Arma 3 Alpha Available on Steam

[+JediMaster]

[fimg=left]http://www.arma3.com/images/post_thumbs/arma3_alpha.jpg[/fimg]For those of us who have enjoyed playing OFP, Arma, Arma 2, and Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead over the past decade, today BIS released a playable alpha version of Arma 3 on Steam.

 

It features the smaller of the 2 islands that the final version will ship with, a few single player scenarios, the mission editor, and multiplayer.

 

 

Steam Arma 3 page: http://store.steampo...com/app/107410/

 

BIS page: http://www.arma3.com/

 

 

In case you're wondering, yes, Arma 3 is Steam-only. Check BIS' site for their explanation. You can buy the Steam key direct from their site, or just buy it direct on Steam, unless you want the big "Supporter Edition" which is only for sale on BIS' site. Either way, you're getting a key for Steam.

 

 

[+streakeagle]

Out of the box, ArmA 3 doesn't have anything I want aside from game engine improvements. Unless some massive amounts of really well done retro content are released, I won't be getting this game.

[TeargasHorse]

It's always been an open engine, except for Dragon Rising/Red River, so the modders will go nuts, again. I'm in.

[+JediMaster]

From what I hear, people have already taken Arma 2 stuff and put it into A3 Alpha. Islands, units, you name it.

 

You can focus on what the weapons and vehicles are, but that's a rather narrow view. A bit like saying you never were willing to try Bioshock because you don't like the ocean.

[+streakeagle]

Would I have ever bought SF2 if the core aircraft were the F-22 and F-35? The only flight sim I have ever owned that came with the F-22 was Jane's USAF. What aircraft did I fly almost exclusively in Jane's USAF despite a rather nice selection of modern US aircraft? The F-4 and F-105. You may not care what 3d model is involved in your shooter game as long as it is fun, has good graphics, and decent AI... But the only shooter I have ever bought is OFP/ArmA series since it was the only one that provided a game engine that supported the only hardware/setting I liked for shooting: M-16s and AK-47s. The M60A3 and AH-1 Cobras were icing on the cake :) I have very specific interests. I never tried Bioshock (or any of the other blockbuster FPS games) because it wasn't in a Cold War setting with M-16s and AK-47s. All I have ever wanted PC sims to do is replace my old Cold War/Third World War board games that were set in the 1950s-1980s. My interest in flight extends to all aircraft, but with a focus on combat aircraft, and preferably the Cold War era aircraft. So, I am a lot more flexible on which flight sims I buy. DCS barely fell into my area of interest and only the imminent release of the MiG-21 pulled me into to buying it.

 

I was very disappointed when OFP2/ArmA abandoned the announced Vietnam setting. The future setting of ArmA 3 is a total turn off to me. Even if I eventually buy it, I will never play any of the stock missions, much less the campaign. My sole interest would be to mod it back to the era of M-16s and AK-47s. If I had any interest at all in the "futuristic" settings, I would have bought any and all other games supporting them. I don't own any revision of Ghost Recon, Call of Duty, Battlefield series, Call of Duty, or Medal of Honor series. OFP/ArmA/ArmA2 is unique--the only shooter game to capture my otherwise aviation focused interest.

 

I love 1980 Corvettes. Modern Corvettes are better in every possible way. But I still prefer 1980 Corvettes. Does it make sense for me to buy a modern Corvette, strip it down to a frame, and mod it to look and drive like a 1980 Corvette when I already have a 1980 Corvette? Is my view "narrow" because what I am looking for in a shooter game is different than you? Or the masses that think Arma2 is just the name of the game engine you need to play DayZ? I have never installed DayZ and never will. I simply have no interest in playing a zombie sim no matter how "realistic" or "fun" it is. Shooting sci-fi zombies isn't how I want to spend my time. Nor is fighting a war in 2030 with ultramodern hardware. What I would really like is the original OFP game with the content updated to match the ArmA 3 engine... I already have the mod to do so with ArmA 2. But the mods are done by volunteers for free and never quite match the stock Bohemia quality. I would like to see Bohemia direct the modders to meet their standards or even provide such an addon themselves... that would get me to buy 8 copies of ArmA 3 to replace my 8 copies of OFP/Resistance. and my 3 copies of ArmA 2.

 

But developers looking for profits aren't looking to make me happy. I am too small a niche customer. It is almost a miracle that the SFP1 series and OFP series showed up to exactly match my hardware/setting preferences. The miracle is over. Third Wire has gone mobile and Bohemia has gone "Modern Warfare".

[Cali]

This looks really good, I love Arma II

[+Stary]

It's always been an open engine, except for Dragon Rising/Red River, so the modders will go nuts, again. I'm in.

different engines TH,

as being currently far from Thinrdwire titles (sad panda) downloading and will give it a try

[+Stary]

bummer it's payware... invitations only

[TeargasHorse]

Stary, Arma 3 is a closed engine, or OFP DR/RR is closed, which it is because it was made for consoles?

[+Stary]

I meant the OFP DR uses theirs (Codemasters) own engine from that car racing title I can't recollect the name, adopted for warfare simulation. I think Red River engine is a evolution of it.

 

Arma series uses their (BiS) own Virtual Reality engine since first Flashpoint, as it evolved through the years.

 

Arma3 will be moddable, and as a side note I'll add there were some neat tweaks to OFP Dragon Rising made after the official patching stopped, making the gameplay much better with conquer the island singleplayer modes etc, been few years though since I played it. Haven't checked on Red River moddability

[TeTeT]

I have two keys for arma 3 lite on steam to give away, drop me a PM if interested. First come, first serve.