Editor Suggestion for Unit Skill

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

In the Editor the Adjustable Skill Bar could use:

A small editable box that displays the numerical value of where the Adjustable Skill Bar is set at for units.

In Options--->Game Options--->Difficulty the Friendly and Enemy skills have an Adjustable Skill Bar with an associated box that displays the numerical value of where the Adjustable Skill Bar is set.

The editor could use this too cause trying to give specific units a set specific skill variable is much harder to do with the naked eye.

Thanks!

THE Rev Tube

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Sorry but this doesn't make any sense. The AI skill level will change depending on the difficulty level so there's no need to know it in the editor.

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Sorry but this doesn't make any sense. The AI skill level will change depending on the difficulty level so there's no need to know it in the editor.

Difficulty Level AI skill acts globally and pertains to all units across the board. The Editor AI Skill acts as an override to Difficulty AI settings for individual units. So if players play on Regular difficulty level cause of bullet spread and want to keep that spread but want to make Sniper AI skill deadlier then that's where the Editor AI Skill bar can be used. So it does make sense.

[manzilla 1]

there's a way to set the skill level in the init box or globally through a script. At least I'm pretty sure I've seen this done, in ArmA especially. 'm trying to remember how to do it but it's slipped my mind at the moment.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Difficulty Level AI skill acts globally and pertains to all units across the board. The Editor AI Skill acts as an override to Difficulty AI settings for individual units.

No it doesn't.

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

No it doesn't.

Plain and simple. You're wrong. I've tested this numerous times in the editor with Enemy AI snipers. In the Difficulty level settings I've set Friendly and Enemy Precision Skill to .5. Snipers at that Precision Skill level are very ineffective as well as Machine Gunners. But in the Editor if you adjust an individual unit like a Sniper or Machine Gunner to max skill then that unit and just that unit will act and shoot like an AI set at the max Difficulty setting.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

But in the Editor if you adjust an individual unit like a Sniper or Machine Gunner to max skill then that unit and just that unit will act and shoot like an AI set at the max Difficulty setting.

Duh... but that doesn't mean it overrides anything.

And it still doesn't explain why you need to know what the difficulty level AI skill is... even if you did it wouldn't matter much since it wouldn't always be the same.

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

The AI skill level will change depending on the difficulty level so there's no need to know it in the editor.

Duh... but that doesn't mean it overrides anything.

Now you're contradicting yourself. You just agreed that the Editor Individual Skill effects an individual units abilities regardless of what the Difficulty Level (Recruit, Regular, Veteran, Expert) setting is at.

[TechnoTerrorist303 10]

In the editor the skill level of a unit is defined by the slider for "ai skill" which sets a variable in the initialization parameters of the unit. This can be set in .sqs/.sqf by using the "createunit" function and defining the skill level in its parameters on the same line of script.

The editor should display this number under the slider/allow it to be set manually.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Now you're contradicting yourself. You just agreed that the Editor Individual Skill effects an individual units abilities regardless of what the Difficulty Level (Recruit, Regular, Veteran, Expert) setting is at.

Do you understand the definition of override?

The AI skill slider in the editor and the difficulty level AI skill are two individual skill levels. They effect eachother only in the sense that they are additive.

In either case I still don't see any value in having the editor show you what the current difficulty level AI skill is, much less the point in it being editable. Or could it be that what you want is to edit the the base AI difficulty on a per mission basis? That also makes no sense though.

[TechnoTerrorist303 10]

I can see one use for this immediately. If you create a mission that has certain AI troops in and you are happy with the way they perform but want to change them to spawn using a script instead of placing them in the editor, you would presumably want to know the parameters of those soldiers in order to create them correctly? This box would show you that.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

TechnoTerrorist303, what you're talking about is different. You can get the numeric value of the unit's skill by use of scripting commands. Or, you can just count the bars on the slider and guess with quite a bit of accuracy. Afterall each bar represents a certain percentage.

RevolverOcelotKJB on the other hand was talking about something else involving the difficulty level AI skill setting... exactly what I'm not sure. Everything I can think of seems pointless.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Big Dawg KS

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Ok. Let me explain my settings and why my Editor suggestion would be a valuable addition. Currently I play Arma 2 on Regular Difficulty. In My Documents I have edited my profile for AI skill accordingly to this:

SkillFriendly- 1;

SkillEnemy- 1;

PrecisionFriendly- .5;

PrecisionEnemy- .5;

Now in the Editor when I create missions and scenarios the majority of AI units will be like Rifleman with their respective Editor Skill Sliding Bar set to nothing. Some AI units (Machine Gunners) will get an increase to their respective Editor Skill Sliding Bar set to around a quarter which does improve their accuracy. Naturally Snipers will be set at higher Editor Skill Sliding Bar levels.

The purpose is to provide some units with diversity through the Editor by adjusting the Editor Skill Sliding Bar to different levels.

However as is the Editor Skill Sliding Bar has no numerical indication as to what the Editor Skill Sliding Bar is set at…so for example let’s say I want to set a Sniper to .85 on the Editor Skill Sliding Bar you would have to do it by eye or how about some crazy off the wall setting like .62 could you really slide the Editor Skill Sliding Bar to know for a fact that you have set that specific unit that you are editing to either .85 or .62?

Scripting I understand is very powerful and handy. To be honest scripting is the next step for me to start learning down the road but not at this time as I want to play more of the game and get a better grasp of things that can be done in the editor without the need for scripts.

