Scripts Vs Mods: what's better?

[zagor64bz 1225]

Hi, 

it may sound like a noobish question, but whats are the pro and con of script versus mod in mission making?

 

I heard  that if you have lots of scripts running to achieve your mission demands, they may slow down performance. In the same time, you could use mods to get the same results, but then, beside the fact that the list could and will get quite long,they may not all get along very well.

 

Is that right?

As a noob mission maker, which direction should I go?

Thank you everybody. 

[davidoss 552]

Basically you need mod if you want to patch configfile (adding object and other stuff to the game)

Using scripts you cant do that.

 

Scripts are just code snippets to handle events, scenario flew, adding new possibilities.

 

If you thinking about performance there are no difference between mission scripts and addon scripts.

Script itself need to be smart written to avoid performance drop.

[Degman 73]

If you're using too much scripts, then yes - the performance will be affected. If you're using a mod that uses scripts to get the same result, then the performance will be affected again.

 

It is always important to balance between the performance and content, so it is completely up to you and what you're creating.

[Rydygier 1317]

One thing more - if you, say, want to script something in your mission, doing it via addon (pbo) instead putting scripts directly into the mission, there are at least two cons:

 

1. Additional work/complication at making the addon for you;

2. Mission will be mod-dependent, not standalone, which means, each user would have to download, install and use your addon along with your mission (two pbos, mission, and the addon, instead one), such additional hassle may and will discourage some players (means less people will play your mission). 

 

Thus addons containing scripts only makes sense, if you want to make standalone script mod, like AI mods, that would work with any Arma mission or if you want your scripts to be available for any mission maker via editor-placed modules, functions library itp. or to run them via init config entry of some models to modify their behavior or whatever.

 

But if you wish just to make a mission with custom scripts, not a standalone scripted addon, then I would recommend to put scripts directly into the mission without creating any additional addons. Simplier for you and the players with no known to me cons compared to doing the same via separate addon. 

[jshock 513]

An upside to an addon (that some people benefit from) with just scripts no true modifications, is that mission develpers wouldn't have to go back and update all their missions just to include your script or update it for each new release. Sure there is the hassle of downloading a small addon, but most of the time, if it's just scripts, the mission isn't overly dependent on the addon because for most addons like that the effect is clientside. It also reduces overall mission file size, allowing for faster loading times when joining a server.

[Grumpy Old Man 3549]

If you're using too much scripts, then yes - the performance will be affected. If you're using a mod that uses scripts to get the same result, then the performance will be affected again.

Please explain how you came to these findings.

 

Cheers

[wyattwic 38]

From what I have experienced, performance impact of addons vs scripts are the same when compared apples to apples.  Startup and load times may increase depending on the changes made by the addon (if its focused on things scripts cant do).   

There are a few key pros and cons to either side.

 

Addons provide the ability to add or modify config file entries, such as new weapons, magazines and whole new functionalities. In short addons have more "access" to the game engine.      The major drawback for most - If its a client side addon, all players must have said addon downloaded and enabled to join the server.  This means they need to download it from steam or install it, and run it with the game (requires restart).

 

Utilizing scripts only can handle most of the things you need to do in arma, however you do not have that additional access to modify the configs or impliment whole new features.  The distinct advantage with using scripts only is that no additional work is needed by the end user to join, its just connect and play.

 

I personally only utilize server side addons such as extDB.  When utilizing server side addons, no additional burden is placed on your end users, while adding functionality to the server itself.    Most common forums of server side addons are AI upgrades, database functionality and some performance addons.

 

Hope this helps,

[zagor64bz 1225]

I run out of like for today, but really thank you guys for taking the time and effort to help.

 

I'm mostly making SP missions/campaign, and use both scripts for functions and mods for contents.

 

Sometime I find some fun mod with fun function, like Incognito status, for example. I'm just too worried that the user of the mission will be discourage if the mod list is too long. At the same time scripts, wile you are WIP on a mission and an update from BI come out, get all fucked up.

