Heli "land" without stopping engine

[Moktar 0]

Hi all,

this is my first message and I must say that I'm a newbie in editing/scripting with ArmA. I read a lot of threads and of course the BI wiki's pages but I still wonder how I can land an Heli without stopping its engine

Is there no others possibilities than let the heli stay about 1 (meter ? ) above the landing point ? It's not really nice

I ever tried to chain the "commands" below but it seems not to work :

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

I suppose there is another method but I can't find it. I would enjoy seeing my heli land with its engine ON for extracting my group, for example

Thanks for any help.

[maddogx 13]

You could make the heli fly to the extraction point with a normal MOVE waypoint and then do "heliName flyInheight 0" when it gets there.

You've just got to make sure that you set the flyInHeight back higher when you want it to take off again.

regards

MadDogX

[BLSmith2112 0]

Isn't it true that with 1.5 Beta, if the unit ejects... the engine stays on? If true, perhaps set flyinheight to 0 and give eject order?

Edit: Woops, did not read main post close enough. Yea, maddog nailed it on the head. flyinheight 0

On MP, RTS 4 has choppers landing on heli pads and they keep their engines on. So perhaps a good reference is that?

[Moktar 0]

Arfff yes, you are probably right MadDogX . I'm a little confused not having this idea before. This show I'm a really newbie in scripting

Thanks for your help

[ArmaVidz 0]

Hi all,

this is my first message and I must say that I'm a newbie in editing/scripting with ArmA. I read a lot of threads and of course the BI wiki's pages but I still wonder how I can land an Heli without stopping its engine  

Is there no others possibilities than let the heli stay about 1 (meter ? ) above the landing point ? It's not really nice  

I ever tried to chain the "commands" below but it seems not to work :

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

I suppose there is another method but I can't find it. I would enjoy seeing my heli land with its engine ON for extracting my group, for example

Thanks for any help.

I guess it depends on what you want to do "after" the heli lands as well...

If it were me, I would make an invisible heli pad, put an "unload" waypoint in and set the waypoint timeout to the amount of time you want the heli to stay there...

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I would use a "LOAD" waypoint though for the chopper, if he wants extraction and not insersion  

No need to script anything, place a "MOVE" waypoint for the chopper as the first, then a "LOAD" waypoint as the second, then a "MOVE" for the third.

For the group being extracted, put a "MOVE" as the first, a "GET IN" as the second, and maybe a new "MOVE" or "GET OUT" as a third.

Now, here is the clue to make this work; hit F5 in the editor to get to synchronize mode, and drag a blue line between the choppers "LOAD" waypoint and the groups "GET IN" waypoint. That way, the next waypoint in the sequence is not activated until BOTH of these are true.

Place also a VISIBLE helipad (objects/H) for the chopper to "land" on, for verification that it works. When it does, change it to an invisible helipad.

The choppers "LOAD" or "TRANSPORT UNLOAD" waypoints should be very close to (but not!! ON) the helipad symbol. The groups "GET IN" or "GET OUT" waypoints should be a few meters (10-30?) off from the helipad symbol, and placed in such a fashion that the group will enter the chopper naturally -- straight into the correct door (random and hard to predict). If the "GET IN" waypoint is right where the helipad symbol is, the chopper might look for another place (usually another H when doing multiple choppers) to land, and this may cause havoc. The chopper goes to the other point and starts to land, unfortunately chopper pilots are lousy communicators and will not know that there might be another chopper already there.... You can guess the outcome

If you need to drop off the group later, similar rule apply. But only the chopper (may) need "inbetween waypoint", the group can go straight from "GET IN" to "GET OUT". On the destination, choose a "GET OUT" waypoint for the group, and a "TRANSPORT UNLOAD" for the chopper, then a waypoint for it to return home. These should also be synched with that blue line.

Btw, the chopper should be "green" (fully loaded with a pilot) for less hazzle, and if you are the leader of the group being serviced, you should enter the chopper last. Depending on the setup, you may also be *required* to issue boarding and disembarking commands to your units.

You can also load and unload several groups, but each groups "GET IN" waypoint needs to be synched with the choppers "LOAD" waypoint.

You *can* (but not reccomended) also use the moveIn script command to move 3 units of group into chopper1 and the rest into chopper2. But the "GET OUT" may not work properly since they will arrive at different times. It is better to use "JOIN" and "JOIN AND LEAD" waypoints, which again, you guessed it, needs to be synched.

