Group Link 4 Special FX Edition

[kroky 1]

Maybe some of you is interested how I got to work alle these mods together. It runs smooth and without CTD now. (Note: I use a lot of performance mods and tweaks, to get it to work smooth. I.e. PROPER, RAMDISK for islands):

1. Please read my post carefully: (in the SLX WIP thread)

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?p=1584223#post1584223

2. The benefits of it are:

a) SLX_AI is superior to any AI mods out there. Believe me it is!

(read more in the readme of SLX about it, generally it replaces the

danger.fsm of ArmA2 and makes moving of AI a lot more realistic.)

The effect: When GL4 calls for reinforcements, the called units wont

just all run in your direction. They will try to surprise you! Yes, the

will surprise you. (Dont use ZEUS, because of bad stealthing.)

Also, you will see in my thread above that I replaced slx_gl3 by the

far superior GL4.

b) SLX_WOUNDS works great with ACE2 and GL4.

The effect: You will see mates dragging their injured buddies, and you

will be able to drag boxes, static weapons and load them into vehicles.

(Maybe one day madbull will hear my prayers and release the R3F logistic

module as a self initializing addon.) Until then SLX_WOUNDS has a

similar effect.

c) SLX_FOV improves the field of view greatly. Eventually!

There are a lot of other benefits but it get too much to write it here.

Conclusion: SLX fills the gap the is left over by ACE2 and GL4 and it coexits great. Please try it!

[Hunter123 10]

@Kroky: Thank you very much for this post! I've got some questions though: What are your Gl4 settings in the Global.file? Especially interested in the ai settings, because you said youre using slx ai. What about vfai, mentioned above? What about the ace ai.pbo?

Edited March 6, 2010 by Hunter123

[MadMike-Brig2010- 10]

@Kroky

That sounds very interesting. i just setup the files of SLX as you mentioned. But i got a problem to initialise it with GL4.

How do you initialise GL4? Do you got entries for GL4 in your init.sqf (and which one)?

And it would be nice to see in which order you load all the mods (CBA, ACE, ACEX, GL4, SLX, VFAI, RUG_DSAI).

By the way: Do you think it works with WarFX (Particles and Tracers)? And what did you do with the files in the options-folder of SLX?

Sorry for the amount of questions... ;-)

Edited March 6, 2010 by MadMike[Brig2010]

[kroky 1]

I will check this later. Right now I cant. But generally I dont touch ACE pbo's in any way. I just load SLX_AI after ACE. So it overwrites it supposedly.

Concerning the GL4 global settings I have to check them. I made a lot of changes to get it to work smoothly. What I remember is, that I turned of the skill difficulty in userconfig.

[MadMike-Brig2010- 10]

ok - thanks mate. So i wait for further instructions...

Only one thing: How can i move boxes or weapon crates into vehicles with SLX?

[kroky 1]

ok - thanks mate. So i wait for further instructions...

Only one thing: How can i move boxes or weapon crates into vehicles with SLX?

simply go to a crate, drag it, and while dragging get into a vehicle.

[MadMike-Brig2010- 10]

Sounds simple. Thx.

[Duke49th 1]

I found a bug with GL4+ACE2 Mod.

When you use GL4+ACE2 (actual&previous versions) and use a sniper rifle, like DMR (crouching and weapon is resting on the ground) you will get hurt and start bleeding when shooting. Sometimes after a few shots, sometimes after the first shot.

Tested with Vanilla ArmA2, ArmA2+GL4, ArmA2+ACE2 and ARMA2+GL4+ACE2.

Only the combination of ArmA2+GL4+ACE2 cause this issue.

They (ACE dudes) told me to report it to you, SNKMAN.

I also had this issue with the Tac.50 or M107/109 - not sure...one of this definite(it's a bit ago in a previous build of ace2)...and of course the DMR.

If you like I can upload a video. - No other Mods are used, for sure.(double checked to be sure)

It's annoying x2 because you cannot use the ACE Medic system to heal. You can use "First Aid" - but you'e still hurt and moaning.

Edit: Test Mission: Testeo.Utes.rar Video: Ace2+GL4_Bug.wmv

Edited March 6, 2010 by Duke49th

[MadMike-Brig2010- 10]

Had the same issue with DMR and CheyTac M200.

[oldy41 61]

Did anyone else try GL4 with Rip31st WW2 units?

I have got the vague impression that GL4 does not work with those.

[snkman 351]

@TomyLee33

Nice to read this SNKMAN

When do u think will you release the next version?

