA 2. Generally speaking, in case of more demanding scripts, be prepared that their result may come way later and also there probably can suffer from significant latency. It is under evaluation if and how possibly allow user scripts to change how much time they may take from the CPU in every frame.[/quote] 

As it turned out any reduced time was not noticeable until some recent beta patches is this likely to be  more of a case in OA and if so how restricting ?

In addition will this code be added permanently to any Final or other patch for the original A2 exe ? Finally have you added more parallax oportunities for AO textures ?

Will OA take more advantage of system memory and use more than 1.5Gb if available?

Has there been any optimizations/improvements in ATI Crossfire support?

BI has mentioned the challenges faced with improving the realism of AI vision when players are obscured by vegetation. While improvements have been made (including the grass-layer features), does BI have any plans to continue refining/improving this aspect of AI?

Have there been any new significant scripting commands added with OA?

Have there been any significant changes to the AI with OA?

Are there any improvements/features that BI wanted to make with the OA release and wasn't able to that you are willing to talk about?

Rumors have been increasing that BI is getting "burned out" on the ArmA series and that OA could be the last ArmA product we see for a very long time. Is there any truth to this?

Are there any other features/improvements that BI is particularly interested in exploring for future patches, DLC, etc.?

  • Has the maximal lights per scene limit been increased?
  • Is there a separate a separate slider for vehicle draw distance as seen in JCOVE Lite?
  • Will BattlEye (or other anti-cheat) implemented in the release version?
  • Can you provide any details on the DRM used (if any)?

- Deadfast 20:49, 5 May 2010 (CEST)

Are there any plans to rework insane ugly animationsystem (connection to physics?) and more realistic weapon handling (e.g. movements, realistic hold)?

Will there be a BIS Game without antique LOD System (e.g. attachments linked with selection)?

Can we expect scripting improvements (e.g. better connection between configFile and default scripts)?

Has BIS got any plans to continue serious development?

Roehre 20:19, 5 May 2010 (CEST)

From the recent OA videos I noticed that the player while controlling an Apache helicopter gunship can manually aim hellfire laser-guided missiles by using an UAV. My questions is: Does an Apache helicopter has self designating capability so that a player while controlling an Apache helicopter can manually aim hellfire laser guided missiles without using or needing the UAV? If yes, will other gunship helicopters (such as the Mi-24 Hind) also have self designating/manually missile guiding capabilities? - Ricnunes

One thing that I noticed from BIS previous games (from Operation Flashpoint to ArmA2) is that fixed-wing aircraft doesn't have the same level of damage model as for example the helicopters. For example it's possible to damage a helicopter's main rotor/engine (a "mobility kill") without the helicopter being totally destroyed while with fixed-wing aircraft this is not possible. My question is: Will it be possible in OA to damage or "kill" a fixed-wing aircraft engines before the fixed-aircraft becomes totally destroyed? Resuming, are "mobility kills" possible for fixed-wing aircraft? - Ricnunes

Will the Linux dedicated server for Operation Arrowhead be available at release? If not could you hazard a guess how long after? - Defunkt

Any chance of a Linux client for your games?

-Tachikoma 4:45 PM, 8 May 2010 (EST)

Will you release ARMA2 Gold Edition (including both original ARMA2 and ARMA2:Operation Arrowhead) at the same time with OA release or later? - Rok

Are there any improvements/changes in proxy weapon handling for planes and/or choppers? Like the possibility to add other equipement by proxy (FFAR Pods, Fuel tanks, Multiple weapon holders including own proxies) to planes weapon pylons? - Myke

1. Is there any chance that we will see a pack maps to be made classic PvP ones, no examples or stuff like that just a ready pack to be used as it is (no bots inculded)? In terms of gameplay maps like C&H similar to BF (maybe without respawn in zones and use a mobile respawn or whatever) or objective based like Counter-Strike/Americas Army or similar (bomb defusal/VIP based/ hosteges or some other type of objective) without respawn with short rounds to be played (Tops like 5 mins), in my opinion OFP/ArmA series is too sophisticated to use CTF/TDM unless a formula can be found. This in my opinion is the ONLY drawback of the series and the reason why people leave it after a while. Look at the tournaments that are made for other games that keep them alive after years and keep hardcore fans at them.