I'm a complete newbie btw, but I have been struggling a lot with choppers lately myself, and these are my personal findings. They may not be accurate, so others feel free to correct me.

Hope it is of any use.

[Guest]

Hi all,

this is my first message and I must say that I'm a newbie in editing/scripting with ArmA. I read a lot of threads and of course the BI wiki's pages but I still wonder how I can land an Heli without stopping its engine

Is there no others possibilities than let the heli stay about 1 (meter ? ) above the landing point ? It's not really nice

I ever tried to chain the "commands" below but it seems not to work :

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

I suppose there is another method but I can't find it. I would enjoy seeing my heli land with its engine ON for extracting my group, for example

Thanks for any help.

You almost had it. EngineOn true works, but you gotta set it once the engine is shut off

my Example:

at the actual DZ, put in an invisible H

F_Helo1Ref is the name of the helo

A Move waypoint placed just before DZ, this is the landing "setup" pos

This waypoint can be moved on top of or past the landing zone for a more/less strait down landing, if its put before the dz, it causes a more "angled" forward moving decent.

In this waypoints statements:

condition : true

activation: F_Helo1Ref land "LAND"

Then on top of the heli Pad at DZ, I put another move waypoint in:

Waypoint statements:

condition:!(isEngineOn F_Helo1Ref)

activation:F_Helo1Ref engineOn true;F_Helo1Ref FlyInHeight 0

Simply this waypoint sits and waits till the helo's engine is turned off, then turns it back on.

Then heres one more that is just a temp that would send the helo off after a timeout, you might want some other condition of taking off than just a timeout, but heres this:

one more move waypoint on top of DZ helipad

condition:true

activation:F_Helo1Ref flyInHeight 50

waypoint timeout : 40,40,40

this waypoint waits 40 seconds turns loose the helo to an altitude of 50

For me, I put still one more waypoint on top of the Dz after this, and its for flyOut angle, I set a like 5 - 10 sec delay if I want strait up movement from helo (tight Dz), or put in no delay for helo to just move strait on to next distant waypoint.

[Moktar 0]

Many thanks for all your response. I really like the algorythm of CarlGustaffa. I discovered two days ago the use of the "synchronised" feature. It's really useful and my feeling is that it's an elegant solution for some nice scripting.

[Moktar 0]

I just tried the CarlGustaffa algorythm and all seems to be ok, BUT I got an issue :

When the chopper comes to the "landing" zone for extraction, my group is already here (waiting) and I've asked them to board the chopper really early. The synchronisation between the chopper LOAD WP and the "GET IN" WP of my group seems to be triggered because I've already ask my group to get in, so the chopper fly to the next WP without "landing" and of course without loading my group

Is there a nice method to avoid that ? I don't want to use scripts. Of course, I would be able to count the number of men in the chopper and if they are all in, activate the next WP, but I would enjoy only use the UI editing part with all its "standard" possibilities. With "standard", I mean using any option shown in any drop menu like GET IN, LOAD, ...

EDIT: Erratum, the chopper fly to the next WP as soon as it is on the "LAND" WP and my group is present on the "GET IN" WP (synchronised) .. of course without landing and without my group

EDIT2: Precision, the chopper fly to the next WP probably because of the presence of one (or more) of my men onto the landing zone ( H ). How can I avoid that ?

[Guest]

Never even tried my method huh? Just so you know I just tested it, helo does what it should even when my player unit is standing on top of the H pad at Dz and also ordering a team member in the helo when its far off. And, all that is involved is a few extra script lines in the waypoint plan wps here and there..

Thats kind of why I posted it btw, cause it does work (fyi )

[CarlGustaffa 4]

When the chopper comes to the "landing" zone for extraction, my group is already here (waiting) and I've asked them to board the chopper really early. The synchronisation between the chopper LOAD WP and the "GET IN" WP of my group seems to be triggered because I've already ask my group to get in, so the chopper fly to the next WP without "landing" and of course without loading my group  

Is there a nice method to avoid that ?

Not quite sure what the problem might be. Have you tried playing a nonleading character of the group? Nice to check what orders the leader is giving. I'm not the leading type, so I'm usually one of "the others" I'm then observing that we get a "GET IN" order (board that chopper, or something) before the chopper lands. The men is then crunched into a tiny area almost inside eachother (I can live with that bug for now), and we board the chopper once it lands. The 'H' is where the chopper will land.

