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Author Topic: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?  (Read 7261 times)

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Offline Premian

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Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« on: 10 Mar 2008, 21:00:49 »
Hi all. I'll get right to the point. I'm considering making missions for Arma but I somehow find myself not enjoying the new game as much as the old. For one thing, the choppers really are horrible. And I cannot for the life of me (literally) get a good feel for the guns.

Arma is very pretty, but somehow it has failed to take over my life like OFP used to.
It lacks something I have difficulty defining.

So if I may be so bold as to ask: what motivates you to play, tweak and create content for Arma?
Oh no.. 2 is down.. Damn 3 is down.. 4 injured.. 5.. where are you?

Offline Mandoble

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #1 on: 10 Mar 2008, 21:38:40 »
Er ... ... that is a quite unnusual scripting question for this forum BTW. But general speaking, what motivates players B, C and D will not motivate you if you are already de-motivated.

Offline Premian

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #2 on: 11 Mar 2008, 06:59:26 »
Thanks for the reply, Mandoble. I specialize in unusual questions. And I intentionally post it here since I know from first hand experience that it requires alot of dedication and patience to create content for a game, rather than simply playing. (It also takes a bit of time..)

And don't worry mate, I'm not trying to de-motivate anyone. The opposite is true. In my experience enthusiasm can be contagious.
So I am really curious about what motivates players B, C and D.
Oh no.. 2 is down.. Damn 3 is down.. 4 injured.. 5.. where are you?

Offline Mandoble

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #3 on: 11 Mar 2008, 08:14:24 »
Probably B, C and D never played OFP/Res  ;)

Offline h-

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #4 on: 11 Mar 2008, 09:36:25 »
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I intentionally post it here since I know from first hand experience that it requires alot of dedication and patience to create content for a game
Which means you intentionally broke the forum rules ;)
What Mandoble was getting at was that this has nothing to do with scripting/editing questions hence it doesn't belong to the Editing General board.

We really do not have a place dedicated for this kind of discussion (that's what the BIS and some other community forums are for I guess) but I'll move this here instead of just locking the thread..  :scratch:
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Offline schuler

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #5 on: 11 Mar 2008, 10:32:44 »
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Which means you intentionally broke the forum rules   We really do not have a place dedicated for this kind of discussion (that's what the BIS and some other community forums are for I guess)-h
Good thing,,,,,
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I know from first hand experience that it requires alot of dedication and patience to create content for a game.  Premian

yes it does, there is different levels to that also!   ;)  and you can't de-motivate any true gamer, and if you did, i honestly dont think you'll be held responsible.
But on the other hand, players B, C and D can be de-motivated by someone by disparaging their ability to create,,,,,  sensitivity issues do apply. your not doing that.
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find myself not enjoying the new game as much as the old. Premian
Me too! Arma is nothing more then better graphics, mission editor friendly ,,,,, but wait ,,,,, ant that cool.
I do enjoy an author spieling off an original mission or camp, nothing better then that!!!!
But maybe we're getting old!?!?!?      I am!
Personally for me, there's lots yet to learn in ofp alone,,,,,,,, and I like it that way!
If you have master Ofp, you might just be unmoved from all creativity. In other words,,you need a fix :D
Go make a mission. :cop: Pronto  :cop: 
cheers Schuler
« Last Edit: 11 Mar 2008, 10:35:13 by schuler »
Semper Fi

Offline Adam David

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #6 on: 11 Mar 2008, 21:38:56 »
In some peoples eyes, ArmA is OFP on steroids, but if that is true, here's the thing which motivates some people: If ArmA is unfinished and not good, why not make it better??? This is what motivates me...

Offline schuler

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #7 on: 12 Mar 2008, 01:53:14 »
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why not make it better???
we are  :D
Semper Fi

Offline Premian

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #8 on: 12 Mar 2008, 08:51:17 »
Probably B, C and D never played OFP/Res  ;)
    :yes:
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Go make a mission.  :cop: Pronto   :cop:
cheers Schuler
:D
Thanks for the cool replies. I'm glad I asked this "unusual scripting question".
I'll be following your advice, Schuler.
Oh no.. 2 is down.. Damn 3 is down.. 4 injured.. 5.. where are you?

Offline wcrvieira

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #9 on: 14 Mar 2008, 06:33:56 »
It's late already (0518) and I have classes in 5 hours (1000). You know what kept me awake all this time?
Armed Assault! 

It can be buggy, everyone can bi*ch about it, some even start smear campaigns against it and there are also those who refuse to beta-test patches, but in the end them all open everyday a community page to read the news about the game they ditch about and even play a community made mission. And you know why? 'Cause what motivates us is just that. Custom content and enhancing this wonderful game.
People know it is buggy and they have to make a conscient decision, do nothing about it but posting rants or work on it and make the game better and share with the community the results!

I just spent 4 hours playing a community member created mission and heck, I had more fun with it than in the entire BIS campaign!
This is what endrives me to play and edit Armed Assault, the ability to make a mission as I want, with what I want and when and how I want. Make something really mine out of this random CD boxed in some shelf and then show it to the community and feel I am helping it grow a bit more.

ArmA is different from OFP, oh yes it is, I sure miss my OFP marathons with Komuna (ex-ECP team leader) playing a huge variety of mods or even coming home running in order to have time to put out a nice action mission to test it that night. In ArmA I don't do that and why? Maybe because (as far as I see) people forget that over 5 years passed since OFP came up, we are 5 years older, more mature (or not) and a lot in our lifes changed making it different to see and play a game like ArmA. The game isn't the only one to blame in the lack of motivation.

