CO08 Escape Chernarus Ports for Altis and Stratis.

[NeoArmageddon 958]

I was looking at the file \Scripts\Escape\UnitClasses.sqf since it has a lot of that kind of setup.

At the moment you can't exchange the weapons of the enemy patrols as they are only "normal" created soldier classes.

There will be a new config especialy for weaponrandomisation with the next or a later update.

But you can already add new weapons in UnitClasses.sqf for the enemy camps and civilian vehicles.

[Vormulac 13]

The way the mission works right now you'd have to rewrite or add to the function drn_fnc_Escape_OnSpawnGeneralSoldierUnit if you want enemies to spawn with them. It starts on line 47 of Scripts/Escape/Functions.sqf.

NeoArmageddon is working on a new loadout system for the mission and when that's done it'll be much easier to do. But for now that's probably your best bet. IIRC that won't affect soldiers spawned around the prison right at the start though. Those guys are at the bottom of ServerInitialization.sqf.

If the other weapon packs have predefined soldiers (say O_soldier_M16 or something) then you can do that in unitclasses.sqf. If you just want to add them to depots then the arrays for those are in unitclasses.sqf as well.

Although I'd love to include more weapons in the mission I'd like to keep it dependency free but don't let anyone stop you from adding to it.

Edit: I'd say I was ninja'd by Neo but I didn't notice that we'd spilled onto another page.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Vormulac

[AstroRetro 10]

Hey Vormulac and HyperZ, my team and I have played version 1.5 of this mission about six times on both Stratis and Altis and really enjoyed it. The mission is working very well and creates the perfect 'behind enemy lines' atmosphere that forces you to stay on the move.

Vormulac, with regard to the server difficulty settings, the precision and skill settings in TADST are essentially irrelevant as they are overridden by the more specific settings in \Scripts\Escape\AIskills.sqf. Getting the right balance of skill levels in this file is very tricky. We prefer the AI to be very savvy and use good tactics (ie. 0.85 for the 'commanding' and 'general' skills) but have lower accuracy (ie. 0.33 for the 'aimingAccuracy' and 'aimingShake'). The default setting for Normal difficulty are pretty close to this, but the other difficulty levels are either too easy or too hard because the Enemy Skill parameter multiplier spread seems too large (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.4, 1.8). I would recommend to bunch them closer together to make the skill parameter more useful (0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4).

Another thing that we noticed was that AI have pretty good fog vision (like all versions of Arma so far) such that they can target us easily at ranges where we can barely see them with thermal. Helicopters seem especially good at seeing through fog. As such, fog missions are much more difficult. At the moment, there is too high a probability of fog with the random weather setting. I think it should be lowered so that fog (and other weather types) occur at frequencies in line with the Mediterranean setting. Lemnos gets 1 to 5 fog days per month on average. It is also pretty dry with rain falling only 2-12 days per month (mostly in winter). It would be great if the script adjusted weather based on time of day and year (fog in the morning followed by light cloud in autumn, clear skies in the summer, overcast all day with drizzly rain in winter). Perhaps we should get Meatball to look at it.

In the meantime, I would like to see random fog reduced from:

forecastFog = random(.70)

to:

forecastFog = floor(random(2))*random(.80)^2

Many thanks for your hard work so far.

Edited October 16, 2013 by AstroRetro

[Vormulac 13]

Glad to hear you're still having a good time with it, thanks!

In regards to the AI and TADST, that's what I had always thought but there are significant differences (last time I tested it) between setting TADST ai to 0 and 1. I had thought that scripts would (and should) completely override that (at least from what I could tell, may be placebo but it felt pretty significant in terms of time to kill) but it seems like the game places a lower limit on the AI. I've been getting conflicting information on this. Either way, I'll talk to Hyperz about the spread of the difficulty multipliers and ssee what he thinks. I know both of us like smart AI but only reasonable shots (this seems to be pretty common in the community). Either way, I'll bring it up next time I talk to Hyperz.

Your experience with fog is the complete opposite of mine. My group seems to do much better in heavy fog than without. I know I much prefer the very depressing weather that's in there now to the bright sunshine. When Hyperz swapped to the new weather system and I saw what looked like cold autumn I instantly grinned. In any event, I'll put in a weather preset for depressing arma 2 weather (what's in there now) and something a bit closer to reality for Altis'/Stratis' climate.

