High Command Extensions

[DomZ 15]

I have released lots of extensions to High Command for single player missions that are available on Armaholic.

---------- Post added at 01:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:37 AM ----------

The link to these High Command Extensions is:

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=14961

---------- Post added at 01:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:38 AM ----------

High Command Extensions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Description:

This adds a lot of commands to Arma 2 which expand High Command functionality for single player missions. The High Command structures can be created and deleted dynamically after a game has started. Team switching has also been expanded to that all units can be controlled and the battle controlled more fully.

The functionality is accessible from the Communication menu (0-8).

Features:

- Create dynamic hieratic High Command structures in game.

- Team switching within the High Command structure.

- Does High Command without the HC module.

- Much Quicker refresh of the icons on the high command bar.

- More icon types on the high command bar.

- Support for Major Woodys extra group Nato icons.

- Select multiple waypoints for moving, deleting and setting properties.

- Split waypoint paths.

- Advanced waypoints for landing and unloading troops.

- Configurable with configuration variables.

- Support for making single player missions (cannot use/see other sides set by config).

- Can be used for debugging (all sides groups and waypoints can be viewed at once).

- Possible and identified enemy units are displayed as markers.

- Setup refuelling missions for fuel trucks.

- Setting up waypoints without troops moving then order them to start moving.

- Very reliable mouse selection of group icons on the 2D map (without HC module).

- Squad Management including splitting and merging.

- Switching sides.

- Command the transport of troops about the map in vehicles and helicopters.

- Load and Unload squads of crews and foot soldiers to and from vehicles in game.

- Support for Faction command structures.

- Select subsets of the selected groups on the High Command bar by type of group.

- Functions for extracting casualties.

- Statistics on the current battle state including selected group vehicle and unit states.

- Easy to add to missions (baring conflicts on the Communication menu).

- Nine example missions and source mission editor files.

- Instructions included.

Installation:

Extract the .pbo file(s) to your ArmA2 Operation Arrowhead\Missions folder.

It comes with missions as a demo versions. Extract the folders to your ArmA2\other Profiles\Yournick\Missions and load them in the editor.

One of the example missions uses HETMAN - Artificial Commander by Rydygier: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=129003

It uses High Command Extension for the US and HETMAN - Artificial Commander to control the Russians. This mission requires CBA to run correctly.

Notes:

Many of these functions may work for multi player missions, but many would not be suitable in a multi player environment. Team switch able units and High Command are less dynamic in the multi player game environment.

High Command Extensions Instructions requires Arrowhead version 1.60.

Extended Markers and Icons

Extra icons are optionally supported. High Command Extensions automatically recognises there presence as an addon, otherwise it just uses the standard icons.

Download them from:

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=15221&highlight=MAJOR

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=15222&highlight=MAJOR

Changelog:

v1.14

- Does High Command without the HC module.

- Much Quicker refresh of the icons on the high command bar.

- Quicker to use, because fewer commands need to issued to transport forces.

- Support for Major Woodys extra group Nato icons.

- Select multiple waypoints for moving, deleting and setting properties.

- Split waypoint paths.

- Advanced waypoints for landing and unloading troops.

- Configurable with configuration variables.

- Better support for making single player missions (cannot use/see other sides set by config).

- Can be used for debugging (all sides groups and waypoints can be viewed at once).

- Possible and identified enemy units are displayed as markers.

- Setup refuelling missions for fuel trucks.

- Setting up waypoints without troops moving then order them to start moving.

- Extra Statistics functions.

- Very reliable mouse selection of group icons on the 2D map (without HC module).

v1.02

- Fixed many bugs in including an infinite loop in FlattenSelectedHCGroups.sqf.

- Made the code much more robust and functional in style.

- Added Selected Groups Engines On/Off commands.

v1.0

- Made the confirmation messages better on Reset Team Switchable Moveable

- Fixed exitWith in CommandAllOfSide.sqf

- Removed the line HighCommand2_menu from menu.sqf

- Fixed non-working Make Group HC and Switch to

- Reallocate units in Groups now only affects the players current side.

- Added command Reallocate HC groups on bar

- Removed the text update to the High Command bar in Remove Selected Groups from HC

- Added the total number on foot the statistics summaries for selected groups.

- Fixed and enhanced many other existing features.

- More than double the number of commands that there were in version 0.7.

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=14961

Edited May 7, 2012 by DomZ

[mr_centipede 31]

Thanks... will definitely try this one out when I got home from work...

[virtualvikingx 19]

Great, will try out for sure!

[ziiip 1]

Sounds good, now we only need a camera update and we can play like an RTS.

