=VG= SemlerPDX

I've created special Steam Update buttons in TCAdmin for this Arma 3 server. These are not present in our other Arma 3 servers, and this SOP only applies to this Mike Force server. This has been added to the first post for Server Managers to refer back to later, and will be part of a TCAdmin Guide in the VG Wiki eventually, like many pinned posts, etc. --- !!! IF YOU UPDATE, CHANGE SETTINGS, OR RESET THE SERVER PROGRESS - POST UP IN VG DISCORD and/or VG WEBSITE CHATBOX !!! --- STOP THE A3 SOG SERVER TO UPDATE IT FOLLOWING THESE STEPS: First Click on "Steam Workshop (updates)" (brown) button and update each mod and/or mission (no mods = no updates) Next Click on "Steam Update" (grey) button to update the main game + DLC 2b. If you are updating the Mike Force mission from Workshop, click on Purple Steam button - a backup is made Start the Server - verify everything is working. Contact SemlerPDX directly if anything is broken!

I have spent some time before bed polishing the VG Wiki server page, edited the URL for brevity and added a link to the top of the first post here, TeamSpeak3 channel descriptions, and pinned in the Discord Arma 3 channel. We'll keep adding to it as we go - for now, the basics are covered, what is recommended/required, and all the links have been edited to open in new tabs so they can refer back to the VG Wiki page they were on more easily. I'm also looking forward to adding a few sections to the Players Guide for this server, a part for "first time in the server" covering walking up to the Duty Officer and navigating the Armory crate menu, plus highlighting current known issues, pitfalls and workarounds. Had fun today, so glad to have spent some time getting set up for helicopter flight, had serious issues at first and now that they are sorted I'm landing like a pro again (when I don't explode, that is). Whiskey-Mike asked if we'd be doing an event for this, and that would be great - folks like him without the DLC can use the compatibility mod. Will be fun when we figure something out and find the time. We'll need to plan for bugs and ways to continue around them, since this one is a beta, but we'll roll with the punches as we go. *note: I have not created the special CDLC Steam Update script in TCAdmin for this server (yet), and have removed the grey Steam Update button for TCAdmin users - until created, update method is to upload/overwrite 'vn' folder files with user updated copies. This is an ASAP TBD WIP with no ETA, just FYSA VG Wiki Mike Force Server Guide: How to enable mods & join server

I use my Logitech X52 Pro to fly helicopters in Arma 3 - but in Mike Force SOG, when trying to hook a crate for transport, the chopper cannot lift it and may crash. I discovered (finally) that this is because I had Arma 3 Game Options set to Advanced Flight Model - I enjoyed the gauges, etc. but apparently this is broken or non-functional for Mike Force SOG mission. In order to handle the weight of a load, this must be set to Basic/Standard Flight Model Additionally, while the collective gauge was displayed via the Advanced Flight Model, I noticed that even at max throttle position, the collective was not at 100%. This is because Arma 3 has some unresolved issue with the Controller Settings for Helicopters "Collective Raise/Lower (analog)". Extra steps must be taken to fix it: Under 'Collective Raise (analog)' move your throttle forward and backwards to set both the Axis + and Axis - for this control Under 'Collective Lower (analog)' you must also move your throttle backwards and forwards to set both the Axis - and Axis + for this control as well Ignore the red Arma 3 controller conflict warnings on these controls, and click OK to save If anyone has been flying without full range of the collective (as I had been) you will notice an immediate difference and increase in control, especially at the throttle maximum/minimums, allowing some rather controlled braking and landing in a straight line (without the need to bank and whip around at a higher altitude).

Certain actions push players inside buildings they are not meant to be in, providing an unfair advantage. The collision and texture of the walls of these structures are one-way only, so players can see out and shoot out from them. A recent report and subsequent reply from an R-DEV concluded that this is not possible to fix, and entirely up to Server Admins to police: PR Admins at VG will be instructed to watch for such things, but due to the imprecise reported location of a player on a map relative to where they actually are, we do not want to see any Admins assuming that players are inside a structure without personally/visually verifying such outside a map view, 'in person'. This is for the cases where someone is merely up against a wall, but the map and/or PRISM show them on the other side of the wall in error as if inside the building. Because this *can* happen on accident (yet rarely) for this specific exploit, we will deal with individuals found inside buildings first by messaging them at the time to tell them HOW it happened, HOW to avoid it in future, and tell them to walk out of the structure or let them know they will now be forced to respawn, followed by a !kill command to force the respawn if they do not or cannot exit on their own. If that same player is found again, they may be kicked and/or banned as appropriate (if they genuinely fell victim to it again, they should know to walk out on their own without engaging enemies - no excuses).... I'm sure you all can gauge who is honestly having issues with the game and those regulars who know all these exploits and use them without regard. An honest player's first response to being pushed inside a building should be "WTF? ADMINS! HELP!", not to accept it and utilize it FTW (edited)

