[SP] Warping Plague

[Rydygier 1317]

Mentioned diary feature seems operational, so file updated for testing.

 

As said, there is an "evening scene" at the end of each day with possible one diary entry randomized from the pool of possible entries, if any at the moment. "Possible" means, some are contextual (require certain event or action), other will be displayed in preset order, revealing the background. Each consequtive of the last part of them require certain level of data gathered and reflect Escher's thoughts on gathered so far information about the Plague. Note, these are his personal theories, not necessarily the truth...

 

Whole diary so far can be reviewed any time at the laptop. 

 

Please, let me know about any language erros, I probably made some.  

 

BTW removed from the mission "gathering enough materials to evacuate people" thing (it was only hinted and visible in the mission end summary - how many evacuated). It was hard to explain reasonably in the light of scenario plot, they aren't some castaways to need own means of evacuation, the problem is the quarantine. The requirement for the evacuation is still to gather 100% of the measurement data, and still there's an alternative way, hinted in the diary.

[Rydygier 1317]

On 6/22/2019 at 5:02 PM, VariousArtist said:

Fun, that I had Contact in mind too when I stumpled over the mission the first time. Regarding BIS' recent practices I doubt there will be much of that tools free without nag-screens, which would be a real downer for the mission.

 

Im still totally open to see those anomalies implemented that Alias developement. I mean, just look all that amazing zhit:

 

Smuggler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB5ZIax4lgg&list=PLod_PhpAOFQhpTRYpoVPwiikPN1aoboFs&index=9&t=0s

Farty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSPe7YuDCXA&list=PLod_PhpAOFQhpTRYpoVPwiikPN1aoboFs&index=31&t=0s

Burper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KiMeGF8EwM&list=PLod_PhpAOFQhpTRYpoVPwiikPN1aoboFs&index=28&t=0s

Screamer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwFgQCvTchc&list=PLod_PhpAOFQhpTRYpoVPwiikPN1aoboFs&index=37&t=0s

Sparky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQTsorn_Wog&list=PLod_PhpAOFQhpTRYpoVPwiikPN1aoboFs&index=39&t=0s

 

As if they where made exactly for this mission. It screams for implementation. Loud and hard! 😃

Especially because I havent seen them implemented in any missions so far anyway. Sad panda.

 

While waiting for @aliascartoons permit of usage, I'm looking at their code now (found 12 his anomalies in fact, some may act as similar to my anomalies while other, that seems semi-intelligent could pass as another warper creatures or something inbetween). One difficulty, I see is the fact, at least currently investigated anomaly script is probably designed only to add an anomaly, but I see no means for removal. Also code is based on many parallel threads (spawns, execVMs) which makes this harder. So one way would be to dive deep into their code and do all necessary adjustements to make spawn/removal/spawn/removal possible, but some may require quite extensive redesign like replacing parallel threads with some kind of "one loop" solution, or, if that prove to be too tedious, I could just spawn bunch of them at day 1 and leave them be, but then they'll be present only inside initial Zone boundries, will not follow Zone expansion and those destroyed (apparently this is possible for some) will be not replaced with new ones. One way or another, it will rather take some time to implement. Assuming, Author will give the permit of course. 

[Rydygier 1317]

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permit of usage

 

I have it. Figured, I'll go the simpler way, since alternative indeed looks far too tedious. I'll once, at mission init, pre-place several (depending on perfromance. 8?) of these anomalies roughly in the Zone's part of the island, likely less of them, than number of types (12), not all must be unique, but most should, so it is likely, player will see in one gameplay roughly half of available types. Each type should have some preferred kind of surrounding too, so they may tend to be located in the locations of certain characteristic.

 

Because of chosen way of code merging, these anomalies would stay probably out of native scanning-traces system as, say, too unstable for safe scan, which fits, as from what I've seen so far these have rather large hazard radiuses. I still need to figure out a way to indicate for the player, which anomaly can be safely approached for scanning though. Leaving the player with tries and errors as the only way would fit the plot, but without often save game or spoilers it will become highly frustrating. One small issue is, at least some of them visually strongly rely on light effects, which are barely visible during the day.

 

Also I may adjust some features where required, for example Alias' anomalies have implemented screams for the player cought by the anomaly - I'm disabling these. 

 

Ah, and mission file will become much larger because of numerous sound files. 

[Godis_1 63]

What do you think about a good soundtrack? Some dynamic music for example would provide a better atmosphere.

