[SP] Pilgrimage

[Brainbug 10]

I've just played 1.77 for a few hours, but had to break off because the game "died" somehow, i.e. there was nothing going on anymore, I couldn't check churches, no civs around anymore, there was no nothing at a intel marker I bought (abandoned car), and nothing in a red marked enemy area, just a completely empty island. I assume the dynamic scripts stopped running. Maybe you can explain how that can happen, respectively how I can avoid it (does it help to load an earlier savegame? how far do I have to get back? Would saving/loading kill it, as was often the case in earlier games?).

Apart from that I think it needs some adjustment yet. When I started, I had a chapel nearby and it also had an ammo cache inside, which I used to just sell the pistol there, 110 € only. Didn't know yet that the crates disappear afterwards. But within the next half a dozen buildings I came by, I had another ammo crate. Meanwhile I had come across 3 soldiers that I could loot and sell the stuff, so I made a bit of money. But afterwards I did not find a single ammo crate anymore, so I could not sell anything anymore. If I had known that before, I had put all the loot inside the crate and not sold anything until I had found the next one. And since even the Zamak truck I found has ridiculously low cargo space (I can't even put the stuff from 6 bodies onto a truck that can albeit easily carry a dozen alive soldiers with their gear? how logical is that?), I can't carry all loot I find with me until I find a ammo crate, but driving back and forth several times over half the island would be extremely tedious. Maybe that was only because the game then died as said above, but a crate should have appeared already much earlier before I encountered the last patrol (I think at that time the game scripts still worked).

Also the radio messages with the intel offers appear too fast, I can't buy them all so quickly because I have no money at the start, so maybe twenty or so came and went without me being able to buy them, then nothing came anymore. You said they will only appear once. I think it is not wise to overwhelm the player with one-time offers worth of some 20.000 € or so within such a short time when he has only the 3000 € starting money and no chance to make a reasonable amount of money yet. Better would be to repeat the offers that have not been bought until all are bought.

Of course that's not based on thorough testing yet, I'm going to download the latest version and start over, change a few start parameters perhaps and see how it pans out. I just wanted to give you my impressions so far.

Oh, and as I haven't played enough, I can't really judge it, but I think the body removal features should only be triggered manually, because the player may still need to loot them but has no means to transport all the loot in time to the next ammo crate (which might be 5 km away? I don't know) if you let them disappear after a certain time. Speaking from experience of other missions, those clean-up turns generally tend to come always at the wrong time. After all, as I assume this clean-up is only meant to avoid performance problems, so it should be up to the player to decide when he can't bear it anymore.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Brainbug

[Rydygier 1317]

but had to break off because the game "died" somehow, i.e. there was nothing going on anymore, I couldn't check churches, no civs around anymore, there was no nothing at a intel marker I bought (abandoned car), and nothing in a red marked enemy area, just a completely empty island. I assume the dynamic scripts stopped running.

Assumption seems right. Question is: why? Could I see your RPT from that gameplay (very important)? Any mods? Other strange things? You can try load earlier save. How much earlier? No idea, from the moment, when all seems to work fine, I guess.

Apart from that I think it needs some adjustment yet.

Read this.

And since even the truck I found has ridiculously low cargo space

Known game issue for all vehicles.

Also the radio messages with the intel offers appear too fast, I can't buy them all so quickly because I have no money at the start

Buying them isn't obligatory. In fact never was my intention to make player buy every or even most of these offers. It is only secondary helper completely ignored by some players. How fast - is statistically randomized. May differ each play.

But afterwards I did not find a single ammo crate anymore, so I could not sell anything anymore.

The more buildings around, the more chance for a crate or crates. Settable at init too. In fact for default settings there is nearly too many boxes. Of course assuming, code is working...

I think it is not wise to overwhelm the player with one-time offers worth of some 20.000 €

How fast it was? How much offers in what time? Some may be repeated in fact, as assumed chance, so no one will buy it and seller will try to sell it again.

but driving back and forth several times over half the island would be extremely tedious

This also isn't obligatory of course. And for sure something was wrong, if you had to ride over half of the island to find another box. In every town statistically should be some boxes. Not mentioning hidden camps. Unless you set at init such settings, so no loot appeared.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Rydygier

[Brainbug 10]

I do have a few mods running (including e.g. CBA, JSRS etc.), which I'm a bit reluctant to abstain from, but in case this will happen again, I'll try playing without any mods. With mods it's of course rather pointless to provide a serious bug report. Also the game crashed a few times and I had resumed from the last save. Maybe something went wrong (in terms of initializing variables etc.) already there, no idea.

