Question regarding Mission Editor

[nikodemus 10]

I've read on the twitter Q&A that Chernarus will be a pretty active map with civilians and animals wondering around, which gives good life to the environment.

I wanted to know if this is pre-set on the editor map too, or would a new mission making routine start with a completely blank map?

Thanks!

[celery 8]

Extra features such as civvies and beasts are activated with game logics. The map is otherwise quite deserted.

[Alex72 1]

Add a "logic" for civilians and they are there. If not - its deserted like Celery said. So you really have an ON/OFF switch kinda thing for it. Good huh! :) ARMA2 will have new things in the editor as well called "modules" i think. Where you drag and drop "markers/icons" containing scripted functions, arty operators and so on. What before required a lot of script skill (or bugging community members) you can do yourself easily in ARMA2. Think i got this right.

Alex

[wingtip 11]

sounds like the cryengine2 editor for crysis... you can drag and drop icons for sound efx like spray from a waterfall, flies, chickens, crabs, rats, crickets etc... along with effects like weather, rain, wind, tornadoes even....

[Heatseeker 0]

Is there a source with more specific information about this?

It would be interesting to know if we can populate the environment with civilians and "beasts" in MP..

[wingtip 11]

can the helos do sling loads where you can make a mission to pick up a tank or vehicle or supplies and drop off at specified locations?

[Siddern 10]

I'm a noob, so I have a question: What is game logic, and how do I use it? :P

[rcenters 10]

can the helos do sling loads where you can make a mission to pick up a tank or vehicle or supplies and drop off at specified locations?

I'm curious as well about helo sling loads. Although the primary thing that would be towed would I guess be artillery pieces, but....the artillery piece shown on arma 2 website is M119, and in another post by Frederf he showed that as having sufficient range to hit the entire island from anywhere in the island(if I read his diagram correctly)- so why even move it from its spawn point. (Secondary question - how is ArmA2 planning to do fire control? Forward spotting infantry? Laser guided? Etc?)

I saw something else in the weapons section, a mounted Mk19 grenade launcher. I never played ArmA so I dont know if it was in that one, or if it was, how powerful, but in CoD4 its insanely powerful....how does it really perform and I'd love to see an ArmA2 chopper flying around firing that!

[wingtip 11]

why move it? cause the mission requires it... you the player wont know the range of every weapon..besides i could make the mission medical supplies, a fuel truck or fuel load, mobile KP, a humvee, a boat, or how about a pool table lol.. it can be whatever i wanna script it... i just want to know if its possible to do sling loads... how about a squad of guys in heavy wooded mountainous terrain where a helo couldnt land, but could drop a line and they all strap on and pull them out hanging by the line?

[rcenters 10]

Ah,right....In terms of larger scale missions where you're fighting for control of the whole island(and remember I'm generally always talking about PvP, not coop), will there be tools to manage smaller missions within the mission? IE....the mission we're talking about now to airlift X number of arty to a specific point to create a firebase....?

[An-225 0]

Yes, it is possible to create, literally any mission you like using this mission editor.

I prefer smaller missions too, I think its far too unrealistic to capture an island in one day.

[celery 8]

I'm a noob, so I have a question: What is game logic, and how do I use it? :P

In OFP and A1 it's a placeable blank object in the editor. A2 probably has it the same way, you place a logic and its corresponding function activates.

[st!gar 3]

In OFP and A1 it's a placeable blank object in the editor. A2 probably has it the same way, you place a logic and its corresponding function activates.

I mean to remember that in ArmA 1, you'd have to place the object on the map, and then write a long, complicated string of code, group it with the unit(s) or waypoint you wanted to be able to make use of it, and then it would (ideally) work.

If the devs were in any way serious about the editor being more user-friendly, I can't for the life of me understand why the hell they went with this clumsy and complicated option, unless the suppressive fire/civillians and wildlife/reviving/whatever -logics are pre-made, and you can just select them from a list and drop them on the map, the code already written down...

Edited May 24, 2009 by St!gar

[Second 0]

I mean to remember that in ArmA 1, you'd have to place the object on the map, and then write a long, complicated string of code, group it with the unit(s) or waypoint you wanted to be able to make use of it, and then it would (ideally) work.

If the devs were in any way serious abut the editor being more user-friendly, I can't for the life of me understand why the hell they went with this clumsy and complicated option, unless the suppressive fire/civillians and wildlife/reviving/whatever -logics are pre-made, and you can just select them from a list and drop them on the map, the code already written down...

Vanilla ArmA didn't have any "sophisticated" easy to use logics. Modders could make quite complicated logics which mission designer then just inserts on map, to get benefit from them. I'd believe BIS now is going to give us pre-coded logics to Vanilla ArmA2... Ain't this thing confirmed already?

The question is: How complicated will there logics be what BIS is going to implement into ArmA2. Do we have just bunch of civilians walking/standing around while emptily looking into horizon... Or do they even be able to replicate common daily activities, like eating, working, boozing&shagging, sleeping, maybe even defending them selves.

[LaMuerteX 10]

I like to see the editor:).

I wonder if there is a logic for that (Michael Jackson) to have sex with animals in the camp.. xDD

[st!gar 3]

...or do they even be able to replicate common daily activities, like eating, working, boozing&shagging, sleeping...

