So what’s the big deal about MP? Wonder how many simply play SP?

[BeerHunter 0]

There must be thousands (??) of ArmA2 owners who never go online but simply enjoy the game in SP mode. If their experiences are anything like mine, they don’t venture online very often.

So far I’ve tried 5 servers that ping <100 to me a few times and the odd time I’ve found anyone else on them all they wanted to do was take off somewhere, fly, drive, shoot or blow things up. They didn’t even respond to typed in text messages for the most part (just in case they didn’t have VON on).

Not a hope in hell of trying to organize any type of game there.

I know there are servers out there that offer post- pubescent game play but the ones I know about (ie TG) ping in the high 100’s to low 200’s and others are run by “tribes†(clans??) who promise mature game play .I really don’t have the time to be bothered with a clan nor do I wish to be subordinate and do silly things like “salute†or say “sir†to a virtual ranking officer who got his rank simply because he joined the group early and assigned it to himself.

And I REALLY don’t want to have to rely on TS , Ventro etc. for communications.

Don’t mind taking orders, learnt how to do that during my tenure, but when I saluted and said “yes SIR†it was to an officer I knew (or at least assumed :p) he/she had at least SOME tactical and strategy training.

So, I’m not overly enthralled with online MP. If I want to run around shooting things there are plenty of other FPS’s out there that offer a fast, shoot ‘em up atmosphere and can be loads of fun. Actually more fun than ArmA2 if you want to play that way.

SP on the other hand, especially with the new AI , the editor and some custom downloaded scenarios, is phenomenal for the most part. Sure the AI have their problems sometimes but my god, after my few online experiences, they aren’t anywhere near as bad (dumb) as a lot of human online players. They at least follow orders , you can set up a firing line ,converge your fire , call in support (there’s always an AI wiling to oblige for the most part) etc. etc.

Maybe later on this fall I’ll try MP somewhere online again. There MUST be a group of like minded individuals out there SOMEWHERE who want to play ArmA2 the way it was meant to be played, not how so many other FPS’s are played.

I obviously haven’t found them yet though.:confused:

For the time being though, nothing like an early morning romp through the woods with your virtual buddies looking for the bad guys (and hoping that random tank you created in the editor hasn’t appeared because you forgot to assign one of your squad members a HAT weapon). :eek:

[mattxr 9]

i thought it was the other way around, most people come to play online and nothing else :)

[TRexian 0]

:)

I tend to agree oh Hunter of Beer, although my experience with runnin'-gunnin' types on public servers isn't quite like yours. I tend to play SP almost exclusively. The few times I have done MP, it has mostly been with guys I know and we all have an attitude similar to yours. :)

Have you seen the vids from Briggs from 6th Sense at Youtube? Search for Briggsil and it should bring him up. It sounds like that might be a good group for you to get in with. The comms are not military-doctrine type strict, and I think they have games going alot of the time.

The TS/Ventrilo thing is also something that holds me back a bit. I tend to be available at times when the kids are asleep. The idea of them waking up to, "Tango down, motherfucker" is not appealing. ;) :)

[BeerHunter 0]

i thought it was the other way around, most people come to play online and nothing else :)

Might be.. I really don't know... only assuming :rolleyes:

[froggyluv 2130]

SP all the way for me.

I've had maybe 4-5 really fun experiences online with Arma1, but they were rare. Most of the time the game devolves into a bunch of egos which ruins immersion for me more than any game bug.

[hamm 10]

Basically to have a good tactical experience online you need to be a part of certain communities. ShackTactical, TacticalGamer, 6th Sense and ArmAGoons are some of those.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Hamm

[-ASA-ODEN 0]

..be available at times when the kids are asleep. The idea of them waking up to, "Tango down, motherfucker" is not appealing. ;) :)

haha T-Rex.

My oldest complained on "Cowboy 1 3 enganged defensive" and such.

One just need to remember to close their bedroom doors. :p

To stay on topic, yes I too prefer SP but more as Solo MP hosting myself a passworded server, mainly due to irrational behaviour from online players.

