Operation Flashpoint News
ArmA Demo Released
Dec 26, 2006
For those who haven't noticed yet, Bohemia Interactive has released a multiplayer demo for Armed Assault!
There are many mirrors and other sites where the file can be downloaded. See the following links for lists of download locations:
ArmA Download Page
Forum Post 1
Forum Post 2
So far, my impressions are mixed. The game looks gorgeous and, as an improvement over Op Flash, has a great solution for controls (you can set double taps for various keys to do alternate actions), a necessary improvement to accomodate all the new available controls.
However, some technical difficulties keep it from truly shining.
First, it does not remember my keyboard control changes after closing the game.
This issue is made worse by the fact that the interface for changing controls is, if it is possible, clunkier than the control change interface of Operation Flashpoint.
And lastly, it thus far seems very difficult to get a good precise aim (though perhaps some video or mouse sensitivity changes will correct this?).
But even so, the demo makes the game looks promising.
On the other hand, were I coming to this game without a love for OpFlash, I'm not sure I would give this game a second thought hereafter.
So, hopefully these issues will be fixed by the time the UK English distribution becomes available...
ArmA Website Gets Facelift
Dec 5, 2006
Now that ArmA has been released in various countries,
they finally got around to creating a real website for the game,
highlighting its features and providing support.
The wait has been worth it, however, as the site is nice looking and easy to navigate and find what you're looking for.
The information presented on the site is pretty extensive, and provides a features writeup
(including all the weapons, vehicles and environments that will be present in the game),
a gallery of nice in game screenshots, downloads (unfortunately no demo yet - boo hoo hoo!) and support, among other sections.
My only critique of the site, really, are the visuals chosen for the masthead at the top of the page.
For some reason the silhouettes they chose make me think of a Vietnam era game,
as opposed to one with modern weapons like ArmA.
First, the hat on the guy on the left makes him look (to me) like an NVA sniper or something.
Second, the other guy is holding an
M16-A1
(note the triangular foregrip),
as opposed to the modern
M16-A2
(which has round foregrips).
M-16
This second issue is kind of a strange oversight for the guys at BIStudio, who have always shown a remarkable knowledge of military firearms.
Oh, well.
Regardless, hopefully, game sales are doing well in Europe and we'll hear about an American publisher/distributor sooner rather than later...
ArmA gets European Distributors/Screenshots Added
Oct 25, 2006
A bunch of new screenshots are added to the top of the
ArmA screenshots page.
Armed Assault Website (.rar 80 MB)
In other news, ArmA has been picked up by several European publishers.
They are self publishing (along with Idea Games, a Czech developers group)
in their own language,
and have German/Austrian/Swiss, Polish and Russian publishers as well.
However, most notably for English speakers is the recent addition of UK publisher 505 Games,
which up until now had only published console games (this fact is reflected by the fact that 505 Games is currently restructuring their website).
For more information on these publishers,
see this discussion thread.
Unfortunately, it does not look like 505 Games will be distributing the game in the U.S. :(
However, it may be possible (once released) to purchase the game from a UK online retailer
- though of course your guess is as good as mine
as to how much it would be to ship the game "across the pond," as it were.
But even so, they're not expecting to have the English version ready until sometime in early '07,
so for the moment that question is moot, anyway.
More encouragingly, however, is official talk of a downloading system whereby gamers
could purchase and download the game...
To whet your whistle, though, download this press release pack
(which includes a gorgeous looking promo video along with new screenshots)
that BI released upon announcing their deal with 505 Games.
505 Press Release/Video/Screenshots (.rar 80 MB)
If you just want to read the press release and see the screen shots,
go here.
505 Games/ArmA Press Release & Screenshots
Screenshots Added
Feb 27, 2006
Two new great screenshots added to the top of the
ArmA screenshots page.
ArmA Delay Announced/Screenshots Added
Dec 9, 2005
In their Dec 5th press release, Bohemia has announced a delay until early 2006 for the release of
Armed Assault. This really isn't surprising to me, as they had yet to even sign an agreement with a
publisher as Q4 of 2005, their previously announced target release time.
However, to continue to whet our whistles, they've also released some new
incredible screenshots, which I've put up on the
ArmA screenshots page.
Armed Assault Screenshots Added
Sept 4, 2005
The four screenshots that were previously to be exclusive to the handful of fansites,
such as
this one,
have been released to the general public.
I have thus added them to my
ArmA screenshots page.
New Armed Assault Screenshots
Aug 30, 2005
Some more screenshots for Armed Assault have been released to a handful of fansites,
including
this one.
That site,
http://www.arma.dk/,
is also a good place for a digest of official and rumored info on Armed Assault.
"Flashpoint 2"
Aug 29, 2005
This may be old news to some, but it's new to me!
I've been playing too much
Battlefield 2
to have noticed all this previously,
but now the following has my full attention!
According to an
open letter
to the gaming community,
Bohemia Interactive Studios has announced that
due to ownership by publisher Codemasters of the Operation Flashpoint name,
they will likely be renaming their upcoming
Operation Flashpoint
sequel to
Armed Assault
- unless Codemasters indeed is the publisher of the new game.
Read The Open Letter
What's more exciting, however,
are the two press releases regarding the game
(here
and
here),
both including screenshots.
I've also been informed that for those who think the new game looks a lot like the old game,
that the screen shots are from an Alpha version of the game that still contains buildings from the old game, etc.
Press Release – New game from Bohemia Interactive Studio
Press Release - The ultimate new PC game from BIS
Even more interesting is the (rumored?) decision to include all of the Operation Flashpoint maps and campaigns
(including those from the two expansion packs),
updated with the new game's features. If they do this, what a great value this new game will be,
as the original campaigns were worth many, many hours of replayable gameplay
- and that doesn't even include the multiplayer features!
Armed Assault Screenshots
The Mod Squad
April 2002
A list of Downloadable Mods that my friends and I recommend is now available.
Operation Flashpoint: Resistance campaign pack announced!
March 2002
This may be old news to some, but as if Operation Flashpoint wasn't cool enough,
this campaign pack promises not only to give
players new vehicles/weapons to use and new campaign/single missions to play,
but also promises to enhance the game's 3D engine,
allowing for higher resolution textures, a new 100 square kilometer island, and better network code for
multiplayer gaming.
In addition, I could swear that the picture shown on the Notes page of the official Resistance site
shows an OpFlash character standing next to a MOTORCYCLE...!!!
OpFlash: Resistance Official Site
Operation Flashpoint is so cool... it gets its own section!
January 2002
Downloadable Missions are available now on the Downloadable Missions page.
Read the game's plot premise on the OpFlash Story page.
