Mission makers changed to addon makers

[terox 316]

My thoughts on this , is not to create a mod missionmaker, but simply to create good solid templates for each type of gameplay that exists in OFP.

By this i mean fully tested, well supported template that has all the elements that are now available within the OFP community

Each template should basically include

X v X player slots (For the largest server available)

Pre game options for

a) Time of day

b) selection of gametypes

It should include

a) Vehicle respawn system

b) Special effects system

c) Anti TK, or anti spawncamping system

d) Weapon selection system

e) Scoring system

f) Damage control system (For weapons crates etc)

g) Briefing template, already laid out, simply add some info to exisiting lines, such as what vehicles are included, respawn delays, parachutes on/off etc

h) Safezones, outer warning triggers etc

Everything that a good mission has or needs without going over the top

There should be Boolean switches in the Init.sqs to enable, disable options at the missionmakers discretion

Most importantly there should be an online tutorial and a forum to back it up, which explains in laymans turns how to implement the template, how to set everything up

The template itself should be placed in the "Template" folder so that it can be used in conjunction with the "Editor Wizard"

Much easier way of creating a mission than copy n paste etc etc

Here's a list of known mission types:

CoOp

A&D

C&H

Progressive C&H

CTF

Reverse CTF

TDM

DM

Flagfight

Flagball

Races

Pregame options would be different for every gametype, but heres a shot at it

Param1

<span style='color:blue'>Dawn

Midday

dusk

dusk with flare illumination

Night

Night with flare illumination

24 hrs

24hrs with flare illumination</span>

That takes care of just about every light setting you could think of

Param2 CTF

<span style='color:blue'>CTF

Reverse CTF

Flagball

Flagfight</span>

Param2 C&h

<span style='color:blue'>1 Flag

3 Flag

5 Flag progressive</span>

Param2 A&D

<span style='color:blue'>TDM

A&D</span>

Param2 CoOp

<span style='color:blue'>Whatever

Whatever</span>

Basically each template, will offer a pre selection of different gametypes using the various flags that are needed to create the gameplays

For instance

C&H

5 flags used for progressive game

3 flags used for normal game

1 flag (middle flag) used for low numbers on the server

CTF

3 flags

2 outer flags used for normal CTF, or reverse CTF

middle flag used for Flagfight or flagball

Lots and lots of different options

Now i am not talking about creating templates for the advanced mapper to use, what i am talking about is creating templates for newcomers in mapmaking to use.

It is these guys that we need to entice into mapmaking

I remember making my first ever mission, it was a CTF called "Riverdance". It took me well over 100 hrs of solid work to create it, due to my total lack of knowledge or experience in this kind of work. I found it very intimidating and frustrating.

The difference being, that all the things that these folks want in their missions, but cant figure out how to do it would already be done for them, this makes their task ever so much easier and therefore they are more likely to knock some maps out and learn by it

Editing wise, newbie mappers should just need to

1) drag icons in the mission editor to their desired location

2) Change a few vehicles, or soldier types

3) Load some ammo crates out

4) Change some variable values in the Init.sqs

and do the nice things like add fencing, buildings etc, not worry about how to make a safezone, or create a ctf system

I myself have done something like this on a much smaller scale, and i believe templates is the way to go. Templates that WORK!

Here's an example of a template pack

Example of a template

Here's an example of an online tutorial to back it up

Template tutorial example

[Pimmelorus 0]

OK guys, I support this initiative.

Together with Terox I have been making MP mission templates as described in the previous post. In fact, we have been designing it for sake of the EFL competition, and after that I continued to refine it for use on the ZEUS (regular and add-on) server.

What Terox want to say (he always takes a lot of words ;)) is that when you have a good working template, the release of maps will increase when more people are ABLE to make maps; using templates all you need is some basic knowledge of the editor and scripts to place objects on a map (and adjust some otehr small other things), adjust some scripts (mainly init.sqs), and you got a solid working map. Ideal I would say for the perpouse we are discussing here.

So, what do we have?

* This is what it look like in the editor; all markers are part of template. A map maker only resizes/repositions some triggers and markers

*In the lobbyyou have a choice of game play variants that are different for CTF or C&H templates (see post Terox above). Also the different times of operation can be selected; this also includes a 24 hrs/autoflare option (very cool!).

*the briefing (who does not hate making these ) is standard and just needs some filling in of map-specific stuff. All important stuff that concern the game types is also listed here. So, admins can refer to the briefing if players need explanation of for instance the "Progressive C&H" game type.

