How good is AI helo landing?

[gc8 970]

Hi

I remember from arma 2 that the helos werent really good at landing on the exact location you want them to. Has this been improved in arma 3?

 

Also how fast do they land, does it look like combat landing or slow one?

 

Anyone knows?

 

thx

[Tankbuster 1733]

Define 'landing'. If you mean pausing at every way point on the way there, descending really slowly over the lz, clipping trees with the rotor disk then bursting into flames, then yes , they are excellent

[gc8 970]

Define 'landing'. If you mean pausing at every way point on the way there, descending really slowly over the lz, clipping trees with the rotor disk then bursting into flames, then yes , they are excellent

 

what about making them land on exact position like top of some marker or at the waypoint?

[Tankbuster 1733]

The trick is to create an invisible helipad where you want it to set down. That usually works

[gc8 970]

The trick is to create an invisible helipad where you want it to set down. That usually works

 

can you use multiple invisible landing pads? and make every helo to land on its "own" pad? (at the same time)

[riten 153]

You can name helipads and then try with 

somenameunit land "helipadname"

I've not tested it, just an idea.

[Tajin 348]

You can name helipads and then try with 

somenameunit land "helipadname"

I've not tested it, just an idea.

 

There is no such thing.

It'll just try to land at the nearest free helipad.

[Degman 73]

You can name helipads and then try with 

somenameunit land "helipadname"

I've not tested it, just an idea.

 

somenameunit land helipadname. You use "" only for marker names. And yeah, the command does work. I've used it so many times to get a choppa to land properly.

 

EDIT: just opened the editor, and you do need ""s after all. It's been a long time since I've made anything, so I've mixed something up. 

[Grumpy Old Man 3540]

somenameunit land helipadname. You use "" only for marker names. And yeah, the command does work. I've used it so many times to get a choppa to land properly.

 

EDIT: just opened the editor, and you do need ""s after all. It's been a long time since I've made anything, so I've mixed something up. 

The command doesn't work like that. Check the wiki and stop spreading misinformation.

 

Cheers

[riten 153]

That's right even if you put helipad name in quotes it just land randomly on nearest helipad. Also you can't use this command without quotes.

[Degman 73]

Dammit, just checked it out myself. I was living in a lie this whole time !

[riten 153]

Dammit, just checked it out myself. I was living in a lie this whole time !

That's like me, I wasn't getting any error so I thought it works how I want. I've found this few years ago on forum, but checked this first time today :)

[gc8 970]

thanks everyone for the help. I guess its just the same as it was in Arma2. 

[ineptaphid 6413]

thanks everyone for the help. I guess its just the same as it was in Arma2. 

I would disagree-I have not had any issues in a long time of ai pilots crashing when landing etc.

[gc8 970]

I would disagree-I have not had any issues in a long time of ai pilots crashing when landing etc.

 

my main concern is multiple helos landing at the same time.

[johnnyboy 3741]

Helicopter landing at editor placed landing pads is very good.  It only gets weird when their comat AI kicks in.

 

Here is a beautiful script posted by a guy that should have its owned pinned topic.  Land on Rooftops.

 

With his script, you can get a heli to land on anywhere (particular rooftops, on top of a water tank, on a ship, etc.)

 

The download is an impressive demo mission and the code is well documented and clean to implement.

[gc8 970]

 

 

Here is a beautiful script posted by a guy that should have its owned pinned topic.  Land on Rooftops.

 

With his script, you can get a heli to land on anywhere (particular rooftops, on top of a water tank, on a ship, etc.)

 

The download is an impressive demo mission and the code is well documented and clean to implement.

 

sounds cool but the download link is broken.

[johnnyboy 3741]

I just uploaded a zip file of his demo to Dropbox at this link  Unzip it and put in your mission directories, and play thru editor.  I haven't used it in a year, so I ran the demo and it still works perfectly.  He has 6 example roof landings.  His trick to precision is sensing wind direction and turning helo into the wind when near.  This prevents drifting I think.  Screenie:

[gc8 970]

@Johnnyboy

 

thanks for uploading it. I peeked inside the script and this solution too uses the empty helipad....

[johnnyboy 3741]

can you use multiple invisible landing pads? and make every helo to land on its "own" pad? (at the same time)

If multiple landing pads is your concern, the answer is yes you can.  In my Property of Mabunga mission, I have CSAT exfil where 3 choppers land.  I gave them each their own invisible helipad, and they all land precisely every time.

 

Now I did not group the helis, so each heli follows its own separate waypoints, with their own "landat" commands referencing the separate helipads.  They fly in together because the waypoints start at same time, so they look like a group, but each is independent.

 

Everybody uses empty helipads for clean helo landings, so embrace them!  :)

[gc8 970]

If multiple landing pads is your concern, the answer is yes you can.  In my Property of Mabunga mission, I have CSAT exfil where 3 choppers land.  I gave them each their own invisible helipad, and they all land precisely every time.

 

Now I did not group the helis, so each heli follows its own separate waypoints, with their own "landat" commands referencing the separate helipads.  They fly in together because the waypoints start at same time, so they look like a group, but each is independent.

 

Everybody uses empty helipads for clean helo landings, so embrace them!  :)

 

so how do you give each helo their invisible landing pad?

[johnnyboy 3741]

so how do you give each helo their invisible landing pad?

That's best described by this tutorial video.  It is the most complete and bullet proof for helicopter landings (and extractions).  Follow his instructions, and get one heli to land where you want.  Once you succeed at that, repeat the steps for a 2nd helicopter.  Welcome to the wonderful world of Arma Editing!  :)

[tryteyker 28]

Placing an invisible H-Pad with a Transport Unload waypoint (assigned to heli pilot / co-pilot) right on top of it. Then throw in the following into waypoint activation for good measure:

 

heli_name land "LAND"

 

If the helicopter is transporting a group of people, their GET OUT waypoint will have to be right next to the Transport Unload waypoint, and both waypoints will have to be synchronized. By placing the TR UNLOAD waypoint right on top of an invisible H-Pad Arma should pick up the correct pad for the waypoint 95% of the time. Pessimistic estimate :P

 

https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Waypoint_types#Transport_Unload

 

Just to clarify that landAt != land, and landAt doesn't work with helicopters.

[gc8 970]

That's best described by this tutorial video.  It is the most complete and bullet proof for helicopter landings (and extractions).  Follow his instructions, and get one heli to land where you want.  Once you succeed at that, repeat the steps for a 2nd helicopter.  Welcome to the wonderful world of Arma Editing!  :)

 

thanks. I watched the video but in no way was the landing pad synchronized to the helicopter or it's way points. (In order there to be support for multiple helos/pads) Unless I missed something. 

 

People in this thread have been saying that the helo lands to random/closest pad there is. And I made test mission where I verified this.

[tryteyker 28]

The tutorial video uses a map-placed helo pad (which is of course recognized by Arma), but to be able to land anywhere else effectively you'll need to place your own (invisible) helipad. If you use your own and place the  (transport) unload waypoint directly on top of it, the helicopter group should "claim" that helipad as theirs, allowing you to place landing zones next to each other.