Briefing Questions

[Luft08 27]

My briefing is showing up if I run my mission on my PC but does not show up if I put my mission on a dedicated server. I am just starting to work with briefings so I have a few questions.

 

1. Must briefings be named "Briefing" or can it be named anything? My briefing is in the file: addBriefing.sqf

 

2. Must briefings be in the mission root or can they be in a subdirectory?

 

3. I have my code that calls addBriefing.sqf in the initPlayerLocal.sqf file. The code waits to run until the server is ready.

i.e. waitUntil{sleep 1; !isNil "ServerReady"};

Must the briefing code run right away or can it be delayed in this manner?

 

4. Before setting the serverReady variable to true and making it a publicVariable the server sets another variable and makes it a publicVariable so that the briefing code can use its value to create a somewhat dynamic briefing. Is this okay?

 

The initServer.sqf calls "scripts\common\initVariables.sqf" which contains the publicVariable used by the briefing code:

if(!isServer) exitWith {};

spotterChance = floor random 100;
publicVariable "spotterChance";

Based on the contents of missionPath a addBriefing.sqf is run.

i.e. [] execVM (missionPath + "addBriefing.sqf");

 

example of addBriefing.sqf:

private _satReliability = [] call satReliability;

player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Mission",
"<img image='pictures\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
Your mission:<br/><br/>
There is a scientist working on a deadly nerve agent.<br/>
Command does not want him to finish. His position<br/>
is marked on your map. Go take him out.<br/>
<br/>
The defence satellite application program is " + _satReliability]];

The first part of the addBriefing.sqf calls satReliability.

private _satReliability = "working well.";
if(spotterChance < 91) then {_satReliability = "fairly good.";};
if(spotterChance < 76) then {_satReliability = "spotty.";};
if(spotterChance < 51) then {_satReliability = "flaky today.";};
if(spotterChance < 21) then {_satReliability = "nearly down.";};

_satReliability

 

[RCA3 581]

Check your description.ext for briefing = 1. And Biki says - "If no briefing.html is present, it is skipped anyway."  - I'm not sure this is still valid but try and create an empty briefing.html on your mission root.

[R3vo 2652]

11 hours ago, RCA3 said:

Check your description.ext for briefing = 1. And Biki says - "If no briefing.html is present, it is skipped anyway."  - I'm not sure this is still valid but try and create an empty briefing.html on your mission root.

 

Briefing.html is not valid for Arma 3 and thus not needed. See https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Briefing.html

 

Execute your briefing script via initPlayerLocal.sqf. This will ensure it's added locally for each player that joins the mission.

See also: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Briefing.html

 

[Luft08 27]

3 hours ago, R3vo said:

 

Briefing.html is not valid for Arma 3 and thus not needed. See https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Briefing.html

 

Execute your briefing script via initPlayerLocal.sqf. This will ensure it's added locally for each player that joins the mission.

See also: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Briefing.html

 

Thanks R3vo, I am executing my briefing from initPlayerLocal.sqf. With further testing I have discovered that if I exclude the "The defence satellite application program is " + _satReliability line it works.  Am I concatenating the strings wrong for the Briefing.sqf method? 

[R3vo 2652]

Try with format then. It could also be that initPlayerLocal.sqf is executed before initServer.sqf thus your variable does not exist when the briefing code is executed. See https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Initialization_Order ("order is not guaranteed")

[Luft08 27]

4 hours ago, R3vo said:

Try with format then. It could also be that initPlayerLocal.sqf is executed before initServer.sqf thus your variable does not exist when the briefing code is executed. See https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Initialization_Order ("order is not guaranteed")

Thanks, I'll try format. For now I found a work around. I wrote a separate method that uses a switch/case construct to create the diary records. It's grossly inefficient but allows me to move forward.

switch (satReliability) do {
	case 1: {
		player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Situation",
		"<img image='images\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
		Situation:<br/><br/>
		The defence satellite application program is nearly down so<br/>
		be careful."]];
	};
	
	case 2: {
		player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Situation",
		"<img image='images\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
		Situation:<br/><br/>
		The defence satellite application program is flaky today so<br/>
		don't depend on getting accurate information."]];	
	};
	
	case 3: {
		player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Situation",
		"<img image='images\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
		Situation:<br/><br/>
		Be aware, the defence satellite application program is spotty today."]];	
	};
	
	case 4: {
		player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Situation",
		"<img image='images\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
		Situation:<br/><br/>
		The defence satellite application program is working fairly well."]];	
	};
	
	case 5: {
		player createDiaryRecord ["Diary", ["Situation",
		"<img image='images\header.jpg' width='350' height='66'/><br/>
		Situation:<br/><br/>
		The defence satellite application program working well today."]];	
	};
};

I tried using the <var><var/> like html but no joy.  I'll try format. Thanks.