Is the campaign worth playing?

[Cat Grill Friend]

It seems interesting, but I don't know how much I feel compelled to play it.

[Paradox1126]

i think its amazing and one of the better solo campaigns that ive played. if you put it on veteran it will surely give you a challenge. if you have most of the dlc it will show you how to utilize pretty much everything in the game. i definitely recommend this

[the.lovewyrm]

Yes, but some missions are tricky because of the AI rushing forward (my guess is that these missions were not updated for player stamina)
Tipping point is probably the worst. Especially since there's a bug where if one of the commanders dies, the mission is unbeatable, but that doesn't stop them from running ahead.

It's good fun otherwise tho.

[|H|H| Fr3ddi3]

The story is interesting enough and the game play is alright, my opinion is that you paid for it so you should experience it at least once to get a return on your outlay.

However from a purely practical view point.

Do the VR Tutorials, play through the Scenario's and at least complete the prologue and chapter 1 "Survive".

That will teach you the basics for most things in the game and prepares you well enough for multiplayer.

Chapter 2 and 3 are still fun enough and do-able BUT you get AI squad members to command ... which are frustrating to deal with. I am able to command the AI just fine but I cannot lie, i'd rather assume direct control of the AI for just about everything, they do not really act of their own free will and they take ages to carry out tasks ... but they will at least take fire away from you.

[about 47 t-rexes]

Its very difficult, but its really good. Give it a try!

[Dick Caught In Fan]

It was alot more difficult when first released and yes it was never updated for weapon resting and stamina. to think there was once a time machineguns couldnt be mounted or stabilized on the ground.

[aK]

its great and not so difficult, i think the escape mode is more difficult.

i've heard people seeing bugs that i haven't encountered after finishing it twice, just don't be a baiter and hopefully you wouldn't see them either.

[Rodi]

Yesnt
Its okay, some missions have massive design issues though.
And overall there arent many truly interesting mission concepts.
You also would want to know the controls of AI subordinates so you can tackle the missions on higher difficulty

[51_shades_of_Area]

I played through it a couple times due to changing computers three or four times while owning this game.

Prologue: It's a prologue, an old one at that. Not much to say, but if you're going to care about the story, it's good.

Chapter 1 Survive: Fun, has some side missions if I remember correctly, sets up the rest of the story and has subtle hints. Quick fun fact that at launch (in 2013), I think it only had Survive and the AAF faction didn't even have a tank yet. I don't think there were any jets in the game either at that stage

Chapter 2 Adapt: Ugh, this one sucked for me, mainly due to AI. On my very first playthrough, I just downloaded one of the earliest mods on the Workshop (Simple Single Player Cheat Menu, SSPCM for short - it's still on the Workshop if you need it lol) to make friendly AI invincible and give me weapons that worked and I liked using. Story is good, with an interesting setting and the first two missions I loved on the first time and still to this day occasionally return to. There are some hard points though, and (for me) most of it felt like busywork for the sake of stalling before...

Chapter 3 Win: While you still have to contend with the garbage friendly AI and worthless-to-Skynet enemy AI, the story, setting and missions/objectives were very enjoyable for me, especially the attack on Pyrgos and I forget the name, but it's in Eastern Altis in and around a town and a nearby solar farm.
Spoiler: There's three possible endings in Win, though one of them is just you dying during ending 2 with no cutscene or anything. I liked the bonus mission/sequence that you get after choosing either ending, it helped show the consequences of your (in)actions.

I really liked Win when I first played it, had even more fun going back and using SSPCM to add more enemies and friendlies to intensify the battles (and make up for my AI squad members). Definitely the strongest part of the base game's campaign as far as I'm concerned. I liked the early parts of Adapt, but the AI and busywork feeling it all had just threw me off. Survive was good fun from start to finish, especially the SDV mission, stormy night supply mission and final mission.

It's not the most realistic war story ever, but it is fun on your first time (when everything works). I will say though, do yourself a favour and download this mod and play the game with it:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2070681304&searchtext=splendid+lighting

It brings back the old 2013-2015 lighting, before the Apex update was released. It's far more fitting for the Mediterranean setting of the base game.

[Dick Caught In Fan]

Originally posted by 51_shades_of_Area:

I played through it a couple times due to changing computers three or four times while owning this game.

Prologue: It's a prologue, an old one at that. Not much to say, but if you're going to care about the story, it's good.

