High Command Extensions

[sixt 26]

This is designed to work on single player and includes a lot of Arma 2 features that multiplayer does not yet support. For multiplayer games you would need to switch off some features that are not multiplayer supported (automatically communicated over a network). For example, changes of the HC structure are as far as I can tell not communicated over the network during a game.

I've got a new version to release, but never get time to release it yet.

I have tried to get it to work with some of the elements from HC-extensions mainly the transport system on my server. But becuase the mod only effects locally i cant get the troops to board a helicopter og truck in highcommand, they just walk over to the vechile and stay still, i could get the crew out, but at the same time they got out of the vechile they went right in again, with no get in order.

Then i tried to let the player start with all the troops under his commando, and by him self make the hc- groups he needs, it worke, now i could order the hc groups and vechiles and so forth. But sadly it only works if there are one player on the server, more than one, and it came really messed up, suddenly some of my groups jioned another player, and sometimes you suddenly lost control over entire groups.

If there are anyway i could change the effected files my self i would, but im not very experienced with programming.

The most importen is your transport system if there some sort of server support for that i would be very happy :-)

But anyways, looking forward for your new version :-)

[DomZ 15]

It took a lot of effort to get all the loading and unloading to work in single player. I've since made improvements to it, but nothing that will help with multiplayer. I think that currently Arma 2 is not able to do what High Command extensions does in multiplayer.

For example, I had to use the scripting command leaveVehicle http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/leaveVehicle to get a group to stay out of a vehicle in single player. This only has a local affect like many other scripting commands.

So unfortunately it is probably not possible to do what High Command extensions does in multiplayer games. The game engine would probably have to be significantly upgraded at least in terms of the scripting commands and the information that is passed over the network.

[blackmamb 2]

Huh? I don't get it. The fact that a command has local effects doesn't prevent you from using it in a MP environment.

[DomZ 15]

I doesn't prevent the function being used. However, the multiplayer effects will be unpredictable and not much use or what might be hoped for.

I think only a subset of the engine functionality is accessible via the scripting language (sqf). The engine could be extended a lot to make much more possible. The synchronisation of tasks like High Command extensions does in multiplayer may not be possible yet in Arma2.

Also I think the scripting commands (of the engine) would need to be upgraded, by adding extra simplified higher level commands more suited to what this addon does (otherwise network traffic would be too high).

Edited October 20, 2012 by DomZ

[THEBLITZ6794 10]

Does this allow sub hc leaders to effectively carryout tasks?

[DomZ 15]

The current version does not do a lot with sub commands other that allow you to create them, merge and move then up and down the hierarchy. Commands can be commanded by switching up and down the command hierarchy. There is no AI added at high command level other than refuelling tasks for fuel tankers. I've got a new finished version that I need to release (needs some more documenting) that passes commands optionally down hierarchies and makes commanding companies of platoons much easier.

[DomZ 15]

High Command extensions works in Arma 3 as well as Arma 2. Well my current working version does, but the current release will probably also work, because I have currently not made any Arma3 specific modifications yet. The extended icons don't cause a problem, but the classes will not match in the main.

[Pimmelorus 0]

Hello, I am new to HC Extension and I had my first run with it. Copied over the USvRussiaSmallBattle.Chernarus folder into my missions folder and ran it in the mission editor. I have the impression that something is wrong. I have all the menu items in the comms menu, but I cannot select groups on the map of in the gameworld using the displayed nato markers. Is there something I have to do in addition to get things running? I expected a UI similar to the standard HC.

When I look in the statistics menu and ask about vehicles, it reports zero vehicles at mission start. I think that there is a problem with the registration of units into the HC system?

Thnx, Pim

Edited March 26, 2013 by Pimmelorus
Additional info

[DomZ 15]

There is initially no command structure. The command below will make the player command all of the side:

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

Once you have created a command it is possible to get the total vehicles in the groups that you are commanding.

[kremator 1065]

Domz hello mate!

There is a lovely conversation going on about controlling AI on the Arma3 Alpha forum http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?152829-Realistic-Human-and-AI-Commanding-Discuss and you were mentioned.

Do you know if your HC setup could function within A3 ?

Could your setup do what people are talking about ?

Cheers

Kremator

[ryanbeckey0 1]

hey

how do we use artillery?

I saw in the HCEXT folder there is scripts for it but I don't know how to use it?

[DomZ 15]

That Artillery stuff was experimental at the time. I do have stuff that will fire it in a working version, but no time to release it currently.

Bit pissed off with the changes to the communication menu in Arma 3!

---------- Post added at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 AM ----------

IA in high command will require JAVA. However it is a security nightmare so I doubt it will ever happen. SQF doesn't have the speed or data type definition capability for anything like high command AI usefully.

[ryanbeckey0 1]

great news :)

is there also any way of getting the transport scripts working for 2 players on different sides in a multiplayer mission?

thanks for the reply domz

[DomZ 15]

Multiplayer is not fully implemented with the fundamental high command structure in Arma 2 so I cannot do much with it for multiplayer. If it was it would need a network to test it on as well. Transport is a problem because not all get in and out commands are automatically network synced.

[ryanbeckey0 1]

i see, on my client server the host can transport units / teamswitch to group leaders etc. everything works fine, but if a non-hosting player tries it, the units go to the transport but don't embark he can do everything else tho, just not transport.

but you proberly know that already. if you want a hand testing it ill be happy to help

[los18z 19]

Hi DomZ,

The communications menu option is removed from the beta and appears to be replaced by Supports? Any idea how to enable your High Command menu from the supports section?

Los

[ryanbeckey0 1]

to add to that question ^^ will there be a version for arma 3 when its released?

[DomZ 15]

I have managed to get the communication menu to work as in Arma 2. It is now called Supports on the user interface, but the name does not matter. The variables and related config names that it must be assigned to have changed.

I have got a version of high command extensions working in Arma 3 beta. Some changes are needed. Some current issues I have found may be due to high command not being present in the beta and therefore has not been tested yet.

So I should be able to release a version for Arma 3, but do not have much time to currently.

[ryanbeckey0 1]

looking forward to the release

Edited September 20, 2013 by ryanbeckey0

[ryanbeckey0 1]

how is the port going?

did you manage to fix the issues related to HC not being present in the beta?

[DomZ 15]

It works quite well. One or two issues to sort out. High command was in the Alpha. This does not need the high command module in Arma 3 or Arma 2.

[-Snafu- 78]

Probably a stupid question but when I spot enemies does that get passed down to my subordinate units? On a mission I made I spotted enemy units 200-500m from my position, but the unit under high command next to me didn't seem to react.

[DomZ 15]

Currently awareness is just passed up the chain of command through high command groups in this package (it is not by default in Arma2). Ideally it would be passed back down as well, but the data structures in the scripting language don't do sorting so doing it efficiently is almost impossible.

[mnemonicjohn 10]

High Command Extensions are great for all HC folks like me, but in future versions I would like to have a possibility of renaming the subordinate units during the mission. I can rename them in the editor using some Arma 3 module, but during the mission they often change their names to standard ones ("Alpha 1-2", etc., which are confusing) when I play with them and split them, for example.

Edited April 30, 2014 by mnemonicjohn

[ryanbeckey0 1]

Hey domz could we get a report/update on the Arma 3 release? My clan is looking forward to release :)