HETMAN - Artificial Commander

[kremator 1064]

Just spent 1.5 hours just watching the AI commander lead his troops ..... REALLY REALLY IMPRESSIVE !

Keep up the good work mate.

[Rydygier 1304]

Thanks, Old Bear! :)

---------- Post added at 10:42 ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 ----------

Just spent 1.5 hours just watching the AI commander lead his troops ..... REALLY REALLY IMPRESSIVE !

Keep up the good work mate.

I'm glad, that it works. Yeah, there was tons of tests, four alphas and so on, but we now, nasty bugs like to show up at the finish...

[orcinus 121]

Thanks, Old Bear! :)

---------- Post added at 10:42 ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 ----------

I'm glad, that it works. Yeah, there was tons of tests, four alphas and so on, but we now, nasty bugs like to show up at the finish...

Hi M8

Many thanks for this release and for all your hard work - I won't get to try the new release til the weekend as workload is very high at the moment [conf call to APAC at 6 am.....conf call to US at 9:30 pm. I only just finished emailing :( Work is the curse of the gaming classes!]. Oh well, at least I've read the manual already ;)

Warm regards

Orcinus

[taro8 806]

Hey Rydygier, I found out that Bon's artillery script is an AWESOME adition to HAC. It is great for recon players as Bon's script can be set so only selected unit types can request artillery barrage, by default its just squad leader, but you can put in scouts, spotters and FAC troops into pool or simply allow everyone to call a barrage.

The process is rather complicated, but once you master the art of calling in artillery fire you can blow enemy away ;). Personally I prefer this complicated version instead of simple map click, it makes you use compass, range finders, it gives a lot of satisfaction if you do this right.

Best of all: it works with HAC without any problems. Here is small mission using HAC and Bon's script: http://www.mediafire.com/?bbnc2tjdmvbf29k

EDIT: I noticed a problem: HAC takes over control over my character from time to time. It changed my team formation, it made me throw smoke grenade and worst of all it turned my engine off when I was flying US Army A-10. I think HAC shouldnt do this stuff to player controlled characters.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Taro8

[abdel 1]

First of all, Rydygier thanks for this great mod :D

Just has an intense fight with your mod ...

I've been looking at the RHQ arrays so I can complement ACE and other mods, what kind of file I need

to create that needs the ACE Classnames in it? and should I use the script version?

Thanks in advance

[Rydygier 1304]

EDIT: I noticed a problem: HAC takes over control over my character from time to time. It changed my team formation, it made me throw smoke grenade and worst of all it turned my engine off when I was flying US Army A-10. I think HAC shouldnt do this stuff to player controlled characters.

Good point, thanks. This is important. So I have first thing to do for next release. :) For now smoke usage my be disabled by RydHQ_Smoke = false;, but for all groups. Second thing to do: adding this varialbe to manual... Well. TO DO list updated. This formation changes are a bit surprising. Didn't know, that formation setting for waypoint affects automatically also groups led by human player. Is this affect also behavior and combat mode of led by human player group? Logically should...

EDIT: did some test, also checked code and must to say, that I'm confused with this A-10 engine issue. The only moment, when HAC is messing with vehicle engine is when group with vehicle receives idle order, and when its destination point is reached. But, after these tests and checks I'm quite sure, that A-10 is, as air group, excluded from idle orders at all. So there is no opportunity for HAC to order a plane turn its engine off... There was any other addons active when this problem occured?

Anyway smoke issue is fixed, I think (smoke will be not deployed automatically by group at withdrawal (def and rest orders) when player is team leader. Also if player is not leader, but subordinate group member, will be excluded from this smoke behavior). Also HAC will no more to mess with vehicle engine when player is team leader or when player is a driver of vehicle assigned to team leader. Formation issue however will take more time, because there will be huge amount of code lines to find and change (120 lines to be exact).

EDIT2: Found probably reason of this formation issue. I used in two places (idle and def orders - right? Then this issue occured?) "setFormation" command. It is not mistake, but now I'm able to add "no-human player" condition. And there will be much less work with this. "SetWaypointFormation", used 120 times fortunately do not affect groups led by human player. :)

Edited February 14, 2012 by Rydygier

[taro8 806]

EDIT: did some test, also checked code and must to say, that I'm confused with this A-10 engine issue. The only moment, when HAC is messing with vehicle engine is when group with vehicle receives idle order, and when its destination point is reached. But, after these tests and checks I'm quite sure, that A-10 is, as air group, excluded from idle orders at all. So there is no opportunity for HAC to order a plane turn its engine off... There was any other addons active when this problem occured?

