[SP/MP] BeCTI

[Sari 18]

Right, I'm releasing this update to our modified files early because I'm not going to get many other chances. Firstly, a big fat disclaimer:

These files require Arma 3 1.42 or higher to work properly. You can try to use these files on the current stable branch (1.40) but I wont be helping anyone trying to do so and I can almost guarantee bad things will happen.

Now that's out the way, a brief breakdown of the new major features of this update:

New marksman weapons, units, items etc have been added to the purchase menu, gear menu, AI buy types and town AI spawning types.

The base construction mode now features a WFBE/Zeus type camera. Instead of walking around trying to build a base you can now build a base just like placing units in Zeus. I would recommend you turn persistent hints on (Scroll menu > Options > video settings) as that's where the controls for the camera system are shown.

Thanks to the new VhC stuff, the icon in the purchase menu used for changing the camo type of the Tarus has been replaced by a dropdown menu which will allow you to pick from multiple texture sets. It has also been expanded to more vehicles that have many texture sets.

Sorry its a bit brief and basically just repeating what's in the changelog, but my patience is a bit thin today...

Changelog:

Added Construction Camera:
- Camera spawns when placing a building or defense, despawns when placed or cancelled.
- Camera controls are shown if persistent hints are turned on.
- Camera is also used for removing defenses.
- Added new and separate construction menu helpers.
- Removed helpers for buildings that dont have a spawn point.

Replaced camo/texture selection button with dropdown menu:
- Expanded to all vehicles with multiple Textures.
- Removed enemy faction textures from selection.
- Removed UH-80 (camo) an Mi48 (black) from purchase menu as theyre now obsolete.

New Marksman stuff:
- Added New Marksmen weapons and items to gear menu.
- Added New Marksmen units to purchase menu, AI buy types and town spawning types.
- Added Bipod slot to gear menu.

General Changes:
- Fixed unit/item icons showing black in gear/purchase menus.
- Fixed AI commander getting stuck in a loop.
- Fixed AI teams purchasing vehicles with FFV positions manned.
- Potentially fixed self destructing HQs. (this is different to the previous 'fix' I posted)
- Replaced worker models.
- Updated AI buy type prices to match new supply system/economy.
- Updated defense menu item prices to match new supply system/economy.
- Various minor code cleanups. 

As always, download link can be found in my original post, linked at the top of this one (and now in my sig!)

[law-giver 190]

As always, download link can be found in my original post, linked at the top of this one (and now in my sig!)

Firstly as always thanks for the update Sari, appreciated as always. Just tried downloading the files but both links seem to give me Takistan and Cherno versions. No biggie as files are no doubt the same give or take a couple. ;)

[Sari 18]

Ahhh goddammit, i packed the wrong files into the stock rar, gimmie a min. Told you my patience was thin XD

edit: should be good now.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Sari

[law-giver 190]

Ahhh goddammit, i packed the wrong files into the stock rar, gimmie a min. Told you my patience was thin XD

edit: should be good now.

No worries buddy. If you need a hug gis a shout! ;) :D

[ajt 10]

Hi Sari thank you, and everyone who works with you , for your GREAT work.......:bounce3::bounce3:

[kremator 1065]

The takistan (AiA) version is not there.

[Sari 18]

This is why you shouldn't rush things folks! Try now.

[kremator 1065]

Yup .. working now mate! TY

[Soviet_Union 10]

How do you change what units the neutrals (The dudes defending the towns from opfor and bluefor) use? What about your own occupation forces?

[Sari 18]

How do you change what units the neutrals (The dudes defending the towns from opfor and bluefor) use? What about your own occupation forces?

The actual units are defined in Common > config > towns > towns_resistance. The groups, numbers, probabilites etc. are defined in server > functions > server_spawnTownResistance.

[Soviet_Union 10]

Thanks man! What about changing the HQ unit and the other few trucks/jeeps it starts with?

[redswirl 10]

Hello, I'm checking in here to see if there have been any major updates made to BECTI, particularly the SP version. I see the links here, on Steam Workshop, and Armaholic haven't been updated since late 2013.

Also, are there any links to BECTI implementations for other maps? I found the one for Utes, but has someone made one for Chernarus for instance?

Thanks.