There are a few other additions I had wanted to make this weekend but work crushed that hope. I'm in crunch time both at work and uni right now so the earliest I'll be able to do anything'll be next week. More's coming, it'll just be a bit yet.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Vormulac

[NeoArmageddon 958]

Hey Vormulac... just look at the video I streamed yesterday: Foggy but the AI is shooting about 1 km out of Kavala to the castle... basicly what AstroRetro reported.

[Vormulac 13]

It's not that I don't believe you (I do, if you tell me Arma does something weird I'm going to believe you because it usually does :P). Just haven't really run into it (from infantry) with my group. We're probably lucky, blind, or deaf (all 3!) though.

I just read through meatball's thread on dynamic weather and Engima should have an updated weather script for A3. Seems things are more complicated now. I really wish I had time this week to work on the mission more but I have a conference this week and the IGF deadline is coming up. As soon as that stuff is out of the way I'll get right back to it.

Edit:

Forgot to add this here (it's on the steam pages but if some people don't go there):

NEWS:

1.6 is going to take a little longer than expected because of work. Just to keep you guys in the loop here're a few things that are coming:

[*]Technicals are making a comeback.

[*]Patrol Boats.

[*]New Revive system. (Might be held until 1.7)

[*]Randomized loadouts for enemy soldiers. (Might be held until 1.7)

[*]Tweaks to weather to level the playing field with AI in fog.

[*]FIA units loyal to CSAT.

[/List]

Also, dev branch just got some AI tweaks to LOS. If anyone's on dev branch let me know how it affects the mission :D

Edited October 17, 2013 by Vormulac

[xx-LSD-xx 10]

Many thanks for the kind words LSD. It's been tough, especially seeing as this is my first time with doing any mission editing with Arma. Let's just say there's a bit of a learning curve. ;)

If you find good settings for the AI please pass them along. With 1.4 I find that myself and one other person can generally escape the camp but eventually get ambushed along the way (usually with someone saying "Once again, Vorm proves we're bad at Arma"). It's great fun but just once I'd love to see those choppers outside of tests to make sure they work. I'm still unsure of what affects the AI as it seems different when I play locally vs when I play on my server vs what Hyperz has said about playing on other servers. It could be a placebo but I swear my server wants to make us suffer and makes the AI as ridiculous as possible no matter what the settings are at. Same mission settings, different play experiences. If you have any insights there (server configs? I use TADST and set the AI to 0.00 (I assumed it was valid...)) I'd love to hear them.

Everyone involved wants this to be the best mission it can be and given the original and the A2 ports it has some pretty big shoes to fill.

Thanks again.

Yea I have re-edited the let me rephrase that. I have changed the way the AI is handled in this mission by removing the AISkills sqf it will not load in my edit. The AI are handled by my server so I can't really point out what settings to change since my edit must be run using a Mod and my edited version of the mission that is not intended for public release/use. I might have to rethink that. As of now it is for use on my server only. It not my mission after all. I have only modified it for my own use.

P.S. The AI and how smart they are only as good as the processor running on any given server. So you are correct when you have noticed how different the AI are when playing on other machines. (Please no debate on this as I do not wish to go into detail. You either agree or disagree. End of discussion.

Edited October 25, 2013 by xx-LSD-xx

[xx-LSD-xx 10]

I just noticed the comment about the rescue choppers. They work sort of. Last time we completed an escape mission the choppers came in like they are supposed to with one problem. The pilots decided the choppers should occupy the same air space when landing. Resulting in yes you guessed it flaming wreckage and the players standing on the beach saying "Are you fucking kidding me, after all that the dumb shits crash into each other while landing". So they might have the same coordinates at least that what it looked like to me but I have not looked at the code. Something I will do now that I have a few days off work. Also I hope to incorporate the updates into my edit and thanks for reminding me about the choppers.

[Vormulac 13]

1.5.1 is out for both.: AAF joins CSAT. Fixed search/drop chopper surprises (choppers reversed). Debug console for hosts/admins. Enabled saving.