I guess MP only comes golden in a closed community.

[rmcrob 10]

SP-only for me. So far, at least.

[BeerHunter 0]

Basically to have a good tactical experience online you need to be a part of certain communities. ShackTactical, TacticalGamer, 6th Sense and ArmAGoons are some of those.

I know and have looked at these groups (was actually a supporting member of TG for a while there).

Shacktactical requires too much of a time commitment , TG's ArmA2 server pings too high (>250 most of the time)..the others I'm not familiar with.

Agree that a closed server with a few well known friends is the ideal if you want MP.

[Smooov 10]

http://www.tacticalgamer.com/armed-assault/ They have passworded servers so the CoD noobs dont jump on,tactical/team work oriented missions and sunday events.There are 2 servers,One for Coop and 1 for TVT.To get the passwords you just need to login to the forums.TS is availible but since VON is fixed its not being used as much.All missions have a chain of command

[krycek 349]

I enjoy mp but I'm an sp player most of the time.Unlike OFP and Arma 1,Arma 2 still has some big problems with AI driving and AI flying.

[vasmkd 12]

I play in editor mostly with some SP scenarios and a little bit of the campaign has only been touched so far from me

I only went online 3-4 times so far

[dmarkwick 261]

I play SP almost exclusively too. I only ever do MP to test stuff out before release. Although I have not too much interest in MP play, the addons we make have to be MP friendly :)

[bangtail 0]

There must be thousands (??) of ArmA2 owners who never go online but simply enjoy the game in SP mode. If their experiences are anything like mine, they don’t venture online very often.

So far I’ve tried 5 servers that ping <100 to me a few times and the odd time I’ve found anyone else on them all they wanted to do was take off somewhere, fly, drive, shoot or blow things up. They didn’t even respond to typed in text messages for the most part (just in case they didn’t have VON on).

Not a hope in hell of trying to organize any type of game there.

I know there are servers out there that offer post- pubescent game play but the ones I know about (ie TG) ping in the high 100’s to low 200’s and others are run by “tribes†(clans??) who promise mature game play .I really don’t have the time to be bothered with a clan nor do I wish to be subordinate and do silly things like “salute†or say “sir†to a virtual ranking officer who got his rank simply because he joined the group early and assigned it to himself.

And I REALLY don’t want to have to rely on TS , Ventro etc. for communications.

Don’t mind taking orders, learnt how to do that during my tenure, but when I saluted and said “yes SIR†it was to an officer I knew (or at least assumed :p) he/she had at least SOME tactical and strategy training.

So, I’m not overly enthralled with online MP. If I want to run around shooting things there are plenty of other FPS’s out there that offer a fast, shoot ‘em up atmosphere and can be loads of fun. Actually more fun than ArmA2 if you want to play that way.

SP on the other hand, especially with the new AI , the editor and some custom downloaded scenarios, is phenomenal for the most part. Sure the AI have their problems sometimes but my god, after my few online experiences, they aren’t anywhere near as bad (dumb) as a lot of human online players. They at least follow orders , you can set up a firing line ,converge your fire , call in support (there’s always an AI wiling to oblige for the most part) etc. etc.

Maybe later on this fall I’ll try MP somewhere online again. There MUST be a group of like minded individuals out there SOMEWHERE who want to play ArmA2 the way it was meant to be played, not how so many other FPS’s are played.

I obviously haven’t found them yet though.:confused:

For the time being though, nothing like an early morning romp through the woods with your virtual buddies looking for the bad guys (and hoping that random tank you created in the editor hasn’t appeared because you forgot to assign one of your squad members a HAT weapon). :eek:

A lot of people (like myself) play exclusively on private servers with a select group of people. I have been doing this since the early days of OFP.

I've taken the password off the server in the past and I've regretted it. Now I don't even announce it on the Web (and I know I am not alone).

The quality of today's online player, whether it be in MMO, FPS or "insert your genre", is utterly dismal.

Bottom line, plenty of people play MP, just not publically.

