Satellite view (SATCOM) for ARMA 3

[chicago 13]

Satellite view (SATCOM) for ARMA 3

by Pixel Art Studio

I'd like to announce the first release of SATCOM system (satellite view) for ARMA 3. Because this is already third version of SATCOM in the community and I have experienced with its creation, for now, I tried to make it to look more realistic, although there’s no possibility to implement all parts of satellite systems as it is in real life or military services. Because of it, all coordinates and the others output values in SATCOM have real based format and values. But of course, there was a space for an imagination as well.

Script variant available only

For now, there’s available only script variant of SATCOM system because the unknown issue has appeared with packing and binarizing of the add-on file. Soon as I will solve this problem, I will release the add-on version.

Manual:

In this version you can find the User manual inside of the release packing

Screenshots:

http://www.pxs.armaholic.eu/pictures/satcom3new.png (3477 kB)

License agreement

This work was created by members of Pixel Art Studio (PXS) with the help of people noted in credits. It is permitted to use, modify or implement any piece of this work unless you will note the name of Pixel Art Studio in the credits of your own project. The using the name of the author in your credits file is taken as a permission and agreement by the Pixel Art Studio.

This work is released under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivs license.

Downloads:

Satellite view (SATCOM) for ARMA 3, v1.0 *the manual has been updated

Satellite view (SATCOM) for ARMA 3 - Example mission

Edited June 5, 2014 by chicago

[kremator 1065]

A welcome return. Good to see this back again in Arma3!

[warlord554 2065]

Nice to have it back. Many thanks

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Satellite view (SATCOM) v1.0

================================================

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

This means in the future you will be able to maintain these pages yourself if you wish to do so. Once this new feature is ready we will contact you about it and explain how things work and what options you have.

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!

** Note:

since this is a project on which more people are working we will contact you in the future to discuss how you want this to be setup on Armaholic.

[kimi_uy 135]

Hi, thanks for releasing this. One problem though, I can't get it to work. I put the respective lines in both the init.sqf and the description.ext, then run the mission in the editor and an error about the description pops up. What am I missing? Where do I put the PXS_switcher?

[chicago 13]

Hi, thanks for releasing this. One problem though, I can't get it to work. I put the respective lines in both the init.sqf and the description.ext, then run the mission in the editor and an error about the description pops up. What am I missing? Where do I put the PXS_switcher?

Hey, you can use PXS_switcher in any script you want but it has to be after that all functions and varibles in init_satellite.sqf are loaded. One expamle of init.sqf:

_a1 = [] execVM "pxs_satcom_a3\init_satellite.sqf";
sleep 0.2;
//action
[player, true] call PXS_switcher;

[nemiuk 10]

On loading it says "Include file pxs_satcom_a3\init_interference.hpp not found" inside the folder it only has "init_interface.hpp", hope this helps to fix it Chicago. Thank you for doing an A3 version by the way.

[chicago 13]

@Nemiuk: Thank you for reporting the bug.

There was a mistake in User Manual, in description.ext file has to be writen this:

#include "pxs_satcom_a3\init_interface.hpp"

I fixed the manual and updated the download file.

[OfficerJR 10]

Hey, you can use PXS_switcher in any script you want but it has to be after that all functions and varibles in init_satellite.sqf are loaded. One expamle of init.sqf:

_a1 = [] execVM "pxs_satcom_a3\init_satellite.sqf";
sleep 0.2;
//action
[player, true] call PXS_switcher;

So I'm not exactly sure how to get this to work either. I put the switcher line in the missions init.sqf but it doesn't seem to change anything. I figured I needed to do something with the start_satellite.sqf, but what I have tried hasn't worked so I'm clue less.

[iEx 10]

Can i ask you make an mission example?

I can't get it work on 'start_satellite' func

I'm newbie,so,i'm sorry :/

[chicago 13]

Well, I made an example mission. Hopefully, it'll be clear for now :)

Link: pxs_satcom3_example.Stratis

[iEx 10]

Thanks,that's was my mistake(first off was check 'waitUntil { isServer || !isNull player };' -> No any reaction from hook)...

[rlex 21]

I'm trying to integrate that to DUWS, with includes get this:

File pxs_satcom_a3/init_interface.hpp, line 64: .RscText: member already defined.

[fortun 14]

Example mission seems to have some errors when starting

[rlex 21]

Nevermind, solved. Was problem in my mission, seems like font data was already defined...

