Field of war [CTI] [SP/MP]

[gc8 977]

 

 

 

 

 

Field of war

 

FOW is AI commander led CTI mission which creates a dynamic battlefield for the players to play on.
Player can help the AI to capture towns or go solo and fight wherever he wants to help the team to win

 

Current version: 0.9.129

 

This mission is WIP but can already be played.

 

 

List of main Features (So far):

https://armagc.blogspot.com/p/field-of-war-features.html

 

 

Notes on parameters:
At 100% max locations attacked at a time is 3
And max attackers at a time is 6

 

 

Mods required:
Either IFA3, Unsung, Apex, CUP or RHS

 

 

Bugs:

Sometimes the civilian module will throw an error, this is being investigated
Starting dedicated server and joining it may take a while before the mission is loaded

Sometimes respawn position is weird but works at next respawn

While in respawn dialog there can be error messages (But doesn't seem to be a problem?)

 

To play:

 

Download/Subscribe the FoW mod and FoW mission you wish to play
Activate the mod and start the FoW mission you chose

Play as multiplayer to enable respawning

 

Optional:

Try running the mission on dedicated server environment for better performance. You can setup dedicated server on your PC with the TADS or FASTER tool
 

Important:

When playing with new version check your lobby parameters that everything is setup correctly

 

 

That's it, enjoy!

 

 

 

Download links:

Mod Download

 

Missions available for download:

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=1757695005

 

 

Alternative non-steam downloads:

 

The mod: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZBIab7KZOHYg6KMu8xt9ldhsRQpP_8VU/view?usp=sharing (v0.9.114) Updated 8 Aug 2024 (Updated later or upon request)

Missions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H3iSj62LuO7k26A-W4JItfcwquqBxsHl/view?usp=sharing   Updated 10 Jul 2024 (Rarely needs updating)

 

Also new 3 sides supported maps in here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e3_aNPtJ_rQV1qI75ZAk_-QAgcEKofps/view?usp=sharing (Updated 25.Oct.2023)

 

 

Important note on mods: If you have issues of getting gear or vehicle menu working try disabling all mods to fix this.

 

 

For server admins

https://armagc.blogspot.com/p/fow-admin.html

 

Login as admin prior to mission start to see the admin dialog

 

For mission makers
Field of war mod can be used to create custom missions. Tutorial: https://armagc.blogspot.com/p/field-of-war-custom-mission-creation.html

 

 

Optimization tips:

 

Via admin menu

Login as admin before mission start to see the admin dialog that allows selecting performance presets - good for quickly selecting less performance heavy setups

 

Via mission parameters

Toggling some parameters off (under the performance section) can help to rise the FPS

 

Check the color coded parameters! Green means faster

Also try playing on smaller map or set the full map parameter to no

 

More about optimization can be read from here:

https://armagc.blogspot.com/p/field-of-war-optimization-guide.html

 

 

 

(If you have ideas for this mission please post them)

 

 

Beta testers:

I'm also looking for beta testers so if there's anyone willing please let me know :)

 

 

Have fun!

 

 

[kremator 1065]

Now this looks very promising.  Being a pawn in the middle of a war is always very appealing.

 

EDIT:  Is there a non-steam version for us luddites that don't subscribe to everything on Steam ?

[gc8 977]

1 minute ago, kremator said:

EDIT:  Is there a non-steam version for us luddites that don't subscribe to everything on Steam ?

 

No because you need those two mods from steam anyway

[GEORGE FLOROS GR 4207]

Thanks for this gc8 !

[froggyluv 2135]

 

 Looks good. Cant buy any AMMO though as its all "X'ed" out in the Arsenal. Even tried a cheat arsenal but nevertheless.

 

Really like AI Commander driven type missions - one thing id always thought would enhance would be too have the AI commander callout Battle Objectives for example "AT Groups and Player Group to Kavala to Counter Armor Threat" -or something like that. Battle plan cohesion type stuff.

[gc8 977]

9 hours ago, froggyluv said:

Looks good. Cant buy any AMMO though as its all "X'ed" out in the Arsenal. Even tried a cheat arsenal but nevertheless.

 

Yes the arsenal needs some more work...

