FROM: Project Lead
TO: Beta Users
INFO: Beta patching, MP invites, Fatigue effects
PRECEDENCE: Flash

SITUATION

Later this week we are wanting to release the first Beta patch on the main branch. There is a long list of cool updates that many of you have already seen on Development branch (a few are highlighted below). This first patch will not yet contain the bigger additions you are no doubt waiting for. As we stated before, we will stage and test those on dev branch first. This patch release is the starting signal for that deployment. We will begin with BattlEye, Workshop integration and content package #1. This package is to feature two brutal new heavy vehicles - one for BLUFOR and one for OPFOR. They both embody the firepower and logistics themes we're exploring in the Beta perfectly. Before the assets appear on the branch, we'd like to share a teaser shot of these beasts via our usual channels - stay tuned!

INTELLIGENCE

Continued efforts to leverage the Steamworks-integration have brought a few small cool features. You can now invite Steam friends into your public MP game. Those friends can accept the invites within the game and connect to whichever server you are on, without having to search the server list.

Another nice fix has been the removed need for a loading screen when closing the in-game map. You can now much quicker get back to the action after checking your position on the battlefield.

OPERATIONS

With the release of Beta and newly separated Post-Processing video options, came feedback about the blurring caused by fatigue. These effects had been in Alpha for many weeks, but it became apparent to people because they were no longer linked to any of the settings. Since the blurring causes motion sickness and head aches for some people, we feel it's important to be able to disable this type of feedback. Our first step in addressing this has been to switch to a type of blur that can be disabled via the PP options.

There is one graphical enhancement we are going to have to take out for the initial release of Arma 3. You may have noticed more use of functioning doors on vehicles while getting in and out. Unfortunately there are issues with this approach we do not have time to address (without taking away resources from more critical areas). Examples relate to doors on large shared passenger compartments and grenades thrown into vehicles. Even if we were able to correct those, we would not have time to enable it for all vehicles (their meshes are not all prepared for it). This inconsistent state is not acceptable to us and therefore we will disable the doors for release. Since it does look very cool, we hope to re-visit this post-release and do it right.

Another enhancement did finally make it in: animated fire mode selectors on personal weapons. It's a little touch to be able to see the selected mode on your weapon when looking down (especially when bullpup rifles place them in rather awkward places!), but it's cool nonetheless.

LOGISTICS

The Community Focus widget on the main Arma 3 website got refreshed with two nice fan-made Beta trailers. We also link out to our friends in the French community. Finally, there is a look at the added freedom to look around when using 6DOF head-tracking in helicopters.

Our programmers have recently had some wins in the field of optimization, but we want to be careful sharing these performance gains. As we keep saying: this is a forever ongoing effort. Just because we were able to sneak in a few extra frames per second here and there, does not mean we believe this task is done. Please also understand that there are many types of optimizations. Some are global, some relate to specific graphics hardware vendors and / or drivers, some work only in specific game scenes, some are CPU-based and some GPU-based, some relate to network traffic, etc.

FROM: Project Lead
TO: Beta Users
INFO: Beta release, content additions, BattlEye and Workshop
PRECEDENCE: Flash

SITUATION

Last Tuesday we transitioned from Arma 3 Alpha to Beta, and it went quite smoothly. This was yet another simulation of the release in Q3, letting us improve the processes. As with the Alpha release a few months back, this second major public milestone helps lift our spirits for the final sprint. We enjoy reading your positive comments and take your feedback and criticism to heart. We followed up with several days of significant changes and fixes on Development branch and will continue to do so. While we do not yet want to reveal the specific Beta additions we are planning, we think you'll be very happy to receive them. Two content packages are being readied with priority and they are both larger than the Sniper Package for Alpha.

The next couple of months are going to be a major test of our endurance. We need to support and maintain the Beta, but also prepare for the release later this year. That release comes with a lot of extra project tasks which must be done, but take away resources from in-game development. Games need rating, games need localization for various regions, the boxes need finalization, the disc-versions need a special installer and much more. Luckily we have some amazing people working with the core development team, helping with this publishing work.