Looks like bug: you get sound when looking at satellite image. What kind of technology this is? :D

[rlex 21]

Also, is there any function to directly access satellite feed? I want to attach SATCOM support to some object.

[lawndartleo 109]

Ditto to rlex's post. I would like to have a static object at base or perhaps a vehicle that has the functionality rather than running around with an eye in the sky, as it were.

[rlex 21]

Actually i found way to use it with object, ie my code:

_object addAction ["<t color=#ff0066'>SATCOM</t>", {call PXS_startSatellite;}, "", 0, true, true, "", "_this == player];

[lawndartleo 109]

Thank you rlex, I have it all sorted now... mostly.

MY remaining question is related to the camera direction. It seems that things are off by about 45°. I've gone in and fiddled with camSetDir (bugged as far as I can tell from reading) and setDir (no effect that I can see). How does one get thing oriented with the cam so that north is up?

[GODSPEEDSNAKE 12]

Hey there, great work and looks really good so far, it almost seems to be working great except for when loading a mission I get the error for the switcher.sqf script line 8 which is

private ["_unit","_status"];

_unit = [_x, 0, player] call BIS_fnc_param;

_status = [_x, 1, true] call BIS_fnc_param;

I have been trying to rectify with no luck?? Any ideas?

[emton 15]

Please can we get a way to have the camera aligned to North, so that the top of the screen is pointing North when in satellite view. It would be so much better.

[Coding 12]

Please can we get a way to have the camera aligned to North, so that the top of the screen is pointing North when in satellite view. It would be so much better.

key_function.sqf (also makes movement a bit faster):

private["_event","_keyCode","_return"];

_event = _this;
_keyCode = _event select 1;
_return = true;

#define FACTOR 50

switch (_keyCode) do
{
case 1://ESC
{
	call PXS_closeCamera;
};
case 2://1 normal view
{
	[2] call PXS_adjustCamera;
};
case 3://2 thermograph
{
	[3] call PXS_adjustCamera;
};
case 4://3 white is hot
{
	[4] call PXS_adjustCamera;
};
case 5://4 black is hot
{
	[5] call PXS_adjustCamera;
};
case 50://M redefine default satellite position
{
	call PXS_redefineDefaultPos;
};
default
{
	_return = false;
};
};
// key combo handling
if (!(_return)) then
{
private["_pressedButtonArray"];
_pressedButtonArray = [_keyCode];
_return = true;

// check for key actions
switch (true) do
{
	//case 17://W
	case (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "MoveForward")) > 0):
	{
		PXS_SatelliteNorthMovementDelta = 8;
		PXS_SatelliteTarget setPos [((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0),((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1) + PXS_SatelliteNorthMovementDelta,(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2];
		call PXS_updateCamera;
	};
	//case 31://S
	case (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "MoveBack")) > 0):
	{
		PXS_SatelliteSouthMovementDelta = 8;
		PXS_SatelliteTarget setPos [((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0),((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1) - PXS_SatelliteSouthMovementDelta,(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2];
		call PXS_updateCamera;
	};
	//case 30://A
	case (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "TurnLeft")) > 0):
	{
		PXS_SatelliteWestMovementDelta = 8;
		PXS_SatelliteTarget setPos [((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0) - PXS_SatelliteWestMovementDelta,((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1),(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2];
		call PXS_updateCamera;
	};
	//case 32://D
	case (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "TurnRight")) > 0):
	{
		PXS_SatelliteEastMovementDelta = 8;
		PXS_SatelliteTarget setPos [((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0) + PXS_SatelliteEastMovementDelta,((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1),(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2];
		call PXS_updateCamera;
	};
	//case 78://Num +
	case ((({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "ZoomIn")) > 0) || (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "MoveDown")) > 0)):
	{
		if ((PXS_SatelliteFOV) >= 0.011) then
		{
			PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV * (0.8);
			//PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV - (0.0005 * FACTOR);
			//PXS_SatelliteZoom = PXS_SatelliteZoom + (0.02 * FACTOR);
			call PXS_updateCamera;
		};
	};
	//case 74://Num -
	case ((({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "ZoomOut")) > 0) || (({_x in _pressedButtonArray} count (actionKeys "MoveUp")) > 0)):
	{
		if ((PXS_SatelliteFOV) < 8) then
		{
			PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV * (1.0/0.8);
			//PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV + (0.0005 * FACTOR);
			//PXS_SatelliteZoom = PXS_SatelliteZoom - (0.02 * FACTOR);
			call PXS_updateCamera;
		};
	};
	default
	{
		_return = false;
	};
};
};
_return;

updateCamera.sqf:

