CoC Command Engine X

[PhilippRauch 0]

Sorry, I am a bit busy with RL at the moment...

Quote[/b] ]I cant start any mission, neither from singleplayer-mission nor MP or Editor. It always pops up the following error message, after seemingly loading the mission. It shows the error right after having loaded and before the screen changes to the mission, it jumps back to mission selectionmenu.

It seems that, for some reason, the addon coc_cex.pbo (it contains both CoC_CommandEngineX and CoC_InterfaceEngine) is not loaded from the mod folder. All I can suggest is check your shortcut command option '-mod=@CEX' or, for a test, put all CoC addons into your main addon folder.

Quote[/b] ]Can the lower ranks see the whole battle plan? And can the commander see what specific orders platoon leader gives to the squads? Or does each only see his "level" of command - the orders he gave?

Most of this is currently under construction, especially the ability to track friendly units which are not under your command (as an option assignable by mission designers). At the very least, a CEX commander will always see orders given to him by superiors, as well as be able to track all subordinates at all levels.

Hi, thanks it works now, but the shortcut ist perfectly fine, just like the others... mmh.. i wil try around

just looking forward for the final..

[walker 0]

Hi all

I have posted up a multi Battalion mission CoC_CEX Battalion Strength as single player for now.

In User missions

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....t=68323

Some people are playing it MP already but I will put out an official version after CEX is updated.  

The mission is also to give people a Description.ext template to make missions with.

As I said MP versions soon!

Technical Point

For the record it appears CEX works better in MP as the load is distributed.

Kind Regards walker

[Spinor 0]

Quote[/b] ]For the record it appears CEX works better in MP as the load is distributed.

Yes, thats how its designed. A strong dedicated server should help a lot as it manages all AI specific CEX code. The clients are then only concerned with the interface code.

For very large missions, CEX can even be configured to distribute server load on several machines, sort of having multiple "CEX Servers", e.g. Machine A handles BLUFOR and Machine B handles OPFOR.

[walker 0]

Hi all

Glad you have announced that technology to the public Spinor. No sense in hiding the CoC light under a bushel people would have figured it out soon anyway.

The CoC have suggested that load balancing and server farms are the way forward with future large scale ArmA projects. I think a lot of the more technically astute will see more of the benefits to this.

CoC NS will allow us and the ArmA community to create some very complex server farm and load balancing projects. More announcements soon.

Kind Regards walker

[Spinor 0]

New beta version CEX 0.86 is available for download:

http://www.thechainofcommand.net/downloads/zips/CoC_CEX_0_86.zip

Tip: Try out the new keyboard shortcuts, especially SHIFT+RMB for easily adding several waypoints.

Change Log, BETA 2 (0.86):

Change: CEX addon coc_cex.pbo

Change: CEX_Test_Mission.Sara, old versions of this mission may not be compatible with 0.86

New: Start Menu Option CEX/Admin Tools/Restart Client ... use in MP in case a command transition

was no properly recognized

Fixed: Completed WPs were not deleted at commander machine (MP)

New: Config Setting 'UnitServerUpdateInterval' ... refresh interval in secs of CEX server;

determines unit responsiveness and server load

New: Config Setting 'InterfaceUpdateInterval' ... refresh interval in secs of CEX UI

New: Config Setting 'PlayerChatMessagesEnabled' ... if false, CEX will not ouptut order confirmation

and status report chat messages originating from a player-controlled unit

New: 4th command layer ... it is now possible to represent Battalion/Companies/Platoons/Squads in CEX

New: Config Setting 'UseArmAMap' ... if true, CEX icons will also be displayed on standard ArmA map

(non-interactively)

Improved: Order reaction speed

Fixed: Infantry sometimes disembarked from an external transport unit when changing behaviour

New: Keyboard shortcuts

F1-F8 -> Toggle select immediate subordinate

~ -> Toggle select all immediate subordinates

Backspace -> Open/close command menu

Page Up/Down -> Navigate command tree vertically

Del/End -> Navigate command tree horizontally

Shift+RMB -> Add WP

Ctrl+RMB -> Move

Ctrl+B -> Behaviour

Ctrl+H -> Halt

CTRL+P -> Proceed

New: GUI message when switching to another unit

Fixed: It was possible to switch to an already dead leader

Fixed: Missing Command Engine option after dying and switching to another leader

New: Config Setting 'ViewFriendlies' ... allows tracking of friendly but non-subordinate units