INTELLIGENCE

Besides being busy with the Beta launch, the second reason for not doing a SITREP last week was the release of the next Community Guide video. In his fourth update, titled 'SITREP I', Andrew Gluck took a last look at the Alpha, ran through several community mods, and finally discussed the contents of the Beta.

We've also published another Report In! interview, this time with Quality Assurance Lead Miloslav Cinko. Read about how Arma 3 gets tested, and how Miloslav's team supports us to try for the best possible level of quality for every release.

OPERATIONS

One of the additions to the Beta was the Firing Drills challenge game mode. It's been insane seeing the record times and play through videos you've posted! This was just the first release of this mode, which will get updated with new features and of course additional drills. A key update coming as soon as possible is accuracy-based scoring. This will introduce an interesting trade off between moving through the Course of Fire quickly and scoring higher bonuses for accurate target engagements. Additionally, one of the goals for the Firing Drills is to make it possible to design an entire COF within the editor using modules, and to share it via Workshop. This is not yet possible now, and setting up a drill requires config work. Stay tuned for updates!

LOGISTICS

The two primary updates to the Beta we want to roll out on Development branch a.s.a.p. are BattlEye anti-cheat and Workshop for SP& MP scenarios. Both are being prepared now, so we can get them tested on that branch, before including them in a main branch update.

Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday 27th June 2013

Providing a SITREP of development so far, Bohemia Interactive has published a brand new video for Arma 3. The latest Community Guide explores the game’s new features, provides a recap of the Arma 3 Alpha, and looks at some of the most popular community-created content. The video concludes by demonstrating the new faction, vehicles, weapons, scenarios and challenges from the just-released Arma 3 Beta.

Together with Andrew Gluck (better known as Dslyecxi) from ShackTactical, Bohemia Interactive is creating a series of videos to explain some of the basics of Arma 3. The first video presented Arma 3’s core principles, the second video explored infantry combat, while the third Community Guide provided tips on effective multiplayer teamwork. This new SITREP video records a major milestone in Arma 3’s development as the game transitions from Alpha to Beta.

Starting with the successful Arma: Cold War Assault (originally titled Operation Flashpoint*: Cold War Crisis) in 2001, Arma 3 is the latest installment in Bohemia Interactive’s award-winning tactical military shooter series for PC. The Arma 3 Beta, which aims to involve players into the game’s development, features 8 showcase missions (Infantry, Vehicles, SCUBA, Helicopter, Combined Arms, Supports, Night, Commanding), 20 weapons and 18 vehicles, 4 multiplayer scenarios, 4 firing drill challenges, the powerful scenario editor and modding support. The Arma 3 Beta is located on Stratis (20 km²), while the final game will also feature the 270 km² Mediterranean island of Altis,

The Arma 3 Beta (34.99 EUR/29.99 GBP/44.99 USD) and the Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition (44.99 EUR/39.99 GBP/59.99 USD) are available for purchase from Steam and Store.bistudio.com (both include a Steam version of the full retail game upon release). The price of each edition will increase once the full and final game becomes available.

*Operation Flashpoint™ is a registered trademark of Codemasters Software Company.

Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday 25th June 2013

Supporting the development of its upcoming tactical military shooter Arma 3™, Bohemia Interactive has released the anticipated Arma 3 Beta. The Arma 3 Beta expands the game’s diversity by focusing upon heavy firepower and military logistics. Combined with the playable content from the Arma 3 Alpha, the complete package features the 20 km² island of Stratis, 20 weapons, 18 vehicles, 3 factions, 8 showcase missions, 4 multiplayer scenarios, 4 challenges, the scenario editor and modding support.

Jay Crowe, Creative Director on Arma 3, adds:
“The Beta is a big opportunity for us to involve more players in Arma 3's development and is the next step along the road towards our full release. With a variety of new singleplayer and multiplayer scenarios and a whole bunch of new sandbox content, we're looking forward to introducing players to what true combined arms combat really means in Arma 3.”





People who participated in the Arma 3 Alpha will gain access to the Arma 3 Beta by downloading the automatic update on Steam. Those who are new to Arma 3 can purchase the Arma 3 Beta (which includes the full retail game when released) from Steam or Store.bistudio.com.

Here they can choose between the regular Arma 3 Beta (34.99 EUR/29.99 GBP/44.99 USD) or the Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition (44.99 EUR/39.99 GBP/59.99 USD). Those who would like to sponsor development further, also have the option to purchase the Arma 3 Supporter Edition (69.99 EUR/59.99 GBP/91.99 USD) from Store.bistudio.com. The price of each edition will increase upon launch of the full and final game.

Arma 3 is the latest installment in Bohemia Interactive’s award-winning tactical military shooter series for PC. Set in a massive Mediterranean sandbox of over 290 km², the game will have 40+ weapons, 20+ vehicles, a wide variety of single- and multiplayer gameplay, and limitless options for content creation.

More information on Arma 3 can be found on www.arma3.com

Key Features in the Arma 3 Beta

Stratis Island
Take your first steps in Arma 3 by exploring the 20 km² island of Stratis. Navigate its rugged terrain, expansive forests and man-made airbase.

Showcases & Challenges
Enjoy a taste of Arma 3’s diverse gameplay by completing a selection of 8 showcase missions. Or run through the competitive firing drills to hone your shooting and movement skills.

Multiplayer Scenarios
Form a squad and team up to fight against your enemy in 4 co-operative multiplayer scenarios.

Vehicles & Weapons
Master air, land, and sea with the 18 vehicles featured in the Beta; choose your gear, pick from a collection of weapons, customize your loadout.

Content Creation
Start creating your own experiences with the powerful scenario editor; create mods for others to play; and join our creative community.

Revamped Engine
Navigate the battlefield with fluid new animations; feel the devastating power of combat with the upgraded sound engine, new ragdoll simulation and PhysX™-supported vehicles.

Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday 20th June 2013

Today Bohemia Interactive confirmed the 25th of June as the official release date for the Arma 3 Beta. Building upon the well-received Arma 3 Alpha, the Arma 3 Beta features a varied selection of brand new content – including 10 vehicles, 7 weapons, 4 showcase missions (Combined Arms, Supports, Commanding & Night), 2 multiplayer scenarios and 4 challenges.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Stratis (20 km²), the Arma 3 Beta turns its focus towards firepower and logistics. The Challenges game mode will also be making its first appearance, enabling players to practice their weapons handling and movement across a selection of firing drills. Plus, all of the content from the Arma 3 Alpha will be available, alongside the popular scenario editor and modding support.

Joris-Jan van ‘t Land, Project Lead on Arma 3, adds:
“Having just showed off the Beta for Arma 3 at E3 2013, we are keen to get it into gamers' hands quickly. Bringing some heavy firepower and additional transport options will allow for more diverse scenarios in both singleplayer and multiplayer. We also can't wait to open up the Steam Workshop scenario publication, which will make content-sharing with other players much more convenient.”






People who are currently participating in the Arma 3 Alpha will gain access to the Arma 3 Beta through an automatic Steam update. Those who are new to Arma 3 can join in by purchasing the Arma 3 Beta (which includes a version of the full game) from Steam or Store.bistudio.com.

The price of the Arma 3 Beta, in comparison to the Arma 3 Alpha, will be increased. The regular Arma 3 Beta will be available for 34.99 EUR/29.99 GBP/44.99 USD (current price: 24.99 EUR/19.99 GBP/32.99 USD), while the Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition will be sold for 44.99 EUR/39.99 GBP/59.99 USD (current price: 39.99 EUR/34.99 GBP/49.99 USD). Please note that the current (heavily discounted) Alpha deal, which includes Beta-access and the full game, will still be available until Tuesday June 25th.

Those who would like to sponsor development further have the option to purchase the Arma 3 Supporter Edition (69.99 EUR/59.99 GBP/91.99 USD) from Store.bistudio.com. The Arma 3 Alpha Lite, a free but limited variant of the Arma 3 Alpha, will be discontinued after June 25th.

FROM: Project Lead
TO: Alpha Users
INFO: E3 2013, video options, stream-safety
PRECEDENCE: Flash

SITUATION

The E3 team is back from Los Angeles: tired but proud. We had a good show, nice booth and many great visitors! And let's not forget the lads on the home front doing the second pre-E3 livestream while we were airborne. They showed the Combined Arms Beta Showcase twice, failing miserably both times! To top it off they included a very nice presentation of the full game's Altis terrain. Community Intelligence Officers set to purpose to piece together all shown frames of the strategic map, arriving at a rather 'unique' version of the map.

One set of content we had not revealed until E3 is the Challenges game mode. The Beta will release with four Firing Drills, which are quick, fun and addictive shooting (sports) courses. They allow for training of weapon handling and movement and can be a nice change from the regular scenarios. This and more is demoed in video coverage like here, this, and another one.

We should also clarify a statement about fully modeled vehicle interiors. Most, but not all vehicles have these rich 3D interiors. The philosophy is similar to Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead for the same reasons. Primarily heavy armor driver and gunner positions lack 3D interiors, but their passenger spaces are available!

Still recovering from some jet lags, we are now all straight back into Beta finalization. As announced at E3, it will release next Tuesday, June 25th. Staging on Development branch is still something we're trying to make happen before the weekend. Standard Development branch updates can become interrupted while we prep.

INTELLIGENCE

Unlike previously announced, the Alpha Lite program will run until Beta release on June 25th.

User Interface guru Vladimír Hynek shares with us two great new things slated for Beta. In his wise words:

"A long time anticipated feature - tweaking of post-processes separately, was added. The layout of the whole video options dialogue was redesigned, so it is easier to find which options are placed under which tab. A couple of smaller tweaks like a FPS indicator, EditBoxes connected to sliders, and permanent highlighting of tabs were added. While still Work-In-Progress, the dialogue works better already."

And another tidbit streamers have been waiting for:

"To make the life of our live streaming community a bit easier, we've introduced a Stream Friendly UI switch to the Game Options. It hides the player's name from all dialogues including map and inventory and also from the name tag displayed when cursor is pointing at another player. Player's chat and server name in the multiplayer score table are hidden too."

OPERATIONS

A forever hot topic is game performance. One of our programming leads Ondřej Martinák is in the process of writing a development blog on this topic. He will share a bit more details on how our engine operates, explore what has already been achieved in terms of optimization, and what will still be done for Arma 3. We'll of course let you know when it's published.

LOGISTICS

Beta will come with a number of class changes to Alpha content, which will break user scenarios and other content until it gets updated. We will however this time release a full conversion table to make the transition smoother. Going into Beta we will also become more strict about class changes for released content. It will be our goal to prevent it almost entirely (unlike we have said for Alpha).

The next game EXE to be released on Development branch will likely already be Beta-skinned. Its description and icon will look like it's the Beta. More importantly: it will already change profile paths, registered file extensions, etc. Be aware of this when you go looking for your settings and other content!

Prague, Czech Republic, Friday 7th June 2013

In anticipation of next week's E3 exhibition, Bohemia Interactive released a brand new set of Arma 3 screenshots. The special E3 care package includes screenshots taken from the upcoming Arma 3 Beta, as well as screenshots from the full game.

Starting with the successful Arma: Cold War Assault (originally titled Operation Flashpoint*: Cold War Crisis) in 2001, Arma 3 is the latest installment in Bohemia Interactive’s award-winning tactical military shooter series for PC. Set in a Mediterranean sandbox of over 290 km², featuring 40+ weapons and 20+ vehicles, Arma 3 provides an authentic, diverse and open combat experience. The game features a wide variety of singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay, as well as limitless options for content creation.