 

9 hours ago, froggyluv said:

Really like AI Commander driven type missions - one thing id always thought would enhance would be too have the AI commander callout Battle Objectives for example "AT Groups and Player Group to Kavala to Counter Armor Threat" -or something like that. Battle plan cohesion type stuff.

 

Yeah sounds cool but the first thing with this kind of implementation is that it would require cheating AI, an AI that knows without encountering that the enemy actually has armor.

 

[froggyluv 2135]

3 hours ago, gc8 said:

 

Yeah sounds cool but the first thing with this kind of implementation is that it would require cheating AI, an AI that knows without encountering that the enemy actually has armor.

 

 Ah, was under the impression that CTI AI used Scouts/Aerial type units to scope out potential threats and then build/send out units accordingly -whether the information be accurate or not.

[gc8 977]

18 minutes ago, froggyluv said:

 

 Ah, was under the impression that CTI AI used Scouts/Aerial type units to scope out potential threats and then build/send out units accordingly -whether the information be accurate or not.

 

Nah, right now the AI is pretty simple, it just attacks the nearest places and builds FOBs and expands that way

 

Edit: The AI does some attack/defense strength calculations though

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

Is it a fresh CTI code or is it recycling of code made by Benny/Cleanrock/Melvin?

[gc8 977]

1 hour ago, The Man Without Qualities said:

Is it a fresh CTI code or is it recycling of code made by Benny/Cleanrock/Melvin?

 

Fresh, from scratch

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

Ohhhh, urgently required! :-)

 

May you drop some hints about the intended design of the game logic?

I loved the general concept since MFCTI to jump into AI slots in the CoC and take over AI duty and leave at any time and AI takes back duty.

That was dropped/did not work in A3 pretty good, even Benny had to fight with tons of bugs.

 

Well, before repeating a lot: https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/204731-favouriteleast-favourite-aspects-of-warfarecti/?page=2

 

Basically a (feature-) bastard of crCTI and BECTI, but bug free or with workarounds for BIS bugs....would be a dream.

What I understand is that almost all MP missions involving massive utilization of AI suffer from buggy headless client implementation.

Is your approach targeting large volumes of AI/player?

 

BR

 

 

[gc8 977]

@The Man Without Qualities The AI commander buys new AI teams and sends them to defend/attack. There's quite a lot AI teams basically each town / FOB has AI defenders. So yeah there's lot AI involved in the mission. I'm also working on code to reduce lag so that AI is spawns only when necessary (when enemy is near). Player is free to go and do whatever he wants the AI com doesn't give player any orders.

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

16 minutes ago, gc8 said:

@The Man Without Qualities The AI commander buys new AI teams and sends them to defend/attack. There's quite a lot AI teams basically each town / FOB has AI defenders. So yeah there's lot AI involved in the mission. I'm also working on code to reduce lag so that AI is spawns only when necessary (when enemy is near). Player is free to go and do whatever he wants the AI com doesn't give player any orders.

 

:-) So you fight with that too...

 

But keep in mind that you eliminate RL simulation. In RL artillery teams far behind frontline (1-40km) shelling around for attack preparation etc.

Won't work if AI not active.

Especially @ OFPS this is also used as an exploit, even more if commander can activate towns manually.

They order attack teams into towns and let them hide before they activate a town.

 

More promising is IMHO to limit the amount of permanent AI to some patroling guards and some AI for air defense.

The rest can be managed by AI teams under full control of the (AI or human) commander.

Traditionally CTIs were designed that 2 factions have an equal amount of playable slots that could be played by humans.

In the CoC, those slots were below the commander, any of those slots could become commander.

In addition all conquerable towns on map could spawn defense squads - which was an issue when the total amount of groups was limited.

Best approach was 3-side CTI where the "Resistance" was exactly like the 2 other factions except some AI routines and weaponary to be more like "local tribal with low-tech weapons".

 

Driving that to the edge would mean to design it that as many factions could be in a CTI as supported by BIS, 1 is set as "default" owner of all towns (except those towns that are set to be owned by factions at game start).

2nd to not using full temporary town defense groups which become larger with every defense level upgrade and could kill the server if a low flying plane activates all towns @ island BUT provide larger amount of teams per side under the control of the commander.

That approach plus setting per game setting the amount of slots open for humans would keep some squads exclusive for the (human or AI) commander who could assign them to defend towns or patrol between.