Eth

[trickster1982 10]

I only play single player too, I've dipped into multiplayer a couple of times but all it did was remind me of why I stopped playing battlefield 2 (which I loved till most servers became clogged with abusive, teamkilling, vehicle hogging teenagers with awful attitudes, or all the hackers & aimbots etc)

Ive had some great experiences in single player, theres some really good missions ive downloaded from these forums such as "operation enable sky" which i just keep coming back to! In single player mode I can sit studying the mission map to work out my tactics, and i can observe the enemy before attacking, whereas in multiplayer everyone just seems to be aimlessly running or driving around until they find something to shoot at

[BeerHunter 0]

Glad to see others feel the same way about MP as I do. :cool:

[Jaenus 10]

Howdy Beer -

I totally understand your frustration; I share it.

I play with a really small group of guys, we use our own vent and play, mostly only CTI servers, generally Benny's script on the XR servers.

There are a lot of kids around who never want to realize their full potential.

I see a lot of people ONLY flying, or asking to be a gunner for someone else. THIS ISN'T BATTLEFIELD.

We have the potential to command 13 additional guys, yet some people would rather go at it alone, not commanding anyone and not helping others.

I will say that I've found some players on the XR servers interested in team play and will, if communicated with, assist you or offer air or artillery support.

So I generally don't play ARMA 2 unless I have at least one friend with me - that makes the game oh-so enjoyable.

Drop me a PM if you're interested in possibly joining up with us sometime.

---

Edit: I do notice that you dislike the use of TS or Vent for comms and while I understand, what communications do soldiers use in battle? Surely you can agree that typing in the heat of battle isn't practical, and I can admit it's the last thing I'm reading when I'm getting shot at. So just consider vent or TS like a radio. If the issue is that you don't like to talk, well that's fine, it's just mostly important that you listen. I've tried typing out complex battle plans and tactics before but it doesn't work as well as using vent; VON quality is horrible, so I don't even bother.

Lastly, you comment about servers with pings LESS than 100 ... good luck! XR servers ping at about 180 for me and I'm in California. The ping is rarely an issue. Remember, ping of 180 means that it takes .180 seconds for information to be relayed. Think you can compensate for that? :P

The issue I have with servers like TG and ST is, like said, they require a lot of extra effort and time. I also dislike having to salute some kid who's never served in any real military. I did 3 years in the Army and it'll be a cold day in hell before I'm saluting some e-Captain in some clan who joined up a week before me, is 15 years old and wouldn't know tactics if it bit him on his ass.

Perhaps if you're willing to try using vent and play on a server with slightly higher ping you'll find you enjoy it more, as it DOES increase your chances of finding people you enjoy playing with.

Just a thought.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Jaenus

[Scrub 0]

Well, you said pretty much the result of your efforts. Public, without a leader (you said you don't want to be subordinated) and yet somehow want to wrangle a concensus you're happy with.. Good luck without actively inviting/recruiting others in the game with you.

Ever ask "who's doing what?" and lead from behind (get your mind out of the gutter ;) )? I find the more that I support someone, even people I don't know, the more they ask my opinion of what to do, and we end up doing it together. Then before you know it, you have 3-4 gravitating toward you from all the chatter of action going on, looking to help out. Then most of the server is doing a combined ops/taxi/resupply and things click. When next I see them online, we just fall in and get to 'work'.

It takes care and effort. It takes motivation and communication - for those of you against VON, I highly recommend mic'ed headphones. There is absolutely no compairison between verbal communications and typed when the shit hits the fan (and with headphones, you can listen to 'shit' with your 7yo daughter sitting right next to you :) ) Had some very tight missions, called down CAS in a moment, and even corrected left as the rockets started flying.. Can't have that experience with a keyboard.

Sorry, in short: Lead by example.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Scrub

[desertjedi 3]

And I REALLY don’t want to have to rely on TS , Ventro etc. for communications....There MUST be a group of like minded individuals out there SOMEWHERE who want to play ArmA2 the way it was meant to be played, not how so many other FPS’s are played.

