PMC's Path to ArmA

[Snake_Man]

I decided to open this kind of stupid topic because I'm having considerable difficulties holding myself together during the wait until I get ArmA in my hands. Perhaps this if funny in someones eyes, perhaps I'll look at this later and laugh myself, or simply look at this and refresh my memory of the anticipation of ArmA. At the moment I cannot remember pretty much anything about OFP's first release except that first I did get the demo, then wasn't really excited (dont kill me!) and then the game was released. Thats it. So maybe this topic covers every day/event on this historic time, for me at least.

What ever happens and when, this is the topic to tell the story.

So lets start from the beginning or the real release cycle.

Armed Assault has gone Gold. November 7th, 2006.
I remember reading (hammering) BIS forums and there was the first posts of "rumours" about ArmA going gold. It was about one or two hours later when there was first posts linking some german sites which stated ArmA has gone gold. Pretty much then and there it was confirmed, yet its gone gold, baby.

ArmA hits the stores in Czech November 10th, 2006
During the day of Nov 10th, the anticipated store release date in Czech & Slovakia (Poland was apparently delayed until 24th), it was another batch of BIS forum hammering for me. Then the news start to break out, ArmA should be in stores at this or that time. Then came the first posts of ArmA box pictures on some Czech guys table. I was green with envy and frustrated as shit because I couldn't get it.

Apparently there is no Czech store who would ship to other countries.

[Snake_Man]

November 11th, 2006. Going crazy!
It was noted now that ArmA is out on Czech, havent heard anything about the Slovakia release. It should be out in Germany at Nov 30th. The Czech release has Starforce, ouch, well I dont care as long as I get my hands on the game.

I started to get desperate and was thinking all kinds of ways to get it for myself. Was on the IRC talking with some WGL guys about ArmA Czech and german release, there was some mentioning about them buying and shipping it to me, but nothing serious really, just a chit chat.

More BIS forum posts came out with screenshots of the new stuff, it was great looking images. Then first missions came out, I was surprised to see that they are pretty much identical to OFP missions. There was weird addons[] classes or at least I thought so, why would BIS do so many of them right off the bat. This is the list I saw on one mission:

Code: Select all

      addOns[]=
      {
            "cacharacters",
            "cawheeled",
            "caweapons",
            "CATracked",
            "CAMisc",
            "CABuildings",
            "sara"
      };
      addOnsAuto[]=
      {
            "cacharacters",
            "CATracked",
            "CAWheeled",
            "CAMisc",
            "CABuildings",
            "caweapons",
            "sara"
      };

Interesting things.

Oh well. It was curious to see that magazines were named like 30Rnd_545x39_AK and I was thinking that hmm does BIS implement JAM type of magazine naming specifics, that would be better than just "M16" heh.

Then there was posts about new video, it was some exclusive video Montage or something, it was big, really big, 197mb. Needless to say I leeched it like lunatic. When I finally watched it I was blown outta my fucking mind... this is unbelievable let me tell you. Oh man!

Well time passed and I just had this sickening feeling in my gut that I'm going to loose it if I dont get ArmA in like right now. Was figuring out gazillion different things, for example I counted a budget how much would it cost to FLY into Czech, taxi from airport to game shop, buy arma and revert back to homeplate... nuts, I know. Well finally I came to the simple conclusion, why not ask BIS for a help.

So I drafted a "letter" explaining my situation, I'm hardcore OFP fan/modmaker, I edit OFP daily, I want ArmA so bad I go crazy in any minute, I cannot get ArmA to my region in any reasonable time... is there any chance BIS could sell me a copy directly. I emailed this and private messaged Placebo.

Hour or so passed, then Placebo was nice enough to reply for me, wow. Well it was pretty much the reply I expected, "We cant send you ArmA", oh damn. But to my surprise Placebo guided me to the one German guy who was selling online the upcoming German release of ArmA at buy arma site.

So off I went there. I did see his posts previously but perhaps I wasn't desperate enough, or I was in the illusion that I get ArmA somehow before 30th so the German release is too late for me, not sure really, but now I was emailing him and asking for help. He promptly replied and said he would try to help but basically is only selling the German release after 30th. At least he didn't bullshit on the web page where it was stated that everyone get prompt reply for emails, that was nice.

So this day is coming to an end, what did we do... well get bunch of great screenshots and grew more envy for the freaking Czechs, got just mind boggling new video, contacted BIS and this another guy. Lot happened indeed.