[virtualvikingx 19]

How bout this, zip:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=120151

[mrcash2009 0]

Ah this is Cents HCS on steroids

Very nice to see this, I will be testing all this lot out tonight, anything adding features to High Command gets my vote.

As linked above Monkalbs new RTS mode is perfect camera use but as of yet not tied in directly with high command (I posted a test in that thread) ... I would love to see these types of things combined. Would love to see Monks camera view released as a camera mod only, put a request in, but not for me to say :)

One thing opened my eyes was:

High Command structures can also partially lost when a game is reloaded, but can be recreated using the dynamic functions.

I was wondering that if you have issues with the conflicting communications menu, have you tried maybe having your own pop up GUI under a set key? Or maybe this will help, this is the SOM module, but set under an expanding/closing menu for user menu instead which is pretty neat & tidy:

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=7197

Check it out from above link, as I say its collapsible, not sure how user friendly it would be with the sub menu's you have, but its an example of another place to put menus to stop conflicts I would imagine. Maybe a release of both menu versions? Might be a bit of ball ache for updates though having 2 versions.

Heres the full readme (spoiler for length):

High Command Extensions Instructions (version 0.7)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This adds a lot of commands to Arma 2 which expand High Command functionality for single player missions. The High Command structures can be created and deleted dynamically after a game has started. Team switching has also been expanded to that all units can be controlled and the battle controlled more fully.

The functionality is accessible from the Communication menu (0-8).

Main Features:

- Create dynamic hieratical High Command structures in game.

- Team switching within the High Command structure.

- More icon types on the high command bar (Mechanised Infantry and Artillery)

- Squad Management including splitting and merging.

- Switching sides.

- Functions for extracting casualties.

- Statistics on the current battle state and selected unit states.

- Easy to add to missions (baring conflicts on the Communication menu).

- Four example missions and source mission editor files.

Many of these functions may work for multi player missions, but many would not be suitable in a multi player environment. Team switch able units and High Command are less dynamic in the multi player game environment.

The Menus

~~~~~~~~~

High Command (0-8-1)

Remove Selected Groups from HC (0-8-1-1)

Make Selected Units New HG (0-8-1-2)

Add Selected Groups Units to HG (0-8-1-3)

Command all Uncommanded of Side (0-8-1-4)

Selected HC groups Statistics (0-8-1-5)

Merge Selected HC-groups (0-8-1-6)

Split selected HC-groups in half (0-8-1-7)

Clear All Side HC (0-8-1-8)

Make Group HC and Switch to (0-8-1-9)

Team Switching (0-8-2)

Reset Team Switchable Moveable (0-8-2-1)

Only Group Leaders Team Switchable (0-8-2-2)

Make all Units Team Switchable (0-8-2-3)

Only High Commanders Team Switchable (0-8-2-4)

Switch to selected HC group Leader (0-8-2-5)

Switch to Selected Unit (0-8-2-6)

Switch to Squad Leader (0-8-2-7)

Switch to Units High Commander (0-8-2-8)

Squad (0-8-3)

Make Player Group Leader (0-8-3-1)

Selected -> Group Leader and Switch to (0-8-3-2)

Selected -> New Group (0-8-3-3)

Selected -> New Group and Lead (0-8-3-4)

Selected -> New Group, Switch to Leader (0-8-3-5)

Reallocate units in Group (0-8-3-6)

Unassign all Squad to Vehicles (0-8-3-7)

Unassign Selected to Vehicles (0-8-3-8)

Medical (0-8-4)

Return cannot Walk to HC Squad (0-8-4-1)

Return Damage >= 0.2 to HC Squad (0-8-4-2)

Return cannot Walk and Damage >= 0.2 to HC Squad (0-8-4-3)

Switch to Damaged >= 0.1 (0-8-4-4)

Get Player Damage (0-8-4-5)

