FROM: Project Lead
TO: Arma 3 Users
INFO: Mod Appreciation Week, Web Developer Spotlight, Asset Samples
PRECEDENCE: Flash
SITUATION
It is actually kind of tricky to give you a useful overview of our current situation. As we reported over the last couple of weeks, we find ourselves in the period between a major release (Marksmen DLC) and the start of full team production on the next big thing (Expansion). That does not mean the team is relaxing. More network messaging optimizations have found their way to Dev-Branch. We're also testing a potential fix for the server instabilities on the profiling branch. And a test plan for fully switching on the enhanced BattlEye protection is being drawn up. Until we can share with you our future plans, enjoy the game, and do please give some love to your favorite modders! #modlove2015
INTELLIGENCE
Join us and ModDB in celebrating Mod Appreciation Week! Ever since the early days of Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis, whose demo scenario was HEX-edited into entirely new missions, our games have had a great mod community. From small creative experiments to massively successful total conversions, there has always existed a symbiotic relationship between the vanilla platform and the mods based on it. This has benefited us by expanding the reach of our games, it has helped modders to be creators and start development careers, and of course, it has provided fun for millions of players. We'll be honest; there are darker sides to modding as well, but these dwindle in comparison to the benefits. We hope to be able to better support modders in the coming years, with enriched documentation, better tools, more samples, and other endeavors that improve discoverability and fair compensation.
So, what can you do to help modders this week? Just share your appreciation! Find links to your favorite mods and tell them why they rock using #modlove2015 on social media channels.
The recent Steam Free Weekend brought in a good batch of new recruits. We recommend you give the Bootcamp mini campaign episode a chance. You can quite comfortably finish it in one play session lasting around 1-1.5 hours. For beginners, the episode is a fun starting point, which familiarizes you with the basics of movement, (map) navigation, tasks and combat. Tip: stick with your leader! But there are reasons for veterans to play the episode as well; it is a prelude to the events in the main campaign. Experience how the relationships between NATO forces, 'Greenbacks' and CSAT develop, and see a few known faces such as Colonel Andrew MacKinnon's.
The "First Deployment" achievement is awarded after simply finishing the episode. You can access it via: PLAY > CAMPAIGNS > "Prologue" or LEARN > BOOTCAMP > "Prologue". 7.6% of worldwide recruits have graduated from Bootcamp so far.
Gaming website Rock, Paper, Shotgun has graced us with two top honors! We made it to #16 in their best PC First Person Shooters of all time list, as well as #10 of the best simulation games ever made. Congratulations to all the other great games!
OPERATIONS
Let's hear it for another hidden hero in Arma 3's support network: Jervant Malakjan! Being a Web Developer in the Publishing division, he helps us with anything web-oriented. He is the reason we can share these SPAMREPs every week, he feeds the game's Launcher with its news, he maintains arma3.com, bistudio.com and more of our domains, and he supports all of our releases with special pages. Thanks for always accommodating our needs so quickly and expertly, Jervant!
LOGISTICS
Learning by example is still one of the more effective methods for modders. We'll keep trying to expand our range of samples in the Arma 3 Tools suite to facilitate that. You can find them in the Samples_F sub-folder. Recent additions to its Dev-Branch have been:
- Marksmen DLC vests
- End Game scenario
- 3D scope - also check out this nice documentation by Senior Animator Zdeněk Vespalec!