Operation Flashpoint...

[acepilot2]

I stumbled across the demo of this game (not exactly sure how...) and even though it was old I was really impressed. The game seems pretty cool-while what the game offers has been done by other games by now, the thing that appeals to me is the cold war mid-80s time period. A few questions:

-Could I still get the game?
-Do people still play it? Would I be able to find a server to play on with say at least 32 people?
-I understand there are many versions/expansions packs-which should I get if I ever decide to get it?
-Would it be worth its cost to get it now?

I also understand operation flashpoint 2 is on the way, but could I still get the original?

[Octavius]

I'm sure you can find the gold version somewhere (Including OFP and the Resistance expansion, fully patched and ready to go).  Talk to 10Bears about the OFP modding and script writing  The game has so much depth - there's so much you can do and very little you CAN'T do.  Great game, I might bust it out one of these days.

[mora]

I still play it regularly, mainly the FDFmod, which is easlily the best mod out there. While it doesn't have any special appeal to non finns, it has tons of new units, and the old ones have been made more realistic.

[SKurj]

What??? you play a fishing mod for OFP?


SKurj

[Dinger]

Heh.  Yeah, there are still people who play it.
I usually don't get much time actually to play it. I'm bogged down in developing scripting systems -- currently on my desk are an upgrade to our artillery system (CoC Unified Artillery -- adding in various fuzes, munitions effects, a forward entry device, and so on) and a Tomahawk Block 2 system (pathing systems to plot them through low terrain, guidance systems to fly that route, and warhead effects).

To buy it: get your hands on the "Game of the Year" edition.
There's also rumours of an OFP 1.5 coming out imminently.  The chatter is hard to distinguish, but the guess is, if it exists, it will include upgrades of the sort that went into the XBox version (not yet released) and VBS1 (the OFP clone currently sold to militaries, and actually being used by the USMC and National Guard).

Finding a good online game is not as easy, because 1) you cna't join in progress and 2) many online dudes come from other game traditions, and try to replicate them.

So you get a lot of:

A) RTS-style games. The most popular of these is "Capture the Island".
B) Capture-the-Flag and other adversarial games.

3) also, the number of addons and the organization of them makes things a little daunting. there's a program called OFPWatch that auto-loads the addons needed for a given server, monitors servers, and alerts you when a game is about to begin. It helps some.

That said, I played a game yesterday on the Zeus addon server with 16 players, running a platoon of mechanized infantry, supported by two M1s, an Apache, a recon team, and a mortar section.  I was leading the bradleys, and spent most of my time in folds of terrain, firing HE-I at a target I couldn't see 2000m away while the infantry PL 1300m downrange directed fire.

---
There is at least one league (probably more) I know of: WarGames League (WGL).  A few guys in that group have made a mod that combines a bunch of addons, makes them work well (fixes a bunch of poly-count, lod, and texture problems), and work according to the same scale, with some emphasis on realism.
They also did cool things like convert the Aa00 grid coords into standard six-digit military grids.

Anyway, currently for mods, and mod groups, in addition to the FDF group, it's worth checking out:

The Chain of Command (http://www.thechainofcommand.com): my outfit, specializing in scripted systems. We have two major projects (a command engine for running stuff at the platoon level and above, and the aforementioned artillery system) and a bunch of smaller ones (AP and directional mines, Scuba/rebreather systems, torpedoes).
Ballistic Addon Studios (http://www.ballistic-studios.com): they specialize in US special forces hardware; though they released an island last year that, along with the troops, has a good east african feel.
SEB Nam Pack 2: still a decent Vietnam mod, complete with Ia Trang valley.

WGL 4.10 http://opflashpoint.games.squadengine.com/downloads/addons/wg_addpak_4.10.exe

with the .11 patch:
http://opflashpoint.games.squadengine.com/downloads/addons/wg_addpak_4.11_patcher.exe

also the FAQ links to many of these:
http://www.theavonlady.org/theofpfaq/

[acepilot2]

sounds good...just reazlied theres a blocked off (demo) mission editor-that could add TONS of replay value, and with some mods I could do some cool stuff like airborne drops possibly.

So, now-game of the year edition or gold? Whats the difference?

[mechanic]

Originally posted by acepilot2
sounds good...just reazlied theres a blocked off (demo) mission editor-that could add TONS of replay value, and with some mods I could do some cool stuff like airborne drops possibly.

So, now-game of the year edition or gold? Whats the difference?

Game of the year edition includes the 'Resistance' upgrade whereas the 'gold' is as it state, the gold upgrade

My recomendation is definitely the Game of the year edition as it caters for almost every upgrade and download available on the net, some of them are quite formidable patches and the graphics/gameplay options are greatly enhanced  

[Bluedog]

OFP has rocked for the last couple of years, and it will continue to do so all the time folks like Dinger and his mates keep making outstanding additions like the Command Engine and Unified Artillery.

Acepilot, grab a copy, you wont regret it.

Dinger, a big and Thank You to you, CoC stuff  is what makes OFP so much fun these days.
I played a 5 hour Co-op with my squaddy Dead the other week,(the original 1-16 Co-Op, slightly modified and added to )  the two of us managed to take Petrovice with the assistance of several tonnes of HE, generously supplied by assets parked on another island.
Had an absolute blast!  I cannot reccomend it (both the CoC stuff and the game itself) enough, you are missing out on some serious gameplay if you dont have them.

Mora, is that a high resolution sky in that screenie?  Where would I get one of those from?

Thanks
Blue


PS   Op Flash is one of the very few games where I find myself actually enjoying the heck out of sitting behind a tree wondering wether or not that AI tank crew saw me  

[Kanth]

Beware the Gold Editions there are still a bad batch out there on the shelves..

http://www.theavonlady.org/theofpfaq/trouble/faultygoldcd.htm

I did buy one of these (about two weeks ago) and after much emailing back and forth they haven't sent me a good one yet.

but it's a fun game to play, some of us on AGW used to get together and play and now some of us at work will be playing it.

[mora]

Mora, is that a high resolution sky in that screenie?  Where would I get one of those from?

http://koti.mbnet.fi/stede/flashpoint/index.php?p=others

[lada]

OFP is quite cool, i think there is not better war sim out.

Make sure you buy OFP Resistence.

We play it online as well.... some time.

[Bluedog]

Originally posted by mora
http://koti.mbnet.fi/stede/flashpoint/index.php?p=others

Thank you.

[Suave]

Me and my friends are trying to get something started here.

http://www.northoltwing.com/wing/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1755


Basically what we envision is a weekly or biweekly scenario type event. A situation or problem is provided to the team members. Parameters, time period, assets available etc. The team members formulate the plan, and from that the mission is created.

Because of OFPs versatility the lattitude in which the planners have to play in is immense. C130 airborne drops, halo, helocasting into water, fast roping, rooftop insertions and roof top extractions. Plotting and directing artillery fire or even a tomahawk missle. Air support, both helos and fixed wing. Vietnam era units as well as very modern.  Heck, you can even put your music of choice into a mission. I'm fond of the A-Team theme song myself.

The capacity of this game is very promising, we just need a few motivated and pleasantly discilplined players to share this with.