Major issue with multiplayer

[MARINExCOMMANDO]

Pulverizer hit the nail on the head with the idea of putting the basic servers first and then getting to the more complex servers. I started Playin A2 a year ago and still find it a little duanting trying to get the correct mods for multiplayer. Can't wait for A3

[Beagle]

Just today I had an encounter that left me facepalming about MP in ArmA.
On WASP server the mission modder thought it to be a good idea to give EAST armour more strenght...5 player shot 6 NLAW at a T-90 but the sucker drove on killing all...this happened on two maps in two sessions...the change onyl affect OPFOR...this is when you loose the interest in ArmA MP.

The cheat was confimed by all BLUFOR players.
What's next, bulletproof An-2 with KH-29?

Whenever I join a public vanille server I should find a vanilla game with vanilla units, not everything modded to the Admins or Clans liking.
Do that on your passworded servers and or give a WARNING: CHEAT Edition.

Im back into playing campaing with my friends in privacy:

[Dekster]

I think multiplayer would be way more fun if hit in torso or head equaled dead.
Someone making a dash to cross the street, you hit him once, he can continue and knows your position. It's just awfull.

Same goes for many other situations where in real life the other guy would have died and you could continue in stead of him (try) killing you.

[Norsu]

A valid issue Norsu, but your solution would be way too extreme IMO. I would do like TF2.

Only show 100% standard servers (be it missions or mods) on the 1st page of server browser. The major problem is that this would require a variety of official MP missions that don't suck, with PvP and everything. Perhaps allow mission wizard games too on this list.

Then of course have another separate tab that only shows all the mod and addon using servers, and all the cool kids with their crazy evolution, domination, citylife missions and such that might not be the first thing a newbie wants to see.

That's a fine idea. Good to see this topic is producing opinions on the matter. Whatever solution BIS comes up with I hope they understand how open their multiplayer world truly is and how that becomes problematic without management.

Maybe mission editor could tag any non-standard missions and place them away from the default category. Big mods like ACE could create their own tab to further improve mission filtering. Also addons & mods shouldn't be shown just as mod folders. Smaller addons can be placed into whatever folder you want which further complicates things. Sometimes I see servers with odd folder names or sometimes the well known mod folder simply contains more addons than I expected.

[Tonci87]

A Filer Option to show only vanilla servers would be a good idea

[Sickboy]

Servers with mods that you dont run already show up Orange or Red right? Aren't they already sorted?
Just is a problem of server admins who feel they should put mods/addons in the official game addons folder.

Otherwise I think these are valid points:

• BIS should provide better and more MP modes/missions out of the box
• Server Browser should be improved, modded servers at the end or so
• Integration with mod distribution tools like Six Updater. This is being discussed

Removing or reducing modding might seem like a good solution for the public part, but not for the actual fans, so I vote for improving it, and integrating with solutions like Six Updater.

The thought of having ingame mod downloading must´ve died by now, since we all know that no gameserver will stand 3-5 people downloading ACE Mod for instance at the same time ...

That's why Six Updater comes with a large world wide official mirror network with lots of Mods on it, the network will hopefully increase even more with community servers, official servers, and in the near future also Peer2Peer ala Bittorrent.
Besides you can still host a custom repo with mods / versions to your likings, and its not required to run it from the same server, you can host it anywhere you want on as many mirrors you want.
Lastly the answer to keeping your server playable if you would also host a mirror on it is bandwidth/traffic shaping

---------- Post added at 11:04 ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 ----------

If BIS didn't need to spend resources on download managers and making MP mod support suitable for the new players, they could spend those resources for better MP missions and stock features

Most people have specific jobs / assignments / area,
e.g a programmer generally doesnt work on missions, models or textures, and visa versa. So not spending resources on X, does not mean you have more resources to do Y.

---------- Post added at 11:05 ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 ----------

Pulverizer hit the nail on the head with the idea of putting the basic servers first and then getting to the more complex servers. I started Playin A2 a year ago and still find it a little duanting trying to get the correct mods for multiplayer. Can't wait for A3

Use Six Updater; http://www.six-updater.net/p/about.html

Additionally, if the server is specifically setup for Six Updater it is even more easy / better.
Plenty of communities are already deploying it and never want to go back

---------- Post added at 11:18 ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 ----------

Just today I had an encounter that left me facepalming about MP in ArmA.
On WASP server the mission modder thought it to be a good idea to give EAST armour more strenght...5 player shot 6 NLAW at a T-90 but the sucker drove on killing all...this happened on two maps in two sessions...the change onyl affect OPFOR...this is when you loose the interest in ArmA MP.