@LSD: The coords are set by markers which I've tried moving around and it seems like sometimes they just want to land in the same place... I'm not sure how to fix this. There're two markers, each chopper gets its own marker, sometimes they land in the same place... Goddamnit lol.

I've moved them (markers) around a bit so hopefully they're better but no guarantees I suppose. The boats were just as bad (only instead of ramming each other they just decided they'd rather be on dry land). I'm still working on the mission as time permits so hopefully they'll get fixed someday.

I've been reading about headless client scripting lately and when I get a chance I'd like to give that a go, which'll mean a complete redo for AI numbers (for HC users anyway).

[dystopian1 23]

I would like to add this to xx-LSD-xx words about the rescue choppers:

• a couple of times I observed the choppers landed on water at the most northwest rescue point (drn_Escape_ExtractionPos5) resulting heli damage and alive pilots near them;
  
• about three times our team observed rescue vehicles extermination by some enemy vehicle after 2-3 escape hours; that was very disappointing result.
  

Here is my version of Hijack.sqf which allows to call for rescue at each communication center. So if your first rescue place failed, you have a chance to call for help from another comm center.

[IGCNightmare 10]

I played this mission with 3 of my friends the other day. Now I'm not sure if this is a bug or not, but we found it incredibly easy. We went up to a radio station hacking thing, killed everyone there, and then stole the ifrit that was there. We then proceeded to shoot a base of people and grabbed another ifrit. We then started to drive the length of the island (top to bottom) to the extraction, passing patrols, random checkpoints, other CSAT vehichles, coming as close as a couple of meters, and I even hit one of the csat riflemen. However they didn't acknowledge us at all. So we decided to just have a race down to the island knowing full well that we had no threat at all.

Are you marked as setcaptive once you enter an enemy vehichle? Or was this just a bug that we found?

[Vormulac 13]

I would like to add this to xx-LSD-xx words about the rescue choppers:

• a couple of times I observed the choppers landed on water at the most northwest rescue point (drn_Escape_ExtractionPos5) resulting heli damage and alive pilots near them;
  
• about three times our team observed rescue vehicles extermination by some enemy vehicle after 2-3 escape hours; that was very disappointing result.
  

Here is my version of Hijack.sqf which allows to call for rescue at each communication center. So if your first rescue place failed, you have a chance to call for help from another comm center.

I'll have to check the marker placement for that set again. I'm not going to change the fact that your extraction can be killed, that was a part of the original mission I always liked. But if your version of hijack will allow you to go back and get another extraction point I'll throw it in. Huge thanks for that :D

I played this mission with 3 of my friends the other day. Now I'm not sure if this is a bug or not, but we found it incredibly easy. We went up to a radio station hacking thing, killed everyone there, and then stole the ifrit that was there. We then proceeded to shoot a base of people and grabbed another ifrit. We then started to drive the length of the island (top to bottom) to the extraction, passing patrols, random checkpoints, other CSAT vehichles, coming as close as a couple of meters, and I even hit one of the csat riflemen. However they didn't acknowledge us at all. So we decided to just have a race down to the island knowing full well that we had no threat at all.

Are you marked as setcaptive once you enter an enemy vehichle? Or was this just a bug that we found?

The only time you're marked as captive is right at the beginning.

Which version were you on? Were you on a dedicated or client hosted server? The more heavily loaded your cpu is by arma the worse the AI gets (ie: reaction time goes way down). On our server the mission is quite hard. Unless it's a bug, but I haven't run into it either locally or on our server.

I will be attempting to convert the mission for headless clients over the next week which should make the ai scary as hell if you run it that way.

[NeoArmageddon 958]

It three times our team observed rescue vehicles extermination by some enemy vehicle after 2-3 escape hours; that was very disappointing result.

Here is my version of Hijack.sqf which allows to call for rescue at each communication center. So if your first rescue place failed, you have a chance to call for help from another comm center.

I never had problems with calling for anther extraction at a different com center. Worked since original chernarus mission.

Are you marked as setcaptive once you enter an enemy vehichle? Or was this just a bug that we found?

Are you using any mods?

[dystopian1 23]

I never had problems with calling for anther extraction at a different com center. Worked since original chernarus mission.

