[SP] Pilgrimage

[Rydygier 1302]

Nice weather. :)

Yes, that error is known. Happens to me too. It started to appear just after 1.16 (IIRC) update (that thing was broken by A3 update). It is kind of mysterious config error bounded somehow with spawning sniper/spotter units for east/resistance. That much I could find out. Mysterious, because happens not every time, when such unit is spawned, but only sometimes. Anyway, it's vanilla bug from config side, nothing of mission script origin, so I can't do anything to solve it. Probably. I'm not give up yet on this.

Mission restart is right thing to do, if this happens at init. Once happened also due to AC spawn to me. In such case can be ignored.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Rydygier

[Rydygier 1302]

Rydygier, at maybe every 3rd mission restart I get this:

Hahaha, I found it! Nailed that bitch! :) ("Dev Branch" updated with that fix to 1.83c beta3).

Issue mechanism:

It is based on unlinkItem scripting command malfunction. Malfunction generates that infamous error when first time after game launch this command is used with an empty string (like player unlinkItem ""). In the Pilgrimage code such circumstance may occur only at unit spawn, if it is randomized to remove its headgear, while unit has no any headgear. And that's how it is bounded with snipers and spotters - those units have no headgear, so headgear command returns an empty string.

That's how whole error log looks like in the RPT:

Warning Message: No entry 'bin\config.bin/CfgWeapons.'.
Warning Message: No entry '.scope'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: Error: creating weapon  with scope=private
Warning Message: No entry '.displayName'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.nameSound'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.type'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.picture'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.Library'.
Warning Message: No entry '.libTextDesc'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.model'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.simulation'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.fireLightDuration'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.fireLightIntensity'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.fireLightDiffuse'.
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: No entry '.fireLightAmbient'.
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: No entry '.weaponLockDelay'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.weaponLockSystem'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.cmImmunity'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.weight'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.lockingTargetSound'.
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: No entry '.lockedTargetSound'.
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array
Warning Message: No entry '.detectRange'.
Warning Message: '/' is not a value
Warning Message: No entry '.muzzles'.
Warning Message: Size: '/' not an array

[neofit 65]

I'm playing on hardcore + Incognito, quite fun. Observations on the latter:

* I can remain incognito even with NVGs equipped, on top of my bandanna, enemies don't find this suspicious

* I lose incognito when I climb on a quadbike. It looks pretty civilian to me, and is my favourite unarmored vehicle

* If I'm on patrol or at a checkpoint, I would find people running rather suspicious, even more so at night (not sure if running status can be detected though)

[Rydygier 1302]

I can remain incognito even with NVGs equipped, on top of my bandanna, enemies don't find this suspicious

Yes. No real decent way to distinguish civilian things-on-the-head from military gear. Same for uniforms. What matter for us is visual look, but what matters for the code are config entries. If both are consistent - good for us. If not - sorry. There is no way to distinguish, what is civ-looking and what isn't using code.

It works that way in both sides, so despite quadbike looks like civilian, if it has in the config BLUFOR origin set, will be considered as hostile by OPFOR.

So these matters are very hard to solve, if solveable at all. The only way I see, is completing manually, one by one, array of all classnames of stuff, I consider looking as civilian or not. It is simply no go for several reasons.

From the other hand, running or night is something, I can check by code and alter exposure risk with it (night also makes you harder to spot/recognize BTW). I'll try, but this will be nothing very crucial, I do not want to force player incognito to walk all the time.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Rydygier

[tortuosit 485]

Hahaha, I found it! Nailed that bitch! :)

Wow, this is very good, thank you.

[ashencross 10]

* I lose incognito when I climb on a quadbike. It looks pretty civilian to me, and is my favourite unarmored vehicle

Yeah, I've used a civilian quad with no problem with my incognito status on my last playthrough. In my case it was a quad spawned by the TPW mod, so I guess there really is a distinction between civilian and Bluefor quads.

And Absolute Naked Mode is now implemented :O Hahahah, even more intense, thanks!! :D Can't wait to get home and try the latest update!!

I actually thought of a total no weapon start as a viable play style since on the last playthrough I didn't use the starting SMG at all. Since AC is set to High (L), it was just a matter of waiting for conflict to happen, chasing the sound of gunfire then being sneaky about it to loot some corpses. It took about 10 minutes.

[neofit 65]

Yeah, I've used a civilian quad with no problem with my incognito status on my last playthrough. In my case it was a quad spawned by the TPW mod, so I guess there really is a distinction between civilian and Bluefor quads.