Server ONLINE (we ended up using a workaround - will have to revisit a method for SOG DLC download through TCAdmin later) I am adding full update control through TCAdmin, including mod update automation for TFAR (Beta) and CBA_A3 + their keys. Instructions will be visible in TCAdmin above the buttons. There was an issue earlier today where Server Managers could not update this server due to the beta DLC, I've resolved that and am working to make the entire update process simple one-click buttons (no manually uploading, or copying keys to keys folder, etc.). Optional mods will still need Server Managers to upload the most recent keys, if they change - but these typically do not change on update iirc. Adding Mission Update functions as well, and while they will be automated with a new purple Steam button called (mission). In order to allow minor VG edits to fix things while waiting for next official (beta) mission update from devs, OUR version of the mission will have "_" underscores in its name, while official mission has URL encoding for whitespace "%20". Instructions in TCAdmin and a new button to 'update the mission' will first create a backup of the current 'vg' edit (using underscores), then replace it with the most recent version of this mission from the Steam Workshop and properly named with our 'underscore' designation. VG Arma Devs can then download/upload edits of the file as needed, and of course, can always upload an updated copy of the mission manually, too... Just wanted to add an automated means in case we need it.

I've got more than a few world saves from various VG Minecraft servers over the years, but not the 'original' from when MC was new and some of the VG guys like CCCode and Poffadder made a huge server. I think I got a pic of the map tho... not sure if this is the original 'original' My favorite world we spun up was using an older version of Minecraft and a Mod Pack called 'Mod Sauce 2' which had so many mod packs, you'd never get bored... could automate pretty much everything, and build very, very large things once you have a stead flow of whatever blocks you build with. Talking automated crafting tables feeding to yet other automated crafting tables to where you just take a stack of some high level item and it replaces itself from your stock by building more. Sadly, when we had a less regular backup schedule, we lost about 6-8 weeks on that Mod Sauce world, for me it was a loss of many major builds including a completed 'Blood Magic' mod with all the toys that come with it, and mostly completed 'Thaumcraft' and 'Tinkers Construct' mods with all those toys, very cool ones, too. Walked around it once after the restoration from backup and it just made me sad, all that work - some more about the destination than the journey when you gotta grind through the slog just to get to the fun/cool parts. I loved my black castle!! Loved the 'dark' magic stuff I was getting into in the game, and have fond memories even though some of it was lost:

It went unused for a year, then some of the guys wanted to try another mod pack, then it went unused for another year or so... We'll run it again if players want it, no worries there. Would be best to wait for the new box just cuz we're kinda at capacity now, of course. (we keep copies of old MC worlds, too - got a few)

Click here: https://veterans-gaming.com/unban-requests/pr/

We rent a dedicated server, it's not managed - very affordable that way. And I pay for a web panel called TCAdmin for server management so I can hand out limited permissions to anyone without giving them root access. (That TCAdmin has been my 'monthly donation' of $16 for years, I keep that one tied directly to my personal credit card cuz its my baby, and I'm happy to do it for the peace of mind and not having to be "the only guy(s)" who can restart a porked server, and to add a new button or command line option or game server whenever someone needs it, etc.)

