[TvT/FFA/CO-40] Dynamic Zombie Sandbox

[tonic-_- 53]

OKay, sorry guys. I'll fix it when I get home and hotfix it. My bad for forgetting to test right before release. (I dedi tested only a few days before, but something must have been changed...)

Yay..

Also I just edit my previous post but On the deplacher.sqf

It's actually _objet setPos [getPosATL _objet select 0, getPosATL _objet select 1, getPosATL player select 2]; not _objet setPos [getPosATL _objet select 0, getPosATL _objet select 1, getPosATL _objet select 2]; Small booboo on my part :P

Other then the dedicated environment not working from what I've seen I like, the new zombie sounds also made me piss myself as I wasn't expecting them to be so 'scarey' :)

[Craig_VG 20]

Hmm, well. The Dedicated server didn't seem to like the "call compile preprocess "craigs_scripts\startup.sqf";" that I used, I just changed it back to execVM and it works fine now, including the R3F.

The links have been updated, just re-download. Again, sorry guys.

[tonic-_- 53]

Very nice! I'll be having my server up in a few minutes with tweaks that i've had since 0.90 you're welcome to come join us, my server usually gets the most people so we shall see how the new changes handle the performance. :)

[Craig_VG 20]

Just don't turn up the zombie count too high... It can get nasty on this version....It's on 20 for a reason... :cool:

I don't have time to join today, sorry. :(

[tonic-_- 53]

I have the count at 10 and its putting out over 100 zombies with 3 people. The performance has actually gotten worse... Think i'm going to have to remove the horde. The less zombies running around the better the performance is on the server with more people. I think a better way to spawn these zombies is to check if the player himself is near town like areas and then spawn them around him instead of creating triggers around the map, but as far as performance i think this has gotten a bit worse.. My server is dropping all the way to 1fps. :\

[Craig_VG 20]

Hmm. Don't use the "everywhere, more in towns" Try either "towns only" or "Everywhere". The "more in towns" adds a ton of triggers in town. But yeah, to many zombies for dedicated?

When we tested we had 5 people on a dedicated, with zombies at 20, but it was on Takistan. It ran fine for us, are you in Zarga?

Edited March 27, 2012 by bobtom

[tonic-_- 53]

Yeah, i'd think to many zombies for dedicated. As I said i'd look in the next version to just spawn them around the player when they're near more then x amount of buildings instead of creating 100000 triggers.

[Craig_VG 20]

Yeah, i'd think to many zombies for dedicated. As I said i'd look in the next version to just spawn them around the player when they're near more then x amount of buildings instead of creating 100000 triggers.

Lol, not quite 100,000. But it's close. And zombies do spawn around the player. The triggers themselves have little impact on performance.

[colosseum 34]

This game mode is fantastic.

That said we have encountered a few problems just playing on LAN:

1. Client/server weather/time states get horribly out of sync. One guy was total pitch dark while the rest of us were in bright sunlight with pouring rain and thunder/lightning.

2. With view distance anything greater than 400m I get terrible lag (5fps or less). Not sure if this is a machine specific thing or game related.

3. The option for players to start together places them in the same position every time. Not sure if this is intentional or what but it gets annoying doing the same thing every time!

4. There are random sandbags, barbed wire and bunkers scattered about - not sure if this is intentional?

5. I have never encountered hordes.

6. Crash site mission enemy soldiers are dead on spawn.

7. No marker placed for gear cache side mission even when params set and previous side mission completed.

8. US base generated side mission is not "zombie proof", they can somehow walk through H barriers! Massively annoying

This is tested on Isla Duala.

How do I access the construction module or something similar?

[ErikPutz 1]

Yay..

Also I just edit my previous post but On the deplacher.sqf

It's actually _objet setPos [getPosATL _objet select 0, getPosATL _objet select 1, getPosATL player select 2]; not _objet setPos [getPosATL _objet select 0, getPosATL _objet select 1, getPosATL _objet select 2]; Small booboo on my part :P

-snip-

Is this why the objects gets placed in the air instead of on the ground?

