ARMA 3

[Grim.Reaper]

Probably the wrong spot to discuss, but what the heck since it was mentioned how much better mouse and keyboard control is.....

Up until recently, I largely used a standard mouse, nothing fancy just some typical microsoft mouse that really had nothing special about it.  When my old mouse died, decided to try out a "gaming" mouse, although I was skeptical I would get the value out of it since they are much more expensive.  But I have to say, has been a really good experience so far, much more precision and ease of use compared to a standard mouse.....even has some other buttons and such, which I haven't really tried yet.  Just feels like it responds and glides more easily.....other more expensive gaming mouses even had more bells and whistles, might try those the next time.

Shamed to admit, I even bought the remastered Sniper 2 (this version not really much different) game that I already completed and have been using it as a trial.....wow....much different then my old mouse.  I can quickly acquire and snap to targets for precise shots....maybe I am just getting better at games like that vs the mouse itself, but felt a lot different for me.  As the enemy horde approached me, just easily swung to each target and just felt better.  Used in other games too, same general feeling.

The exact model of mouse I have is escaping me, but it is made by Corsair and received decent reviews for an average gaming mouse.

[W8taminute]

I agree with you.  Last year I picked up a Corsair gaming mouse and noticed a big difference from my old standard mouse.  You can even control the speed at which the cursor moves by clicking a couple of buttons on the mouse itself.  The one I got is a slightly older version of what you can currently get at Best Buy.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/corsair-m65-rgb-elite-wired-optical-gaming-mouse-black/6296530.p?skuId=6296530

[Grim.Reaper]

I am pretty sure this is the one I have, they all look alike:)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/corsair-glaive-wired-optical-gaming-mouse-with-rgb-lighting-aluminum/5809102.p?skuId=5809102

[W8taminute]

^That's a nice one too.  I've seen that model at the store.  I like the price too.  Might have to get that for my travel laptop. 

[Grim.Reaper]

^That's a nice one too.  I've seen that model at the store.  I like the price too.  Might have to get that for my travel laptop.

Yep, especially when on sale....usually in the $60's but on sale now.....think I got on sale for around $45 when I picked it up a month or so ago.  Have to admit I also got suckered into a special gaming mouse pad from Amazon too:)  Maybe placebo, but this surface is pretty slick and and feels better then my old....I am sure its just me justifying the purchase:)

[W8taminute]

^That's a nice one too.  I've seen that model at the store.  I like the price too.  Might have to get that for my travel laptop.

Yep, especially when on sale....usually in the $60's but on sale now.....think I got on sale for around $45 when I picked it up a month or so ago.  Have to admit I also got suckered into a special gaming mouse pad from Amazon too:)  Maybe placebo, but this surface is pretty slick and and feels better then my old....I am sure its just me justifying the purchase:)

Haha!  I tell myself the same thing every time I buy something from Best Buy or Amazon. 

[Toonces]

So I had a revelation this weekend...

All this time flying with a stick and throttle, I was having to rely on auto-hover to get reasonable control in order to nail a safe landing. With the keyboard and mouse, I was zooming into hot LZs and deploying troops in relative comfort and safety in minutes.

Amazing...

I just died inside a little.   :'(

[Redwolf]

Realistic helicopter control is very challenging. I have pretty high-end pedals for car racing, and they do no good for helicopter flying in other sims.

When users only have keyboard and mouse realistic control is out the window anyway, so you dial down the realism until people can do it with mouse and keyboard. Fine-tuning the realism versus challenge versus capabilities of the user's hardware is difficult, and probably gets crewed up most of the time.

[Thomm]

Have bought ARMA 3 in 2019 after not having played FPS for more than ten years.

Started the campaign on "Veteran" (the default setting?) and fought my way through the first half like that. Then I realized that I could change the difficulty to Recruit during the campaign, and did so, because I am not a masochist and I do not want to use (I avoid the word 'waste' here) more time than necessary to complete the campaign. Which is the end goal for me and this game. Navigating around on the island using map, compass and landmarks was a nice challenge until then, as I have to admit.

What I actually wanted to describe was the following situation:

Close to the end of the one mission where you have to clear a vehicle depot in order to prep it for an artillery strike, I was left with a hostile Ifrit and no AT weapon. I tried to throw grenades at it (which worked earlier on a similar vehicle), but could not scratch it. I was shielded from the Ifrit by a building, but as soon as I peeked around the corner it shot me instantly. 