Well so far i really can't give any date becouse currently the progess is going really slow... :(

But of course i hope it will be in the near future. ;)

@Kroky

Once again pretty nice. ;)

Many thanks for helping other ppl to use Group Link 4 with other mods.

@Duke49th

I found a bug with GL4+ACE2 Mod.

Yeah that's a know'n bug.

It's really strange that the "Bleeding" feature gets triggered even if you don't shoot yourself.

I will dl A.C.E. 2 and check out what's going wrong there.

Normally this only should happend if you shoot in the ground right in front of you to simulate a self hit.

@oldy41

Group Link 4 should work with all units which use the base class "Man".

So ww2 units should work too.

[dialektiikka 10]

SNKMAN, Can you confirm something I'm not sure about? Can Force Move be used to command AI to board/disembarc a vehicle?

I think I was able to do this earlier to make the AI squad members to board a chopper quickly, but can't make it happen anymore. No new mods installed, just the regular ACE2 updates, that shouldn't upset anything.

Maybe I just dreamed the whole thing, it's been a hectic couple of weeks... :o

But hey, if this feature doesn't exist, maybe you can give it a try? Nice for those quick getaways under fire :D

[gunhawk007 10]

That's the main target of Group Link 4.

Enemy A.I. which had spotted a enemy / player / unit of a player group will automatically request reinforcement.

The "H.C. Reinforcement" feature was made to giva a player the chance to request A.I. friendly to the player as reinforcement.

Hi Snake,

sorry for not getting it. I understand you saying that all enemy AI will call reinforcements on there own? I mean as soon as i.e. you put an enemy heli or whatever group on map far away from opponent, it will be called as soon as first AI detects opponent? Or do I need to sync it to the AI making the contact? How do the AI opponent knows wich (out of many) groups to call?

I guess I can find out by further playing around, but a few hints would be appreciated.

Thanks Gunhawk

[cool=azroul13 14]

Hi SNKMAN, and thanks for this little pearl !!

When I fight against your IA, I saw that all reinforcement come in my direction and never for unit who are in difficulty, or they always ask for artillery on me but I'm not alone and my different allied group don't fight in the same zone !!

[gunhawk007 10]

Hi SNKMAN, and thanks for this little pearl !!

When I fight against your IA, I saw that all reinforcement come in my direction and never for unit who are in difficulty, or they always ask for artillery on me but I'm not alone and my different allied group don't fight in the same zone !!

OK - that sounds that the whole reinforcement feature is concentrating on player. Maybe Snake can redesign/improve that to implement reinforcement likewise he did with friendly reinforcement - linking dedicated AI groups to support others to be called in when getting hot and which are sticking to their mission (and support those AI units that gave the call)

Anyway, a great addon

Regards Gunhawk

[jasonnoguchi 11]

SNKMAN, one suggestion for your coming update... could you make it such that tank gunners do not bail out of a tank just because the tank track wheels are destroyed? If the turret is still working properly, the gunner should continue to use the gun to support the attack, right? Its weird the gunner should jump out and start using an AK as support.

[oldy41 61]

I have observed that crew, which bails out of a damaged vehicle, is moving very weird / laggy. They seem to be warping, or look like a lot of frames of their animations are dropped.

Is this caused by GL4?

Yes, I know i could simply disable GL4 for a test, but I would be pleased to know, what causes the effect. Search the forums and the web did not help.

Thanks a lot in advance!

A.

[cool=azroul13 14]

A another observation:

I see that units which are in static position (linked to the modul static) come in reinforcement like the other unit. Is there a method to modify this??

Other question, I remark in my @GL4 folder (update with six updater) there are a userconfig, this folder must be move to bohemia/Arma2/userconfig or not??

Thanks

[froggyluv 2130]

Other question, I remark in my @GL4 folder (update with six updater) there are a userconfig, this folder must be move to bohemia/Arma2/userconfig or not??

Thanks

Yep. Move the GL4 userconfig into your Arma2 Userconfig folder.

[cool=azroul13 14]

Thanks froggy,

Edited March 9, 2010 by Cool=Azroul13

[snkman 351]

@Gunhawk007

How do the AI opponent knows wich (out of many) groups to call?

Well that's pretty simple they know it becouse it's scripted.

All groups friendly to enemy A.I. are stored in a array.

After a player / enemy was detected by enemy A.I. a function will be triggered which check's all groups in the array.

The nearest to the calling group will be selected and send as reinforcement.

Of course there is way more i do but basically that's it. ;)

@Cool=Azroul13 & Gunhawk007

OK - that sounds that the whole reinforcement feature is concentrating on player.

Yes that's right. Enemy A.I. do only react to players and A.I. units of a player group.

