Why is everybody so satisfied with ARMA2 Engine?

[coldnebo 7]

I've been playing ARMA for a couple years, scripting my own levels, learning more about ARMA's scripting engine, etc. (As a dev, game engines fascinate me -- I'm always interested in the tradeoffs and design points.) Here's my thoughts:

The ARMA engine excels at what it was originally designed for: large-scale medium to long range tactical combat operations.

That means, combined ops between tanks, helis, ground troops, etc. fighting on open terrain across distances greater than 10 meters and possibly several kilometers. Buildings in ARMA are for cover, not tactical CQB (close quarters combat)... if you've ever tried to set up a sniper's roost in a building and launch an M203 grenade through a window, you'll know just how flaky the collision boxes are in close quarters. Doors and gates, etc. are all there with the most basic of functionality -- they are not really tactical elements, except as obstacles and cover -- for example, you can't easily "breach and clear" like you can in some tactical simulations. Combat interactions rarely deal with opening/closing items, but rather on climbing over or around, etc. using cover, etc.

None of this is a problem in ARMA because the game mechanics match the engine requirements. Try sneaking and creeping on a server with human opponents -- it simply doesn't work. You have to use squad tactics. This is war, not Rainbow Six.

DAYZ has a completely different game mechanic. You want to use stealth, CQB, and buildings/doors as tactical elements. Combat in DAYZ is often significantly less than 10 meters (unless you're sniping) and that exposes a bunch of limitations that the original ARMA engine was never designed to handle. (I would love to see proper "breach and clear" options for stores and buildings in DAYZ!)

ARMA2 has some capability to customize the physics used (for example, see "Project Reality") -- so it may be within DAYZ dev's power to correct/modify some of the ARMA2 engine characteristics.

If so, one of the biggest pet peeves I have is brushing up against doors or trees and suddenly getting killed because of "infinite" reaction force vectors. In real-life, nothing is completely immovable, so if a door closes on you, it only presses on you with force proportional to the weight of the door/spring, etc. But in-game, the door is a scripted element, so it closes absolutely with no thought to reactionary forces -- hence when forces against your body are considered, it's effectively like the door weighs a thousand tons... you WILL be crushed if any part of you gets stuck between the closing door and the frame. An alternative solution would be to exclude the player from door physics altogether and simply slide them through the frame while the door is script/closing.

ARMA3 is planned to have significant upgrades to physics, including hardware PhysX support and ragdoll physics -- so eventually DAYZ may inherit better close range mechanics from ARMA3...

TL;DR: ARMA is an excellent medium-long range tactical simulation; DAYZ is a stealth/CQB tactical simulation. Improvements in custom physics and/or ARMA3 physics may fill some of the gaps in gameplay. DAYZ is such a wildly successful idea that even with glitches people want to play it.

Edited September 20, 2012 by coldnebo

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

Now that's how to make a first post. Have some beans and welcome to the forum.

[Remnant John 11]

i could fit plenty more than 4 pistols in my ENTIRE BACK COVERING BACK PACK

[SalamanderAnder (DayZ) 1747]

Hey Guys,

It makes me want to cry when glitches happen in this ALPHA-MOD of an already buggy game that I stupidly bought without considering my computers specs.

Please enlighten me.

Let's consider for a moment that WarZ didn't deliver on a single thing they promised to do. The map isn't even fully developed as far as I know. Animations look completely stupid. The game is riddled with just as many (if not more) bugs than the Arma 2 engine, which has been under construction in one way or another since OPF. You can pay real money for items that you loose on death.

So as for that comparison, it's null. WarZ is a pathetic failure of a ripoff. And BF2? Are you fucking kidding me? This game is NOTHING like BF2.

Let's consider the features you already would have seen if you watched any videos of the standalone

- Doors and gates do not break your legs anymore.

- The inventory system has been completely redone.

- A crafting system that will eventually include thousands of items.

- a 225 sq km map. MUCH larger than BF2 could handle.

- Your nutrition is monitored via a complex system of caloric intake, hydration, and exertion. Meaning the more physical activity you do, the more you're exposed to the heat/cold, the more you have to eat and drink.

- Your shoes degrade.

- You can change your clothes.

- You have to repair vehicles part by part.

- Zombies are an actual threat in the standalone.

- Very realistic ballistics.

- Multiplayer Day/Night cycle.

- You can experience some really fascinating character interactions which I have never even witnessed in another video game.

I actually don't see any similarity to BF2 at all, really.

In short, we really don't have to explain why Arma 2 is the ideal engine for the task. Sure, it has some bugs, (If that REALLY bothers you so much, go play WarZ. It won't be any better) BUT, it is still a powerful and very flexible engine, to be able to support everything it does.

[TacticalN29 89]

Wow... Talk about zombies, this is a zombie thread. As in dead. Yeah that was lame I know haha!

Edited June 28, 2013 by TacticalN29

[djshauny1 222]

Worst engine since 2003? Wow, you don't play many games do you?

Name a few engines that are worse. Or the games that run them.

Cryostasis springs to mind lol

[djshauny1 222]

So many fanboys is this thread. Calm down people its just a game lol

[-Gews- 7443]

Best engine ever

[leviski 2152]

:D bouncy!

[applejaxc 2500]

-snip-

And did you have fun?

[Inception. 9443]

i could fit plenty more than 4 pistols in my ENTIRE BACK COVERING BACK PACK

Please do not resurrect old topics.

So many fanboys is this thread. Calm down people its just a game lol

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: