Harder / Better / Faster / Slower

[RedRaven]

All the way over in Africa, deep in the FarCry 2 boards here on OWG i posted a thread which discussed difficulty-enjoyment factors, as well as tangents we drifted on to.
So been sat playing a bit of FC2 again after a few days away from it on ARMA2. Opinions it led me to are that whilst in way an Easy game FC2 is alot more forgiving in some ways than ARMA2, example is i find pretty easy to get head shots and 1 shot kills almost all the time in FC2, but yet to truley snipe anyone in ARMA . like wise in ARMA the extra Reality factor to it gives slightly different if not greater sense of accomplishment when you succeed in a difficult task.
  Think this is partly to do with FC2 you play more the `1 man army` character, here in ARMA2 you can command an army as well as being any one of it personnel, from simplest infantryman thru to fighter pilot all the way up to over-all command of the forces deployed.
  cant really say one game is better than the other, not trying to either, but as i play each game more and more i find the same/different problems-solutions-satisfactions an interesting contrast. And reckon both games are going to be on my system for along time to come. will take something truely spectacular to top either of them.
  thats what i`ve been pondering as i play this week.
 

[PZ]

Good ponder, and I agree completely.  In fact, I had similar thoughts (though not as detailed) this morning as I played FC2.  Played ARMA2 last might and experimented with adding the VSS Vintorez to my character - testing it on a few unsuspecting characters in the game and loved it.  I was playing in "God" mode so they couldn't kill me, but one cool thing is that their shots hit with enough force to keep me from aiming properly (unlike FC2).  The point is, as you mentioned, the realism in handling your weapons makes you almost feel like you are sporting the real thing.  So detailed in fact, that I can see grease smudges and lint on the lens when looking through the scope.

Then this morning I fired up the console and did a couple of hours in the FC2 world - and I agree completely with you - this game will remain on my system for a good long time.  I don't know how many times I've played through now, I still try new things, and I still enjoy seeing my familiar old haunts.  I'm to the point where I almost don't need the maps any more, except to see where my destination lies.

Fantastic games, both of them.

[RedRaven]

also forgot to mention similar but different levels/qualities of Realism - the whole Phsycs / combat is more realistic in Arma , but the look of FC2 is alot more photographic. both perfect for thier specific `style` of FPS.

[PZ]

So true - I love the vivid almost cartoonish colors in FC2.  In contrast, Chernarus is drab, like what you would expect to see in "real life"

[JRD]

I'll second that too... whish I could fit FC2 look into A2 combat style... but would keep my FC2 as it is now, untouched  ;)

I go for long sessions of A2 nowadays, but as the difficulty in A2 is sometimes not funny... i always have my FC2 CD on the driver for a quick session for fun  ;D

[PZ]

You might consider using the player allowdamage false cheat to wander around and see how the enemy behaves up close.  I agree with the damage model in ARMA2 - I usually am killed by soldiers so far away they look like specs on the horizon, so it is quite fun to see them up close.  In fact, using that cheat makes the game seem much more FC2-like.  You get hit, blood splats, and your aim is spoiled while being hit, but you don't die with the first bullet that hits you.  Sometimes the game is a bit too real for me - just get into an area and - smack - bullet to the body and I'm down by an enemy I didn't even see.  ;D

[RedRaven]

 :( know what you mean, its that real in terms of balistics and forces that even M1A1 tank is not going to stop everything.
Keeps us on our toes tho!

[RedRaven]

on a comical note in A2 can level a building with heavy assault rifle or LMG, in FC2 you can only damage some of the smaller wooden shacs, also in A2 tanks will knock trees down with ease with brute force or a single shell, but in FC2 its a rare type of plant that you can actually cut down with a machette and obviously it a bit too easy to start fires in FC2 at times but so far been pretty hard to do it in A2. so despite the aspects of realism they excelled in there are still some simple basics they not even come close too.

[JRD]

That's true... after shelling an area with heavy artillery, I expect fire here and there... I whish they have spreading fires, even if occasionally... thats really cool in FC2

[PZ]

Fire is one of the strongest characteristics of FC2 - and the only fires I've seen so far in ARMA2 are short-lived local ones.  I shot a propane tank for fun, but it didn't spurt fire like FC2 tanks do.  However, eventially it dod burn with nice fire effects for a while.

[Art Blade]

I used the editor, god mode, and crates with explosives to grab from. Placed myself close to the barracks of Utes Airfield and started blowing stuff up. Was fun to see how you can actually level buildings, sometimes needs more than one explosion or more explosives to place to get the job done. It even knocked over trees nearby and set them on fire... not as beautiful as in FC2 though. But the ruined buildings offered rooms now accessible and I could walk around in the ruins. Was really nice. I had an army of Chedaki officers on the other side of the buildings close to the runway, and they had orders not to attack anything - sitting ducks. I was there with two mates and had them follow orders, playground for me. Best was when they were allowed to do what they want, they spottet the "enemy" and started killing them. They even lobbed hand grenades at them  :)

[PZ]

Great story (reminds me of merc wars) and cool that you can inflict so much damage.  Was in an M1A1 the other day and traveled through a forest - the wood cracking as the trees were knocked over was quite realistic sounding.

We should upload some of these ARMA2 playgrounds - they sound like fun diversion from the more serious scenarios and campaign.

[Art Blade]

Sure, like a section called "Fun Editorials" or so... not real missions, just some short-range fun :)

[PZ]

Good idea - separate ARMA2 downloads category - Just added the Playground missions category.

[Art Blade]

excellent  :) :-X

you know, that even allows us to download one, customise it, and upload it again if we think it is really good fun... we could start a team w@&k playground like that :)

I think that's when the editor's merge function comes in handy, probably it's possible to merge several playgrounds into one.

[JRD]

Geez... I'm taking that campaign stuff too serious... it seems like all the fun is in the other room...  ;D ;D

Should give the editor a try then  ;)

[Art Blade]

it seems like all the fun is in the other room...  ;D ;D

hahahaha  ;D :-X Welcome (back) to the fun  ;)

[PZ]

you know, that even allows us to download one, customise it, and upload it again if we think it is really good fun... we could start a team w@&k playground like that :)

I think that's when the editor's merge function comes in handy, probably it's possible to merge several playgrounds into one.

Very cool - we'd have something unique in our ARMA2  downloads section - cooperative mission generation.  :-X

[RedRaven]

have so got to sort out a proper modem so we can all get together for a kill-frenzy play-date