'South Airfield' Mission Complete - Please join us for the Final Alpha Testing!

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

The mission is like a cross between Domination, Arma's very large maps, and Project Reality with it's squads, loadout kits, and playable Commander. Everything from the order of missions, enemy presence at AO's, enemy patrols, and even IED placement is dynamic - as in, it will be different every time.
Squad Leaders request vehicles and fire support from the (player) Commander; Medics heal (MASH tent heals one fully); Engineers can diffuse IED's and repair vehicles (to a degree); And when server numbers drop, players can recruit BLUFOR AI units to assist and fill squad positions - even provide Air transport!!!

It does require the addon map, CLAfghan, which you can download here:
Armaholics: CLAfghan

Only a few bugs and kinks to hunt down, but I cannot locate them on my own - we actually have to play the game. Technically, this will be my first time playing the mission through.

This is a 20x20 kilometer map - 400 square kilometers! Here in the Korangal Valley, the mountain ridges force helicopters and certain air vehicles to make use of the valleys as thin air at extreme altitude makes rotary lift impossible.



(yes, that is an MV-22 parked at that hangar in the distance! And those Chinooks can load ammo boxes and lift all vehicles but Tanks)
s/f

[=VG= Jarema]

What type of fire support !bomb would we have and how often would we be able to use it?

I want to blow up lots of evil doers so this is the selling question for me !gundown

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

here's the raw notes....it's in reverse..will make a better post/edit it tomorrow, but I think you'll like it.
Squad Leaders can call artillery strikes, 32 rounds per hour, from 4 cannons, up to 4 rounds each per launch - 3 types of shells, not simple arcade interface, and not lame and complicated like ACE...

player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","7. Press 'Execute'."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","6. Hit 'Confirm' to apply those settings to the marked cannons."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","5. Set cannon-specific data: number of shells for each cannon to fire, spread."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","4. Select the cannons to fire from the cannon list on the left-hand side. Mark a single cannon by left-clicking on it, mark multiple cannons by holding CTRL while your left-click, mark multiple consecutive cannons by holding SHIFT while left-clicking."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","3. Open the interface, type in the spatial data - your own coordinates, presented in the two coordinates 'x-ray' and 'yankee', are displayed in the upper middle of the dialog, or when you open your map, at the top right corner of the screen."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","2. Range your target (e.g. by using the rangefinder)."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","1. Get Direction to target (use your compass)."]];
player createDiaryRecord["Diary", ["Artillery","Artillery Usage:"]];

Also, airstrikes are ordered by Forward Air Controllers and Snipers.

Squad/MP slots are:
-4x 6 man squads (each have a SL, Medic, and Engineer role and 3 specialists)
-3x 3 person Armored Crewman Teams (TL responsible for Asset Allocation to crew, or they operate one vehicle, whatever you want)
-3x 2 man Air Crews (One Pilot, One Co-Pilot)
-2x 2 man Sniper Teams (One Sniper, One Spotter) Ghille Suits
-One JOC Commander with many team support abilities (but so far, this UAV script hates these 3000m high mountains and valleys!! All his other crap works great)

Join up on the Domination server and read the signs next to player spawns to learn more. I'm off for the night, will finalize dedicated alpha server testing tomorrow - only 3 minor changes/additions on the list!! WOO HOO!!!

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Looks great man... sorry I've been AFK for a few days but will hop on after work today!!

The guy who made the original mission (Bon_Inf) really did an excellent job of making it customizable and portable to other islands. I think we should look at porting this to a few different maps (assuming the testing goes well) and have them available on the dedi.

Semler man... did you sleep at all this weekend? lol

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

Good. You can monitor and admin the server....lol. I'm going to take a nap. Some missions are screwed. I reviewed what I thought was all of them, and there are 8 more dynamic missions I didn't go over! Amazing! So, if it gets hung up, just Suicide till the death count reaches 16 and the mission will end, next one will start. Will add a function for the Commander to do this, perhaps locked to one of us - at least till we've gone through each of these 16 missions. It's hard cuz they come up random, so when I wake up, I'll test them one by one (the 8 I didn't that is).
Note the "description" of the mission, that "wording" is something I can search for to find the bug - you cant call it the "cache mission in "XTOWN"" cuz in the text that reads (percent sign)1.

Here's the framework if anyone wants to create one of these dynamic missions. It's easier than you think if you're already familiar with scripting. Help us make this dynamic game mode more ever changing!