This simply was made to save resources also if enemy A.I. would react to each enemy then enemy A.I. may would fight again other enemy A.I. and then other enemy A.I. could not request reinforcements any more becouse they already fighting against some A.I.

I see that units which are in static position (linked to the modul static) come in reinforcement like the other unit. Is there a method to modify this??

Nope this works correctly. ;)

Enemy A.I. synchronized with the "Group Link 4: Static" module can not be requested as reinforcement but of course they will use the enemy A.I. Enhancement and switch to "Reinforcement" as soon as they have detected a enemy.

Anyway the upcoming version got some tweaks to slove the confusing "Reinforcement" marker problem.

@jasonnoguchi

If the turret is still working properly, the gunner should continue to use the gun to support the attack, right?

Yes that's right but most times a Tank is damanged close to explode so it very often could happend that a gunner of a tank stay inside of the Tank and it will blow up.

May i can find any value in the configs to tweak this a bit. ;)

@oldy41

I have observed that crew, which bails out of a damaged vehicle, is moving very weird / laggy.

That's a ArmA 2 bug since v.1.0.

Well i did not see this since some time so i thought it would be fixed.

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 15:15 ----------

Well guess it's time for a update. :)

This release do not provide any new features.

The main target of my work since the last release was to fix and enhance features and improve the multiplayer compatibility of Group Link 4.

Also many thank's to everyone who has helped me tweaking Group Link 4 by posting his find out's in this thread.

Group Link 4 Special FX Edition v.1.1.83

What's New:

-------------

Optimized: "High Command Helicopter" feature.

Optimized: "Force Move" feature.

Fixed: Several "H.C. Reinforcement" feature bugs.

Fixed: "Force Move" re-group bug.

Re-Wrote and Optimized: Enemy A.I. and Friendly A.I."Unmount" functions.

Re-Wrote: "Communication Menu" design.

Re-Wrote "Force Move" to "H.C." features.

Re-Wrote: "GL4_Global.sqf" settings to group settings given to their functionality and to get a better overview. Hopefully the last time.

Added: Legend to "GL4_Global.sqf" and "GL4_Local.sqf".

Fixed: "Radio Chatter" volume key.

Fixed: "H.C." features was not correctly initialized if player was in a vehicle at mission start.

Changed: "Radio Chatter" Volume Keys. Default: Volume Up = "Pos1" | Volume Down = "Insert".

Fixed: Smoke Grenades had used the "Explosion FX" of explosive grenades.

Fixed: Units which was forced to move was not recognized by the enemy A.I. enhancement.

Re-Wrote: "H.C. Reinforcement Request" and "Enemy A.I. Reinforcement Request" helicopter functions.

Re-Wrote and optimized: Group Link 4 initialize processes.

Changed: By initializing Group Link 4 with modules it is required to always synchronize a player with the "Group Link 4: System" module once.

Added: Setting to ( UserConfig\GL4\GL4_Core.sqf ) to enable / disable the Group Link 4 initialize display debug.

Enhanced: Group Link 4 initialize display debug now working correctly in multiplayer.

Changed: By disable the "Enemy A.I. Reinforcement Request" feature enemy A.I. still use all "Enemy A.I. Enhancement" features like for example "Throw Smoke" "Requesting Artillery / Airstrike" "Unmount Vehicles".

Improved: Default initialize.

Fixed: "Random Time" module. Daytime was not synchronized correctly by the server in multiplayer.

Enhanced: Multiplayer functions and multiplayer initialize.

Install:

--------

Copy the "@GL4" folder into your Armed Assault 2 root directory.

Drag the "UserConfig" folder from "@GL4\UserConfig" in your Armed Assault 2 root directory.

Mirror:

Group Link 4 Special FX Edition v.1.1.83 ( ZippyShare.com )

Enjoy!

Edited March 10, 2010 by SNKMAN

[KeyCat 131]

Awesome work SNKMAN! You have really expanded GroupLink in many areas... Wish I had more time to scripting etc. but these days I barely can keep up with the forums and play some MP ;)

/KC

Edited March 10, 2010 by KeyCat

[snkman 351]

Thanks a lot KeyCat. :)

Yeah i would REALLY love to see you joining back into Group Link modding.

You are really a pretty good scripter and may sometime in the future you will return to your passion. ;)

[sethos 2]

Awesome SNKMAN!

One thing, link doesn't work for me - It just takes me to the front-page of ZippyShare :(

[snkman 351]

Yeah the free file hosting services suck a little bit. :)

Just check the page there is a link called "Download" in the middle of the page.

Or try this: http://www46.zippyshare.com/d/33744204fy/1268238484/33744204.rar