F3 Mission Development Framework (F2 for ArmA 3)

[amateur 0]

It's pretty straightforward to extract the spectator script from the framework and use alone (no inner dependencies) and for us it's better to focus on developing the framework as a whole rather than having to maintain several sub-releases besides F3 itself.

I've thought it was straightforward, but I can't make it work, in fact. Could you, please, provide some instructions how to set it up separately from framework?

[Wolfenswan 1]

I've thought it was straightforward, but I can't make it work, in fact. Could you, please, provide some instructions how to set it up separately from framework?

You need the f/spect folder and the relevant sections from the description.ext (cfgFunctions and spawn-templates). It's probably easier if you describe what you did and how you set it up so I can point out the mistake. You can also take a look at this mission, the creator is using an extracted version from F3 as well.

[fer 21]

F3 Mission Development Framework for Arma 3

F3 v3-2-0 Released (ACRE2/ACRE/TFR/AGM/Zeus Ready)

The F3 team is pleased to announce the release of v3-2-0 of its mission development framework, with optional support for Zeus and popular mods ACRE2, ACRE, TFR and AGM.

We've added and improved many features; highlights include:

• Radio Systems Support component now supports ACRE2
  
• Server admins can now become Zeus mid-mission
  
• New insignia for common squads and elements
  
• Player loadout now shown during briefing
  
• Improved F3 Spectator script and F3 Simple Wounding System
  
• Inclusion of DLC helicopters
  

To make it even easier to start using F3, our fully illustrated online tutorials for making adversarial and coop missions can help you build your first F3 mission in 1-2 hours.

The development team for v3-2-0 has been: Wolfenswan, Head, cptnnick, Snippers and Fer. We would also like to thank the following communities in our wider review and testing team: Folk ARPS | Basterd ArmA | Black sh33p | Bourbon Warfare | Phantactical | Pointfire | Project Awesome | Team One Tactical | The Company

If your community uses F3 (or uses it as part of your own mission framework), we'd really love to hear from you.

Download F3 from:

- http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/ (English version) (PLEASE DO NOT MIRROR)

Discuss F3 at:

- BI Forums (http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?149231-F3-Mission-Development-Framework-(F2-for-ArmA-3))

- Folk ARPS Forums (http://www.folkarps.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=44)

From the README.md file:

3-2-0 | 15 NOV 2014

Added Insignia component.

- Includes insignia for NATO, AAF, CSAT and CSAT urban uniforms.

Added Loadout Notes component.

- Displays loadout section in the briefing, with player weapons and items at mission start.

Added UAV Recharging component:

- Allows recharging of backpack-carried UAVs using laserdesignator batteries.

Added Zeus Support component:

- Adds functions to give hosts easier access to Zeus using the debug console.

- Can be invoked from Admin briefing and F3 Spectator Script.

Updated F3 Common Local Variables

- Removed optional looping (bloat).

- Removed automatic broadcasting to reduce impact on network.

Updated F3 Spectator Script:

- New UI.

- Freecam.

- Revised unit list with groups.

- Map Markers.

- Now with context map clicking: in freecam you are moved above the select unit, in chase/first person camera selects the unit as the observed unit.

- Camera Marker.

- Tracers on map.

- Minor edit to LocalGroupMarkers allowing you define faction (used to show other factions group markers for everyone, old style still compatible).

Updated Fireteam Member Markers component:

- Fireteam member markers re-colour after joining a new group using the Join Group Action component.

Updated F3 Folk ARPS Platoons component:

- Changed NATO and CSAT TH1 and TH2 helicopters to Huron and Taru.

- Added TH1 element for FIA (civilian M-900).

Updated Folk ARPS Assign Gear Script component:

- Faction can now be forced using an optional third parameter.

- Added support for faction-specific crates.

- Added GPS for medics.

- Improved order of execution to avoid locality issues.

- Improved comments in the script files.

- Disables BI gear randomization by default to prevent overriding of F3 gear randomisation.

Updated Medical Systems Support (F3 Simple Wounding System):

- Extra FAKs added to player loadouts (controlled via variable in init.sqf file).

- Reduced network traffic.

- Various bug fixes.

