[Release][COOP] Dynamic War Sandbox by TAW_Zorrobyte (AI load balancing FTW)

[OldGhost 1]

Hello. Great mission :) and it work good for me in both version (25 and 18). I like to know if is possible to add in the latest version AI squad members like in the version 18.

Thank you

[tremanarch 6]

But due to the missing server files ArmA 3 is of course not really dedicated.

the term dedicated means the server has no other task. so running a server.exe on a server that is running some intensive other task is not dedicated even if the server.exe is "dedicated blabla". And running ABC.exe on a home pc thats doing nothing else could count as dedicated though.

Edited March 16, 2013 by tremanarch

[zorrobyte 30]

It's been a few days since I worked on DWS, the break has been nice. I've been experimenting with using the stock BIS modules with stock BIS caching "fpsmanager.fsm"; although they are nice modules they are still too buggy to use. I'll continue dev once more assets are released.

[salty6924 12]

This mission is so far my favorite. I have edited a few bits here and there for my private server but there is one thing i cannot seem to figure out. When we leave a vehicle such as chopper in the woods, it despawns after only a few minutes, Any way to increase this time so that we can for instance fly a littlebird into the woods 2k from AO and have it be there 20 minutes later, but still despawn and respawn if its abandoned for more than that amount of time. I am looking in the vehicle SQF and i beleive its a setting in there, but its jibberish to my non codie mind.

And again, Thanks Zorrobyte. your mission is the amazing. I miss the TAW DOMI servers from ARMA2, best servers ever.

[zerith 1]

Please report performance of V25 in following format:

Version: 25

HeadlessClient:Yes

ServerFPS:Not sure

Playercount: 56

CPU make/model: VDS, 3 cores, 3 gigs of ram

It was running awesome with the HC splitting the AI load with about 20ish people. Towards the end of the map I noticed that it was getting very choppy and I figured performance should maybe get better as the AI died. Well with about 15 AI left the server crashed and I realized that there were 56 people on the server. So that's why performance was going down. I had no idea there were that many people running around. But good times. I'm lowering player count to see if I can get some better performance with 30+ people.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Zerith

[zorrobyte 30]

Released v28!

v28 Mission actually ends when AI less than 15, MP JIP Fasttime, Dynamic house lighting, tweaked base layout and slots, added enemy AI chopper patrols, VAS updated, tweaked BTC revive

Among other fixes :)

[Hammerballz 10]

Version: 28

HeadlessClient:Yes

ServerFPS:Not sure

Playercount: 2

CPU make/model: -

Having start up problems. I´m starting the mission and it seems that I dont really have a good spawn point :P See this Picture

Clients then crashed to 2 desktop

FIX: Arma 3 bug, restart the server and try again. [CONFIRMED]

Edited March 20, 2013 by Hammerballz

[zorrobyte 30]

Arma 3 bug, restart the server and try again.

[Syonco 10]

How come you can now throw nades, plant satchels etc in base w/o getting that warning? you can shoot freely in there.. Which causes havoc.. please put whatever prevented that back in ASAP!

[SavageCDN 231]

Thanks for the update will try it out. We have your 1.4 version tweaked to hell and back and it runs great with 25 players 10% CQB on clients, added some patrol groups running on server. Server never goes under 15 FPS with full load. TBH I don't know if I can move away from the MSO base, but will give it a shot!!

This mission is so far my favorite. I have edited a few bits here and there for my private server but there is one thing i cannot seem to figure out. When we leave a vehicle such as chopper in the woods, it despawns after only a few minutes, Any way to increase this time so that we can for instance fly a littlebird into the woods 2k from AO and have it be there 20 minutes later, but still despawn and respawn if its abandoned for more than that amount of time. I am looking in the vehicle SQF and i beleive its a setting in there, but its jibberish to my non codie mind.

In the editor each vehicle will have a line in the initialization field.. there are 2 numbers in brackets - the 1st number is the time to respawn when destroyed, 2nd number is time to respawn when abandoned. Check the vehicle.sqf file for more details.

Edited March 20, 2013 by SavageCDN

[CHB68 10]

Thanks for the mission zorrobyte.

Sorry to inform that the lags are still there. Every 10 to 15 secs we face a short but anoying lags.... unplayable. :(

[tremanarch 6]

Thanks for the mission zorrobyte.

Sorry to inform that the lags are still there. Every 10 to 15 secs we face a short but anoying lags.... unplayable. :(

yeah and sometimes the lags are so hard that it crashes the whole client. It increases the longer you play -at start its often quite fast and only short amounts aof lag here and there,

[zerith 1]

For v28.

I didn't check to see if it was a bad download, but when I grabbed it from dropbox and extracted the .pbo the init.sqf wouldn't extract. I was able to grab it from github. When I ran this mission the other day with HC max enemies was about ~150? For some reason with default settings the AI message now is 270+. Is this typical for the default settings?

Update: after about 10-15 minutes the AI count is now almost at 400?

