[WIP] Von Quest Industries - Sniper System

[darkxess 60]

Dunno if this has been mentioned before, but for me this has made all my lettering very big and bold in the game! haha.

I disabled this mod and its fine now, so its def this mod that is causing the problem :)

[idfhayal 10]

Glad to finally see some sniper mod! I like your features list. One new feature suggestion:

A spotter that follows you, searches for targets and gives you all the data you need for the shot ;)

[legio4777 12]

Hi Guys...

I cant use the kestrel. I´m pressing left control+k and doesnt appears the device.

Are this the right keys?

[Von Quest 1163]

@Foxhound

Thanks!!

@Ckrauslo

Yes. Right now, only when prone. A ChangeLog is included and also updated in First Post as this project grows.

To expand on my thoughts: Long-Range engagements when NOT prone, are not going to be noticeable to the player so why risk loosing FrameRates? When not prone there is random WeaponSway, which as a human you cannot account for, so compensating for any wind would be futile as the adjustment would need to be minimal; which just gets canceled out by the random built-in sway. Also, in the heat of combat where you would be exchanging fire in an un-prone position, you're not going to take the time to pull out the Wind Meter and do complex math.

@MordeaniisChaos

Your exactly right. The first prototypes of this; that's what I was building. Due to the complexity of this experiment, I took it out and may (doubt it) including it in V1. I had it so you basically had a free shot or two then with each shot thereafter the enemy would zero in on you. Let me explain a tad more...

When you fire unsupressed, it just turns OFF SniperStealth, SniperSmell, SniperHearing. It does NOT tell the enemy where you are. Basically it just turns back into the 'normal' game. Works great. Distant enemy will not know where you are, but will know they just got shot at. Near enemy will obviously hear the gunshot close by, and be alerted.

If you are still hidden naturally (plan ahead), they likely cant find you. This is also why its important to use your keen hearing and more important, sniff the air to detect someone nearby before squeezing the trigger.

I did this so your not too powerful. Otherwise you'd just shoot all day and be invisible. This also puts emphasis on using suppressed when you can. Its a shorter OFF period. By the time the enemy comes looking near you, you should be back to the "Stealth" state.

@ghostnineone

If using the keyboard, press left Ctrl and K at the same time. HOLD for a couple seconds or so. Its not instant. The Quetrel is display for 60 seconds.

Yes, the Blind will pop-up as a menu option. It should also pop onto the middle of the screen.

Right now only the NATO Ghillie is coded. Will be adding several others so you can use other Mods in V1.

I'm still adjusting the timing and a better version soon. I think if you hide too fast it throws off the timing. Just re-tested the 'public' version and waited for 30 mins. As soon as I ran around, it kicked into gear. Then I was able to turn on the blind in about 7 mins. You can use the + and - keys to speed up time to test if needed.

"X" amount of Time is random. Most of the timing is random so you can't "meta-game" it. You should never know you have x amount of time before you are hidden. Nothing is guaranteed, just probability. To start the Blind (still WIP) the range is somewhere around 2-10min I think.

This will be shortened. Also the blind is build automatically right now IF you start it. V1 will have the option to select the vegitation-type piece-by-piece, and will be a more manual build.

@MacoD

Your very first post here. I'm honored! Welcome to ArmA brother. (see above)

@Sonsalt6

Thanks!!

@DarkXess

Zoiks! Thats be bugging me for weeks! I thought it was a glitch in the game. Thanks for the catch. What the heck would cause that? Anyone know?

@idfhayal

Maybe in V2? You can 'group' a spotter to you and he'll mostly do the same. You can control him through the command keys. Not sure how much you played with that stuff. I see you joined in 2009 but only 23 posts? Would be cool though, a spotter system.

@LEGIO4777

Yup. You just need to HOLD them for a few seconds. Make sure you ARE carrying the SniperBuddy, right? I have a box in the menu that has several in it plus the 1 Special Edition Hat.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Goblin

[KeyCat 131]

Love the idea and looking forward to try it out! It's about time the ghillie will actually hide you from AI just hoping BI will improve this in stock game as well in the upcoming Marksman DLC.

Keep it up Goblin!

/KC

[DMaco 24]

So I think the x amount of time should be taken out it . I think it should be up to 5 secs of being prone then to being able to make a hide. As I have spent the past hour going into different places and spending ove 10 mins in each and still not being able to make a hide. If this could get changed and make into a small hotfix to get put on I would be very happy as this mod looks like it could be a great mod.

