Tracer

[mr_centipede 31]

Hello all...

i have manage to modify wolfbane's tracer FX for ofp into ARMA and would like to share it with the community. i kindly ask for hoster..

my tracer effect is based on wolfbane's great work. i have modify it a bit and it uses ammo class to determine tracer color. no longer unit's side will determine tracer color.

in your unit init field, please put this:

[this] exec "cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

or

[this,3] exec "cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs"; for 3rd round for

each tracer. (default already three). note: you can put any number. put 1 for every round is tracer round.

lastly, all credit should go to wolfbane first and foremost.

thank you

*********

TRACER EFFECT FOR ARMA: ARMED ASSAULT

******************************************

by: centipede

lipan_marder@yahoo.com

Inspired by Wolfbane's tracerFX for Operation Flashpoint

This addon is base on Wolfbane's work for OFP. I only edit it in a way to make it work for ARMA. Most of the credit should go to him first and foremost.

FEATURE:

*****************

1. Glowing orb tracer

2. Tracer color based on bullet fired. eg: 5.56mm ammo will fire red tracer and 5.45mm Russian round will fire green.

3. Different size for certain class of ammo. I have defined three sets of ammo:

a) small arms for rifles and MG round

b) HMG for HMG (12.7mm) and cannon rounds

c) MBT for tanks main guns.

INSTALLATION

*****************

1. extract cent_tracer.pbo to your ARMA addons folder.

2. open up mission editor, on every unit's init field, type

[this] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

or

[this,<number>] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

note: replace <number> with your prefered number of rounds for each tracer. eg for 5 round for each tracer, type :

[this,5] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

Default value is 3.

NEW in V1.12

You can change the size of the tracer, just add extra parameter as below. Default value is 1. If put less then 1, then no tracer will be visible.

[this,5,2] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

Bugs

*******************

it seems the tracer wont be visible in a low FPS environment like bushes, forests. no idea how to solve this yet.

Change Log

***********

v1.12

fix init script calling for "cent_tracer_effect.sqf" which has been deleted in v1.11

add tracer size modifier. now you can change tracer size

v1.11

remove redundant file ("cent_tracer_effect.sqf") for tracer and ricochet effect. they basically do the same thing so i remove one, thus making the file smaller

v1.1

tracers will now ricochet ********************************************

download link:

http://centipede.4shared.com/

and click the cent_tracer_v1.11.rar

[Novusordo 0]

wow cant wait to test this. get free host account here (1gb) http://www.4shared.com/

[griff330 0]

please, post is asap!!!

[Novusordo 0]

yeah post it up m8 your online so mays well.

[mr_centipede 31]

okey... i have uploaded the file, but how do i find the link to download the file?

[Novusordo 0]

okey... i have uploaded the file, but how do i find the link to download the file?

it will give u it once you've uplaoded it. what upload site did u use?

[mr_centipede 31]

i have email to sniper skull the file.

link:

http://centipede.4shared.com/

and click the cent_tracer_v1.0.rar

[griff330 0]

sweet man, trying it, I'll give some feedback in a few.

[Novusordo 0]

sweet man, trying it, I'll give some feedback in a few.

x2

EDIT: err i'm not seeing any difference in the tracers. yeah tried it at night, ect. wtf?

[griff330 0]

Nice man, the only thing is it's just a ball, could you elongate it more, you know stretch the glow more, cause I dont really like the look of a huge glowing ball, the only time I've ever seen glowing ball tracers were through some night vision goggles.

*edit*

Watch this, you'll see that only once the tracers bounce they turn into glowing balls. Tracers

[mr_centipede 31]

sweet man, trying it, I'll give some feedback in a few.

x2

EDIT: err i'm not seeing any difference in the tracers. yeah tried it at night, ect. wtf?

@novusurdo, try using bmp or vulcan... you should see it clearer. i assume u were using small arms? the tracer a bit small. try at night n put NVG on, you should see it 'glow'

@griff, i dont know how to make it elongated... i'm using drop particle command, just as wolfbane's does. im not sure it's possible. if it is possible, can someone point to the right direction?

[fireship4 0]

Centipede you may be better off modifying tracer.paa in Ca\data\data\ and using different brightness settings in weapons/config.cpp for different calibers to get the needed effect. This way you'll get ricocheting tracers too. Then all you need to do is get scripts for changing ratio of tracer to ball and making the tracer start burning 100y from gun barrel.

Maybe we can work together, you know how to script? If you can't do the stuff above, we can look around for someone else to do it.

[mr_centipede 31]

Centipede you may be better off modifying tracer.paa in Ca\data\data\ and using different brightness settings in weapons/config.cpp for different calibers to get the needed effect.  This way you'll get ricocheting tracers too.  Then all you need to do is get scripts for changing ratio of tracer to ball and making the tracer start burning 100y from gun barrel.

Maybe we can work together, you know how to script?  If you can't do the stuff above, we can look around for someone else to do it.

my scripting ability is still very limited but i'll see what i can do about it.

as for tracer in the weapons config, as far as i know there are only RGBA(red, green, blue, alpha) value there. not sure about size...

maybe u can elaborate more?

another question, how do i put this script into a unit config? so that i dont have to put [this] exec .... on every unit init field?

[fireship4 0]

Hmm sorry my scripting ability is practically zero. But I do know changing the brightness (dont know if its actually alpha as you can still see v dim tracers in NVGs) can at least make the tracers seem thicker, try it. Try putting the last value to 1.0!

