Michal Harangozó from Bohemia Interactive Studios has informed us about [b new interview and Military Company showcase trailer [/b] releases.
... the video trailer looks amazing depicting the various weather conditions and new gameplay elements due to the terrain disparity (not as much usual in previous Arma 2 titles)... .
Marek Spanel, Bohemia's CEO comments "This new terrain demonstrates the genuine diversity offered by Arma 2's environments, including detailed features like deep ditches and craters. It may not be as vast as our other, massive maps, but it has been crafted with care and precision - and offers a distinctive set of new gameplay possibilities."
Extracts from Interview with Bohemia Interactive's Brno Studio, Lead Artist David Zapletal :
Proving Grounds Questions
Arma 2: Private Military Company (PMC) introduced a new environment to the Armaverse, the 'Proving Grounds'. What was the concept and inspiration behind this work?
Dave: PMC's Proving Grounds initially started as something of a 'proving grounds' for learning new techniques associated with the creation of environments - it's the first map created entirely by the Brno team. Once we learned that the PMC DLC required an environment depicting a secret military testing facility in North-west Takistan, we knew that - with some creative endeavour - we could to re-work our prototype terrain into a spectacular playable environment. Based upon the requirements, we wished to create something with more of a desolate feeling, as compared to the usual environments to be found in our games.
We drew inspiration from photos of an abandoned military airfield in Milovice, gathered pictures from several post-apocalyptic LARP games organized by one of our designers and were influenced by some other sources that we liked, such as the recent film, The Road (2009). We like the aesthetic of the creepy abandoned military bases, industrial complexes and suburban brown-fields, and this passion is really evident in PMC's Proving Grounds. The feel of an abandoned place is well used in the new PMC campaign, 'Black Gauntlet', which happened to require such a place to exist somewhere in Takistan.
What's new in version 1.7.1 · SQM / SQF now export absolute altitude of objects. This function requires a modified Visitor3 import script provided with the application. · Added the ability to rename a forest color name to reflect the object type that the color will contain. · Added more objects images to template object list (vegetation) [by ZeroG] · Added a lot of new objects from Summerplants 1.0 [by Bushlurker]
[ADO]Old Bear has released an updated Tropica v0.81 island on our Forums. Now Tropica is a CO maps, ArmA2 and ArmA2 : Arrowhead needed.
v0.81 This version is a CO version. Changelog: - Added OA building in place of ArmA2 buidings , - Added OA objects, - Removed from the map a big green bush model allowing AI to fire through without been seen, - Modified ground texture to fit better OA building, - Modified config. - Removed a misplaced palm trees and bushes heap .
kju has released some MapReplacement Tweaks on pvpscene.net.
PvPscene Tweaks: MapReplacement (Gameplay)
To open the map replacement press shift/alt/ctrl plus the "map" key action. By default most easy to do by right alt and M.
Benefits * Instantly visible and instantly closed * No forced kneel down animation
Features * Remembers the zoom level and position from the last use * Shows direction if compass is available (top center middle) * Shows height if GPS is available (left center middle) * Shows grid cords if GPS is available (right center middle) * Available in vehicles at any position * Only available if map item in the inventory * Uses special .ext settings if defined (showGPS/showCompass/showMap)
The satellite texture has full coloring too and remains even when zoomed out. Watch the ImageShack slideshow to see the changes in a before-after comparison (single pictures).
The complete map view looks good and gives good insights into the terrain (single pictures). (PS: imageshack degrades the quality drastically - looks very sharp and colored ingame)
As part of the upcoming Combined Operations version of Invasion 1944 we'll be including new infantry units on both sides of the conflict!
First up the Waffen SS modelled by Jojimbo and textured by Rebus, we've finally had time to eliminate the issues that prevented these guys from the initial release, you can see them here with the MG42 and RPzB43 which Vex_man has been polishing. Also Macolik has been working on a replacement launcher animation so keep an eye out for an update on that soon!
As some of you may have heard Yac has also kindly provided us with his US Airborne troops which we now have ingame, and they go alongside Guy's new folding stock M1 Carbine really well!