Mine was spawned by TPW too. After Ryd's response I checked in the editor, and sure enough, each faction has its own quadbike version. So I suppose I'll have to hijack a few more to find a civilian one. Thank god commandeering TPW mod vehicles is not viewed by civilians as a bad action.

And Absolute Naked Mode is now implemented

At this rate the long awaited Hot Coffee mod for Arma is not too far behind.

[ashencross 10]

:D

At this rate the long awaited Hot Coffee mod for Arma is not too far behind.

Haha, well hopefully, female characters will become a reality before anybody makes the aforementioned Hot Coffee mod.

[Rydygier 1302]

INCOGNITO updated to alpha4.

Additional factors now matters: daytime, speed if on foot, stance if on foot.

Impact of these factors is a bit complex:

1. Daytime

There is day or night + smooth transition inbetween. Incoginto uses as another factor vanilla "knowledge". Daytime affects this factor, so at night it grows up slower/on closer distance. Apart from that, night reduces "safe distance" below which recognition, thus losing of incognito, is possible. In the same time, as at night hostiles may be more suspicious, below safe distance risk of exposure increases faster with decreasing distance. More - daytime affects impact of stance factor (see 3).

2. Speed if on foot

Fast moving pedestrians are more conspicuous and draw more attention. Fast moving will be also cosidered as suspected. Thus, if above 2.5 m/s, speed of unit on foot will increase safe distance, so risk of exposure appears on bigger distance for running person.

3. Stance

Crouching or, the more, prone unit is considered as suspected - will be enlarged safe distance and increased risk of exposure growth rate below safe distance. However at night safe distance will be slightly reduced instead, as despite NVGs it is harder to recognize unit of lowered silhuette as a potential suspect and recognize its stance.

For interested exact calculations for these factors:

if not (_firing) then
{
_div = 3 + sunOrMoon;
_safeDst = 80;

if (_onFoot) then
	{
	_speed = [0,0,0] distance (velocity _vh);
	_stance = stance _unit;

	switch (_stance) do
		{
		case ("CROUCH") :
			{
			_div = _div/1.5;
			_safeDst = _safeDst * (1.25/(1.5 - (sunOrMoon/2)));
			};

		case ("PRONE") :
			{
			_div = _div/2;
			_safeDst = _safeDst * (1.5/(2 - sunOrMoon));
			};
		};

	if (_speed > 2.5) then
		{
		_safeDst = _safeDst * ((_speed - 1.5)^0.45);
		}
	}

else 
	{
	_safeDst = 50
	};

_safeDst = _safeDst - ((_safeDst * (1 - sunOrMoon))/2);

if (({((((_x knowsAbout _vh) max (_x knowsAbout _asVh)) > 1) and (((leader _x) distance _vh) < _safeDst))} count _enemies) > 0) then
	{
	if (({(((leader _x) distance _vh) < (random (_safeDst/_div)) + (random (_safeDst/_div)) + (random (_safeDst/_div)) + (random (_safeDst/_div)))} count _enemies) > 0) then
		{
		_recognized = true
		}
	}
}			

So, what about the fog etc? Decided, so if fog affects vanilla "knowledge" factor, this impact is sufficient.

Above is considered however only, if all basic incognito conditions are met (no visible weaponry, not in the "wrong" vehicle, not firing vehicle's gun). Otherwise the only factor stays vanilla knowledge.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Rydygier

[tortuosit 485]

So, what about the fog etc? Decided, so if fog affects vanilla "knowledge" factor, this impact is sufficient.

I like the changes. I think it's the right decision about the fog impact keeping vanilla.

[neofit 65]

Some observations on the INCOGNITO mod in a hardcore game.

* Incredibly useful, it added a new dimension to the gameplay.

* I have been exposed by a surrendered guy. He's not supposed to be hostile anymore, they are kind of forcing me to preventively shoot them.

* Since more emphasis is being put on using civilian vehicles now, maybe the ADM-purchased vehicles could have a stronger emphasis on the Civilian faction, if feasible?

* I would welcome a userconfig file for difficulty settings for Incognito, or, since these cannot be changed once a campaign is underway, maybe settings in the Radio menu? What I mean is, I choose difficulty settings both in the game engine and in the Pilgrimage mission, but Incognito is an outside mod, I should have a way to modify its behaviour as well.

For instance, I removed all map markers from the game and the mission. Yet the incognito mode is telling me "You are being observed". This is even more magical X-ray vision than having enemies as map markers. But I don't want to remove this from all games though. IMO 3 settings would be good:

- "Easy mode", as it is now

- Normal mode, as now but without the "You are being observed" bit

- Hard mode, with none of the above. The only feedback I would want to see in Hard mode is "You are trying to become inconspicuous" or something. Only as a confirmation that the game understood what I am tring to do: 1) that I removed all items that un-camouflage me and the game took that into account and 2) the vehicle I am entering is indeed a civilian one, because I can't guess whether this blue quadbike is civilian or not (and in my current game it is not). The results of this attempt, e.g. "Camouflaged" or "Exposed" should not be disclosed, IMO, in Hard mode.

