Anyone else is afraid what ArmA III is going to do to the addons scene?

[Altimeter]

We all know giant mods like during OFP-times cant be done anymore, one single tank for ArmA II takes more effort then 50 addons for Operation Flashpoint, mainly due to the texturing.

Big mods like the Invasion 44 couldnt be released for ArmA, instead got ported for ArmA II, and in all likelyhood will be ported again for ArmA III.
Why should Addon makers bother for ArmA III to even start? The time the mod community starts rolling, the next game is due for release anyway.

Look at the addons that have been released, 90% are ArmA I or even OFP ports, or the infamous "Special Forces Reskins".


Is there any way BIS could steer against that? Release more powerful / easier mod tools?

[Soul_Assassin]

mainly due to the texturing

errr, texturing is probably the only thing that remained the same :s

[Altimeter]

errr, texturing is probably the only thing that remained the same :s

RVMATs and Shaders in OFP, are you kidding?

In OFP you got yourself a texture from somewhere, painted in on your addon and it looked at least "ok" ingame. Not possible anymore

[Ballistic09]

Big mods like the Invasion 44 couldnt be released for ArmA

errr, you're not picking very good supporting evidence...

[W0lle]

It's a fact that development takes way too long if you want bug free and decent models. As ArmA2 was released we were barely ready with CWR1, and by the look of it it will be the same when A3 is going to be released.

And honestly, I'm tired of working on a Mod every day for years, literally doing nothing else besides that with the game just to start over again when the next title is pushed out and then repeat with the next title.

[Fox '09]

No, the community has to change. Especially with characters - either you learn to do something original or you stay.

Development time doesn't have too much to do with the configging etc in my experiences, it's the actual making of the models etc. It's all a lengthy process, especially if you do it from scratch. the only time one would spend most of their time 'texturing' would probably be people who retexture, which sounds exactly opposite of what you are asking


Teams spend years working on their addons. It's useless to whine about how X mod didn't get into Y game before Z game came out. most people who think like that truely don't care what they say so long as they get the addon faster and suited to them. The teams can't win, it's either release it for arma 2 first and get annoyed till no end about arma 3, or work on arma 3 version and receive all the comments on why they should make it for an earlier revision of the game.

Personally, I work without the thought of games. I will release my addons for whatever game I am playing them with. If I like them in arma 3 better than arma 2 then I will release in arma 3, and it's as simple as that. It's a waste of time to reconfigure and fix for two games. If people want my addons then they have to buy the game that its for. Sure, people will whine about it. They always will and always have.

I know i sound like a pessimist but i truly believe the above is true. a large part of the community is those who demand and ask. It's a waste of time to give those people credibility when making decisions on what to create addons for.

[ProfTournesol]

It's a fact that development takes way too long if you want bug free and decent models. As ArmA2 was released we were barely ready with CWR1, and by the look of it it will be the same when A3 is going to be released.

And honestly, I'm tired of working on a Mod every day for years, literally doing nothing else besides that with the game just to start over again when the next title is pushed out and then repeat with the next title.

That's why i stick to OFP. Plus some lazzyness

[Laqueesha]

To the OP:

[NodUnit]

If an addon has been completed for A2 when A3 rolls around, or some time into A3 then it's possible that it may get imported, supposedly all that would be needed is perhaps some work in O2 for selections and configing, the model and texture as well as the set config would be the finished.

A1 had a long slow down because it introduced shaders that many were not familiar with, A2 had a similar experience mainly in how to use rvmats, unless another major thing comes up I doubt it will take as long to take off.

You have to ask yourself though, what drives you, is it to your content in a game, is it to see something you want to see in the game, is it to see what can be done with the engine when you push it and work around it's limits?

[W0lle]

The same was said about A1 -> A2

It obviously wasn't that easy, else many Mods wouldn't fight with models and configs until this day. And I doubt that adding ragdoll effects to units and PhysX compatibility is a matter of 'import and save' and add a few lines to a config.