That is already available in many recent CTI versions and should be sufficient.

If commander does not assign nuff squads to protect rear towns or do humans not following orders---then it is ok if they loose.

 

Calc example:

3 factions, 25 squad slots each, 10 reserved for rear duty, 1 side owns all towns at start.

75 groups with max. 20 units each should be the upper limit for all factions together here.

Base service must be done by commander when assigning base service they act as guard except some structure construction is in queue - then they act as worker and perform funny annimations.

An island with 40 towns would have 80 groups, 40 for guards and 40 for AA - each group not more than 4 units at any time.

Guards are just there to provide the commander/faction itelligence about the enemy activity based on sensors as designed by BIS.

AA should be just there to prevent/disable careless movement of enemy air over hostile area and rapid town grabbing by just flying to enemy towns.

Intellygence by both group types could be used by AI commander routines to send AI squads meant for rear area security efficiently around, if nothing special just in a pattern on patrol between towns, if town is under attack then as reinforcement.

Of cource that won't work with vehicles because they would get lost over time due to BIS pathfinding and AI driving issues.

But infanry should be sufficient if nuff squads wandering around.

Saving large town defender groups should eliminate the performance issues and gaining more emphasis on commander skills and communication.

 

Ooops, sorry for 2 much text...

[gc8 977]

@The Man Without Qualities Thanks for your post :)

 

55 minutes ago, The Man Without Qualities said:

But keep in mind that you eliminate RL simulation. In RL artillery teams far behind frontline (1-40km) shelling around for attack preparation etc.

 

That's how I made the artillery, they join the attack but don't go too close to the attack target but stay behind friendly forces. Same thing with ambulance, it only goes as near to the target that is needed for the player to be able to respawn in the ambu

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

Did some 1st playing, your mission has more or less the same issues like BECTI based CTIs when it comes to MP performance:

 

- sudden server&client FPS drop when town defences are spawned

- to many unnecessary spawned AI, see sugestions here ...

Following the suggestions I made previously it would...

...on game start (without any faction spawning town defences) the faction set to act as "resistance" as in other CTI would start with a larger "cash" pot and with a premade base able to fill up the squads faster then to normal factions.

The normal factions could grab towns pretty fast since the would need to just overwhelm the few AI of town guards and AA soldiers to get those towns.

But soon they would meet the squads of the "Resistance" faction aiming to get back towns.

Another option would be that the "resistance" faction is getting at game start fully manned and equipped squads spawned with some delay between each spawn and positioned at some spawn locations close to towns close to the normal and hostile factions.

That way they could abort normal patrol duty and enter reinforcement pattern to help the few town guards of the towns attacked 1st.

 

That way would the server load would rise pretty fast at game start, but would be more predictable over the game duration.

And no extra town defense groups that might add up when the game becomes busy.

 

[gc8 977]

@The Man Without Qualities Thanks for your post. There's actually three sides playing the mission of which resistance is passive AI doing nothing but occupying all the towns at start.

But like I said I'm working on speed improvements and got good results already... That will be in next release

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

Any chance that someone is hosting latest GcCTI as MP for public testing access permanently?

Especially with proper setup HCs?

Otherwise performance testing and tweaking would be difficult.

I was trying to host server&client on a 4 core locally, but I failed to get it running with proper performance.

 

 

 

[gc8 977]

56 minutes ago, The Man Without Qualities said:

Any chance that someone is hosting latest GcCTI as MP for public testing access permanently?

 

Right now the mission is SP only

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

On 2.11.2018 at 4:21 PM, gc8 said:

Play as multiplayer to enable respawning

Oops! That comment confused me, thought the is also a MP version......

[gc8 977]

First step to do is finish the SP mode so that it doesn't lag and everything is fine, then if people are interested about this mission I will work on MP version. However it's possible that this mission type is too laggy for MP but we'll know that later. At least SP should be playable...

 

[gc8 977]

Update,

what's new:

 

Performance update
Fixed bugs
Other stuff

[kremator 1065]

Shouldn't that be Other StuffTM ?

[gc8 977]

New release.

 

Multiplayer support!

 

[The Man Without Qualities 110]

MP support! Ich will ein Kind von Dir!

[gc8 977]

Released new version with Bug fixes / improvements.

 

Will post main feature list later