SP/MP Missions by SaOk

[SaOk 112]

The Battle Of Szydlow [single Player]

Description: Soviet units have flanked behind our defense lines and are attacking now to our base in Szydlow. Hold the castle at all cost while waiting for new orders.

Key Features:

-Briefing/Overview/Weapon Selection

-Intro/Outro Cinema

-Difficulty Selection

-Medicpacks, Custom Minefield System, Custom Optional High Command/Radio Chatting

-Ambient Animals/Air Combat

-AI move in trenches/houses

-Some Randomness

-Made with Performance Friendly Methods

-About 1hour playtime

Download:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22739448/SPTheBattleOfSzydlow.7z (7z Packed)

http://www.multiupload.nl/8DV5AEPCG0 (7z Packed) (Mirror if the GameFront is down)

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22739476/SPTheBattleOfSzydlow.zip (Zip Packed)

http://www.multiupload.nl/Y73EOCIY88 (Zip Packed) (Mirror if the GameFront is down)

Notes:

As optional feature there is a high command system, but all AI groups have their own waypoints even player dosent use the high commanding. Waypoints are also reseted after each task, so it possible to high command with small doses too without breaking AI teams' plans. To enter high command UI via space+ctrl, player need to be near radio/radioman or the group he wants to order (and only infantry groups with radioman and vehicle team, can receive orders via "radio"). Also to receive new tasks, player need to get near radio/radioman.

Operation Staszow

Type: Single Player / Multi Player 1-9 (COOP)

Game Version: Iron Front 1.04 or Newer

Mission version: 1.0 / 0.6

Installation: Put SPOperationStaszow.Staszow.ifa to missions folder in iron front main folder / Put CO09OperationStaszow0_6.Staszow.ifa in MPmissions folder

Download SP:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/22684069/SPOperationStaszowv1_0.7z

Download MP COOP 1-9:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/21837714/CO09OperationStaszow0_6.7z

Mission Description:

Our operation in Staszow havent began well. Germans have been attacking our positions without rest, now they have broke through Gora and heading to our camp.

Key Features:

-Early Demo of Dynamic mission using whole Staszow map

-Overview/Briefing/Gear Choose

-Dynamic life generator for enemy/friendly units (patrols, scouts, camps, towers, slow/fast-reinforcements, support vehicles)

-Enemy groups communicate to track player's position, offering still change to flee unnoticed

-Random dogfights over the battlefield

-Ambient life

-Many Custom gameplay elements (Smoke signals, dynamic reinforcements, minefield truck, medic packs...)

-Cutscene(s)

-Made with Perfomance Friendly Methods

3rd Party Scripts:

-Dynamic weather script by Engima (+ volumetric fog effect by BIS)

-Surrendering script borrowed partly from USPMON (by Mondasa & Kronzky)

Change Log:

Demo 2:

-Added new task

-Minefield function support now AP mines and have markers

-More scenery, vehicles, task tweaks

-Many other tweaks & fixes

1.0:

-Added Intro

-New insertion (task)

-Much optimization in scripts for better performance

-Player have now custom identity

-Other tweaks

Change Log MP:

0.6:

-Two new sidetasks that have effect on generateing scripts

-Other tweaks/fixes

Special Thanks to Zonekiller for advice that saved a lot of time to convert mission for coop.

Notes:

If someone need more SP missions to play now. Here is demo of my upcoming mission offering about 40min playtime. After the first task, dynamic generateing scripts from my Zub mission are launched. You can avoid going for next task and enjoy the generating war everywhere on map if you like. I continue expanding and improving the mission. Hopefully to have whole map mission at the end with much dynamic tasks/cinema and other features.

Edited December 12, 2012 by SaOk

[rknharry 10]

*some SPOILERS ahead* ;)

I´ve not yet come to play deep into the mission, but want at least to give bits of feedback. Firstly I´m impressed you created a rather "advanced" mission, where many other ppl are still figuring the games basic features. Kudos! 8)

Mission briefing is quite clear so far, yet couldn´t figure how to properly use the mine laying feature you implemented at start time, but actually wasn´t really taking the time to do so. Was quickly moving my Ivans forward to the AT guns to possibly support them in the defence of the camps forward line. I had roughly a squad together (didn´t bother to scramble more men who were lurking in the area..well), when I reached the AT guns and somehow the defense was more or less self sufficient, already dealing advancing german armor a blow. Here and there, single german tanks advancing, just few german infantry to spot at all. Fighting and noise at various places, I could not observe. My player character hasn´t had any chance to shoot a single german. My AI mates obviously shot single germans here and there, but when I came to the scene, job was already finished. Combat slackened and fighters (-bombers) were circling above, with occasional ones dropping a bomb, or strafing russians here and there. Sometimes had to dive down, when they were coming my way. Finally the battle in the camps area appeared to be over. After minutes I decided to continue towards the next forward post line, which apparently was in german hands. Had little trouble to arrive in that next little village (forgot the places name), where I had to find that radio com building. Scattered germans were dealt with by my bot team mates (7-8 left) and I was mostly observing them having the fun, me just found occasional german corpses after. On to the radio com building and no further german encounters in the area. Just as I entered the building (with the radio marker on the map) and attempted to open a door to the right, the game froze and I had to make a reset knob push on my computer case, after waiting several minutes. :(