Haven't tried leading my group in a while now, but as far as I can remember, I got into trouble when not going in last in a pickup. I think the chopper will wait for the leader to get in, so by then everyone else should be in. Also, a split group in two separate choppers acted strangely because I couldn't use "GET OUT" waypoints but was forced with a "MOVE" one. Then I had to order the units to "DISEMBARK", now I think they do it on their own (need to check this later today though).

Have you tried a different area? Try west of Cayo (?) near the desert, maybe the pilot is not able to land where you have indicated?

Only times I have had problems with this approach is when somehow the group ends up waiting ("GET IN") very close to the 'H'. This is also the reason I like to use visible ones until it starts working every time.

Although I know a lot of stuff can be done using scripts with greater flexibility, I tend to try out the builtin stuff first. I.e I love how the engineers build the camp area in the campaign mission "The Camp" (?) using nothing but trigger work. So of course, I'm trying to do something similar myself now

[Moktar 0]

Never even tried my method huh? Just so you know I just tested it, helo does what it should even when my player unit is standing on top of the H pad at Dz and also ordering a team member in the helo when its far off. And, all that is involved is a few extra script lines in the waypoint plan wps here and there..

Thats kind of why I posted it btw, cause it does work (fyi )

I also read your solution, Special Ed, thanks for your response

My problem is not really to get my script work, but use the less "instructions" possible and writing all with the Editing UI (as far as it is possible). In general development, the use of many "instructions" to do ONE thing, reflects a wrong usage of a tool .

Anyway, I'll try the landing method to check if the heli land whereas some men are present on the H.

In my opinion, the men presence on the H, SHOULD NOT end the waypoint "LOAD" synchronised with the "GET IN" WP of the group. There is no reason. The heli should wait for a clean H or try to land just on the right/left/front/back of its initial destination (few meters).

[Callsign 128]

i had a problem ingame where i told one of my units to get out of a littlebird so i could get in, to which he switched his engine off and dropped into the sea just next to my position and blew up!

bootneckofficer

[Moktar 0]

Anyway, I'll try the landing method to check if the heli land whereas some men are present on the H.

Ok, I tried with the method : heli_name land "LAND" with the present of, at least, one man on the H. The behavior is the same as I previously mentioned. The Heli fly straight to the next WP without landing.

This bug makes me nervous

[Guest]

Anyway, I'll try the landing method to check if the heli land whereas some men are present on the H.

Ok, I tried with the method : heli_name land "LAND" with the present of, at least, one man on the H. The behavior is the same as I previously mentioned. The Heli fly straight to the next WP without landing.

This bug makes me nervous

Interesting <--(meaning, trying to be positive about this bug )

Trying to think of some sort of workaround, now youve got me wanting to test this some more, I really havent seen it happen, *although*, in my instance Im creating and deleting the "H" in one line along with land command, because this is only a unit deployment, not pickup. Wierd tho, u know ive noticed even when a helo is forced to the ground waiting to be boarded by multiple troops, a getIn command along with a unit standing next to the helo can cause it to jump up and then land again a short distance off, this is pretty dumb...

There should be a simple command in Arma that lets u just shut off all this Helo Ai stuff, and let u force it to do what u want, regardless of getIns' and getOut's.

Im with you tho dude, gonna have a looky to, see if there is some relatively simple resolve to this

[mr.peanut 1]

For the helicopter: In the move WP following the load WP(which is of course synched to the squad's getin WP) put the following in the Condition instead of the default value of this:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">({_x in chopper} count units yourSquadName) ==({alive _x} count units yourSquadName)

And don't forget to put an H near the load WPs!

[Guest]

While this is still fresh in my mind, heres an observation.

It appears that, if the "H" pad is created just before the helo is ordered to land (and this is done in the same code line, instantaneous), if the helopad is just spawned, and is not setPos'ed, the Helo pad appears to never spawn on top of units, in my case its a marker, I just tested again, and the helo landed next to my guys, I put three guys right on top of the designated helo pad spawn marker pos.

So this might help you anyhow, by spawning the helo pad once helo is odered to land, it should reduce the chance (considerably?) of the h pad location conflicting with helo landing.

[Moktar 0]

Mr.Peanut> Probably an idea to avoid the bug ... even if the sync between WP LOAD and WP GET IN should be sufficient.

This solution may give informations about tracking this bug.

Special Ed> I really want to avoid as far as possible, the use of scripts.

The chopper jump a little sometimes when you omit to inset an H.

