Vehicle towing script

[tcp 10]

runDll, that's the first thing I thought when I watched the video. The tow bar definitely needs to not let you back up anymore after reaching a certain angle. Force people to learn how to tow :).

Norrin's script is really more of a tech demo than a finished script. I'll be waiting for this one.

[M3th0s 10]

runDll, that's the first thing I thought when I watched the video. The tow bar definitely needs to not let you back up anymore after reaching a certain angle. Force people to learn how to tow :).

Norrin's script is really more of a tech demo than a finished script. I'll be waiting for this one.

Yes it isn't a definitive script... but it was better than nothing! ;)

[charon productions 10]

The things I still have to do are safety measures, like when the angle becomes too big it should break the towing.

May i be so impudent to ask you to add a global variable to keep the towing at all costs even when the angle becomes too big?

Something like YOURTAG_ALLOWBREAK=true or false ?

I am thinking of situations where you have remote AI trucks tow a vital piece of equipment, that is important for the mission to reach its destination at all costs.

It would be disappointing if it just sticks around somewhere on the map far away for the player to even check that it was broken due to a broken towing.

Edited October 23, 2009 by Charon Productions

[Monkwarrior 0]

May i be so impudent to ask you to add a global variable to keep the towing at all costs even when the angle becomes too big?

Totally agree.

Monk.

[tcp 10]

I don't think he means to actually make you short of a tow bar.

Going forward will never get the tow bar stuck, but going backwards without curving left to right to keep the tow bar straight, will get it stuck 100% of the time. You'd have to be an idiot to break the tow bar (you go slow when backing up) and I don't think this script is going to break a tow bar and make you go back to the hangar to get a new one, it's just going to stop you from backing up further, forcing you to go forward again and try backing up again. I think that there shouldn't be an option for this.

If you don't want a realistic towing script then use Norrin's attachTo towing. It will never get stuck (it's like you are driving normally even if you have a C130 in tow).

[charon productions 10]

Didn`t mean to misinterpret rundll.exe`s intentions with what he meant by breaking.

tcp, you are probably closer to what it will eventually look like.

[4 IN 1 0]

Aircraft tow-bar are not simply a bar have pin on both side, there is a clamp at one end for it to attach and lock onto a beam at the lower part structure of the nose landing gear, this form a solid link between the bar and the NLG and that basicly prevent getting stuck when going straight backward, curving left or right while backward will stree the aircraft to the opposite direction. the streeing angle is limit in most case as if exceed that will cause damage to aircraft.

Edited October 24, 2009 by 4 IN 1

[M3th0s 10]

Ah ok I found the original one :P

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=7073

[rundll.exe 12]

Ah I tried that one some time ago, but it doesnt look like this at all :)

[-OGN-DarkPhantom 0]

Ah I tried that one some time ago, but it doesnt look like this at all :)

I have tested both.....I have found rundll.exe works well..actually better...

Alittle more fine tuning it but I think we can use this in many other features if you put your head into it....

My Trains locomotives with War wagons came to a halt due to the towing as crossing over bridges was a pain.....

ArmA 2 tracks are a little useless due to most tracks on the map are too sharp in the bends...not realistic so I decided to rebuild a New island...... anyway this script will come in real handy in the future of Arma2... well done :D

[call_911 10]

Mobile artillery, please please tell me u tried this with M119 or D30?

[rundll.exe 12]

Mobile artillery, please please tell me u tried this with M119 or D30?

Yes I tried it, and unfortunately it works not very good. It will attach and follow the vehicle correctly, but when you stop, the arty piece starts turning by itself. I guess the models arent centered properly or something, I have to look at it. Towing arty is one of the things I really want to be working, but I guess we need the BIS mlods then (and animate them to use the wheels... it looks akward without them turning)

EDIT

On a sidenote does anyone have a clue how helicopters are moved in RL? from the front or the back? or are they only puhed by hand? Some picures would really help

Edited October 26, 2009 by rundll.exe

[Gedis 0]

it depends on helicopter.

Chinooks are towed like this

Apaches are towed like this

picture of apaches

picture of Ch-53E

Mi-8s/17s and Mi-24s are towed from front, Mi-28s from behind...

You get the idea, tow bar in almost all cases is attached to the steering wheel/wheels

Edited October 26, 2009 by Gedis

[rundll.exe 12]

Thx alot! And you're right, it makes most sense to attach to the steering wheel. I will update the axis position for BIS vehicles then.