[gabberxxl 9]

As always very good work Sari. I especially like the new Zeus style base building. The bug with the AI commander doing nothing, after a player has been commander, seems to be gone. Today I did some testing with your mission and here are two errors I have ecountered:

17:00:10 Error in expression <, 0];
deleteVehicle _oldHQ;

waituntil {isNull _oldHQ};

if (_deployed) then {
_>
17:00:10   Error position: <isNull _oldHQ};

if (_deployed) then {
_>
17:00:10   Error Generic error in expression
17:00:10 File mpmissions\__cur_mp.Altis\Server\Functions\Server_HandleHQDeployment.sqf, line 54

18:07:39 Error in expression <_vehicles = [];
_crews = [];

{

if (_x isKindOf "Man") then {
_unit = [_x, _gro>
18:07:39   Error position: <isKindOf "Man") then {
_unit = [_x, _gro>
18:07:39   Error iskindof: Type Array, expected String,Object
18:07:39 File mpmissions\__CUR_MP.Altis\Common\Functions\Common_CreateTeam.sqf, line 20

Edited April 9, 2015 by gabberxxl

[Sari 18]

Has anyone else had issues with server performance using the latest files I posted? Had a PM claiming that server FPS was down to 4 after an hour of running, however I've not been seeing the same behaviour on our own server.

Thanks man! What about changing the HQ unit and the other few trucks/jeeps it starts with?

HQ: common > config > base > base_east/west, starting vehicles: common > config > factories > factories east west. Most if not all unit/vehicle/gear stuff is defined somewhere in common > config.

Hello, I'm checking in here to see if there have been any major updates made to BECTI, particularly the SP version. I see the links here, on Steam Workshop, and Armaholic haven't been updated since late 2013.

Also, are there any links to BECTI implementations for other maps? I found the one for Utes, but has someone made one for Chernarus for instance?

Thanks.

The original 0.97 hasn't been updated by Benny since he last updated the OP (iirc last time i spoke to him he said he was waiting for more content before coming back to Arma 3). A few people have continued developing from this 0.97 version, namely Zerty, Spanishsurfer/OFPS (don't think their particular mission is public per say) and ourselves.

I made a Chernarus and Takistan template based on the files I've posted (see my sig or above link), I believe SpanishSurfer and crew may have made something on another map based on their version and I believe there's a Bornholm template on steam workshop based on an earlier version of the files I posted (again, sig/above link), but that wasn't made by me/us. No idea who made the Utes one, or what version its based on.

As always very good work Sari. I especially like the new Zeus style base building. The bug with the AI commander doing nothing, after a player has been commander, seems to be gone. Today I did some testing with your mission and here are two errors I have ecountered:

Bah, I swear this deployable HQ will be the end of me...

[redswirl 10]

I made a Chernarus and Takistan template based on the files I've posted (see my sig or above link), I believe SpanishSurfer and crew may have made something on another map based on their version and I believe there's a Bornholm template on steam workshop based on an earlier version of the files I posted (again, sig/above link), but that wasn't made by me/us. No idea who made the Utes one, or what version its based on.

Thanks!

Yeah some guy name Anabella is doing a bunch of his own CTI modifications on Steam Workshop.

Just to make sure, where can I find the most updated individual downloads for AiA Chernaurus, Utes, and Takistan (assuming the Jan 1 versions aren't the latest)?

Edit: I seem to be having some trouble installing the AiA maps and your BECTI implementations, specifically the Altis, Stratis, Chernarus, and Takistan ones. When I install your BECTI versions they show up under the expansions in the main menu, but not under "scenarios" or "campaigns." Are there some directions I overlooked? Are they multiplayer-only?

Edited April 10, 2015 by RedSwirl

[kremator 1065]

Hi Sari. I'm very impressed actually. My dedi server ran at 24fps for 3 hours with around 400 AI on Altis with no problems! There was a transient drop to around 7fps but it only latest a minute as I think two AOs were being spawned at the same time.

[MichaelZFreeman 20]

Impressed I'm back in ArmA3 with what used to keep me going in A2. Thanks Sari for the updates ! :cool:

Should I be recording or paying attention to the error reports that pop up in a box at the top of the screen ? Or is that just because I'm running latest DEV ? I was going to disable that but wonder if they are useful to you. If so are they saved in a log somewhere ?

I'm still optimising for performance (I play SP with AI starting from within A3, no server). I'm just about to try a game with occupation turned off as, after starting a high framerate it dropped right down after taking a few towns. I'll leave resistance on as that does not have the same performance drop.

Only major thing I noticed is that the AI commander groups seem to go off towards the first objective at the start of the game. Then they all run back to base, and go out again. After that the game runs normally.

[kremator 1065]

Running BECTI without a dedi server is crazy Barney, as the frame rates will floor on the same machine. You'll have to cripple AI numbers to a huge extent. Don't try it on Altis or you'll never conquer anything. I play alone (sniff) but on my dedi server and have been very impressed with FPS. Need to run with zbe_cache running next time to see if it is even better.