[tonic-_- 53]

This game mode is fantastic.

That said we have encountered a few problems just playing on LAN:

1. Client/server weather/time states get horribly out of sync. One guy was total pitch dark while the rest of us were in bright sunlight with pouring rain and thunder/lightning.

2. With view distance anything greater than 400m I get terrible lag (5fps or less). Not sure if this is a machine specific thing or game related.

3. The option for players to start together places them in the same position every time. Not sure if this is intentional or what but it gets annoying doing the same thing every time!

4. There are random sandbags, barbed wire and bunkers scattered about - not sure if this is intentional?

5. I have never encountered hordes.

6. Crash site mission enemy soldiers are dead on spawn.

7. No marker placed for gear cache side mission even when params set and previous side mission completed.

8. US base generated side mission is not "zombie proof", they can somehow walk through H barriers! Massively annoying

This is tested on Isla Duala.

How do I access the construction module or something similar?

1. Construction module is discontinued.

2. Time sync has gotten bad.

3. Mass lag is caused by the amount of zombies and some rogue scripts going in a infinite loop with some zombies.

4. Crash site soldiers are dead either by them killing each other or the zombies killing them, either way that is what causes the dead soldiers.

5. Gear cache marker gets bugged out, I had this fixed in mine. I'll have to dig the fix out.

6. Zombies (AI in general) will walk through objects not spawned by the Server. It's the basic law (If you can't see that object you can walk through it).

Hope I answered your questions :P

Is this why the objects gets placed in the air instead of on the ground?

And yes that is why objects are placed in the air instead of on the ground, even by applying that MG nests still spawn in the air, reason unknown.

As for Craig, tomorrow I will have some Sidemission fixes for you including JIP markers. I got around to cleaning up some of the hotfixes i've applied (since 0.90).

[ErikPutz 1]

And yes that is why objects are placed in the air instead of on the ground, even by applying that MG nests still spawn in the air, reason unknown.

I see, it's nice to know that it will be fixed easily ^^

and Craig, I love the v95 otherwise, its a major step forward! Good job, really :)

[ErikPutz 1]

Craig, I think you messed up the "deplacer.sqf" in the latest download link (as of typing this message).

In the current one (I assume it would be the hotfix you mentioned, or another small fix after that one?) I can't tow vehicles or even pick up / load in objects, only view vehicle content.

At the first release of v95 you could tow vehicles and pick up objects, but when you placed them they froze in air.

After some waiting for the fix I tried the solution, which Tonic posted, myself instead and it worked. Then my friend wanted me to edit some other stuff and somehow I messed up.

So I went to redownload the mission to fix the placing of objects and keep it at that so I would not mess it up again but it didnt work, so appearently you updated the download link within that time,

because now even if I do not edit anything, I cant tow vehicles or pick up objects at all. I dont even get the menu (Only view content on vehicles).

I even tried to download it multiple times along with removing anything that got to do with your mission before unpacking the pbo file to the mpmission folder.

After some thinking I went to moddb hoping that you would not have updated the download link there yet, and I was correct. I could tow vehicles and pickup / place objects again (but they froze in air).

So I tried the fix from Tonic again, and now it works like it should I suppose.

At first I thought it was something wrong with my files or my computer, but after doing all of this I'm almost certain that the latest fix got messed up or something.

[tonic-_- 53]

Craig, I think you messed up the "deplacer.sqf" in the latest download link (as of typing this message).

In the current one (I assume it would be the hotfix you mentioned, or another small fix after that one?) I can't tow vehicles or even pick up / load in objects, only view vehicle content.

At the first release of v95 you could tow vehicles and pick up objects, but when you placed them they froze in air.

After some waiting for the fix I tried the solution, which Tonic posted, myself instead and it worked. Then my friend wanted me to edit some other stuff and somehow I messed up.

So I went to redownload the mission to fix the placing of objects and keep it at that so I would not mess it up again but it didnt work, so appearently you updated the download link within that time,

because now even if I do not edit anything, I cant tow vehicles or pick up objects at all. I dont even get the menu (Only view content on vehicles).