Expect a script-only beta version this week(end)

[An Fiach 10]

really cool script

[call_911 10]

Yes I tried it, and unfortunately it works not very good. It will attach and follow the vehicle correctly, but when you stop, the arty piece starts turning by itself. I guess the models arent centered properly or something, I have to look at it. Towing arty is one of the things I really want to be working, but I guess we need the BIS mlods then (and animate them to use the wheels... it looks akward without them turning)

EDIT

On a sidenote does anyone have a clue how helicopters are moved in RL? from the front or the back? or are they only puhed by hand? Some picures would really help

Ah thats too bad was hopin we'd finally have it, as static arty in 21st century battlefieldis a death trap in world of super computers. Think its just a lil trig to figured out a return snap shot from counter battery arty IRL.

[scfan42 0]

On a sidenote does anyone have a clue how helicopters are moved in RL? from the front or the back? or are they only puhed by hand? Some picures would really help

With tail-wheel type H-60s, the tow bar is attached the to tail wheel, and normally to the front of the tug. I don't know exactly about towing a UH-1, but for OH-58s they have quick attach wheels and a special tow bar that attach to the landing skids. So just make the axis about the middle of the skids and tow it from the front.

[rundll.exe 12]

With tail-wheel type H-60s, the tow bar is attached the to tail wheel, and normally to the front of the tug. I don't know exactly about towing a UH-1, but for OH-58s they have quick attach wheels and a special tow bar that attach to the landing skids. So just make the axis about the middle of the skids and tow it from the front.

Thx for the info.

Currently I have only one pivot (axis) for a connection between vehicles. Im currently hard-coding all the axis positions relative to the vehicle (wich is a boring job) so they will not collide.

It is possible to have a towing bar between the steering wheel and the tractor, but then I need a model that does not collide with anything, and has little wheels to make it look good. Guess thats a bit too much now.

Current system may not be very realistic without a towbar but its quite easy to move vehicles this way.

[M3th0s 10]

Thx for the info.

Currently I have only one pivot (axis) for a connection between vehicles. Im currently hard-coding all the axis positions relative to the vehicle (wich is a boring job) so they will not collide.

It is possible to have a towing bar between the steering wheel and the tractor, but then I need a model that does not collide with anything, and has little wheels to make it look good. Guess thats a bit too much now.

Current system may not be very realistic without a towbar but its quite easy to move vehicles this way.

Very nice work! But I have a question: if I implement the beta script in my map then when you release the v1.01 I must change all init in the elicopters? Or towing tractors? :butbut: Or you may think call the release version with same name of beta?

[rundll.exe 12]

No its even better, right now the only thing you have to do is add a gamelogic to the map with an init line to the script. It will automatically search for vehicles in a radius from that gamelogic, and enable suitable vehicles for towing.

You can edit the script to remove or add vehicles (think addons) to the list ofcourse.

I don't think It will change later, since I think it works pretty convenient.

[M3th0s 10]

No its even better, right now the only thing you have to do is add a gamelogic to the map with an init line to the script. It will automatically search for vehicles in a radius from that gamelogic, and enable suitable vehicles for towing.

You can edit the script to remove or add vehicles (think addons) to the list ofcourse.

I don't think It will change later, since I think it works pretty convenient.

Wonderful! :D Great Idea!

[rundll.exe 12]

Little update:

I finished the axis positions definitions for BIS vehicles, and made it user-friendly to change. You can now define them per class or any parent-class (like Mi17_Base will define the axis for all types of the Mi17)

I also optimized the script loop for a little performance gain.

What needs to be done:

Automaticly detach the object if the angles (3 dimensions) between them become too big, to avoid model collision (which will make you fly or explode sometimes)

[vengeance1 50]

Little update:

I finished the axis positions definitions for BIS vehicles, and made it user-friendly to change. You can now define them per class or any parent-class (like Mi17_Base will define the axis for all types of the Mi17)

I also optimized the script loop for a little performance gain.

What needs to be done:

Automaticly detach the object if the angles (3 dimensions) between them become too big, to avoid model collision (which will make you fly or explode sometimes)

Awesome Rundll lets give this baby a test drive! Nice work!

[Demiurge 10]

It occurs to me that it might be possible to use a modified version of this system to make objects/vehicles which are being carried by helicopters behave in a more realistic way (i'e swinging around when the helo changes vector).

For example if the helo slows down rapidly and stops, the cargo being carried underneath continues to swing forward etc. Possible?

[MadCatChiken 10]

Looking good rundll, now get Benny to add it to Warfare!