Canukausiuka has been hard at working converting weapons over so those with ranging abilities can now be zero'd using the PgUp and PgDn keys (by default), grenades and satchels are also working. He's slowly been picking away at the bugs listed on Dev-Heaven and one by one they are being eliminated.
Keep an eye out for further updates for more news on new content (features, units, maps) which we hope to bring into Invasion 1944 for Combined Operations.
EMSI from CSLA Mod has informed us about ČSLA WIP infos and screenshots release on the BI Forums.
CSLA (Czechoslovak People's Army) Brand new models of powerfull MiG-29A Fulcrum will be also included in the initial release. The model was completely reworked (from the ArmA1) with many improovements as are for example functional flaps/covers for the air intakes of turbines. Those are closed when the plane is taxiing on the runway. In this moment the small intakes on the upper side are opened as secondary air intake for the turbines. Once the plane takes off those secondary intakes are closed and main intakes under fuselage are opened as in the reality when the plane want to start from the field runway.
AFMC (Armed Forces of the Midland Coalition) As the AFMC is the small coalition of few countries, each country have own budget for the armory. From this reason you can see in this alliance mainly US and UK arsenal as are for example Land Rovers, rifles FN FAL, APCs M113, Blackhawks with Littlebirds and AH-1T Cobras. Now you may see also first plane for the AFMC alliance - A-10 Thunderbolt II known as the "Warthog". This plane is main opponent for the ČSLA planes as are L-39ZA Albatros and Su-25K Frogfoot. AFMC doesn't have now any proper plane as to be opponent for the czechoslovak MiG-29A Fulcrum, but ...
FIA And when we are presenting the new planes for the ČSLA and AFMC factions, let me please you to present also the plane for the FIA. It's well known Antonov An-2 which was in Chernarusia used for the personal cargo and in farming. Rebels from FIA has in their rows also few people which were in the civilian life pilots. So now they can provide some observations over the Chernarusian woods and they can also use those An-2 (known as "Andula") for carry out any supplies etc. But the number of those planes is limited of course.
Last but not least ... the small whisper about what can be released later in some upcoming patch. On the screen below you can see only a part of ****. So, stay tuned for later news.
... and for those who don't understand to our joke with bunker, here are original screens:
We've been busy expanding the Air Forces available in Invasion 1944, to start with here's some WIP shots of Vex-man's wonderful new Ju-52\3m.
Next up we've got some great news, CSJ and Yac have kindly allowed us to include their units from 'The Few' to bolster both sides plane rosters, as well new pilot models for each faction. Here's a peak at a few (heh) of them for those unfamiliar with the mod.
Keep you eyes peeled for more news updates over the next few days!
D@VŁ released his Dangerous Designs SLA Pack R.3 on our Forums. ArmA2 or Combined Operations needed.
For those wondering, "Dangerous Designs" is my new 'front' for releasing addons, the whole 'HSO' thing was really just a tag to prevent conflicts... ("Sulphuric Acid Studios" sounds kinda dumb, especially considering I don't have any kind of studio!)
Anywhos, here's Release 3, R3 has been optimized for operation arrowhead (but can still be used with vanilla ArmA.2), other than that, it's very similar to R2-P. (What happened to R2? Well, the preliminary release didn't have as many bugs as expected, so there wasn't really any need!)
Why did it take so long? Well... I'm quite good at procrastinating...
Additions of Note: -Almost all textures redone (the only textures that haven't been changed since R2 are desert vehicles) -Thermal Imaging Textures (OA users only) -Backpacks (OA users only) -AN2 and BTR60 in both woodland and desert schemes (OA users only) -Interchangeable configs for both vanilla ArmA.2 and Combined Ops
waterhiro has sent us an early beta test version of his District9-Mech addon.
This is beta-test version. Please Enjoy. This have some bugs,still
Shift+ < or > Leaning, W + W Sprint. mouse < or > Turn. A Walk left. D Walk right. X Stand up Z Lying Whill mouse bouton: Select smoke-mod and Ghost(Stealth) mod