This isn't Oblivion or GTA, nor does it try to be. According to one of those beta gameplay videos on YouTube, what you get is pretty much

just a bunch of civilians walking/standing around while emptily looking into horizon.

Also, whenever they detect gunfire in the vincinity, they'll "disappear" into their houses. That said; you can, apparently, talk to them and recieve missions or somesuch.

...maybe even defending them selves.

Well, according to some of those previews lying around, the civilian population of Chernarus might be turned against you if you cause them harm, and as such might act hostile towards you. I don't know if this only counts for you, (That is, the members of Team Razor.), or any member of the USMC force that might also come along with you, though.

Edited May 24, 2009 by St!gar

[Alex72 1]

...And then ofcourse this is ARMA where you can make any unit do what the hell you want it to... Civilians are bit more intelligent than ArmA1 as they run into buildings or hide in bushes etc when shooting starts, and i think that's pretty good.

[st!gar 3]

...And then ofcourse this is ARMA where you can make any unit do what the hell you want it to...

Sure you can. But if the Logic for civillians is anything like what has been shown on said gameplay -videos, then they won't, unless the player manually scripts it into the mission, of course.

Also, hasn't the AI always been able to take cover when it's been shot at? Sure, being able to take cover behind an actual object rather than just laying flat down on the ground or running for the nearest forest is a new feature in ArmA 2, but that's due to the Micro AI.

Of course, for all I know, those gameplay videos were from early, early beta versions, so who knows what they may have coded in at this point - although if the civillians would "intelligently" go about their lives, eating and working and so on, I'd think the devs would have advertised the hell out of that by now.

Edited May 24, 2009 by St!gar

[ProfTournesol 956]

I mean to remember that in ArmA 1, you'd have to place the object on the map, and then write a long, complicated string of code, group it with the unit(s) or waypoint you wanted to be able to make use of it, and then it would (ideally) work.

If the devs were in any way serious abut the editor being more user-friendly, I can't for the life of me understand why the hell they went with this clumsy and complicated option, unless the suppressive fire/civillians and wildlife/reviving/whatever -logics are pre-made, and you can just select them from a list and drop them on the map, the code already written down...

This is the way most of GL works in OFP/ArmA, one of their most usefull purpose. Just select, put on the map and play.

Sure you can. But if the Logic for civillians is anything like what has been shown on said gameplay -videos, then they won't, unless the player manually scripts it into the mission, of course.

Also, hasn't the AI always been able to take cover when it's been shot at? Sure, being able to take cover behind an actual object rather than just laying flat down on the ground or running for the nearest forest is a new feature in ArmA 2, but that's due to the Micro AI.

Of course, for all I know, those gameplay videos were from early, early beta versions, so who knows what they may have coded in at this point - although if the civillians would "intelligently" go about their lives, eating and working and so on, I'd think the devs would have advertised the hell out of that by now.

As we know very few about those GL features, i would remain cautious about that kind of self-conceited assertion if i were you. Even more considering you don't even know how GL works at the moment.

[st!gar 3]

This is the way most of GL works in OFP/ArmA, one of their most usefull purpose. Just select, put on the map and play.

I remember when using community-made addons, you would be able to copy any included game logic -scripts from custom made demo missions, but that was it. Are you saying the ArmA 1 editor included a list of pre-made logics that could be put on the map at will?

As we know very few about those GL features, i would remain cautious about that kind of self-conceited assertion if i were you. Even more considering you don't even know how GL works at the moment.

Uhh... yeah. That's why I added that for all I know, this might have changed at this point. Just to avoid having people come and say exactly what you just did.

Edited May 24, 2009 by St!gar

[KKB 0]

I think it's time for an editing Subforum ;)

OK, I've tried to make the fabled Modules work. The Manual is not very helpful, exept for stating that you place them with F7, which you don't, F7 does nothing in the editor.

I placed the Artillery module and a mortar, I grouped them, I synchronized them (F5), I grouped the playable unit with either the mortar or the artillery module, all to no avail. How does it work? Same goes for wildlife, Civilian Life etc.

Also (might be not exactly the right thread for that), I placed the weather module, according to the manual it will give nicer clouds, wich is awesome, except the clear sky looks greyish to me, instead of blue (it's like constant overcast), so how am I supposed to se these clouds anyway?

[Nihilistix 0]

Have you tried using a flying vehicle to enter the clouds. I do not have the game, but from what I saw in videos of the f-35 flying through very nice looking clouds. I'm not sure how they will look from the ground. I agree with an editing sub forum, I am very much interested in the modules and how they work so I hope an editing wiki comes out soon.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I'm a noob, so I have a question: What is game logic, and how do I use it? :P

A game logic is a simple 'dummy' object (well, not anymore I guess) you can use in the editor for specific purposes. I don't have the game yet, but I assume you find them under F1-Units/Side Game Logic once you have placed a playable character.

Hmm. Isn't it time to upgrade the forums so that Arma2 section becomes equal to that of Arma1? With editing and modding sections, multiplayer, addons, etc?

[myshaak 0]

For the fortunate ones with the game.. has anyone check the editor for Bigfoot? :-D

[Nihilistix 0]

For the fortunate ones with the game.. has anyone check the editor for Bigfoot? :-D

Hey, I didn't look for him because I don't have the game yet but I did put a paypal bounty on his head for the first who gets video footage of the legendary beast. I was later informed that it wont be implemented until patch 1.02 :(