[Col. Faulkner 0]

I remember in OFP modifying the wolfsbane "tennis ball"

tracers (together with some fiddling with damage values)

to simulate paintballs. It was great fun (for a while)

watching the AI shoot the crap out of each other and

nobody getting killed.

[overkill 0]

someone please post a video!

[fireship4 0]

I'll have a little go at modding the tracers in the next few days and ill see if i can post a video.

[mr_centipede 31]

I have v1.1 and v1.11 ready to download. the tracers will now ricochet. just follow the same link from first post.

quote from the readme:

TRACER EFFECT FOR ARMA: ARMED ASSAULT

******************************************

by: centipede

lipan_marder@yahoo.com

Inspired by Wolfbane's tracerFX for Operation Flashpoint

This addon is base on Wolfbane's work for OFP. I only edit it in a way to make it work for ARMA. Most of the credit should go to him first and foremost.

FEATURE:

*****************

1. Glowing orb tracer

2. Tracer color based on bullet fired. eg: 5.56mm ammo will fire red tracer and 5.45mm Russian round will fire green.

3. Different size for certain class of ammo. I have defined three sets of ammo:

a) small arms for rifles and MG round

b) HMG for HMG (12.7mm) and cannon rounds

c) MBT for tanks main guns.

INSTALLATION

*****************

1. extract cent_tracer.pbo to your ARMA addons folder.

2. open up mission editor, on every unit's init field, type

[this] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

or

[this,<number>] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

note: replace <number> with your prefered number of rounds for each tracer. eg for 5 round for each tracer, type :

[this,5] exec "\cent_tracer\cent_tracer.sqs";

Default value is 3.

CLOSING

****************

You may edit this addon as you wish to make it better. Then, please share it with the community. Thank you.

Change Log

***********

v1.11

remove redundant files for tracer and ricochet effect. they basically do the same thing so i remove one, thus making the file smaller

v1.1

tracers will now ricochet

[fireship4 0]

So how have you done it exactly (havent tried it yet) - looking in the .pbo you've done it via script, but what are your general methods.

Am I right in thinking you have been able to add in proper ball to tracer ratios?

Isn't there still the problem of pistols having tracers? Or is this bypassed by the ammo checking feature?

#BTW standard tracer ratio IRL is a tracer on every 5th round i think#

[mr_centipede 31]

basically, it start like this

1. put the init script in the unit init field

2. then the init run the script, adding eventhandler "FIRED" and setting up the tracers ammo

3. then after it all have been set up, the unit fired its weapon, the event handler script kicks in

4. the EH script will check wheter the ammo fired was in the tracer ammo array (in step 2). then it check what kind of ammo (small arms, HMG, MBT, also in step 2)

5. then putting the particle effect script kicks in, checking wheter the projectile is still alive and drop the particle as long as it is alive.

end

i hope this helps

[fireship4 0]

In that case can you add in three more factors of modern tracers:

1. 7.62 x 51 mm or 7.62 x 54 mm tracers burn out at 800 meters and 5.56 x 45 mm or 5.45 x 39 mm tracers burn out at 300 meters or less

2. "subdued" tracers (which are the ones normally used now i think) dont start burning until around 100 yards from gun barrel, so as not to give shooters position away

3. "dim" tracers are invisible in daylight but clearly visible in NVGs - more can be found out about them online.

Lastly (and probably for the future) tracer and ball rounds trajectories dont match exactly and over greater distances the difference is larger. This is partly because the bullet gets lighter as the fuel burns away.

PS can the tracer to ball ratio be changed in-game? this would be good to simulate a situation where soldiers take out tracer rounds from the mag for some reason - you could even add a delay i guess.

[mr_centipede 31]

Lastly (and probably for the future) tracer and ball rounds trajectories dont match exactly and over greater distances the difference is larger.  This is partly because the bullet gets lighter as the fuel burns away.

in the game, this tracer will follow the ARMA bullet trajectory. i dont change that, just add in some visual effects. so yes, this is merely eye candy only. personally i like every round is tracer round. love to see tracer flying over your head at night. that is until they actually hit you

as for other Qs, i'll see what i can do...

but for the 762 tracer burns out further then then 556, i think the tracer burn instantly exactly after u press the trigger. but only see it after 800m because, the bullet is very fast right? just like u slingshot a stone, u dont necessarily see the stone right away, only further down you can see where it went...

then again, that is my personal thoughts

[fideco 1]

Hi Mr_Centipede

maybe i'm wrong,

but your last release (1.11) does not contain "cent_tracer_effect.sqf", called by initial routine.

I get an error "........not found...."

Cheers

[fireship4 0]

No, in real life, "subdued" tracers are used, which have a delayed burn on them so they dont light up for 100 yards or so. Otherwise, using tracers would let the enemy know where you are.

Tracers run out (depending bullet) at different distances due to the fuel (ie phosphorus) running out. Of course the bullet keeps going, but is lighter because the fuel is gone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracer_ammunition

[mr_centipede 31]

Hi Mr_Centipede

maybe i'm wrong,

but your last release (1.11) does not contain "cent_tracer_effect.sqf", called by initial routine.

I get an error "........not found...."

Cheers

hmm... thanks for the report... i forgot to delete that line in cent_tracer.sqs i guess. but i never had that problem. try download the v1.1. it should be there. the reason i delete the file because that file does the same thing as cent_rico_effect.sqf, so i just delete the tracer_effect. no worry, download v1.1 and you should be fine. tomorrow i'll upload the fixed v1.11

still, funny because i never had that problem