Update time. I've been working on porting missions because we need something to play, also in past week I did some actual VTE porting, for example I fixed the 81mm mortar and split up character models into uniform, headgear and vest. Usually I play some missions and when come across some nasty issue I'll stop and go fix it, then return to play.
Splitting Up VTE
edit: this was already done now but as I wrote this text before doing it I just use that text.
My plan is to split up VTE into smaller chunks, mostly because terrain sizes and numbers. It would be three different entities; VTE Core, VTE Terrain Core and VTE Terrain Pack(s).
Basically core includes chracters, vehicles, weapons and the rest like ordnance, music etc. Terrain core includes terrain objects, ground detail textures (GDT) and clutter. Terrain packs would then hold the actual terrains which would be split up to pack1 OFP era, pack2 arma2 era and pack3 (and additional packs) for arma3 era.
Note: gigabytes are unpacked pbo's. When 7zip packed they become much smaller.
VTE_core == characters, vehicles, weapons and rest. pbo's 2.01gb
VTE_terrain_core == objects and ground textures. pbo's 1.06gb
VTE_terrain_pack1 == ofp era. 23 terrains. wrptool. pbo's 1.98gb
VTE_terrain_pack2 == arma2 era. 5 terrains. l3dt and visitor3. pbo's 1.85gb
VTE_terrain_pack3 == arma3 era. 6 terrains. terrain builder real world data fly boy projects. pbo's 22.9gb
7zip packed for download:
VTE_core 958mb
VTE_terrain_core 490mb
VTE_terrain_pack1 396mb
VTE_terrain_pack2 668mb
VTE_terrain_pack3 16.1gb
There is a huge difference between packs1-2 and pack3 because the arma3 era real world satellite texture / mask data takes
insane amount of file space. One real world data terrain is larger than OFP terrains combined, its that crazy. Also note that pack3 is just a quick thought right now, its not decided that it will happen in that size, 16gb is heh totally crazy. We might have to split it up to like 2 terrains per pack or something, we'll see. If you have any ideas please feel free to share.
However file sizes are not the reason why I'm splitting VTE up, its the bigger picture where the benefits come. Updating is one, most of the time the updates come to the core and not terrains, so its easier to download quick snappy few hundred megabytes than two and a half gigabytes (not counting the new terrains).
I consider VTE to be a package deal, but if someone wants to only get the terrains or just use the objects for his terrain, he can now do it. Config required addons are none for the core and terrain_core, but the terrain packs obviously require terrain_core. However any mission packs I release the assumption is that user has every part of VTE.
Missions
Missions are huge part of VTE project, we are talking about hundreds of missions including single player, multi player and campaigns as well as some special showcase type cutscenes. There will be so much to play for everyone it will be exhausting to even scan the scenario, campaign and multiplayer mission lists. VTE will not be one of these useless addons / mods where user spends 5 minutes in editor and then forgets it, hahah noway dude, we got sum missions!
I have already done ground work to port all the OFP and ArmA(1) missions. Some of them will be tough to port as they include too much of OFP user interface rsc stuff which I'm not familiar with, or few missions are just such an SQS spaghetti that it is literally easier to create the mission from scratch than to try to port the actual existing files. However there is so much mission content that will be ported its amazing. Couple of these comes to mind are "Baqel's Tour of Duty" and "Unscripted War" missions.
Currently I have 3 campaigns, about 10 single player and 150 multi player missions ported. Even this number alone would be more than I've seen since OFP VTE release on any addons.
The Future
Currently there is still huge amount of work to be done to port, but work is underway to fix stuff. I'm also thinking about releasing the current "VTE Dev" under the radar without any bis forums news postings and such, like just putting a link into this topic. Not sure yet.
Year 2017 is nearing its end and I'm very excited about future of VTE, it going to be glorious to bring the best VTE to arma3 than we have ever seen. I remember back in late OFP era when VTE really bloomed when everything came together nicely, I
will achieve the same feeling with arma3 in the future and then some!
Looking forward to 2018 and some excellent vietnam war gameplay with arma3