So just disregard what I said until I can provide a proper problem description. Maybe someone else with similar problems is faster though (that's why I mentioned it), I'll certainly need some time to sort this out.

Known game issue for all vehicles.

yes, I know, not your fault, but I can still utter my discomfort, can't I? ;)

Well, as you said, every playthrough maybe totally different, so I'll see what the next one brings.

[Rydygier 1317]

Thing is, "code stops work" issue wasn't reported long time, so anyway I would very like to see your RPT from that particular gameplay to know, what happend (in such code design same looking error may be theoretically caused by many things). If there was a code error causing your issue, then it will be logged there. It is crucial to fix this and this may be very rare, so probably no real chance for next occurence soon. So please, please, please, show me your RPT before it'll be gone! I can't sleep calmly knowing, there is an error in my script. :)

Edited April 27, 2014 by Rydygier

[teoleo 2]

i have died and changed to my friendly ai...now see on the map a small green circle....... is it????

[Rydygier 1317]

Had to try myself to know, what are you talking about. :) Indeed. Looks like some small game issue with standard marker for unit currently controlled by player, if you have more than one playable units and use unit switch GUI to choose one of them. Seems, that marker isn't deleted, as should be, if player controlled character is dead and you switch to another playable unit from death screen. Nothing I did, nothing important. Just ignore.

[Bouben 3]

Ryd, amazing mission so far.

Would it be possible to reduce the amount of civilians in the world so that we can find completely empty buildings or with one guy only? Right now I think they spawn too much (I have set civilians to minimum) even in the most remote and isolated areas. Also, would it be possible to choose more believable dress code for the civs? Too many tourists and press guys...

[Rydygier 1317]

Amount of civilians you may set in the init settings ("Civilian population").

As for dress, we are limited to the content provided by BIS, and this is it. Used is all, what could pass for common civilian clothes, mostly tourist-like, sadly no real "native inhabitant" dresses ready to use so far, only some adapted guerrila uniforms. Hopefully in time Arma devs would give more love to the civilian aspect of A3 so we could also see more various clothes.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Rydygier

[neofit 65]

After literally 20 minutes trying to start a new game at the spot I wanted to, I am humbly asking if it would be possible to add a new setting: starting position :). Even with my i7-920 overclocked from 2.6GHz to 4.0, it takes about a minute to create the mission, then there is your logo on a black screen for 20 seconds, and only then we get control and check the map, and... oh no, the eastern side again :). Restarting...

The starting "half naked" experience is very fun. There are about a 10 starting positions that I saw while trying to get something on the NW part this time. And btw, there doesn't seem to be any starting spot on the SW coast, around Agios Konstantinos, Kavala, etc.

[Rydygier 1317]

I'm not planning adding any more new settings. Too many already. :( it is one of design decisions to NOT allow choosing starting point, but forcing player to deal with random position and situation it creates. You may take the boat and go using it whenever you like. However I could replace some unused init setting with such starting point choosing. Question is, which is mainly unused and redundant? The only one IMO could be "selling loot from the hideout" - anybody would miss much this one? I mean, is there anyone, who disables such possibility? If no, I'll replace it with option for custom starting point. But there is also technical problem. Possible starting points are not marked on map and shouldn't be. So how should I describe each position, so user will know, what he is choosing? Coords? Windrose (choosing limited only to the part of the coast line, eg North etc.)? Or should I mark each position eg with a letter, so player can see all possibilities at init map view, and just at mission init remove these markers?

Yes, positions aren't spread evenly, but instead chosen was 10 spots (not all), I could find, best for "stealthy landing". In some regions (NW) due to terrain etc. there is more such places, in other areas only few and there are some parts of the coastline not proper at all, eg those close to the big cities. As landing must be stealthy, reasons should be obvious. Chosen was mainly wild areas, not urbanized. Such choosing also increases the chance, so player will find at least one hidden camp not far from starting point, as these camps also are usually located in wilder parts of Altis. Not guaranteed of course. SW is most urbanized, highly populated with hostiles and you have near 0 chance for hidden camp there. Not wise choice for discrete landing.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rydygier

[law-giver 190]

After literally 20 minutes trying to start a new game at the spot I wanted to, I am humbly asking if it would be possible to add a new setting: starting position :). Even with my i7-920 overclocked from 2.6GHz to 4.0, it takes about a minute to create the mission, then there is your logo on a black screen for 20 seconds, and only then we get control and check the map, and... oh no, the eastern side again :). Restarting...

