[SP] Pilgrimage

[Rydygier 1302]

And for me works just fine. Any mods? If so, same problem occurs also without them?

[doc. caliban 34]

Same ones I used with 1.74 and older (no changes):

CBA A3, Blastcore, folding map, joint rails, tao no closure sounds, and tmr.

I'll try without them in a while ... about to start some oldschool Ghost Recon with some friends. :-) I'll also check if HH is still working in .74

-Doc

[Rydygier 1302]

Folding map sound suspicious... Don't know, what code is hidden behind it, but obviously does something with a map, so perhaps some interference is occuring, that blocks opening the map for hitchhike. Interference may be conditional, and if so, with same mod hitchhike could work fine earlier. Hitchike feature wasn't touched nor changed in any way long time, so no reason on this end to generate such difference between 1.74 and 1.76. In both hitchhike code is same.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Rydygier

[doc. caliban 34]

Had a second and tried 1.71 (apparently deleted 1.74) and HH works. (with the same mods enabled)

More testing later. Thanks for the replies!

-Doc

---------- Post added at 22:32 ---------- Previous post was at 22:07 ----------

Took all the mods out: Same issue. I'll try again later.

[khugan 24]

I haven't been able to play in weeks, but I'm SO looking forward to it. At this point it will be a brand new mission in every way.

[doc. caliban 34]

Reinstalled ARMA, and that seems to have fixed my hitchhiking problem. Off I go!

-Doc

[Alex72 1]

Thanks for the update! :)

Message to players with TPW MODS: I think when and if you set "air" in TPW MODS to "0" (off) you wont get helicopters in Pilgrimage. Im not 100% sure of it, but last maybe 6 times ive played (for hours on end) there wasnt a single helicopter. Before i had air "on" and had helis, and today i turned air on again and voila - helicopters. So just a heads up on that.

[Rydygier 1302]

IMO coincidence. Tested this with debugs etc. No such effect. Choppers still are there. Also checked TPW's code including BIS' function, he's using - the only deleted object is spawned ambient aircraft itself with its crew. Choppers may not arrive if you operate out of their airfield's air response range (settable at init, by default this range is low enough to make such scenario probable) or if was destroyed eg in the air-to-ground accident (means dumb AI plowed the chopper into the ground) or due to ambient combat.

---------- Post added at 11:28 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------

Reinstalled ARMA, and that seems to have fixed my hitchhiking problem. Off I go!

Good, but BTW it is disturbing thing for me, I mean as for whole game, not my mission, if player sometimes has to reinstall the game to make something working. I don't like it. Such unstable environment isn't very friendly for any complex projects.

[Furret 0]

Would it be possible to implement a respawn system into your mission? Perhaps as an easy/hardcore toggle.

When you're killed, respawn x kilometres away with x% money deducted. Saoks WLA mission has an interesting take on it.

[law-giver 189]

Would it be possible to implement a respawn system into your mission? Perhaps as an easy/hardcore toggle.

When you're killed, respawn x kilometres away with x% money deducted. Saoks WLA mission has an interesting take on it.

Personally I don't think it would suit this mission type and I think the save's are sufficient in my opinion, unless it spawns you back at the boat so no gain is made. But that's what the load "save" button is for! ;)

[Rydygier 1302]

Don't like respawn idea at all. Death is death, and this simple truth is fundamental for keeping immersion for me. BTW respawns are one of many reasons, why I'm not playing MP at all. Also - why should I add such thing, if player can load previously saved game? Plus, this means technical complications. In the summary - sorry, but no...

Better news - just implemented this:

I'm thinking about something more. So player sometimes can "track down" the enemy. Why not add same ability for some enemies against the player, like recon or snipers? Player could leave "footsteps" vanishing in time, especially, if is raining, that such AIs could notice and follow. Bah. Knowing player's movement direction could even try to predict, where he is going and intercept him or communicate wit a group, that could do that.