Wow BeerHunter, it was almost painful reading your post. I'm in a sort of similar situation. I don't have a lot of gaming time, the time I do have is erratic and I can't really use voice comms. But unlike some of the peeps in this thread, I know just how phenomenal MP gaming can be with a "committed" group. Actually, there's nothing like it. If you play with an experienced team leader it can be fantastic.

I think the trap peeps are falling into is judging MP by going on public servers. That's a really poor way to judge Arma MP gameplay. Really, the only way to enjoy MP Arma is, as been posted countless times and even by you yourself, is to play with a bunch of guys who are committed to serious, tactical gameplay.

[SASrecon 0]

I think Benny's warfare would be a nice game for you, the host name is XR....

In this gamemode anyone can do as they please, work as a team taking cities or work stealthily and independently trying to find and destroy the enemy base, this map is imo ARMA2 at its best as you can use any mode of transport, use any weapon and the limiting factor is money and supply points which mean the game is very even and balanced, i play online just to play this =)

I don't gain vary much satisfaction in playing in the editor/campaign and killing masses of AIs although it has to be said, the AI can sometimes be very hard to beat.

[Jaenus 10]

I think Benny's warfare would be a nice game for you, the host name is XR....

In this gamemode anyone can do as they please, work as a team taking cities or work stealthily and independently trying to find and destroy the enemy base, this map is imo ARMA2 at its best as you can use any mode of transport, use any weapon and the limiting factor is money and supply points which mean the game is very even and balanced, i play online just to play this =)

I don't gain vary much satisfaction in playing in the editor/campaign and killing masses of AIs although it has to be said, the AI can sometimes be very hard to beat.

Exactly.

Again, it might be over your 100 ping 'limit,' Beer, but all in all I think if you can put that aside you'll really like the server ....assuming you can ever GET ON IT! (Don't mind me, been trying to get on for 30 minutes...)

[kylania 567]

There's three types of ways to play:

SP only - currently buggy, so people might think it's crap and there's no hope. (This kind of includes MP Co-op campaign too) Really hope these people find a good unit or server to play on should they try MP.

MP Organized - either in a unit or in the rare servers which have a community that plays together even if not in a unit. Best way to play most times.

MP Crap - CL, pub servers, lots of symbols in people's names, which is sadly what most people run into right away.

Oh, and for people who want to protect their precious snowflakes from bad language, if you think your kids aren't already using worse words at school you need to pay more attention. :) Some of the filthiest stuff I've heard was from 6th graders walking past my window after getting off the bus. heh

[frag 0]

I exclusively play SP. But I venture in MP from time to time with few friends on LAN party … but never publically.

For me, the most important feature of Arma 2 is the mission editor, the scripting capabilities and the tools that keep the community on its toes for new stuff delivered by anyone. Without this, the life of that game would be very short.

It is why I do not have much expectation for Dragon Rising (OFP2) …for me it will be just another shooter. Arma2 is sandbox game that will keep us happy for years.

[boneboys 0]

There's three types of ways to play:

SP only - currently buggy, so people might think it's crap and there's no hope. (This kind of includes MP Co-op campaign too) Really hope these people find a good unit or server to play on should they try MP.

MP Organized - either in a unit or in the rare servers which have a community that plays together even if not in a unit. Best way to play most times.

MP Crap - CL, pub servers, lots of symbols in people's names, which is sadly what most people run into right away.

Four...

Those that have more than an interesting time in the Editor. Some of which publish their works and many that do not.

[Tongeh 10]

while the singleplayer has its own draw... i find the game really comes into its own in multiplayer. Either a group of mates, some beers, comms, and some trick co-op missions to try and crack, fail, laugh about it, plan again, rinse repeat.. tis excellent..

however.. try MP arma2 in 'all its glory' - 100 or so likeminded peeps, no pickup groups, no tards (well maybe the odd one but they dont last) a command/unit structure, objectives, 3hr weekly battles, silly banter on comms.. you can't beat it!

www.cfarma2.com

beta campaign is nearing final stages. first campaign proper is weeks away.. you'll thank me later ;)