Jeez mine doesn't even take that long to load, takes about 7-10 seconds where it lags while loading and then i'm off! :confused: Maybe my SSD helps! :D

The starting "half naked" experience is very fun. There are about a 10 starting positions that I saw while trying to get something on the NW part this time. And btw, there doesn't seem to be any starting spot on the SW coast, around Agios Konstantinos, Kavala, etc.

In all the mission restarts i've had as i restart at every release inc beta i've never had a start half naked problem. Very odd i've not even had a CTD as some have had. :confused:

Also Rydygier, with regards to choosing a start location i personally think it's fine the way it is. I play it on hard core for a reason with markers turned off for loot etc, the random start adds to that, although i do agree with neofit on adding more locations on the SW coast. ;)

Tell you what Rydygier, playing hardcore with markers off is tough at times, not knowing where you are, or where your boat is can be tricky. Finding a compass and map seems the most important thing! Luckily i've not lost my bearings once! :D

My launch params: -nosplash -nologs -cpuCount=4 -malloc=system -high -maxmem=2047

My mods: -mod=@CBA_A3;@TPW_MODS;@ASDG_Attachments;@ASDG_JR;@STHud;@LKR_Ammo;@TMR;@RAM;@LHM_StaticDrag;@LHM_Glasses;@Unlocked_Uniforms;@bCombat;

Edited April 28, 2014 by Law-Giver

[neofit 65]

Jeez mine doesn't even take that long to load, takes about 7-10 seconds where it lags while loading and then i'm off! :confused: Maybe my SSD helps! :D

I've got an SSD. I am not talking about the 7-10 seconds of lag on the beach, because by that time I can start the map and see if again I'm going to start where I started 10 time before. I am talking about the time it takes to load the mission after the settings screen, it's about 50-60 secs with the Arma gauges, then 20 secs of the logo on a black background.

In all the mission restarts i've had as i restart at every release inc beta i've never had a start half naked problem.

By "half naked" I mean the stuff you spawn with, an smg, no scopes, almost literally half naked as compared to what you looks like after having looted a patrol or checkpoint. I like that part of the game when you are vulnerable and have to actually think about how to approach every encounter.

Re: starting location. I am not sure the choice of the exact location is important, the menu dropbox may have "Random" (forced for the hardcores?) and then the compass directions "NW, N, NE..." etc.

[Rydygier 1317]

OK. I'll try to find and add two more positions for SW (may be really hard to find safe enough place in that part of the coast), and I'll replace "selling in hideout" with choosable compass directions for starting (but maybe only NSWE, where some may share common starting points) and current way as default. Unless any people will oppose removing "selling in hideout" setting?

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rydygier

[law-giver 190]

By "half naked" I mean the stuff you spawn with, an smg, no scopes, almost literally half naked as compared to what you looks like after having looted a patrol or checkpoint. I like that part of the game when you are vulnerable and have to actually think about how to approach every encounter.

Glad we cleared that up, thought you were starting the game in your underpants.....LOL! :D

Selling in hideout.........never use it! ;)

[Kommiekat 12]

Do you think, with your great scripting skills, you could put in your next update:

"You here the voice of some Thai bar girls 'Hey you handsome man. You buy me drink?' about Northwest of your position. Maybe 5 or 6 bar girls, lonely and waiting for you."

Come on buddy, YOU CAN DO IT!

http://www.mimistudio.com/image/Thailand-Bar-Girls/

[Rydygier 1317]

:D Sure, I can add bar girls with my great scripting skills. But sadly so far no any girls, I could add in game. :( You know what, If Arma devs provide us any Thai girls, I'll do, what you ask. :P

[Rydygier 1317]

Last, I think, 1.78beta update:

- fixed some problems with artillery code;

- additional init setting for arty - multiplied x4 ammo (for mortars it is 32 HE by default and 128 HE when multiplied);

- additional six starting positions;

- "selling in hideout" setting replaced with "Landing area", where player can choose, if starting point should be fully randomized (default), or within pointed part of the coast (by compass directions: NESW). Selling in hideout now hardcoded as enabled.

