Units keep running while behaviour "safe"

[dematti 10]

Hi,

I've got a small but irritating problem here.

I am commanding a squad to patrol around an island.

The problem is sometimes they suddenly start running for a while.

While I just want them to walk.

Now, I know that when you give the group waypoints (in the editor) in "safe" mode the group always walks. But in this case i command the group so no waypoints are predefined.

ex: make a group walk in "safe mode" in editor works, they all walk and KEEP walking, but, command the units in your squad to patrol in safe mode, frequently makes them run, and makes it look very unrealistic.

There is no option to use disableai, I tried using "this setspeed "limited"

doesn't work, or am i doing something wrong?

And I cant change config because they do have to run when attacked.

Does anyone know a solution for this.

THX

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

Hi fellow belg, welcome to forum

I do know that when you place a waypoint you can set "speed" to limited and the squad will walk at slow pace(no running), for when you are in command will they follow your speed, If you tell your AI to go "safe" they will form a Colum formation and they should walk insted off running.

hope it helps

[dematti 10]

Hi sgt:)

Thx for the reply.

Well thats the problem, they dont. When I issue an order to my squad (lets say nr2 to nr10) to move to a certain position (whilst "safe") they start of walking, but soon nr2 starts running and off course the rest will follow, also running.

I could be wrong but it seems to me it depends on the position of the second in command. When they are in open fields or inside towns nr2 starts running, resulting in all of them running. When inside a forest it seems ok.

I tried setspeed "limited" but it doesn't work.

Could this be because of ACE2? I just want them to keep walking until contact is made with the enemy.

I could just let them follow me but then I would have to walk on point constantly, wich is something I dont like because you cant see all of you teammates and cannot walk back and forth across the formation, but still i need to issue commands.

It's a relatively small problem, but it annoys me very much, it takes away the realism. (you dont run while patrolling!) I remember it used to work with ofp and arma.

[santafee 10]

I guess its a problem with the formation.

If i remember right they will speed up when they lost the formation cause of an obstacle, so they try to get back in formation.

[dematti 10]

I guess its a problem with the formation.

If i remember right they will speed up when they lost the formation cause of an obstacle, so they try to get back in formation.

Ok, well there goes my huge dynamic mission.

Is there any way to disable running or jogging or raising weapon?

Has to be reenabled to.

Like for example: i used to have a useful radio command to start and stop the leader of my squad (disableai "move") one radio command set to true and one to false.

so when we come under fire and I am not the leader of the squad, I could let the squad hold position and when firefight is over I let them continue their waypoints.

It would be nice if I could do it the same way with this.

:confused:

---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 PM ----------

I guess its a problem with the formation.

If i remember right they will speed up when they lost the formation cause of an obstacle, so they try to get back in formation.

Sorry for another post but,

Why is nr2 speeding up if he becomes the leader in that case.

From the moment i order nr2-nr10 to move, nr2 is in charge and will walk on point, then why does he start running?? he doesn't have to follow anyone!

Strange....

[Chris Death 0]

When you are in command of a group the group will react to your movement.

Even if you place a waypoint to turn your group into default safe mode, they

will change their behaviour when their leader does.

Try it out by starting in safe behaviour mode and then get down to the ground

as leader. Your group will not stay with weapons on back but react on your movement

and pull out their guns to follow up into their leader's behaviour.

I believe they already change their behaviour when you are only change your weapon

into aim mode aswell.

Also in safe mode they will try to close up to their leader same as in every other behavour. So whenever you see them running behind you, they are only trying to

reach their expected position in the formation. This happens often because of the

pathfinding since the ai is still not as free in movement as you (the player).

:edit - and by reading a problem in another thread i figured out why they will never be

in some slow walking mode whenever you are the groupleader.

The player does never start in slow walk mode so they will always be ready for some jogging moves. ;)

Try it out in "careless" mode because since you are the leader, you can always change their

behaviour into something else, when required.

