SITREP #00242

FROM: High Command
TO: Arma 3 Users
INFO: 10th Anniversary, Update 2.14, Creator DLC
PRECEDENCE: Flash

SITUATION

It has been a full decade since the release of Arma 3 1.00. For a game to be thriving for such an incredible length of time is quite remarkable. Almost coincidentally, those 10 years have also brought more than 10 million players into the fold. We are all very much humbled by this success. Before we start recapping the past year of Arma 3's development, and to look at the current state of things, we'd like to take a moment to say thanks. There are just so many people who've contributed across all phases of the game's life so far, so here we go...

First of all, we cannot forget about the early days of Bohemia Interactive and previous installments of Arma. Much of what has been accomplished in Arma 3 stands on the foundations laid by those legendary developers. It's easy to point out aging parts of the Real Virtuality engine by current standards, but we can all agree that it has allowed a sandbox of a scope still not often seen in the games industry. Secondly, we give thanks to the first team in Brno, who started early pre-production under codename "Futura", as an expansion to Arma 2. The final direction of Arma 3 may have changed a fair bit, and yet they provided us with many of the core components and champion assets. Next, we give our thanks to every single person who helped during the game's core development, kicking off with its Early Access phase and running through all DLC projects since. That also goes for the external Creator DLC teams, who were brave enough to commit to a pioneering program and have brought enormous diversity to the game's settings, in time, and place. It's also important to acknowledge all the supporting BI departments, without whom releasing any game would be impossible. Massive kudos to our Operations, Publishing, Marketing, Online Services, Customer Support, HR, IT, Legal, Finance, Back Office and Facility Management heroes. And we also cannot forget the various external partners, who have offered advise, consultancy, and other important services. If you're curious about the actual names behind many of these groups of people, do check out the full rolling credits in the game.

Then we come to another essential group of people, yourself included: the community. Having a great game that we enjoy ourselves is one thing, but you have kept it healthy and strong to this day. A talented group of modders have expanded the platform beyond anything we might imagine. Scenario designers have produced countless hours of extra playable content and shared it on Steam Workshop. Unit leaders have organized amazing multiplayer operations of all flavors. Server administrators have provided stable places for players to get together. Moderators have dedicated their time to keeping online communities fun to be a part of. Creators have excited the rest of the world about the game by means of artwork, videos and livestreams. Supporter Edition purchasers have given us early trust in our direction. And every single player of Arma 3 has made this an unbelievably splendid decade for us all. Our heartfelt thanks to you all!

INTELLIGENCE

To mark the occasion of the 10th anniversary and the fact that we're still pushing out platform updates, we wanted to make update 2.14 a little more special. We had to be realistic in our own wishes though. Only a very small and part-time Live Ops crew remains on Arma 3's development. Let's unpack the free goodies and some of the stories behind them.

The star of the show is the T-100X Futura railgun tank. Salvaged from our archives, we wanted to give this variant of the CSAT T-100 Varsuk its own unique traits and background. Featuring a 75mm electromagnetic railgun, which accelerates a sabot projectile atop a cradle, this weapon is still considered experimental even in the 2035+ Armaverse. We've studied present day railgun technology and let it be our inspiration for the system's pros and cons. Producing long range and powerful penetrating shots turns the tank into essentially a sniper vehicle, especially when you consider the drawbacks. A charging mechanic means time between shots is quite long. Worse than that, the enormous stresses on the barrel actually cause some micro damage to itself per shot. On top of that a lot of fuel is consumed to charge the capacitor banks. All in all, we see the T-100X as a special purpose vehicle or perhaps High Value Target on the battlefield. Then again, how you deploy it is entirely up to you!

So why was this asset not released sooner? Some of you may even remember us teasing another railgun tank for E3 2011. That was made before our ORBAT review, which moved the Slammer to NATO. As with other canceled assets, they typically exist only in a very early state of development and are certainly not just plug-and-play. In the case of the T-100X, we did have the exterior modifications to the barrel and the rear of the turret largely done. That part only required some further fixing polish. Then we decided we wanted to also make a modification to the interior, which if you remember, we only added for all vanilla armored vehicles with Tanks DLC. This was definitely more work, but worth it in the end. Added was a central add-on unit that we imagine controls the primary operations of the railgun. It also drives two extra MFDs for the gunner and commander with details of its operation. The idea was to convey this all as being 'aftermarket' modifications on the T-100 framework, rather than a neatly integrated mass production. Obviously we took some creative liberty with how real railguns might become smaller over the coming years, from the ship and truck scales they are at now. Next up was the tank's functionality, which required configuration work and custom scripting for the hold charging mechanic to fire. There may be some issues on multiplayer servers with strict anti-cheat measures. Scenario creators and admins may need to tweak CfgRemoteExec for it to fully work. And finally, to further differentiate it from its sibling, we created new particle VFX and weapon SFX. The "Futura" designation was selected to pay homage to our past and with that we had come full circle.