I even tried to download it multiple times along with removing anything that got to do with your mission before unpacking the pbo file to the mpmission folder.

After some thinking I went to moddb hoping that you would not have updated the download link there yet, and I was correct. I could tow vehicles and pickup / place objects again (but they froze in air).

So I tried the fix from Tonic again, and now it works like it should I suppose.

At first I thought it was something wrong with my files or my computer, but after doing all of this I'm almost certain that the latest fix got messed up or something.

If you can't move objects with R3F then Craig I know where the issue lies, the server doesn't always PV cars & objectlist so R3F on clients don't read it and error out.

[ErikPutz 1]

If you can't move objects with R3F then Craig I know where the issue lies, the server doesn't always PV cars & objectlist so R3F on clients don't read it and error out.

Well this only happend when I used the pbo downloaded from the main post (CO version) but it still gave me the option to view vehicle content, just towing, loading in and moving objects didnt show up.

Tho as soon as I downloaded the pbo file from moddb (which wasnt hotfixed yet, as the one in the main post was) it worked instantly, that's why I assume something went wrong with the hotfix craig did.

I'm not sure what PV stands for, but from what you wrote it sounds like you are saying that it's an error that only occur sometimes and that there is nothing wrong with the pbo file.

But since I tried it over and over again while even restarting my computer, replacing the pbo file, removing anything that got to do with the zombie mission etc and still having that error I don't think it's something about the server not working correctly.

It gotta be something with the pbo file, right?

Also, I'm just trying to help you locate the problem.

[ConkerBirdy 1]

I downloaded the Operation Arrowpoint on and when i try to host it comes up with this message.

I only own Operation Arrowpoint but the mod says it doesnt need any mods or addons.

[colosseum 34]

People seriously just need to get Combined Ops...

[Craig_VG 20]

I downloaded the Operation Arrowpoint on and when i try to host it comes up with this message.

I only own Operation Arrowpoint but the mod says it doesnt need any mods or addons.

Hey, sorry. I'll update the download link.

Also, the problem with the R3F isn't with the PVs, it happens even on a local client. I reverted to the previous version, and I'll fix the issue with the objects being placed in the air. Then I'll update the download links.

[striker10 10]

you could prob do a menu screen ive seen them in rp servers tab key activates interaction key basically turn it on and off but make key one bring up a menu showing like hunger and thirst and use wild boar to or cattle or goats as a food source area basically hunting and use like blue barrels for water source as well just an idea make it simple.

[colosseum 34]

If you want that stuff play Degeneration.

Craig, I've noticed that objects moved about with R3F don't always prohibit zombie movement even though it blocks players from moving.

[mawendt 1]

Craig, oh awesomeness of the zombieness...

OK - I gotta be blunt: I prefer to kill zombies while competing with live players. And unfortunately, with more than 6 players, .95 is painful.

I've paid attention to how aggressive the zeds are at start, and they drop off after ten min or so - they're getting choked up somewhere. Further, there has been an increase in lag during zed spawn. There is just too much going on, and prolly unneccessary goings on.

How to fix? streamline the zed tracking and detection loops, remove the 'spawn random' obliviating the zeds-in-the-desert-taking-loop-cpu-time-but-never-attacking, change the zed spawns to be player location/time triggered, despawn when no player is within 500m, aggro at 600m. To start.

Zed tracking and detection: don't allow any zed actions unless player is within 600m; despawn at 600m and 20sec no player detected; spawn rand (12) zeds at 500m is player moves less than 50m in 10 sec.

Spawn zeds based on player location, not random at towns or everywhere. Or, if you must, for atmosphere, spawn no more than 2 zeds per town as super zeds/wanderers. There is an eirie feeling zipping down a quiet, misty chenarus road and passing an undead just stnding there, or stumbling about. There is nothing but annoyance than to see no zeds for 10 min, then to roll out to the desert and see 20 zombies standing around doing nothing.

