Probably has an obvious answer?

[USMC_Snipa 10]

Hi there, I have tried googling this and whatever but cannot find a satisfactory answer yet cannot understand how it is so diffucult to do so. Basically units do not spawn where I place them, lets say I place them near a building they might appear on the roof. Can anyone help me?

[beton 2]

I don´t know if this doesnt belong mission editing forum.

I think the units spawn in a relative place to the squadleader (depending on the formation). So if the squadleader is facing in the "wrong direction" the suborderd units are spawned i a different place. This happened to me quite often when testing a map in the editor...

[USMC_Snipa 10]

I heard other people saying that and I tried making units individual and it's still not working. Thanks for the reply however

[phaeden 0]

You might be more successful with placing them via a script if you are having that kind of trouble.

Is this on a default island?

[USMC_Snipa 10]

You might be more successful with placing them via a script if you are having that kind of trouble.

Is this on a default island?

Yes, I have tried both default islands. This issue is big enough to ruin a mission because units tend to start off facing each other even though there are loads of buildings in between in a CQB scenario

Can you explain more about this script placement please?

[phaeden 0]

I don't have the scripts in front of me any more (I do more with islands than with missions any more) but if you check ofpec or search the forums here, you will likely find those scripts in a flash.

Essentially, what they do is to take a particular "vehicle" and place it exactly where you want it (x, y, z).

Perhaps you can link us to the file/mission where the placement/facing is having problems and we can look at the code itself.

[SRS 0]

You know I remember having another but similiar problem. I dropped a group at an intersection and some spawned on the other side of walls and crap. I think what sorted it for me was in the Editor I placed a squadleader set special to none in the properties. Did the same placing each of the other squad members one at a time. Which didn't take long. That was a while ago but it would be easy enough to try. I remember it because after they spawned in they then moved into a V formation. I didn't want them in any formation at all. I just wanted a bunch of guys standing at an intersection waiting for a convoy no alert status or danger just casual.

You would probably get more help with this in the mission editor section then here. The men here are concentrating on terrain creation and content. They are all capable of sorting this for you. But probably don't want to stray off track from what this forum is for. Visitor the terrain editor and creating islands is what these guys are here about.

[USMC_Snipa 10]

I don't have the scripts in front of me any more (I do more with islands than with missions any more) but if you check ofpec or search the forums here, you will likely find those scripts in a flash.

Essentially, what they do is to take a particular "vehicle" and place it exactly where you want it (x, y, z).

Perhaps you can link us to the file/mission where the placement/facing is having problems and we can look at the code itself.

I'll do that, thanks

I haven't uploaded it anywhere yet but it is basically a large scale battle for Windy Mountain. There are quite a few troops that have random placement to make it a bit more interesting but some of them, such as snipers need to be placed in a set location. I could upload it if you want??

[tj72 0]

Are the units set to none or in formation for their "special" field. If they are in formation then they will always spawn in formation no matter where you land them in the editor. I think that is your (very simple) problem. So if you laid in a hundred units all "in formation" now you have to go back to each one and set them to none if that is the problem. Or you can just remake your units with the setting to none and copy them and that setting will copy along with the new units.

On another note, can you not make vague thread titles like this? By looking at the thread title it says nothing of the specific question in the thread. Sorry to single you out because you arent the only one to be sure. The reason I ask is because if I am doing a search of the editing forum and everyone elses threads have titles that describe what they talk about, in your case it should be "Unit placement problem" or something, I dont have to open the thread to see if it applies to my problem. So basically I and any other searcher here can skim the threads more quickly and get a solution more quickly. So if you ever search the editing board for something you will understand what I mean. Its been a problem since OFP days and, again, dont think Im picking on you here. It should have been made a sticky rule years ago (mods hint hint).

Hope your problem gets sorted out in any case.

[USMC_Snipa 10]

Are the units set to none or in formation for their "special" field. If they are in formation then they will always spawn in formation no matter where you land them in the editor. I think that is your (very simple) problem. So if you laid in a hundred units all "in formation" now you have to go back to each one and set them to none if that is the problem. Or you can just remake your units with the setting to none and copy them and that setting will copy along with the new units.