Another long-standing request from players has been to port content from the retired Project Argo, which is no longer available to play, but was based upon Arma 3. We went through the data and selected the content we wanted to integrate into the sandbox. Even though this was mostly a straight-forward task, it still involved configuration, localization, polishing, and in some cases reskinning for the main Armaverse. You'll find new balaclavas, bandanas, and caps. There's a scarecrow, pumpkin, and lantern for any Halloween scenarios you may want to create. You can perform recovery operations using the Astra space capsule. And there are several ruggedized communications terminals for any FOB. It's truly an eclectic collection!

Rounding off the assets is the dynamic Battlefield Memorial. This is something we'd wanted to add for some time, especially since we saw how the community utilized the Art of War memorial assets in role-playing and also for actual tributes to players who sadly passed away. Based more on United States military traditions, we did end up creating variants for all primary factions, even those who may observe other traditions for their fallen. There is also a generic variant, which you can even fill with a weapon and piece of headgear from mods. Some extreme combinations may not work, but give it a go.

That brings us to the Enhanced Video Options, which were heavily inspired by Greenfist's similarly named Enhanced Video Settings mod. In fact, after quickly discussing so with the author, this mod's configuration work was our starting point. We made some of our own tweaks and introduced a UI caution when selecting minimum or maximum extreme settings. Please note that these more extreme values have two use cases. For some of the settings, PC hardware has simply evolved a lot over the past decade and our initial ranges were now a bit too restrictive for high end computers. But we can also imagine some of the top settings to be used for static artwork captures, when real-time FPS is less essential. Use them how it fits your needs, but please just realize that you may more easily and accidentally degrade your quality or performance now.

This effort was actually initiated by our very own CEO, who had been using the mod to push his powerful hardware. Another request he made was to do small tweaks to the default Post-Processing settings for saturation, contrast, and brightness. This to give the game a slightly more vibrant experience after so many years. However, we did not want to force this on all existing players, so it only gets applied to new user profiles. And you can always tweak these settings to your liking, for example by using the new presets. Default (splendid) is the new 2.14 default, whereas Default (legacy) is what launched originally. There are also presets for the official terrains.

Wrapping up the new content is yet another binary unlock in Firing Drill CoF: Gray. Make your way to Miller's Fortress of Fun and enter 2 1 4. You'll be treated to a celebratory anniversary airshow, sporting all vanilla aircraft from the past decade in chronological order. Did you know that all major versions of Arma 3 have such binary unlock, including a few special ones? Try to find them all for a trip down memory lane!

Hardcore Steam Achievement completionists were activated once more with two additional Achievements being added. We hope these were fun and not hard to unlock. Mod Lover is a tribute to all amazing modders for their splendid projects. Arma'd hardly needs much clarification, just decide whether you'll let it occur 'naturally' or you want to help it along creatively.

Behind the scenes we've also had to address an imminent change coming to Windows, namely their deprecation of TLS 1.0 and 1.1. TLS is used by Arma 3 in only a few places (e.g. Launcher's official server listing), and these have been made future-proof by update 2.14. For this same reason, we've also published a small Tools update.

In terms of update 2.14, that just leaves one practical technical PSA: vector script commands given 2D input parameters will no longer return 3D output (e.g. [0, 0] vectorAdd [1, 2] would return [1, 2, 0]). This changes a behavior introduced in 2.00, but we don't expect major issues in normal usage of these commands. The benefit here is that this suite of commands is now more flexible for any arbitrary vector size.