Need to say, I´m not a too advanced ARMA (or IFL44) player and was a bit overwhelmed with tasks. First action taken was to order my squad mates to combat mode, engage at will, occasional search for cover and left them at default formation (Vee) most the time. Was mainly busy with finding the enemy and somehow keeping my squad together. Also didn´t find the time (or opportunity) to use the reinforcement feature yet, either by radio or yellow smoke, which I´d yet to find anway.

There´s a trench object far to the left (forward of base camp) which is on uneven ground and thus clips with the ground mesh badly. Bits of repositioning required.

I had temporary game freezes (2-3 seconds) during march to the first village and have no idea what that indicated. Might be my rather crappy PC or a running script which eats resources heavily at various points. Can´t tell. However, as said final freeze was ...final.

I´ll attempt again next days coming. Hope this short piece of feedback is any helpful with the beta. :)

[SaOk 112]

Thanks for feedback :), I could balance that start little more. Add some more time to prepare for the attack. I have been tweaking the minefield function today. Player can now order AI to lay AT or AP minefields and those are marked on map. Anyway its an extra feature. I meant to offer freedom for player, he can use the function or not. There is also mortar and crate with AT-grenades. There is also change to stay more hidden and wait for air support to blow the tanks (as downside if player leave the minetruck alone and enemy capture area around it, the vehicle is destroyed). I usually try to make the missions less clear. At the end the tasks have simple conditions to complete, but I try to have alternative paths and much AI extra units to make the map more alive. Even that player can just leave them be and head to his objectives. I will add much more tasks to the mission including optional tasks that will have some effect on the generateing scripts and other tasks. And then have some main story with mandatory tasks.

Some slight freezes could be my spawning functions, those happen when new classes are spawned first time, but the crashes come from the game. I also had very unstable settings, but now after I updated my IF.cfg following the first post in this thread (I kept my own resolution and put AA off ingame), the game havent crashed yet in many hours:

http://forum.iron-front.com/showthread.php?133-Game-Settings

I also have these in shortcut (not sure what help, but at least I got rid of the worst crashing after these changes):

-malloc=1 -winXP -maxmem=2047 -nosplash -showScriptErrors

[rknharry 10]

Just today I noticed, you´re also creator of Black forest, which I attempted last year and although I couldn´t finish (my playing inabilities and lack of time), did enjoy very much to that point. Thus I know what to expect in your missions basically. :)

I´ll attempt with your CL seetings again, maybe more towards end of the week. If you´ve an updated/tweaked beta, just let me know.

PS: Yes, there appear to be no time enforced to the player, so he can take opportunity to try the "extras" or not. Since they´re that interesting one surely is much tempted to try.

Even if it´s yet a "beta", the missions possibilities and topic pretty much suits my taste and I look forward to final version. :)

[SaOk 112]

Thanks, :) I will try to release new version for the weekend. Much tweaks already in.

[SaOk 112]

I released new demo version with new task, improved minefield function, more scenery and much other tweaks.

[OrLoK 20]

Hello there,

splendid, this will keep me busy whilst I ignore the Jubilee today.

Thanks again

Rgds

LoK

[apd1004 10]

Just picked up IF, looking forward to trying your scenario. Haven't played Arma in about a year, so will be like learning all over again. Arma engine seems to have limitations overall but folks like you developing great scenarios & campaigns more than make up for the limitations of the engine.

From my first go at IF, I see lots of potential but it does have issues. I don't mind so much when I only pay $29.99 for a game and it needs work. I have more of a problem when it's $49.99 or $59.99 and this happens.

[SaOk 112]

I hope you like it, :) but remember its just a demo mission. I hope to improve it much more during summer and maybe even fall. I may also create a coop version.

Iron Front was crashing a lot for me, but now with 1.02 its much more rare. I would see that the game will be more and more stable very soon. I have been very happy with the game so far (liking it more than Operation Arrowhead). More limited mod support is a downside, but as mission maker - the editor offers already unlimited fun. :)

[DivineT 1]

Thank God SaOK you are on the job with IF44, this game needs good missions. I will be downloading ASAP!!

[apd1004 10]

I played your mission for about an hour, had a lot of fun. Setting the minefields was pretty easy. At one point I drove the mine carrying halftrack a little further down the road to set up mines further away, it worked very well (assuming your engineers are still alive). I was able to get both engineers working on laying mines at the same time, which I thought was good. It seemed like all the incoming German vehicles spotted the mines though because I never saw any of them run over one.