---------- Post added at 17:36 ---------- Previous post was at 17:28 ----------

Ok just I just got the hide opition but i have no idea when its finished perhaps a loading bar under the weapon box at the top right of the screen.

---------- Post added at 17:45 ---------- Previous post was at 17:36 ----------

Ok just had a idea. Not sure if this is something you want to use. So I was thinking of what a sniper could do to keep him hidden. So perhaps a item you have in you backpack called a hide. It could be a sheet of sorts that the sniper puts over him self now this item makes the sniper look like a bunch of long grass or what ever and this item is only allowed to be used when prone. It take 20 secs to build/use and you are unable to move and you can only turn a 90 degee angle left and right but can not more back or forward.

[Von Quest 1163]

Some good ideas. Chucks of this are absolutely getting re-written...

When I had no or little x time, it got super annoying every time you hit the deck the menu popped-up. Also, this whole entire system was built to run like an engine. It runs with cogs that run other cogs. Complex system. I had to invent a system that needed to shut OFF (pause then reset), IF you do certain un-sniper, un-stealthly things.

Because of this, it turns OFF the blind for a while. If you had the option to activate it fast, you can thus re-hide way too fast. You could essentially run across an open field at the enemy, then hit the deck and disappear. Obviously in real life the enemy would know you're there because he just saw you jump down and turn into a bush.

[DMaco 24]

How about you can only make a hide only if you are at 100% fatigue and then 20 secs after that? Also that you cant make a hide if you are within a x distance of a AI/player. The distance can be chosen by you of course. If the menus is annoying then just put it not in the middle of your screen.

[Von Quest 1163]

All sounds fine. More good ideas. But in practice and testing, there were always issues one way or the other. Not sold on fatigue. Will have to think about that. And for the distance check, that was in a first design. Scrapped it because there were situations were I could creep into an area (like airport), and have to conduct surveillance before taking out a general, but due to patrols nearby, the blind could never be built.

And the menu in the middle of the screen, that's the game default.

[mordeaniischaos 3]

Alright I think that makes more sense than how I read it. Thanks for the clarification.

[Von Quest 1163]

So sorry guys! :butbut:

I just realized that the public version everyone downloaded is somewhat broken...

It technically will work, but not very well. I made several changes to release the

beta (I guess alpha) version that threw off the timing and goofed syntax/spelling.

I'll release an update tomorrow and include a userconfig option so you can

actually see how its running in the background.

My apologies, mates!

[DMaco 24]

Sounds good been following this thead looking forward to future updates. i you ever need someone to help test just post on here and i will see it.

[greywolf907 20]

Even though this mod has some kinks I like where your going with it. A few things that would help as well would be windage adjustments to zero out the scope, wind correction tables for different calibers, spotting scope, ballistics calculator to enter in all the info for the shot as in wind direction & strength, elevation, distance to target Etc... Also a option to pack your Ghillie suite into a backpack would be great. As for the hide awesome feature by the way what about having to pack a camo net in your inventory and a said amount of time to setup the hide so you can't just do it whenever with enemy units around also make it take up a large amount of room in the pack so if your working as a team with a spotter one of you will have to sacrifice some ammo or gear to hump it along. I'm sure these items are hard to make happen if I knew how I would give it a shot but when it comes to code I'm lost:) Keep up the great work man!

[Von Quest 1163]

UPDATE:

SpectreSniper-v0.2 Beta

I'm pretty sure I'm going to re-design this and go with a different setup.

The current one is too sensitive to timing issues I think. V1 will rock!

I fixed several bug issues and shortened big parts of some the timing so

you can test and use it much faster. I also built and put in a userconfig

element so you can see just how it's "thinking" in the background. You can

turn ON or OFF these DeBug Hints. The userconfig folder is in the Mod Folder.

If you're not familiar, just drop that folder into your main ArmA 3 directory.

@greywolf907

No problem. Should be able to crank all that out over my lunch break. Kidding...

This has been months in the works already.

I'm already considering the Scope Adjustments. I have a real good idea how I

could code it. If I do it wouldn't be until much later I think. I'm moving on to

my EOD project now. If I remember right, there was something like that in ACE

for A2. I never used it, as I just found A3. For now, I was just going to use

the ol' Kentucky Windage method.

The correction tables (data cards) are already planned. Spotting Scopes...

ummm, needed? We already have optics in-game. The calculator, I don't see

putting in at all. It would take all the fun out. I wanted to make a system that

would be hard to use without practice, training, and understanding.

