artificial intelligence Devas Convoy & Vehicle Patrol [RELEASE]

[Devastator_cm 434]

 Hi Guys,

My first project which is for AI Convoys and vehicle patrols. Initial idea is based on Norrin's convoy script for which I got permission to modify from Norrin.

I rewrite the scripts and now it has several new features and working.

 

                          Convoy & Vehicle Patrol

 

 

Features

 

• AI convoy and patrol which follows roads and keeps the distance between vehicles
• Defending the convoy in case they notice enemies or being attacked by enemies
• Intel share related to enemy positions between convoy vehicles.
• Attack position selection based on convoy vehicle and enemy type. For example a tank will move closer to enemy armored units to attack instead of moving closer to infantry units. Distance to enemy and amount of enemy in a specific area can influence the decision for attack position.
• Restarting the convoy route after danger is eliminated
• Units whose vehicle is destroyed, will try to find seat in other vehicles in convoy. In case there isn't any available they will walk to final marker on foot
• Dead gunners and drivers will be replaced by AI units who sit at cargo of any vehicle, when enemy threat is eliminated.
• In case a vehicle's driver is killed during gun fight, another AI in same vehicle will try to move to gunner position
• After an ambush, the groups who sits inside same vehicle will be merged to prevent single unit groups. Only exception is for the vehicles who has guns. For such vehicles there will be two groups; (1) group for the units in cargo, (2) group for the vehicle units (gunner(s), driver, commander)
• Leader in merged group will be moved to the unit which has highest rank
• Possiblity to have multiple convoys in same mission
• Possibility to have patrol behaviour
• Possibility to extend the logic by adjusting ConvoyEnd.sqf file. In this file you can add your own custom code or script call. The file is called when convoy reaches final marker
• Script can be called from triggers or init.sqf
• Keep in mind this script is for AI. So if you put a player in one of the vehicle it might cause issues (or work without issue :) ).

 

Future Plans

 

• I am open to any suggestions.

 

Known Issue(s)

 

• I just encountered this in during my last test with a BTR-60P (Project Opfor Mod) that it simply didn't start moving. Reason was the unit in commander seat. After I remove him problem solved. At the moment I don't know why it caused such an issue. I had no issue with RHS BTR with Russian units inside though. In case you encounter such problem you can do a workaround. Do not put any unit in commander seat in mission design and lock the commander seat of the vehicle by adding following into INIT field of the problematic vehicle

this lockturret [[0,0],true];

• Thanks to @Duke101 it appears that acex headless client is causing issues. So following variable need to be set by each convoy vehicle before starting the convoy from server

this setVariable ["acex_headless_blacklist", true, true];

 

Credits

 

• Norrin, thanks to you once more for the initial scripts and the idea!

 

Download 

 

• Dropbox     (version 2.5)
• Armaholic   (version 2.5)

 

Sample Mission

 

• Dropbox

 

Usage

 

• Details are in readMe.txt inside the zip. Examples about how to add custom code or introduce a patrol behaviour are inside ConvoyEnd.sqf. Sample mission can be found above.

 

Version History

 

v.2.5

• Fixed: Logic Objects on map can cause aircraft to stuck in combat mode over an area as such objects might be categorized as enemy.
• Removed: Restart Delay parameter is removed.
• Added: Attack location evaluation based on enemy and convoy vehicle. For example, tank class vehicles will try to come closer to enemy tanks instead of enemy infantry.
• Added: During restart phase if another attack happens to convoy, units will start defence again.
• Tweaked: Restart phase is optimized. It will require less time to start convoy again.
• Tweaked: Enemy aircrafts will not be considered as enemy and will not stop the convoy.
• Tweaked: Some code optimizations.

 

v.2.2

• Fixed: Workaround applied due to bug in BIS_fnc_EnemyTargets function which does not consider static weapons as enemy

 

v.2.1

• Fixed: Paths which are circular were causing the convoy to stuck.

 

v.2.0

• Added: New parameters are added and they are moved into script call
• Added: ConvoyEnd.sqf file added to provide possibility to user to add his/her own code or script calls. This specific file is called when convoy reaches final marker
• Added: Multiple convoys are possible
• Added: Patrolling is possible (thanks to ConvoyEnd.sqf) by repeating the convoy call inside this file
• Added: Units are looking for another vehicle to get in, incase their vehicle is destroyed or not able to move
• Added: Dead gunner is replaced by other units in vehicle during firefight when there is a possibility (if they are under fire or enemy is danger close this will not happen)
• Added: Merging of groups (after ambush) and assigning the unit with highest rank as leader added.