Otherwise, Pilgrimage is near perfection. Everything is covered in the options, I can't even think of anything else I would want to add to the mission without changing its focus. Well, maybe a port to another map? :)

[Rydygier 1302]

I have been exposed by a surrendered guy. He's not supposed to be hostile anymore, they are kind of forcing me to preventively shoot them.

I think, should be possible to filter out captives from the enemies array. Although theoretically these aren't captives, for some scripting commands they still are.

* Since more emphasis is being put on using civilian vehicles now, maybe the ADM-purchased vehicles could have a stronger emphasis on the Civilian faction, if feasible?

Well, so far civilian vehicles was simply excluded from array of possible empty vehicles. Using a vehicle of some side makes you incognito only if not spotted by another side, hostile to vehicle's side of origin. BTW because of that INCOGNITO makes using a military vehicle not so easy decision, as without it. And I like it. Probably I could add to the array also all civilian cars, even if this emphasis is only because of the mod, not the mission itself.

I should have a way to modify its behaviour as well.

Agree, and this will be done one way or another. Maybe via supports menu? I thought about something like single switch (as amount of supports is limited to 10 IIRC and some missions may need some slots here too) through six settings: easy with notifications, easy without notifications and same for medium/normal and hard. What differs these levels is hostiles' sensitivity/awareness. Of course, it may be done also yours way, and for three levels AI awareness will be different, and amount/kind of notifications too. I'll think about.

Otherwise, Pilgrimage is near perfection.

:) So I'm thinking now more about the sequel. Ideas start to crystallize in my mind into something quite ambitious, perhaps even after all something to be written from a scratch in the most part, but nothing sure yet.

[neofit 65]

Well, so far civilian vehicles was simply excluded from array of possible empty vehicles. Using a vehicle of some side makes you incognito only if not spotted by another side, hostile to vehicle's side of origin. BTW because of that INCOGNITO makes using a military vehicle not so easy decision, as without it. And I like it. Probably I could add to the array also all civilian cars, even if this emphasis is only because of the mod, not the mission itself.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. I meant that before Incognito there was no reason to use civilian vehicles. Any enemy would spot you regardless and start shooting, so you might as well use an armored one so as not to reload too often. Even speed was not a reason since MRAPs reach 130+ km/h. Now with Incognito there is every reason to start using civilian vehicles. I just finished a Hardcore + Incognito game only using a quadbike and it was fun. The thing is that all the blue named mission-spawned vehicles that I came across were military ones. So if one is not using TPW mods to get some civilian cars, he will have problems taking full advantage of Incognito.

[Rydygier 1302]

The thing is that all the blue named mission-spawned vehicles that I came across were military ones.

So if one is not using TPW mods to get some civilian cars, he will have problems taking full advantage of Incognito.

Exactly. I agree. So, despite fact, it is the optional Incognito mod makes civilian vehicles important, not mission itself, I probably will add civilian vehicles to the pool of possible empty vehicles in the mission. There is no longer any strong enough arguments against that while Incognito mod may pass as good enough reason to do so. Still, as there is more military types of vehicles in the config than civilian, the latter will be less probable. Just must ensure, so this will not spawn those damn Karts amongst them...

[neofit 65]

Just must ensure, so this will not spawn those damn Karts amongst them...

Actually... This could be amusing.

[Rydygier 1302]

:) Yeah, for some time. Or perhaps till first "buy me to get in".

[ashencross 10]

Heya Rydygier! Started my run of Pilgrimage of Insane (naked) mode + Incognito. One thing I totally forgot when I went for the idea was that no clothes = no carry space. Apparently there isn't any space to carry grenades or mines in my underwear. Probably a good thing though :D Had to sell the very few things I found in loot boxes.

