Arma 2, is it good?

[Ferzerp]

There seem to be devoted players, and claims that it runs poorly, but I've never really gotten the impression of whether or not it is any good.


Is it good? And why? I'm looking for a game of that style maybe, and I refuse to get BF3 (unless the origin requirement were gone and they offered it on steam).

 

[Lumathix]

Not really a smooth FPS, feels dated.
But....check out the mod called DayZ for it.

 

[Childs]

From watching DayZ playthroughs the engine looks unpolished. Animations, controls, UI, etc. From what I understand these are all underlying issues with ARMA II, not the mod. Red Orchestra 2 might be an option. Planetside 2 is either out or coming out soon if its the large scale of the battles you are looking for.

 

[Stringjam]

ArmA III is coming out soon, and looks vastly improved from the current engine.

 

[Anteaus]

Arma 2 with expansions is a great sandbox game with tons of great content. The downside is the graphics engine is a bit clunky and the controls will make you go wtf until you get the hang of it. The ability to script scenerios is pretty deep and once you learn how to use commands you can come up with some crazy stuff.

If you can find Arrowhead for cheap i'd go ahead and give it a spin, but as someone said above at this point you might as well wait for Arma 3.

 

[Ferzerp]

I tried the demo (which I didn't know existed before posting this), and I'm having a pretty hard time getting past the clunkiness of it all. I get the head bob, I do, but that had to go first. Mouse smoothing, gone. Ok, so aiming, etc works. Aim down the sights being "reduce FOV and zoom" though... I don't know.

It just feels too dated for me.

 

[imaheadcase]

arma 2 is pretty neat, but like others said the engine is wonky. You get used to the UI after a bit.

The graphics on high look neat, they have changed a lot of things since original it seemed. Added newer graphic options, etc like FXAA/AA/motion blur/etc. But I constantly get graphic bugs i have to quit and restart cause the engine is dumb.

Dayz is worth it if you are into that type of game.

Make sure you update to the newest beta patches, they have tons of them on website that change lots of stuff.

 

[Imp]

I relented and got Arma 2 + expansions while on sale on Steam way back when. It's reasonably fun. Interface is clunky, gameplay and everything is "unsmooth", and feels just like Operation Flashpoint (original, not #2 Dragon Rising turd). If you're a masochist, you'll love it.

I played through the campaign and expansion packs until hitting the Merc/Private Contractor/whatever expansion and game crashing every time at a certain point.

Will pass on Arma 3 unless it goes on sale for $10 or under.

 

[DigDog]

remove one "o" from thread title = answer is yes.

you do have to be into that sort of weird shit tho.

 

[BrightCandle]

Arma 2's engine is a bit weird, and the interface is unintuitive in the beginning. But the game play underneath is just second to none. This isn't some fast FPS game, its primary greatness is in open world infantry combat at 100's of men in coop mode. No other FPS comes close to offering such an authentic infantry simulation. The AI is smarter than any other game I have seen although that doesn't mean I consider it good.

I think the game is only really fun if you join with a group who has been making missions for years, knows how to put together and organise a group and plays tactically together. If you find that (tier1ops.eu is the one I am in) then you'll likely never go back to BF3/COD like games. Arma 2 comes from infantry simulation software and its pretty deep. You need to learn how to do things, like aim and fire.

For example to aim a sniper rifle takes hours of training and practice, it works similar to real life. That is you have to estimate wind, range and height difference and then use a ballistics table and adjust the guns scope to compensate for all the factors in order to hit your target. Placing a mine is equally complex involving knowing which tabs to pull to make it magnetic or IR detected and then pulling the ping and aiming it precisely. The scopes are pretty realistic as well including holo sights and RCO's that work the same way as they do in real life. I am always horrified seeing an ACOG in COD/BF3 that does not work correctly its down right annoying.

Personally I have been playing it since it came out. I think its the best FPS ever made, not because the animations or graphics are best, but because after all this time I still enjoy playing it because the mission scope is so wide. I get to run fireteams and squads and learn to use and abuse groups of equally trained individuals. Its a blast playing with the right people. I would recommend Tier 1 in Europe and Shacktac in the US.

 

[VtPC83]

Another good US team that I play with: http://forums.unitedoperations.net/index.php?app=ccs

They aren't really a 'team' per se but a group of folks who get together on their server and play missions based on realism. That's what Arma 2 is all about, infantry based realism. It'll get closer to actual combat than any other FPS game out there.

It is based on an actual combat simulation program that various countries purchase to train their armed forces.

Yes it can feel clunky, etc but I disagree about the graphics, I think they are gorgeous. Just takes a specific mindset to really enjoy.

PS - the single player is hard to play due to bugs, etc so I would definitely try MP

 

[DigDog]

FPTS. Tactical is the key word. no health bars or other madness here.

FYI i'm awesome with the sniper in arma, i suck w/ it in all other games. i guess cold and calculating is more me than noscope is.

 

[goobernoodles]

Arma 2's engine is a bit weird, and the interface is unintuitive in the beginning. But the game play underneath is just second to none. This isn't some fast FPS game, its primary greatness is in open world infantry combat at 100's of men in coop mode. No other FPS comes close to offering such an authentic infantry simulation. The AI is smarter than any other game I have seen although that doesn't mean I consider it good.

I think the game is only really fun if you join with a group who has been making missions for years, knows how to put together and organise a group and plays tactically together. If you find that (tier1ops.eu is the one I am in) then you'll likely never go back to BF3/COD like games. Arma 2 comes from infantry simulation software and its pretty deep. You need to learn how to do things, like aim and fire.