Some more tests and 1.77 should be ready to go, probably next week.

How it works:

1. Player will leave behind "footsteps" cyclically, if went far enough from latest of them.

2. Footsteps will be removed, if old enough (average one hour) or due to rain (some chance to erase for each footstep).

3. Footsteps will be not left, if player is moving on the road or on the concrete surface. Will be not left also at night - is assumed, then is too dark for tracking.

4. Some of enemy groups will be marked as "trackers". This apply to all groups, which leaders have in the config camouflage value < 1 (that basically means recon, snipers and spotters).

5. Each cycle any of the "trackers" groups have a chance based on the distance and skill to spot closest footstep, if is not farther, than 100 meters.

6. Spotted footstep will tell to the tracker four things: player was here, direction of player's movement, speed of player's movement, how old this footstep is.

7. Basing on this tracker will try to predict, where player may be going by calculating: predicted current player position, predicted position of the player at the time, when tracker should reach current player position, and predicted nearest location, where player may be going by finding nearest location around the latter of calculated earlier positions.

8. Having such data tracker will:

- try to call some near allied armored group, if close enough, towards predicted location;

- try to call, if within response range and allied, a chopper on the predicted location;

- move on SAD patrol between the location and the latter of predicted positions.

Called groups will do known already kind of SAD patrol and will return to the normal activities, while tracker group will from that moment patrol mentioned area.

There is statistically not much recon or sniper groups, so chance for such event is low, still may happen. These skills are also, as you can see, limited and fallible, chase my easily go in the wrong way, so no worries about some inhuman restless hunters following the player all the time.

Well, it is not quite like in the movies about indians, recon should get some tracking skills, but not that great. Is assumed, that such groups will be equipped with some near-future fancy stuff, able to "scent" unique smell pattern or see even lightly warmer places on the ground in the vicinity etc helpers, that will enhance greatly tracking abilities, still vision is fundamental, so not possible to effectively track at night.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Rydygier

[law-giver 189]

Some more tests and 1.77 should be ready to go, probably next week.

How it works:

1. Player will leave behind "footsteps" cyclically, if went far enough from latest of them.

2. Footsteps will be removed, if old enough (average one hour) or due to rain (some chance to erase for each footstep).

3. Footsteps will be not left, if player is moving on the road or on the concrete surface. Will be not left also at night - is assumed, then is too dark for tracking.

4. Some of enemy groups will be marked as "trackers". This apply to all groups, which leaders have in the config camouflage value < 1 (that basically means recon, snipers and spotters).

5. Each cycle any of the "trackers" groups have a chance based on the distance and skill to spot closest footstep, if is not farther, than 100 meters.

6. Spotted footstep will tell to the tracker four things: player was here, direction of player's movement, speed of player's movement, how old this footstep is.

7. Basing on this tracker will try to predict, where player may be going by calculating: predicted current player position, predicted position of the player at the time, when tracker should reach current player position, and predicted nearest location, where player may be going by findinfg nearest location around the latter of calculated earlier positions.

8. Having such data tracker will:

- try to call some near armored group, if close enough, towards predicted location;

- try to call, if withing response range, a chopper on the predicted location;

- move on SAD patrol between tlhe locvation and the latter of predicted positions.

Called groups will do known alrady kind of SAD patrol and will return to the normal activities, while tracker grop will from that moment patrol mentioned area.

There is statistically not much recon or sniper groups, so chance for such event is low, still may happen. These skills are also, as you can see limited and fallible, so no wrries about some inhuman restless hunters followng the payer all the time.

Well, it is not quite like in the movies about indians, recon should get some tracking skills, but not that great. Is assumed, that such groups will be equipped with some near-future fancy stuff, able to "scent" unique smell pattern or see even lightly warmer places on the ground in the vicinity etc helpers, that will enhance greatly tracking abilities, still vision is fundamental, so not possible to effectively track at night.