It's time for an upgrade... For the past few months, I've been occasionally looking at potential upgrades on offer through Hetzner, mostly keen on the Ryzen 3700X build - base version has 2TB NVMe (2x1TB in RAID-1) for a total usable space of over 900GB, 4x what we currently have (and we're now sitting at only 45GB free space after the Arma 3 SOG server DLC upgrade of 25GB, plus mods), and doubling our current available cores. We like to give online servers their own pair of cores when able, with nothing else using them, but that's not always possible and technically not always necessary. Though it can be beneficial when able, so we do. Having twice this many would again allow us to have 2 cores per server, dedicated, even when not fully utilized, and plenty more for other server ideas in the future such as an alternate theater for Falcon BMS (if we can get headless client version of that sim to work). Costs will be around 60 Euro (~$72 USD) for one-time setup, plus the 63 Euro (~$76 USD) for the first month rental fee, on top of a current month rental fee for current box of 63 Euro. Basically, need to drop 186 Euro in one month (about $225 USD), then after that it's back to the same monthly fee we pay now, though with vastly superior hardware. I'm discussing when this will be possible time-wise with my fellow Tech Team member =VG= Ciro and we have to buffer it so that we have plenty of time left before the billing month for the current box runs out for the migration. This way, everything can remain online while we work in the background over the course of a week or even two, at most, until we finally transfer over the IP address and spin up the current servers on the new box. I'll get together with our leader =VG= BLuDKLoT when it's time to pull the trigger and we'll get it paid. Looking forward to a great rest of the year, and to upgraded server hardware for VG!

*Originally, this was designed for Falcon BMS version 4.34 - since then, it has always been and will continue to be updated to work with the latest version of Falcon BMS. Pro tip: never include a game version in URL's or graphics Profile for VoiceAttack by =VG= SemlerPDX Description: These commands use VoiceAttack to translate the in-game on-screen radio menus from AWACS through Tanker into natural and intelligent voice command phrases that will fire keypress macros to help keep hands on the throttle and stick, and maintain immersion. As an additional option, these commands can be locked behind a push-to-talk mode bound to your UHF/VHF transmit buttons in-game, allowing any other VoiceAttack command unrestricted access if needed, while still restricting these BMS radio command macros. Finally, this single advanced control profile is extremely easy to edit or integrate into other profiles. At VETERANS-GAMING, we fly with friends or AI Pilots, or a mix of both on our 24/7 Public Korean Campaign in Falcon BMS. We may go out with an AI wingman only to have a friend take their place mid-flight. For this reason and others, I created this VoiceAttack profile based around restricting when the computer can execute keypress macros that match voice phrases, having to first check if that pilot was set to a human pilot and therefore disregard commands for that pilot. Thanks to user requests during the beta, there is now an optional mode to reverse the Human Pilots system, to assume all pilots are humans unless told otherwise, and also a system to choose a different keyboard layout than QWERTY. I have also added an optional Audio Feedback Mode to play a short radio cue sound when a command is successfully recognized. Included is a single profile that handles every callsign and radio command variation in Falcon BMS, with instructions on how to add any custom callsigns to the single profile. The focus of this profile is only on the in-game Radio Menus, and creating an immersive interaction layer through VoiceAttack that is easy to manage and update, or integrate into other Voice Control systems for Falcon BMS. My goal was an intuitive system, so there is no user manual - only a few infographics and quick reference pic of all the radio commands. I personally keep that final pic on my tablet for reference when flying, to find radio commands I seldom used in the past when they were more difficult to access while busy with HOTAS in the pit. Say goodbye to the keyboard, and enjoy the immersion! Cheers! Features: *Push-To-Talk mode disabled by default. Say, "Turn On Push To Talk Mode" to enable Download: (Click Here) Tips for this profile: (click here to view tips) *On first import, you should say, "Initialize Profile" - after first time, this is automatic. Any attempt to use commands before this will trigger auto-initialization. If you get errors from my profile, Launch VoiceAttack and open Options (wrench icon in lower right): -Under last tab on top, System/Advance, check box next to "Use Nested Tokens" as in image 1 below -Unless absolutely required, during testing it's recommended to uncheck "Allow command segment info for composite commands" Open the profile - if not already done, group commands by category and consolidate multi-part commands as in image 2 & 3 below Click on the Description tab at the top to help sort commands further (see image 4) Read a semicolon ";" as the word "or" and look at long commands as having many options like saying "2;Two;Too;To;Wingman" (read as "2 -or- Two -or- Too -or- To -or- Wingman") Commands Reference: *Replace the word "Human" with "Computer" when All-Humans Mode is ON Normally, this profile assumes all pilots are Computers, use All-Humans Mode to invert this Say, 'Open the Command Reference', anytime to view available voice commands