For those who missed Bohemia Interactive’s official E3 invitation, the studio will present an exclusive first look at some of the new Arma 3 content, focusing upon heavy fire-power and military logistics. Visitors can also go hands-on with the playable showcase missions (Combined Arms, Commanding, and more) from the upcoming Arma 3 Beta.

The Bohemia Interactive booth at E3 is located in the South Exhibition hall (booth 2523). The other games on display are DayZ and a brand new game in the Take On series.

Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday 6th June 2013

Live from Bohemia Interactive HQ, the Arma 3 development team will host a second pre-E3 hangout on Saturday June 8 at 17:00 UTC. Offering a sneak peek at the upcoming Arma 3 Beta, this official livestream on Twitch.tv presents the Combined Arms Showcase – available in the upcoming Arma 3 Beta. Altis, the 270 km² island from the full game, will also make a brief appearance.

Following a successful first livestream on scenario editing, Mission Designer Thomas Ryan and several other Arma 3 devs will do multiple playthroughs of the new Beta mission, placing an emphasis on the dynamic gameplay in Arma 3.

The session is expected to be about one hour and viewers are welcome to join the conversation on Twitch chat and Twitter.Those who do not want to miss out can already enlist for the official event via Arma 3’s Facebook Page.

Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday 6th June 2013

Right before heading out to Los Angeles for the E3 Expo, Bohemia Interactive released a content update for the Arma 3 Alpha. The ‘Sniper Package’ includes two powerful sniper rifles and supplementary ghillie suits.

The first rifle, the Gepard GM6 Lynx, is a semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle using 12.7x108 mm ammo. Its purpose is to stop or disable targets such as light armored vehicles, armored rifle troops, light shelters and helicopters from 600–800 m range.

The second weapon, the M320R Long Range Rifle, is a .408 caliber sniper rifle, valued for its accuracy up to 2000 meters.

Furthermore, besides new camouflage clothing (ghillie suits), the Sniper Package also features sniper optics (long range scopes) and a rangefinder (special binoculars). All content will be added automatically via a Steam update (0.60), which also includes the ‘stance indicator’ and several other game improvements and fixes. The full details are listed in the changelog.

FROM: Project Lead
TO: Alpha Users
INFO: Livestreams, Beta reveals, final Alpha patch
PRECEDENCE: Flash
SITUATION

Our last week before E3 2013 and the build is pretty much ready to go. Then there are a few mad weeks of tweaks, fixes and polish before the Beta release. We're feeling good about the package. There will be no Altis just yet, but you're getting a load of new firepower and logistical assets: 4 helicopters, 2 wheeled armored units, trucks, a whole bunch of new weapons and the first part of the Green faction. Next to that 4 showcases and more playable content to be shown at E3.

Last weekend we hosted our very first Arma 3 livestreaming event on Twitch.tv. It was rather improvised and casual, but fun to do and we hope you've seen and heard things you liked. Understandably the 'tutorial' aspect was not necessary for seasoned players, but keep in mind there are a lot of players who did not yet tinker with the editor. The ability to quickly set up a scenario is one of the things we find key to Arma and so we want to show it off when we can. This was also a trial run before we play through a Beta showcase featuring more content this coming Saturday. Some members of the previous cast will be flying to LA that day, and some new faces join the fray live.

INTELLIGENCE

Lord Master Petr Kolář configures the spotlight onto himself and his role as Encoding Lead in another episode of the 'Report In!' developer interviews. The article also contains a look at the Marid Beta vehicle and some fancy behind-the-scenes diagnostics (numbers everywhere!).

After revealing work on BattlEye anti-cheat last week, some people asked why we are not using Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC). The thing is: we are not saying we will not include VAC at some point. Our first priority is getting BE running; also because of experiences gained with Arma 2. Then we still consider VAC as another (optional) layer of security for admins. It cannot be confirmed now.