// by "your honorable name"<br /><br />if(not isServer) exitWith{};<br /><br />_location = _this select 0;<br /><br /><br />EnemiesSpawned = false;<br />[_location, 5] execVM "scripts\missions\spawn_enemies.sqf";<br />WaitUntil{EnemiesSpawned};<br /><br /><br /><br />///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////<br />//<br />// here goes your code.<br />//<br />///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////<br />// <br />// to let the mission successfully complete, set<br />// tfor_missionstate = "SUCCESS";<br />//<br />// to let the mission fail, set<br />// tfor_missionstate = "FAIL";<br />//<br />// You can also check for<br />// tfor_deathcount > tfor_max_death_per_mission (set as mission parameter)<br />// to let the mission fail (or any other int value)<br />//<br />//<br />// Then add the filename of this mission into the tfor_missions array<br />// (scripts\missions\missionmanager.sqf, somewhere about line 10)<br />//<br />// and add a respective task to the switch-case-structure in<br />// scripts\missions\tasks.sqf <- should be self-explaining, just copy and paste<br />// an existing task and modify the text.<br />//<br />///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////<br />//<br />// NOTES:<br />//<br />// spawning enemies happens at the lines 8-10, however<br />//<br />// you can spawn (manned) vehicles by<br />//   group = [type,side,position,spawnradius] call spawnVehicle;<br />//<br />// you can spawn infantry by<br />//   group = [side,groupsize,position,spawnradius,"militia"] call spawnInf;<br />// where the last parameter is optional and let spawn militia units if side is EAST<br />//<br />// for every object/unit you dynamically create, you should run as well<br />//   [<objects>] spawn tfor_cleanup_after_mission;<br />// so that it gets deleted after the mission is over.<br />//<br />///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////<br /><br /><br /><br />/******************************************************************************<br />// One Example Mission: Destroy an ammo cache;<br />//<br />// cache destroyed -> mission successful;<br />// team dies more often than set by tfor_max_death_per_mission -> mission fail<br />//<br />// Then your code should somehow look like: <br />*******************************************************************************<br /><br />// create cache<br />_cache = "TKBasicWeapons_EP1" createVehicle position _location;<br /><br />// let spawn some guards<br />_guards = [tfor_enemy_side,5,position _cache,20] call spawnInf;<br /><br />// mark guards and cache for cleanup<br />(units _guards + [_cache]) spawn tfor_cleanup_after_mission;<br /><br />// Waituntil cache destroyed or team died too often<br />While{damage _cache < 1 && tfor_deathcount <= tfor_max_death_per_mission} do {sleep 5};<br /><br />// tell the mission manager the mission is over<br />if(damage _cache >= 1) then {<br />    tfor_missionstate = "SUCCESS";<br />} else {<br />    tfor_missionstate = "FAIL";<br />};<br /><br />******************************************************************************/

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Edit: nevermind using Google Docs

[cuel]

Yesterday was really fun. Good and fun mission.

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Thanks for help with testing it, cuel

Just curious.. how did you find out about us/our server?

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

Thanks, cuel! And thanks Savage!

[cuel]

=VG= SavageCDN LAN_WROTE ...

Thanks for help with testing it, cuel

Just curious.. how did you find out about us/our server?

I've been playing a lot of insurgency on VG, so my 'host' filter is set to 'vet' and I noticed the new server/map. Downloaded Clafghan and joined.


-snip- think I replied in the wrong thread-

[=VG= tankmaster58]

looking forward to playing with you guys

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Finally got to check out the latest version yesterday (0.89 I think?) and it looks great... you guys have done a really good job!! All VG Arma players really need to hop on and check this out!!

Edit: Semler have you thought about porting this to other maps as well? Is there a lot of map-specific customization? I'm thinking there are a few other maps where this mission would be awesome (NGS_Capraia, Emita City (urban fun!!), Hells Kitchen (Sangin))

[=VG= kiwirambob]

" Were do we get it "... Ozzie saying
i need to download it.. Please

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

Sorry Bob, the reason I haven't posted up a version for you to download is that there are just one or two kinks involving "locality" that cause said things to not work when map is on a dedicated server vs. hosted privately or played offline.

Right now, there is a basic hot fix on the server, I threw it up this morning, called v0.90. But even that one I don't feel comfortable giving to you Bob, or distributing just yet. I will have it all sorted in the next few hours even.

This is my MAIN task at the moment - freakin locality "if(isServer) exitWith FUCKING RUN MY SCRIPT....lol something like that needs to be added to a few key functions I wrote.

One big change from 0.89 to 0.90 is the "teleport" or relocation between the South Airfield, Camp Branca in the NE, and the Kunar Regional Training Center.

Inspired by Oniblood's (helpful) remark about the original teleport, which simply consisted of the following lines:

player globalChat "Relocating to South Airbase...";<br />player setPos [(getpos SEFlag select 0)+3,(getpos SEFlag select 1)+3,(getpos SEFlag select 2)+0];

So, in response, I wrote 10 scripts to handle "simulated" transportation between Camp Branca, the South Airfield, and the Kunar Regional Training Center. It is a very gracefull teleport where the teleport "flag" is a static AI Blackhawk MEV, it unlocks, spins up the rotar, forces you in, Fade to Black, teleports you to the Blackhawk at the destination, forces you in that one, Fade from Black Back In, forces you out, turns off all engines, locks back up, and welcomes you to new area personally.