FINAL RELEASE TO v1.0 Please download updated final version! Link below and updated in the main post above! You don't have to remove the old 0.92 beta profile, but it is recommended to not use both at the same time or variables may get messed up. Thanks to everyone for helping to finish up final testing and for your patience this year as I've been so busy with this website! I cannot believe I'm finally here! I've been working on this vision of a project for over a year and a half, and came up with the idea after the first "day one patch" due to a typo in one of my public voice command profiles. I dreamed of a profile hub that could help manage any game profile I release, as well as work like a template for VoiceAttack profile builders to use for their own projects, including AVCS CORE functions and methods in an included Template Profile. Several interesting voice control systems are used by me in various games, so it only made sense to flesh those out and place them in a central profile, then release game profiles which include AVCS CORE profile commands into themselves. If I update a command system inside AVCS CORE, users only have to download that one profile, and likewise, I don't have to place those systems into each game profile and update each profile when a common command system is changed. Additionally, since I place so many of my operational variables in flat text files, it is very easy to edit or update exactly how the hard set systems in the profile operate, and allowing 'patch' updates through these configuration files without forcing a new profile to be downloaded and imported. And of course, through AVCS CORE, I can notify users of major profile updates requiring a new download, with the added bonus of special initialization logic to detect a new profile version and offer to import the previous save file containing user profile settings, or even delete the previous version configuration and/or save files. With this final public release of AVCS CORE, I can even add new voice commands through patch updates between major profile updates if needed, to further minimize the need to force new profile download and imports for minor changes. So long as AVCS CORE command systems do not change, it should be very easy to support additions to games through game updates, or even modify and add to existing commands with new alternate phrasings to help maintain my goal of conceptual command use, "any way you say it". Huge thanks to everyone who helped out with comments, feedback, bug reports, and testing - there is no way I could have come this far without all the support and I just can't thank everyone enough! Special thanks for the coffees! I'm looking forward to using this framework in the coming months and years to release AVCS4 game profiles for plenty of titles, the end of this one project makes possible so many more! Here's a copy of the latest changelog entry: Public Release AVCS CORE v1.0 Changelog May-11-2021 New Commands: -"Open the Command Reference" (or variations - open up-to-date command reference page online, or last updated reference file locally if offline) -"Set a Computer Name" (or variations - set a 'Computer' Assistant name for AVCS PTT mode, say before any command to wake listening temporarily) -"Set a Push to Talk Button" (or variations - set up to 6 total keyboard, mouse, or joystick buttons through automated script - just press when asked) Fixes/Improvements: -Improved PTT (Push to Talk) Mode with voice controlled automated key/button detection during "Set" command -Added PTT Modes (chosen during "Set" command) for game/QCC commands only (default), or toggle VoiceAttack Global Listening Mode -Added PTT Mode 'Wake' by 'Computer' Assistant Name - set a name to say before any existing command to temporarily wake Global Listening Mode -Added Profile Misc. Commands to QCC, allows new commands or macros to be added via Live Update Patch Fix to CORE or AVCS4 profiles between major updates if needed -Added requirement to Include AVCS CORE Profile Commands through any used AVCS4 Profile Options, instructions provided during first-time init -Added optional File Explorer GUI to select item for QCC Advanced Commands 'Play a Sound File' and 'Open File Shortcut or Program' actions -Added option to Save File Options Menu to import save file (config settings, QCC commands, or all) from existing Profiles (for any game) or from file path entered -Fixed When setting Preferred, found duplicates of a non-AVCS profile (created unique list for AVCS and non-AVCS profile list choices) -Fixed QCC commands set in CORE persisted into next profile, should have been 'wiped' and unavailable in different AVCS profile -Fixed International Decimals - All Decimal Variables finally compatible for international users via cultural identification fix during init -Fixed infinite loop on Minor Version Rollback toggle and version display errors following toggle -Fixed many more minor issues throughout, from options menus to get-input pop-up boxes including direct profile name choice instead of shortname ID and version number ID Any problems or new bugs, or brilliant ideas, feel free to drop some feedback! Cheers!