Like JSHOK pointed out it's easier  to update your mission with mods.

Bottom line, should I not be worried if the list get a little long, for the sake of easy updating?

 

Ciao.

[johnnyboy 3797]

I prefer not to use mods, as I feel the mission is less likely to be played the more mods required.   So I would only add mods that you really need for your story or setting.

 

You make a good point about BIS patches coming out and breaking scripts (and therefore missions).  My Exploding Barrels script was broken by patch 1.56, so any mission dependent on that script was affected (I've since fixed the script).

[serena 151]

Hi

Most of scripts executed by demand and not consume any performance when inactive. Other part of scripts, which running continuously, are in a sleep state most part of time and wake up periodically for a very small period of time to do their work. Some scripts wait for certain conditions in a sleep state, then wake up, do something and go sleep again. Well-designed scripts should not significantly affect performance.

 

Mods - it is not something free of scripts. Mods can aggregate scripts along with other resources. And scripts in mods can work in background mode and affect to performance too. Difference between mods and any resources in mission (scripts, configs, sounds) is pretty simple: mods can share content to all missions, missions not. It is all.

[M1ke_SK 230]

I prefer not to use mods, as I feel the mission is less likely to be played the more mods required.   So I would only add mods that you really need for your story or setting.

 

You make a good point about BIS patches coming out and breaking scripts (and therefore missions).  My Exploding Barrels script was broken by patch 1.56, so any mission dependent on that script was affected (I've since fixed the script).

 

Even when addon is updated, your mission is broken. For example you create mission with mod, they frequently update mod (rewrite class name, config, etc...) and fuck up settings that you use, suddenly you can't edit your mission, because mod object no longer exist and you have it placed in mission.

 

I share opinion with JohnyBoy, prefer to create missions without mods, I use scipts and set them to use mods if they are enabled.

 

Example:

 

if (isClass(configFile >> "CfgPatches" >> "mod_class")) then { 
    //use addon stuff
};

[johnnyboy 3797]

 

if (isClass(configFile >> "CfgPatches" >> "mod_class")) then { 

    //use addon stuff

};

Mike, thanks for that code snippet.  I was just wondering today about how to detect if a mod was present or not.

[jshock 513]

Mike, thanks for that code snippet.  I was just wondering today about how to detect if a mod was present or not.

Mike, thanks for that code snippet.  I was just wondering today about how to detect if a mod was present or not.

Yep I've been using that myself to have dual purpose scripts, vanilla or mod style. As far as mods like ACE3/CBA or similar all you need to check for is the main/common pbo class, as all other pbo's depend on those.

[Degman 73]

Please explain how you came to these findings.

 

Cheers

 

If the script is heavy and unoptimized then the engine will have to deal with it, what will eventually lead to performance issues, no matter if the scripts are located in addon or mission folder. The only advantage of an addon might be the mission loading time, as aswyattwic has implied earlier.

[fn_Quiksilver 1636]

Hi, 

it may sound like a noobish question, but whats are the pro and con of script versus mod in mission making?

 

I heard  that if you have lots of scripts running to achieve your mission demands, they may slow down performance. In the same time, you could use mods to get the same results, but then, beside the fact that the list could and will get quite long,they may not all get along very well.

 

Is that right?

As a noob mission maker, which direction should I go?

Thank you everybody. 

 

what if i told you, a script is a mod

[das attorney 858]

Also, you should tell people what you need from the script/mod.  It's all very well asking which one is better, but really anyone answering your question should ask you what you need to know for.

 

What's your goal/what do you need to do? etc etc

[bad benson 1733]

I run out of like for today, but really thank you guys for taking the time and effort to help.

 

I'm mostly making SP missions/campaign, and use both scripts for functions and mods for contents.

 

Sometime I find some fun mod with fun function, like Incognito status, for example. I'm just too worried that the user of the mission will be discourage if the mod list is too long. At the same time scripts, wile you are WIP on a mission and an update from BI come out, get all fucked up.

