[COOP/SP36] Hornet's nest [free roam/sandbox Chernarus]

[ArmAIIholic 10]

COOP 55 / SP free roam / sandbox mission (campaign) for Chernarus A2

Hornet's nest

Features:

• Fully populated dynamic world aka. dynamically created battlefronts (World in Conflict Tool WICT)
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• Norrin's revive script 0.3f - 90 sec for revive + mobile respawn point (leader and medics can deploy and remove spawn point / field hospital)
  
  • that requires real cooperation, because there is only one spare spawn point at the start, so be careful once you begin moving original spawn point - one player must remove it from previous location and the other must put it to the new one
    

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  [*]Leader can add HALO actions to all players -- one radio call enables this feature for all players -- it is arcadish but it is up to leader

  • suggested usage --- enable HALO, half of the team goes to new location, deploy medic station, then other half comes later
    

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  [*]Roles - you start with your equipment - you will have to find the place to rearm, or you can take from dead soldiers.

  • 5 teams - I suggest you to disable AI from teams which are not in use since their position affect position of the battlefront
    

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  [*]Support, transport and supplies for capturing some bases + deployable transport (HUMVEEs and trucks via radio) when you are not in the safe zone (leader) -- again arcadish but it is up to leader (GM)

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  [*]Two neutral sectors, 15 bases total

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  [*]COIN for setup bases and reward system --- you will get a reward for capturing enemy base (AI capture don't count -- player have to "touch" the base)

  • CAUTION: don't forget to use your radio to resync with COIN so you can build again -- communication with HQ is necessary
    
  • Check number of points at the beginning of the game if you don't have error check enabled -- sometimes (rarely) there is an error with COIN initialization in the beginning -- just restart and it will be ok
    

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  [*]SecOp missions -- both scripted and random on whole island

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  [*]Dynamic weather and time changes

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  [*]Four High Value Targets for you to hunt down:

  • If you aim on the target he will stand still and raise hands. If you are skilled enough you can shoot him in legs and after you move your aim away he will lie down with face to the ground -- that way you don't have to worry about him shooting around. Approach him to verify target and to claim your reward --- or at least find their backpacks
    

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  [*]2 min of peace --- WICT is started automatically

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  [*]3 fully scripted battles

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Do you have ETA for this mission, A2H? If it will present the same quality as WICT does, I should take some days off. :D

Now you are starting at the north, there is a small bay. OPFOR is holding almost whole island. Your task is to liberate it, or just play around.

How to play it as SP?

I've put "hornet....pbo" into \missions\ and run it as a normal sp-mission from scenario-menue, works good. Another copy of "hornet...pbo" I've put into \MPMissions\, in case of playing via LAN/I-net

Do not do that! You need to disable AI-teams that you are not playing in SP and you will need probably respawn point during gameplay.

Install it in MP and start it as LAN host as only player and disable all AI that you don't want -- mainly other AI-teams. If you don't disable them (3 teams are starting on different locations) WICT won't be able to work correctly.

And if you want to use all features -- SecOps, COIN, HVTs, HALO etc. you should play on the first slot!!!

DOWNLOAD

Armaholic mirror : Hornet's nest Co-36 (@)[/b]

Required addon: NONE

If you want to thank anyone --- thank those people on seven pages that helped me with their ideas to make this:

zapat, Velocity, LockJaw-65-, kdjac and others

Version 2.0

* addon free mission

* powered by improved WICT version --- WICT v4.0 BETA -- not official release

* improved Dedi compatibility

* more teams and slots -- 55 slots for you to choose, 5 teams, 5 starting locations

* increased revive time to 90 sec

* added automatic reinforcements for SP (GM = first slot only)

* decreased frequency of SecOp missions

* added "backpacks" marker for HVTs

* added more scripted parts -- added base at Krasnostav airport (after capture) and added Chernogorsk defenses

* added battlefront marker to improve players' awareness of battlefront position

Edited January 22, 2011 by ArmAIIholic

[kdjac 19]

As an idea set 5 simple mission types then X them 4.

So

4 SAR.

4 Convoy destructions.

4 Town wipeouts.

4 Assassinations.

5 large town wipeouts.

Place 5 of each in 5 areas and let the user decide what to take 1st. Layer them so that the hardest is say Chernogorsk and the easiest is close to the start. If the SAR Convoy and Assassins were dynamic and the towns static.

Script that taking the 4 dynamic missions in one area weakens the main force at the large town.

With that awesome WICT tool, giving people a point to clear whilst be surrounded by chaos would be good.

As for team size i would say start with 10 and work forwards and backwards from that (testing should indicate how it plays best). No gunships but give Blackhawks to move around plus all humvees.

Sounds good in my head :D

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Ok thanx, with WICT that will be simple enough, I think, at least wipeouts will be.

Dynamic convoys and assassinations were not my specialty so far, but I will try to implement them.

However I am planing release for VTS3.5 so I think that will be +1.

I added

7) What about the name of the mission?

--EDIT--

I also added map

Edited September 1, 2010 by ArmAIIholic

[Tankriders 0]

Nice map, we will put it on our server.

