Persistant MP class levelling systems

[*zeewolf* 4]

Are there any existing MP missions that implement class based levelling and experience points?

I'm thinking a COD or BFBC type levelling system where experience is saved at the end of a mission and loaded in other missions. The saved data influences the equipment made available to the player.

I've recently made a series of missions that replicate the Combat Mission maps of Medal of Honor in CAT Afghanistan, they use a modified version of Sinews of War to save level and experience point data for each class locally (client side) at the end of a mission. The data is loaded at the beginning of a mission and determines the equipment available in a player's respawn dialog.

Here's an example screenshot from my Mazar-i-Sharif airfield replica

If there's sufficient interest I'll convert this to a generic template for others to use. The existing series of missions (Mazar-i-Sharif airfield, Shahihkhot mountains and Helmand Valley) are using too many custom addons to release at the moment. Also supported by the mission is a killstreak reward system, ability to respawn at a chosen squad member's location, ability to carry two rifles (secondary weapon selection) and multiplayer compatible flashbangs.

[krzychuzokecia 717]

If there's sufficient interest I'll convert this to a generic template for others to use.

If you could, I'm interested in it.

TBH I was thinking about such system but... reversed - in a campaign consisting of short missions in which you and your team have to defend base/building under siege (for KB04 mod). You don't have any support and your supplies are slower and slower. Not to mention that soldiers in your team are getting more exhausted, and their effectiveness is lower.

Does your system affect on AI units ("Skill" slider) or not?

[*zeewolf* 4]

The missions are currently designed around replicating Medal Of Honor's classes as closely as possible. They are pure PVP no AI involved. I may make CoD4 or BFBC2 classes as required for future missions.

The main challenge for me was getting the Sinews of War saving working locally rather than as a server side system. Each client essentially stores its own independent stats for the player. The standard Sinews of War scripts I had couldn't handle this, so I made some minor modififcations. Levelling up is handled through client side scripting, although player scores are kept synchronised via peer to peer publicvariables.

For a campaign involving AI the conventional server side saving would be more appropriate. GDCE is an excellent example of saving large amounts of data using Sinews of War (despite being for the most part a single player engine). Obviously if you're only interested in single player then using pickweaponpool, savestatus etc are much more efficient ways of saving data (The Partisan dynamic campaign is still my favorite example of this).

[rellikki 7]

You can transfer data between different MP missions? I'd be interested in it too.

[*zeewolf* 4]

You can transfer data between different MP missions?.

Yes you can. I'm basically using a slightly modified version of the SOW v1.0 functions to get the client side saving. But the originals work fine for server side.

I'll make a little Combat Mission template. I'll have to remove all of the Medal of Honor radio chatter I ripped that's used to narrate the mission. The initial version will be using vanilla BI weapons plus DRG shotguns for the Spec Ops class. If I have time I'll make a WW4 version too.

[nikiller 18]

hi,

You can transfer data between different MP missions? I'd be interested in it too.

Same here, I must say I am very impressed and I always thought that data transfert between missions was SP only. I wonder if it could work in coop mission (AI off). Can't wait to have a look the demo mission to see how it works. Thanks for your work.

cya.

Nikiller.

[*zeewolf* 4]

Ok, well I'm slightly surprised at people's interest in the saving side of things because Sinews of War is not exactly a new development. It is on the other hand extremely difficult to get hold of a basic template. So for those purely interested in getting their hands on the hallowed SOW sqfs I've made a little template that demonstrates how my Combat Mission game mode saves player stats, this will give you something to look at while I work on the template for the whole game mode.

The loading and saving in this demonstration is done via radio calls. The triggers have been split into client side and server side to demonstrate is works on both ends. As I said before my system is purely client side saving, there is no need to pass the loaded data to other clients or to the server. To get this to work I had to alter the SOW functions slightly I've included the original versions of the functions, which are ok for purely server side management of data. Credits for the original functions obviously go to Rune.

The functions are fairly simple to use but I'll answer any questions you have.

[*zeewolf* 4]

Ok, here's the release of the Combat Mission pack. Filefront's servers seem to be a bit dodgy so the link may not work first time.

I removed the dependency on DRG Shotguns by including a very basic combat shotgun (using Kozlice model) addon. The template itself only requires the included combat mission addon which contains flashbangs, the afore mentioned shotgun and a container for the second rifle that you can carry in the mission. Two missions are included (Helmand Valley and Shahikhot mountains) which require CAT Afghanistan, Taliban units, NIM weather, editorupdate102 and BAS Tonal objects. I haven't included Mazari-Sharif airfield due to the large number of props required from various addons.

I included a pretty comprehensive mission editor's guide describing how it all works for those who wish to modify it. It would be simple for instance to create a Rush style game mode (BFBC2) using the same template.

[rellikki 7]

Can you upload it on a different host? I haven't been able to download it.

[*zeewolf* 4]

New mirror

I'm now working on a newer system. Using a separate "firing range" MP mission, the player uses dialogs to spend in-game currency on their loadouts which they can save to a number of classes (in other words Create-A-Class). These loadouts are then accessible in any other MP mission (whether they be hosted locally or not).

Each supporting MP mission then has a respawn dialog in it which allows the user to select one of their previously saved loadouts. As with the Combat Mission game type, player kills are tracked by eventhandlers and stats/XP saved at the end of the mission.

I'm working a mod based on WW4 which allows the user to customise their weapon by purchasing optics and other attachments that offer various advantages. It also has a COD type recharging health system which is working very nicely. I haven't decided on a name yet, but it's probably best described as Modern Warfare Crisis.

[Icarus 12]

@Zeewolf

Creating and saving class seems like a good idea. I relly liked your "Battlefield1985 conquest" maps.

Didi you create those loadout scripts too? The only drawback was that after being killed you had to choose you every item manually.

A class system would be great improvement!

Rechargeable health?! No.... :)

Icarus

[*zeewolf* 4]

@Zeewolf

Rechargeable health?! No.... :)

LOL, no it's not to everyone's taste. It's easy enough to disable in the config because its an init eventhandler script for Soldier:Man.

@Zeewolf

Creating and saving class seems like a good idea. I relly liked your "Battlefield1985 conquest" maps.

Didi you create those loadout scripts too? The only drawback was that after being killed you had to choose you every item manually.

A class system would be great improvement!

The Combat Mission concept (as well as being a blatant rip off of Medal of Honor) was my attempt to remedy the situation seen in Battlefield 1985 (i.e. die, click twenty times, spawn, die again), so I recommend you try it out. But the feedback I've had is that people still want to save their exact loadout.

Regarding "MWC" currently I'm having to use a LOT of placeholder models because WW4 doesn't have everything I need (plan is to have 32 weapons each with a choice of optics and barrel attachments) and I don't do modelling/texturing. So it doesn't look that nice and there's some dependency on SJB Weapons pack and Laser's US weapons, which needs to be resolved before any release could take place.

EDIT: Oh and no I didn't write the loadout/dialog scripts used in BF1985. I did make the ones in Combat Mission though.

Edited April 1, 2012 by *Zeewolf*