[MichaelZFreeman 20]

Yeah, hi thanks. Been through that before with A2. The problem for me is lack of saved game with the server, unless there's some way of doing that now.

[gabberxxl 9]

Strange, but the problem with NULL-groups seems to be still there with 1.42. I have no idea how to fix it.

[ZertyKchan 14]

The original 0.97 hasn't been updated by Benny since he last updated the OP (iirc last time i spoke to him he said he was waiting for more content before coming back to Arma 3). A few people have continued developing from this 0.97 version, namely Zerty, Spanishsurfer/OFPS (don't think their particular mission is public per say) and ourselves.

Well since OFPS mission is using some of my code, it should be (share alike all that stuff).

if you want to follow the development of my version (or contribute by forking and making pull requests) the git hub is there:

https://github.com/zerty/Benny-Edition-CTI-0.97-Zerty-Modification

And I need to take the time to update the BiS post and arma holic ...

also for the group problem:

while {!CTI_GameOver} do {
 {if ((count(units _x) == 0) && local _x && ! ( groupID _x == "Defense Team") ) then {deleteGroup _x} ;true }count allgroups;
 sleep 10;
}

You can run that on both server and clients.

And BTW, Nice release Sari.

[MichaelZFreeman 20]

Running BECTI without a dedi server is crazy Barney, as the frame rates will floor on the same machine. You'll have to cripple AI numbers to a huge extent. Don't try it on Altis or you'll never conquer anything. I play alone (sniff) but on my dedi server and have been very impressed with FPS. Need to run with zbe_cache running next time to see if it is even better.

Hey, just occurred to me that I could setup a sever on Amazon AWS or Google Cloud Compute (probably Google as I've found AWS to be way over complicated and Google is cited as having cleaner management console). I'm looking into pausing the server exe process on the server to "save" the game, and unpausing later. It would be nice to hibernate the server as well when not in use, but not sure if it could be unhibernated remotely. That would leave all my home PC cpu cores for rendering A3 and the cpu on remote machine for AI and other server calculations. Now to get it to work. Time for some serious FUN :)

[Sari 18]

Thanks! Just to make sure, where can I find the most updated individual downloads for AiA Chernaurus, Utes, and Takistan (assuming the Jan 1 versions aren't the latest)?

Edit: I seem to be having some trouble installing the AiA maps and your BECTI implementations, specifically the Altis, Stratis, Chernarus, and Takistan ones. When I install your BECTI versions they show up under the expansions in the main menu, but not under "scenarios" or "campaigns." Are there some directions I overlooked? Are they multiplayer-only?

Jan 1st (+hotfix) is the latest AiA release, the main guy behind it stopped supporting it. It's going to be continued under the guise of CUP Terrains but they haven't released anything there yet.

Hi Sari. I'm very impressed actually. My dedi server ran at 24fps for 3 hours with around 400 AI on Altis with no problems! There was a transient drop to around 7fps but it only latest a minute as I think two AOs were being spawned at the same time.

Cheers for reporting back, turns out the reported issue was a server fluke.

Should I be recording or paying attention to the error reports that pop up in a box at the top of the screen ? Or is that just because I'm running latest DEV ? I was going to disable that but wonder if they are useful to you. If so are they saved in a log somewhere ?

Only major thing I noticed is that the AI commander groups seem to go off towards the first objective at the start of the game. Then they all run back to base, and go out again. After that the game runs normally.

yeah those nasty black errors are useful. They should be stored in the arma3.rpt. If you stick em here, any tips for replicating/reproducing said errors would be appreciated. As for the AI teams, are you sure they aren't just dying in town and respawning at base?

Strange, but the problem with NULL-groups seems to be still there with 1.42. I have no idea how to fix it.

also for the group problem:

while {!CTI_GameOver} do {
 {if ((count(units _x) == 0) && local _x && ! ( groupID _x == "Defense Team") ) then {deleteGroup _x} ;true }count allgroups;
 sleep 10;
}

That or something to that description should go in server > fsm > update_garbage_collector.fsm

[redswirl 10]

So I take it Sari's BECTI implementations are indeed multiplayer-only? That's what I gather from trying to play them. When I boot up the ones for Chernarus and Takistan I get a "No Player Selected" message.

Zerty's works but I didn't realize you can only plays as CSAT. Is there a way to choose which side you're on?

[ZertyKchan 14]

Rather than starting as single player, just create a lan game