Updated Name Tags component:

- Fixed driver position not properly displaying seat values.

- Added new variable f_nametags_shadows to govern the outline of the displayed nametags (default is 2).

Updated Radio Systems Support component:

- Added support for ACRE2.

Updated Safe Start component:

- Now sleeps for 60 real seconds (instead of in-game seconds).

- Runs almost exclusively server-side and broadcasts notifications and disabled safety to all clients.

- Now disables player vehicle weapons as well.

- Reduced duration of "X minutes remaining" note to 10 seconds.

Fixed E&E Check component:

- Component would activate ending/code even if all tracked units were killed.

About F3

The F3 Mission Development Framework (F3) is the successor to the popular F2 and BAS f mission development frameworks for ArmA 2 and ArmA. The new framework contains many of the features you know from F2, updated to work with Arma 3; new components which take advantage of the new game's special features are planned.

For downloads and to find out more please see our online manual:

• http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/ (English version)

[Chairborne 2594]

Nice, thank you!

[Chairborne 2594]

I don't know if this happened to anybody else but i'm having problems often with the Simple Revive System.

Basically what happens is that the player gets hit and is wounded, then when another player tries to treat him, the revive just doesn't work and the wounded player remains in a state of constant wounded-ness ( :D ).

No matter how many first aid kits we throw at him there's no way to revive him.

Are we supposed to do something differently?

Also, from time to time the PreMount Component bugs on our dedicated server.

It doesn't seem to work correctly with the vehicles that now have Firing From Vehicle slots.

I tested this with the Assault boat, in the editor the units are moved correctly in all the slots.

On dedi only the drivers are spawned correctly on boats, all other slots are left empty.

Am i missing something?

[Wolfenswan 1]

I don't know if this happened to anybody else but i'm having problems often with the Simple Revive System.

Basically what happens is that the player gets hit and is wounded, then when another player tries to treat him, the revive just doesn't work and the wounded player remains in a state of constant wounded-ness ( ).

No matter how many first aid kits we throw at him there's no way to revive him.

Hm. No, that's how it's supposed to work and how it's working fine for us. Are you running any mods or scripts which might be interfering?

Also, from time to time the PreMount Component bugs on our dedicated server.

It doesn't seem to work correctly with the vehicles that now have Firing From Vehicle slots.

I tested this with the Assault boat, in the editor the units are moved correctly in all the slots.

On dedi only the drivers are spawned correctly on boats, all other slots are left empty.

Odd. We tested it with the new FFV vehicles and it worked fine, but the new "cargo-turrets" will only be slotted if the "crew"-flag is set to true.

However, if it works locally but not on dedicated then the issue might be something else, are you moving player units or AI into the boat?

[Chairborne 2594]

Hm. No, that's how it's supposed to work and how it's working fine for us. Are you running any mods or scripts which might be interfering?

You mean that the player is supposed to stay wounded?

Do i need a dedicated medic with the larger medipack to treat the wounded?

I'm running AGM however we don't use the revive module yet, so there shouldn't be any other revive system interfering with it.

Mission parameter is also set to SWS.

Odd. We tested it with the new FFV vehicles and it worked fine, but the new "cargo-turrets" will only be slotted if the "crew"-flag is set to true.

However, if it works locally but not on dedicated then the issue might be something else, are you moving player units or AI into the boat?

No, i'm using only the Game logics with the following code:

[synchronizedObjects this,["GrpNATO_A1"],true,false] call f_fnc_mountGroups;

They are synchronized with the assault boats and the group name is changed accordingly.

As i said earlier, we are running AGM.

However, this isn't the first time i use the component in my missions, and when used along with the speed boat (the larger armed boat) it works fine.

As i said the driver slot is filled correctly, all the others however don't work.

I just tried again, even with AI, drivers get slotted correctly, all other positions don't.

Do i need to give the boats or the game logics any particular name?

[Wolfenswan 1]

You mean that the player is supposed to stay wounded?

Do i need a dedicated medic with the larger medipack to treat the wounded?

I'm running AGM however we don't use the revive module yet, so there shouldn't be any other revive system interfering with it.

Mission parameter is also set to SWS.