New: Option 'Remove WPs' in unit context menu

Fixed: Error when reaching 'Converge' waypoint

Improved: Update interval now independent of total number of CEX units

Fixed: CEX callsign was not assigned to group at mission start

New: Config Setting 'Transport' ... mission editor can pre-assign a transport unit

New: Config Setting 'Behaviour' ... mission editor can define initial behaviour state of unit

Change: More frequent casualty reports and feedback messages

Fixed: Non-CEX units could access the CEX interface

Change: Many behaviour modes now use speed mode "FAST"

Fixed: Landing helicopters now stay on ground

New: UI Settings can now be applied on a per-unit basis in the description.ext

Improved: Waypoint transition speed

Fixed: Waypoint lines created by other players were visible in MP

Fixed: Names of leaders commanding a vehicle were not properly handled in description.ext

Fixed: Error when using CTRL+Click to move a unit

For 0.87 we are working on (among other things):

- Helmet and Unit Cam

- Cycle Waypoint

- Ferry action (Wait until loaded -> Move -> Unload -> Cycle)

- Platoon (and above) formations

[walker 0]

Hi all

I have updated my mission Battalion Strength to the latest CEX and added a coop version still beta so we are looking for Bug reports!

Dowload from first post in this thread:

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....t=68323

Enjoy

More CoC toys on the way.

Kind Regards walker

[Scrub 0]

Amazingly well done. Truely. Can't wait to test out all the new features.

To CoC for their skill and inspiration.

& To BIS for putting the features and open design 'in there'.

[Doolittle 0]

New: Config Setting 'UnitServerUpdateInterval' ... refresh interval in secs of CEX server;

determines unit responsiveness and server load

May I ask how you measure server load??

[Jblack 0]

Sorry Please delete

[Jblack 0]

Sorry please delete

[Jblack 0]

Will this new version increase unit response speed?

It always takes a while for units to move when given orders, and I have a pretty strong rig.

When telling several different infantry units to board one transport squad with several different APC's if they all arrive at the same time, problems ensue....has this been fixed as well?

[walker 0]

Hi Jblack

Look back to previous page of this thread Spinor has written up a change log  

Here are some relevant bits

Quote[/b] ]New:      Config Setting 'UnitServerUpdateInterval' ... refresh interval in secs of CEX server;

         determines unit responsiveness and server load

New:      Config Setting 'InterfaceUpdateInterval'  ... refresh interval in secs of CEX UI

...

Improved: Order reaction speed

...

Improved: Waypoint transition speed...

Kind Regards walker

[KeyCat 131]

Thanks for the update Spinor! I've recently built a new ArmA rig and will get CEX back ASAP

/KC

[Spinor 0]

Hi all, please check first post of this thread for CEX 0.86 mirrors.

[Spinor 0]

Quote[/b] ]Will this new version increase unit response speed?

It always takes a while for units to move when given orders, and I have a pretty strong rig.

Yes, response speed should be improved (there is still some potential, though ). Response speed was/is essentially independent of machine performance.

Quote[/b] ]When telling several different infantry units to board one transport squad with several different APC's if they all arrive at the same time, problems ensue....has this been fixed as well?

No, not yet, I am still experimenting whether I can solve it via in-built ArmA functionality (addVehicle/leaveVehicle commands) or via a scripted solution.

Quote[/b] ]May I ask how you measure server load??

Not really measuring, just the intuitive understanding that the more code lines you try to execute within a given time interval, the higher the load will be. That time interval is essentially given by 'UnitServerUpdateInterval'.