The update was of course not all we did to celebrate the 10th anniversary. On September 12th itself, we hosted a special livestream, featuring a crew of Arma 3 devs and hosted by Community Manager Niles "Nillers" George. Go check out the VOD for an intro by a very special live guest, who may trigger some great or terrifying memories, depending on your experiences during the "East Wind" campaign. Stick around for recollections from development, community Q&A, tribute videos by splendid people, and a live CAKEREP. In case you missed our earlier anniversary streams, do check out those episodes too:

• Background, History, and Setting (with Ivan Buchta and Scott Alsworth)
• Audio Design, Sound Engine, and Soundtrack (with Jan Dušek)
• Zeus and Eden Editor (with Karel Mořický)
  

Not to put a damper on the celebrations, but there is another topic we want to bring to everyone's attention once more: respecting intellectual property rights. This is not new and a very complex area, especially in a heavily moddable game like Arma 3. We are however still seeing a number of issues, for example by people (re-)publishing other people's work without permission. It also makes it difficult for us to signal boost some community content, like artwork, when we suspect it depicts infringing content. We are fully aware this can also happen accidentally, because it may not be obvious from subscribing to mods on the Steam Workshop that they have such issues. Ultimately, we would just ask that people be aware of this topic and try their best to act with respect to the license agreements and the rights of others. Seek permission where needed and add credits where they are due. Using assets from other games (or using Arma 3's assets in other games) is especially risky and most often not permitted, so be sure to bear the relevant EULAs in mind. It will help us all in the long term to keep this community open, creative, fair, and splendid. If you would like to learn more about intellectual property in the context of Arma, you can visit the Community Wiki.

OPERATIONS

So what does Arma 3 development look like now and going forward? Well, simply put: it's the same as it was in last year's report. Especially if you're new to the game, please check back to its OPERATIONS section for a description of the current Live Ops mode. The team is approximately the same, we still work similarly, and we maintain testing branch activity. Our other Bohemia Interactive priorities do grow, so a certain slowing down is still to be expected. The biggest chunk of the work is coming straight from Feedback Tracker and Discord, or from Creator DLC developers. We don't know how many platform updates will yet appear or when, but it's safe to say an update 2.16 in the first half of 2024 is in the cards. Even at the start of its second decade, Arma 3 is very relevant to players and to us. We will do our best to keep it running well and to offer the occasional fun nugget for players or creative contribution for modders.

Our other initiatives, that would open certain aspects of development to the community, still have not materialized from their idea stages. We do think they are a probable direction in case we have to scale down Live Ops even further though. When we have more concrete plans, we'll of course reach out on community channels.

LOGISTICS

Earlier this year, we also released update 2.12. While this was a relatively small platform update with fixes and tweaks, there were several fun toys for scripters and modders added as well. Most prominently was engine support for two types of new procedural textures. Type "text" basically does what you'd expect; it allows you to render dynamic text on 3D models. The possibilities are plentiful, but imagine custom nametags on uniforms as an example. Then there's type "ui", which goes a step further, letting you project an actual User Interface onto a 3D object. A use case for this is to have an interactive topographic map on a briefing board. Note that update 2.14 introduced an even more advanced version of this as "uiEx".

After some period of inactivity, players on Mac and Linux will have noticed some positive movement again this year. Our partners at Virtual Programming have not only ported version 2.12 to Mac (the last version before that was 1.82), but they went the extra mile with support for Apple silicon (M1 / M2), as well as Intel chips. This also meant more of the game's DLC got support on Mac. We've been happy to see an influx of Mac gamers, many able to experience Arma for a first time.

We do need to point out that we still consider the Mac port to be experimental. There are various limitations to bear in mind and study before purchasing the game specifically for this platform, some of which may never be overcome. Note that the default Mac port is non-native, but there is also an option to launch a native port for hardcore players. That version does not have BattlEye anti-cheat support, but should run better on Apple silicon. Steam's launch options will allow you to choose between these (no branches are needed). Check out our Community Wiki guide for more details and information on how to set up mods or optional DLC.

Another tricky aspect of these experimental ports is their update cycle. Arma 3 was never set up as a multi-platform title and we're also not developing these ports in-house. That means there will likely always be a delay between an update releasing on Windows and later Mac. We cannot even guarantee every future update will come to Mac, although it's our wish to keep parity. The porting process goes approximately like this: after a Windows update, we allow one or two weeks for potential hotfixes. Once we're confident the update holds stable, we submit the version to our porting partners. Once they've done their magic, our in-house QA department does their testing. It's hard to put estimates on how long this process takes for any given update, but we obviously will try to speed it along. Potentially holding back Windows updates to complete the ports is not an option we like for several reasons. In the interim, multiplayer is sadly quite limited for Mac gamers, since most servers will target Windows. There is a way for friends to still play together, by using the legacyports Steam branch to downgrade their game to the last compatible version. Meanwhile, we can report that update 2.14 is currently undergoing porting, which will also bring support for the newest Creator DLC to Mac.

