Coc ua 1.1 progress

[denoir 0]

Some updates on the work on 1.1.

First off a russian piece for UA, the M55/D-20 152 mm SP Howitzer:

Second, 1.1 includes a full COBRA (Counter Battery Radar) system.

The COBRAs detect incoming artillery shells. They track them and determine the origin (enemy arty firing position). Once they have determined the position of the enemy artillery, they call in a high priority artillery strike against it (if there are any available friendly artillery units).

[bonko the sane 2]

very nice indeed!

[SASR Sabre 0]

looks real nice!

[thirtyg 0]

The COBRAs detect incoming artillery shells. They track them and determine the origin (enemy arty firing position). Once they have determined the position of the enemy artillery, they call in a high priority artillery strike against it (if there are any available friendly artillery units).

As usual sounds very impressive guys

just a few questions on how the COBRAs works

Will the UA 1.1 AI system do this automatically when the COBRAs are placed on the map or will they need to be manually operated.

Also what is the detection range/capabilities of the COBRAs, will they be able to detect arty that is firing from the opposite side of the island away from them?

[denoir 0]

Will the UA 1.1 AI system do this automatically when the COBRAs are placed on the map or will they need to be manually operated.

It's fully automatic. You just place the unit on the map and it will do all the rest.

Quote[/b] ]Also what is the detection range/capabilities of the COBRAs, will they be able to detect arty that is firing from the opposite side of the island away from them?

Right now it's set to 1,000 m, but it's just a parameter. It could be set for one unit to cover the whole map, but I don't think we're going to do that, both for realism and playability.

The SNAR-12 and the Archer-2 are both small, low energy mobile field radars. As far as playability goes, the COBRA system is quite powerful as it can basically pinpoint all the enemy arty and call in arty strikes against it. If we gave it a too large detection area, there would be no arty left on the map five minutes after mission start. A limited range forces the player to think of radar coverage, mobility etc..

The 1 km current radius value will be tweaked, but I doubt that we will set it to anything radically larger.

[joltan 0]

Is that 1km from the origin of the artillery fire - or 1km within the area where the shells land? I guess (and hope) the latter, but it wasn't absolutely clear to me from your description.

Anyways - sounds like a great idea - and makes the use of artillery a little bit more of a challange (i.e. - first take out the radar, then shell the enemy positions - or get blown away by the counter battery fire).

[denoir 0]

Is that 1km within the origin of the artillery fire - or 1km within the area where the shells land? I guess (and hope) the latter, but it wasn't absolutely clear to me from your description.

The latter; 1 km radius centered on the radar carrying unit.

[Ironsight 1]

About the M113/archer-2 does it excists

I have a magazine with an M113 with artillery radar and the radar is totally different (don't have a scanner here) it has a long mast with a small radar on it. Is it another type or what?

[denoir 0]

About the M113/archer-2 does it excists   ´

Yeah. The Archer-2 is a US mod of the British Green Archer field radar. You can slap it on just about anything. I had the unfortune of having my tent next to a M577 with such a radar on during an ex in Norway ('98 IIRC).

Anyway, I should perhaps call it M577/Archer-2 as it is the 577 (command version of the M113) that I've used.

There are however other possibilities. You can equally well fit it on a regular M113 chassis.

As for the Archer-2 radar, here you can see some original Green Archers on a special German brand of the M113:

Can't find ai image of the A2 on the net, but it looks pretty much the same as the Green Archer, aprat from having a much thinner base of the dish.

[Imshi-Yallah 0]

Erm what would be required for a passenger in an aircraft to use the COC UA system.

I.e. a backseater in a two seat plane like the O-1 or an as yet unreleased PC-9?

[dinger 1]

You would need a script that detects if the player is in the passenger (gunner/commander/cargo) position, and that, if so, adds the action that links to "\CoC_Arty\scripts\openmenu.sqs"

The "commander radio" patch in UA 1.0 is an example of such a script (though with TCs, the problem is that mouse clicks on the map are also orders to the crew).

[Imshi-Yallah 0]

But what if the passenger isnt grouped with the crew?

[dinger 1]

doesn't matter, just as long as you run a script like this on each client:

(the example is for gunner, and should work with UA 1.0 and later)

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

#NoRadio

?(player != vehicle player) && (player == gunner vehicle player):Goto "StartRadio"

~10

Goto "NoRadio"

#StartRadio

_veh = vehicle player

[_veh, player] exec "\CoC_Arty\scripts\openmenu.sqs"

#HasRadio

?player != gunner _veh:Goto "StopRadio"

?(vehicle player != _veh) or (!alive player):goto "stopradio"

~2.5

goto "HasRadio"

#StopRadio

[_veh, player] exec "\CoC_Arty\scripts\EndMenu.sqs"

goto "NoRadio"

[kaskad 0]

How come I've never heard of a BMP-1/SNAR-12C ?

Is it possible that you guys could've mistaken it with a PRP-3 Val or PRP-4MU NARD?

[denoir 0]

Is it possible that you guys could've mistaken it with a PRP-3

Nope. The SNAR series can be used on both MT-LB chassis as well as BMP chassis. Here you see a 10 series on the MT-LB:

Quote[/b] ]How come I've never heard of a BMP-1/SNAR-12C ?

That's more of a question that you can answer, than I can.

[kaskad 0]

I've seen the SNAR-10 on the MT-LB, but I have not heard of the 12 series, that's why I've asked.

BTW, are you guys going to use the BIS made BMP (which is out of scale as you know), or perhaps the one from the CSLA or the FDF mod ?

[denoir 0]

I've seen the SNAR-10 on the MT-LB, but I have not heard of the 12 series, that's why I've asked.