[sickboy 13]

Very interesting to read about the 'server-farm' theories, looking very much forward in seeing that in action

Looks like CoC hasn't lost their mighty touch Now only to get the Artillery back in play

[mr_centipede 31]

yes.. bring on the mighty queen of the battlefield )

btw... can arma handle direct fire support? like COC arty, but using directfire weapons instead like MG or tank fire. usefull assault mission, prepping enemy position b4 main assault sqd close in.

my idea is using invisible target, like in OFP i remember there was an object called invisible target E or W (east n west). maybe can use those.

[Spinor 0]

Quote[/b] ]Very interesting to read about the 'server-farm' theories, looking very much forward in seeing that in action

Conceptually, its not a difficult concept. CEX consists , and the only question is on what machine an entity is managed (i.e. where is it local). At the moment, CEX copies ArmA so that AI controlled units are local at the ArmA server and human controlled units at their respective client. This could be easily changed, though, for example in cases with many AI units which put a lot of stress on the server. There is probably one downside in distributing entities over the network: it is likely to worsen network traffic, as the entities are communicating with each other.

[walker 0]

Hi all

The more practical ways of applying server farm technology are in dedicated server farms in a LAN topolology linked by a master server to the clients on the internet and in multi CPU/Core systems. This obviates high internet load.

Bladed servers in a rack are the prefered technology.

Network services is a key component in this technology along with a couple of new toys we will releasing

Uses

You can offload say the AI portion of the server function to its second processor in a dual core system.

You can place all Join in Progress (JIP) work on a second blade or even a distant subserver with its own banwidth this reduces server slow down in JIP for existing clients especialy in complex games.

You can offload physics for an improved physics engines, etc etc.

Kind Regards walker

[=dB=O8.Ed 0]

From this am I to take it that the COC_NSA component of the CEX is designed for LAN not WAN application? We have tried using the CEX in WAN (on a dedicated remote server) but we are getting connection time out errors and being told to adjust the connection parameters. With several members starting together one will get a clean connection with access to the CEX and all it provides while the others see script errors and a message about the connection problem. They can still play, but they are not integrated into the CEX and only have control of their individual squad. Members not getting the CEX connection also report higher latency issues. This "test" was conducted several times using both the Test mission provided and Battalion Strength mission you have made with the same results each time.

Thanks

[Spinor 0]

Just a quick heads-up:

Development of CEX 0.87 is on hold for a few days while I am waiting for my desktop machine to arrive at my new place. I have just moved from Germany to the UK, so things are a bit busy at the moment.

Quote[/b] ]From this am I to take it that the COC_NSA component of the CEX is designed for LAN not WAN application?

No, NSA can be configured to allow a longer connection timeout for slower WAN environments. This still needs to be tested before we can give any recommendations on that. For CEX itself, latency should not be a big issue, and I do not expect a big decrease in playability on WAN compared to LAN. CEX is not concerned with low-level detail like positions of individual soldiers, so split-level synchronization is not required.

[=dB=O8.Ed 0]

This is very exciting news!!! In this case, can you explain how I can increse the timeout parameter for the NSA to allow us to have multiplayer capabilities with it on a remote dedicated server.

Thanks

[killswitch 19]

In this case, can you explain how I can increse the timeout parameter for the NSA to allow us to have multiplayer capabilities with it on a remote dedicated server.

Thanks

The parameter is called CoC_ConnectTimeout and you can set that in the init.sqs or init.sqf of a mission using CEX. Here's a code snippet with a timeout value of 40 seconds that's been used in several CEX MP missions running on a dedicated server with good results:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">CoC_ConnectTimeout=40;

[vipermaul 246]

KillSwitch, I use the same settting

Don't you get any fatal JIP errors every now and then with CoC_NS ?

I don't even know where I can send my bugs.

[tj72 0]

I loved the old CoC. It was just amazing to play with in the editor. This version looks great but I havent had time to test it out fully yet.

Is it possible now or in the future to have an General AI controll the system in some capacity. Just a basic front line advance routine would be awesome. This is something I allways wanted for CE since I started using it. This way, players who dont use the system could still use it as a foot soldier immersed in a kind of dynamic battle using all the games capablilites to the fullest.

Not sure of all the automation in the current system but the interface is great, large and deep yet tidy/fast and I cant wait to command my battle force into some large scale operations. Thanks for all your hard work CoC team!