Is it possible to dissable the revive script?

Edited September 1, 2010 by Tankriders
Forgot something

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Yes it is, there is setup for parameters if you want unlimited number of revives or no revives at all, just respawn.

I hope it will be finished in a week, it just depends on how quick I will make some scripted missions.

[-)rStrangelove 0]

Interesting, i just read about WICT for the 1st time. Dunno why i missed this, maybe WICT is the wrong name for such a great concept? ;)

Anyway, gonna have to try it out when i'm home.

One question: why doing it via FSMs ? Performance related?

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Yes, I had low success rate with sqf when I first started on this concept and since there is long range of decisions and loops in the spawning process I sticked with FSM, which was winning concept.

Now I am better with sqf and nested if blocks, but if I had to do it again, I would do it with FSM, not a single doubt. It works fantastic. Series of FSM is what gives dynamic to this module.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

@])rStrangelove:

Decision making trees can get extremely complex, and near impossible to maintain readability on. Visualizing "where did I come from and where am I going" in the code, is the biggest strongpoint of going FSM instead of line-by-line code. The drawback, at least in Arma, is the extremely bad code editor.

Example of AI decision FSM process I use for their artillery/mortar system:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54973802@N00/4948592954/sizes/l/

Also take a look at BIS own missions, how their "flow" is controlled using FSM, making it rather easy to skip to important parts for debugging, and how it makes it easy to identify where in a mission things starts to go wrong.

[ArmAIIholic 10]

I uploaded new map, added two neutral sectors, 15 bases total, all bases are finished, now SecOps and scripted battles.

Cheers

[Velocity 10]

I need help with making this free roam:

1) How many players? How many teams? Which roles to put and in which proportion?

2) Any scripted missions?

3) How complicated missions?

4) Any ideas where to put them...

5) Regular tasks or dynamic tasks -- for example just a hint where to go or what to do.

6) Anything else I didn't mention...

7) What about the name of the mission?

1) You could also insert a few independent bases - this would make your scenario much more interesting. You've already done that :)

2) What would you think about a mission in which the player is able to gain/build a new base of operations (as reward), which hasn't been located on the map before? This base could be used as a new vantage point for the player, in which he is able to resupply and/or hire new units. You could realize this with a ghost base, which isn't visible at the beginning.

5) I would prefer dynamic tasks - they support re-playability of your mission.

6) What about some "hot zones" which are located at keypoints of the map - they would support some intense (but limited) action!

6) Also the player should have the possibility to regain destroyed vehicles (for personal use) - maybe as a reward for specific missions?

7) The name should depend on your intentions - do you want to realize a huge battlefield @ Big Bang World War, or do you intend to create a straightlined mission with some dynamic action in the background?

Edited September 1, 2010 by Velocity

[ArmAIIholic 10]

---

2) That would be excellent, but since F2 has Construction Interface (COIN) Presets, I will maybe use that in some point of the mission if it is possible to enable it later. But probably without using ghost base, since it is a fixed position and I don't want that.

5) I already see that SecOp is very powerful thing and I will use it. But some type of missions, like convoy assault will be triggered in particular area. Depending on time I have for making missions I should make some assassination or stealth or dunno.... Will see....

6) There are three zones for now that I will use for huge scripted battles, 50 tanks on each side etc.

6a) There is a radio call that spawns Humvees and truck, and all other more heavy vehicles will be reward when you enter some zone and they will not respawn again. And also there is a HALO option that team leader can activate, so it will be enough.

7) It is huge Battlefield + Mercanaries 2 + GTA4 + Red dead Redemption, so I cannot easily come up with suitable name :D :bounce3:

Edited September 1, 2010 by ArmAIIholic

[Velocity 10]

2) That would be excellent, but since F2 has Construction Interface (COIN) Presets, I will maybe use that in some point of the mission if it is possible to enable it later. But probably without using ghost base, since it is a fixed position.

I agree with you that a fixed location isn't quite dynamic, but therefore you could provide the player with some kind of "defend the base - missions", in which the player has some time to build defences in order to survive a skripted attack. This kind of gameplay would be very refreshing (in comparison to the other user-missions you can find here)!

In addition you could use COIN to provide the player with the ability to build mobile camps/bridgeheads as he sees fit. Due to the fact that players have to pay ('funds' I think?) in order to build stuff with COIN, you could also connect this feature with monetary rewards for accomplished missions. Think of the huge (and addictive) potential - a dynamic battlefield combined with the possibility to expand and improve it's own base. This also would fit with your intentions to create an open world scenerario ("Battlefield + Mercanaries 2 + GTA4 + Red dead Redemption"). Last but not least it would provide coop-players with much more ways to play your map - for example one could build a front position/firebase/bridgehead whereas the other one tries to defend it from incoming enemies ((-1 point for me for uncreative examples :))).

There is a radio call that spawns Humvees and truck, and all other more heavy vehicles will be reward when you enter some zone and they will not respawn again

But don't forget - WICT is able to spawn infinite enemies! Therefore I would give the player the possibility to build/order/buy/spawn/create as much vehicles he wants - if he complies certain requirements (like funds / amount of killed enemys / amount of captured bases/ ...) of course. I think there are many tank-commanders ("tank orientated players") around who would appreciate this in an open world related scenario like yours!