But I'm not regretting it yet! Haha. Question. Does Incognito work with LOS? Or is it simply based on distance between the AI soldiers and Alex? During this playthrough I got the “you are being observed†notification and ran to a house nearby, opened the door and dashed in. Unluckily, it just so happened that there was a CSAT rifleman standing inside that house. On first glance he wasn't looking my way out any windows, so I figured he had no LOS toward me, so perhaps there was a second soldier somewhere that I didn't find? This rifleman turned, and I was instantly exposed, as expected, and I ran like a scared naked man ducking around alleys until I reached a vehicle. Shots fired my way. I've never been so scared in my whole virtual life. Pressed the accelerator key so hard my car flipped over failing to turn properly in the first curve coming out of town. Found a uniform soon after, just as I was wondering if clothing was available at all in loot boxes. All in all... so far, crazy experience. No weirdness to report for now other than my own misfortune. :D

Also, for the record, I agree with everything Neofit said on his last post. Pilgrimage makes Arma my fav game. Looking forward to whatever scenario you come up for in the sequel.

::thumbs up!

[Rydygier 1302]

Does Incognito work with LOS? Or is it simply based on distance between the AI soldiers and Alex?

Currently exposure risk is based on knowledge&distance together. Notification about being observed is based on the knowledge alone. No LOS. Perhaps knowledge will be supplemented with LOS, not sure yet. LOS checks are CPU heavy. And LOS checks alone are not sufficient to take into acconut, where AI is looking. For that is needed additional check.

[RUFFNEK 10]

Hi, not sure if I did something wrong or not but I used the default settings for Pilgrimage when I started. The map was empty and I ran from one side of the lowest part of the island to the other and didnt see anything...not sure if its like that to build suspense or if the Island I loaded is empty lol

[Rydygier 1302]

Well, if you got actually empty map, then surely something was done wrong. Unless it wasn't empty, you just was "lucky" to not spot anyone during your "trip". :) There was any other signs, so code is running? ADM messages, hitch-hiking, chapel checks, phone calls, loot etc? Any errors spotted? Any mods used? How RPT looks like? The only thing, you did, was running across the island? If you want substancial help, provide substancial data.

Meanwhile

INCOGNITO addon updated to alpha5. Once more code was redesigned, changes are serious, so I suggest to keep for now previous alpha saved somewhere in case alpha5 is malfunctioning (tested, of course, but...) Changes:

- reworked code;

- three difficulty levels via supports menu (0-8): EASY - safe radius reduced, all notifications shown; NORMAL - not shown notification about being observed (6th sense disabled);HARD - increased safe distance, no notifications;

- captives shouldn't expose you;

- added LOS and FOV checks for exposure via recognition (conditions met, but too close to the enemy), knowledge factor and distance still important;

- notifications code expanded to cover better many-units-in-the-player's-group case.

Possible notification types:

1. You're incognito - unit received incognito status: all conditions met, while unit not known to any enemy (not exposed at attempt);

2. Incognito at risk - unit was incognito, but now conditions aren't met anymore, still there is no any enemy, that could expose you;

3. You've being observed - only for EASY level, appears, when unit is incognito but spotted by some enemy;

4. Exposed - no coditions met, and enemy knows about you.

---------- Post added at 17:29 ---------- Previous post was at 16:49 ----------

"Dev branch" updated to beta4:

- now empty vehicles may be also of civilian side (except Karts...);

- every time, when quadbike class of any faction is randomized for spawn, civilian version of quad will be spawned instead;

- various code improvements.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Rydygier

[neofit 65]

The playthrough I played on Hard + Incognito was played alone, since you warned not to use any teammates, if I understood you correctly. Besides I don't trust them, even if I teamswitch and put their weapons into their backpacks I'm sure they'll take them out as soon as I return to the leader. Can anything be done programmatically? Like a command to tell them to unequip their weapons, and make sure that they'll keep them unequipped, until I give the order to equip or they are fired on?

[Rydygier 1302]

Yep, if player is alone it is much simplier situation code-wise. No AI to struggle with, lesser risk of unexpected events. Still, by intention addon should handle also situation with teammates. But, as you noted, this makes things complicated also for the user.

I can implement an action for the player to disarm AI subordinates by dropping all weaponry on the ground. I can even then implement second action to make them go back, each for his dropped gear and pick it up back. Similar way I can make their weaponry just disappear temporarily, then appear again. However making them hide any weapon and, the more, to stay unarmed no matter what... That's may be tricky, if possible at all. I'll check that. For me dis(appearing) way looks most reliable and promising.

[tortuosit 485]

Teammate, what is that? The guy who usually dies within the first 5 minutes? The baby who needs all my attention? :D

Rydy, I once tried to inject some cheating into your mission. For instance, by loading mcc. Or by using virtual ammobox script. In both cases, hitchhiking will be broken. Scrollmenu appears, but onMapClick is not working. Do you have an idea, can you make it more robust? Not important though.

BTW, speaking of virtual ammobox. Maybe you could place one or two jackpot boxes(with toooons of weapons and ammo) randomly at hidden places, which very likely we will never find... just to make mission even more interesting?