BTW, are you guys going to use the BIS made BMP (which is out of scale as you know), or perhaps the one from the CSLA or the FDF mod ?

The too-large BIS model. I would like to stress that the big point with the COBRAs is in the underlying scripts, not the models. The M113 and BMP were chosen because we didn't have to make the models.

Modelling is not my forte, so the less I have to do of it, the happier I'll be.

Don't expect any masterpieces in that department though. I made the models in the first place because it seemed more attractive than having a game logic doing the job.

Anyway I can't *fully* promise on the existance of a BMP-1 SNAR-12 combination. I've seen an 11 series on a BMP-3 chassis and I have been told that there is a 12 series. The SNAR system is modular though and you could slap it on a tractor if you really wanted to. So it's quite probable that there are 12 series mounted on BMP chassis (which after all are fairly general purpose).

But, as I said, the models were a quick-and-dirty way of getting some form of units representing the COBRAs.

[Major Fubar 0]

I think what is needed most for these artillery addons is a new animation - "Fingers in ears" - for artillerymen who don't have ear protection

[KeyCat 131]

The COBRAs detect incoming artillery shells. They track them and determine the origin (enemy arty firing position). Once they have determined the position of the enemy artillery, they call in a high priority artillery strike against it (if there are any available friendly artillery units).

Sounds awesome and I assume it involves some heavy scripting behind the scenes, looking forward to try it out!

Keep up your incredible work guys...

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)

[cornhelium 0]

Quote[/b] ]Quote (thirtyg @ June 14 2004,07:26)

Will the UA 1.1 AI system do this automatically when the COBRAs are placed on the map or will they need to be manually operated.

Quote[/b] ]It's fully automatic. You just place the unit on the map and it will do all the rest.

Hi Denoir,

This sounds fantastic. The OFP battlefield is becoming a more dangerous place every day

...inferring from this that there is now a system where AI can autonomously make calls to artillery, could this now be something that Unnamed's awesome AI FO could plug into?

Cheers,

Cornhelium

[the_shadow 0]

i was thinking... if i put some text in the initfield of a unit (equipped by some sort of radio or laser that is compatible with UA and radio weapons/Laser weapons is activated) can i link one or several artillery batteries to that unit and he will use them if i find´s in nessesary (more enemies then the number of units in his own squad (or atleast 20 man) in visual range) even though it´s an AI unit?

this would make it much easier to get AI to use artillery...

example 1: squad A has a FO in it´s squad (an AI unit with a radio and binoculars) wich has a M252 mortar battery (6 mortars) under his command, the squad spots a enemy base with 2 trucks, 2 tanks, a UAZ and 15 - 20 additional infantry (a tank or APC count´s as the amount of units in it´s crew and/or cargo) the FO then automatically calls support on the enemy position with the mortar battery...

example 2: a patroling OH58 spots a column of enemy tanks, he has 2 M109 batteries (4 units each) under his command, he then target the tanks with his laser designator and call rtillery support from BOTH howitzer batteries and keep´s adjusting fire untill all tanks are defeated or out of visual range (or the chopper is shot down).

The AI should ofcourse be able to choose ammo type depending of targets, eg Armour = HE or some AT shells (like Strix if he got AMOS)

HE for Infantry (airburst?) or what might be best for the situation... (he should be able to deside what enemy is most dangerous and use the ammo apropriate for that enemy first)

this is just a simple thought.. (would also make it much more dangerous to encounter enemy if he got artillery) ;)

[Scrub 0]

Great to hear of the update and all the teamwork going on to make this happen!  Can't wait, been blasting enemies with the first release with extreme prejudice. (muhaHAHAHA)

It's pretty late and I'm a bit tired, so please forgive me if the answer is 'in my face'- but, did I gather that the new radio interface is going to be a dialog?  It would be great if it was.  And just a suggetion, use a pic as a dialog background instead of a flat color, if possible.  Maybe a grungy piece of military hardware, or the radio you use (maybe you could upgrade the radio to a battlefield laptop and use the BIS model, just smaller. hmm?)

Just some random thoughts on giving it a 'finished' look.

Thanks,

Scrubby

[iNeo 0]

It's pretty late and I'm a bit tired, so please forgive me if the answer is 'in my face'- but, did I gather that the new radio interface is going to be a dialog?  It would be great if it was.  And just a suggetion, use a pic as a dialog background instead of a flat color, if possible.  Maybe a grungy piece of military hardware, or the radio you use (maybe you could upgrade the radio to a battlefield laptop and use the BIS model, just smaller. hmm?)

http://home.mchsi.com/~dingerx/strix2.jpg

Dinger's picture, a month old.

[dinger 1]

When denoir's COBRA system locates a target, it calls:

["PLATOON", "ARTILLERY", "IN OPEN", _strikepos, side _cobra, _highpriority, "CB FIRE (COBRA)"] exec "\CoC_Arty\scripts\TacFire.sqs"

which is:

size, type, protection, [x,y,z], SIDE (can also be a specific UA asset), priority, "Description"

The system picks the most appropriate unit and shell/fuze combination with which to engage. If, for example, SADARM is available, it's employed.

The old action menu system still works, but we also have a Forward Entry Device (FED). The screenshot (such that it is) shows that in action; the current texture is not much to look at, alas. The FED allows a player to call a fire mission in 5 mouseclicks, but also gives great versatility over all parameters of the fire mission.

[FerretFangs 0]

But can the AI use it? It;s still my understandng that UA cannot be employed by AI without a lot of scripting. Am I wrong about that? Will the next version of UA make it easier for the AI to properly use OTH artillery against another the player and/or OPFOR AI?