Lots, but none EVER touched engine. Also I noticed the sound of engine being turned off just as I got orders from HQ.

[Rydygier 1304]

Also I noticed the sound of engine being turned off just as I got orders from HQ.

This I can confirm for M1A2, just tested for idle order (recon also, so probably this affect all orders for human team leader). Indeed. Strange, but this means, that we have some clue. Espiecially, that this occurs only when crew leader (team leader) is human controlled. Must to invesitgate this.

EDIT: no, it is not about this. This is not HAC issue, but normal vehicle behavior - tested without HAC. If vehicle is not moving after mission start and driver has no order to move, then engine is turned off after 35 sec. It is coincidence, that in same time first idle/recon order is issued by HAC. Also if I moved tank and then stop, engine was still on after receiving HAC order. So there is still no explanation for this A-10 engine issue. Also above described behavior does not apply flying planes... Will think about this, but have no idea for now.

Exactly in what moment A-10's engine was turned off? With receiving a new order? This happend once, or more times? This was generic A-10 plane, or some user-modificated model with other classname?

Edited February 14, 2012 by Rydygier

[taro8 806]

Drivers turn off engines if they stand around this is normal. However having your engine turned off when you are flying its something else entirely.

Ok so I was flying US army A-10 (I have a mod that removed A-10 from USMC), I was about to rain death and destruction on the enemy when I got order from HQ. I cant remember what exactly it was, but I think it was sentry. I heard engine being turned off, I didnt realized it until I made a pass and started to stall, I increased throttle and engine turned on, no further problems.

BTW: What do you think about that arty script?

[Rydygier 1304]

Drivers turn off engines if they stand around this is normal. However having your engine turned off when you are flying its something else entirely.

Indeed. :)

(I have a mod that removed A-10 from USMC)

This may be a cause. If, for example, this mod changes class name of A-10 for removing purpose, then without additional RHQ entry HAC will not recognize vehicle as air unit and such group will be considered only as Crew and Infantry (beacuse of pilot unit). Can you try to put in its init field code: diag_log (typeOf this); or hint (typeOf this); to check, what is class name of such modded A-10? If mod is triggered some seconds after mission start (not so likely) then this code must be executed with delay too - so best way is to set a trigger with 5-10 sec countdown and this code in act field: diag_log (typeOf NameOfCheckedPlane); (or hint for on screen message).

I cant remember what exactly it was, but I think it was sentry.

If so, then above mentioned scenario is most probable, cause sentry is type of idle order, and if HAC not recognized modded A-10 as plane, then such order was possible and turning engine off after reaching target point also. And this target point was probably reached immediately, because is placed usually not far from unit, and air units have wide radius of waypoint completion. To fix this, if I'm right about changed classname, you should add its classname to RHQ_AirG. Changed faction itself shouldn't affect here, because with normal control mode important is only "setFriend" factor of unit, not its faction.

BTW: What do you think about that arty script?

Sounds great, but haven't time to test this yet... Will try this evening. Looked at manual. Wow. It looks "professional", so probably effective usage is also very rewarding.

EDIT: Tried. It is fun. You just sit behind some bush with calculator and map and your enemies are dying. :) And was problems with my compass - in my so low res is hard to read degrees. Some observations: it is obviously not ARTY Module based, shell "flight" lasts about 15 sec., not 60, like with module, is spawned, also other ammo types are used (for inf. target 40mm grenades - it makes this not so deadly, more movie-like light mortars effectiveness, it is nice change after all those so powerfull ARTY ammo shells). Possibly limitations: SADARM will probably not work here, unless its subamunition is separately emulated. In some free time will testing this more.

---------- Post added at 17:31 ---------- Previous post was at 16:26 ----------

Tried to open in editor this arty mission, I suceed after removing from mission.sqm references to jtd fire&smoke and some hifi addon, but there was an error message. It is good news, because I think, that this is answer for yours A10 engine problem. Message is about "A10_US_EP1" vehicle. This must be classname of modded A10. Add this to RHQ_Airg config to fix issue with engine/unit recognition by HAC.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Rydygier

[taro8 806]

Damn it.

Anyway, here is the script: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=9056

BTW: A10_US_EP1 is OA classname, not modded. Mod I mentioned only removed A-10 from editor under USMC faction.

[Rydygier 1304]

Oh. So, if I understand correctly what this mod doing, classname of this modded plane with unexpectedly turned off engine was just generic "A10" or maybe this OA A10?

