Respawn Suggestion + Dialog Suggestion

[ArMoGaDoN 0]

Here's a couple of thoughts on respawn capabilities for the

"ArmA future-features" suggestion-box.

(1) Now that there is game-controlled respawn of vehicles we could really do with

the option to specify the exact position and azimuth where those vehicles will respawn.

Might be best done with one extra boolean flag in the respawnVehicle command, like so:

vehicle respawnVehicle [delay = -1, count = 0, exactPos = false]

The current method of respawn can get confusing for many nOOb editors out there,

and I think it's possible, hopefully practical, to significantly expand the respawn

facilities of ArmA while actually making it simpler for people to learn and use...

(2) Building on the exactPos, and still on the topic of vehicle respawn: For simpler use

of the vehicle respawn capability by non-technical map-editors would it be practical

to add a 'respawn' section to the 'insert unit' dialog?

I think this information could then be held in the mission.sqm on a per-vehicle basis

instead of the current need for a separate desription.ext for playable characters.

However, IF a description.ext file is present then the respawn values and respawn=".."

(if present) held in that file should override the mission.sqm settings for PLAYABLE

characters only.  If description.ext remains valid and will override mission.sqm

for playables then existing missions should remain unbroken.

If no values present in mission.sqm then respawnType NONE assumed unless description.ext

says otherwise.  Suggest that the respawn logic+scripts should run on the server,

results transmitted afterwards to clients - but there may be a good reason no to?

The options for respawning could also be expanded, thus:

NONE,STARTPOS,EXACTSTARTPOS,BASE,LASTPOS(INSTANT),TEAM,MARKER,EXACTMARKER,SEAGULL

See example below for clarification and usage:

----- e.g. -----

[dropdown-list] RespawnType = {NONE,STARTPOS,EXACTSTARTPOS,BASE,LASTPOS(INSTANT),TEAM,MARKER,EXACTMARKER,SEAGULL}

(display all options for man-vehicles,

but only display NONE,STARTPOS,EXACTSTARTPOS,LASTPOS,MARKER,EXACTMARKER for actual vehicles)

[textbox  =0] respawnDelay (0=instant, +ve=delay, -1 forced if NONE RespawnType)

[textbox  =0] respawnCount (0 forced for NONE,  SEAGULL forces 1, and 1+ forced for other RespawnTypes)

[? textbox =""] respawnMarker (specify name of marker, marker type hidden in play, visible in editor only

will work only if MARKER or EXACTMARKER respawnType specified)

[? textbox =""] beforeRespawnRun (run a script, e.g. cam script, before respawn)

[? textbox =""] afterRespawnRun (run a script, e.g. re-arm script, after respawn)

---- benefits ----

() Delay, Count, and exactPos could all be set in the one place, in editor.

() Could allow respawn at marker, and simple event script definition.

() This could easily handle the respawn for ALL vehicles including men.

(also makes the respawn of non-player characters possible AND limitable)

() It would enable maps to limit the NUMBER of respawns possible in a mission.

(for ALL: players, characters, and vehicles)

() It would eliminate the need for complex and sometimes buggy respawn scripts

running constantly and causing worse lag.

It would be good if the above stuff could be implemented eventually.

Obviously there's much more impoprtant priorities at present, but it'd be nice

to think that at some stage that could be done.

Any word from the devs on _possible_ future inclusion of those ideas would be welcomed.

[hoz 0]

Moving to mission editing.

Most of this stuff can be done already with a little imagination.

You will have to wait until someone releases a template or design it yourself.

[ArMoGaDoN 0]

rgr that, I know it can be done with a lot of textfile editing and some medium-heavy scripting, but many folks would benefit if the stuff was moved in-game and available from the mission editor, as I was suggesting. Those extra bits would make all the difference for guys learning the editor etc. to make some really good missions with the editor as it comes out-of-the-box. Without having to delve deep into variables and scripting. More user-friendly I was thinking.

I don't really agree that this thread is for mission editing, but should be seen as a program-change suggestion for inclusion in a future update if possible.