[ZEUS|TVT|COOP|SP] Defiance

[teoleo 2]

how i can control a unit? ( move, shoot...ecc ecc.)

[Nashable 10]

must say im loving this game mode, can't seem to get VAS to load though.

any settings I must change? Cheers

There is a bug in 1.0 that prevented VAS from working properly in a JIP scenario. I'd recommend you try Defiance #1 or Defiance #2 dedicated servers. These are currently running a test version of the upcoming 1.1 build. Otherwise make sure in the mission parameters you have the Virtual Ammo Box setting enabled.

how i can control a unit? ( move, shoot...ecc ecc.)

Please check out the Arma 3 Zeus showcases. It will be able to answer all the Zeus questions for you.

[kremator 1064]

Aye, thanks Nashable. I joined #1 today, and grabbed the latest RC3 and am hosting it now on my dedi.

Seems much better now. Currently running 470 AI with 33FPS, 31CPS and FPSMin about 28!! Gotta love optimised server binaries !

[Nashable 10]

Aye, thanks Nashable. I joined #1 today, and grabbed the latest RC3 and am hosting it now on my dedi.

Seems much better now. Currently running 470 AI with 33FPS, 31CPS and FPSMin about 28!! Gotta love optimised server binaries !

Nice! Careful running RC versions of my missions though. They're still in testing and you could run into some nasty bugs.

[spangg 0]

Ignore for now

Edited April 15, 2014 by spangg

[Nashable 10]

Version 1.1 has just been released: http://www.playdefiance.com/2014/04/17/defiance-1-1-release/

Defiance 1.1 change log:

[New] Defiance Chernarus and Takistan have been released

[New] INDFOR have acquired use of the unarmed WY-55 Hellcat and the FV-720 Mora

[New] Vote winners are now more visible with animated notification

[New] Welcome Dialog for new players

[New] INDFOR HQ spawns can be centered on different parts of the map via mission parameter

[New] BLUFOR starts the game with an initial intel for a town to check

[New] Most maps have added a “Airfield†Spawn location

[New] BLUFOR Fast Travel (Blue Flag) to move between HQ, Airfield and to MHQ

[New] Fake Intel is now optional and is a mission parameter

[New] Zeus regeneration rate can now be adjust via mission parameter

[New] New option in mission params for Civilian Intel to show an outlined/circled radius to make finding INDFOR HQs easier

[New] Number of tickets lost when MHQ is killed can be adjusted via mission parameter. If Disabled it will turn MHQ into non-combat vehicle and make it indestructible.

[update] Performance tweaks, still looking for feedback on Server and Client FPS.

[update] Better Zeus Max Unit Check so empty vehicles can be spawned even if Unit Cap is reached

[update] Default Configuration is a Unit Cap of 60

[update] BLUFOR HQ pickup radius up to 5m from 3m (Should resolve issues with HQs hidden in ruins)

[Fix] VAS now works correctly when set to TvT or no thermal mode

[Fix] Non-Admins could occasionally reset Zeus

[kremator 1064]

Nice work mate. Have been helping a mate with his mission, but will be back testing your mission today.

EDIT: Takistan running on my home dedi.

FURTHER EDIT: If there are no human players on INDFOR, I wouldn't increase tickets at all. It seems unfair that if I have a few players playing as BLUFOR with only AI resistance that tickets go up, so as soon as another human joins, they get that bounty on their heads, which can lead to abuse. So I would not increment it at all. Also if playing against the AI, could they be MUCH more agressive. Presently too easy to overrun the islands playing only as BLUFOR - yes I know it is designed as TvT.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Kremator

[Nashable 10]

Kremator - I'll see in 1.2 if I can include some more options about the bounties.

[BF2_Trooper 0]

How can I play this coop with me and a friend as BLUFOR vs INDFOR A.I.? If there are no human players on the INDFOR slots will AI just take over?