Chapter 1 Survive: Fun, has some side missions if I remember correctly, sets up the rest of the story and has subtle hints. Quick fun fact that at launch (in 2013), I think it only had Survive and the AAF faction didn't even have a tank yet. I don't think there were any jets in the game either at that stage

Chapter 2 Adapt: Ugh, this one sucked for me, mainly due to AI. On my very first playthrough, I just downloaded one of the earliest mods on the Workshop (Simple Single Player Cheat Menu, SSPCM for short - it's still on the Workshop if you need it lol) to make friendly AI invincible and give me weapons that worked and I liked using. Story is good, with an interesting setting and the first two missions I loved on the first time and still to this day occasionally return to. There are some hard points though, and (for me) most of it felt like busywork for the sake of stalling before...

Chapter 3 Win: While you still have to contend with the garbage friendly AI and worthless-to-Skynet enemy AI, the story, setting and missions/objectives were very enjoyable for me, especially the attack on Pyrgos and I forget the name, but it's in Eastern Altis in and around a town and a nearby solar farm.
Spoiler: There's three possible endings in Win, though one of them is just you dying during ending 2 with no cutscene or anything. I liked the bonus mission/sequence that you get after choosing either ending, it helped show the consequences of your (in)actions.

I really liked Win when I first played it, had even more fun going back and using SSPCM to add more enemies and friendlies to intensify the battles (and make up for my AI squad members). Definitely the strongest part of the base game's campaign as far as I'm concerned. I liked the early parts of Adapt, but the AI and busywork feeling it all had just threw me off. Survive was good fun from start to finish, especially the SDV mission, stormy night supply mission and final mission.

It's not the most realistic war story ever, but it is fun on your first time (when everything works). I will say though, do yourself a favour and download this mod and play the game with it:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2070681304&searchtext=splendid+lighting

It brings back the old 2013-2015 lighting, before the Apex update was released. It's far more fitting for the Mediterranean setting of the base game.

So at launch the only jet was the aaf Albatross, i think survive is a really good campaign however adapt and win you are absolutely right saying the ai is the biggest detriment. playing super defensive and war gaming every encounter can help with survivabilty but its still a pain. All of them are alot easier now that the equiptment available has improved so well with each subsequent update. along with improved damage models for people and vehicles, weapon physics resting, improved stamina system and ai updates and fixes.

[pvt TOAST]

Oh man I was soooo mad a stavaro on my first command mission on altis. yeah yeah its a game but still....even Kerry says he's not up to taking command. So we steal the supply truck, but mostly everyone knows what happens afterward- I won't spoil it. But when I got back to the base (I was the only survivor), I was P****D at stavaro....He says "glad you made it back in one piece" I was like "ONE PIECE!?!? DUDE SERIOUSLY, THOSE GUYS TRUSTED ME! where the HELL IS YOUR INTEL!" I drew my pistol and shot stavaro in the face in front of the whole camp....upon reload of save game I did it again lol...

[Cigarette]

The campaign is really fun. It does punish you for lone wolfing when your not supposed to.

However i suggest getting a mod that makes your teamates invincible. As nice as they are, the fall just as quick.

[about 47 t-rexes]

Originally posted by Sir. Vapenation:

The campaign is really fun. It does punish you for lone wolfing when your not supposed to.

However i suggest getting a mod that makes your teamates invincible. As nice as they are, the fall just as quick.

Do you have a link to that mod? sounds really nice

[Alaskan Glitch]

I consider the first two campaigns (Prologue and East Wind) to be essential. Particularly for those new to the game. Each mission functions as a tutorial and educates you about some aspect about Arma 3. Like how to set explosives, operate a UAV, or use a rebreather, for example.

If you are already proficient with Arma 3 and don't need to learn any of the basics, then those two campaigns don't serve a useful purpose, other than the story-line they contain.

Contrary to what Sir. Vapenation claims, the East Wind campaign does not penalize you for going on solo patrols. They are optional and can be taken any time in between your missions at Camp Maxwell. If you go on all the optional patrol missions it may add as much as 10 additional hours to your campaign, but there is no penalty.

Anyone who needs a mod to make them invincible cannot play the game, and is in desperate need to complete both the Prologue and East Wind campaigns to learn how to become proficient with Arma 3.

[CalicoJack]

Originally posted by Dr. Burn:

Is the campaign worth playing?

https://youtu.be/1W7c8QghPxk

[Vectif]

I got a lot more enjoyment and interest in the game after playing the campaigns, it even made me invested in the Armaverse as a whole. I started with Arma 3, then went back to play thru Arma 2, and even did some Arma CWA too. It's given me a lot of ideas for making my own stories in the universe, or even just making refferences among buddies or clanmates who may or may not get them. I think it adds a lot of fun elements to the game, if you have the patience to beat the campaign missions. But you can totally get by without it at all.