'Cipher' - full dynamic [SP & MP/Coop] with unlimited replayability

[manzilla 1]

For some reason I can't get my men to split into groups using Cent_HC. There's no split option any where.

There's an empty 1 in the radio menu just above the save option. Not sure if that's where it's supposed to be.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Manzilla

[wiper 0]

Good Job! now if we can work something out with that suitcase so it isn't such a chore.

Thanks. Let me know whatever inspirations you may get in this.

Currently I'm evaluating some placement criteria. Theres definitely one BuildingPos where a small object cant be seen and some that should be on a blacklist too... maybe its worth a little effort.

And many thanks for your detailed report.

Its much fun to read and reminded me *muchly* of my/our numberless encounters in the pre release versions.

I'm glad to hear that the original challenge seems back now :)

Very fun mission bud! I love how its a little differnt each time!

Great you like it !

Thanks :)

For some reason I can't get my men to split into groups using Cent_HC. There's no split option any where.

Did you play in MP environment ?

HCS should run flawlessly in SP mode though.

Will have a look into it.

There's an empty 1 in the radio menu just above the save option. Not sure if that's where it's supposed to be.

Yep its intended, sort of..

As stated in the briefing, the radio wont work until the decipehering code is fetched.

[manzilla 1]

I'm playing SP. For the life of me I can't get it to work. There's no available action to split groups.

[kremator 1065]

Yup ... can confirm in SP no HCS.

Will also look into it.

[wiper 0]

Yup ... can confirm in SP no HCS.

yea, had synched them wrong.

Sorry guys !

Fixed right now.

[manzilla 1]

Thank you.

[kremator 1065]

Yeah I found that there was no HCS init in the PLAYER COMMANDER.

Also the HCS should be the latest version.

Wiper I will PM you the link to the fixed Cipher.

[wiper 0]

Thanks Kremator,

new HCS incorporated into Cipher and working well now.

Sorry, had a bunch of AI issues to test for 1.21 hence it seemingly slipped through for the tests.

[wiper 0]

ok,

new version 1.22 uploaded, get it from 1st post please.

Have added a second pbo to the archive now, containing a 'SpecOp' version of that mission.

Using that mission pbo in SP mode, you are just alone with your bike, lol, SD gear, some grenades (who knows...) and 2 satchels :)

In MP mode only human players get joined to the group leader (AI units serve as player pool , dont deactivate AI in the lobby !).

After first connection to the mission (JIP compatible) the player starts at the insertion point, having a bike right there of course.

Too bad I eventually needed to waste the resource of a whole pbo for this, as actually just ONE single bit is differnt in both versions :cool:

I'm not much firm into dialogs in Arma/2 and it finally gave me too much of a headache in MP mode to switch properly between both modes.

If anyone can point me into the right direction, how dialogs work best in MP environment (sharing/updating options) and, most wanted, how to bring them up while on briefing or even before the intro I'd be more than glad !

However,

got HCS fixed and working in MP mode too now plus I've made some minor fixes for the civi AI.

As ever,

Have fun with it ! :)

[manzilla 1]

Excellent. Great mission. Thanks for the fix.

[wiper 0]

Excellent. Great mission. Thanks for the fix.

thx

have fun !

[Alex72 1]

Wow 1.22!

Your working hard in perfecting this. Much appreciated! ;)

Alex

[keet 10]

Love this scenario but...

been playing every version so far.

I am currently playing v 1.22. Love the new spec op mode, anyway...

the mission plays great. I kill the general, find the case, open it, talk, it closes, it transmits, i go to safe spot, call chopper, it responds, flies to extraction point, lands, I board it...

BUT then it just sits there. The two gunners stare into space while the pilot and I sit there and exchange casual glances at each other ( and I swear I can hear that uncomfortable elevator music in the background ;) ).

Nothing happens and it never takes off. I revert and board before the chopper shuts down - no change.

I revert and wait till the chopper stops completely then I board - no change.

I then get board and frustrated so I kill the gunners and the pilot and board as pilot and fly away myself but then accidentally crash but manage to eject mere seconds before the chopper goes up in flames and survive to be greeted a few seconds later by a failure screen with the smoldering chopper in the background, too funny.

