geloxo 2 Posted October 17, 2008 Hello everybody. I´m back! It´s a long time since I last posted on the forum but I have good news for you: I´m working on an upgraded version of the already released Handy Tools addon for those who are fans of the operations with helicopters. I´ve been working on this for some weeks and I decided to post info about my WIP after seen some nice videos of other people trying to reproduce the rope insertion in ArmA. Yeap, I fully agree that´s a must have for a modern game and I was quite disgusted too when this was not yet implemented in ArmA nor planned for Arma II. So, here comes my "baby": Handy Tools Rope System: Rapel insertion + Cargo Pick/Drop Downloads: Handy Tools Rope System pre-release with hotfix included(3 MB) http://rapidshare.com/files/156295823/RopeSystem_pre_hotfix.zip Mirrors: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=4049 http://www.assaultmissionstudio.de/infusio....did=214 http://www.eprison.de/files/147/4835 <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">Installation: Copy @HT folder to your ArmA folder and the demo mission to your missions folder (please do not modify the folder names or scripts won´t work). Delete any previous versions of HT.pbo from your hard disk cause this one includes a hotfix in 3D model that caused servers to crash. I created a simplified physics model for a rope made of several bones, which are anymated via configurable formulas for advanced users but don´t need more than a 5 entries array call to work for lazy users. Cargo or troops attached to the rope will follow each bone movement tracing an accurate path either on the transportation or in the rappel operation. Rope configuration allows users to set 1 or 2 ropes, their attach position, lenght and also dynamically change the lenght of the rope while in game to ease the operation or even manually drop cargos when desired. If you are familiar with basic physics you will know a rope is one of most difficult systems to reproduce, and that´s why I had to reduce its features to some basic ones to ease the design but anyway I think the result is quite nice: the rope oscilation and weight on the rope provided by cargo or troops change its shape and oscillation properties. As you see on those pics, once the soldiers start to move on the rope, that one becomes more rigid, like in the case of transporting a cargo This fully configurable system works with all choppers and allows multiple squads rappel on both sides of the vehicle. It´s also designed to match with existing which, like in the case of the spanish FAMET AB212 from FFAA mod above. But due to some game engine limitations (setpos command) you will suffer the typical glittching when moving along an irregular map and also the attach points will move a little bit from their former location when the chopper pitch/bank is drastically increased. All addons which I knew using this method had the same problem, but there´s nothing we can do as the reference position of objets in game is measured from a surface which is not flat. Anyway I think this is a minor issue in normal operation, when turns and speeds are standard... I hope you like it cause it´s almost finished. I´ll try to prepare a video in the following days for you to see that mathematic caos working in real time  Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eble 3 Posted October 17, 2008 wow mate, what can I say, this is amazing, looking forward to this for sure. BIS are lucky they have poeple like you to finish there game for them. Â Southy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loki 1 Posted October 17, 2008 hell yea!.. when's the beta coming? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_BARNS_ 0 Posted October 17, 2008 wow cool work m8, any ideas about a release date and in which mode is this green Bell helicopter included? greetings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
layne_suhr 0 Posted October 17, 2008 looks sweet.. any pics of UH-60 insertion??? Do you have to put in extra codes to change the position of the ropes (like UH-60 has different parts to where the rope is attached than UH-1) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geloxo 2 Posted October 17, 2008 Rope configuration is made easily by providing the attach point [x, y, z] offset from pilot´s position. If you like it just copy and paste that config to an existing config file in the scripts to use it in the future and that´s it. After that you call the sctipt with the config name as a variable and rope will be placed where you wanted. You can use infinite configs you create or use some of the default ones I have added. I´m finishing testing so it could be ready by this weekend... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoRailgunner 0 Posted October 17, 2008 Looks nice, would be great to see an addon version and replacement for BIS helo transports (UH60/Mi-17) too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namikaze 0 Posted October 17, 2008 Wow, this is amazing. I've worked with rope physics before, and yeah they're a total biznitch to get working properly unless the engine has some sort of physics implementation designed to handle ropes already (Havok, for example). Hopefully this will make it out of beta, because I have a feeling that this will make a much bigger impact than we may realize at this point. Very good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kremator 1064 Posted October 17, 2008 Fantastic work. Looking forward to using it. [TAO] Kremator Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerryhopper 285 Posted October 17, 2008 ... at one moment Fastrope isnt possible, and the other moment we're being hit by the community with several fastrope addons! RESPETC! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geloxo 2 Posted October 17, 2008 Thanks for your comments. I agree that the lack of physics support on the engine has a huge impact on the gameplay. I have seen really modest games which had that feature implemented and the result was impressive (don´t need to think about any high-end engines, they were really basic games...). For example collision with objets made them fall and roll. This would allow infinite new features for ArmA, which indeed, due to the current scripting commands, are possible (position, speed and time can be handled) but need a hard design from scratch for the scripter. As an example: a soldier falling from a jet/helicopter will maintain a vertical path without rolling in the air or changing it´s animation. By the way, I forgot to say that with this addon, rapel could be possible from static objets too (e.g: top of a mountain, building roof, etc). I didn´t implement it yet but once the basics are ready this is an option too because the only needed modification is to place the rope attach point at any world [x,y,z] coordinate and block soldier rotation while moving on the rope. I will think about it for the official release. I expect to upload a short video of the rope today, stay tunned Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattxr 9 Posted October 17, 2008 Wow very nice my friend. One question, do you have any idea how this copes in MP? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 17, 2008 This looks really very good already, excellent work. Cant wait to try the first release. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 IN 1 0 Posted October 17, 2008 the big question is A:did it work in MP and B:will it work without errors Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geloxo 2 Posted October 17, 2008 the big question is A:did it work in MP and B:will it work without errors A: I have never tried to addapt my scripts for MP. I´m not experienced on variables handling in MP but if anyone suggests how to do that I will modify the code for that. I only need to know how to handle the following issues in MP: - createvehicle command - an object position, vectorup and direction - squad assigment to any existing vehicle B: No, due to game engine limitations as I explained before: - setposASL and not flat areas (maps usually contain small areas wich have peaks under sea level) - static objects, such as M119 gun, can be transported but you can´t set their vertical speed, so they can´t be dropped, must be left on the group and no, because this is not a commercial addon so you may face errors or conflicts with other addons as in any other released stuff Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArmaVidz 0 Posted October 17, 2008 Hey that's looking mighty interesting. Geloxo, I've loved all your stuff, if I might ask a question: Will the fastroping/cargo be as hard to use as your exel/helo landing scripts? I could never get those to work properly.. Cheers mate Vidz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geloxo 2 Posted October 17, 2008 Hey that's looking mighty interesting. Geloxo, I've loved all your stuff, if I might ask a question:Will the fastroping/cargo be as hard to use as your exel/helo landing scripts? I could never get those to work properly.. Cheers mate Vidz Lol, I know I made those files difficult, sorry... The problem at that time was that, in order to allow full flexibility for users, lots of variables needed to be set. For the current case the config is very easy: - choose a helicopter - choose a cargo or squad - choose a mode (rapel, drop, pickup) - choose a predefined attach config (e.g: blackhawk with 1 rope on the left door) - choose the initial rope lenght and then call the script with those 5 variables values. This works for both AI and player. For your information I´m trying to improve the old choppers scripts configuration by enabling a realtime edition (set wayponts, actions and formation settings in the map) and a GUI so that the resulting variables are generated automatically and you could copy them to clipboard to use it in other missions. I hope this will ease the task... but this is not yet finished and takes some time. Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArmaVidz 0 Posted October 17, 2008 Lol, I know I made those files difficult, sorry... No worries, they are intriguing works.  For the current case the config is very easy: - choose a helicopter - choose a cargo or squad - choose a mode (rapel, drop, pickup) - choose a predefined attach config (e.g: blackhawk with 1 rope on the left door) - choose the initial rope lenght and then call the script with those 5 variables values. This works for both AI and player. That sounds great. Can't wait to give it a whirl!!! For your information I´m trying to improve the old choppers scripts configuration by enabling a realtime edition (set wayponts, actions and formation settings in the map) and a GUI so that the resulting variables are generated automatically...  VERY, cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
layne_suhr 0 Posted October 17, 2008 Nice work mate, sounds like something very easy to use Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inkompetent 0 Posted October 18, 2008 Wow. Intriguing! I really hope this can be made to work satisfactory in multiplayer (since I don't touch singleplayer :P)! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4 IN 1 0 Posted October 18, 2008 maybe thats why BI dont make fastroping into ARMA2? because dont work in MP? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
[frl]myke 14 Posted October 18, 2008 I'm happy to say that Geloxo gave us permission to include his fast rapel script into our WIP CH47 "Chinook". Also we will check his work for MP compatibility and, if needed, improve it to make it work as bug-free as possible. All in all i'm happy to see people working on such great stuff for arma. Thanks Geloxo, keep it up mate. Myke out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