The best part was when a German halftrack pulled up next to me and sat there. I was able to walk up to the rear of it, open the doors, and shoot the two crewmembers inside.

Both of my Soldiers with the Panzershrecks couldn't hit the broad side of a battleship with their rockets, although they did have some luck with the RPG-40 grenades.

The game worked very well for me, no issues with the scenario or the game for that matter.

[Fenrisulven 1]

Impressive mission SaOk. I didn't think it was dynamic or had random generated elements at first. From reading this, it seems that this is the case after all. One question though. Is it possible to recruit reinforcements later in the mission or are you stuck with the men you start out with? Also what type of vehicles can you get hold of. Considering it's a very big map it would be great not having to run everywhere once you loose your wheels.

[SaOk 112]

Thanks, :)

I dont have any scripts running for germans to avoid the mines. Seems like they have been just lucky :)

With the custom minefield creating function (launced via radio), any AI member can lay mines. Only the truck needs to be near.

After the first task to hold the main camp, the generateing scripts are launched. After that there is random placed small camps, if you get near the possible russian campers join your group if you have less than 5 men if I remember right. They often throw yellow smoke which is one way to find them. Also the friendly camps are often spawned in areas with trees while enemy camps can be anywhere (except in blacklisted areas).

There isnt currently much empty vehicles to use (only the halftrack and mine/repair-truck). Player need to capture the rest, but I will add some more. Maybe to have truck or halftrack randomly spawning in bigger friendly camps.

Edit: Captured a video of the later mission with the more generated battlefield:

Edited June 3, 2012 by SaOk

[DivineT 1]

Hello SaOK,

Played the mission a little and I see where you are going with it and it's good, but I would like to have time to set up a defense. By the time me and my men hit the trenches, German APCs and Tanks are on top of us!! No time for a minefield or anything.

DivineT

[SaOk 112]

I see what I can do. I will add some more time or add difficulty levels at somepoint. After I added the attacking halftracks there is definitely again less time to prepare.

[McLupo 118]

Hello,

i have played the mission...as always your missions/campaigns...and it is, what i have expect too- marvelous.

A challenging skill, a well thought out story and a very good ambiente.

Difficult to win, but possible...:cool:

Thanks a lot.

Cheers

McLupo

[SaOk 112]

Thank you for enjoying it :)

I have updates coming again (for next weekend maybe). I have new ambient script to add stuff in villages (random friendlies/enemies in houses, also weapons or traps to find and abandoned empty vehicles). The generateing battlefield function will be also more random, each 15-30 minutes new random values is set of how much enemy player can face, camps there is, reinforcements player may get. Also how often enemy will use artillery. The placed mortars also have ammo crates next to them, to offer more mortar support for player too. I will on the new tasks next, also hopefully improving the story. Maybe even adding intro or other cutscenes.

[apd1004 10]

Hello SaOK,

Played the mission a little and I see where you are going with it and it's good, but I would like to have time to set up a defense. By the time me and my men hit the trenches, German APCs and Tanks are on top of us!! No time for a minefield or anything.

DivineT

I had the same thing the first time but with several restarts I noticed that it was not always the case. Sometimes the German APC's came in almost immediately, sometimes it took them several minutes and they didn't always come from the same spot. The unpredictability definitely adds to the replayability value.

[KEVINMGXP 20]

SaOk :D I love your missions and I also like the shit chats but I would love it more if you delete some PM's :p

Kind regards

[McLupo 118]

Hi SaOk,

...during the time i´m waiting for the new content for the mission, you can read something :)

http://www.arma2base.de/include.php?path=forumsthread&threadid=1148&entries=0#post9298

...as my personel gift and big thank you for your always great effort you offer to the community!

Thanks alot mate!

Cheers

McLupo

[SaOk 112]

Thank you for the positive article :) I feel like having an orange in my mouth. ;)

Hope to improve the mission still much with more detailed cinema.

[SaOk 112]

I made a new intro movie for the mission that comes with next version:

[KEVINMGXP 20]

Nice vid SaOk, keep it up you are doing some good work here :)

[SaOk 112]

Mission is now available as COOP for 1-9 players. I couldnt run dedicated server without it crashing so I couldnt test the mission properly. Let me know how it works for you. See first post.

Edit: I joined one server as client and the mission seem to work mostly good. Tasks activated/displayed right and saw no lag. Only 1 marker was missing when joining in and seagull script gave me some error. I will add optional setting for next version for vehichle respawn, also rethink the moving respawn point and do some other tweaking/adding for tasks.

Edited June 10, 2012 by SaOk

[SaOk 112]

New version 0.6 of the COOP version is here with 2 new sidetasks that have effect on generateing scripts. See the first post.

Edit: First time I got the mission also working on dedicated server. Launched some official missions on staszow map and then switched to mine and worked without problems. Cant understand why it crashes, if trying to launch as the mission as first choice on the server. :S

Edited June 12, 2012 by SaOk