And I think a respawn mechanic would be great too. for example you could include to the initial settings menu an option to choose respawn tickets. But me personally I would love it to have a special respawn system, which allows you to take over the body of another survivor, similar to the first mission in Battlefield 1, or in the Arma 3 scenario "Fight Back". Whenever you die, you will take over control of another character. When all characters are dead, the game is over. In "Fight Back" you can increase your lives/respawn tickets" by enlisting fighters you find around the map.  This would work fine with this scencario too, because you find more survivors. Whenever you die, another survivor will be declared to be the new leader of town and you will control him. This way would also introduce an interesting new aspect of managing the town, because the new leader is not able to do his assigned job anymore, and you will have to assign another one. Additionally you could also introduce some penalty applying, the more survivors die over time.

[Rydygier 1317]

Good soundtrack is always... good. 🙂 I'm all for it and will consider something for sure. But unless we stick to Arma 3's own tracks, there are cons: music file is rather big, and I would need at least several, and also never quite sure about copyright, fair use etc. stuff. Usually assume, if something is on youtube long time and not deleted, then apparently rights holder has nothing against, but who knows. Anyway, there may be something, but probably some picked tracks from Arma's own OST (I do not own Contact DLC, but I wonder, if some cool new tracks are coming with it? And in proper mood?). 

 

Respawn - no. I hate respawns. Never finished APEX campaign because of them. These are so... MP? Immersion breakers. And I do not see reason for them in SP scenario. Save/load game is just fine.

[Godis_1 63]

I changed something in my text, did you read all of it? I don't mean respawn as of "revieving", but you control another survivor. Just read the full text :)

 

But one more thing: the alien forces could use some more..alien weapons.. ?

And a save shortcut via 0-0-0 would be nice. xD

 

Edit: As of the diary, you wanted us to report potential grammar mistakes? Well, one time you wrote "I've no damned idea!". Should be "I have no damn idea!". And instead "Something weird, I found lately" I guess it would be better like this: "Something weird, I've found lately" or "Lately I found something weird".

"Weird matter analyze" - I guess you mean: "Weird matter analysis"..?

However, I might be wrong though.. even though I'm able to speak and understand English quite well, I might have forgotten about proper grammar.. :-P

And there are a lot more small thingsthat I have found. But actually it doesn't bother me at all. Your mission is great! Proper grammar and spelling is not important to me in that matter. But if you like, I could list everything I can find and send it to you.

[Rydygier 1317]

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And a save shortcut via 0-0-0 would be nice. xD

 

Hm? Doable, but default button in main menu doesn't suffice? Unless you mean periodic autosaves switched via 0-0 menu.

 

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 I don't mean respawn as of "revieving", but you control another survivor. 

 

I read in hurry, sorry. That's another matter, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work either, not without serious plot redesign. Here you control very certain person with very specific background story, skills, knowledge, motivation etc. It can't be any survivor, whole background would make no sense, especially scientific aspect of it, also the thing with Marcus. Big complications from that side. Also... if my protagonist would die, I would load saved game anyway. Too sad to let it happen... So I simply doesn't like introducing such possibility even, if would fit the story. I like, when I can immerse into some certain person for good, treating controlled character in such scenario as temporary/disposable/replaceable whoever is not my cup of tea. 

 

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As of the diary, you wanted us to report potential grammar mistakes? 

 

Yes! Very appreciated, thanks. 🙂 My grammar knowledge is hazy and fragmentary at best, never was really communicating in English on daily basis, just text in the web like here. 

[Godis_1 63]

ALlright

18 minutes ago, Rydygier said:

 

Hm? Doable, but default button in main menu doesn't suffice? Unless you mean periodic autosaves switched via 0-0 menu.

 

It's annoying to open menu and overwrite savegame everytime... But that's just complain at a high level :D

 

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I read in hurry, sorry. That's another matter, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work either, not without serious plot redesign. Here you control very certain person with very specific background story, skills, knowledge, motivation etc. It can't be any survivor, whole background would make no sense, especially scientific aspect of it, also the thing with Marcus. Big complications from that side. Also... if my protagonist would die, I would load saved game anyway. Too sad to let it happen... So I simply doesn't like introducing such possibility even, if would fit the story. I like, when I can immerse into some certain person for good, treating controlled character as temporary/disposable/replaceable whoever is not my cup of tea. 

I see and I cna understand that. Was just an idea. The scenario is already great!

 

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Yes! Very appreciated, thanks. 🙂 My grammar knowledge is hazy and fragmentary at best, never was really communicating in English on daily basis, just text in the web like here. 