Switch to Side (0-8-5)

Switch to West (0-8-5-1)

Switch to East (0-8-5-2)

Switch to Civilian (0-8-5-3)

Switch to Resistance (0-8-5-4)

Switch to Friendly (0-8-5-5)

Switch to Enemy (0-8-5-6)

Switch to Unknown (0-8-5-7)

Switch to sideLogic (0-8-5-8)

High Command 2 (0-8-6)

Make Selected Groups New Sub Command (0-8-6-1)

Groups to senior HC Commander (0-8-6-2)

Selected HC groups/sub Statistics (0-8-6-3)

Return Selected not in Vehicles to HG (0-8-6-4)

Reallocate units in Groups (0-8-6-5)

Refresh Player HC Icons Sub (0-8-6-6)

Refresh all Side HC Icons (0-8-6-7)

Refresh Player HC Icons (0-8-6-8)

Total Units on all Sides (0-8-6-9)

Waypoints (0-8-7)

Delete All Last Waypoints (0-8-7-1)

Delete Selected Groups Last Waypoints (0-8-7-2)

Sometimes the user interface will not allow selection of units on the map with the mouse (Arma 2 bug). Clearing all the side HC structure and recreating it will normally cure this, but not always on the first attempt. However, I have never have a case were it does not settle down eventually. Sometimes pressing Ctrl-Space twice can fix the icon selection problem.

High Command structures can also partially lost when a game is reloaded, but can be recreated using the dynamic functions.

A 64-bit system can support 50% more troops on a map then a 32-bit system, without running out of memory. 64-bit systems can allocate much more memory for arma2.exe or arma2oa.exe. Faster CPUs also support considerably more troops with smooth frame rates.

This functionality is not fully compatible with modules that add commands to the communication menu. Currently I don't know a better method of setting up menus.

Using High Command Extensions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The example missions are for Arma 2 only and OA. They are for different size battles. They are supplied as PBOs and as source missions that can be edited.

The missions are set up to have two opposing side officers team switchable initially. Action will happen unless you command troops to move about with High Commander, squad commander or solider. At the start of a mission setup High Commands using Command all Uncommanded of Side (0-8-1-4).

The team switch window in Arma 2 will prevent troops switched from being moved with High Command by default. Using the command Reset Team Switchable Moveable (0-8-2-1) sorts this. Waypoints may vanish graphically on the map when this command is used, but they are still obeyed.

Using the team switch menu commands on these function menus does not stop the units moving after switching from them, unlike the team switch menu.

It is very easy to add this functionally to a mission. Copy the example file init.sqf and the directory HCfunc to a mission directory which are normally located in \Documents\ArmA 2\missions\. There is also a trigger in the example missions that makes all nits team switchable as a player is killed.

There is no need to define the whole High Command structure in the mission editor, but they can be if wanted. One High Command module is needed per side that is to have high command structures. The High Command modules to not need synchronising with any groups. The High Command Subordinate model is not required, but can be synchronised with the High Command module and the High Command module with a High Commander to prevent default command of all of one side.

The functions that manually change the icons on the High Command bar show mechanised infantry and artillery, in addition to the default icons. The squad sizes indicators different troop number than the Arma 2 default currently. Refresh Player HC Icons Sub (0-8-6-6) also sets the size of unit commanded by an HQ. The icons will also still be updated by the High Command Module in the background.

I have used slightly different unit sizes for the unit size icons.

[o = 1..2, fire team = 3..6, section = 7..17, platoon = 17..59, company = 60..270, battalion = 271..1200, brigade = 1201..5500]

Missions

