Can I use Zeus 3d editor to build nonzeus missions?

[Gunter Severloh 4070]

Hello guys,

Just starting to look into Zeus after all this time, i recently was checking out the editor in a couple of videos which intrigued me so

I have been reviewing the Zeus field manual for the basic editing and controls.

What I'd like to know as the title says is can i use Zeus 3d editor to build missions for sp or coop that play like a regular sp or coop mission that was

edited in the regular sp/mp editor?

Im looking for a better funner way to create missions, i've looked at MCC, and template oriented mods but they dont really grab my attention,

my concern is from what i have messed around with so far is that zeus may tag everything placed and then not work like a normal sp or coop mission, and require

some zeus module, or function in the mission I'm hoping and or at least like to create a mission with zeus and then also be able to look at it in the regular sp editor,

add scripts, and what not, can someone explain or link some info to what works and what doesn't with zeus?

Other questions, when a zeus mission is saved, does it save like a usermission saved in the speditor, when you export it does it create a pbo, and where are the

files located at when they are saved?

[Gunter Severloh 4070]

I'm finding out myself that zeus seems to be just dynamic on the fly sp, and mostly geared mp only, saving it which if

there is an option for it I've yet to find, and again I take that as a no. So this is what I find rather dumb if you will, here you have this powerful

almost easy to use well the little bit I tried, 3d editor, and you cant save anything you build.

Isn't there some possibility of scripting it so that whatever you build you can use the save function from the reg sp/mp editors and create an sqm from it?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Günter Severloh

[A.Cyprus 16]

Not having tried it myself, I cannot offer 100% definitive advice, though several of my friends use Zeus to essentially prepare as much as possible for a mission, MCC to save this, and then use that template during a live Zeus curated session to add and direct units on the fly.

I expect there are some guides floating around, if not in these forums or even the MCC thread then at least on YouTube.

Good luck. I agree fully with your penultimate paragraph and hope you can sort it.

[SavageCDN 231]

AFAIK there is no way to 'save' your zeus-created mission...so not good if you're looking to create a template however with MCC you can save to .sqm format. As Cyrus mentioned you can use MCC to create your template (objects, ammoboxes, start location, respawn points, etc) then use Zeus while running the mission to make adjustments 'on the fly'.

[spidypiet 17]

i use the MCC mod version

Zeus is intergrated ,that way you can save your build mission

i even build small portions of a mission and merge them with the Main mission

[Gunter Severloh 4070]

So basically what your saying is you run MCC, go to the 3d editor which is basically zeus or MCC has its own 3d editor, i think I seen it

and tried it and dont like the function of it, the controls feel clumsy compared to zeus's unless i used a different one idk its been a while, maybe I have an old version

as I tried it long ago when it first released for Arma3 and that was about it, all i ever wanted was a 3d editor for the game, wasn't interested in

all the complex stuff MCC has aside the 3deditor.

So if I use MCC how do i get to the zeus editor through it then build my mission and save it like a reg sp/mp editor mission?

[SavageCDN 231]

I'm not too sure on the Zeus side as I haven't used it much.. but in MCC you login to the console, Alt + Left click on the map to start the 3d editor. Place your objects, etc then back in the main MCC console near the bottom there is a SAVE/LOAD button.. in there you can save all MCC-placed objects to the clipboard in .sqm format - simply create a mission.sqm file and folder for the mission (ie: mcc_test.stratis folder then put the mission.sqm inside)

[spidypiet 17]

I'm not too sure on the Zeus side as I haven't used it much.. but in MCC you login to the console, Alt + Left click on the map to start the 3d editor. Place your objects, etc then back in the main MCC console near the bottom there is a SAVE/LOAD button.. in there you can save all MCC-placed objects to the clipboard in .sqm format - simply create a mission.sqm file and folder for the mission (ie: mcc_test.stratis folder then put the mission.sqm inside)

zeus is intergrated in MCC so if you use zeus for creating your mission in MCC and then login save/load All to SQM

then all items objects units and even waypoints made with zeus wil alsol be saved to the clipboard

i use the modded version of MCC

create new mission create a player unit hit preview then hit Y key for the Zeus editor place objects and units what ever you want

