Played the demo. First thing I noticed:
Splash Screens layout is the same since Operation Flashpoint. Engine Copyrights: 1999-2009. Basically the hardcoded engine itself has not been modified. Only textures have been improved since ArmA and updated with eyecandy like particle effects. Basically some Direct X7 layout with different map textures for night and day. Static Object shadows are pre-computed and have been added to the map textures to improve performance. Accordingly there is no night and day change, the sky is static. Multiplayer-mode of the Demo reveals nothing really new. Looks like Developers counted on the community to advance multiplayer-modes like Warfare.
Also the AI is still the same as 2001. Played a mission and followed my squadleader into combat. Squadleader is advancing forward leaving his men behind, but is waiting for the player. Accordingly it is up to the player now to make the squadleader wait for the rest of his men. Standard expression: "Where are you?" Vehicles are still loosing track of the road at waypoints, getting stuck at obstacles. The game retaliates on the developers for not improving the hardcoded engine or AI itself. Instead of improving the AI, the worst waypoints on roads have been mitigated by re-arranging the road according to the runs that AI controlled vehicles are taking when following waypoints. This makes road layouts look more unrealistic, with the roads trailing the scenery like mathematical vectors. The HUD font size have been increased, giving the impression of playing on 800x600 while actually playing on greater resolutions. Ironsights are still less usable than the 2D Crosshair, accordingly crosshair is the first choice. Overall, the game appears to be gaudy.
Sounds are ok, speech is worse than ever. Example: "Enemy Soldier, 2 hours, south-west of my position." What the heck happened to the good old expressions like "Enemy soldier, 2 o'Clock, 50 meters."? Seems like the game has been synchronized by a gospel choir. Soundmod required.
Usage of hardware itself has not changed. The game is hungry for processor memory and harddrive speed, video performane depends on the setting. Recording footage with fraps still forces the framerate to drop intensively, as fraps is still making huge use of CPU and the harddrive itself.
Honestly, I wonder what happened to guy who hardcoded the engine. He seems to be lost since Operation Flashpoint. What happened to him? Lost in a traffic accident? Drunk himself to death? Developing great engines for other developers? Without tweaking the core of the engine itself, the rest of the developing team can only fix textures, map layout and softcoded gameplay elements. And that is what they are doing. Though ten years after the development of the engine, it is outdated and screams for an update. No wonder they did not find a publisher for a game with an engine that had seen better days. And no wonder the current publisher rushed the release, hoping to make some money with the game as long as the engine is still half-decent and presentable.
After all, "...one of the most ambitious videogames ever made..." is on a strong decline towards meaninglessness. Ten years ago one could easily connive at the weak details, honouring the overall concept of the game. Nowadays all I see right away are the details that annoyed me before, which I cannot miss any longer, not being equalized by an innovative concept of the game itself anymore.
Installing now, more to come in a few days.
Charming: OFP
Not charming at all: ArmA2