I feel really disappointed from BI when I notice the use of this pseudo script language. What an awful choice ! Whereas some script language already exist (LUA, Python, ... etc) and are structured, useful AND well documented. BI gave their old and poor script interface with no structured documentation, no learning method, no crossed information (see also). The poor documentation on the Wiki about Editing and scripting with ArmA makes me horrified. What is this f*$cking list of méthods/keywords ? Is that we call a manual ?

Ok, this not the thread subject... sorry, but I now felt much more cool

[Moktar 0]

Ok, I think I found why this f*$$cking heli does not do what I want.

The aim of this small mission is to embark my group in the heli, then fly to the land zone and then disembark.

Clic to enlarge

Have a look to the screenshot.

My problem is that if a man stay on the H (previously I had only ONE H , ie H1), the heli does not land and go straight to the landing zone (H4) without my group .

This seems to be the behavior developped by BI. If someone is on a H, the heli will try to find the close to H... that's why my heli flies straight to the H4 (if I do not add H2, H3). One solution is to place several H on the landing zone (H1, H2, H3). If someone is on the H1, the heli will try to land on the close to next H .. here H2. Again, if someone is on the H2 AND H1, it will try the H3... and so on.

This is a poor solution but nothing else seems to work.

I tried to force the heli waiting for a cleared H1 (without H2 and H3) BUT nothing worked ! It goes straight to the H4 even if I add a MOVE with condition "player in heli_name" or different WP/Trigger/Scripts/Functions

Notice I synchronised GET IN and LOAD to avoid the fly of the heli without ALL my group (and me).

Same thing with the GET OUT and UNLOAD TRANSPORT (avoiding the heli fly before all my group get out).

My TRIGGER is only here to send a radio message (DISEMBARK) when the heli high is inferior to 2 meters. With that, all my group disembark without a manual intervention (it's automatic).

TRIGGER condition : this && ((getpos uh1 select 2) < 2)

TRIGGER On Act : commandGetOut units MyGroup ;

(MyGroup as been affected with all the members).

(uh1 is the heli's name).

Cheers

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Try a bigger, more natural setting. This testscheme looks awefully small to me. And place the GET IN and GET OUT waypoints of the group further away from the 'H', but still synched of course.

People in the landing zone "bugs" the system. No pilot in real life would do this either, I don't see how this is a bug. I'd call it a design error.

In real life when we boarded a chopper, we were in defence position quite a distance from the actual landing zone. We were not to move in until the pilot had touched down firmly. Never did enter a hovering chopper though

Edit: I just found out that if I use action EJECT when a few feet over the ground, this is also enough to confuse the pilot. Mine will then lift off again and search for a better landing spot. At the time I was a loner, not connected to any group that was supposed to use the chopper.

[Moktar 0]

Yes, of course in real life this scene wouldn't be played in the same way but I MUST consider that it's possible in the game. I can't suppose the leader will wait the chopper landing before asking his group to board. I'm training some small and different scene "combo" to be able drawing and designing a bugless mission

NOTE : I noticed that the lift off of a chopper can occurs when no H are placed. If there is one (or several, but in case of UNLOAD there is no real issue), the chopper behavior is not hesitant.

To conclude, I always think that a non landing of a chopper when some men are present on the H, is not a bug, BUT flying to another WP without any cares of the next WP asking to "wait until a condition always false" IS a bug IMHO.

Anyway, I found a pretty elegant solution to "fixe" this.

Thanks all for your help

[CarlGustaffa 4]

So, how did you fix it? Would prove helpful to me and others ending up with chopper problems.

[Moktar 0]

So, how did you fix it? Would prove helpful to me and others ending up with chopper problems.

"fixing" is not really the correct word Have a look to the screenshot above (clic to enlarge ). The use of multiple and seperated H (H1, H2 & H3) "fix" the chopper landing issues.

[Caxton Gibbet 0]

I only had a quick look through this thread and may have missed this being said, but just incase,

Heli_Name Land "Land"

Can also be

Heli_Name Land "Getin"

With "GetIn" The engine stays on while it waits.

[Asuriel 0]

not sure if your initial questions has been answered (just flew over the replies since i have to be going soon).

to make a chop land with engine on simply put

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

on the WP. the rest u have to sync. so if guys should get in give them a "get in" wp and put the above code into the chop's "load" wp sync them put an empty H or some other H where the chop should land and voila! done!

if guys get out then all you need is the "transport unload" WP on the chop. it will kick everyone out that does not belong to the crew on that WP. again with chop land "getout" in the WPs activiation field.