The cheat was confimed by all BLUFOR players.
What's next, bulletproof An-2 with KH-29?

Whenever I join a public vanille server I should find a vanilla game with vanilla units, not everything modded to the Admins or Clans liking.
Do that on your passworded servers and or give a WARNING: CHEAT Edition.

Im back into playing campaing with my friends in privacy:

So how about you follow your own advice and rent and setup a server as you expect others to set it up.

BIS must.... Server admins must ... How about what you must?
It's always other people's fault eh.

(Yes, bad English, but you get it don't you?)

[metalcraze]

I understand the need for mods, hell I've modded BIS games since 2002. But I feel that this community is often too eager to get the latest mods and concepts out and thus fragment the already niche crowd before it has a chance to become bigger. Like I said a mixed blessing.

What do people who want to use have to do with people who don't?
Yes cutting out mod support is an awesome idea that totally won't stop a lot of people from buying ArmA.
Thankfully what you suggest will not happen since BIS is not stupid to shoot itself in a leg.

Implemention of small server side mods could be another solution. This way community could make tiny (config) mods without having the players to download and manage them. Later when the community has grown and hungers for big mods, BIS should open the flood gates.

What if community wants big mods right away?
I personally know that ArmA will always be inferior to ArmA with ACE, why should I care about people who don't want to play with mods? Nobody stops them from not playing with mods you know. I mean think about it - you can actually play without mods, nobody forces you to install them. Incredible, right?
Why should I be forced to play vanilla if I don't want to?

[maionaze]

A Filer Option to show only vanilla servers would be a good idea

Indeed, vote for this feature on the ArmA 3 CIT.
I see this as a midway solution until BIS can integrate a mod downloader that will help new players.

[Norsu]

What do people who want to use have to do with people who don't?
Yes cutting out mod support is an awesome idea that totally won't stop a lot of people from buying ArmA.
Thankfully what you suggest will not happen since BIS is not stupid to shoot itself in a leg.

Once again, did you ever read my posts? I never said anything about cutting mod support, just limiting it for a while to set up a solid player base and multiplayer community that isn't dependent on private servers. BIS has shot themselves many times already with buggy releases and messy multiplayer management. Why do you think I opened this topic?

What if community wants big mods right away?
I personally know that ArmA will always be inferior to ArmA with ACE, why should I care about people who don't want to play with mods? Nobody stops them from not playing with mods you know. I mean think about it - you can actually play without mods, nobody forces you to install them. Incredible, right?
Why should I be forced to play vanilla if I don't want to?

So you really think BIS can't make a proper multiplayer game? That's one of the problems I can sometimes see in this community. Vanilla gameplay is seen already as inferior to whatever big mod comes up next. I sure hope BIS doesn't think like this . Big mods take time so what's the harm in ensuring that multiplayer stays focused until decent alternatives are released by the community?

Most people have specific jobs / assignments / area,
e.g a programmer generally doesnt work on missions, models or textures, and visa versa. So not spending resources on X, does not mean you have more resources to do Y.

BIS doesn't have unlimited funds. The longer someone has to work to get multiplayer mod support right for A3 launch the more it's going to cost. I'd rather see that funding going into multiplayer gameplay and mission design.

[metalcraze]

Once again, did you ever read my posts? I never said anything about cutting mod support, just limiting it for a while to set up a solid player base and multiplayer community that isn't dependent on private servers.

And BIS games are played by 3.5 players right now right? What stops people from not playing with mods and not playing on private servers which will always remain private for their own reasons.
Limiting mod support will make most of MP community leave - didn't you think about it?

BIS has shot themselves many times already with buggy releases and messy multiplayer management. Why do you think I opened this topic?

Demagogy.

So you really think BIS can't make a proper multiplayer game?

They've made a proper MP game - a game that cater to whatever needs of the player with ease, not being a limited crap like 95% of MP shooters where people play all the time on the same 5 small boring official maps with the same 2 weapons on the same 10 servers. What you suggest is turning ArmA into shit like that.

That's one of the problems I can sometimes see in this community. Vanilla gameplay is seen already as inferior to whatever big mod comes up next. I sure hope BIS doesn't think like this . Big mods take time so what's the harm in ensuring that multiplayer stays focused until decent alternatives are released by the community?

Because mods that fix and improve things come out really fast?
BIS still didn't fix the damn loader which sits there under fire and it's been 2 years, BIS still didn't fix engine being turned on when turret is being turned - community did fixes in less than a month.

Why should people who want to play with mods be limited? How will it help the multiplayer? I for one won't play on public servers regardless of anything.

You didn't answer my question - what stops people from playing online without mods?