ArmA2 Operation Arrowhead Steam patch

[Pendragon]

Operation Arrowhead's Steam version has had the 1.52 patch applied

Reminder of some of the features of ArmA2 and Operation Arrowhead There are may more game play features but these are the ones of interest to us here at FPSadmin.com. This should be a pointer to the mass game publishers, this is what we want on release of a game! If a small independent game makers can make a profit and still provide it's community with tools why can't you?

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/33930/extras/MissionEditor.jpg
MISSION EDITOR: Design your own missions by the intuitive, easy-to-use mission editor and become part of one of the biggest and most creative PC gaming community ever.

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/33930/extras/GameModification.jpg
GAME MODIFICATION: Create Your own custom game content with complete editing tools suite (freeware SDK kit) and modify the game in ways where the only limitation is Your own imagination.

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/33930/extras/CheatProtection.jpg
CHEAT PROTECTION: Optional anti-cheat BattlEye (www.battleye.com) available to help secure dedicated servers. In addition BE adds 'RCON' (remote control) for game's dedicated server software

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/33930/extras/DedicatedServer.jpg
DEDICATED SERVER: To support smooth multi-player experience there is 'dedicated server software' available for Windows (included with game) and Linux (download-able from game's website).

[bullet-worm]

Do you need ArmA2 to play OA? And if not, what are you missing if you only have OA?

worm

[Pendragon]

OA will be fine on it's own, however I do think you would be missing a lot if you didn't have ArmA:2

If your new to this type of Mil-Sim game I would caution you. It's not to everyone taste. It's not just a "big" Battlefield, you couldn't get further from run 'n gun, (but still be holding one) if you tried. Yes it First Person and yes you get to shoot people but you would be misguided to call it an FPS game.

That said I play hours and hours of this stuff... It's got to be the biggest game I have ever played. There is so much to learn, I'm still learning. You can also just jump in and have some. Guns are guns and bad guy fall over when you shoot them, so it's not that tricky.

It's a lot cheaper on disk from an online shop than on Steam. Well it is here in the UK. Got mine from Play.com (arrives tomorrow) for £16.99, it's £24.99 on Steam.

I suggest if you like it you can get ArmA:2 after or if you want to can get the "Combined Arms" Version that has the two game rolled up in one box.

As for what you are missing... The Chernarus map is 225Km2! seriously it would take about three/four hours to walk from the bottom left hand corner to the top right. It's not procedurally generated, it's a proper map and it's huge!

[miglancer]

You don't need ARMA2 to play OA. But you will be missing ARMA2 if went OA only.

STEAM has a combined pack for a reasonable price... Same price (in UK) if you buy the disks online from somewhere like play.com. On it's own, is cheaper to get the disks...
http://store.steampowered.com/sub/4639/

I think you will be missing ARMA2 if you want to take up online play where there is a requirement to have the same units as the rest of the team.

For offline fun, OA will do nicely.

[bullet-worm]

So essentially if you only have OA you are just missing one map over people who have ArmA2 and OA?

worm

[Pendragon]

Errr and a couple of army's... There are the Russians, almost all of them lol with their weapons and vehicles. All of the single player and the many thousands of custom missions, and a ton of mods. So yea if you like Operation Arrowhead then you are going to want ArmA:2. It's just you don't have to have it to play the new game.

[HIS-MOTHER]

Yeah but here's the issue!

If you install OA as a stand alone and then fire up a dedicated server. Those who have both Arma2 and OA can not join that server and vice versa for a Dedicated server tha has dual content, the stand alone players can;t join it!

Cluster F** POS.

They should have just made it a true EXP requiring the original content.

[Pendragon]

Not sure about it to be honest, there is very little between the games beyond the content. I know that sounds odd thing to say but a Operation Arrowhead server running an old map your fine with the old game. Confused? well I was surprised that the expansion is stand alone? Go figure... It's a very odd game. But still my original point is still true. Dedi-servers, mod tools, Anti-Cheat, awards from the devs to users for making custom content...

[HIS-MOTHER]

Yeah,

I have a stand alone dedicated OA server up called Hypernia. See if you can join it with mixed content client , then I have another one up mixed content called Hypernia Test.

[lacisghost]

It looks like Steam has the combined pack (ArmA2 and OA) for $10 more than OA alone.

[Pendragon]

That is an awful lot of game! I think you could install it and spend 4 hours a day for a year and not master everything.

Just one skill in this game:
Attacking ground targets with an attack chopper. Hit the targets and not kill your troops.

Four or five different choppers with different weapons and handling. What's that going to take? a week, may be two? It might take a couple of days just to reliably be able to navigate to the required area and be coming from the right direction... The guy on the ground has to be able to make the call right and pop the coloured smoke at the right time...

You could build a game just around this one task, people have! Novalogic had an attack chopper game.

ArmA is huge! did I mention logistics? na Logistics is boring just think about shooting people :)

[Pendragon]

It's arrived Woot! Sorry I'm a little excited ;)

First time I can remember seeing a dual layer disk used. 7.72Gb!

I showed my daughter the intructions with the keyboard layout. She's a PS3 player and she remarked that there was no way that would work on a console, not with all them buttons!

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s96/SnRaCe/Operation%20ArrowHead/Keys1.png
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s96/SnRaCe/Operation%20ArrowHead/Keys2.png
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s96/SnRaCe/Operation%20ArrowHead/Keys3.png

[Pendragon]

I'll write up a full review later after playing for more time, but wow! This has a lot more polished than the last game. BIS has a bit of a reputation of producing games with bugs. These bugs don't hang around for long because BIS and the community fix them.

Well there would appear to be very little to fix! this is a much slicker game, much more complete.