The ghillie already can be packed into your backpack. Anything can if you have

the room. And as for the 'net/hide', I like the idea. Maybe in v2. I was even

thinking of having an "urban" blind. Where you can setup in the city or on a

rooftop under garbage. That may be in v1. Anyone remember Metal Gear?

How about a cardboard box? :idea:

[kecharles28 197]

New update v0.2 beta available at withSIX. Download now by clicking:

[Guest]

Thanks for informing us about the release :cool:

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

VQI - SpectreSniper v0.2 beta



Community Base addons A3

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We have also "connected" these pages to your account on Armaholic.

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[greywolf907 20]

Yes ACE for Arma 2 had the wind turret adjustment feature if you have not tried it out maybe take a look. As for my suggestion of the spotting scope this is a real world tool used by sniper teams to help the spotter locate and call out adjustments on targets it would have a milradian reticle as with a spotting scope like the the Leupold 12x-40x with a milradian graduated reticle this would be for far out targets as with choosing the gear to take out on mission it depends on the missions. The ballistics calculator is by no means a user friendly tool if you don't know how to use it have the correct data and practice with it first. You would have to input all the data for your rifle as in type caliber and grain of bullet the muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient, type of conditions that you sighted it in say @100 Yards, elevation, temp, humidity, Etc... distance of center of scope from center of barrel it's a lot involved but very useful once learned. But I understand that that's a bunch of work and I am fine with whatever you come out with I will use your mod and enjoy it just idea's. I like the urban hide plan that is really needed all the rooftops and towers in game but if you go up and take a shot of one the AI lock you quick and it turns into a death trap I would love to have some type of hide to use in the urban settings thumbs up man keep it up.

[skuijs 17]

Great mod but the kestrel is only half in my screen only if i set the hud on large it works ? any way to fix this ?

I like the hide feature and spotting scope and calculator would be fun :)

[bravo93 37]

Is it possible to play this mod in multiplayer? with other people, most of which are not snipers?

[Von Quest 1163]

@Skuijs

Sorry. Its the SafeZone thing. Same issue with my HALO for some screens.

I'll add that to the top of the list for fixes this week. I keep forgetting.

@Bravo93

Yes! It was specifically designed with that in mind, as its the only way I play.

It is however, probably not going to work in a dedicated server.

[trixie 10]

Been playing around with this today while testing out new rifles and stuff, simply amazing stuff! Really enjoying it and can finally play recon/sniper in a way that makes sense without getting spotted from 100 meters away from some terminator CSAT while you lay perfectly covered in the middle of a forest under a bush or whatever! Thanks once again!

[ghostnineone 10]

I wish I could figure out what mod is conflicting with this, as basically the only thing that works is the weapon box shows up but the questrel and all of the stealth mechanics and sway mechanics aren't running at all.I have turned off all of the things that I think would conflict with it: CSE, AGM, TPW, TMR, YQ mod and things like switch weapons while moving and L_climb. If i turn off all of my mods except for this one and blastcore and JSRS and CBA then it works. I don't understand what would make it completely not work.

[skuijs 17]

Was laying still for long time and then i get the build hide how long is the timer on that ?

And how do the data cards work ?

Srry for the qeustions love your mod !

[Von Quest 1163]

@Trixie

Thanks! Really compliments your Sniper Pack with the camo'd versions. Love it!!

@ghostnineone

You have latest version? v0.2? The v0.2 has a userconfig file to turn ON or OFF some public-hints so you can see whats going on behind the scenes. Also, What do you mean 'weapon box'? Everything should be working good with v0.2 and not have any conflicts other than maybe the SWAY as that's a core-game element.

In a future update, I'm going to include more user config options so you can adjust settings or just turn them off if there is a conflict. Can you be more specific by chance?

@Skuijs

The build time for the Blind is quite fast now. I made the last update "public" friendly so you can test faster. The total time for a Build is less than a minute I believe.

The Data Cards. Just place down a Moving or Pop-Up Target (moving in name only - works better). Name it VQI_TARGET_1. Shoot it! That's it. Name up to 5. Keep in mind only Hit-Location is running.

[XianGrim 73]

Might be worth mentioning here in case anyone else makes the same silly mistake I just did. When trying to launch A3, I kept getting an error message saying that "Include file userconfig\VQI_Settings\VQI_userconfig.hpp not found." I know the file was there. I then realized due to another mod (VTS Weapon Rest for me) I had a userconfig folder already. Just had to copy the settings over into that folder and it runs great.

Excellent work on this, super excited to see it in its final stage!