Edited March 21, 2013 by Zerith

[zorrobyte 30]

In response to reports of issues of antishoot not working after respawn and stuttering for certain users; I have compiled three different versions dependent on your intended server environment.

v28 - Stock "hybridHC" w/ antishoot fix

v28HC - Specialized for HC, will not spawn enemy without HC present w/ antishoot fix, no caching

V28noHC - Specialized for no HC, no HC slot w/ antishoot fix

Original link updated

A little preview on what I'm working on, adding true meaning to the word Dynamic

Edited March 22, 2013 by zorrobyte

[WildFire6 10]

We also tried 28. A few suggestions ive noticed from my own mission making. Unit markers suck. They update constantly and query each squad leader. If we need to know where the sqadleader is he can mark it on the map. A resource heavy marker is not necessary.

There is a problem with cep. We notice every engagement that an entire squad spawns in close proximity we get immediately violated. After respawning we cannot find the squad and typically only find one guy running around. My theory is squad is cached and theres a problem with the respawn.

Also depending on which method this version uses to spawn enemies. (Fnc_spawngroup/createvehicle etc..)to make sure you fill in the skill array. Currently the ai never miss at all. it is impossible..

[SavageCDN 231]

There is a problem with cep. We notice every engagement that an entire squad spawns in close proximity we get immediately violated. After respawning we cannot find the squad and typically only find one guy running around. My theory is squad is cached and theres a problem with the respawn.

I believe that issue was present with MSO 4.55 as well... I know we always disable AI caching (CEP or NOUJAY).

In response to reports of issues of antishoot not working after respawn and stuttering for certain users; I have compiled three different versions dependent on your intended server environment.

v28 - Stock "hybridHC" w/ antishoot fix

v28HC - Specialized for HC, will not spawn enemy without HC present w/ antishoot fix, no caching

V28noHC - Specialized for no HC, no HC slot w/ antishoot fix

Original link updated

A little preview on what I'm working on, adding true meaning to the word Dynamic

Thanks for the update. Is that HAC I see in the preview?

[salty6924 12]

I have an issue that may be related to BTC moreso than the mission, but i figured others may have run into the same problem. When certain people are killed on the server, they dont die with the option for respawn, but auto respawn at main base with stock gear. Any ideas as to why?

[zorrobyte 30]

I'm in process of working on a NextGen version of DWS that promises to parameterize many options, bring HETMAN into the battlefield, dynamically spawn enemies in regard to server/HC fps, automatically read from enemy config files to automatically grow with new versions of arma (new choppers, assets, etc) and many more features (PiP helmet cam, diver's computer, more) This new version is so different I'm debating releasing it under a different name (Dynamic War SandboxNG, Dynamic War System, Etc). A manual would be provided explaining how each of the modules work for mission editors and players and I *may* do a video series to accompany the manual.

I may even release a TvT variant in which you fight alongside AI, although co-op is my main focus.

I'm currently working with TFB and other gaming groups to test and do dev work; I could always use more testers and devs. Please add me on Skype if you are interested: ross.fisher91 and I can add you to the DWS chat.

Of course, the preview link is still relevant to the next version.

Edited April 7, 2013 by zorrobyte

[zorrobyte 30]

Update..

I'm busy at work removing the need for HC in DWS by using a modified fpsmanager.fsm (object hiding and enablesimulation), dynamically spawning units up maxAI limit/simulation FPS, spawning AI local to connected clients, and using unit respawn in efforts to workaround A3 performance issues. I released DWS under a creative commons licence so please feel free to duplicate my methods in your own missions after the next release.

At last count, there is on average 20 DWS servers online in varying modification (not counting DEV). By removing the need for HC in DWS I hope to save the community some $659.80 USD or more; cutting out HC also makes DWS more accessible for communities who do not have the technical expertise to set up or afford a Dedicated Client.

Reasons for such modification can be seen here

This means a return to MSO as a framework as the most critical module for enemypop that does not require HC is CQB. I hope to add a mix of enemies apart from CQB by using other FPS sensitive spawn methods.

Thank you for your patience.

Edited April 15, 2013 by zorrobyte

[WildFire6 10]

Stoked. Although the last versions up til this total rewrite got a little bit buggy. But I'm keeping the faith. We have been using your mission off and on for quite a while. Thanks a lot!

[SavageCDN 231]

This means a return to MSO as a framework as the most critical module for enemypop that does not require HC is CQB. I hope to add a mix of enemies apart from CQB by using other FPS sensitive spawn methods.

+1 for this.. we've been using the 1.4 version (last MSO variant) and for the reasons you stated we kept it.. and to be honest find that with 25-30 players max the server has no problems keeping up.. sure it dips to around 10 FPS in heavy urban areas but at no time is the mission un-playable.

[DaViSFiT 21]

Hybrid/HC/noHC <-- Perfect this way. All server admins will love it (and the players who get better fps)! Thx a lot for staying technical up to date and thx for the mission.

[kacper2000 10]

Are u working on update to BETA version, it dosnt work with beta, i think because of class names.

[zorrobyte 30]

Updated for BETA, go break stuff!

[Furret 0]

Found a really small error:

*When recruiting an AI, clicking the 'request' button with no AI selected gives a zero divisor error.

Error in expression <player) createunit [tup_recruit_classes select (lbCurSel 1), [getposATL player, >
 Error position: <select (lbCurSel 1), [getposATL player, >
 Error Zero divisor

Another thing:

The sandbags are so close together around the helicopters that AI ordered to get into them can't.