Apply FSM file to a group of units

[Balschoiw 0]

Thinking of a way to make civillians more capable in combat I came across the idea of using a FSM file for them.

Questions:

1. Can we adress the inbuilt Arma FSM files and how can I call them for specific groups manually, or is FSM access limited to unit config files ?

2. Can I extract inbuilt FSM file from Arma , put it into my mission-folder and call it from the unit init ?

3. Will it only override or totally substitute the original FSM that is applied to unit by default ?

4. Will there be conflicts between the FSM that gets called and the default FSM that is applied to unit ?

[crashdome 3]

Native FSMs you will have to re-config units to address.

I am not sure about the "overriding" behavior of them either but I do know there are less commands available to be used.

I have learned recently that scripted FSMs can be used to create possible changes of behavior in combat, but they are subject to some rules. More specifically, scripted FSMs can be used the same way we use scripts to override behavior but with the limitation of some commands are not available or cause units to cease running the FSM. There is very good reason behind that... you engage a scripted FSM behavior model on your #2 guy (makes him "busy") and want him to stop doing what he was doing and return to formation? ..simply call Return to Formation and the FSM stops immediately. There is good and bad about this.

The bad is that things like "doMove" do not work as the command itself ceases the FSM... but there are other movement commands which will work fine. Targeting and other behavior do not affect the FSM and seem to be useful ways of calling something like a "Suppressive Fire" action. Scripted FSMs are not meant to be executed once and applied long term as a means of saying "In this situation.. always do this...." They must be called externally perhaps by an event or when a player/AI unit calls a custom action.

The good news is that you can run short-life FSMs to perform actions which are affected dynamically. For example, you can call an FSM for a group of units to "Clear a Room" which can take into account differences in layout and size, number of units, etc.. but you must expect it to act like an action which is run and then ends. I can see this being used to create an extension of commands you give to AI units either during a fire-fight or when moving from point A to point B. It is really quite fantastic.

So... when using scripted FSMs, you must respect the fact they are extremely temporary and subject to interruption by the environment (like all commands given to units). Note: I can not get a unit to reliably enter/exit a vehicle and continue an FSM. All commands to order a unit to "getin" either take effect when the FSM completes (assign then "ordergetin true" OR create a waypoint)... or the outright order by a player or leader to "getin" causes the FSM to cease.

On the other hand, native FSMs seem to be the answer for longer term changes but do not have the flexibility of scripts.

[Balschoiw 0]

Thx for the comprehensive answer.

Unfortunally as the FSM-actions are only temporarely overriding the natural FSM routines this is not really helping me the way I intended as I wanted to change the complete FSM routine on the fly for units.

Maybe it would be a nice feature to have if we were able to "unload" the FSM of a unit and replace it with a custom one by scripting.

Don´t know if that is possible but I will ask one of the developers.

[crashdome 3]

Thx for the comprehensive answer.  

Unfortunally as the FSM-actions are only temporarely overriding the natural FSM routines this is not really helping me the way I intended as I wanted to change the complete FSM routine on the fly for units.

Maybe it would be a nice feature to have if we were able to "unload" the FSM of a unit and replace it with a custom one by scripting.

Don´t know if that is possible but I will ask one of the developers.

I think you'd be surprised at the capabilities of what you can do with a scripted FSM. Even more so, I think you can override the native one via a config with your own native FSM.