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rübe

[SP] RUBE Fire Ants

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RUBE Fire Ants

Single Player. Only. (SP), Combined Operations (CO), no addons required.

fireants-map.jpg

Mission Description

Extremist takis terrorizing the civil society of Takistan, plundering villages and towns again thanks to the departure of most forces of protecting powers. One location seems to be of special interest to them. Supply trucks, lot's of weapons and even some high ranks have been spotted. Though they aren't fortified too well yet...

Basically it's 4 squads surprise attacking one location after beeing inserted by chopper. The four squads move into position first and attack simultaneously from the flanks (that is, if everything goes well, hehe). The occupants aren't that prepared for an attack, really - check it out, hehe - so the moment of surprise is key.

Support is most likely not available (no gimmicks like arty, air-support and stuff). Also there are different outcomes/path's and thus different endings to this mission, and so more tasks might show up sooner or later...

Now while the story is quite lame (boy do I suck at this, hehe), the mission dynamics are hopefully better. ... so what's special about this one?

Features

  • Play as any role you like; a simple grunt, grenadier, squad medic, marksman or squad leader. Your choice. Though first of all the mission is designed for you beeing a grunt under AI leadership, but things should work just fine with you as leader too, of course, since you might end up as leader anyway...
  • Play as any faction you like. Ok, I'm sorry, but that's a lie. :D You can't play east factions. :(
    But in return you may play as BAF (don't worry if you don't have it, it's totally optional/only an alternative player-faction). And as for PMC, well, I didn't incorprorate that into my RUBE library yet... but it might show up at some point. Maybe.
  • Launch the attack on any date and time, with immediate preview in the intro.
  • Choose any location on the map or just go with a random one.
  • The mission offers an intro - by which I mean a screen/dialog to select the missions options. So don't skip it too early or play with defaults (which is what I recommend anyway for the first time you play it).
  • Random madness. While the "story" of the mission is pretty much set, everything else is randomized to death. If you look at the mission in the editor, all you will find is a single civilian and a marker or two.
    Sure, it's not totally random (and thus nonsensical - again, hopefully, hehe). Instead think of recipies or something.
  • Also teamswitch is on, so once you die, you may just play another guy from your squad. Though beware: don't teamswitch if the character you're leaving is still alive, unless you switch to the squad leader, or the left unit will be stuck.
  • I've recorded lot's of radio-voices with many different text to speech generators, and some manual adjustments to them (hopefully for the better, hehe) ... Well, if anyone wants to voice a character.. just send me the files. You may aswell improvise and record something else.. my storytelling isn't good anyway.. hehe

Island(s)

  • Takistan
  • Chernarus

Requirements

  • Arma 2 Combined Operations (A2 + OA)
  • Really. That's it.

Note to interessted mission designers

Maybe you're not so much interessted in the mission itself, but in the RUBE package, which offers various little things and stuff, like:

  • the RUBE AI FSM collection with RUBE_AI_taskHunt, RUBE_AI_taskLead, RUBE_AI_taskPatrol, RUBE_AI_waitingInTheWings, RUBE_AI_exterminate, RUBE_AI_escapeOnAlarm, RUBE_AI_garrisonBuilding, RUBE_AI_surrenderEscortTo, RUBE_AI_hangOut, RUBE_AI_guardBuilding, RUBE_AI_seizePosition, RUBE_AI_evacuate, RUBE_AI_route, ...
  • a collection of functions, for example a working routefinder/-plotter, some terrain analysis, or lots of handy wrapper- and helper functions...
  • a set of world functions (for chernarus, utes and takistan only) implementing: RUBE_WORLD_isTree, RUBE_WORLD_isBush, RUBE_WORLD_isPlant, RUBE_WORLD_isStone, RUBE_WORLD_isRoad, RUBE_WORLD_isRunway and RUBE_WORLD_isPond for objects without classes.
  • or maybe you like the house-burning fsm or the cam scripts...

While lots of this is more of an experimental nature and other things are simpliy not finished at all..., feel free to use anything for your own purposes (most things should be commented well enough and examples are given in this mission).

Status/development

Alpha-ish. Things might still be tweaked or even changed and some bugs are to be expected. So... Keep the feedback comming you guys!

Changelog:


* RUBE Fire Ants
* changelog
-----------------------------------------------------

* v.20140419:
-----------

 - removed scripted fog that vanishes after the first task (move into position)
   has been completed

 - enabled RUBE weather module instead

 - actually use core and common definitions from the RUBE library (i.e. removed
   dialogCore.hpp, dialogCommon.hpp, dialogRubeSplash*.*, ...)

 - cam-script follow, stutter-fix (has been fixed in the RUBE library at some 
   point - as if I remember, muahaha - but never updated this mission since...)


* alpha-20110226:
-----------------

 - tweaked chopper extraction on success

 - tweaked composition of the enemy occupation forces

 - increased max. age for kbWasSaid to prevent possible dead-end

 - clear default options at the start of the intro so we don't end up
   with the wrong defaults if another version was played before...

 - fixed worldName bug, causing the mission to load the wrong defaults...