*The template contains a fully automated, standard intro scene that shows the playing area, and the map makers name, the map name, etc.

* All dealings with weapons is done via a weapon loadout dialog. Dialogs are present for standars, but also add-on weapons. Nice feature is that weapon loadouts can be stored and recalled.

*In game the players are also updated on important game settings which can be recalled using the radio.

*Also rearming at crates is done using a rearm dialog. Here you see the action appearing in the action menu.

*Pressing that gets you in the dialog. Sexy not?

*Finally, as we started developing this templates ina pre-ECP era, we included special effects that can be switched on and off using the action menu. The special effects include helicopter rotor dust, tank shock dust and burning vehicles.

The template contains a lot more well thought out scripts (again read post of Terox above) that guarantee bug free MP gaming, but that take too long to list.

To be honest, I developed the ZEUS template that is shown in the pictures above for use on the ZEUS servers as sort of a promotional thing. However, if there is enough enthausiasm from others I might consider donating help and scripts to a OFP global initiative. I am sure that Shrike (who I promissed a ZEUS exclusive release) can come along after some debating.

Ok letme know what you think.

Oh yeah, as a next project I was thinking about a COOP template that has stuff in like the weapon rearm dialog. So, I am also available to think along COOP initiatives. I am MP minded only I must say.

Cya, Pimmelorus

[AliMag 0]

I do believe in team work and I think this is a great idea.

I dont do MP missions so I cant help in that department.

If you guys decide to do SP to and are serious about it I'll be glad to contribute.

And by the way, I dont give a dam who takes credit for the mission. This is not why I'm making them.

Cheers

[dinger 1]

Okay, hold on guys.  Time to split some hairs again:

First off, an addon or a mod is NOT COMPLETE until it has at least one good mission that uses it.

Second, part of what happened was the introduction of eventhandlers.  With EHs, scripting became an integral part of addonmaking, whereas before, scripting was the province of the mission editor.

Third, yeah, missionmaking has become less rewarding. It takes at least as much time to make a good mission as it does to make a good addon.

Fourth, for a mission maker, every addon you require someone to have reduces the number of people who will play the mission.  So why have the cool addons?

A solution might be to put together a "Standard List" of addons to use in a mission, but again, that list should be short, and preferably downloadable in one place.

Even then you'll have problems. Fancy addons don't always play fair.

And if you're going to set up an MP template, I strongly recommend integrating CoC_NS. That takes care of a lot of standard MP issues.

[Pimmelorus 0]

Ok, in the pre-OFP watch era we (ZEUS) have tried to agree with other servers on a standard set of addons to use. This, for various reasons has not worked out, not in the least because people have a hard time on agreeing on what they like best Out of experience I know that addon-makers are really pissed off when you try to get to a total consensus on what addons to use, especially the ones not elected ;)

And on the CoC_NS, I would love you to inform me on its possibilities. I must say I find its appearance quite overwhelming and all essential stuff we have accomplished using solid scripting and common sense. But please, tell me what the benefits are, I am all ears...seriously

[dinger 1]

Yes, I agree that picking a list of addons is going to piss off those not included; you can't standardize too much or you'll discourage folks. But at the same time, if you have a required addons list that includes twelve separate downloads from twelve web sites, nobody's gonna download it. THat's why Zeus has its pack, and everyone else too.

As far as CoC_NS: it automates a lot of MP processes.

It gives you access to information like the full list of human players currently connected. Key functions are peer-to-peer data transfer, publicArray and at the end of this week a publicFunction command.

What can you do with this stuff?

A very simple use would be to transfer money from one player to another.

Likewise, you can have secure messaging between players. Or your anti-TK scripts could be much more sophisticated. Hit and Killed are local-only, so if you want a TK-thing you either kill off players with no explanation, or you develop a custom transport with a polling script. With NS, you can use FnSend to transmit the exact details of the TK to the offending client, exact the penalties and do all this with no additional load. Anyway, the point is that rather than writing a MP monitoring script for every eventuality, and using scripts that only work in a given situation, you have a single script that takes care of all of that.

Another use is as a real-time debugging tool. One of the big problems with developing coop missions is debugging them. Anyone who's made a complicated coop mission knows that the biggest headache is getting all the little details to work right; usually by the time you debug these, you and your friends are sick of the damn mission and are off playing something else.

As a demo of CoC_NS, bn880 developed a comms console that not only gives peer-to-peer communications, but also allows remote debugging.

Why is this important? Think of developing spinor's debugging console on steroids. You could have a coop mission with 20 people, and one "CM", with this console.

