GDCE and WGL5

[Asso 0]

I'm making/testing a GDCE mission using WGL5 mod. For now I simply changed allied/enemy loadouts, squad loadout, added WGL mortar support to the mission (not as artillery, just as a piece available to the squad), added a DAC profile with some WGL units. All of this using Kutya's finished eastern mission (not the template; I only changed some units placement and the DAC zones, to speed up testing). I'm no OFP nor WGL expert, since I started playing 2 or 3 weeks ago and jumped right away into mission editing, and because I had to adapt some GDCE mechanics to WGL5's (GDCE uses Mapfact's Rucksacks and Radios, WGL5 has its own) I wanted to know if there is anything I could have missed. The mission right now seems useable, but since I always die young I can't be too sure.

So if somebody knows something or Kutya give me permission to pass "my" mission for a bit of testing let me know, answer here or send me a PM.

If everything goes well I could make a mini-campaign.

Thank you!

First Mission (NOW WORKING!!! ):

http://www.uploading.com/files/H4OR3MXB/gdc_crossfire_110i.zip.html

Forgot the readme, though. Only note is that the Saving Tent is a table now (near one of the barracks where the Officer is located).

[kutya 0]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">So if somebody knows something or Kutya give me permission to pass  "my" mission for a bit of testing let me know, answer here or send me a PM.

As I said before, everyone's free to publish work based on GDCE. The only restraint I'd set, is make a decent thing and don't use already used names (GDCE, VTD, SAS afghanistan) (or reserved ones, like FA Sonora for Tonal) and it's ok by me.

As for GDCE and WGL, Q from WGL has done a couple of such conversions, which are currently unreleased. I'm sure he could help you much in this. BTW Q is currently upgrading those missions to GDCE 1.10.

[Asso 0]

It seems I'm always late to the party heh. I'll contact Q then. Thanks!

[.kju 3245]

ill try to get it done by sunday at latest

[Asso 0]

So you will be releasing the missions? Good news.

Anyway, besides those things I mentioned, is there anything else I should check out? If that's not the case I'll wait for your missions, then check what islands you used and the version string and make some different things.

BTW, thanks for the patch.

[Asso 0]

Small update.

I started working on a simple 3-phased campaign, simple storyline written in the in-game notes. I'm using vanilla OFP (or should I say SIMPLE) right now, then I'll make a WGL port (I love to play with ECP, too). The first phase is almost finished, just some logic placement and a bit of fine tuning. It's Russians vs Americans on Malden.

[Novellus 0]

Can I see your testing missions ?

[Asso 0]

I could release the first mission as a "demo", I just have to do the things I mentioned. I don't know when it will be finished, almost surely in the next couple of days.

Must study for my courses so it could take a little bit. And if you have the patience I could convert it right away to WGL, just to test if it works or not. When I'm done I'll upload the mission on something and put a link here.

[kutya 0]

Asso, maybe you're not aware of this: you're able to insert regular missions between separate phases of the campaign. Simply insert a regular mission between the dynamic ones and keep the counter going only for the dynamic missions. This may help you with the storyline altough it would require more work to finish the campaign.

[Asso 0]

As for now I don't think I'll add some other things, I'm very new to all of this (as you can see by my n00beries). So I'll stay for a simple text for a simple story. If somebody likes the idea, the missions, etc. we could catch up and make something, though. I was thinking about cutscenes between the missions and a final scripted mission.

DISCLAIMER: I have no skills and no long term plans though so don't bother me!

The working name atm is "Crossfire", couldn't come up with anything better. My plans are to make "some assaulting Russians harvesting the fruits of their past deeds". Since I'm going to make this mini-campaign first for vanilla/ECP OFP and then convert it to WGL, could the moderators please change the topic title into something more appropriate (if they think so)?

Thanks.

[.kju 3245]

sorry i wont make it

[Asso 0]

@Q: no problem, I hope you'll test my conversion though (when I get some more time I'll make it).

Sooo... I'm going to dinner now. Tell me which uploading site is good and later I will upload the mission there. Otherwise I'll use Rapidshare.

Thanks.

EDIT: download available. First mission, no storyline written yet (it's still in my little head). Test and tell me the errors here or via pm, thanks in advance.

EDIT2: LINK REMOVED, check post below.

[Asso 0]

Quote[/b] ]I made a small mess, I uploaded the right source and the wrong .pbo, older version...

Here is a fixed file: LINK REMOVED

Sorry.

I really manage to suck sometimes. Check the second post after this one.

[kutya 0]

Hi Asso

Hope you remembered the last suggestions, since the message is lost and I don't have them anymore.