[kremator 1064]

Unfortunately you will be voted in as commanders by default. There is no AI commanders as such. Actually it is quite fun with 2 people as commanders, especially around Agia Marina !

[Nashable 10]

How can I play this coop with me and a friend as BLUFOR vs INDFOR A.I.? If there are no human players on the INDFOR slots will AI just take over?

Yes that's correct. INDFOR AI will take over if nobody is playing on the INDFOR team.

[BF2_Trooper 0]

Just encountered a bug where I switched from the ZEUS interface back to my soldier interface I can no longer access my squad command menu and my "mouse scroll" menu. So I can't get out/in any vehicles or open doors.

[Nashable 10]

Just encountered a bug where I switched from the ZEUS interface back to my soldier interface I can no longer access my squad command menu and my "mouse scroll" menu. So I can't get out/in any vehicles or open doors.

Version of Defiance, Version of game, any mods running, any steps where you can repeatedly make it happen over and over again?

[BF2_Trooper 0]

I have Defiance Altis from Steam Workshop & CBA add-on running. Just happened again for the second time. Maybe about 30 minutes into the match, switched from my soldier to ZEUS then back again and I am no longer able to access my context menu via the mousewheel.

[Yomatsu 10]

MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
class Missions
{
         class Mission1
        {
             template="MP_ZVZ_DEFIANCE_m50.Altis";
             difficulty="Regular";
         };
};

What am i doing wrong?

[kremator 1064]

Does it need // in front of MISSION CYCLE?

[Nashable 10]

MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
class Missions
{
         class Mission1
        {
             template="MP_ZVZ_DEFIANCE_m50.Altis";
             difficulty="Regular";
         };
};

What am i doing wrong?

Here is a sample one from Defiance #2

// MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
class Missions
{
class Mission1
        {
           template="MP_ZVZ_DEFIANCE_m50.Chernarus";
           difficulty="Elite";
    class params
    {
                 NATO_Tickets = 100;
                 ENABLE_DYN_WEATHER = 0;
                 MAX_UNITS = 60;
	  VIRTUAL_AMMO_BOX = 3;
	  ACTIVE_AO_NUM = 2;
	 AAF_HQ_NUM = 5;
                AAF_HQ_RADIUS = 8000;
	 CIV_POP = 2;
	 FAR_REVIVE_MODE = 1;
                MAP_MARKERS = 0;
             };
      };
};

---------- Post added at 10:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 PM ----------

I have Defiance Altis from Steam Workshop & CBA add-on running. Just happened again for the second time. Maybe about 30 minutes into the match, switched from my soldier to ZEUS then back again and I am no longer able to access my context menu via the mousewheel.

What version of Arma 3 and are you hosting this locally on your PC (Listen Server) or is it a dedicated server? Can you try the mission without CBA and get the same issue?

Are you having the same issue with other Zeus missions that allow you to switch between player/Zeus?

[Yomatsu 10]

You are friggen awesome Nashable. Can you list all the params? Unless there's a way I can just find them myself :)

[Nashable 10]

You are friggen awesome Nashable. Can you list all the params? Unless there's a way I can just find them myself :)

When I get home I'll make a page on the blog with the list and what the values do. If you're in a hurry you can unPBO the mission and open the description.ext the class names match the entry you add to the .cfg.

Edit: Here you go http://www.playdefiance.com/defiance-mission-parameters/

Edited April 22, 2014 by Nashable

[BF2_Trooper 0]

What version of Arma 3 and are you hosting this locally on your PC (Listen Server) or is it a dedicated server? Can you try the mission without CBA and get the same issue?

Are you having the same issue with other Zeus missions that allow you to switch between player/Zeus?

I'm on the latest Non-Dev version 1.16.123633. I tried just now with CBA turned off and it happened again. I was remote controlling a few units here and there, changed my camera views and then when I got back to my player character my contextual menu disappeared again. I also notice that even my target cursor is gone. When I go back as ZEUS, even parts of that interfaces disappears. I can no longer see the editing area and non of my placed units have markers. I'm also on a non-dedicated local server I.E. my own gaming computer.