[taro8 806]

I was flying OA A-10. I cant put USMC ("normal" A-10) A-10 in editor anymore, but vehicle works as normal if it was placed before. So in the end HAC turned off engine for OA plane. It shouldnt do so for any plane.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Taro8

[Rydygier 1304]

Yes, if its classname was in RHQ_AirG, then shouldn't. But if so, then I haven't for now any other idea, what may caused that engine issue.

[orcinus 121]

I cant put USMC ("normal" A-10) A-10 in editor anymore

Yes you can, if you have CO. Make a shortcut to the Arma exec - it will load Arma only.

Ofc a CO mission won't work, but you could add a USMC A10 'original' to a Utes demo mission & see if the engine issue happens again.

BR

Orcinus

[taro8 806]

I have combined operations with and addon that retrofitted some of Arma 2 stuff with features from OA, like lasers on weapons or quick aiming without scopes. Also it removed AH-64 and A-10 from USMC air category, nothing big here. I could place Arma 2 A-10, but It would be more work then its worth. The engine issue happened only this one time, I flew OA A-10 and AV8B and it didnt happen again. Who knows, maybe I just turned it off by mistake?

BTW: Orcinus, I have pretty nead idea for more immerse respawn then just using DAC. I will put it in words and pretty pictures and will send you PM. You know more about scripting then I do, so you could judge if my idea is feasible.

[Neopas 10]

I `ve played some long sections so far and it really is brilliant.

Couple of small issues I encountered.

With RydHQ_Smoke = true it seems like player lead squads are also forced to deploy all their smokes ,when casualties are taken or lots of enemies are around,player`s avatar included.

On several occasions, some enemies don`t engage even when you walk up face to face and follow them around shooting ,despite that they still have ammo(checked).Normal game behaviour is to respond to situations like that ,even when in "hold fire".

Thanks one more time for this excellent addon.

[Rydygier 1304]

Thanks!

Smoke issue was yesterday reported and is corrected now (fix will be included in next release - soon, when MSO module will be ready and included).

Someone some time ago also reported this "blindiness" AI issue, but this can't be HAC, cause HAC didn't mess with this AI aspects. HETMAN only sets generic combat modes and behaviors for issued to groups waypoints, he do not changes their parameters or assigned to given mode/behavior AI setting values in any way. Maybe try and compare without HAC. This may be some other addon or even newest game version issue (maybe Arma devs changed something lately in waypoint combat modes/behaviors or in AI skills values?), I don't now, haven't nothing but first Arma 2 with 1.10 patch... This applies to certain situations or units or is random?

Edited February 15, 2012 by Rydygier

[Neopas 10]

Glad to hear about the smoke issue because you can imagine what a dozen of smoke grenades ,simultaneously around the player,are doing to the framerate...

I also use ASR_AI for some of the features there but with ai_setskills array disabled,so it should be vanilla skill values that are used,and I haven`t ,so far,come across the "blindness" when playing other missions.

Anyway ,I`ll try to come up with some more useful info on that.

[Rydygier 1304]

I`ll try to come up with some more useful info on that.

Great. I really care to explain the causes of this problem. HAC is used in fact disableAI "TARGET" and "AUTOTARGET" but temporarily and only for cargo and support vehicles during its cargo and support missions, to make them more obedient on route. This moreover does not exclude, as far as I know, firing but only seeking and target setting. This looks rather like some "FSM" problem (?).

[jedra 11]

On several occasions, some enemies don`t engage even when you walk up face to face and follow them around shooting ,despite that they still have ammo(checked).Normal game behaviour is to respond to situations like that ,even when in "hold fire".

You're not using UPSMON are you? I have seen this behaviour with UPSMON when there is a lot going on as it takes it a while sometimes to issue waypoint orders once it has taken control of a unit. In big missions I have taken to splitting some units away from UPSMON and using a modified version of TaskPatrol instead. A long shot, but thought I would ask in case it helps.

[taro8 806]

It is possible that such blind enemy was part of the squad that was pulling out. In such cases they are ordered to not shot an run away as fast as possible. Personally I didnt notice such problems, but I use ASR AI, GL4, SLX and Zeus.

[Neopas 10]

You're not using UPSMON are you?

That`s a negative.

[humvee28 10]

RHQ_AirG

Never heard of this Array, and it isn´t mentioned in the Manual too. :confused:

[Rydygier 1304]

:) It is my mistake. RHQ_Air. RydHQ_AirG it is some internal variable, that contains all groups, that contains aerial vehicle. Hence the mistake.