FROM: Project Lead
TO: Arma 3 Users
INFO: 1.32 update released, Helicopters Dev-Branch plans
PRECEDENCE: Flash
SITUATION
We've just pushed the 1.32 update to main branch after over a week of dedicated testing. As you'll see from its gigantic change log, this was mostly about a huge number of smaller fixes and data corrections. The version does also introduce Weapon Inertia and includes a number of useful scripting commands and event handlers. Internally we have now applied our first 'data lock' for Helicopters DLC. That means its development is closing and we're doing testing and fixing only. In the past you may have noticed this also means Dev-Branch updates become a little smaller during that period. That is a good thing. By slowing down development, we enter a period of polishing. It also means we have more time to analyse things like multiplayer even further (based on the logs being gathered from public sessions by server admins across the world).
What about Dev-Branch staging of Helicopters DLC? Late this week is when the window for this opens. The sandbox content is ready for your tests, so the new helicopters and miscellaneous objects will be staged soon. The rest of the package is to follow closer to release. Unfortunately it will not be possible to purchase the DLC separately ahead of release (the DLC Bundle is available though). We're hoping to at least add ownership to the library of Supporter Edition and DLC Bundle owners. Other players will experience the Content Licensing restrictions while testing, and they'll be able to purchase the DLC after its release on November 4.
INTELLIGENCE
A while ago now, community member CiforDayZServer posted a series of text and video tutorials on the broad topic of modding. It provides an interesting starting point for aspiring mod-makers. See where to find documentation, what the various tools are, how to work with the Bohemia Interactive sample data and how to create a simple static model. While we are trying to provide more documentation ourselves, we certainly hope this and similar tutorials will continue to help the mod scene.
OPERATIONS
Programmer Jiří Polášek has unleashed an updated Launcher look & feel on Dev-Branch. Besides being an iteration of the design, it allows you to resize the window. That may be useful for fitting more addons on your screen at once!
In the game update's shadow, we also rolled out a new version of Arma 3 Tools (0.76). The work of several programmers and especially Julien Vida is best detailed by our Tools Commissar himself: TECHREP #00015.
LOGISTICS
Make Arma Not War competitors (and jury members) can now use a special-purpose Steam branch that will remain available throughout the final stages of the contest. It is there to provide a stable snapshot of the game on which entries should work and can be evaluated. The build is currently exactly the same as main version (1.32), but things will start to branch off on November 4th (Helicopters release). The access code is simply: MakeArmaNotWar
We have also updated the legacy branch from 1.24 to 1.30. This branch exists to offer a frame of reference when comparing issues in the game, or in case of there being critical issues in the new update that require a hotfix that is not available yet. Its access code is: Arma3Legacy130