* alpha-20110213:
-----------------

 - allowDamage hack for some (radio-)conversations (at critical points) 
   to prevent the mission from getting stuck in case the active unit of
   the conversations dies at an unfavorable moment...

 - lowered particle drop interval (fire/smoke)

 - AOO's random perimeter stuff keeps a min. distance to the insertion
   points (no more landing directly on enemies)

 - mission can't be (auto-)aborted anymore after the area has been 
   seized... that was just too pointless/frustrating... *gnarf

 - auto-rotation of the operation's average bearing to adjust for
   coasts/ocean for maps like Chernarus.

 - improved ground-fog (color variations depending on the world/map)

 - improved intro, adjusted cam shots

 - introduction of CONFIG_MIN_BUILDING_POSITIONS in configureOptions.sqf
   to set different min. building positions value which buildings need
   to have to be considered usefull. Needed for worlds such as Chernarus
   that have inaccessible buildings (and thus few building positions).

 - added mission blacklist to filter out bad spots such as tiny islands
   for random positions. 

 - auto configure default factions based on the current world

 - auto configure civilian type, more variation for woodland worlds 
   such as Chernarus (rural/urban, ru/cr)

 - dynamic world/faction based mission notes/situation

 - conversion to chernarus

 - conversion guide/notes


* alpha-20110201:
-----------------

 - intro dialog eventually wasn't displayed. (finally!)


* alpha-20110128b:
-----------------

 - intro dialog eventually wasn't displayed. (solved? maybe)

 - Handguns removed from all units, until that pistol-bug is resolved.

 - Tweaked occupation forces


* alpha-20110128:
-----------------

 - intro dialog eventually wasn't displayed. (NOT SOLVED)

 - improved extraction on success:
   - waypoint displaced to keep the landing spot for the choppers free/empty.
   - minor improvements for reinforcement units

 - improved UNFORT strongpoint arrival and team assignment
   - speak with unit waiting at the supplies, so the player knows he has to meet the one who's in charge...
   - no assignment to guard road duty because it's boring. mobile task force or patrol seems to be ok.
   - some more minor bugfixes

 - RUBE_supervisor.fsm: timeout/failsafe to abort transmissions (and free the radio channel again) in case RUBE_kbWasSaidOrDead, resp. kbWasSaid, hangs... 

Download

Edited by ruebe
v.20140419
  • Thanks 1

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Great mission so far!

Immersion is top level.

I guess I will be able to fully appreciate the dynamic setup after playing a couple of rounds.

Edit after couple of mission attemts: Yes the dynamic setup is working very well as I expected. I can advise this piece for everyone interested in SP.

Thank you for this great mission, I've been waiting for such for a long time.

Only drawback for me that I started to make my own, but I guess I can't continue after playing this mission. :)

Can't wait for the Chernarus version. :)

Some concerns with spoiler:

I remain alone quite quickly: is it intended this way?

The camp is like 4Kms away, and we couldn't even go through the original valley.

The dialog hasn't showed up for me in the intro. I waited a couple of minutes for that. So I went for default.

Edited by zapat

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How do you play at different times, places and roles? I see no options anywhere.

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The dialog hasn't showed up for me in the intro. I waited a couple of minutes for that. So I went for default.
How do you play at different times, places and roles? I see no options anywhere.

mhh, if the dialog doesn't show up immediately after the "black in" (which should look something like this), I'm afraid, it won't show up, no matter how patient you are... :D

... I guess the dialogs grid (placement) doesn't work with all screen resolutions... darn it. May I ask what you guys have set your screen resolution to?

Well, this should be fixable (it's just a bit stupid to test this on a single machine, hehe). Guess I simply haven't really understood safeZoneH/safeZoneW, resp. their abs variants yet. :o

I'll keep you guys in the loop.

@zapat, RE: Some concerns with spoiler:

I remain alone quite quickly: is it intended this way?

The intention is that sometimes it will be hard/slightly too hard, so the operation gets aborted. And other times you shouldn't have too much problem - especially if the synchronized attack works. In particular if you're able to take out the crew guys of the enemies before they mount their parked vehicles (thei're hanging around prior to alarm/contact)... it's only half that hard after that.

But honestly, I can't tell if, overall, it's too hard or too easy. I might need to reduce the enemy count.

The camp is like 4Kms away, and we couldn't even go through the original valley.

Yes, sometimes it's pretty far away (it's really hard to find good "hidden" camp positions in Takistan), but therefore you have two options to retreat to. And the UNFORT strongpoint usually is closer. And in case you're not happy with the AI leaders decision (where to retreat to), you may just select the other options under tasks and he will reconsider it...

But yes, it may be a long walk and actually I suggest that for this part, you take over leadership, for the AI isn't really good at retreating... Maybe I need to offer some mobile alternatives and teach the AI leader to retreat by some vehicle if available. Hm..

Another idea would be to incorporate some TK_GUE offering you some help if you meet them.

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Rübe: 1280 x 800 default, but I use windowed mode and stretch it a bit more. Will check it tomorrow.