I love this mission alot but perhaps could someone help me with why this happens and we don't fly off to safety?

Also, in the map screen, under stats, it seems inaccurate. It was telling me my kills and it said riflemen 5, sappers 2, marksmen 2, general 2... but I am certain I did not kill that many men and did NOT think it was possible to kill 2 generals (and there was not 2 dead generals bodies, I checked before I hid them).

Any ideas on that?

Thanks for any help / info:confused:

[wiper 0]

Love this scenario but...

Also, in the map screen, under stats, it seems inaccurate. It was telling me my kills and it said riflemen 5, sappers 2, marksmen 2, general 2...

Yea I know that, but I have no idea what causes that. My guessing is that its a game glitch. Not sure but I think I've had this with other missions too.

BUT then it just sits there.

Well, guess I have to find another solution for that damn relaunching issue at mission end then. I've heared this from other players too, unfortunately whenever I finished since I hoped to have fixed that all went well...

strange.

Thanks for reporting !

[manzilla 1]

Yea I know that, but I have no idea what causes that. My guessing is that its a game glitch. Not sure but I think I've had this with other missions too.

Well, guess I have to find another solution for that damn relaunching issue at mission end then. I've heared this from other players too, unfortunately whenever I finished since I hoped to have fixed that all went well...

strange.

Thanks for reporting !

I just finished v1.22(non-SpecOps version). I played it SP and it was a blast. That's the most fun I've had since MrN's ArmA version of Dynamic War. The mission worked flawlessly. Extraction happened and the mission ended. The implementation of the modified HC is genius. This needs to be done in everyone's missions. I love that thing.

This mission really displays the beauty of Chernarus. The random AO is placed really well. I've had a mission assaulting numerous towns in the hills, one at an airstrip and one in the city area. This mission is already a classic in my book.

That comes to my next thought, do you plan on extending this mission? If you've ever played A1's Dynamic mission, this could be a perfect successor so to speak, until and if MrN. blesses us with another mission.

For example, when the helicopter end scene appears instead of ending have the heli go back to a main base somewhere. Then have a CO some where at the base where you can get another mission. At the base could be some empty vehicles for one to take, and a Viper 1 insertion/extraction heli as another option. Also have a place to recruit any soldiers you may have lost, etc.

Also have the possibility to get awarded an air strike or 2 and some arty action as well.

There's just so much possibility with this mission and game.

Beautiful mission. Wicked fun. :coop:

[Alex72 1]

I agree with Manzilla. Its a fun mission so far and if you decide to slowly expand it into a bigger mission, well, it'll be superb. Maybe you end up with Campaign Cipher. :)

Seriously though, expanding it with another objective that somehow fits the first could be real nice. Keep up the great work mate.

Alex

[MaXyM 10]

I've tried and finished this mission again using latest version.

It's true the mission is superb. it's great balanced between needed skill and playability.

I found some things want to report:

1. it happens two times (during the same mission) - 2 soldiers was placed underground. Yes.. I didn;t saw it, but the map display them 10m near me. In one case the cursor pointed soldier under a ground, in second one - solder was placed inside of a house without possibility to go inside.

2. the suitcase with cipher I found on the house outside stairs. However after opening it, it sink into stairs (only a few pixels was left visible). Fortunately it was possible to enable cipher encoder.

3. I'm not sure I understand correctly. but when I call for extraction, marines says that it is impossible and my map should contains data about dangerous area for extraction (additional red circle). it is indeed. but after a few calls, I am on safe area getting the same message. I have to trip far away and try again and again. Is there any way to know, that some place is safe or not before calling the base? If not - doesn't matter. Current behaviour gives more reality ;) But I just want to know.

4. In my mission, an enemy tank was placed on the road. I drove a truck stolen from locals. There was no any reaction from tank when I steered clear of it (in a few meters distance). Is that correct behaviour or some kind of bug?

5. After mission finished (with success) the mission is not marked as completed (in mission selector)

best regards and thank you for very entertaining mission.

Edited August 19, 2009 by MaXyM

[jblack9 10]

Great Mission,

but one request and I hope I don't sound ungrateful.

Is there anyway I can move the insertion point closer to the red circle (danger zone)

I opened it up in the editor but couldnt find out how to do it?

