HETMAN - Artificial Leader
HAL 1.22 released.
HAL 1.22 (Armaholic)
HAL 1.22 (Dropbox)
HAL 1.22 (Zippyshare)
PDF manual
HAL 1.23 wip for testing purposes. New config variables listed here.
HAL development is continued in new directions by @NinjaRider600 :
HAL NR6 Edition
NR6 Pack
INTRODUCTION
HAL is intended to enliven the battlefield of Arma 3 the same way a human leader would operate. HAL does not deal with the manner in which orders are executed (unit level), but mainly deals with the issuing of orders. In other words, this addon gives one or both sides of a conflict a field-commander level AI.
HAL control is mostly based on issuing waypoints, and as much as possible HAL avoids interfering with low-level AI. In other words, HAL focuses on giving orders, rather than on the way in which orders will be executed.
HAL gives new, higher level AI, rather than changing the existing AI. There are only a very few exceptions to this rule, and generally these are optional. HAL should therefore enrich the gaming experience with new features, without conflicts with other addons. HAL is intended to complement their effects rather than to compete with them for control over units (at least for those addons that do not mess with waypoints).
HAL can serve as an instant battle generator as well as a general player opponent, or as base for complex missions and/or gameplay modes.
Addon version requires Community Base Addons.
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USAGE
To activate HAL for one side, one of the units of that side must be named LeaderHQ. Essential also is the placement on the map of any object (for example, an empty trigger) named RydHQ_Obj1. The location is entirely your choice. Its position will designate a target point which the Artificial Commander will try to conquer at first (for example, a spot near the leader of the opposing side).
Analogously, there should be placed in freely chosen areas (eg in cities, strategic positions or simply nearby opposite Leader) three other objectives (RydHQ_Obj2, RydHQ_Obj3, RydHQ_Obj4), which will be conquered in numerical order. If the mission designer wants less than four objectives, then simply place the unneeded objectives at same position as the ultimate objective.
For the script version only, to initialize HAL the following code should also be executed in some way, e.g., by placing the following script in the init field of any object (for example, in the activation field of an empty trigger or waypoint):
nul = [] execVM "RydHQInit.sqf";
Alternatively, that line may be placed at the end of a mission's init.sqf. Init.sqf is recommended place for init config variables (beacuse of better readability), especially for bigger configs, eg containing RHQ arrays.
See included manual for all details, and there is lots of them.
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ALTERNATIVE SOUND SETS FOR RADIO CHATTER
SoundSets (4)
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TO DO
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MY THANKS
To all people, that helped me earlier with HAC and did first steps towards Hetman in A3 before me. But especially those, who funded me Arma 3 game, so I could release HAL so soon.
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SAMPLE MISSIONS
HETMAN: War Stories
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BUG REPORTING
Any feedback, ideas, bug reports are highly appreciated. This allows me to develop Hetman further and faster. You can expect even faster fixing, if bug is reported properly. That means exact and detailed description of the problem and circumstancies of its occurance, any suspicious RPT logs. In most cases crucial is provided repro mission. That means uploaded, ready-to-play mission without any addon dependencies except HAL (so also CBA, bug must occur without any other addons), where I can reliably see reported bug "in action". Such repro is huge help. Helpful is also info about overall circumstancies, like kind of gameplay (single, server, dedi, client...), version of HAL (addon/script), game branch (stable/dev), if PC is good enough for Arma 3...
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Addon was created "by player for players", source scripts you can freely modify, copy, "cannibalize", to use in your projects. It is released under APL-SA license. I'll be grateful for notification about each such usage. Voice acting: DuddBudda, SiC_Disaster, nettrucker.
Enjoy being under control.
Rydygier
Well, I tested this issue for Podnos VDV mortar. Some custom arty pieces doesn't respond on A3 artillery commands, eg IF's mortars, so checked that first, but not the case - RHS arty work fine with doArtilleryFire command.
So I went through the arty handler code, and found a reason. The reason is - lacking info in the HAL manual. :) Custom arty, that utilizes also custom, not vanilla, ammunition, require additional config. It is possible in HAL in a way analogous to FFE, but there's no info about that in the HAL manual. In this additional config you inform code, which class of custom ammo does what (HE, smoke...). FFE manual:
In HAL this is RydHQ_Add_OtherArty, which should be used instead of RHQ_Mortars (RHQ_Mortars is for mortars, also custom, but only those using vanilla ammunition). Rest works same way.
I prepared simplistic demo mission including HAL 122 scripts:
Custom arty demo
Setup may be not accurate (didn't tested, which ammo is smoke or illum, and as for the rest I put HE everywhere). Tested, works fine now (run it in editor, observe a tank ahead, open map, watch debug markers, at SPLASH close map to see booms around the tank).
Here's init config:
RydHQ_Wait = 2;
RydHQ_Debug = true;
RydHQ_DebugII = true;
RydHQ_ChatDebug = true;
RydHQ_GroupMarks = [west,east,resistance,civilian];
RHQ_Art = ["rhs_2b14_82mm_vdv"];
/*[[[list of arty pieces classnames (lowercase)],[list of magazines for these classes in order: primary (HE), rare (WP, Cluster…),secondary (used instead of HE – guided, laser…),smoke, illum]], …];
Same magazine class my by used for primary, rare and secondary ammunition. If some category isn’t or shouldn’t be used use "" (empty string) instead of classname.*/
RydHQ_Add_OtherArty = [[["rhs_2b14_82mm_vdv"],["rhs_mag_3vo18_10","rhs_mag_3vo18_10","rhs_mag_3vo18_10","",""]]];
nul = [] execVM "RydHQInit.sqf";
Note, it's single version of Podnos mortar config. Analogously you have to add all the rest artillery with proper ammunition lists to this array. And remember, arty piece classes has to be all lowercase.