 

v.1.0

 

• Initial version

 

Enjoy!

[DmitryJDM 1]

good work comrade!

 

i have error http://i.imgur.com/Ks0mhIH.png

 

run in initServer.sqf:

[["m_convoy_1", "m_convoy_2", "m_convoy_3", "m_convoy_4"],["DMSK_ConvWeapons1", "DMSK_ConvWeapons2", "DMSK_ConvWeapons3"]] execVM "scripts\convoy\convoyInit.sqf";

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Devas Convoy v1.0

[Devastator_cm 434]

Thanks @foxhound.
@Dimas1k I dropped you PM.

[Undeceived 392]

Wow, good to hear you're picking up norrins work. great job and thanks for it!

I have two questions:

1. Is it possible to have 2 or more convoys in a mission m, without having to rewrite resp. rename all variables in all scripts (which I did, which was quite an amount of work, but it was worth it. :) )?

2. Does the convoy drive a bit faster than in norrin's script (which was pretty slow)?

Thanks again!

[Devastator_cm 434]

Answers are
1- No but I can adjust it in next release
2- Yes they are faster. There is even a parameter where you can adjust the speedlimit if you want. Default is 35 kmh at the moment.

[Undeceived 392]

Perfect, thanks a lot!

[Devastator_cm 434]

 

good work comrade!

 

i have error http://i.imgur.com/Ks0mhIH.png

 

run in initServer.sqf:

[["m_convoy_1", "m_convoy_2", "m_convoy_3", "m_convoy_4"],["DMSK_ConvWeapons1", "DMSK_ConvWeapons2", "DMSK_ConvWeapons3"]] execVM "scripts\convoy\convoyInit.sqf";

 

Information for all, here the problem was the script call. Vehicle names should not be between "". Only markers should be between ""

 

 

The issue which I mentioned in open points (BTR-60 with commander) might happen with other vehicles. It is not related to the convoy script. You can check if your vehicle setup is ok or not by just running a domove command from editor

 

v2 domove getmarkerpos "pos_2"

If vehicle moves then all fine in your setup, if not then your vehicle has issue with the commander and that unit need to be removed otherwise it will block all convoy. Be sure there is no unit in vehicle who might sit at commander seat after an ambush for such vehicles, which means for problematic vehicles keep gunner(s) and driver. Like said this issue is happening without convoy script for some specific vehicles. I wrote a message already to OPFOR mod as I used their ISIS BTR-60 and domove command (also the waypoints) did not work to move the vehicle when commander was inside

[autigergrad 2034]

Awesome!  I love Norrins Convoy script.

 

Easily one of the coolest missions/tasks for ARMA with ambushing a convoy.  Glad to see you are adding to it!

[Devastator_cm 434]

I just finished testing the new version and releasing it now to community. Keep in mind I was testing it alone so there might be issues which I didn't see by myself. Just inform me if you encounter something and I will look at it.
 

Biggest changes in this version are

1. Possibility to have multiple convoys in single mission
2. Having possibility to create patrolling behaviour
3. Giving user a clean place where he/she can add own script calls (or code pieces) when convoy reaches final marker. So you will not need to implement trigger logic in final point to let convoy do something else for example

 

v.2.

 

• New parameters are added and they are moved into script call
• ConvoyEnd.sqf file added to provide possibility to user to add his/her own code or script calls. This specific file is called when convoy reaches final marker
• Multiple convoys are possible
• Patrolling is possible (thanks to ConvoyEnd.sqf) by repeating the convoy call inside this file
• Units are looking for another vehicle in case their vehicle is destroyer or not able to move
• Dead gunner is replaced by other units in vehicle during firefight when there is a possibility (if they are under fire or enemy is danger close this will not happen)
• Merging of groups (after ambush) and assigning the unit with highest rank as leader added.

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Devas Convoy v2

[Devastator_cm 434]

Thanks Foxhound
Just a small note to you

The script call as well as the parameters passed Are adjusted in this version.  I described in read me file. Could you please also adjust it in armaholic please?