For example to aim a sniper rifle takes hours of training and practice, it works similar to real life. That is you have to estimate wind, range and height difference and then use a ballistics table and adjust the guns scope to compensate for all the factors in order to hit your target. Placing a mine is equally complex involving knowing which tabs to pull to make it magnetic or IR detected and then pulling the ping and aiming it precisely. The scopes are pretty realistic as well including holo sights and RCO's that work the same way as they do in real life. I am always horrified seeing an ACOG in COD/BF3 that does not work correctly its down right annoying.

Personally I have been playing it since it came out. I think its the best FPS ever made, not because the animations or graphics are best, but because after all this time I still enjoy playing it because the mission scope is so wide. I get to run fireteams and squads and learn to use and abuse groups of equally trained individuals. Its a blast playing with the right people. I would recommend Tier 1 in Europe and Shacktac in the US.

This makes me want to try it again, but I lack the patience of trying to figure that game out myself. It's definitely not noob friendly in any regard.

If I had someone to play with that actually knew the game inside and out and how get get someone up and running... I know I would love this game.

 

[VtPC83]

UO (mentioned above) has a Teamspeak server that you can hop in to talk to players about just that, setting it up, playing etc. They hold informal training sessions on how to play as well.

Keep in mind, UO uses a couple of serious mods, ACE (Advanced Combat Environment) and ACRE (a realistic radio mod integrated with Teamspeak) that you will need to have to play Arma 2 (will need Arma 2 + Arrowhead) with them but IMO it's worth it and installation instructions are well spelled out on the site.

See link for beginners guide and determine from there if you want to play:
http://forums.unitedoperations.net/index.php/topic/12126-uo-gameplay-guide-for-beginners/

2nd link for the document that got me to buy Arma 2 and download the ACE/ACRE mod and start playing:
http://ttp2.dslyecxi.com/

 

[Sulaco]

BrightCandle put it perfectly.

ArmA II is a flawed, unpolished game with plenty of bugs and quirks that keep it out of mainstream popularity, not even taking into account the steep learning curve and realism.

Even after patches and some mods, it has some quirky AI issues, graphical glitches, and other bugs.

HOWEVER,

There's also no game like it on the market today. What you can do, drive, fly, man, or otherwise control, across the massive, populated map, is unrivaled. It simply is one of the most impressively ambitious games out there, in any genre. When playing cooperatively with real people who are devoted to the mission, there aren't many games out there that can top it. I am constantly amazed at the sheer scope and scale of EVERYTHING that's going on in the world, and how realistic it still manages to be.

ArmA is the kind of game you have to really WANT to get into. It's too flawed and complicated coming from your standard military FPS these days to attract people who are just looking for another game to try. The style and breadth of ArmA has to really appeal to you, and you have to able to forgive its quirks (and also learn to download a few mods and user missions!).

But once you do, it's close to a masterpiece. Nothing really comes close to touching it.

 

[Stringjam]

I have no problems with the Arma II interface, since I'm actually capable of RTFM.

My problem with Arma is the stance on realism but the utter clunkiness of the movement mechanics.

In real life, you don't fight with movement like this; you're able to react and move extremely quickly - - and I would imagine more so with the amount of adrenaline pumping through your veins in a firefight. This is why I hate the way ArmA feels.

I'm actually nutty enough that I have put on a 20lb. backpack, grabbed one of my rifles, and went running around my property.......just to see if any of these FPS can actually get the right feel for it - - as well as setting up some targets and shooting them from various positions and situations.

ArmA does not feel anything like it to me.....I don't know who in the world shakes so much while walking with a sighted weapon. I certainly don't. With a rifle, yeah, there is more movement, but with a pistol, it's pretty easy to move quickly in a sighted position with very little movement.

I actually think BF3 captures the real-to-life feel of movement and gun handling characteristics better than ArmA.....the only thing that's a little unrealistic in BF3 is how high you can jump. Maybe without a pack, but definitely not WITH a pack. This is better than ArmA, however, where you can't even jump over a small stone fence (remember, soldiers are essentially athletes....they train hardcore, and getting over a 3 ft. stone fence would take one of them less than a second).

 

[Sulaco]

I have no problems with the Arma II interface, since I'm actually capable of RTFM.

...
This is better than ArmA, however, where you can't even jump over a small stone fence (remember, soldiers are essentially athletes....they train hardcore, and getting over a 3 ft. stone fence would take one of them less than a second).

So...why couldn't you figure out that the "V" key is the default "hop over obstacle" key, again?

 

[Gordon Freemen]

Arma II is still the most realistic Military simulator.

 

[Stringjam]

So...why couldn't you figure out that the "V" key is the default "hop over obstacle" key, again?

I know exactly what "V" does.....I'm complaining about how painfully slow the process is.

It does not take that long to flip your legs over an obstacle......especially when people are shooting at you. BF3 did a much better job of traversing obstacles (it actually looks like they just copied the technique from Mirror's Edge....which makes sense, since they made it and all...).

Nothing like a dozen zombies coming after you and you have to face the dreaded tiny fence, which somehow takes what feels like eons to get your d*mn feet over.

 

[Coldkilla]

It's like your favorite old couch. You look at it and it appears a little wonky, but once you sit in it and get comfortable, its the best place to sit ever.

 

[sandorski]

I know exactly what "V" does.....I'm complaining about how painfully slow the process is.

It does not take that long to flip your legs over an obstacle......especially when people are shooting at you. BF3 did a much better job of traversing obstacles (it actually looks like they just copied the technique from Mirror's Edge....which makes sense, since they made it and all...).

Nothing like a dozen zombies coming after you and you have to face the dreaded tiny fence, which somehow takes what feels like eons to get your d*mn feet over.

Worse than that is Weapon switching. You can Reload while running, but have to Stop to switch from Handgun to Main Weapon?

Have only played DayZ which uses most of Arma's Controls. Generally they are fine. They just have a few weird ideas of Realism here and there.