FINAL RELEASE TO v1.40 Please download updated final version of AVCS4 BMS (v1.40) and AVCS CORE (v1.0)! Link below and updated in the main post above! You don't have to remove the old 1.3.92 beta profile, but it is recommended to not use both at the same time or variables may get messed up. Thanks to everyone for helping to finish up final testing and for your patience this year as I've been so busy with this website! As I wrote in my post about the final public AVCS CORE v1.0 release, I cannot believe I'm finally here! I've been working on this vision of a project for over a year and a half, and came up with the idea after the first "day one patch" due to a typo in one of my public voice command profiles. I dreamed of a profile hub that could help manage any game profile I release, as well as work like a template for VoiceAttack profile builders to use for their own projects, including AVCS CORE functions and methods in an included Template Profile. Two of the largest setbacks for the AVCS4 BMS Voice Controlled Radios project had been my misunderstanding of how to deal with international decimal separators, and the extremely unintuitive Push to Talk Button setup procedure. With this final public release of AVCS4 BMS v1.40, I have at last overcome these issues, and the new Push to Talk Mode features are completely automated, voice controlled, and completely customizable including the classic default mode which only gates game commands behind the PTT key(s), and now an option to toggle Global Listening Mode with the use of the PTT button(s) (up to six keyboard, mouse, or controller buttons). As an added feature, users can set a 'Computer' Assistant name that works like holding the PTT button(s) for a brief period, waking Global Listening long enough to issue commands. I'm also happy to announce that users can just say, "Open the Command Reference", to view the latest updated command reference on the VG website, or the most recent command reference on file (if offline). With this final public release including the AVCS CORE (v1.0) profile, I can even add new voice commands through patch updates between major profile updates if needed, to further minimize the need to force new profile download and imports for minor changes. So long as AVCS CORE command systems do not change, it should be very easy to support additions to games through game updates, or even modify and add to existing commands with new alternate phrasings to help maintain my goal of conceptual command use, "any way you say it". Huge thanks to everyone who helped out with comments, feedback, bug reports, and testing - there is no way I could have come this far without all the support and I just can't thank everyone enough! Special thanks for the coffees! I still have plans to build upon this framework, and find a way to create game profile specific themed GUI elements, but for pure functionality, I'll be using the VoiceAttack get-user input boxes until then. Here's a copy of the latest changelog entry: Public Release AVCS4 BMS v1.40 Changelog May-11-2021 This is a Major Profile Update, and requires downloading and importing the latest AVCS4 BMS Radios (v1.40) and AVCS CORE (v1.0) profiles: New Commands: -"Open the Command Reference" (or variations - open up-to-date command reference page online, or last updated reference file locally if offline) -"Set a Computer Name" (or variations - set a 'Computer' Assistant name for AVCS PTT mode, say before any command to wake listening temporarily) -"Set a Push to Talk Button" (or variations - set up to 6 total keyboard, mouse, or joystick buttons through automated script - just press when asked) Fixes/Improvements: -Improved PTT (Push to Talk) Mode with voice controlled automated key/button detection during "Set" command -Added PTT Modes (chosen during "Set" command) for game/QCC commands only (default), or toggle VoiceAttack Global Listening Mode -Added PTT Mode 'Wake' by 'Computer' Assistant Name - set a name to say before any existing command to temporarily wake Global Listening Mode -Added Profile Misc. Commands to QCC, allows new commands or macros to be added via Live Update Patch Fix to CORE or AVCS4 profiles between major updates if needed -Added requirement to Include AVCS CORE Profile Commands through AVCS4 BMS Profile Options, instructions provided during first-time init -Fixed International Decimals - All Decimal Variables finally compatible for international users via cultural identification fix during init -Fixed Issue where user was asked to set Keyboard type more than once during first few profile uses, even when already saved to file and loaded properly Any problems or new bugs, or brilliant ideas, feel free to drop some feedback! Cheers!

This.. Also ... a whole list of common A3 things to disable, including Radio Subtitles, etc: "Enemy Contact 60 meters!" We'll get it done!

We are actively discussing having a Modded Prairie Fire Server, as well as a non-modded vanilla server running a Vietnam flavor of VG Insurgency SOAR. As we have with our current non-modded Insurgency SOAR server and the modded Insurgency ACE server. There are large crowds in both these groups of players, and we do have the ability to do it so we likely will. Got other things on the table, too, so no ETA while we discuss how and get the work done.

Connor is making a quick guide for installing TFAR in the VG Wiki, also, next week I will get a full info page created for this new server, I have a feeling we'll keep it online along with the others even if we jump between the other servers. We have the space to have "flavors", glad to use it!

Server will need to be stopped, renamed and claimed, and then re-renamed to normal and started back up. I'll take care of it later today when the server is empty.

Files are in place but it's midnight and I'm heading off. Sausag3 or whoever can fire it up to that Mark_something mission and see if Vietnam is working there now. If not, I'll be back in about ten hours to help troubleshoot.