On another note, can you not make vague thread titles like this? By looking at the thread title it says nothing of the specific question in the thread. Sorry to single you out because you arent the only one to be sure. The reason I ask is because if I am doing a search of the editing forum and everyone elses threads have titles that describe what they talk about, in your case it should be "Unit placement problem" or something, I dont have to open the thread to see if it applies to my problem. So basically I and any other searcher here can skim the threads more quickly and get a solution more quickly. So if you ever search the editing board for something you will understand what I mean. Its been a problem since OFP days and, again, dont think Im picking on you here. It should have been made a sticky rule years ago (mods hint hint).

Hope your problem gets sorted out in any case.

Hover your mouse over the thread title. All the info you could possibly want in a second. This 'rule' is also based on what you consider vague, that is why rules like this are not added because they are not fact based. Besides, I couldn't think of anything anyway and that was just the first thing that came into my head.

Onto your suggestion- That was the first thing I tried by making them individual and setting it to 'none' but they are still off. I recently had a heli spawn ontop of a tree when it was placed in the middle of a road xD

[tj72 0]

I didnt mention that they can be grouped together in "none" but they may try to form up into formation as soon as mission starts based on the leaders behaviour. I really wasnt sure what the basic layout of your mission is.

It sucks that you think your work is down the drain because of a strange problem that should be easy to fix. If I place a chopper on a road it is right there when I preview. I sometimes zoom in really tight to get more precise placement but I have to preview a couple times if things arent right where I want. Have you tried adjusting the positions of things slightly? Usually units are on building tops if I place them on the square icon of a building in the editor but sometimes use the setpos select 2 + number thing and its fine. Ill test again and if I see anything weird in the placement of things Ill post back.

Another note is that the disableAI "move" command now locks the aiming angle of the unit its run on. In earlier games, the command froze the position of the unit but it could still turn around. I just mention it because that was the way I would place static snipers or MG unit as you mentioned needing similar thing in above post. I place them in the position, with none and the disableAI command and they were grouped with other units so they could share target info.

The other note is just a request thats not directed at you personally but to everyone in editing thread in fact, sorry I wasnt more clear about that part. Again, didnt mean to put you on the spot there. This board is about helping each other out not being pushy or mean so I didnt intend to give that tone in my earlier reply.

Edited December 13, 2009 by TJ72

[USMC_Snipa 10]

I didnt mention that they can be grouped together in "none" but they may try to form up into formation as soon as mission starts based on the leaders behaviour. I really wasnt sure what the basic layout of your mission is.

It sucks that you think your work is down the drain because of a strange problem that should be easy to fix. If I place a chopper on a road it is right there when I preview. I sometimes zoom in really tight to get more precise placement but I have to preview a couple times if things arent right where I want. Have you tried adjusting the positions of things slightly? Usually units are on building tops if I place them on the square icon of a building in the editor but sometimes use the setpos select 2 + number thing and its fine. Ill test again and if I see anything weird in the placement of things Ill post back.

Another note is that the disableAI "move" command now locks the aiming angle of the unit its run on. In earlier games, the command froze the position of the unit but it could still turn around. I just mention it because that was the way I would place static snipers or MG unit as you mentioned needing similar thing in above post. I place them in the position, with none and the disableAI command and they were grouped with other units so they could share target info.

The other note is just a request thats not directed at you personally but to everyone in editing thread in fact, sorry I wasnt more clear about that part. Again, didnt mean to put you on the spot there. This board is about helping each other out not being pushy or mean so I didnt intend to give that tone in my earlier reply.

I tried zooming in close to get an exact placement with no luck. I'm wondering if it could be anything to do with the area surrounding Bor and Windy Mountain, perhaps an undiscovered bug there? The map is quite big so I'm sure every single part hasn't been tested for bugs.

I appreciate your help, don't worry about earlier either no offense taken xD

Edited December 13, 2009 by USMC_Snipa