War Beyond the Horizon

[chacalik 10]

Arma 3 - War Beyond the Horizon

This Total Conversion aim to simulate the Command of a Ship in its minimal details, based on simulations like Jane's Dangerous Waters and Fleet Command. Possibilities like operate a radar, sonar, ESM antenna, navigation of the ship, engines and pumps control, etc will be avaible in this contest. In multiplayer, the idea is to let players (or server admin) choose their stations to battle against each other. The main gameplay will be fully altered and the "so waited" walkable-ship is not a priority, but maybe something to be studied.

Gameplay Overhaul

We, fans of the OFP/ArmA series, know well how the air supremacy, artillery support, reinforcements deploy and so many other things, have a great importance during tough missions. But among those soldiers holding rifles, there are brains that would like to be tested beyond the visual range, they want to go further, they want War Beyond the Horizon. The possibility to detect an enemy, to track him and sink it, its one of the most difficult tasks of a Navy Warship, every single act has a consequence, every single radio wave its a flare in the dark, every single noise its a scream in the mist. For every type of fighter, there must be a type of war: sonar operator, identifies a noise and its bearing; radar operator, detect a radio wave emission and its location; engines control supervisor, verify oil temperature, pressure and repair damages in the propulsion system. There are many more, but the more experienced must be the Commander of the ship, since he knows everything and how everything works inside his ship, weapons, sensors, propulsion, etc.. Its not possible to determine, now, how many and what are the operation stations, since it will vary from ship class/type, but I aim to put a man in each sensor console, be it AI or player (multiplayer).

Inside the ship, a Commander will be able to visit every operation station like Sensors Console, Weapons Control, Flight Deck, Bridge, but the more significant is the CIC (Combat Information Center), where the battle (virtual or not) realy happens. Ship characteristics must be the closest to reality, so the simulation will have its objective fulfilled.

Since the possibility to walk on ship's deck while moving is not the high priority, the selected layout of vehicle for the ships will be Nimitz like, a group of objects with 'driveable' weapons attached to it. A destroyer, for example, will be basically made of three 3d objects, the bow, aft and the half-nau. This division will provide the possibility to control damage on a ship based on where it have been hit and which components (sensors, weapons and personal) have been damaged there. A Damage Control Supervisor station will be also required, so the Commander won't need to care about saving the aft of the ship while enemy is still operational.

It's also a concept in mind the 'crew system', where each class and speciality of sailor will have a specific repair time bonuses. Since i'm Brazilian and the main ambient of the navy will be US Navy, i'm still thinking about it.

Features

World Features

- Water properties like Pressure (based on depth), Temperature, Salinity, Conditions based on Weather (Sun, Wind, Rain, Snow);

- Ambient Noises (Sea Condition, Biologic, Own, Aircraft, Ship Traffic);

- Radio Waves used by Radars

- Communication Integration with ACRE radio frequencies;

- Acoustic Waves used by Sonars;

- New Sea Animals;

- Sea drift simulation based on Weather (Sun, Wind, Rain, Snow);

Seamanship Features

- Mooring System based on Bollard Positions on the docks;

- Anchor System using the Sea Drift simulation;

- Ballast System for every type of ship;

- Actual Marking and Actual Course System for navigation and detection of contacts;

Navigation, Communication, Surveillance and Weapons Features

- Cannons, Missiles and Torpedoes that can be detected, tracked and avoided with countermeasures;

- Chaff Shield System;

- Radars System;

- Sonars System;

- Various Frequencies Comm System;

Engine Features

- Current Engine properties like Temperature, Pressure of the boilers, Pressure of the Water Network, etc;

- Stabilizer System;

- Energy Generators System;

Command System

- Multi-view like Dangerous Waters system (3rd Person, Free View, Bridge, etc.);

- Command through waypoint, point-and-click or heelman orders;

- Recieve actual and instantly report from Departments Chiefs;

- Order your crew to do stuff*;

Damage System

- Based on Ship Sections;

- Flood;

- Fire;

- Equipment destroyed, even when section was repaired;

- Damage Control Actions;

- Repair;

- Sink based on damage;

Avaible Unit Types

- Surface: Attack Boats, Patrol Vessels, Corvettes, Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers and Carriers;

- Subsurface: Submarines;

- Air: ASW Aircrafts, AWACS;

Anyway, I'm still working some scripts and its GUI's, that will be my first step in the Total Conversion. Any news I'll post it here, see ya. =)

---------- Post added at 22:42 ---------- Previous post was at 22:41 ----------

Navigation Radar GUI on the way, Terma Scanter based operation, keyboard and rollerball.

http://oi60.tinypic.com/25992jc.jpg (241 kB)

working the first navigation radar script, it will trace a line from the emission point (radar antenna) plus its minimum echo range return and the maximum range of the radar, for each degree in 360 degrees. Trying to figure out how to check if the current position given is sea or object (ship, land, unit, building, etc,.)

[das attorney 858]

This looks very ambitious - good luck! :)

[Kydoimos 916]

Very excited about this project. Good luck!

[Variable 322]

Good luck with that! I suppose you are not planning to add TMA?

[chacalik 10]

Good luck with that! I suppose you are not planning to add TMA?

I was thinking about, seem to be a good way to keep realism, but if I do so, it will need a huge manual just like Dangerous Waters. Target Motion Analysis would be very good especially for subsurface units, but it's so complex that would need a player/AI exclusively for this operation.

I'm also thinking about make an Air Operations simulation, since for surface ships, Aircrafts would bring an expansion of the ship activities (sensors, weapons, maneuvering, etc.). Yes, it's that yellow guy making crazy hand signs on the Flight Deck.

http://www.defesaaereanaval.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Super-Lynx_Cross-Deck_07.jpg (196 kB)

Thanks for the support people.

[Stoogie 10]

I have to say, this project sounds pretty bold, and I absolutely love it! I can't wait to get my hands on the mod! By the way, where is the download link?

You have tackled one of the biggest problems in Arma 3: the lack of ships. You have done something that Bohemia Interactive failed to do. I commend you on your work. If you need an alpha tester, you've got a friend in me!

[HorribleGoat 1473]

Woah so much cool stuff going on! Would be just amazing to see all this in Arma!

[Darkhorse 1-6 16]

Stoogie, there's no download link, and as of yet there are no ships. If you read carefully you will find that the only thing being worked on currently is the scripting. It would take more time than MANW allows to come up with a fleet such as what he's planned out above, so I wouldn't get your hopes too high just yet. Especially seeing how Bohemia keeps breaking their own tools and missions with these new updates.

[lumnuon 295]

Is this still being worked on? :bounce3:

[Degman 73]

Outstanding! Defenietely one of better projects in MANW. We really are missing a real naval warfare in Arma series.

[DenyWilCo 22]

I really hope this is still alive.

[toppestofhatts 10]

Seems like a great idea. This would be a good addition to ArmA 3, if someone bothered to create it.