Edited September 1, 2010 by Velocity

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Thanx very much for detailed explanation. I will think about it. Actually it would be excellent since that way player could also put static defenses (that AI would mount if empty) and make some barbwires and it would be something like Company of Heroes... hmm, nice one really.

And they will gain funds by killing and capturing.

You are very creative.

--EDIT--

I've found fantastic coin script here.

Edited September 1, 2010 by ArmAIIholic

[Velocity 10]

Looks good - it supports custom buildings and prices. As I understand it COIN needs to be attached to some kind of object to work correctly - is that right? If so, do you intend to provide the player with some kind of "building-truck" (like in warfare)?

Edited September 1, 2010 by Velocity

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Well yes, you need a HQ and it needs to be sync with player. Now I don't know if F2 framework handles synchronization after respawn, it should from what I see, and it suppose to be enough to just place a unit name there. I will try to most obvious method -- to find a file in F2 responsible for COIN for west side and just to add everything from the script I cited.

[zapat 56]

Now this is looking great so far A2H! Will it be playable as SP?

What if you use my older idea in some parts, and hide east bases, so players need to do some reconnaissance as well? Marking them with easy to spot objects (like antenna) and it is more fun than knowing the exact locations from the map already....

[Velocity 10]

Now this is looking great so far A2H! Will it be playable as SP?

What if you use my older idea in some parts, and hide east bases, so players need to do some reconnaissance as well? Marking them with easy to spot objects (like antenna) and it is more fun than knowing the exact locations from the map already....

It's true that it will deliver more fun if you don't know the exact position of the enemy (east) bases at the beginning, but (and here is the problem) this mission is meant to be played on and off (again and again) and therefore the player will know the locations of the bases at the second run anyway. Don't get me wrong - for the first run it could (easily) be realized with ghost bases, but I personally don't think it would fit in the intended gameconcept of A2H.

The perfect solution to this problem would probably be to write a script which randomly sets the enemy bases on the map each time you start a new game. But this would take a lot of time and effort to accomplish, especially in terms of balancing and the boundaries of WICT. As Bohemia Interactive keeps saying - it would be 'nice to have feature' in the future :-)

---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 AM ----------

7) It is huge Battlefield + Mercanaries 2 + GTA4 + Red dead Redemption, so I cannot easily come up with suitable name :D :bounce3:

You may call it something similar to "battleground/battlefield of (unlimited/infinite) opportunities" as your intentions are a open world scenario in which the player is free to do what he wants to.

[-)rStrangelove 0]

What would be great: helping civilians / repairing damaged UN vehicles / defend friendly villages from criminals/terrorists.

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Hi guys, thanx for ideas. You constantly forget SOM, which is very powerful thing, plus random Town generator.

And this will be replayable since there would be bunch of stuff to do and I will also put a toggle for more or less SOM missions + more or less variety of missions. That will be available for first player which is team leader and also GM.

It is not hard to implement you mission zapat, but since I already have 15 bases and you have a lot that will be too much. But I can implement some defenses and bases as scripted parts so when you come nearby you will trigger e.g. first assault near the coastline, with airplane going above your head in flame, or something like that.

I will make such scripted surprises and they should be scripted so people can play it over again and trying different ways, there is nothing wrong with that.

Defend missions exist in SOM, dunno about repair and helping civilians.... Way too much for now, configuring ALICE, maybe I will put some civilians as "static"... Too many trigger to determine successful objective and probably using some FSM -- not in the mood right now, I have other things that I should get working.

Maybe later, adding missions to this template shouldn't be a problem once main picture / frame is done.

Again, thanx for ideas fellows

[zapat 56]

Do you have ETA for this mission, A2H? If it will present the same quality as WICT does, I should take some days off. :D

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Xa xa xa that will become a quote on the first page. I hope for the weekend :D

[Velocity 10]

I hope for the weekend :D

Deal? :deal: :D

Any guesses on the name so far?

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Nope, no blockbuster name so far, I am working on SOM and scripted missions right now, giving me a little headache...

--EDIT--

I think I just experienced after 5 restarts of the game that it is not a good thing to combine Request SecOp and SecOp parameters....

--EDIT 2--

I think it is a bug -- if I try to restart the game while I am receiving SOM mission then I cannot longer call the menu (Esc) or move myself. And I have to Alt+F4 the game... strange.

--EDIT 3 --

Nope, not SOM, it was a problem with F2

Edited September 2, 2010 by ArmAIIholic

[zapat 56]

What about some movie/book titles?

Paths of Glory

Battle Cry

They Were Expendable

To Hell and Back

Run Silent, Run Deep

[ArmAIIholic 10]

Run Silent, Run Deep :D yes that might work :D

I thought Bees nest :D

Xa xa xa my mission for the OFP-DR had name "The bear and the bees".

I thought it will be interesting, mighty US force against guerrilla fighters, usually the bear pulls back against bees. Well I am a biologist ;)