For Linux, we have decided to discontinue the experimental client port and rather ask players to use the Proton solution. Valve and its community have improved this approach a lot in recent years, making it a viable way to play Arma 3. Another Community Wiki guide is available to learn how this works, plus you can visit the ProtonDB website for tips and tricks.

Let's now dive into the world of Creator DLC (CDLC). There has been a lot of activity from all teams, which is splendid! 2023 saw the announcement and release of an entirely new CDLC, taking players to yet another iconic theater of war: Normandy 1944 and World War II. Spearhead 1944 by Heavy Ordnance Works is a huge package, consisting of a brand-new 150 km2 terrain, loads of vehicles, weapons and gear, a co-operative campaign, and much more. Jump into the faction showcases for a first impression of the awesome detail and passion poured into these assets, featuring immersive sound design and cool new gameplay mechanics. Compatibility Data for Non-Owners is available, as per usual, for a free in-game sneak preview. Check out their launch trailer and a Report In! interview with the development team for more information and background. Also great to see is the community support by means of additional content, scenarios and full terrains like Omaha Beach by Jones.S.

But the other CDLC teams were far from idle this year! Hot on the heels of the previous report, Rotators Collective released the 1.1 update to their Western Sahara DLC. An update trailer and OPREP blog detailed the cool additions, such as a new singleplayer / multiplayer scenario with a magical twist. In addition, players got to enjoy 3 new vehicles, 10 new weapons and attachments, extra character gear, and props.

Next in line, CSLA Studio published their very own 1.1 update for CSLA Iron Curtain. From the corresponding OPREP, you can see that besides a long list of improvements, minor additions, and fixes, it too received a great amount of extra toys. Starting with attack helicopters for the primary factions, we now get to fly the intimidating Mi-24V and AH-1 aircraft. Also new to the armory were various new armored vehicle variants, including the MU-90 anti-tank minelayer and RM-51 rocket launcher. Inspect the full changelog for everything else and screenshots showcasing the content.

Sticking with the Cold War theme, the next team to further expand their already massive DLC was Vertexmacht. Their Global Mobilization - Cold War Germany project received a 1.5 update. All weapons and vehicles were blessed by a general overhaul and they are now more refined, with intricate details, improved sounds, and more customization options. Several new factions were added too, complete with relevant weapons and gear. We would also like to point out the Force Recon co-operative multiplayer mode available on Steam Workshop. This mode is all about running stealthy recon missions behind enemy lines. It's packed with unique gameplay mechanics, such as triangulating enemy positions, taking photographs, and collecting intel. The mode is also very modding friendly and has since been adapted to many other Arma 3 settings. Explore more in the 1.5 update trailer or their OPREP blog.

Last, but very certainly not least, we arrive to the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with update 1.3 for S.O.G. Prairie Fire by Savage Game Design. As you can see in the trailer and OPREP, they have outdone themselves again with a third major update. This time bringing in new factions, such as Khmer Rouge and USMC, each with corresponding new weapons and other equipment. The ORBAT also was extended by impressively detailed new vehicles, ranging from the MiG-21 jet to the CH-47 helicopter, and from flamethrower tanks to the BTR-50 APC. There continues to be a huge amount of content on offer, so jump into your favorite Mike Force server and have at it!

As you can see from this overview, the CDLC teams have been very busy and productive this past year. We thank them for their boundless enthusiasm and hard work. There is more on the horizon for the CDLC program too. But as you know by now, we tend not to confirm specifics until they are closer to release, whether that's further updates or entirely new projects. We are also still open for new pitches, but it's fair to point out that certain proposals have higher chances at this stage of Arma 3's life. Prospect developers should be very realistic about the risks and roadmaps of their projects. A smaller package with a few high quality assets and strong playable content, developed in a year or so, is most interesting to us now.

Last year, we dropped a cheeky little mini-game into the main menu during Steam sales. Many of you have actually played and beaten Arma 3 Invaders so far. So in a silly mood, we've added two new features for those wanting to punish themselves more. After beating the game once, you'll unlock New Game+. This mode is harder overall, featuring barriers that return fire, and it unleashes in a new boss battle on you. To really challenge yourself, you can switch to the T-100X. This player vehicle has some of the same trade-offs of the Futura railgun tank in the main game, such as being slower, but having a more powerful shot. Have fun!