This can't be the truth. Let's check the original Hijack.sqf code:

...
if (_count == 0) then {
   if (isNil "drn_var_EscapeCommunicationCenterHijacked") then {
       ...
       _marker = createMarker ["drn_visibleGoalMarker", drn_var_Escape_ExtractionMarkerPos];
       ...
       [_extractionPointNo] call drn_fnc_Escape_CreateExtractionPointServer;
       ...
       drn_var_EscapeCommunicationCenterHijacked = true;
       publicVariable "drn_var_EscapeCommunicationCenterHijacked";
       ...
   };
};

As you see you can use "hijack" action at another comm center but it won't do anything because "drn_var_EscapeCommunicationCenterHijacked" is already set at the 1st comm center. I don't see this variable changing in other mission files.

[NeoArmageddon 958]

You are right... seems as I changed the hijack.sqf back in the ArmA2 version for my takistan version to enable "multievac".

[Vormulac 13]

I'll put the evac change in today along with a fix for the IND always having nvgs. Boats should make it in shortly thereafter.

[Vormulac 13]

New version is up:

1.5.2: Enabled hacking multiple comm centres if extraction is destroyed (one per comm centre); added more random equipment; fixed briefing; fixed AAF NVG counts; more NVG's at night; added flashlights at night and a new parameter for extraction selection. The options are "Close","Far" and "Random"

Still much on the way.

You forgot

Fixed.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Vormulac
Reminded of a couple of things by NeoArmageddon

[NeoArmageddon 958]

New version is up:

1.5.2: Enabled hacking multiple comm centres if extraction is destroyed (one per comm centre); added more random equipment; fixed briefing; fixed AAF NVG counts; more NVG's at night.

Still much on the way.

You forgot : Also adding flashlights at night and a new parameter for extraction selection. The options are "Close","Far" and "Random"

[Vormulac 13]

1.5.3 is up:

1.5.3: AI should be completely independent of local AI settings. Changed enemy as civilian and drop units to scouts. Lowered maximum starting wind. More soldier sets will have equipment randomization.

Hotfix:

1.5.3.1: Added AI skill option to create ai with skills defined by your profile.

Edit:

This may be an issue.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Vormulac

[NeoArmageddon 958]

This may be an issue.

I think this was fixed a while back. I remember seeing it in the dev changelog.

[dystopian1 23]

drn_fnc_Escape_OnSpawnGeneralSoldierUnit function in Scripts\Escape\Functions.sqf:

    if (random 100 < 30) then {
       _this linkItem "ItemMap";
   };
if (random 100 < 30) then {
       _this linkItem "ItemMap";
   };
   if (random 100 < 10) then {
       _this linkItem "ItemGPS";
   };

ItemCompass should be instead the 2nd ItemMap.

[Vormulac 13]

Oops, thanks for catching that Dystopian. That'll be taken care of next update.

[NeoArmageddon 958]

My fault.... one C&P to much. I have taken care of it.

[Vormulac 13]

Just tested it and createUnit still creates units with skill 1. I'm looking for a solution at the moment.

Unfortunately I have to hit the undo button on the local settings AI option. CreateUnit makes units with skill 1 and I haven't found a way to get the settings from your profile yet. Once I do the local settings option will be reintroduced. In the mean time, the cadet setting no longer creates units with random skills. I'm not sure how that happened, either way it's fixed now.

Sorry about the local settings option. If nothing else at least you know what you're in for as all soldiers should have their skills set properly.

1.5.3.2: Rolled back "Local Settings" option for AI. CreateUnit spawns soldiers with skill 1. When a solution is found this option will be reintroduced. Fixed Cadet ai skill option, should no longer be random.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Vormulac

[Vormulac 13]

1.5.3.3 is up.

1.5.3.3: EnemySkills 1) Manual Settings 2) Setskill free. 1) Manual will take the settings you provide (using a preset will ignore these). 2) Does not use Setskill (for Zeus AI etc).

What that horrible pidgin english says is that if you want to set the AI skills directly set Enemy skills to manual settings then set the skills. The setting "Use this setting for AI mods" does not use setskill anywhere so it should work with Zeus AI type mods.