Part of Arma 3‘s recent roadmap includes more regular updates to the game’s dev branch, introducing all manner of tweaks and new tools to the terrifying military simulator. As of this past week, that includes new helicopter physics.

Using knowledge gained via Bohemia’s own Take On Helicopters (my title for this post is really very clever), a new set of flight physics have been introduced which “is more complex, taking into account things like a helicopter’s construction, the weight of fuel/ammo, wind influence, stress damage and much more besides.” There’s a video of the new model in action below.

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Arma 3‘s battlefield simulation may not be so complex that one needs the full 26 weeks of basic training the real army provides, but it could definitely do with offering a little more guidance. Which it now does, thanks to today’s ‘Bootcamp’ update adding all sorts of training, with a single-player mini-campaign, multiplayer bootcamp where players can play at drill sergeant and holler while forcing rookies to crawl on their bellies under barbed wire, and VR training that’s an excuse to play around with its fanciest toys.

It also adds a ‘Virtual Arsenal,’ which is perhaps the closest you’ll get to a soldier dress-up game.

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My first online experience with Arma 3 involved failing to grasp our mission, stumbling around in the dark, and falling accidentally out of a helicopter to be left stranded in a forest. Arma 3 Bootcamp is exactly what I needed. That’s the name of the next update to the military sim, and it’s going to introduce a new tutorial campaign, an ‘instructor’ scenario for multiplayer, a gun model-viewing encyclopedia and a virtual training mode. Plus greater Steam Workshop support and a new game launcher. Full details below.

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April 1st can be confusing enough already, and it’s only going to get harder if things that were jokes once upon a time continue to make the leap to really-real existing games. Last April Fool’s day, Arma 3 creators Bohemia Interactive released a go kart parody of a Volvo Truck advert. Now they’ve released Arma 3 Karts as a piece of DLC, out today for 1.19 on Steam and with a portion of the proceeds going to the Czech Red Cross. The original trailer is embedded below.

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While the internet is all a-bustlin’ with news of the latest Call of Duty, another maker of military manshoots announced their future plans. Except we like these military manshoots. Arma 3′s three-part campaign is out and finished, but a development roadmap posted on the official Arma site makes clear that they’re not done yet. Things to come: Steam Workshop support, new DLC and a full expansion.

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On Tuesday I began my second pen-and-paper roleplaying experience, joining three friends for our first trip into Numenera. I’m amazed at how much time and energy the DMs I play with – my other game is D&D – are pouring into the worlds and stories they’re creating. I have that impetus, but not the follow-through.

Arma 3′s new Zeus DLC is tempting, though. It allows you to act as a GM on multiplayer servers, shaping military maneuvers around players in real-time. Less lore-building, more tank-spawning? A button that causes lightning to strike? My laziness could probably stretch that far. It’s out now, and there’s an old developer playthrough below.

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I’ve played Arma 3 for about 70 hours. At least 20 of those hours involved me loading up the editor, planting a helicopter and pilot on the map, and just flying all over the island. Altis is a breathtaking creation. I can’t get over the fact that it exists. Bohemia’s main duty since October has been to create a single-player campaign that uses their remarkable creation and engine, and the final part of The East Wind series of episodes was released a short while ago. I’ve played it and completed, and here’s Wot I Think.>

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That almighty mighty thump you just heard was Bohemia deploying the island of Altis into Arma 3. The first stage of the full release is the delivery the huge landmass into the development branch of the game (Steam > Arma 3 Beta > Properties > Betas), prepping it for a load of content to follow. Unless you’re handy with the editor, or download one of the early missions on the game’s Steam Workshop, there’s not much to do yet, but that shouldn’t stop you from loading it up. The detail they’ve put into Altis is reason enough to play it. It’s beautiful. A landmark creation for the PC. I’ve put together a little tour of the island if you fancy seeing the sights. (more…)

All good things must come to an end, and the Arma 3 Alpha is pretty good (Steam says I’ve played it for a healthy 36 hours). If you’re still considering buying it, you only have one more day left to buy it at the alpha price of €24.99, £19.99, $32.99. Tomorrow the Alpha fades out, like a flare sputtering its last embers of warning light, and the beta replaces it. It has more official content: 10 vehicles, 7 weapons, more showcase missions (Combined Arms, Supports, Commanding & Night), 2 multiplayer scenarios and 4 challenges, and with it comes a base price of €34.99, £29.99, and $44.99. Think of it as a military upgrade, or a nice new pair of trousers. (more…)

The scenario: you have the Arma 3 Alpha and you’ve exhausted the stock missions the game comes with. You’re also rubbish with the editor, and you don’t live with someone Arma Arm Armasson, who can show you what to do with it. Don’t worry. There’s no such person, so you’re not missing out on his sage wisdom. And Arma 3 is pretty easy to have fun with. Here’s what people have been up to (more…)