That's still a limited size map contained within a shadow box. The interior spaces look fantastic though. ArmA isn't contained in a shadow box. You can go as far as you want to. You will never engage a target @ 2500m in COD. You don't have to coordinate your actions with other players in COD.
You can't "run and gun", shoot from the hip, dolphin dive, spawn spam, nade spam, wall spam, bullet spam or bunny hop in ArmA.
Having played both extensively.... ArmA 2, bugs and all, stole CoD's crown
I'll be giving this game a shot today, I've been looking for a more realistic tactical shooter and I think ArmA could be it.
CoD4 was a tremendous game more than worth the praise it's gotten, but I don't think there's a real crown to steal, tastes and games change too quickly these days.
As far as exploits? In any game, someone will find them, and it's a statement of that person, not the architecture of a game. Someone will find a dolphin-diving equivalent in ArmA. They will find a way to be a tool in whatever situation they place themselves in.
You can't excuse the bugs either, repairs after a game has shipped is a good thing, but releasing a game in no condition to be released is another, you can't risk alienating your original buyers with a shoddy product and hope they'll stay around long enough to see it fixed.
Company of Heroes is a great game that drove off a drove of their initial players with garbage internet play. Now, 3 years and 2 expansions later, the online game is stabilized and is a total blast, but the number of people playing it is a fraction.
And it all got based on word of mouth by dissatisfied original customers.
Want a more recent example? Look at America's Army 3, a game that should NEVER have been released. It's at least another 2 major patches from not being a suckfest (and while it does have potential), it's going to keep people from downloading it based on reputation.
It's another example of the parent company rushing out product based on a deadline, not a playline.
Your best companies, like ID and Blizzard have a 'when it's done' release date and while you spend a lot of time salivating in the end it's all worth it.
ArmA could have better served itself with this model and I don't even have to play the game to know it.