All right, will do that.

 

 

I've just came across an anomaly, a big one! It was like long and big white stripes that went away from a big circle or something. I thought I want to go and grab my bike, so I wouldn't have to walk all the way back later. But when I took the bike and got back there, the anomaly was gone.. I guess that's intended?

 

Edit: When I reload the save and watched the anomaly I figured that it is moving. Amazing!

[VariousArtist 19]

1 hour ago, Rydygier said:

Respawn - no. I hate respawns. Never finished APEX campaign because of them. These are so... MP? Immersion breakers. And I do not see reason for them in SP scenario. Save/load game is just fine.

On a fundamental base I would agree. However over the years digging into game development I changed my stance somewhat. Not regarding blunt respawns but about implement respawns more in the way of "knock-outs" that impact the pace of gameplay. There is a simple reason - reloads are no less immersion breakers than respawns are. Kind of the "same difference".

 

But for example, the way how Shadow of Mordor progresses your enemies via the Nemesis system became a game changer for me. Food for thought. Instead of either respawn or reload we can also implement player death rather as a knock-out that progresses something in the gameworld. Was clearly a game changer when I started to develop with such concepts. And in my mind this is clearly the least immersion breaking approach recent game development came up with.

 

Also, Arma Contact is out. I guess nobody cant deny that Warping Plague and the Contact stuff feels like natural siblings. Im curious - do you have you any news to share and brainstorm about (possible) Contact content/integration?

 

[Godis_1 63]

You definately should provide an option to craft/buy a new vehicle, or at least some toolkits to repair it. It's so annoying when the one ATV you have from the start, gets broken and you have to walk miles and miles to find another one.

[Rydygier 1317]

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Was just an idea. 

 

 And good one, I could imagine doing it with some drama, mourning after passed leader etc. It could be nice, just would require different plot. 

 

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But one more thing: the alien forces could use some more..alien weapons.. ?

 

Defnitelly should. Not sure, if could. I mean, there's no such weaponry in vanilla AFAIK, would need to be not only scripted in (like guardian's "cannon"), but also integrated with normal AI's fighting behavior somehow. Sounds complex. Another way would be finding some "alien blaster" kind of addon and make it optional replacement for mundane stuff. I'll look into it. 

 

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It's annoying to open menu and overwrite savegame everytime... 

 

Well, via main menu or 0-0 you would overwrite same several slots regardless (unless you have differently set game options), but works for avoiding opening main menu. Anyway, it's nothing difficult, I may add such gimmick, if desired. 🙂

 

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But when I took the bike and got back there, the anomaly was gone.. I guess that's intended?

 

Depends, how long you was absent. This anomaly is slowly moving. If you weren't there for several minutes, indeed it could moved far.

 

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There is a simple reason - reloads are no less immersion breakers than respawns are.

 

Well, that's subjective. Not sure, why, but reloading does much less harm for immersion as for me. Probably because it is feature outside the gameplay, something separated from it, while respawn is a solution inside the gameplay, "contaminating" the story from inside. Loading a game doesn't feel to me like "time travel"/"reverting to the past" while respawn inside the story feels like resurrection/reincarnation/whatever weird happens to the character. Like death isn't final, doesn't matter - and that's the issue. If it is designed this way, like it was in Mordor game (if I remember correctly, played long time ago and shortly), then at least fits the story, although that was one of the reasons, I played it shortly. 

 

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Also, Arma Contact is out. I guess nobody cant deny that Warping Plague and the Contact stuff feels like natural siblings. Im curious - do you have you any news to share and brainstorm about (possible) Contact content/integration?

 

I definitelly will try to use as much from Contact stuff, as possible without crossing the paywall. But I still need to look, what's available on the free side of it. My game isn't even updated yet, download awaits. CBRN suits, decontamination stuff (improving daily radiation dose reduction), this hand held device used as the scanner, sounds&music if any, not even sure yet, what else is there... 

 

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you definately should provide an option to craft/buy a new vehicle

 

Yes, good idea, should be simple enough. An option at the orange box visible if there's no quad already, would cost materials... Yep. Such vehicle even could pass as makeshift creation somehow. 

[major-stiffy 280]

Revo quick save is what I use.