I've played for hours in my own custom ZEUS mission and this never occurs.

---------- Post added at 23:10 ---------- Previous post was at 22:22 ----------

Okay I think I figured out what was wrong, not sure if it's to do with your mission or ZEUS itself. While in the ZEUS interface, I press backspace to toggle interface on and off. If I leave the ZEUS UI toggled off and then go back to my player character, my normal UI also remains off. So to fix it, I go back to the ZEUS UI again, toggle the UI back on and then go back to my foot soldier. I feel stupid now for thinking it might be your mission that was bugged :P Seems to be more of an issue with ZEUS.

[Nashable 10]

Okay I think I figured out what was wrong, not sure if it's to do with your mission or ZEUS itself. While in the ZEUS interface, I press backspace to toggle interface on and off. If I leave the ZEUS UI toggled off and then go back to my player character, my normal UI also remains off. So to fix it, I go back to the ZEUS UI again, toggle the UI back on and then go back to my foot soldier. I feel stupid now for thinking it might be your mission that was bugged :P Seems to be more of an issue with ZEUS.

I would report this and the repo steps to the feedback tracker: http://feedback.arma3.com as I don't edit or modify anything to the UI like that. I guess this is just a small workflow bug as all of the official missions have forced interface Zeus rather than switching back and forth.

[Nashable 10]

Version 1.2 released! You can read the list of changes here: http://www.playdefiance.com/2014/04/25/defiance-1-2-release

[1212PDMCDMPPM 200]

Just tried 1.2 in Stratis with a friend (we were both bluefor) : no civ no opfor spawned. Really weird.

[Westonsammy 1]

Hey, I have a request for the next build of Defiance

I have been playing as the independents a lot recently, specifically the commander.

I have noticed that every time I play, most of our HQ's are taken out by BLUFOR members we don't even realize were there. By the time we do realize they are in the town, it is too late because our spawning area has already been disabled. This makes it extremely easy for BLUFOR to win by just sneaking into every undefended town and taking out the HQ before we realize they are there.

Although this can be countered by defending your towns in advance, that is hardly ever feasible. Most servers I have played on for Defiance have unit limits of 60, so if you try to defend multiple towns your forces are spread so thin that BLUFOR can simply walk in right under their noses, disable the spawn, and destroy/find the HQ before the braindead AI can discover where they are in the town. This is especially a problem on big maps like Altis, where it usually takes 5-10 minutes to transport troops from town to town.

So how can this be fixed while remaining realistic and balanced? I think you should do two things.

First, I would recommend giving an early warning system when BLUFOR has been spotted at least 1.5km from the HQ (Maybe something like 1km on Stratis). This is also realistically feasible, since civilian contacts/undercover guerrillas would have likely noticed any conventional forces rolling into their town. Once they have entered said spotting radius, a "area" marker should appear on the map, showing you the area where they were last spotted (Updates like every 2-3 minutes), to simulate again civilian contacts and undercover guerrillas calling out their positions. This would enable INDFOR to respond to BLUFOR in their town without having any OP knowledge of their exact positions.

Second, I would change the way INDFOR spawns. Instead of having the spawn area encompass the entire town where the HQ is located, I advise putting a separate area in the town for the INDFOR to spawn and spawn in AI/Vehicles, lets call it a "Barracks". The Barracks would be a small area, a circle maybe 50 meters in diameter, completely separate from the HQ location, but in the same town. Instead of being deactivated when BLUFOR got into the town, spawning would be disabled once they got within 100 meters of the Barracks, and they would be able to search buildings and investigate civilians for its location (Much like the HQ). This way there can be actual prolonged fights inside of towns without INDFOR spam spawning on top of the HQ.