2. Replay Function for PvP maps?

3. Punk Buster or VAC?

4. RCON of any type like AMX plug-in for instance for Coutner-Strike

~~6th of May 00:07 "Vampyric Tyrant"

1. Will women can hold weapons and drive any vehicle and aircrafts in ARMA2:OA?

2. Will you add more vehicles for czech, germany and more?

3. Which languages you release in Arma2:OA if in Arma2 - english, chernarussian and russian is available?

~Cobra5000, may 6th 2010

  • Are there plans to elaborate more on the ground targeting for air assets in OA?
  • Are there, or will there be, a night vision-visible laser beam coming from the GTLD laser designator in OA?
  • Will there be any changes to the Laser Designator at all in OA?
  • Will flight mechanics be fixed for the Osprey and will there be any change to current A2 aircraft in terms of aerodynamics and/or damage absorption?
  • Are there any plans to have the multiplayer co-op more optimized on the physical server (ie, server lag for already playing players when someone connects and loads)?
  • Any plans to optimize or change the XML feature?
  • Do you plan to rename the chat channels to make them more user friendly? (ie, Direct Communication renamed to Spatial (30m); Group chat renamed to Squad chat)

SpectreRSG, 05MAY10 1524 (GMT-8)

When will BIS move to 64Bit client/server (more memory utilization, less HD streaming, etc..)? -Punisher5555

  • Can we expect continuing improvements to the overall realism (such as the difference between tanks for example, T34vsM1A2) in OA and/or future projects?
  • Are there any plans to introduce any kind of armor simulation to OA, or will it continue to use hitpoints?
  • Will the features present in OA be focused on realism or will "concessions" be made to accommodate new players (in terms of realism (damage, speed etc), not things like engine start-up sequences)?
  • What overall level of realism would you say ArmA2:OA will present (for example, DCS Black Shark is said to be approximately 90% accurate)?

- LJFHutch

  • Will firearms have chambered rounds?

-Room1oh1

  • Will there be working (instantly or after some patch) paralax effect on holographic, aimdot and HUD sights?
  • Will there be various muzzle flashes per one weapon?
  • Will there be single use weapons that aren't using space for regular magazines?
  • Will SACLOS missiles behave like ones really do, not fire and forget? Hint: AI is able to keep aim on target quite well even in ArmA2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhdejbbBoxU
  • Will scripters be able to return unit's magazines along with their round counts and to create magazines of certain type with certain round count?
  • Will scripters be able to query weapon and magazine cargo, possibly with round count?
  • Will Fired Event Handler array contain fired projectile object?
  • Will scripters be able to store variables into projectiles (like missiles?), or change target for one "on the fly"?
  • Will AI armor crews get out of their vehicles when tracks are hit and under fire or try to secure location first?
  • Will AI pilots jump for their deaths out of shot down helicopters or try to autorotate?
  • Will there be more realistic and more tweakable stabilization for turrets?

- zGuba

BIS being an apparently indie studio, how many full time employees do you have? (not including BIA branch) This often comes up in threads where a user expects an EA (huge studio) like team of 150 programmers trapped in cubicles to tackle some issue they are having, with us older users explaining that your resources are very limited and that's simply not the way things work. :)

Will OA support 3rd party addon-friendly UI/Usability improvements, such as server admin configurable messages to indicate where to download needed addons before playing on a server? http://dev-heaven.net/issues/5520

Or negating the need for the above Q, will OA support automatic addon synchronization? http://dev-heaven.net/issues/show/5520

Will MP mission list parsing be quicker? (ie, type #missions as admin, and wait.. wait.. depending on how many missions are installed on server, due to the server parsing all the mission names in pbo's)

Will MP mission lists support sub-directories one level deep for better sorting? (and related to above Q, would be quicker if only the directory you browsed/selected was queried for mission names) http://dev-heaven.net/issues/6258

Will AO have in game UI aspect ratio support for ATI Eyefinity (plus Nvidia-variant & Matrox TH2G) 3x Widescreen monitor setups? (in game option, not INI) http://dev-heaven.net/issues/9466

Can ground vehicles in AO laser designate for aircraft and other units? http://dev-heaven.net/issues/10452

Is UI consistency in MP server status and other areas improved? http://dev-heaven.net/issues/5795

Are 64 bit binaries in the future?

Have the issues regarding streaming been improved negating the need for such hacks like using ram-disks or SSD's to store game data on? I guess this would lead back to the 64 bit question, allowing more room for cached data in system ram.

Very important, have the post processing effects been sorted? You have received a ton of complaints regarding the post processing system forcing Blur effects on the user which in their current form have massive performance issues. Is Blur able to be disabled separately, IE are there more fine grained GFX options in either the UI or INI? http://dev-heaven.net/issues/5932

Have you compiled a list of fixed issues or implemented feature requests that have occurred since the community created CIT (@ Dev-Heaven) came into use? This data would be useful to show new community members how well the CIT works or how receptive, as a studio, are to your community of users.

