A way to change game time while the mission is running?

[magnum482 10]

Is it possible with server commands? Or does the time have to be set before the mission starts?

[mindstorm 8]

You could use skipTime.

It's local so you will have to use this same command for everyone. Also you will have to take JIP players in mind if your missions supports JIP players.

[magnum482 10]

I don't understand how to use it... do I type #skiptime 10 in as a command in chat (to jump time forward 10 hours)? Because that does nothing.

[cuel 25]

You'd put it in a trigger or a script

[kahna 13]

I don't understand how to use it... do I type #skiptime 10 in as a command in chat (to jump time forward 10 hours)? Because that does nothing.

skiptime.sqf

skipTime 12;
hint "Time advanced by 12 hours";

INIT field of an Object:

this addAction["<t color='#ff8811'>Skip Ahead 12 Hours</t>", "skipTime.sqf"];

Again, it's a local thing so everyone would have to skip ahead. I use 12 hours simply to flip back and forth between 1500 and 0300.

[kylania 567]

Remember that skipTime and addAction are both local, so doing that will make one guy 12 hours ahead of everyone else.

[magnum482 10]

Okay so I tried editing the mission by putting a 'skipTime 7' trigger activated by BLUFOR in the middle of spawn (this is COOP so everyone is blufor). I set the trigger to only be activated once but for some reason it changes from 22:00 to 5:00 for me and one other person in my server, while another is staying on 22:00. What did I do wrong? Is there a way to just change the start time of the mission?

I tried to do that with intel in the editor but that doesn't work in Multiplayer (it does in SP and the editor, but when I put it on MP it just reverts to 15:00 which is the default instead of 22:00 which is what I want).

This is what I did.

1. Open up the mission in the editor, which is by default at 15:00.

2. Open up intel screen, change time to 22:00.

3. Re-.pbo the mission and play it in SINGLEPLAYER, it works fine. It starts at 22:00.

4. Try the .pbo in MULTIPLAYER, and it reverts to 15:00, although on the pre-mission map it shows up properly as 22:00 and changes to 15:00 when I spawn in. So what am I doing wrong?

Edited July 14, 2013 by magnum482

[kahna 13]

Triggers and skip time don't play well together. Think about it. Once means that the trigger only fires one time for the players within it and then never again (this is why you have people on different times). Repeatedly will cycle the time back and forth constantly for everyone inside the trigger. You should never have a trigger like that on top of the spawn. I believe I know what you're trying to do and it just isn't possible at the moment, skip time is local and everyone has to activate it manually.

Also, how do you change from SP to MP? You should be manually copy/pasting your mission, not using the SP export to MP. Things break or don't carry over otherwise.

[cuel 25]

Also, how do you change from SP to MP? You should be manually copy/pasting your mission, not using the SP export to MP. Things break or don't carry over otherwise.

That's not true at all.

Every single mission I've made I've used the export function.

Edited July 15, 2013 by cuel

[magnum482 10]

Also, how do you change from SP to MP? You should be manually copy/pasting your mission, not using the SP export to MP. Things break or don't carry over otherwise.

I use pbo manager to de .pbo the MP mission into a stratis folder and then re .pbo when I am done editing. Also what do you mean 'export?' Isn't there only one editor?

[kylania 567]

I use pbo manager to de .pbo the MP mission into a stratis folder and then re .pbo when I am done editing. Also what do you mean 'export?' Isn't there only one editor?

If you're editing an existing mission from someone else that works sure. What cuel was saying is you should generally do all mission development in the SP Editor (Main Menu -> Editor) make all changes there, save it there. Then to play it MP you'd Save As... from within the Editor and Export to MP Missions.

Testing some MP things is a bit more difficulty this way (respawn for example) but you have one source of the mission and you're not constantly packing and unpacking the mission. Also never manually edit the PBO or the mission.sqm. That's just bad news. :)

[kahna 13]

That's not true at all.

Every single mission I've made I've used the export function.

I mention it because I've exported missions from SP to MP and not one single script copies over. The only thing it does is create a MP mission folder with the mission.sqm which is absolutely worthless without its supporting scripts. Regardless, I have multiple monitors and edit in windowed mode so it's a piece of cake to copy/paste. Plus I can rename the mission folder on the fly to keep track of version numbers and pack away previous versions into PBOs for backup purposes.

[kylania 567]

I mention it because I've exported missions from SP to MP and not one single script copies over.

That happens when you change the mission name. The editor name you save it as is just the folder/pbo name. The actual display name is set in the description.ext or the Intel field in the editor.

If you want to change the folder name exit the editor and change the folder out of game. :) That way you preserve the scripts.

[magnum482 10]

Also never manually edit the PBO or the mission.sqm. That's just bad news. :)

How come? It's a lot faster to change some text in notepad++ than to load the mission up. I haven't had any problems yet.

---------- Post added at 16:30 ---------- Previous post was at 15:11 ----------

Also does anyone happen to have a script on hand for locking 3rd person out in a mission? I want to restrict my mission to only allow first person. I tried googling an asking around but it didn't turn up anything. Everything I find is either outdated or completely useless when I try to use it... please help.

[kahna 13]

Makes sense Kylania, I do tend to change the folder name while I'm working on them to keep version numbers correct.

Magnum: What I do is force first person with Veteran or Elite difficulty and manually tune the A.I. difficulty with a script. Still not sure if the actual in-game difficulty setting has any impact on AI behavior (I've pretty much always ran an AI Skill Setting Script).

[kylania 567]

Only 1st person? Yuck. Best way to do that, other than horse blinders, is to geck camera state and if its external switch it back. This is almost as annoying as trying to take away peripheral vision and situational awareness in the first place "cuz they can see over walls" but should work. :)

It'll also remove all the great textures and animations that make Arma3 awesome but it's your mission so have fun with it.