After several fruitless attempts, I remembered having a demolition charge in my inventory. So I threw a green smoke grenade close to the Ifrit, waited for the smoke cloud to form, then ran up to the vehicle and put my demolition charge next to it. Ran away and hid in a building. Boom! No more Ifrit!

Since then, I do not leave base without smoke grenades any more!

Best regards,
Thomm

[Huw the Poo]

Having also recently bought Arma 3, I have to say you're a better man than me if you got through that shitty UAV mission.  That's the point where I ragequit and switched to multiplayer.

[Thomm]

Having also recently bought Arma 3, I have to say you're a better man than me if you got through that shitty UAV mission.  That's the point where I ragequit and switched to multiplayer.

The key to this mission is to check the map! It gives you a fairly good estimate about where the spotters are. After I figured that out, I found them on the next attempt. Also, I think there is a thermal imaging mode for the drone, which should make things easier!

I do not know whether it was this mission or not, but there was one mission which I had to end with the 'endmission' cheat because some triggers stop working as soon as the squad leader gets killed. It is strange that bugs like this are still present in the game so many years after release.

I do not really have time to play video games any more, so finishing the campaign gives me an attainable goal after which I will hopefully find the strength to uninstall the game.

Best regards,
Thomm

[Jarhead0331]

the beauty of ARMA 3 is that it is a fantastic military sandbox. The campaigns have never been the selling point. They are used more to demonstrate the scope and scale of the game world and the equipment and units available to play with. None of the ARMA games can compete with the campaign from the original Operation Flashpoint, so if you go into it expecting that level of depth and drama, you'll likely be left disappointed.

The fun is really had in the editor, in playing scenarios designed and built by great modders, in tinkering with the uncountable thousands of mods, some of which exceed even the capabilities of the official developers, and for some, playing MP.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, try not to judge the entire game on the campaign experience. I enjoyed the campaigns overall, but definitely had frustrations with some of the missions here and there.

[Huw the Poo]

The key to this mission is to check the map! It gives you a fairly good estimate about where the spotters are. After I figured that out, I found them on the next attempt. Also, I think there is a thermal imaging mode for the drone, which should make things easier!

Mate, I watched a walkthrough so I even knew exactly where to look.  The stupid drone kept exploding for no discernible reason before I could even get to the spotters, no matter how quickly I tried to get there.  I guess it's bugged or something, but it drove me mental.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, try not to judge the entire game on the campaign experience. I enjoyed the campaigns overall, but definitely had frustrations with some of the missions here and there.

Oh yeah, absolutely.  It was always going to be about the MP for me.  I just thought the campaign might prepare me for it.

It's all forgotten now.  I've found a really good server to play on and I'm enjoying the game at last. O0

[Thomm]

"Air superiority" = Almost there!

The voices in my head lamenting "Oh no, 1 ... is down!" are slowly getting replaced by "MRAP, 200 meters, front!". 

They took my trusty Mk200 with scope and silencer, which was my best friend throughout so many missions, away from me without asking!

Currently I am stuck, because I cannot secure the LZ, presumably because a lone enemy soldier is hiding somewhere on the map. I am close to "endmission"-ing a second time.

Best regards,
Thomm

[Thomm]

So. Finished the campaign and several stand-alone missions in 30-something hours. Then uninstalled to stop compulsive playing.

Final thoughts:

The endings of the campaign were disappointing. Nevertheless, I am happy that I supported BI, even if it was only with a few Euros.

I seem to recall that in the original Operation Flashpoint, there were many more possibilities for using own and enemy vehicles. In this campaign, I was able to use a RCWS once, and it ran out of ammo in a few seconds.

I was asking myself, is there any room for substantial improvement for this series, and I did not come up with anything obvious. So I watched a view relevant videos and they also did not have any truly revolutionary ideas. Maybe this is why there still is no ARMA 4?

The only thing that I came up with was a better collision detection between player and vegetation. Does any game actually do this (Quick research: Unreal Engine 4 goes into the right direction, but does not enforce contact strictly. Must be a penalty method)? A lot of immersion would be gained if plants would realistically move out of the way of the player, especially in a first-person game.

On the other hand, being spotted and shot at through vegetation was still a noticable problem.

Best regards,
Thomm