Sorry I meant the way you expected it to work is how SWS is supposed to work, i.e. getting someone up with a FAK. If the bug can be reproduced reliably, could you do a test without any AGM modules running? There might still be some interference.

They are synchronized with the assault boats and the group name is changed accordingly.

As i said earlier, we are running AGM.

However, this isn't the first time i use the component in my missions, and when used along with the speed boat (the larger armed boat) it works fine.

As i said the driver slot is filled correctly, all the others however don't work.

I just tried again, even with AI, drivers get slotted correctly, all other positions don't.

Do i need to give the boats or the game logics any particular name?

Very weird. Can you do a test with the open HEMTT trucks? And if possible also without AGM, though I can't imagine how it would be the culprit here. I'll do a test with the boats when I find some time.

[fer 21]

@ Chairborne - Can you confirm which version of F3 you are using when experiencing these bugs? Would also be great to know: Server OS, whether you are using Arma 3 stable or dev, # of players connected to the server, whether or not you are using any mods, etc. We'll be looking into this as part of the bug fixes for v3-2-1.

Edit: Heh heh, looks like Wolfenswan is already on the case!

[amateur 0]

You need the f/spect folder and the relevant sections from the description.ext (cfgFunctions and spawn-templates). It's probably easier if you describe what you did and how you set it up so I can point out the mistake. You can also take a look at this mission, the creator is using an extracted version from F3 as well.

Thanks. Funny thing, then I take script from this mission - it works, spectator launches, but then I take contents of "spect" folder from the last framework version and replace the mission ones - my mission simply ends on players death. At the same time all corresponding lines in the description.ext are identical, I've checked. Maybe, mission author have made some changes in spectator scripts? Or used some old version, I don't know.

[Chairborne 2594]

Hey sorry for taking so long, anyway i tested the open truck and the premount component doesn't work with that either on dedi server.

As for the revive, i currently cannot modify the modset on my dedi server so i don't know how to try that out.

Anyway, the version i'm using is the last one released a few days ago, server is linux (don't know the distro or version), A3 stable branch, very few players connected (7-8 the first time, just me the second time with the open truck).

Aside from AGM i can't think of any other mod influencing the game behavior.

[0verlord-actual 11]

Hey,

I am struggling to understand how i disable the caching AI system altogether?

Can someone please help. The wiki does not help me enough :(

[Wolfenswan 1]

Hey sorry for taking so long, anyway i tested the open truck and the premount component doesn't work with that either on dedi server.

As for the revive, i currently cannot modify the modset on my dedi server so i don't know how to try that out.

This is incredibly strange as it is working fine for us. I'm very much inclined to assume it is caused by a mod running on the server but haven't got a clue which one it could be. There are other communities running AGM with F3 and I haven't heard of a similar issue. Do you have access to the .RPTs of the dedi?

Out of interest: Can you describe the exact setup of the mission? Is the AI of playable units enabled/disabled? Which respawn-value is set?

Hey,

I am struggling to understand how i disable the caching AI system altogether?

Can someone please help. The wiki does not help me enough

It is disabled by default. Do you want to remove the components from your mission folder?

Thanks. Funny thing, then I take script from this mission - it works, spectator launches, but then I take contents of "spect" folder from the last framework version and replace the mission ones - my mission simply ends on players death. At the same time all corresponding lines in the description.ext are identical, I've checked. Maybe, mission author have made some changes in spectator scripts? Or used some old version, I don't know.

What you described should work. Are you getting any error messages? There is a bug (we can't do anything about) where the mission will end if you're the only player and select the first person view in the spectator script, but I don't think this applies here.

[headswe 17]

Thanks. Funny thing, then I take script from this mission - it works, spectator launches, but then I take contents of "spect" folder from the last framework version and replace the mission ones - my mission simply ends on players death. At the same time all corresponding lines in the description.ext are identical, I've checked. Maybe, mission author have made some changes in spectator scripts? Or used some old version, I don't know.

Found the proper issue.

Append Seagull to the RespawnTemplates[] = {};

Edited November 30, 2014 by headswe
Wrong link!

[amateur 0]

Found the proper issue.

