Back to CTI for dummies

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Due to the current state of worldwide lockdown I have time to waste (or let's say to dedicate to various activities other than work), so I took a chance to play OFP again.

After a few hours in single player (nothing like stealing a T-72 at Dourdan in the classic Ambush mission), I tried to go back multiplayer.

It was a very good surprise to find active public servers on http://kondor.armagame.pl/ofp_servers.html and OFP Monitor through master.ofpisnotdead.com.

 

• Some are running 1.96, some 1.99 or 2.01: What is the main reason behind that ? What is be the best way to proceed then: go 2.01 and rollback to 1.99 if you want to go for a 1.99 server ?
• Is it just me of most of the 2.01 servers have pings around 150+ ?

 

• Addons-wise, each server seems to be running its own dedicated mods (e.g. @TuPaS  ; @PRMOD) or set of mods (e.g. @dvdcrcti1.79;@80+Islands1.3;@wintercti7;@sons;@res-z).
• After downloading most of those I could found, I am still a bit confused about how to handle them : Is there a smart way to proceed ? Or you just accumulate the GB of mods and get a specific shortcut with the right mod list per server ?

 

• I was looking to play CTIs but I am also lost among acronyms and game options (MFCTI, crCTI, TZK CTI, KCTI, ...) : is there anywhere I can find basic info on the different sort of CTI and how to best play it ? And how to understand missions names and stuff ? e.g. what's behing a "crcti1.0_@bis_res-z_para" game ?

 

• Is it possible to locally host on HAMACHI for playing with 1 or 2 buddies ? Is there any value in it ?

 

• Bonus question : Is CrimeCity still a living thing ?

 

Many thanks !

[zulu1 145]

The CTI names are based on who built the script packages.

MFCTI- Mike Melvin

CRCTI - Clean Rock

...etc.

 

crcti1.0_@bis_res-z_para" game means its based on Clean Rocks CTI1.0 and uses additional addon pack @bis_res-z_para.

 

Crime City I'm sure is around. Try the DT server, or Nooby (Noob1) likes to play it on his server which is up and down.

 

btw...I don't think HAMACHI is around any more.

[CTI player IF 32]

Hi. I'm the author of TZK mod of CTI. As an author, the reason I choose 2.01 is due to its more script commands' supporting. You may have a look on my topic, I post part of details about how 2.01 raise the mission design there.
When you installing the 2.01 patch, select "Move to Res folder (half 1.99 compatibility)" option. This will move your 1.99 files into "RES" folder, which, you might have known, is a default mod for OFPR or ACWA to be loaded on it's start, and thus make you're still able to join 1.99 server after having upgraded to 2.01. The program of 2.01 game, i.e., ArmA Resistance, won't load the RES and use files it placed in BIN/DTA.
If you wish to uninstall the 2.01, double click the "ARRemover.exe" set up by 2.01 patch to remove 2.01 and recover your 1.99.

The OFPMonitor/ArmAMonitor is good at handling mods. I place mods with the game and use the Monitor to start the game or to join server.

 

As far as I know, the base series of CTI are only MF and CR. Postfix means its mod or related name, as @zulu1 told. I made the TZK basing on crCTI1.0-irparaZ_RES2C3C8, but it'll be too long if I remain "irparaZ_RES2C3C8" in mission's name. I call my whole project "TZK" and use it as the name of MOD/MPMissions. You may have a look about the TZK version on the topic on forum, which can be seen on my signature preference or from the link above.

[copä�te 0]

Thanks, very much interesting indeed. @CTI player IF congrats for the TZK CTI project, that's amazing work !

 

I am struggling to not get roasted by the enemy AI and to properly direct my own AI when commander. crCTI mission briefings says there are(were) manuals available at cr-ofp.dyndns.org. But the site is down and even with archive.org I couldn't get such guides, do you know where I can find some guidelines for AI commanding and basic game best practices ?

[CTI player IF 32]

It's hard for us to design a smart enemy AI in CTI (well someone may try to applying machine learning to train one :-p), thus since XR (i.e., that "irparaZ_RES2C3C8") or earlier version the enemy AI is set having 10 times of money than player. It'll be better not to open too many AI groups if not play CTI for long, and reduce the strength of resistance as well (default is LOW, but players nowadays prefer DOOM).

 

Sites of CR have downed for long. I planned to write some documents about TZK and CTI, but I don't have too many time and vigor. I spent about 10 months to make TZK_2. I just can't stop to develop it in the beginning, and then facing a problem cost me 3 months to catch it. I finally finished Project TZK_2.12 2 weeks ago, and wrote a document of new features. But now I'm interested by the work of @hitman1987 again, and not sure whether I can finish my documents.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14bAdV5EP_MOkW0a1WSyJebLBaJp4JPTn

 

Some simple commanding:

MAP Click:
CTI use MAP click to call many menus. Most of them can be open by other ways, but the dialog setting CO points (waypoints set by commander for AI groups) must be called in this way. Here list all map click functions. "ALT" and "SHIFT" means you should press them when you clicking.

Spoiler

 

SHIFT. Click on blank position (no AI markers nearby if some UnitCam working) or anywhere if none UnitCam working.
    - Call the AI group order/setting dialog.
        - Set AI's order and setting.
ALT. SHIFT. Click anywhere.
    - Call the waypoints dialog.
        - Set CO points for AI groups. Set wp points (for your own group).
        - Points will be set at the position you clicked on.

ALT. Click anywhere.
    - A short cut way to set wp points (for your own group) from 0-9.
    - 20 seconds resets the index of WP.

If you have some members in your group, select them with F2-F12. When selecting some units, map click function will be different. Above are clicking without selecting anyone.
SHIFT. Selected. Click anywhere.
    - Call the dialog of orders special for player (not for COMMANDER but for player's own group).
    - The order will be valid to units you selected.
    - In this dialog some descriptions are displayed for all orders. Read it before using them.

 

If you play TZK, You might have a look on some old documents I wrote for earlier version TZK_1.01 and TZK_1.10. Some setting options for AI are mentioned and still remained in latest version.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cSruT9KuX73TDGT1cOu7wMNceSQvQfFY

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CsQk8B2LEL5HqFjbDuuguJSEvSCsJBcW