Rydygier, that sounds really cool, can't wait to play that! ;)

[Rydygier 1302]

Well, it is barely tested for now, so may fail sometimes or generate errors, but anyway - updated dev branch with 1.77beta. But again, beeing tracked will be rare event.

[neofit 65]

- try to call some near allied armored group, if close enough, towards predicted location;

- try to call, if within response range and allied, a chopper on the predicted location;

- move on SAD patrol between the location and the latter of predicted positions.

I hope that the setting that allowed us to disable SAD chopper patrols will also disable this new chopper too?

[kurtz1 10]

D

5. Each cycle any of the "trackers" groups have a chance based on the distance and skill to spot closest footstep, if is not farther, than 100 meters.

Isn't 100 meters a little high. Would 25meters be closer to realistic?

[Alex72 1]

Was thinking about that we are not able to use any clothing we want atm. The VAS scripts let you put on every piece of clothing there is so maybe some hints in those scripts. Even if we arent able to blend with enemies i still think it would be cool if we could use any clothing we find. Feels a bit weird when you find some outfit and you arent allowed to use em.

I wish i knew what to look for in the VAS scripts so i could help out, but i got no idea...

[haleks 8204]

Was thinking about that we are not able to use any clothing we want atm. The VAS scripts let you put on every piece of clothing there is so maybe some hints in those scripts. Even if we arent able to blend with enemies i still think it would be cool if we could use any clothing we find. Feels a bit weird when you find some outfit and you arent allowed to use em.

I did find a work around that - but it involves a config modification so I guess it's a no go for this mission. You could, however, try to use a civilian unit for the player (since civs don't suffer the clothes restriction) and make him join a blufor group when the mission begins. Didn't try myself but it should work. ;)

[Rydygier 1302]

I hope that the setting that allowed us to disable SAD chopper patrols will also disable this new chopper too?

Yes.

Isn't 100 meters a little high. Would 25meters be closer to realistic?

True. But even for 100 meters this would be very rare. For 25 - will happen like one time per 20 gameplays or so... Thus, assumed mentioned fancy equipment, that enhances tracking ability and somehow justifies so big detection radius. Also, chance is dependent on distance. On 100 meters this chance is really low.

---------- Post added at 20:46 ---------- Previous post was at 20:42 ----------

try to use a civilian unit for the player (since civs don't suffer the clothes restriction) and make him join a blufor group

Interesting, if this will solve the problem, or rather as soon civilian will switch side to West, uniform restrictions will affect him. However I would hesitate to use such trick. Who knows, what hidden issues may show up... I would rather preffer, so someone would create an addon introducing needed changes into uniform's config, then whoever want, could play this mission with such addon and enjoy wearing all uniforms.

Tried this in simple test mission. Indeed, civilian may wear clothes of every side, also after joining western group, but previous and after this is bugged. It is similar bug to magical multiplying of magazines. If civilian changes clothes to any uniform but civilian, his current clothes disappear, and new one is multiplied. Weird. After that test I still doubt, if I use such trick in this mission. Apart from that I have one thing to say: this-game-needs-more-patches.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Rydygier

[doc. caliban 34]

Thanks for the update! :)

Message to players with TPW MODS: I think when and if you set "air" in TPW MODS to "0" (off) you wont get helicopters in Pilgrimage. Im not 100% sure of it, but last maybe 6 times ive played (for hours on end) there wasnt a single helicopter. Before i had air "on" and had helis, and today i turned air on again and voila - helicopters. So just a heads up on that.

I had a funny thing happen with that mod once: I'd been playing with fly-bys enabled, then disabled them mid-mission. From there on out, every time I'd load a saved game I'd hear a big explosion not too far away after a few moments. I also noticed a lot of things burning. I don't know how it was happening, but it turns out that there were planes and helicopters crashed all over the place, and more and more would keep showing up. It was like they were spawning at altitude but not flying, and just fell straight to the ground. Just speculation though because all I ever saw were the wrecks themselves all over the map.