An alternative to the above mentioned solution, if it proves too problematic or complex, could just be to give BLUFOR one town to search at a time (So at the start of the match they would be informed that the INDFOR HQ is in only one town, then when they take that one out they get a new one), and INDFOR should be notified as to which HQ BLUFOR has intel on, so that they can prepare a defence.

Of course I don't make missions myself, so I don't know how hard this would be to implement, but I would definitely like to see a system like this implemented, at least on the bigger maps where it is far too easy for BLUFOR to destroy an entire HQ without firing a shot.

[Nashable 10]

Just tried 1.2 in Stratis with a friend (we were both bluefor) : no civ no opfor spawned. Really weird.

Can you expand on your set up? Was this on our official server, self hosted, what mods were you running?

Hey, I have a request for the next build of Defiance

I have been playing as the independents a lot recently, specifically the commander.

I have noticed that every time I play, most of our HQ's are taken out by BLUFOR members we don't even realize were there. By the time we do realize they are in the town, it is too late because our spawning area has already been disabled. This makes it extremely easy for BLUFOR to win by just sneaking into every undefended town and taking out the HQ before we realize they are there.

Although this can be countered by defending your towns in advance, that is hardly ever feasible. Most servers I have played on for Defiance have unit limits of 60, so if you try to defend multiple towns your forces are spread so thin that BLUFOR can simply walk in right under their noses, disable the spawn, and destroy/find the HQ before the braindead AI can discover where they are in the town. This is especially a problem on big maps like Altis, where it usually takes 5-10 minutes to transport troops from town to town.

So how can this be fixed while remaining realistic and balanced? I think you should do two things.

First, I would recommend giving an early warning system when BLUFOR has been spotted at least 1.5km from the HQ (Maybe something like 1km on Stratis). This is also realistically feasible, since civilian contacts/undercover guerrillas would have likely noticed any conventional forces rolling into their town. Once they have entered said spotting radius, a "area" marker should appear on the map, showing you the area where they were last spotted (Updates like every 2-3 minutes), to simulate again civilian contacts and undercover guerrillas calling out their positions. This would enable INDFOR to respond to BLUFOR in their town without having any OP knowledge of their exact positions.

Second, I would change the way INDFOR spawns. Instead of having the spawn area encompass the entire town where the HQ is located, I advise putting a separate area in the town for the INDFOR to spawn and spawn in AI/Vehicles, lets call it a "Barracks". The Barracks would be a small area, a circle maybe 50 meters in diameter, completely separate from the HQ location, but in the same town. Instead of being deactivated when BLUFOR got into the town, spawning would be disabled once they got within 100 meters of the Barracks, and they would be able to search buildings and investigate civilians for its location (Much like the HQ). This way there can be actual prolonged fights inside of towns without INDFOR spam spawning on top of the HQ.

An alternative to the above mentioned solution, if it proves too problematic or complex, could just be to give BLUFOR one town to search at a time (So at the start of the match they would be informed that the INDFOR HQ is in only one town, then when they take that one out they get a new one), and INDFOR should be notified as to which HQ BLUFOR has intel on, so that they can prepare a defence.

Of course I don't make missions myself, so I don't know how hard this would be to implement, but I would definitely like to see a system like this implemented, at least on the bigger maps where it is far too easy for BLUFOR to destroy an entire HQ without firing a shot.

All interesting ideas and will need to consider them for the future. One thing I have to keep in mind with INDFOR spawning is that they do not have tickets to contend with, the idea behind the design is that they'll lose towns during the mission but the goal is for them to maximize the cost to BLUFOR in terms of player deaths. I do agree it can be hard for INDFOR to defend a large map which is why I added Active HQ parameter back in Beta IIRC. Have you tried playing with the "Active HQ" set to 1 or 2? This creates specific HQs that can be deactivated (not leaving much of a incentive for BLUFOR to attack or even know what other towns are active as they are not getting Intel on those towns). Once an Active HQ has been shut down one of the inactive ones come online. This may create the kind of experience you're looking for.

In playtests Active HQ centralizes the conflict to a smaller number of locations.