AP Mines

[UNN 0]

Quote[/b] ]No, you cannot use collision detection of infantry to set off mines. If it was possible it would be in VBS by now...

Well, I should have said. I have had some success, but nothing conclusive. But let's hope Bn880 is not just taking favours, from your pliant nature  

[bn880 5]

What is this "some success" then?

Only infantry causing an event is _some_ success... we know already about AT mines etc.

This should be 2 post long, Mine, then a BIS official's. Wishful.

[UNN 0]

Quote[/b] ]What is this "some success" then?  

Only infantry causing an event is _some_ success...

Yep, I can get an infantry guy to call an event due to collision. But my initial attempts to get it into a form that could be used as an addon, did not work to well. Although I've yet to spend any real amount of time on it.

Quote[/b] ]we know already about AT mines etc.

I've not seen anything using it, which is a shame. Look at the Lib Mod AT mines, they lagged like crazy. When there was no need for any intensive, looping scripts. Such a simple, lag free, collision event method, could be used for all kinds of things.

Quote[/b] ]This should be 2 post long, Mine, then a BIS official's.

I wouldn’t know about that, but the sticky topic at the top of this forum, seemed pretty explicit?

[bn880 5]

Then Im sure you are generous enough to share with everyone how you are getting this event. Perhaps I or someone else here will have some success in turning it into a usable form?

[dinger 1]

UNN is correct -- IIRC, you can get "collision detection" on infantry, a la prosphere. The problem is that it doesn't work 100% of the time (for example, walking slowly); it's sensitive to other things (like bullets flying through it), and ultimately requires polling as well.

One of the big russian mods of mines is more or less a "borrowing" of CoC stuff with additional models.

CoC Mines (originally started with 1.46 and back before init EHs were global) takes a threaded approach, using EHs for effects and periodic polling for MP synchronization. Submunition effect fields are spoofed on remote clients to reduce lag. There are FPS chunders when you set off claymores and stuff, and to be honest, there are ways we can improve these.

Detonation of CoC mines occurs when they are "killed" (damage = 1). The standard way to "kill" a mine is use a trigger; so above a couple dozen mines, the strain on system resources is noticeable.

Mapfact uses a pure object-oriented polling system for their mines. In other words, each mine starts a script that (ideally) polls something like 1000 times a second (or 100) checking for unit proximity. Likewise, this creates a drain on resources.

Another approach is to only make the player susceptible to mines. That's just not fun.

The ATMine class uses very few OFP engine resources and goes off without fail when a vehicle of Tank class passes over. Ideally, a new build should include the functionality to extend mines to other classes (maybe with an arming period, so a human can place one and walk away).

My particular vocation as modmaker has always been to extend the functionality of the OFP engine by adding stuff that's not there, and in the process produce a more realistic simulation. I -- and my colleagues here and on OFPEC -- can hack up some interesting and cool things. By making these hacks unnecessary, BIS does not deprive us of our calling, but rather allows us to go further, to push the envelope of what is possible.

There will always be something to hack on the OFP/AA engine; just because a hack or workaround exists doesn't make it any less of a limitation. Remove those limitations, and we'll take on the next line of limitations.

[UNN 0]

Quote[/b] ]Then Im sure you are generous enough to share with everyone how you are getting this event.  Perhaps I or someone else here will have some success in turning it into a usable form?

Sure, but it's no where near pretty. It was just something I stumbled across, when working on another addon. I have no plans to make any Mine packs, so if someone can make some use of it.

Quote[/b] ]you can get "collision detection" on infantry, a la prosphere.

Not sure what a prosphere is, but I'm guessing that works by polling it's position for any changes? Which was something I considered as a backup method. Assuming 400 versions of a very basic looping script, won't lag that much more than just having 400 static objects visible on screen?

Quote[/b] ]Another approach is to only make the player susceptible to mines. That's just not fun.

AP mines for human players only is easy enough, using User Actions. If the AI could also trigger those on thier own, that would give us a quick route to AP mines for all.

Quote[/b] ]The ATMine class uses very few OFP engine resources and goes off without fail when a vehicle of Tank class passes over. Ideally, a new build should include the functionality to extend mines to other classes (maybe  with an arming period, so a human can place one and walk away).

Yeah, that would be the ideal scenario. But failing that, with the option to create triggers via scripts. There are probably a few methods of creating Mine field objects, that don't take to much from the CPU.

I can get the object (well vehicle) to self-destruct on contact with an infantry player, but the process might not prove to be any better than any other method when done on mass. That’s why I wanted to get it into a basic form first, for testing.

Give me a chance to tidy it up. Then I will send you what little I have so far, perhaps it can be put to good use?

[bn880 5]

UNN is correct -- IIRC, you can get "collision detection" on infantry, a la prosphere. The problem is that it doesn't work 100% of the time (for example, walking slowly); it's sensitive to other things (like bullets flying through it), and ultimately requires polling as well.

The only collision detection on infantry that I have seen is man to man simulation. So this will be interesting.

Also, this is entirely off topic.

[dinger 1]

Damn UNN -- I'm gonna owe you a cupola pints at some point. If you go to cyprus at some point soon, let me know.

[UNN 0]

Quote[/b] ]The only collision detection on infantry that I have seen is man to man simulation.

Yeah, I noticed that. Although I never messed around with their armour values, to see if you could killed one with a collision.

Quote[/b] ]I'm gonna owe you a cupola pints at some point. If you go to cyprus at some point soon, let me know.

Cheers, but you may yet want to pour them over my head When you see how crappy the examples are, I've sent you.

Sorry, all this, is off topic. But to try and drag it back.

If I were to think of how AP mines might be supported by Armed Assault, hopefully without having to code anything significant. It would have to be either:

A parameter for user actions in the config, that also allows AI units to activate them. Rather than just the Players camera.

Or objects with a mass of -1, get destroyed (calls the killed event) on collision with infantry or vehicles.

[funnyguy1 0]

Look, If we have working ap/at mines, no matter what kind, we would need working sappers!

sorry for ot bn880, but you have to admit it`s quite interesting thing...

[bn880 5]

funnyguy eh, no worries, that's actually ON topic.

Thanks UNN, its an idea, but not sure how far it can make it, on the simple fact that OFP likes speed for those vehicles to do dmg... we'll see.