Append Seagull to the RespawnTemplates[] = {};

Can you describe in more detail? I don't understand completely what do you mean.

[Wolfenswan 1]

In line 38 description.ext it should read:

respawnTemplates[] = {"f_spectator","f_JIP"};

change it to

respawnTemplates[] = {"Seagull","f_spectator","f_JIP"};

We're going to release a hotfix soon.

[commanderx 17]

Hi,

is it possible just to use the spectator script and if yes how?

Best regards

Kai

[Wolfenswan 1]

All you need is the f/spect folder and the correct cfgFunctions section of the description.ext. Make sure to apply the hotfix above though.

[commanderx 17]

Thank you very much. Your help is much appreciated :-)

[Chairborne 2594]

I managed to test the premount component without AGM finally, still no success with the assault boats.

It seems not to work well only with vehicles that got FFV function with the last update, other regular vehicles with gunner and commander positions seem to work just fine.

[Wolfenswan 1]

I managed to test the premount component without AGM finally, still no success with the assault boats.

It seems not to work well only with vehicles that got FFV function with the last update, other regular vehicles with gunner and commander positions seem to work just fine.

This is very odd as I rewrote it specifically for the FFV system. With an outdated version of F3 preMount I saw similar issues to what you're describing. To be sure: The "crew"-flag needs to be set to true, as otherwise the ffv-seats won't be slotted as they are considered "TURRET" rather than "CARGO" seats. Have you tried disabling the FFV functionality for the vehicle to see if that works?

Also, I don't think you answered my earlier question: The to-be-mounted units are present as playable AI, before players join?

[Chairborne 2594]

This is what i have in the init of the game logic:

[synchronizedObjects this,["GrpNATO_A1"],true,false] call f_fnc_mountGroups;

So the crew parameter is set to true from what i gather from your F3 wiki.

I haven't tried to disable the FFV function but i'll try as soon as i can, i didn't even know it was possible.

I'm not sure i understand what you're asking. AIs were enabled on game start, however players were slotted in said AIs.

Do i need to disable AI on game start in order to make the module work? Maybe later today i can get someone to help me out testing it some more.

[commanderx 17]

Sry, dont get it.

I deleted everything except the description.ext and the f/spect folder.

In the description.ext I deleted everything except the following lines.

// F3 - Respawn Settings

// Credits: Please see the F3 online manual (http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/)

respawn = 1;

respawndelay = 3;

respawnOnStart = 0;

respawnTemplates[] = {"Seagull","f_spectator","f_JIP"};

// ============================================================================================

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Respawn Templates

// Credits: Please see the F3 online manual (http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/)

class CfgRespawnTemplates

{

// F3 Spectator Script

class f_Spectator

{

onPlayerRespawn = "f_fnc_CamInit";

};

};

When I die I just respawn as a seagull and nothing more happens. What am I doing wrong?

[commanderx 17]

I managed that it works now. Later today I will post what I changed. Right now I am work. I just want to let you know that it works now :)

[commanderx 17]

Okay, I just put this in the description.ext and of course didn´t delete the folder f/spect

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Mission Header

// Credits: Please see the F3 online manual (http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/)

class Header

{

gameType = Coop;

minPlayers = 1;

maxPlayers = 457;

};

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Respawn Settings

// Credits: Please see the F3 online manual (http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/)

respawn = 1;

respawndelay = 3;

respawnOnStart = 0;

respawnTemplates[] = {"Seagull","f_spectator","f_JIP"};

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Respawn Templates

// Credits: Please see the F3 online manual (http://www.ferstaberinde.com/f3/en/)

class CfgRespawnTemplates

{

// F3 Spectator Script

class f_Spectator

{

onPlayerRespawn = "f_fnc_CamInit";

};

};

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Menu components

// DO NOT REMOVE OR DISABLE THIS BLOCK OF CODE

// Menu components for the Spectator Script

#include "f\spect\config.hpp"

// ============================================================================================

// F3 - Functions

// DO NOT REMOVE OR DISABLE THIS BLOCK OF CODE

class CfgFunctions

{

class F // Defines the "owner"

{

#include "f\spect\functions.hpp"

};

};

// ============================================================================================