the hit Y again for leaving zeus then scroll up/down with mouse wheel you will see MCC in your action menu click MCC and login then save/load all to sqm

now all is saved to the clipboard end the game backin the editor alt+tab out to desktop

now find you mission in my documents/arma3-other profiles/username/missions/yourmission

now open your mission.SQM with notepad++ then ctrl+a then ctrl+v and save go back to the editor reload your mission

you will need to clean up some unwanted garbage surrounding you player unit (its now a regular AI unit change it back to player) like windfx.pollen

save again in the editor now all is done and ready to go

tip:

creating missions can take many hours day's or even weeks to complete

so i create my main mission where i create tasks and place DAC triggers

and use seperate MCC/Zeus missions to Merge in to the main missions

also create mission Backups before working altering or merging

Edited November 13, 2014 by SPIDYpiet

[Gunter Severloh 4070]

Thanks for the feedback, wanted to ask a question

create new mission create a player unit hit preview then hit Y key for the Zeus editor place objects and units what ever you want

the hit Y again for leaving zeus then scroll up/down with mouse wheel you will see MCC in your action menu click MCC and login then save/load all to sqm

So what your saying is that I launch the game with MCC but dont start it, just go into the editor like normal, and then hit Y for zeus and build my mission then hit y again to exit zeus

and then login in and save with MCC, as what you said there, so my question is how does MCC have a copy of what you just built, as when i was working with Zeus last after i exited

it i was pretty much where I started with a player on the map?

[SavageCDN 231]

good info

Thanks for the updated info.. .I haven't used MCC 3D editor in a while didn't realize how integrated it is with Zeus

[Gunter Severloh 4070]

:459: it works!!

You literally can build missions with zeus while using MCC as explained by SPIDYpiet, thank you very much for this insight, I just tried it followed your directions.

Heres a more detailed version of your instructions for anyone else that might be interested in this approach through MCC and Zeus.

1. Place player down on a map

2. save the mission with the name that you want your mission to be

3. preview the mission, then press Y to access Zeus

4. make all your edits with zeus (build your mission)

5. press Y again to close zeus

6. scroll your mouse wheel to see and access MCC in your action menu

7. click on MCC and login then save/load all to sqm, now all is saved to the clipboard.

8. End the game (your in preview mode), go back in the editor alt+tab out to desktop.

9. locate your mission in C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\missions\missionname.stratis (whatever the map is)

10. open your mission.SQM with notepad, notepad++, or armaedit then ctrl+a (select all) then ctrl+v (paste) and save, go back to the editor reload your mission.

11. when you reload your mission will be the 2d version of what you built in Zeus!!

No if BIS can integrate a save function like the regular 2d editor has and be able to export too, we can then just use zeus as our 3d editor, I wonder if this has been

submitted on the feedback tracker as a requested feature, I'll check.

Theres already a number of tickets available http://feedback.arma3.com/view_all_bug_page.php

heres one for save and load but no one can vote on it anymore, at least not me

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=2496

Edited November 13, 2014 by Günter Severloh

[spidypiet 17]

it works!!

You literally can build missions with zeus while using MCC as explained by SPIDYpiet, thank you very much for this insight, I just tried it followed your directions.

Heres a more detailed version of your instructions for anyone else that might be interested in this approach through MCC and Zeus.

glad i could help

Edited November 13, 2014 by SPIDYpiet

[naizarak 4]

yes it's possible to save zeus generated objects to the map. use MCC's "save mission" feature and paste the zeus generated objects into your mission.sqm file

[spookygnu 563]

Thanks SPIDYpiet and Gunter for the more detailed explanation. That'll save hours of 2d editing templates.

[geloxo 2]

Take also a look at GX Addons which include a Zeus advanced script. It allows you to import and export to a script that can be called by any mission later. I have also seen that someone recently published in armaholic a script to export content to sqm format to integrate things into 2D editor.

[austin_medic 109]

Take also a look at GX Addons which include a Zeus advanced script. It allows you to import and export to a script that can be called by any mission later. I have also seen that someone recently published in armaholic a script to export content to sqm format to integrate things into 2D editor.

That someone would be me. Theres a link to the download in my signature, and I'll include a link to a steam workshop mission that you can use: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=348196128