Mission Template Stand Alone GAIA - Make missions FAST by using MCC GAIA engine

[Izual 10]

Hey spirit, another quick question if I may.

What happens when there's sea/water in the zone? Will Gaia ignore the ocean part, or actually try to patrol it if it has boats? Does it affect foot soldiers' patrols (e.g. they patrol on the shores to see as much ocean as possible)?

[spirit6 51]

Hey spirit, another quick question if I may.

What happens when there's sea/water in the zone? Will Gaia ignore the ocean part, or actually try to patrol it if it has boats? Does it affect foot soldiers' patrols (e.g. they patrol on the shores to see as much ocean as possible)?

Nothing will happen. All units are automaticly recognized and categorized by GAIA each 10 seconds. Each category holds its own terrain preference. Boats want water, infantry wants land, air units dont care. Just put in a zone over water and land and put some stuff in, you will see it will work. It will cateogrize each 10 seconds because the class can change. They might own a boat but if that is blown up then they are suddenly infantry. They will go to land preference then.

Boats will also go to conflict area's on the water. So if you go over the water and there is an AI controlled gun boat that spots you or somebody on land spots you, gaia might send the boat to the last location you have been spotted.

[Izual 10]

Wow, that's really nice. Thanks for the answers!

[Izual 10]

Questions. They keep popping in my head man, can't help it.

I've given flare shells to grenadier AI, to see if they used it at night when engaging their opponents. I noticed everyone was using smoke grenades so the system seemed to work pretty well. However, during the tests not a single flare round was fired by the grenadiers. How do I make this work?

[spirit6 51]

Questions. They keep popping in my head man, can't help it.

I've given flare shells to grenadier AI, to see if they used it at night when engaging their opponents. I noticed everyone was using smoke grenades so the system seemed to work pretty well. However, during the tests not a single flare round was fired by the grenadiers. How do I make this work?

Use of flares is automated and to use them quite some requirements need to be met. A few of them are combat and relatively close by spotted enemy.

[Izual 10]

Use of flares is automated and to use them quite some requirements need to be met. A few of them are combat and relatively close by spotted enemy.

I think these requirements were met. You don't mean chemlight when saying flares, do you?

[spirit6 51]

I think these requirements were met. You don't mean chemlight when saying flares, do you?

Nope. But flares are not used mathematical. It also requires it to be dark. Had a mission myself yesterday and had some flares going by ai.

[Izual 10]

It's 1am and clouds are at 85%. It's quite dark. I'll run some more tests, glad to know it should work.

[davidzi 11]

I have to ask. Does it work with ALIVE? Anyone attempt this yet?

It doesn't seem like they work together unfortunately.

[bIS_fnc_groupVehicles] Parameter Group must not be null, (OBJECT or GROUP) required

Once the Profile system module from ALiVE is removed they carry out their orders, with it enabled they ignore GAIA orders and do nothing.

Are there any known workarounds or plans to make it compatible?

Love the control GAIA gives you, thanks for the release.

[spirit6 51]

As I understood people have been using the MCC Mission generator (and for that with GAIA) successfully in an Alive mission. But as it you say, the Alive profile system breaks up GAIA(not other way around), so I think you need to knock on Alive's door if you want it fixed. NOt a lot I can do about that.

[Duke101 18]

Thanks so much for sharing this script spirit- I really like the look of this. I'm working on a mission currently using your gaia...but I keep getting the same error DavidZi mentioned:

 [bIS_fnc_groupVehicles] Parameter Group must not be null, (OBJECT or GROUP) required  

I am not using the ALIVE mod- but I do have units placed in the editor, which I'm not calling the gaia script for (I'm also using a hunt script I created, for units that will spawn later in the game)- will this cause this error? Thanks.

[spirit6 51]

Thanks so much for sharing this script spirit- I really like the look of this. I'm working on a mission currently using your gaia...but I keep getting the same error DavidZi mentioned:

 [bIS_fnc_groupVehicles] Parameter Group must not be null, (OBJECT or GROUP) required  

I am not using the ALIVE mod- but I do have units placed in the editor, which I'm not calling the gaia script for (I'm also using a hunt script I created, for units that will spawn later in the game)- will this cause this error? Thanks.

Run ARMA without any addons, then use the template. When I do that, then i dont see any errors relating to that. If that is the same for you, start adding mods until you see an issue.

[Duke101 18]

Run ARMA without any addons, then use the template. When I do that, then i dont see any errors relating to that. If that is the same for you, start adding mods until you see an issue.

Thanks Spirit- I will try that.