~~~~~~~~

The missions don't have objectives, that's up to the player. Markers indicate the rough start locations of either side. The player can command either or both sides. They are quite basic missions, but with a wide range of equipment and lots of troops.

Future

~~~~~~

I want to add extra commands that make it easier to control a battle and the forces. It might be better if these commands were in a module, but I don't know how to make a module. Adding the commands to the Custom menu (or others) might be better if I can find out how to do that.

Currently there is no IA at the High Command level. This could only be added by Bohemia Interactive at the game engine level, because it is to intensive for macros.

Automatically resolving conflicts with other modules menus would be good, but I'm not sure that is possible?

Edited August 4, 2011 by mrcash2009

[gunterlund21 10]

Domz

You did a first class job on this system. I loved Cent original HC system and this takes it to the next level. Im still playing with it trying to figure out how it works. One thing Im noticing is (and this may be just me) some of the commands dont seem to work when looking at the map. You need to be in the 3d world ie getting units to merge into one large unit. Ill keep testing this. I love the way you can set units in missions though with out having to make the high command structure in the editor. Also like the new icons. Now if you can figure out how to get units to load and unload out of vehicles using the HC you will have it made. I know with cent's old system you could combine and make large groups that you could join on yourself ( I had one group with 90 soldiers in it) and then select groups of 10 to load into trucks. I havent seen how to do it using the HC command set though. Keep up the great work.

[mrcash2009 0]

I agree on working it out, I think a much broader explanation of each would be helpful, some of the options I was blindly clicking just to see what will work.

[DomZ 15]

The selecting map icons on the 2D map is a bug in the BI High Command Module or the game engine. Sometimes they select other times not, and it often takes time after the structure is created for it to settle down. The only current solution I know is:

Clear All Side HC (0-8-1-8) followed by:

Command all Uncommanded of Side (0-8-1-4)

which normally makes icons selectable again.

Switching side often results in unelectable map icons.

I will add more detail to the instuctions. If a command makes no sense tell me which one and I'll explain it.

[mrcash2009 0]

They make sense, but then in practice I was often wondering at what stage to use them, so to cover all angles I would explain each of them to be honest, just some sub text as to obvious use and why (as in the scenario it would be used) kind of thing.

IE:

Command all Uncommanded of Side

Makes all friendly units not currently under direct command become available to you under the HC menu.

Clear All Side HC

Removes command of units from your HC menu.

Well, you know something like that :)

Edited August 4, 2011 by mrcash2009

[DomZ 15]

I'll add command explanations to the instructions, plus add one or two fixes hopefully in the next day or two.

---------- Post added at 06:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:19 PM ----------

Currently at High Command Level there are no extra unload commands on sets of groups unloading troops, but I will add something like that. I recon parachute drops might be possible.

At squad level there are two commands to help unloading:

Unassign all Squad to Vehicles (0-8-3-7)

Unassign Selected to Vehicles (0-8-3-8)

These make it less likely that the troops will remount vehicles than using the standard squad command Get Out (when the player switches to another squad).

Edited August 4, 2011 by DomZ

[mrcash2009 0]

Sound good all round :)

[manzilla 1]

Thank you! I love using HC in missions so all enhancements are welcome. I'm trying to set this up in my mission but this error keeps appearing in the .rpt.

HighCommand2_menu

if (true) exitWith {};>
 Error position: <if (true) exitWith {};>
 Error Missing ;
File C:\Users\Dan\Documents\ArmA 2\missions\@Mission5.Takistan\HCfunc\menu.sqf, line 97

I'm using ACE2 so I'm not sure if it's related to this or not.

EDIT:

It also appears in your example missions.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Manzilla

[DomZ 15]

It might clash with someting else on the Communication menu maybe? It runs with extented event handlers, but have not tried it with ACE. Anything that also adds stuff to the comms menu will cause conflicts at the moment. Hope that helps? Otherwise it might not like the init.sqf file which needs to call [] execVM "HCfunc\menu.sqf";

Edited August 4, 2011 by DomZ

[manzilla 1]

Must be something with ACE2 cause even your example missions has it.

[gunterlund21 10]

I'll add command explanations to the instructions, plus add one or two fixes hopefully in the next day or two.

---------- Post added at 06:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:19 PM ----------

Currently at High Command Level there are no extra unload commands on sets of groups unloading troops, but I will add something like that. I recon parachute drops might be possible.

At squad level there are two commands to help unloading:

Unassign all Squad to Vehicles (0-8-3-7)

Unassign Selected to Vehicles (0-8-3-8)

These make it less likely that the troops will remount vehicles than using the standard squad command Get Out (when the player switches to another squad).

Can you assign a group to a vehicle? how would they get in?

[Meatball0311 79]

I found errors in menu.sqf and CommandAllOfSide.sqf

menu.sqf

HighCommand2_menu

if (true) exitWith {};

Remove "HighCommand2_menu":

if (true) exitWith {};

CommandAllOfSide.sqf

if (true) exit00With {};

Looks like you have a typo error, should be:

if (true) exitWith {};

[DomZ 15]

I'll put those fixes in the next version. Cheers

If you use the standard Get In command on the BI menus it assigns the units to a vehicle.

Edited August 5, 2011 by DomZ

[gunterlund21 10]

How do you use the Get in command though when commanding a group through HC that is not part of your direct group.

[DomZ 15]

How do you use the Get in command though when commanding a group through HC that is not part of your direct group.

I have not got anthing that does that yet. I just use the squad commands to load vehciles at the moment with the standard Get In command and the commader loading himself. I will thnk about how to do this ar HC level, but it might be tricky to do.

[CaptainBravo 0]

Excellent work! One of the best mods out there for those who use HC.

Just a suggestion: is it possible to add camera to unit leader that you can access as HC commander to view the action on the squad level?

Keep up the good work!!

[los18z 19]

Great work!

BTW did a multiplayer test with the small chernarus battle. A player on each side as commander. Both players were able to team switch around their forces without problems in full multiplayer so that is nice.

Once your dead no respawn however, though that is probably more a function of respawn than anything else.

Los

[kremator 1065]

This sounds GREAT ! As soon as I get home frm holiday will download it and have a play !

Keep up the good work.

[kremator 1065]

Interestingly the missions crash my system (both 1.59 and latest beta) so I'm going to redownload and see what the problem is. I get a complete freeze and then BSOD with an error on the secondary processor. Haven't ever had this before.

[DomZ 15]

What was happening when it crashed? I know that the selectPlayer macro can sometimes cause a game crash, because it sometimes can switch to a dead unit and the user command input dies. However, I put a guard in to reduce this problem:

if (alive _unit) then {selectPlayer _unit;};

It is possible that other addons could conflict with it, or it might show up bugs in the game engine, because it does some things that aren't done commonly in games.