About difficulty: it's not that it is too difficult, I enjoyed it a lot and I survived, but everyone else got butchered down quite quickly in the hillside. I didn't feel like walking kms though, so I started a new mission. :)

The concept is very good overall, and the engine works great IMHO, it is just the AI as usual. :)

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GJ ty for ur time and effort, its easy to tell that u must hav put in alot of heart and time in it...

though its very very tough to run for older duo core pc it pull my e8400 to its knee.

low VD 1k i m guessing, it make enemy impossible to spot, if weren't for ai i would never complete it... (they r pain in the butt to work with, if they weren't all bloody marksman, m4 holo got kill more then my ACOG. then i would surely kill them my self)

yeah to chose between performence or VD and burning buliding, is like chosing which of ur legs to cut off, mmmm left leg or right leg mmmmmm

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Rübe: InterfaceRes: Windowed, 3DRes: 1272x784(80%), Interfacesize: VerySmall, Aspectratio: 16:10

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Well I got the issue with never ending intro too. I could choose all the stuff but the mission only starts using the Esc key.

Seems that the issue with attacking force (Blufor) is that they have predefined waypoints to attack. These waypoints aren't good for every area/AO on the map. For example: two groups were surprised + lost because they had to attack downhill against Ural (Zu-23) and some other vehicles. Its perhaps better if you give the player the chance to control the attack fully. In this way he can recon the target area and make his own plan to secure and hold the location.

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Well I got the issue with never ending intro too. I could choose all the stuff but the mission only starts using the Esc key.

While the intro runs infinitely, there is a button to start the mission (well, ESC is fine too). But since that one is in the "second row", maybe it got chopped of the screen because of the misconfiguration of the dialog itself. (should be fixed now).

Seems that the issue with attacking force (Blufor) is that they have predefined waypoints to attack. These waypoints aren't good for every area/AO on the map.

While the paths might not be that good in every case, they are certainly not predefined. Au contraire, middle points or attack positions and the "pathfinding" of the groups itself too is all done, on the fly, in respect to the given terrain/available cover. For example the next waypoint en route is choosen by sampling the terrain, looking for spots with lots of objects/cover or high-ground. Sure, this might not work that well all the time, but I suggest you give it another try. Also keep in mind, that Takistan is generally pretty, uhm, deadly. :D

For example: two groups were surprised + lost because they had to attack downhill against Ural (Zu-23) and some other vehicles.

Shit happens. :D

Its perhaps better if you give the player the chance to control the attack fully. In this way he can recon the target area and make his own plan to secure and hold the location.

That's a negative. You're at max. supposed to play a squad leader (and even that is more a bonus, since I aimed for a "grunt" mission), but not the HQ planning the attack. So that plan wasn't that brilliant - so what? Incompetence lurks around everywhere. Deal with it. ;)

Btw. a new version (alpha-20110128) is up. Please tell me if the intro-dialog now shows up. Thanks.

Edited by ruebe

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rübe: still no dialog for me. Arrow pops up, but no dialog.

Tried both windowed and fullscreen, tried like 3 different resolutions (my native is 1680x1050).

Running CO, latest beta, with all addons turned off.

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It goes nicely on my comp. Nothing demanding as I experienced. Thogh I didn't try this last version.

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Did you remove the handguns from some units, because they stuck (know bug) and the mission becomes unplayable ?

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What a nice dynamic mission. But too much AI keep my FPS around 20, would be better if optimized !

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rübe: still no dialog for me. Arrow pops up, but no dialog.

Tried both windowed and fullscreen, tried like 3 different resolutions (my native is 1680x1050).

Dang. Hm, I'm currently puzzled as to why the dialog shows up here just fine, while it doesn't on other systems. But I'll keep at it.

Did you remove the handguns from some units, because they stuck (know bug) and the mission becomes unplayable ?

Uhm, no? Why would you ask that?

But too much AI keep my FPS around 20, would be better if optimized !

First, please tell me on what system you play the mission. Otherwise such statements are pretty much worthless.

And what makes you think it's too much AI that is slowing your system down?

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Did you remove the handguns from some units, because they stuck (know bug) and the mission becomes unplayable ?

Uhm, no? Why would you ask that?

Because when i play an unit in Czech Force, the leader (and others units) has a handgun, when he uses it, he don't move anymore.

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Because when i play an unit in Czech Force, the leader (and others units) has a handgun, when he uses it, he don't move anymore.

Ahhh, that's why. So I should consider removing all handguns - at least until that bug has been fixed, right?

Can do.

:D

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Good scenario man, thanks.

Edited by xmongx

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ok you guys, new version is up (alpha-20110128b). Handguns are removed from all units now and also I've tweaked the dialog again.

So, could you please tell me if that son of a gun shows up now?

Have fun and thanks for the nice feedback.

Edited by ruebe

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Just tried the new version (alpha-20110128b) but still no intro dialogue, just the averlasting intro I run the game @ 1440x900 (native res for my 19" monitor) Great mission though.

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Same for me with the dialogs. Still nothing, but the arrow.

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