Look hard at all the stuff Celery has going on - and ditch what is unnessary. BIS released a bunch of FNCs that probably can be adapted that might do what celery produced in a full-blown script, stuff like spawngroup, spawnenemy, randomizations, taskattack, etc. with some creative application, who knows? http://www.ofpec.com/COMREF/index.php?action=read&id=231

Some reduction in the dynamic spawns might improve playability - it seems to me too many goodies contributes to the choking, and doesn't really improve gameplay. its good, though, and a blast to get stuff. however, players end up taking guns and ammo for granted, or have the 'meh' factor when there are tons of vehicles and construction items, no impetous to get a car, any car, and keep it working... reducing the number of gun boxes would make the crates more valuable, and reducing the number of vehicles and construction oportunities would do the same.

People might recoil from this idea (Damn it! I WANT my unnessary 30 vehicles parked at my 2 acre unnessary superbase! who cares if i never see a zombie?!) but more items screws playability - zeds should be harassing the player non stop, players should always be running shy of bullets and scavenging or trading like mad, barely able to take a break much less build a base, and running on foot half the time, freaking that it takes 5 rounds to take down a zed, and being disappointed often finding a vehicle undriveable, outta gas, or with no weapons or ammo available. I think if you have 30 players with a constant barrage of 1 to 3 zeds average against each player hitting every 3 to 15 seconds would make it panicky yet keep the deployed zeds to an effective and aggressive 100 or so loop paths. Maybe increase the zed damage requirements so they're a tougher opponent? Add stumblers for atmosphere, splashers that detonate into acid goo having 10m effects, spitters that spit damage 10m away, screamers that cause a 20+ strong horde to spawn in? dunno. (ok - it sounds so left4deadish BUT IT CAUSES PLAYER STRESS AND PANIC).

I just can't play v95 cause of the choke up, though v90 still works (to some degree) with lower numbers of people, and people still love v90. Just gotta fix the zed aggression and lag before stepping it up any more notches. Go, Craig! whiskey

[stk2008 14]

Maw I would like to see some thing a long these lines but not sure if you read my post in mission request

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?111114-User-mission-requests!&p=2125164&viewfull=1#post2125164

My first post starts at 247

I think it would make an awsome mission but I have no idea how to make it :( so wish I could.

[MrMcSwerliie 1]

Hi, so I tried to play this for Operation Arrow head and i get an error saying that i cannot play/edit this map for it is depended on chernarus and utes

[mawendt 1]

If you want that stuff play Degeneration.

Craig, I've noticed that objects moved about with R3F don't always prohibit zombie movement even though it blocks players from moving.

Yep, I've seen it too - but then, after a few minutes (probably game cycles through the ollision meshes) the zeds are sopped by double walled objects like barriers and barbed wire.

The zed mechanics for pathfinding also allow them to walk through walls, since probably the actual collision meshes set on the walls have points set too far apart. The closer the marking points for collision meshes get noticed by the game engine, whlie if they are too far apart the engine seems to skip or ignore them.

Most of the medium and big construction items will block a zombie after the game cycles through all the objects... time based on map size, and total number of objects. However, if there are too many the game reaches its limit and goes back to the first objct in its cue - so if there are 500 objects, 200 zeds, smoke, fire, etc. the game might only get to object 366 before its loop says 'enough' and jumps back to object 1.

The present set up really only works well on maybe eight players and medium to small maps; it will work beyond that but expect lag in item spawn, picking up and loading construction objects, bullets not immediately killing/injuring, and zombies stuck in a null loop when you start having more players, more zeds, ad more object spawns on a bigger map.

How can it be fixed? Gotta reduce the number of objects and ai zeds the game engine has to work through, or make those things that are on the map more effecient in the game - what I mean is, is whatever spawned neccessary? is it doing anything toward game play? or is it just standing/sitting there taking up cpu calculation time by existing?

Just my guesses, assumptions, and observation. whiskey

[striker10 10]

any word on a fix yet been few weeks since we heard anything.