Like JSHOK pointed out it's easier  to update your mission with mods.

Bottom line, should I not be worried if the list get a little long, for the sake of easy updating?

 

Ciao.

 

i think overall you already got the right idea. especially that one line of yours pretty much sums up my personal approach: "use both scripts for functions and mods for contents" (the word content could also be replaced by the word "assets" here to make it clearer)

 

imho the biggest benefit of mods is additional data. or what you call it "content". new weapons, new units, new terrains. basically anything that requires new models, textures, animations. and of course all the config changes that others have mentioned. sounds can be done inside a mission and addon so they kind of fall out of this.

 

if you see a small mod that adds some scripted functionality, you should always think about the possibility of making that feature (or similar) yourself inside the mission. and among those "functionality" mods you also should divide between things that are potentially integral to a mission or, if it's an optional addition that doesn't interfere with or break the mission. so you should not try to make core functionality of you mission dependant on some addon, if you can avoid it.

 

i personally am a big believer in doing gameplay as much as possible in the mission but also using methods that adapt to the addons that happen to be installed on the server. that means for example reading available enemy unit classes from the config and then spawning from that pool. similar to how BI's Arsenal automatically shows you all weapons (inlcuding mods) that are available. another similar example would be spawning of random loot. i would never make huge arrays of all stuff but rather have functions that can spit out just what i need from everything that is available (every mod installed) on the fly.

 

it all depends on what you're trying to do though. i've seen mission with huge lists of mods and i understand that the mission maker might want to recreate a certain look and thought there's no way around 4 different weapon addons. i personally would never play those missions though since i'm simply to lazy and it's way to inconvenient for something that might not be good and i'd have to play it first (including downloading the full list) to find out.

 

as a final note i'd add that CUP and RHS at this point could be considered vanilla since most people already have that downloaded, so i'd not be too worried about using those.

[zagor64bz 1225]

Also, you should tell people what you need from the script/mod.  It's all very well asking which one is better, but really anyone answering your question should ask you what you need to know for.

 

What's your goal/what do you need to do? etc etc

 

Thank you man, I was generally speaking.  

i think overall you already got the right idea. especially that one line of yours pretty much sums up my personal approach: "use both scripts for functions and mods for contents" (the word content could also be replaced by the word "assets" here to make it clearer)

 

imho the biggest benefit of mods is additional data. or what you call it "content". new weapons, new units, new terrains. basically anything that requires new models, textures, animations. and of course all the config changes that others have mentioned. sounds can be done inside a mission and addon so they kind of fall out of this.

 

if you see a small mod that adds some scripted functionality, you should always think about the possibility of making that feature (or similar) yourself inside the mission. and among those "functionality" mods you also should divide between things that are potentially integral to a mission or, if it's an optional addition that doesn't interfere with or break the mission. so you should not try to make core functionality of you mission dependant on some addon, if you can avoid it.

 

i personally am a big believer in doing gameplay as much as possible in the mission but also using methods that adapt to the addons that happen to be installed on the server. that means for example reading available enemy unit classes from the config and then spawning from that pool. similar to how BI's Arsenal automatically shows you all weapons (inlcuding mods) that are available. another similar example would be spawning of random loot. i would never make huge arrays of all stuff but rather have functions that can spit out just what i need from everything that is available (every mod installed) on the fly.

 

it all depends on what you're trying to do though. i've seen mission with huge lists of mods and i understand that the mission maker might want to recreate a certain look and thought there's no way around 4 different weapon addons. i personally would never play those missions though since i'm simply to lazy and it's way to inconvenient for something that might not be good and i'd have to play it first (including downloading the full list) to find out.

 

as a final note i'd add that CUP and RHS at this point could be considered vanilla since most people already have that downloaded, so i'd not be too worried about using those.

This summed up my thought and showed me that I was already in the right path.

 

Again, thank you all for the help and effort.

Greeting from Italy!