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=29306

[Arfour 31]

12 hours ago, Rydygier said:

Well, that's subjective. Not sure, why, but reloading does much less harm for immersion as for me. Probably because it is feature outside the gameplay, something separated from it, while respawn is a solution inside the gameplay, "contaminating" the story from inside. Loading a game doesn't feel to me like "time travel"/"reverting to the past" while respawn inside the story feels like resurrection/reincarnation/whatever weird happens to the character. Like death isn't final, doesn't matter - and that's the issue. If it is designed this way, like it was in Mordor game (if I remember correctly, played long time ago and shortly), then at least fits the story, although that was one of the reasons, I played it shortly.

 

That's an interesting take on respawns. I can see your point about loading being a mechanic "outside" the actual game while respawning always feels like a weird hiccup in the game's timeline.

 

There are interesting solutions for this. One is Shadow of Mordor, although the player's character is supposed to be undead and therefore technically immortal anyway. I've also come across games where an ingame narrator stopped the time when you died and said something like "No, no, no. That's not what happened." and time literally was rewound.

 

It does feel weird if there are no consequences and the player just re-enters the game world and comes across his own corpse. In MP this works somehow but in SP it is indeed breaking the immersion. I can see your point about the APEX campaign. A knockout mechanic would be a way around that. Consequences might be that the player is brought back to his camp, while his vehicle stays where it was left. Time should be forwarded a couple of hours, maybe even till the next day. That way the player would indeed lose time to craft, explore and collect ressources while the threats outside the camp would continue to increase. That way the mission would actually become more difficult every time you die. With saving/loading enabled a player's death isn't really a mission failure criteria anyway.

 

My biggest issue with saving and loading is the loss of time. If you haven't saved shortly before death you have to do everything again which quickly becomes laborious and grindy. For me at least this leads to me saving way too often, which breaks the game in a different manner. Adding to this, players should be able to chose. If you want to reload - fine. If you want to use the respawn mechanic - also fine. But it shouldn't be forced on players how they treat death and failure in a SP scenario. If somebody wants to reload to make every encounter as successful as possible, he should be able to. That's why I like optional "iron man" modes. I like the concept of rouge like games but sometimes I just don't have the time to start all over again every time I die. (Hello XCOM!)

 

Huh. That got longer than expected. Consider it an opinion piece, not a request for features. I'm actually fine with your explanations. 👍

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- 11 new anomalies by @aliascartoons, part of them actually acting like another, rare types of (semi)intelligent warper creatures/life forms, not anomalies in this scenario meaning. Two of static anomalies possible to scan, but since these do not move nor relocate, they do not leave any traces, thus here completing the scan will give immediate, one time per type, reward. There's 10 of them spawned prermanently in the northern part of the island, some may be of the same type as other, but each gameplay typically at least half of types should be present. Was thinking, if these should be dangerous also for other warper creatures. Decided, because of their nature, they will be. Should be also more dynamic this way. Be extra carefull, these new are typically even more deadly/nasty. BTW this made mission file much bigger, as expected. 

- added 0-0-0 quick save, as requested. By default 0-0 menu IIRC requires radio item assigned in the inventory;

- added crafting the ATV, available at the Stash if previous own quad is destroyed (can be one at once, quads possibly found elsewhere doesn't count here)) - costs 250 Materials;

- currently assigned vehicle (the last embarked, default ATV if none embarked) will be for player's convenience marked on the map. If no such vehicle - marker will disappear;

- added kind of dynamic jukebox, chosen tracks will be played from time to time (semi-random, around 20 minutes interval, similar as in Pilgrimage), the kind and interval depend on the situation (calm, weird or combat (these two with shorter interval)). Tracks chosen amongst Arma 3 music. Sad surprise was to learn, there's no Contact DLC tracks visible/avilable (I do not own this DLC), same for sound effects. Seems even this is behind the paywall unfortunatelly. So we have, what we have, I'm not satisfied, but...

- MBG Alien Ground Forces units should now use provided by this mod alien radio protocol language;

- experimentally warper creatures will use this weapon: 

 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=942209374

 

if mod is detected.

 

- corrected pointed out grammar errors.

 

As for future plans, currently under consideration (details unknown):

 

- mental stability parameter (negatively affected by anomalies and creatures, positively affected by time/resting);

- some quests bound with diary entries?;

- adding more optional alien weaponry to warper cratures. Perhaps there's a hope, MBG Alien Ground Forces mod may get such addition in the future, but that's just my guess, there was requests in this regard, no idea about actual author's plans. Or perhaps someone is awared about Arma 3 mod intriducing such weaponry? The smaller mod, the better.

- perhaps new kind of Weird Matter to be obtained with different properties?;

- using Contact DLC stuff, but seems, apart from some props, there may be nothing useful on the free side of the paywall, not even sounds or music tracks, which is disappointing;

- more language corrections when errors reported;

- more activities/presence for The Fittest.