Edited June 3, 2014 by tortuosit

[Rydygier 1302]

Maybe you could place one or two jackpot boxes(with toooons of weapons and ammo) randomly at hidden places, which very likely we will never find...

You basicaly mean - a hidden treasure chests. :) Perhaps... That, as for performance, will cost nothing. Still finding such chest on the island of Altis size... It's like a lottery win. Once per X hundreds gameplays maybe. So soon some will want a clues acting like treasure map or something, and that will be more complex. We'll see, but no promises. At least I could just spawn two abundant ammo boxes randomly more as easter egg than proper feature and do not add any clues. Who will find such box - is extremely lucky man. Now - what exactly should I put inside? Chosen, cool toys with lots of ammo for them? Lots of commonly used magazines? Or EVERYTHING? The first and the second, I would say.

Rydy, I once tried to inject some cheating into your mission. For instance, by loading mcc. Or by using virtual ammobox script. In both cases, hitchhiking will be broken. Scrollmenu appears, but onMapClick is not working. Do you have an idea, can you make it more robust? Not important though.

Not much I can do, I'm affraid. Some things may be done only one way, and if two scripts in the same time are messing with one thing, such issues happens. As for onMapSingleClick, this command overwrites earlier settings for such click. So if some mod does that, sets own code for map click, my code is erased. There is a scripting way, via so called stacked event handlers, to avoid such erasing, I'm using it, but not sure, if this works properly, and even if so, these mods must use this way too. There is more such cases in the scripting. I have no control, obviously, over the coding ways and habits of other mod makers.

Also, it is simply impossible to make any code 100% compatibile with all possible scripts, that may be imagined. There is probably always a way to break one script with another. I could try, and I did my best, to make the mission addon friendly, but this only reduces risks, does not guarantee anything.

I read recently some forum threads and noted, so some mods seems to be more troublemaking, than another. Reasons are unclear to me, but apparently such mods are messing with the sensitive stuff, that affects badly many things, if changed. MCC is mentioned often as conflicting with other mods, similar for this realism addon, you recommended me lately (AGM) - tried it. Mission's code was broken immediately, from the very beginning, I got enviromental sound during initail GUI screen, while only music should be audible. Very odd and unusual, so soon things became messy. Even didn't tried further. If code is broken at the beginning, further may be only worse. I would assume, so in case of such mods, you should more bother authors of these mods, than authors of the missions broken by the mods. It is usually more mod maker responsability, to make a mod as "unobtrusive" and as widely compatibile as possible, not missionmaker's to forsee any possible mod, although should follow same, good coding habits.

Fo example TPW's - so far didn't heard about many such issues with this mod. There was one thing with radio component conflicting with music and jukeboxes, but there I know, all possible to avoid conflicts was done, and source of the remaining issue lies on the Arma devs side (that's another factor - limitations generated by vanilla bugs). So this seems to be well designed mod, that may cause conflicts only with another mods doing exactly same things. If however some mod causes many troubles with many missions and other mods, then IMO it is very likely, so it is poorly designed. Or messing with sensitive things in the only possible way, then not much can be improved.

To fix such problems, I, as mission maker, must fix compatibility with each such addon separatelly. If possible at all. Such fixing would require to study line by line troublemaking mod's code, then to figure out and implement a change, that will take into account this code. Unreal. And even after that, next mod may be created, also troublemaking, so again I must do same thing. And so on. It's no go.

Also truth is, some mods aren't designed to work with some kinds of missions.

I'm writing so much about that, as in fact this is in general important topic for the whole community, that should be discussed thoroughly and understood widely, worthy of several own threads.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Rydygier

[Rydygier 1302]

OK. Implemented for next version single "treasure chest" placed randomly, usually in the not very populated areas (not in towns, not near roads). I think, there should be no clues to obtain about its location (or maybe location should be given by civilian after assassination mission instead of circle intel?). For now the only clue is visual - near the box is present chopper wreck, that carried this box somewhere. Vicinity of the "treasure" is mined (that explains, why this box wasn't looted so far). As for the content - it is randomized, but each time there should be lots of cool stuff inside (weapons, magazines, items), just it is not sure, what and how many of it exactly.

As for "hide weaponry of AI subordinates" action for Incognito - it is harder, than I thought, to find elegant and reliable solution (mostly it is about complications around restoring (eg "what, if unit will get another weapon when disarmed?"), scripted disarming by weapons deletion is trivial). It is doubtful, if this will happen, still I want to try few things more. If I fail, the only reliable way would be one way or another manual remove weapons/throwable items from each AI and stash it somewhere.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Rydygier