Now if I could just get it to work on the dedicated server!! He'll teleport, fading through black and all, but the rotar never spins up, or tries and fails, and doesn't seem to lock/unlock well. Probably needs one of those MP lines like "if not local player exitWith" or "if(isServer) exitWith". I'll have it sorted this evening.

Worked out a problem with the parachutes before it became one. They are classified as "Air'.

In this mission, you cannot pilot/use lead position in "Air" unless you are a p?ilot. People would have been droping like rocks, only to look up at their deployed chute sans parajumper, as if the straps were cut from him. Therefore, in the line that said if not Pilot eject his ass, I basically added "(andand if !isKindOf "parachute_blahblahEP1") then eject his ass".

! means not in this crazy language. not is kind of parachute. Fun fun fun, this scritping is, as you can see...

Here's the code I just wrote for my ambient and gracefull teleport to the ParaJump Training Range:

//Ambient Graceful Teleport to HALO Training Script//<br />//by =VG= SemlerPDX; 1st new NoOb script of 2012//<br />//inspired by =VG= Oniblood's comment on my former 2 line teleport script//<br /><br />//-------TCFlag is Name of Static AI Blackhawk UH60M MEV at Traning Center-------//<br />TCFlag action ["engineOn", TCFlag];<br />sleep 2;<br /><br />TCFlag setvehiclelock "unlocked";<br />sleep 1;<br /><br />player action ["getInCargo", TCFlag];<br />SEFlag action ["engineOn", SEFlag];<br />TCFlag action ["LightOn", TCFlag];<br />SEFlag action ["LightOn", SEFlag];<br />sleep 2;<br /><br />player globalChat "Relocating to South Airfield...";<br /><br />//-------Ambient False Take-Off-------//<br />3 fadeSound 0.1;<br />6 fadeMusic 0.1;<br />titleCut ["", "BLACK OUT", 4];<br />sleep 6;<br />SEFlag setvehiclelock "unlocked";<br /><br />//-------Ambient and Graceful Teleport-------//<br />//-------SEFlag is name of Static AI Blackhawk UH60M MEV at South Airfield-------//<br />player setPos [(getpos SEFlag select 0)+0,(getpos SEFlag select 1)+3,(getpos SEFlag select 2)+0];<br />sleep 2;<br />player action ["getInCargo", SEFlag];<br /><br />//-------Fade Back In, and Variable Personalized Welcome Message-------//<br />6 fadeSound 1;<br />6 fadeMusic 1;<br />sleep 4;<br />titleCut ["", "BLACK IN", 6];<br />sleep 1;<br /><br />if((round random 5) > 1) then {<br />    titletext [format ["Welcome to Prozakhar Airfield, %1.", name player], "PLAIN DOWN", 2];<br />} else {<br />//-------on the chance that a 0 or 1 comes up, it will say:-------//<br />    titletext [format ["Welcome back, %1. We kept the home fires burning...", name player], "PLAIN DOWN", 2];<br />};<br />player action ["getOut", SEFlag];<br /><br /><br />//-------Resetting Ambient Static Blackhawks-------//<br />sleep 6;<br />TCEFlag action ["engineOff", TCFlag];<br />SEFlag action ["engineOff", SEFlag];<br />SEFlag setvehiclelock "locked";<br />TCFlag setvehiclelock "locked";<br />TCFlag action ["LightOff", TCFlag];<br />SEFlag action ["LightOff", SEFlag];<br />//-----AND THEY ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. THE END-----//

Here is what the teleport between bases should look like (note: the engine turns off much sooner now):

[=VG= kiwirambob]

=VG= SemlerPDX ... luv it
Luv the VG signs and my desktop wallpaper ..
Was thinking of changing the amex entrance sign to " Veterans-Gaming " .. but i cant do that stuff ..
Looking very much to gaming with this map mod ...
Dam i wish i was as smart as you young stud,s ..

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Bob - version .89 is up and running on the server right now - if you want to check out the map just join!!

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

@SavageCDN = Well, I'd certainly make it available to port to other islands. Shouldn't be a problem, but is a bit of work, as in MASSIVE, to port it now after the hundreds of hours I've put into it. We're talkin around 12-20 hours a day scripting every single day (except for several around Xmas) since 12/9/2011. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I added it up...

If I were doing this for a company, I'd have 80+ of overtime each week for the past 4.

So, yea, if you want to port, go ahead. I'm focusing on Afghanistan. If you do port, you may need to remove the Ft. Irwin Training Center elements. Was hard enough to get it to fit on this massive 450sq. km map.

And that CQC map you mentioned, great idea! Should be run with ShackTac Movement and ShackTac HUD in that version, though. MOUT is all fun and games in Arma till you have to enter a doorway with your gun draw. ShackTac makes CQC possible in Arma, and only ShackTac.

Final quirks will be worked out this afternoon.

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

Wow man you should take a breather before you snap!! From what I've seen though it looks awesome!!

Is there anything I can help with testing-wise?

Porting shouldn't be too hard to do as long as there isn't a lot of map-specific stuff. I'll give it a go when I have some extra time.