I've not seen anything like that with any other play-throughs though.

-Doc

[Alex72 1]

I had a funny thing happen with that mod once: I'd been playing with fly-bys enabled, then disabled them mid-mission. From there on out, every time I'd load a saved game I'd hear a big explosion not too far away after a few moments. I also noticed a lot of things burning. I don't know how it was happening, but it turns out that there were planes and helicopters crashed all over the place, and more and more would keep showing up. It was like they were spawning at altitude but not flying, and just fell straight to the ground. Just speculation though because all I ever saw were the wrecks themselves all over the map.

I've not seen anything like that with any other play-throughs though.

-Doc

Yes, disabling or changing TPW MODS version mid mission is not recommended. Everytime there is a new version out of that mod i restart Pilgrimage to minimize problems. Well, i have NO problems with TPW MODS as long as i restart when new versions are out.

And yes, i dont know how many times i restarted this mission... But its fun enough that i dont mind - so far at least. :D

@Rydygier Yeah, changing to civilian and setting as west might cause problems down the line. Maybe you could make a side version with this and let some of us test it? I could test it without addons as well and see if it works. It would be nice to be able to use all clothes. More realistic and fun that way to mix and match everything. That is after all a little bit of the charm with this mission that you can mix so much gear. :) PM me a link if you want mate and ill test it asap and report back to you.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Alex72

[Rydygier 1302]

OK, if you wish, here it is:

PilgrimageCiv

[haleks 8204]

Tried this in simple test mission. Indeed, civilian may wear clothes of every side, also after joining western group, but previous and after this is bugged. It is similar bug to magical multiplying of magazines. If civilian changes clothes to any uniform but civilian, his current clothes disappear, and new one is multiplied. Weird. After that test I still doubt, if I use such trick in this mission. Apart from that I have one thing to say: this-game-needs-more-patches.

Do you mean when looting a corpse? If that's the case, I think the problem here is that, while the player can wear any clothes, the AI units still have restrictions : it would explain why you can't properly "exchange" uniforms.

I might have an idea for the creation of an addon wich would unlock all uniforms for all units - I'll give it a try this week-end!

Edited April 19, 2014 by Pepe Hal

[Rydygier 1302]

Do you mean when looting a corpse?

Yep.

I might have an idea for the creation of an addon wich would unlock all uniforms for all units - I'll give it a try this week-end!

This would be great! And IMO best solution except BI devs doing same thing in the vanilla :).

[Alex72 1]

OK, if you wish, here it is:

PilgrimageCiv

Lets test this bad boy.

EDIT: Heh, you think you could name it Pilgrimage Civ inside the game too? I have 2 now with "Pilgrimage" and i dont know which is which. :D

@Pepe Hal "I might have an idea for the creation of an addon wich would unlock all uniforms for all units - I'll give it a try this week-end!"

Super!

EDIT2:

Tested now for ~2 hours and its working fine so far.

Clothing: Yep, can use all of them. Great.

TPW MODS HUD: Civilians show up on screen as markers instead of "WEST". Depending on if you play alone or with AI friend this is either a positive thing or not. I play solo and to me its great that i can see civilians with the tactical glasses. :)

So it seems to work, but i guess if someone manage to make a mod or script (to be able to use any clothing) that is bundled with the mission that would be much better.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Alex72

[haleks 8204]

EDIT: Heh, you think you could name it Pilgrimage Civ inside the game too? I have 2 now with "Pilgrimage" and i dont know which is which. :D

@Pepe Hal "I might have an idea for the creation of an addon wich would unlock all uniforms for all units - I'll give it a try this week-end!"

Super!

You know you can create sub-folders in your missions folder right? ;)

As for the Unlocked Uniforms addon, I started to fiddle with it - it's gonna be more complex than I thought, but doable.