There is 16 starting positions in total now (two acceptable found with difficulty for SW, three other for eastern coast and one more for the North). 7 in total allocated for North, and 5 per each: East, South and West (yes, some, "corner" positions belong to two sectors).

Before 1.78 release I still need to see RPT from Brainbug's broken gameplay and test whole thing better...

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rydygier

[Bouben 3]

I think that it would be interesting if loot was placed at random spots in buildings and not in crates. One would have to search the building carefully to find stuff (DayZ-like).

Edited April 28, 2014 by Bouben
changed my mind

[Rydygier 1317]

I also think that it would be interesting if loot was placed at random spots in buildings and not in crates. One would have to search the building carefully to find stuff (DayZ-like).

It was that way at first. Soon I was forced to use boxes instead. Invisible weaponholders in A3 apparently are broken in several ways (often sunk into the floor or hovering in the air, some unaccessible (lack of inventory action)...). There was one big mess with weaponholders. Thus we have nice and safe ammo boxes. BTW you still need to search houses carefully, as apart from the boxes there is small chance for "intel holder objects", that are much smaller.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rydygier

[Furret 0]

It would be pretty great if you could add a check for pirated copies of the game and force the AI aiming skill to max.

[Bouben 3]

It was that way at first. Soon I was forced to use boxes instead. Invisible weaponholders in A3 apparently are broken in several ways (often sunk into the floor or hovering in the air, some unaccessible (lack of inventory action)...). There was one big mess with weaponholders. Thus we have nice and safe ammo boxes. BTW you still need to search houses carefully, as apart from the boxes there is small chance for "intel holder objects", that are much smaller.

Oh didn't know that. Thanks, Ryd.

[doc. caliban 34]

Looking forward to the next version.

I tried 1.76 with ambient combat and artillery on but my frame rate was under 10 FPS. I'm thinking it was just a fluke, and I was just messing around so it wasn't a big deal. I'm going to have another go at it with the new version though!

-Doc

[Rydygier 1317]

It would be pretty great if you could add a check for pirated copies of the game and force the AI aiming skill to max.

:) Rather impossible from script level.

I tried 1.76 with ambient combat and artillery on but my frame rate was under 10 FPS.

Huh? That shouldn't occur on any settings, unless some mod causes that or you have really low-end PC... If nothing like that, I would like to see RPT from that gameplay. There is no really flukes in this business (or anywhere in fact). Results always have their causes. If this was something on my end, I would like to fix that.

[doc. caliban 34]

Huh? That shouldn't occur on any settings, unless some mod causes that or you have really low-end PC... If nothing like that, I would like to see RPT from that gameplay. There is no really flukes in this business (or anywhere in fact). Results always have their causes. If this was something on my end, I would like to fix that.

Sure, how do I gather that info?

PC is good ... usually getting between 40-70 FPS throughout the mission with the same mods. Oh, and I had civilian presence maxed out but left at 400m radius.

-Doc

Also, I didn't try a second time ... I can do that too and see if it's fine.

Update:

I just loaded the same saved game, it was getting under 10 FPS, and then after about 30 seconds it jumped to 60 FPS. Last night when I started the mission, it was still under 10 FPS after a few minutes. Last night I tried saving and reloading the game but that did not help. I did NOT try saving, exiting the mission, then reloading it however.

Loading the game from scratch today may be what made the difference.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Doc. Caliban
Update

[Rydygier 1317]

In my Windows 7 A3 RPT are located under such path: "C:\Users\Rydygier\AppData\Local\Arma 3"

Appdata is hidden folder though, so you can change in folder settings to show hidden, or try to search for .RPT files from Start menu. Personally I have shortcut to that folder on my desktop. During tests it is most basic and useful debugging tool. In fact without it I wouldn't achieve anything. Smoe in Arma mostly flying planes, other fightin on foot. I mainly read RPTs. :) Note, if you play with -noLogs startup parameter, RPT are mostly useless - empty. There are several RPTs, one per game launch, but if you launched game more times, oldest would be overwritten, sadly.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rydygier