PXS_SatelliteCamera camPrepareTarget
[
((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0) - 0,
((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1) + 1,
(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2
];
PXS_SatelliteCamera camSetPos
[
(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 0,
(getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 1,
((getPos PXS_SatelliteTarget) select 2) + PXS_SatelliteInitialHeight
];
PXS_SatelliteCamera camPrepareFov PXS_SatelliteFOV;
PXS_SatelliteCamera camCommitPrepared 0;

switcher.sqf (fix script errors)

//the function to switch on/off of SATCOM system
//[unitName, activeStatus] call PXS_switcher
//unitName - the unit for SATCOM action
//activeStatus - true or false
//v1.0 A3

private ["_unit","_status"];
_unit = [_this, 0, player] call BIS_fnc_param;
_status = [_this, 1, true] call BIS_fnc_param;

if (_status) then {
_unit removeAction PXS_action;
PXS_action = _unit addAction ["Switch on satellite view","pxs_satcom_a3\start_satellite.sqf"];
//hint "SATCOM system is connected.";
} else {
if (!isNil "PXS_action") then
{
	_unit removeAction PXS_action;
};
if (!isNil "PXS_SatelliteActive") then
{
	if (PXS_SatelliteActive) then
	{
		call PXS_closeCamera;
	};
};
//hint localize "SATCOM system is disconnected.";
};

[emton 15]

BEAUTIFUL THANKS Coding that's PERFECT. Also if you want to have faster mouse zoom speed I did these changes in mouseZChanged file, not sure if this is the best way but it worked for me:

private["_mouseWheelTurns","_return","_z"];

// ------------------ Parse Arguments -----------------

_mouseWheelTurns = _this select 1;

_return = false;

#define FACTOR 25

// ----------------------- Main Function ---------------------

_z = (_mouseWheelTurns * (-64));
if ((_z / (abs _z)) < 0) then
{
if ((PXS_SatelliteZoom + (0.08 * FACTOR)) <= 47) then
{
	PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV - (0.0020 * FACTOR);
	PXS_SatelliteZoom = PXS_SatelliteZoom + (0.08 * FACTOR);
	call PXS_updateCamera;
};
}
else
{
if ((PXS_SatelliteZoom - (0.08 * FACTOR)) >= 0.1) then
{
	PXS_SatelliteFOV = PXS_SatelliteFOV + (0.0020 * FACTOR);
	PXS_SatelliteZoom = PXS_SatelliteZoom - (0.08 * FACTOR);
	call PXS_updateCamera;
};
};
_return;

Also I'm using the SATCOM in my version of DUWS https://github.com/Emton/DUWS-Longbow/ where I also made some style changes to the camera (removed the lines and colors)

EDIT: Ah I don't know if these changes are good for the mouse zooming I keep running into a bug where if I use combinations of zooming with the the keys and zooming with mouse then I end up not being able to zoom at all.

Also if you get this, I kinda wish the #2 camera view could have it's spectrum shifted so that there is less green, more yellow and red, so that you can see more detail in terrain and stuff, think that is possible?

Edited March 30, 2015 by Emton

[NATE4984 aka One Shot 10]

Actually i found way to use it with object, ie my code:

_object addAction ["<t color=#ff0066'>SATCOM</t>", {call PXS_startSatellite;}, "", 0, true, true, "", "_this == player];

Sorry but how exactly would you do this to add it to a laptop in game?

[lawndartleo 109]

Is there any way to assign the satcom to a particular NAMED player slot?  having 8 guys running around with a sattelite feed is kinda wierd.

 

Thank you to Coding for the north fix!

_a1 = [] execVM "pxs_satcom_a3\init_satellite.sqf";
sleep 0.2;
//action
[player, true] call PXS_switcher;

EDIT... OK... maybe I was over thinking this.  Apparently the word player needs to be just whatever the name is, no fancy crap Necessary.  Will report back when its working completely.  I have a weird lockup for some reason when I look at sat map.  Can hit the ESC key to exit game but other than that it's not working.