Trigger doesn't fire? the CM could log into the server and set it off manually.

Group wanders off, and flanks through an undefended area? the CM can give AI units move orders to intercept the human teams.

AI pilot CFITs the only evac helo halfway to base? The CM could scare up a new helo with pilot, and have it fly in.

In this way, an MP mission doesn't have to be perfect, and you could even have "one-off missions", played only once on special events.

Anyway, Bn880 put a lot of time in this for just those reasons: Making MP missions easier to program, and improving code efficiency by replacing a bunch of custom polling scripts with a single unified system.

[hellfish6 7]

Lots of stuff

Cya, Pimmelorus

Great initiative, Pimmelorus. I definately agree that mission making is no easy task. It's one thing to plop a bunch of stuff down in the editor and play around with it, but it's an entirely different thing to make it look and play professionally. You're helping to make that professionalism easier.

[Pimmelorus 0]

Dinger, I promiss that I will look in to the CoC_NS to gets its handy parts. But I hope you'll see that the explanation you give here is also for advanced users; peer-to-peer data transfer, secure messaging are not in my vocabulary.

I must say that I like the examples in which the server is controlled from the clients side.

[Gollum1 0]

I have started making some MP missions and I assure you that they're a lot more high quality than most missions. MAP Naval Infantry "Igniting the Blaze" coming soon, in beta testing.

It's true that there are very few mission makers.

[m21man 0]

Once you have the scripts and templates designed, mission design can be very fast. The problem with mission making is that you don't want to release something that isn't polished, you need to do lots of testing, and that may mean playing the mission over and over and over . I have about 50 missions and a 30 mission campaign that I just couldn't stand finishing .

[Skulleye 0]

If you're never going to finish them, why not just release them as they are (if they are at least playable)?

[m21man 0]

Because I don't want to . And because they aren't really finished.

[Ex-RoNiN 0]

Well, that's the whole point of our initiative, isn't it

[shrike 0]

Concerning a dynamic coop template you might want to check out THIS

This is supposed to become a Coop template with loads of options. It's basically designed to offer a backbone which allows you a quick and easy design of all types of coop maps.

The idea behind it is to encourage not so experienced or novice mapdesigners to go and give it a try and to ultimately keep OFP alive by providing the community with more missions to play.

I hope Terox doesn't mind me linking to it as it is in a very early stage but I am sure he would be happy about some input from experienced coop mapmakers as his expertise has been more on PvP maps so far.

Any input and suggestions are welcome :-)

[terox 316]

No probs shrike

Slightly wrong there, the link isnt for a coop template, its for an "Uber CoOp", that randomly selects a number of mini missions incorporated in it so that you never play the same game twice, everytime its completely different, however, the mini mission creation will be done using templates

Reference templates

Templates are a means of quickly creating a mission to a set standard

The initial template idea was created for EFL, so that we could have  standardise quality and make mission creation a much more efficient task

With my ability and knowledge of the template system that Pimmelorus and myself created, i can make a fully playable, quality mission, with everything required, all briefings fully done, absolutely everything in under 2 hours, from scratch

It takes the complete newb a while longer of course

But what i have noticed is due to the completeness of the tutorial that comes with it, Complete novices do have a go. I am now seeing a constant influx of new EFL missions of varying gameplay qualities being mailed to me by folks who simply wouldnt have bothered prior to the release of these templates

Therefore without fear of contradiction, i know that a well thought out, pre planned template with a good tutorial will entice folks to create missions,  which is what you guys are after doing

I wouldnt suggest doing something on the scale of the EFL templates, but something more basic, would definitely be welcomed by newbie mapmakers

It isnt the addons or the island that makes a decent mission, its the gameplay and the gameplay supporting scripts

Addons etc are just icing on the cake

What i am basically saying, is have something more basic that a newb can build with, he will then try to aspire to greater things

They need a simple method to create a decent mission and templates give them just that, without all the frustrated headaches of searching hundreds of BIS or OFPEC posts

[EiZei 0]

There are 98 (and growing ) missions (both SP and MP) in my missions folder, over 50% not released.

[drow 0]

hey,

this is good, because when we all learned we had ofpec.

now they have nothing... do they?

keep up the good work for the community lads ;)

Drow

[Pimmelorus 0]

A quick reminder. Ex-Ronin has opened a sticky <span style='color:blue'>topic</span> in the User Missions section that is supposed to gather contributors to this initiatve. Plz drop by if interested.

[DKM Jaguar 0]

I really think that iniative is a good way to get missions made