Thank you for your time and sweat! - oktane


Will OA have any game modes focused on large scale PvP, with no AI?

Will OA allow aircraft the ability to have turrets similar to Helicopters for applications such as a sniper pod?

Is the simulated RWR in OA 360 degrees of coverage (will it deploy flares if it senses a missle fired from any aspect around the aircraft/helicopter?)\

thanks, Hooves

  • Will the release of OA, prompt BIS to release MLODs and/or other source materials from ArmA 2?
  • Have the devs considered the addition to the editor of a layer system (i.e Layers 1-7 1. Units 2. Triggers 3. Markers 4. Modules 5. BLUFOR 6. GUER 7. REDFOR)

--Laertes 17:46, 10 May 2010 (CEST)

My Questions About AO

Hello dear BIS, firstly i want to say that you created awesome game. Now, my questions 1) I have video card ATI Radeon HD-5850 1 gb. 2 gb ram. Intel Core 2 CPU 2.40 Ghz Will ArrowHead lag on my computer? What configuration of Parent payment and processor can you advice? 2) Will be AI intelect better in town`s wars? 3) Why Russian Army in ArrowHead is so poor? 4) Will the sounds of weapons be better? Like in Chammy Sound Mod. 5) I hope there will be fewer bugs and game crashes. Not like in original Arma 2`s first versions. I hope i`m true?

The representation of UAVs in ArmA 2 was neat and useful, but difficult to control. The laser designator weapon was not to useful due to the way the camera was controlled, and the UAV itself required some 'waypoint rangling' in order to bring the hellfire missiles to bear. Are there to be any improvements in this system? Will OA's UAVs feature a smoother pilot AI, a target constrainable camera, a richer waypoint interface or anything like that to get the full potential out of the UAV? Lastly, if a constrainable camera is planned, will it be available to other vehicle classes? Thank you for your time. - Max Power 11:22, 6 May 2010 (CEST)

Sound samples / sound params

-- 1. Will be added ability for modders to use several sound' samples for a one weapon/muzzle?? Like inside/outside gun' sound for vehicle or near/far sound? To change them, depending on the environment and/or distances?

2. Will be added ability for modders to get more options/parameters to adjustment of sound? The ability to change gun sounds' equalizer/doppler effect' settings, depending on the distance, environment, obstacles nearby?

3.Whether will be changed/removed Rate of Fire drop' bug, depending on the FPS drop or sound source moving?


--Nikita320106 13:37, 6 May 2010 (CEST)


Will you fix the problem in Arma 2 where in a multiplayer game, the "character" of an allied player uses the radio, i.e. he announces an enemy contact, but the text used in screen is in the language of the player of the allied character, instead of MY language? I see german text if i play with a german user who is playing the game in german, or russian text with russians, even if i have my copy of Arma 2 in english or spanish. Seems the text is copied from one player to the server, instead of referring to a set of ID strings as it should. --Turin Turambar 17:24, 6 May 2010 (CEST)

---

ATOMPILS -Will their be more german units? Are they used in campaign too? -one of the bugs i most hated was, when bots ran 10 times around an vehicle until they got in. Will that be Fixed? - what about a holster and lower function for pistols? - and last more a tip: can you insert an BW version of the bell uh1?

Will the AI use buiding interiors? Take cover in the buildings and search for enemies? Will AI groups communicate with eachother, calling support and providing it? Will AI react to gunshots/explosions/dead bodies? Is the fatigue system improved and based on weight? Or how is the backpack limited?

Any provision of Arrowhead demo before its release?

-Monotone 12:02, 7 May 2010 (CEST)

Arma 2 Server

Will there be a ded. server Interface (e.g. to a database) or a dedicated server SDK? --Crowe 21:19, 7 May 2010 (CEST)

Why do the units that have holsters (thigh holsters of various types) have them empty? Is there any reason why BIS decides not to use pistol proxies to show a pistol in the holster? And if there is no particular reason would it be possible for BIS to add in visible pistols within said holsters if not at release then later on in a patch? Delta One Zero 05:08, 9 May 2010 (CEST)

about georgia army in afganistan

will be georgia army units in this company? please make it in it

- Will UAVs be controllable in multiplayer? - Ham

- Is the SecOps module from ArmA2 goingto be usable in dedicated multiplayer? - Ham

- What faction are the UN Observers from? - Ham

Vehicle transport

Is new Arma Core going to support any kind of vehicle-vehicle transport, eg. C130 carrying HMMWV's etc. ?

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