Let's highlight three topics to come out of the first livestream: 3D optics, Steam Workshop and Altis:

The Beta will enhance certain weapon optics with a much nicer-looking 3D version. We are aware of a few known issues with this technique, but feel the benefits outweigh these massively. Your reaction to seeing them proves this!
Not long after Beta release we intend to enable scenario publication to Workshop. This is a huge step forward in sharing and discovering user content. We are integrating this in stages and starting with scenarios makes sense. Add-ons are trickier and we are not sure when we can support this yet (unlikely before the initial release).

Two primary concerns have been voiced so far: how it affects existing content providers and the license terms. We can try to address this in a blog later, but briefly: we honestly do believe there will always be an important place for websites sharing content. There are many ways to differentiate, evolve and offer things Workshop itself does not. Secondly, we are discussing options with Valve regarding the license terms for Arma 3, but to manage expectations: if that does not go through - you will need to accept the existing ones to use this functionality. In any case, we'd like to point out again that we are not stripping away the old methods of saving and loading scenarios. Workshop is an optional enhancement which we do believe massively benefits the user experience.
Altis will not be part of the Beta. We want to finish it more first and it will be worth the wait! There is a chance we will stage it on Development branch ahead of main release for testing.

OPERATIONS

The actual plan for Alpha is to release the final Alpha patch (0.60) tomorrow. This includes the Sniper Package and even the stance indicator. With regards to the latter, you may need to reset your profile to see it properly. Alternatively, wait for an interface positioning option coming with the Beta. After this patch we start 're-skinning' the Alpha to become the Beta over the next few weeks. This means changing the default interface color to Beta blue, updating logos and icons, and of course sneaking in the content.

LOGISTICS

Two reminders: the Arma 3 Alpha Lite ends June 18th and access codes become unusable then. Going to Beta, we will change the user profile paths and file names. If you really want to you can rename manually. We prefer you to test default settings again however.

For the people who missed the stream/don't want to rewatch it:

Things that will be included in the beta (more to come):

3D scopes
Strider (MRAP similar to Ifrit)
HEMTT (Truck)
Comanche
Zafir (future version of the pkm)
AA Launcher "Titan" (Uses Javlin sighs)
Green Faction (Greek Army)
Mi48
FN2000
New lighting
SDV underwater vehicle (the mini-submarine)

Things that might be added later to the beta:

Altis (developer build)
Stream-friendly UI
Steamworkshop integration

Things not included in the beta:

Static AA/AT
MBT's (Main Battle Tanks)
Java support (might be added later)

Other usefull things to know:

Q3 2013 is still the aimed release date for ArmA 3
Beta will be release a few weeks after E3
Beta content will be first released on the Developer build of the Alpha

Hello,

With E3 2013 just around the corner we wanted to lay out details of what Bohemia Interactive has planned this year, and to ensure that exposure is maximized and everyone that can be in attendance will be.

2013 is promising to be a vibrant year for our company and as we continue to progress on a number of different projects we’re excited to be able to present those to the gaming world via meetings with the press as well as an open invitation to the gaming public.

At E3 2013 Bohemia Interactive is proud to be able to present a beta build of Arma3, the current work in progress version of DayZ Standalone, and an exclusive reveal of something fresh from the Take On universe. The booth will feature playable versions of all three games on 12 PCs.

Arma3
"The team returns to E3 to present the very latest developments in Arma 3, the award-winning military shooter series by Bohemia Interactive. Visitors to our booth will have the opportunity to get hands on with our new content, which focuses upon heavy fire-power and military logistics, and get an exclusive first look at the latest playable missions on offer in the upcoming Arma 3 Beta, experiencing combined arms combat, commanding, and more."

DayZ Standalone
“Be one of the first people to play DayZ, the standalone version of the award winning Arma 2 mod. DayZ will feature a completely reworked inventory system, a new crafting system and completely new animations. Survivors will return to Chernarus which has been improved with more towns and a greater amount of enterable buildings to give a much more intense apocalyptic atmosphere.”

Take On (reveal)
“Explore the scarred face of another world. Journey through rocky terrain and sandy wastes, pushing your vehicles to the max in this new installment to the Take On series.”

You’ll find Bohemia Interactive at South hall, booth no. 2523.