[Guest]

Done, I have updated the Armaholic downloadpage with the instructions from the included readme. Thanks for letting me know :)

Devas Convoy v2

[Undeceived 392]

Good progress here, thank you, Devastator!

[autigergrad 2034]

I looked in the readme and didn't see this so I'll ask...

 

If I want multiple convoys...what is the naming convention I need for each?

 

c1,c2,c3      d1,d2,d3?

[Devastator_cm 434]

there is no naming convention.

I use myself more clean names for arrays especially by vehicle array, i.e. [btr_1, tank_1, truck_1, truck_2]

 

of course same vehicle should not be written in two convoy calls otherwise background process will try to move the vehicle to two markers at the same time :)

On the other hand same marker can be used for two different convoys, very simple example would be if you want two convoys start from same place or end at same place.

[randy andy tw1 12]

_handle = [["cm1","cm2","cm3","cm4","cm5","cm6","cm7","cm8"],[v1,v2,v3,v4,v5,v6], 35, 500, 120, 1, "NORMAL", "CARELESS"] spawn DEVAS_ConvoyMove; 

with CM being the convoy markers and v1-6 being the vehicles, i get the following rpt error

11:26:27 Error in expression <00, 120, 1, "NORMAL", "CARELESS"] spawn DEVAS_ConvoyMove; 

};

11:26:27   Error position: <DEVAS_ConvoyMove; 

};

11:26:27   Error Undefined variable in expression: devas_convoymove

followed the read me which stated

Code:
if (isServer) then 
{
	_handle = [["pos_1","pos_2","pos_3","pos_4"],[v_1,v_2,v_3], 35, 500, 120, 1, "NORMAL", "CARELESS"] spawn DEVAS_ConvoyMove; 
};

have i missed something?

[randy andy tw1 12]

....doh.. called the _handle too soon

convoy\convoyInit.sqf

[Devastator_cm 434]

:)
I am at work so cannot check the zip. Did I not write in help to use the init file first? If not then my bad :(

[4-325Ranger 62]

Devastator,

 

Thanks for this! I finally got a chance to test this last night. I ran 3 iterations in SP with ACE and RHS on. I ran a blufor convoy with AI ambushes along a route on Takistan Mountains. I ran a mix of vehicles all three times. Two of the runs went out without a hitch, was really impressed watching the whole thing unfold in Zeus. 2nd of the 3 runs - The lead vehicle got hit, wounded driver got out, did not run to trail vehicles; 2nd vehicle killed the offender, but never took the lead, just kind herky-jerky'd in place for a while and then all vehicles froze. I don't know if it was due to the convoy being in the middle of turning at a marker and getting ambushed at the same time causing a confilct? I'll try to recreate later today. Even with this minor issue, this particular script really opens up several mission scenarios for mission making, I've been waiting for something like this to come along for a while in Arma 3 - great work!!

[Devastator_cm 434]

hmm that is weird. I tested also in that way where I destroyed first vehicle. So after ambush finishe soldiers didn't get in to vehicles?
Keep in mind there are wait events after ambush which can cause 5-6 minutes until they pack up their stuff and decide to drive further

[Devastator_cm 434]

Version 2.1 released.

Small bug fix which is related to stucked convoy in circular convoy paths.

 

@4-325Ranger
I beleive it will also solve the problem which you faced

 

Still I would suggest not to plan a convoy ambush in areas where convoy is very close to the marker. I tested it and had no issue at the moment but I have a feeling that there might be a special case which I miss during test

 

@foxhound

can you adjust the Armaholic subject like in forum? It is not just convoy anymore as it can provide patrol functionality since v.2. :)

Devas Convoy & Vehicle Patrol

[.kju 3245]

Looks like very good progress!

 

Do you mind adding one or few demo missions that demonstrate well the difference to the standard behavior please?

Also do you make use of any of the scripting commands available for the new convoy behavior?

[Devastator_cm 434]

Thanks .kju :)
Actually a very good idea to put some videos :)
Can you suggest me a program to edit videos maybe? I didn't do such thing before.

 

Which particular commands do you mean regarding the behaviour btw?

[Guest]

New version frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Devas Convoy & Vehicle Patrol v2.1

@foxhound

can you adjust the Armaholic subject like in forum? Devas Convoy & Vehicle Patrol

Done ;)