Anyway, here some new ones:

- you cannot rotate DAC zones. The DAC readme says the zones should always be square and without rotation

- forgot to say: in the ambush convoy mission, you don't have to rotate the start gamelogic where the convoy will be heading at start. It will be always heading at start exactly in the direction of the ambush location. At the time of development this seemed logical, because you automatically get the heading. But, in this case if you want to set up the mission correctly, set the ambush point and after that search a (possibly a straight) piece of the same road about 300-600m away that when you put the logic down, you have a tangent to the road (meaning the group link line is a tangent on the road). In future versions, this will be probably changed that you define the start heading by rotating the start gamelogic, same as for the defend convoy logic.

- it's up to you if you want to make a phase on a whole island, but if you use DAC, you have to put too many units to cover it so that you have some chances meeting them. Only FPS effect.

- take care not to set the random area of a mission too close to coastlines (or any water), because currently if I recall correctly all guarding patrols around the objective are making patrols about 150m around the objective. This way, they can drown in water. So make sure your mission marker logics are at least 150m from water. This will change in newer version, since I will implement patrol range control for soldier in the same way as for cities currently.

- just an idea I always forget to implement in my own works: you can also put some empty civilian vehicles in or populated places and make them respawnable. This way you can drive your way home if situation forces you to walk. The respawnable boat at the shore reminded me of this

- if you made the table, because you didn't want the tent, you can also put the table (or tent) IN the barracks, so to the player seems like he interacts with the door. All this doesn matter if you wanted to signalise the player where are his barracks.

- about defend/support defence mission setup:

                     the GDC_Defend logic defines the place where the enemy will point it's assault, the place you have to defend. Let this be X1. The GDC_Defend_SP logic definer the DIRECTION where the enemy will come from, NOT the position. The exact position is only derived from this logic. Let this be X2. GDCE derives 3 spawn points from X2. Let them be S1, S2, and S3. They are calculated using X1 and X2. Something like this:

                                     S2

                                      |

                                      |25m (calculated)

                                      |

                 S1------------X2------------S3

                         50m       |      50m

               (calculated)      |  (calculated)

                                      |

                                      |

                                      |100m

                                      |

                                      |

                                      |

                                      |

                                     X1 <- defend

     This is only an example if the distance between X1 and X2 is 100m and X2 is directly to the north or X1. You can freely change the distance between them, but if you put the at larger distance the spawn points will be spreaded too, so you'll need more (waterless) space and it will take longer for the enemy to arrive (and because of this the density of the attacker will be smaller, but the same number). This is set up, so if you're at the defence point, looking at the GDC_Defend_SP logic, one spawn point will be directly ahead (a bit behind GDC_Defend_SP), one will be 45 degrees left and another 45 degrees to the right. Took me some time to implement this, but the user doesn't have to worry about it You can test if you correctly placed the logics by playing the mission. If you see some of the red arrows above water, you have to move the logics more inland, or move them closer to each other.

That's all. Hey, you really did a great job, I like your attention to detail

[Asso 0]

I did a REAL MAJOR UBER SCREW-UP with the mission, I'm really sorry and ashamed of being such a stupid useless being.

The one I released, besides some errors/fixes-to-do Kutya kindly pointed out, had some other stupid things, like NOT STARTING BECAUSE CHOPPERS HAD NO ZONES TO SPAWN ON.

I'm really flaming myself here hehe.

I will be fixing many things and re-releasing, I hope to release both vanilla/WGL versions together. It will take a bit though (courses and renewed social life), but I'll make it. I even managed to understand how to make good pics (.paa format, with transparency) despite my n00bness.

Regarding the choppers in DAC, maybe I haven't read the manual well, but from what I experienced they need at least a "H" object placed in their zone. Is that right?

I hope being a less crappy mission maker in the future, I'm really interested in working with ArmA and GDCE.

[kutya 0]

Quote[/b] ]Regarding the choppers in DAC, maybe I haven't read the manual well, but from what I experienced they need at least a "H" object placed in their zone. Is that right?

Dunno. Never made heli zones. What I know for sure is that you can't create a zone that is at the same time containing helis and spawn camps too. Better ask Silola, he made DAC.

Quote[/b] ]I hope being a less crappy mission maker in the future, I'm really interested in working with ArmA and GDCE.

Don't be demoralized. We all went through this phase (actually I'm still going through it    ). It's part of a programmer's life.

[Asso 0]

Updated, check first post.

[kutya 0]

Nice

Will try now.

I'm glad someone actually releases GDCE stuff. GDCE had a couple hundred downloads and only a few people released some convesions

[Asso 0]

I should have fixed almost every serious thing you pointed out some posts ago. Didn't have the time to make new pictures unfortunately (yeah in 2 weeks I didn't find time to do a stupid work like that hehehe). Didn't add missions too . If the current phase plays well, I'll update with some new mission markers, while making a new one (phase).