You found yourself without motivation to play the game? Find yourself a CoOp partner or even 10, join a clan, make your custom config, make a mission!
Show it to the community, work with the community, feel it and embrace it. You'll find your lost motivation there, the community.
« Last Edit: 14 Mar 2008, 06:36:46 by NBSVieiraPT »

Offline UH60MG

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #10 on: 17 Mar 2008, 15:03:41 »
The only things I miss from OFP are the resistance side and the soundtrack.

Apart from the islands and a couple of vehicles and a few other trivial things, ArmA has everything else that OFP had but with better graphics and animations.
« Last Edit: 17 Mar 2008, 15:46:02 by UH60MG »

Offline Artak

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #11 on: 17 Mar 2008, 16:04:24 »
I shouldn't be saying this.. but I'm gonna.

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but in the end them all open everyday a community page to read the news about the game they ditch about and even play a community made mission.
I don't. I much rather still play OFP with my mates. It's better.

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ArmA has everything else that OFP had but with better graphics and animations.
Better animations huh? You mean more pretty or more playable?

I can very well see where you're coming from and _I want_ to feel the same way, but when I play ArmA and OFP side by side, I must say that OFP is far more playable than ArmA. So for me, it's just better.
This also creates a problem as far as editing ArmA goes. Having edited OFP for these 7 or so years, it still does the trick for me and because ArmA isn't as playable it sets the bar very high to move from OFP to ArmA.

I've never cared a rats arse about addons, but OFP is still making people produce new stuff for her. Take Hawkins' JF mod for example. So OFP isn't dead on that side either.


In any case, I think it's wonderful that we now have two games instead of one. ArmA is for the new people, or people who want something new. It's also for those who need good quality gfx in their game. OFP is for those who don't mind about the gfx so much and tend to stick to the end with the one that works. Maybe they've got ugly girlfriends too and a rusty old pickup truck on the backyard too.
Both groups are happy although the occasional change of opinions between them occurs. :)
Not all is lost.

Offline UH60MG

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #12 on: 17 Mar 2008, 19:39:37 »
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Better animations huh? You mean more pretty or more playable?

I don't think the animations effect whether a game is playable or not. All I mean is I played OFP again recently and the walking / running animation seemed unnatural.

I like the tanks and helicopters of OFP. ArmA and OFP are very similar games, with ArmA having the prettier graphics.

Edit: Another difference I noticed is the aiming of weapons is more difficult in ArmA making it harder to hit things. I dont know whether this is supposed to make the game more realistics but I guess so.
« Last Edit: 17 Mar 2008, 19:47:39 by UH60MG »

Offline Cheetah

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #13 on: 17 Mar 2008, 20:41:08 »
UH60MG has a good point in his last sentence. Aiming your weapon is harder in ArmA, it makes the game less playable especially in urban combat. In OFP I liked the clean sweep missions as a test of skill, in ArmA I don't because I'm confronted with an unnatural aiming system. That system degrades my ArmA playing experience, but I won't switch back to OFP completely. Play it once in a long while.

ArmA's focus lies on graphic and so called reality. But, as other games, it is hard to make a credible realistic game by just adding bits of reality to it. For those into first person shooters, take for example Call of Duty 4 with it's so called realistic wall shooting. I hate it that you can shoot through a wall perfectly, but your bullets aren't deflected when they hit something, they won't richochet and don't seem to lose much of their energy after penetrating a while - don't even think about walls breaking apart. That would be reality, if you add something - add more realistic parts connected to it.

If ArmA 2 is to be a good game, several elements have to be improved in my opinion. First and foremost the AI has to be improved, and not by a little. Second, physics and animations have to be improved. Most important is realistic damage calculation - with all types of units. And, in my opinion the aiming system should be improved. The guns shake a bit too much in my opinion, it is almost impossible to play urban combat without experiencing bad gun control due to shaking movements that are a bit overdone.

I don't play ArmA due to it having better graphics, it is the game BIS will continue building on to make ArmA 2. If there is anything I can do to help BIS to make a better ArmA2 it will be in supporting ArmA more than OFP. I'm not saying that _you_ should do the same, just play the game you like most. It is why I play ArmA more than OFP. And in some top secret -deep into the night- sessions I play CoD4, yes I'm an outlaw for some due to saying this - but CoD4's aiming system is more suited for my urban combat needs than ArmA or OFP's.
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Offline savedbygrace

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Re: Arma vs OFP, what motivates you?
« Reply #14 on: 26 Mar 2008, 00:42:01 »
AAHHHH, a question to ponder indeed. Premian my friend, it seems that you have an intimate connection with Operation Flashpoint. But that is not such a terrible calamity. Many of us fans have traversed the contours of the land and memorized each step. It was the backyard that we chose to shelter ourselves in for years, boldly refusing the offers of other FPS games that were unable to satisfy the way she did. No doubt many of us can recreate the land in our minds, placing each bush and tree precisely where we remembered hiding from that T-72 or evading that patrol. The voices of the characters and the sound of each weapon and vehicle has been burned into our memories, the dialogoue has crept into our everyday lives and we have began dreaming about the scenarios that we have gone through. I've even found myself mispelling damage unaware. However, the two games can not be compared In my opinion. To do thus would degrade each's own potential. OFP is now legendary to most of us who know it. It can never be replaced by any game regardless the improvements nor will it ever be forgotten because so many have poured so much into it, and continue to do so. New games have their splendor and OFP has its own. We can be sure that many a fan / clan will continue within the confines of it's comfort. And if you have a dersire to keep it alive, then there is no doubt that others share the same feeling. If you create it...they will come. To sum it up...it was an emotional ride much the same as war is. Those who have fought through it, will never forget it but those who didn't, just don't understand.