[Duke101 18]

Ok I checked the mods I am running and that was all fine (thank goodness).

So I just went through everything slowly, making sure the syntax/arrays were correct for each group, everything in the init, etc.

Then I noticed I put this in my init:

if (isServer ) then 
{
[] spawn 
{
	_gaia_respawn = [];
	while {true} do
	{
		//player globalchat "Deleting started..............";

		{
			_gaia_respawn = (missionNamespace getVariable [ "GAIA_RESPAWN_" + str(_x),[] ]);
			//Store ALL original group setups
			if (count(_gaia_respawn)==0) then {[(_x)] call fn_cache_original_group;};

			if ((({alive _x} count units _x) == 0) ) then 
			{
				//Before we send him to heaven check if he should be reincarnated
				if (count(_gaia_respawn)==2) then {	[_gaia_respawn,(_x getVariable  ["MCC_GAIA_RESPAWN",-1]),(_x getVariable  ["MCC_GAIA_CACHE",false]),(_x getVariable  ["GAIA_zone_intend",[]])] call fn_uncache_original_group;};					

				//Remove the respawn group content before the group is re-used
				missionNamespace setVariable ["GAIA_RESPAWN_" + str(_x), nil];

				deleteGroup _x;
			};

			sleep .1;

		} foreach allGroups;			

		sleep 2; 
	};
};
}; 

I am not using respawn for any of my units...anyhow, I deleted this from my init and the error disappeared.

so that's great. Thanks again.

[spirit6 51]

Ok I checked the mods I am running and that was all fine (thank goodness).

So I just went through everything slowly, making sure the syntax/arrays were correct for each group, everything in the init, etc.

Then I noticed I put this in my init:

if (isServer ) then 
{
[] spawn 
{
	_gaia_respawn = [];
	while {true} do
	{
		//player globalchat "Deleting started..............";

		{
			_gaia_respawn = (missionNamespace getVariable [ "GAIA_RESPAWN_" + str(_x),[] ]);
			//Store ALL original group setups
			if (count(_gaia_respawn)==0) then {[(_x)] call fn_cache_original_group;};

			if ((({alive _x} count units _x) == 0) ) then 
			{
				//Before we send him to heaven check if he should be reincarnated
				if (count(_gaia_respawn)==2) then {	[_gaia_respawn,(_x getVariable  ["MCC_GAIA_RESPAWN",-1]),(_x getVariable  ["MCC_GAIA_CACHE",false]),(_x getVariable  ["GAIA_zone_intend",[]])] call fn_uncache_original_group;};					

				//Remove the respawn group content before the group is re-used
				missionNamespace setVariable ["GAIA_RESPAWN_" + str(_x), nil];

				deleteGroup _x;
			};

			sleep .1;

		} foreach allGroups;			

		sleep 2; 
	};
};
}; 

I am not using respawn for any of my units...anyhow, I deleted this from my init and the error disappeared.

so that's great. Thanks again.

Yeah, that is code that is part of the template. This is what causes issues? If so, can you send me the mission file that you use that causes the issue? Then i go check it out and update the template where needed. Thanks for investigating.

[spirit6 51]

Found the bugger. In fn_cache_original_group the found group is called. with parameters:

_group 		= _this select 0; 
_units  		= units _group;
_vehicles		=  [_group] call  BIS_fnc_groupVehicles;

Seems like the group is already deleted/gone before it reaches this function. That itself is kind of strange but i go investigate it a bit more. Thanks for info!

[-lordsoth- 15]

Thanks so much for sharing this script spirit- I really like the look of this. I'm working on a mission currently using your gaia...but I keep getting the same error DavidZi mentioned:

 [bIS_fnc_groupVehicles] Parameter Group must not be null, (OBJECT or GROUP) required  

I am not using the ALIVE mod- but I do have units placed in the editor, which I'm not calling the gaia script for (I'm also using a hunt script I created, for units that will spawn later in the game)- will this cause this error? Thanks.

I get same error, does not seem to affect anything as far as I can tell when running alive and using Gaia scripts. I have probably 14 manually placed vehicles (including helicopters) in in takistan which have Gaia init, after about 15 seconds in game off they go and head to their respective zones to patrol. I open mcc in game and the units I placed are showing (G) indicating Gaia is in charge. There seems to be no interruption with my alive placements and everything seems ok. I would like to get rid of the error though but unfortunately it's not my init causing the issue as I don't have that respawn stuff in it.