A numerical indicator is currently lacking on the editor concerning the Editor Skill Sliding Bar. Wouldn’t it be a nice feature on the editor whenever the Editor Skill Sliding Bar is being dragged to see this numerical indicator change as you’re moving the Editor Skill Sliding Bar? That way whenever you want to set a specific unit a specific Skill value you will know that value has been reached via the numerical indicator without having to have the knowledge of scripting and without having to guess by using the naked eye.

Clear?

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:31 AM ----------

TechnoTerrorist303, what you're talking is different. You can get the numeric value of the unit's skill by use of scripting commands. Or, you can just count the bars on the slider and guess with quite a bit of accuracy. Afterall each bar represents a certain percentage.

RevolverOcelotKJB on the other hand was talking about something else involving the difficulty level AI skill setting... exactly what I'm not sure. Everything I can think of seems pointless.

In Options--->Game Options--->Difficulty the Friendly and Enemy skills have an Adjustable Skill Bar with an associated box that displays the numerical value of where the Adjustable Skill Bar is set.

The editor could use this numerical indicator too cause trying to give specific units a set specific skill variable is much harder to do with the naked eye.

Edited August 7, 2009 by RevolverOcelotKJB

[TechnoTerrorist303 10]

TechnoTerrorist303, what you're talking is different. .

Probably, remind me to not spend so much time on forums while I'm supposed to be working.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Sorry but there is still no need for this. If you want to set their skill to a specific numeric value, just use setSkill:

this setSkill 0.85

No need to add useless clutter to the editor interface. Sliders are good enough for approximate values and for "quick" skill setting. If you want more precision use scripting commands, it's what they're there for.

---------- Post added at 12:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 PM ----------

Hell if you really wanted to you could also open up the mission.sqm and change the skill value manually there. So what you're asking for is just another way to do something we already have at least 2 ways of (easily) doing.

---------- Post added at 12:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------

Also, what does this have anything to do with difficulty level AI skill settings? That part was confusing the hell out of me.

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Sorry but there is still no need for this. If you want to set their skill to a specific numeric value, just use setSkill:

this setSkill 0.85

Well that's great...Where do you put this at in the Editor?

Also, what does this have anything to do with difficulty level AI skill settings? That part was confusing the hell out of me.

I've explained this already. Obviously you did not read and comprehend.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Well that's great...Where do you put this at in the Editor?

The init field. If you're going to use the editor to any degree of seriousness, it will be your best friend.

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

The init field. If you're going to use the editor to any degree of seriousness, it will be your best friend.

Thanks! :) I'll give this a try when I get home from work. By the way is there like a user friendly list of these commands somewhere for future reference?

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Thanks! :) I'll give this a try when I get home from work. By the way is there like a user friendly list of these commands somewhere for future reference?

Lol.. "is there a list?" he asks...

Comref: essential to every editor... tis almost like a bible for us. There is also one on the Biki, usually you can get more information on specific commands there.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Big Dawg KS

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Comref: essetial to every editor... tis almost like a bible for us. There is also one on the Biki, usually you can get more information on specific commands there.

Thanks Big Dawg KS! :)

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Got it to work in the Editor but it isn't quite what I was expecting. :( A small numerical value box beside the Editor Skill Sliding Bar still would be a nice and helpful feature to the editor IMO.

Edited August 7, 2009 by RevolverOcelotKJB

[LeadCommando65 10]

The editor could use this numerical indicator too cause trying to give specific units a set specific skill variable is much harder to do with the naked eye.

Yeah, I totally agree. It adds more control about skill level. Since OFP I waited for some day they'll change it.

Sorry but there is still no need for this. If you want to set their skill to a specific numeric value, just use setSkill:

this setSkill 0.85

No need to add useless clutter to the editor interface. Sliders are good enough for approximate values and for "quick" skill setting. If you want more precision use scripting commands, it's what they're there for.

Oh, come on. You are telling us, that you are setting each soldier's skill by typing in this line? Even if you copy it from soldier to soldier, it makes a difference, cause if I have already many lines in the init-field, I don't want to fill it up more. Additionally it's faster to have a slider like you claimed, but it could be also set to a precise value instead of being only an approximate value. This little number wouldn't eat up too much space.

Edited August 7, 2009 by LeadCommando65

[revolverocelotkjb 13]

Yeah, I totally agree. It adds more control about skill level. Since OFP I waited for some day they'll change it.

Even if you copy it from soldier to soldier, it makes a difference, cause if I have already many lines in the init-field, I don't want to fill it up more. Additionally it's faster to have a slider like you claimed, but it could be also set to a precise value instead of being only an approximate value. This little number wouldn't eat up too much space.

Someone who actually agrees with me! Thank you! :cheers:

[Jex =TE= 0]

Anyone tried SetSkillArray?

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/setSkill_array

Looks like you can have more control over your units and you can randomize the number i.e. 0-.6 say.

Does this override the server skill setting? Do the slider bars do the same and does the slider become a percentage of that setting i.e. if the server is set to 0.6, does a full slider = .6 and at half = .3?

[osmo 0]

The problem with the editor skill / options difficulty skill is that we have no idea how they are related to each other. We don't know if they override, or if they are added or multiplied somehow, or if an average value is used.

I really hope developers would give an answer for this, but so far they are ignoring us in this question.

This has been discussed in another thread: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=80337