Thanks

[keet 10]

Yea I know that, but I have no idea what causes that. My guessing is that its a game glitch. Not sure but I think I've had this with other missions too.

Well, guess I have to find another solution for that damn relaunching issue at mission end then. I've heared this from other players too, unfortunately whenever I finished since I hoped to have fixed that all went well...

strange.

Thanks for reporting !

In regards to the stats, perhaps the riflemen x 5, general x 2, etc doesn't mean kills but refers to the number of times you hit that kind of target ( I do remember shoting the general 2 times).

Maybe that is the case.

Anyway, I love this scenario, a classic for sure. Will try tonight to get rescued again.

I look forward to your continued support of this most wonderful mission.

I hope in the future we can see mission variations along this theme.

Thanks, keep up the great work.

Your efforts are greatly appreciated!!!

[Dogtags 0]

ok just did about my 6th mission all told so far. I do like it very much, I think the balance is good. I lost 5 men this time due to enemy ambushing me not once but twice!

Anyway issue I found is very minor and not urgent.

After extraction chopper landed and I boarded everyone including me I was then able to dismount everyone and the chopper went of without us, still got success message :-)

I know you probably wont code for idiocy but it is a valid storyline bug :-)

Once men board can you lock or remove all menu commands? or even easier as soon as last man is in player or AI, automatically take off (assumes engine was never stopped) and go to cut scene, no hassles and a nice clean ending.

[MaXyM 10]

Indeed. I think heli engine shouldn't be stopped (as in real life).

[wiper 0]

Thanks for your kind reports, folks !

Will try to change for a rescue chopper with engines running.

Also will givie the insertion point a higher probability to be set a bit closer.

Its already relativley random and excessively wide approach pathes should be rather unlikely, though never impossible.

Yes I've planned to expand Cipher to some degree. There even was second objective featured.

I dropped it simply to the fact that I often ended up with a 2+ hours of mission time plus the Arma2 AI was MUCH tougher in the past (1.01 and 1.02 patches) wich looked a bit too harsh for me over all.

On the other hand there still are some minor glitches I'd like to polish off (like the rain sync bug for MP) before expand the mission into any direction.

Also I'm a bit on standby as I try to listen to you guys, in what direction you'd prefer to have it expanded... maybe it will just evolve into a second mission containing the core story..?

Maybe into a MP compatible campaign ..?

And a third point is that I'm strongly looking forward for two important fixes that BIS hopefully will include soon:

- findcover (still broken)

- a convoy driving fix

Both glitches do hinder me mostly in doing what I'm trying to achive in first place: A most proper dynamic AI movement.

FindCover I currently have worked around with a complicated terrain scanning code thad hardly offers what FIndCover would do.

And the current convoy behaviour is so bad that every type of quick+organized redeployments of the AI using roads are out of question to code (small spoiler&teaser on what might come up in a next version ;) )

thanks again for your replies - they are MUCH appreciated !

version 1.23 slowly, but steadily, progresses towards testing status, expect a release within the next 1-2 days :)

Edited August 19, 2009 by Wiper

[keet 10]

Awesome, cant wait!!!

[Alex72 1]

Sounds great Wiper!

Need to test this online with a bunch of like minded people. Should be a blast. Also if i come up with something i let you know (story/objective wise etc).

Alex

[wiper 0]

fancy testing this "unofficial beta" ? :)

edit:

*** links removed ***

nasty bug in SpecOp mode discovered, affecting in a twofold way:

- MP: JIP'nig players didint trigger enemy HQ actions

- SP & MP: re-launching of rescue chopper (again, sigh) broken

both caused by missing units managment between playing units and pool units (identical in both modes/pbo's )

*** new beta pending ***

- mode changes supported within one pbo,

- briefing room in SP mode,..

no big changes to the mission content though, besides

- insertion point is nearer and

- resc chopper should have running engines now.

as always,

have fun !

PS.:

oh, one thing to add:

in MP mode now the player's gear isnt distributed automatically anymore

while this isn't so much important in "task force" mode (as the truck supply is plenty) you may need to know this for the "SpecOp" mode in MP now before you start, as you dont have SD equipment per default.

No gear changements in SP mode though

Edited August 20, 2009 by Wiper