 

 

[Godis_1 63]

Great update! Thank you.

New game required?

[Rydygier 1317]

Yes, I think, each mission pbo change makes new game required? Nothing, I could plan or decide. I can wait a bit longer with the next update though, especially, I've to think now, ho to approach rest of todos. Anyway, if one want to play longer to test long-term balance, may postpone own file updating and continue with older version. 

[aliascartoons 182]

interesting project man, keep up the good work!

[Godis_1 63]

Seen this?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1819276817&searchtext=

[Rydygier 1317]

Ah, good. Even better:

 

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This is planned to be added in a free update, and is not part of the premium package!

 

[johnnyboy 3797]

On 7/24/2019 at 2:40 AM, Rydygier said:

One difficulty, I see is the fact, at least currently investigated anomaly script is probably designed only to add an anomaly, but I see no means for removal. Also code is based on many parallel threads (spawns, execVMs) which makes this harder. So one way would be to dive deep into their code and do all necessary adjustements to make spawn/removal/spawn/removal possible, but some may require quite extensive redesign like replacing parallel threads with some kind of "one loop" solution, or, if that prove to be too tedious, I could just spawn bunch of them at day 1 and leave them be, but then they'll be present only inside initial Zone boundries, will not follow Zone expansion and those destroyed (apparently this is possible for some) will be not replaced with new ones

hi rydygier.  i haven't looked under the hood, so here's an uneducated thought.  is it possible to spawn set of anomalies at init and then suspend/deactivate them.  you could then activate and place the anomalies from this pool later conditionally.  in this scenario, they should be usable in expansion zones. also maybe you can reuse an existing active anomaly by relocating it when player moves to new zone.  this may be a less code intensive way to expand usage of anomalies.  just a thought.

 

anyway, good luck with this very interesting and creative project.

[Rydygier 1317]

Hi, thanks. Since logic structure of these anomalies is based on parallel threads without any handles left and utilizes some additional spawned helper objects, particle sources etc., in order to get control over once placed anomaly, I would need redo its code to add and collect all threads' handles and spawned object into global arrays, from where these can be terminated/deleted/moved. Possible, and even less work than enabling suspending, but for now decided, I'll just scatter number of them at mission init in the northern part of Malden and leave them be. 

[Rydygier 1317]

All right, Warping Plague 1.00 released. 

 

 

Changes include:

 

- added psyche factor affecting daily activities effectivenes, like number of houses possible to search etc.;

- added Contact DLC music and few decorations;

- added intro and outro (credits);

- added initial settings menu;

- enriched narrative layer: radio contact with Quarantine Forces Detachment;

- at certain data gathered level possible supply drops and sometimes heads up about near threats from QFD;

- many rebalancing and other corrections (amongst other: finding survivors chance drops each time one is found).

[Godis_1 63]

Thx for the new version!
I'm wondering how this would feel on a more "post-apocalyptic" map, like Chernarus Redux or the Tarkov map that can be found on the workshop. Is the scenario heavily relying on Malden?

[Rydygier 1317]

Porting is possible, and IIRC shound't require advanced changes in the scripts (this is my intent anyway), but if you open this scenario in editor, you'll see, there's quite a few things requiring consideration and perhaps explanation. Mostly manually defined via markers areas, some for bandits activity, some for the Zone or anomalies, and the town itself of course. So porting should be possible without real scripting changes (minor may be need, like adding new areas to the arrays, if porting requires it), but not as simple as copy&paste into new map. Also there may appear some corrections required in the plot logic on non-island maps. It fits best small to medium island maps, I guess, just like Malden. In time I possibly may want to make own ports too, who knows. 

 

PS One thing, I didn't manage to test thoroughly enough would be long term resourcs balance (impossible to test without actual long gameplay). Please, keep an eye on this, I can tweak it, if required. 

[Rydygier 1317]

Mission updated to 1.01:

 

- fixed: various issues, that could happen around map buildings activities (looting, utilizing) after resuming saved game;

- fixed: "No locations in range" message should not appear every map click (belongs to fast travel only).

 

Added also open folder link to the first post. Steam version NOT updated because this happens every try but first (first says something about timeout/too long etc.):

 

 

even after full PC restart, thus not my end probably. It was happening to me in the past/other projects, apparently it intends to happen still. I'm kinda cut off from Workshop. If anyone knows the solution here - please, share it. Till then Workshop entry will be not updated.