[spirit6 51]

I get same error, does not seem to affect anything as far as I can tell when running alive and using Gaia scripts. I have probably 14 manually placed vehicles (including helicopters) in in takistan which have Gaia init, after about 15 seconds in game off they go and head to their respective zones to patrol. I open mcc in game and the units I placed are showing (G) indicating Gaia is in charge. There seems to be no interruption with my alive placements and everything seems ok. I would like to get rid of the error though but unfortunately it's not my init causing the issue as I don't have that respawn stuff in it.

Are you running MCC on top of the template?

[spirit6 51]

Next version the error "[bIS_fnc_groupVehicles] Parameter Group must not be null, (OBJECT or GROUP) required" is fixed.

[Duke101 18]

Yeah, that is code that is part of the template. This is what causes issues? If so, can you send me the mission file that you use that causes the issue? Then i go check it out and update the template where needed. Thanks for investigating.

I am happy to give you the mission file, but the error has gone now- do you still want it anyway?

---------- Post added at 21:47 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

I get same error, does not seem to affect anything as far as I can tell when running alive and using Gaia scripts. I have probably 14 manually placed vehicles (including helicopters) in in takistan which have Gaia init, after about 15 seconds in game off they go and head to their respective zones to patrol. I open mcc in game and the units I placed are showing (G) indicating Gaia is in charge. There seems to be no interruption with my alive placements and everything seems ok. I would like to get rid of the error though but unfortunately it's not my init causing the issue as I don't have that respawn stuff in it.

Thanks, that's good to know- but the error seems to have gone now anyway. :)

[redarmy 422]

Hi Spirit

I downloaded the template and mucked about with it.All is good,crystal clear.

Of course i have a question ;) I have been using upsmon recently,and one thing i particularly like about it is that i can set things like "SAFE" "COMBAT" etc into the groups init.So that units have a predefined behaviour.

Is this possible with Gaia?

[spirit6 51]

Hi Spirit

I downloaded the template and mucked about with it.All is good,crystal clear.

Of course i have a question ;) I have been using upsmon recently,and one thing i particularly like about it is that i can set things like "SAFE" "COMBAT" etc into the groups init.So that units have a predefined behaviour.

Is this possible with Gaia?

Coolio. No, that is not possible. The whole idea is to let GAIA decide on behavior, so I dont intend to put this in. But normal wayponts can do ofcourse.

[delta99 34]

Spirit, this is great stuff. Is it possible to link zones or have groups that can be defined for multiple zones? This would allow for things like patrols between zones and for support for various zones as well.

---------- Post added at 22:37 ---------- Previous post was at 21:35 ----------

Another question. Will GAIA controlled units use editor placed fortifications and static weapons while in FORTIFY?

[redarmy 422]

@ Delta

GAIA will use editor placed fortifications as far as i can see,HOWEVER,sometimes certain structures are funny,like MBG objects>houses....the group i told to fortify fortified "outside" the building,as in took positions at doors,and windows outside buildings.Try around with different structures

@Spirit

Thanks man.I was using respawn,and putting a setting of 1,always causes groups to respawn 2 times.Any other number works fine.Is this a bug on my end or itentional?

Edit:

Also want to say how fantastic it is to have a good cache system.Is it possible to have the group cach all except leader at ALL distances?

The reason i want this is because if i the player have cache set at 1000,and the enemy is 2000 away(and fully cached if i understand correctly) and i send an AI squad to cached enemys position,then i move a few meters towards cached enemy,they will simply just spawn in on AI group.

If its not already implimented would it be a possible feature you would consider?

Because there are other reasons for having a leader present besides the one i mentioned.(trigger conditions etc)

Or is it simply not possible?

Edited October 13, 2014 by redarmy

[delta99 34]

@ Delta

GAIA will use editor placed fortifications as far as i can see,HOWEVER,sometimes certain structures are funny,like MBG objects>houses....the group i told to fortify fortified "outside" the building,as in took positions at doors,and windows outside buildings.Try around with different structures

I tried using one of the standard BIS fortifications (the 2 story MG bunkers - Land_BagBunker_Tower_F) and they didn't seem to select them at all. They will get in static guns however like O_HMG_01_high_F. So, I tried putting them onto the 2nd story of the bunkers but they first didn't seem to get into them. To me it looked like they were stuck trying to get up to the 2nd story so just remained in a strange position outside the bunker (this might be similar to what you were seeing). But then when I tried again they finally got into a static gun on the 2nd story. I will need to test again with just the bunkers and nothing else to see if I ever get guys on the 2nd story or if they always just get stuck. It could be that there is a dumb position set to the outside of the bunker and it just so happens I was unlucky enough that they never choose the position on the 2nd floor or even inside.