At the moment I'm feeling quite bad, if we want to be sure, absolutely sure, its going to be at least the early december before I get ArmA shipped to me. That is so sad that I could cry. Gotta think of something tomorrow, perhaps mass private message all the Czech guys in BIS forums asking anyone to send me a copy, dunno, I need to do something or I'll break.

[lilwillie]

What version of the game are you going to shoot for? The German when it's released or wait until a full English version?

Personally if there is no news of a North American release I am going to try and find a UK version. So dissapointing to not have the game released internationally. I sit here wondering if I should finish my island and release it in a beta form or hold it over to be in ArmA. Ugh, what's it been since ArmA was announced? Something like fall of 04'?

[Snake_Man]

What version of the game are you going to shoot for?

The one that I'm getting my hands on NOW

The German when it's released or wait until a full English version?

Yeah German at 30th, I'm pretty sure thats what I'm getting, either by the buyarma.com site or some other way. Germany is a big place in europe, it will spread from there like wildfire. But still, today is 20th... ten more agonizing days.

I could cry

Personally if there is no news of a North American release I am going to try and find a UK version.

Perhaps try the buyarma.com guy, he ships to US.

I sit here wondering if I should finish my island and release it in a beta form or hold it over to be in ArmA.

Well until we get ArmA to our hands, get some play time in the files we dont know how we do the old island "installation" whether it being conversion or just installation with minor config edits. Anyways, its all speculation until we get ArmA.

[lilwillie]

The language barrier keeps me from getting anything but a full english version. Hopefully the UK release comes soon enough

Well until we get ArmA to our hands, get some play time in the files we dont know how we do the old island "installation" whether it being conversion or just installation with minor config edits. Anyways, its all speculation until we get ArmA.

Understandble. I'll be looking forward to your work.

Good luck with the 10 day wait. That is like....240 hours.

[Snake_Man]

November 12th, head explodes
Went out, I just felt that if I dont do SOMETHING now I'll break, my head just explodes for the waiting of ArmA. So I went out to the city.

November 13th, more videos
Downloaded new ArmA videos and then just went out the door, time to hit the downtown.

November 14th, yet more videos
Went out, not feeling comfortable, back home to check forums and downloading five+ videos and few terrain texture screenshots. Some mentioning about www.bontonland.cz and their shipping all over the world, dunno what to make out of this company.

November 15th, idle
Was bit sick, sat home.

November 16th, relaxment
Woke up 0250hrs and went out

November 17-19th, same
Same old, going out, when coming back in the morning I was checking forums and downloading new videos and screenshots. Amazing stuff, builds up the fucked up factor watching those, then I'll forget them when I go sleep only to wake up and go out again completely forgetting the game. Works, kind of.

November 20th, there is hope...
One old friend of mine told me at IRC that the uncracked (naturally) torrent is on the net. I smacked myself on the head that why didn't I think of looking at it from torrent sites, I guess it was obvious that there wont be a "release". I mean yeah its uncracked as its cz language version with starforce, but still even the files would keep me busy for days if not until a real release comes along. Of course its not the same as to play the game, but lets not forget that we are hardcore OFP editing dudes here.

So I started to leech the three different torrent files (which became one in azureus). In the late night I found link to a ArmA on ebay, had brief discussion with this guy but it was clear that I could not get the item quickly enough (before 30th).

November 21st, bingo!
Found out about the rapidshare link for the same ArmA cz version but packed on different rars, got it and also found out that it works with daemon tools, yet I had my doubts, I was just lucky to download it to inspect the files. Then huge leeching process started, I ran around the town in net cafes, found out my 256mb USB stick is just too damn small so I bought a new Kingston 2gb sticky, now I can store few ArmA rar's there. It was mad, I leeched the rapidshare version from a two different net cafes as the speeds in my own link were so poor that day, heh. By 2345hrs it was not completely downloaded yet.

November 22nd, ArmA is here
I could not stay awake anymore, about 0230hrs went to sleep, just crashed really of all the running around in net cafes etc. Then I woke up one hour later than planned, about 0600hrs. Noticed one rar was missing, damn, quick download, luckily the speeds were good. Then to install it...

Voila it worked, the first start with deamontools the starforce was giving me hard time until the 4th retry, then it worked. Wow. Got into ArmA menu and ahh... the waiting is finally over, PMC has ArmA