Editor for Dummies?

[Hukkelput 1]

Hello everyone,

I've bought Arma II Combined Operations a few months ago and I'm having lots of fun with it. I've even bought a game-pc last week, largely motivated by Arma II/Arma III.

I haven't played a lot of the campaign/multiplayer, but I've experimented a lot in the editor. I love making missions and playing them with some friends. But while I'm able to create my own website in HTML, I'm really bad at scripting in Arma II. I have tried a few manuals but I never know where to place what text. The combination of GUI and scripting is really confusing.

So I've created a lot of big battles and smaller missions in the editor, they do lack rather important things. Like respawning players/vehicles, a briefing, proper targets... And editing 'mission.sqm' or something like that doesn't look easy. So, I've got three questions.

1. Is there a way to make editing easier, with perhaps a mod? I want to easily set for example respawns, in-game, without remembering/copy-pasting all kinds of complicated scripts.

2. If this isn't possible, is there some kind of Arma-Scripting-for-Dummies? I've looked at a few manuals but they weren't easy, and probably assume I've got experience with earlier Arma-games.

3. Is there already information available about the Arma III editor?

Thanks for your time and hopefully help!

[W0lle 1050]

No there is no such Mod, it wouldn't make much sense anyway. The 'complicated scripts' are no more that complicated if you used them a few times.

You could start with reading this Editing Guide. It's for ArmA1, but most of the stuff is still valid in ArmA2.

For ArmA3 related things, use the many threads in the ArmA3 forum. But most probably creating missions will be still a lot of work then, maybe even more complicated than it is already.

The good thing is: It gets easier with time if you are willing to learn from failures. Most commands are self-explaining and for creating interesting missions it's not necessary to know a hell lot about scripting.

In fact a lot of people seem to think that their missions are only cool if 65 scripts are running, and then they wonder about poor performance.

Start with short and basic missions, and then expand them as you move on. :)

[oksman 37]

http://www.youtube.com/user/OksmanToH?feature=mhee

Here's a video channel for editing, everything you'd possibly need.

There's a basics playlist aswell, comment if you have any questions.

Edited June 26, 2012 by Oksman

[Craig_VG 20]

The editing guide that W0lle posted is absolutely great. It covers almost all topics of basic and advanced scripting and really helps.If you have other questions people on this forum are normally glad to help and provide very short replies with detailed information in most cases.The Community wiki also provides excellent detail in each and every one of the scripting commands available for use.It's very different from HTML, but you can use HTML in certain places. :D

[Gunter Severloh 4052]

Hello Hukkelput

Welcome to Bis forums and the Arma Community.

There are several references and tutorials to help you better with editing.

one of which i highly recommend:

Armed Assault Editing Guide - Deluxe Edition - English version

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=4847

to answer your questions:

1. Is there a way to make editing easier, with perhaps a mod? I want to easily set for example respawns, in-game,

without remembering/copy-pasting all kinds of complicated scripts.

Mods wont make editing easier.

respawns work in Multiplayer I can show you a basic base respawn as well as some more advanced stuff, but you will need to create a script and add codes,

its very simple once you get it, but respawns depend on what you want to do ingame can be as complex as you want.

2. If this isn't possible, is there some kind of Arma-Scripting-for-Dummies? I've looked at a few manuals but they weren't easy,

and probably assume I've got experience with earlier Arma-games.

Basic SQF-scripting guide by Taurus.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=94015

one of the best ways to learn how to script is to learn how to use scripts in your mission, and then open them up and learn the codes,

and find out what they do by reviewing references, learn by doing.

Others may be of better help for the scripting aspect of the game.

3. Is there already information available about the Arma III editor?

None that i know of, perhaps someone else may know.

[Hukkelput 1]

You could start with reading this Editing Guide. It's for ArmA1, but most of the stuff is still valid in ArmA2.

Thanks, I'm reading it now!

Here's a video channel for editing, everything you'd possibly need.

There's a basics playlist aswell, comment if you have any questions.

Uhm, 'here'? I don't really see anything?

[mikie boy 18]

think he meant his editor channel -

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?134274-Arma-2-Editing-amp-Scripting-Tutorials-Youtube

Armed Assault Editing Guide - Deluxe Edition - English version - is a really useful tool and resource - loads of explanations - just a small warning however - the method of coding/scripting used is sqs not sqf - which is commonly used in Arma 2. Anyway - its a must read.

the others mention i have also used and are great

i also used if not already mentioned - http://www.ofpec.com/ed_depot/index.php?action=details&id=663&game=Arma2

Use youtube for loads of working videos.

Wiki for breaking down the terminology

and this forum for problem solving - some chaps on here that know their stuff and have helped me along my way :)

Basically start small - learn by doing - and stick with it.

[Stagler 39]

Mr Murrays editing guide is indeed the best place to start.

Start making basic missions, then expand on it.

Destroy the helicopter then get to a safe place, or destroy the ammunition truck, or clear the village. Stuff like that, then work in more complicated concepts such as insertion and extraction.

Its all in the guide how to get these simple things working.

Thats where I started when ARMA 2 first came out and I never imagined id be such a dab hand at the editor as I am now.

Briefings are another matter, id recommend a briefing editor. Just google search ARMA 2 breifing manager/creator and you should be set.

If you are having any trouble just PM me.

Stag.

[Haviv 10]

Guides are good for reference but a good way to get to speed is watch the youtube tutorial videos (such as mulledk13'a

) that work on implementing a mission, pause the video, alt tab to editor to replicate a step, alt tab back to play or go back, etc. Sometimes the narrator will make a mistake in his assumptions and you'll make the same mistake but you will learn what works and what doesn't.

Also, you have to know how to load an existing mission so you can learn by fiddling around with completed missions. Editor won't load missions in your missions folder. You'll need something like pboview (an app you need to get) to extract the pbo file and then put it in the missions folder in your Documents (and not the missions folder under the game) .

[Gunter Severloh 4052]

Editor won't load missions in your missions folder.

What game are you playing? of course they will once you edit a mission and extract it, it creates a pbo in the folder.

You'll need something like pboview (an app you need to get) to extract the pbo file and then put it in the missions

folder in your Documents (and not the missions folder under the game) .

You dont learn anything from using tools that do stuff for you, hes better off learning how to add, open, extract, and move folders manually,

as if hes looking to script and code you need to do that, for such cases the basic know how of how to import, export, and move folders in and out

of the sp, and mp folders for the editor, and create pbos for both sp and mp is crucial to know, for such things I have a tutorial for:

How to import SP/MP Missions into the editor

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?126057-Is-there-a-way-to-import-single-player-missions-to-my-editor&p=2039105#post2039105

Tools are great for their part and place but if you dont know the basics of the game system, and something goes wrong,

i guarantee you'll be back on this forum asking more questions, instead of thinking for yourself, and getting accomplished what you set out to do.

The word dummy is for those who need their hand held and need everything done for them, tool is used for specific functions for which it was designed,

but the overall principle is to know what your working with, rather depend on the tool to do it for you, your either a dummy with a tool,

or person who uses a tool to accelerate what he already knows.