And to turn them back into careless you could use addAction or a radio trigger. ;)

~S~ CD

Edited March 1, 2010 by Chris Death

[dematti 10]

true,

but if you (in game!) give an order to some of your teammates they act as a seperate team.

for example: 15 guys in my squad, i can send number 2 to 10 in a position somewhere north using behaviour "stealth", and i can send the others, 11 to 15, to an overwatch position south using behaviour "safe".

No matter what my stance is, wether i raise my weapon, lie down or not, those 2 teams are still using the behaviour I told them to have.

So here is the difference: if I place a waypoint (in the editor) when I'm not the leader and set "safe", the group walks continuously without running for a second.

If I order (in game) one of my teams (in my group) to patrol towards a village also on "safe" they actually run (some with weapon raised, some unraised) most of the time, they toggle between the 2.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

"Behaviour" seems to be more of a group state and not an individual state of each unit (even though you can technically change individual units' behaviour).

[dematti 10]

The player does never start in slow walk mode so they will always be ready for some jogging moves. ;)

Try it out in "careless" mode because since you are the leader, you can always change their

behaviour into something else, when required.

And to turn them back into careless you could use addAction or a radio trigger. ;)

~S~ CD

Thanks Chris

however, with "careless" set to the team leader it still doesn't help.

They keep running:confused:

What I have noticed is; when everybody is in the right place in the formation, he starts running!! (same as when you're driving in a convoy, the first (leader) car only floors it as soon as the other vehicles have catched up and are in the correct position of the formation. If the following vehicles fall behind, the leader car will slow down and drive slower, waiting for the rest to catch up) Which means, the leader only walks when he has to wait for the rest to move in formation:), when they all are at the right position in the formation, the need for excercise comes back.

---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 PM ----------

"Behaviour" seems to be more of a group state and not an individual state of each unit

tested: unitname setbehaviour " "; affects the whole group

[Chris Death 0]

Well the careless variant just came into my mind as a possible solution (without

being able to try it out) but this doesn't seem to work aswell.

How is the ai reacting, when you are groupleader and dbl-shift into walk mode

before you start moving (also let your weapon unraised to make sure your behaviour

remains "safe")?

~S~ CD

[dematti 10]

No problem Chris, I can test it here.

How is the ai reacting, when you are groupleader and dbl-shift into walk mode

before you start moving (also let your weapon unraised to make sure your behaviour

remains "safe")?

~S~ CD

to make this sure i put in init of every unit; this setbehaviour "safe" including myself, I changed the keys so for me its not dbl-shift but i think you mean the key "walk or run toggle"

Still no difference, pressed walk mode before moving, ai acts the same.

[Monsada 10]

Only init the leader with:

this setbehaviour "CARELESS";

this setSpeedMode "LIMITED";

if the leader has waypoints you must set the same in each waypoint.

If the leader has been runing another script, maybe that script changes that

[Chris Death 0]

No problem Chris, I can test it here.

to make this sure i put in init of every unit; this setbehaviour "safe" including myself, I changed the keys so for me its not dbl-shift but i think you mean the key "walk or run toggle"

Still no difference, pressed walk mode before moving, ai acts the same.

hmm - as a last possible solution you could try to see what happens

if you do not move at all before sending them to a spot but i doubt

it will work and even if, it wouldn't be an acceptable solution.

The only work around that comes into my mind now would be to ungroup

those guys who should do their seperate patrol and to rejoin them into

the group when needed.

For the 'close up into formation - hurry hurry' problem i can't think of any

possible solution at this point - though i haven't had too much Arma2 experience but OFP, so maybe there's something new to get deeper into

AI's movement control.

I'm going to read myself into the latest comref to see if there's something

that could help out here. ;)

~S~ CD

[dematti 10]

The only work around that comes into my mind now would be to ungroup

those guys who should do their seperate patrol and to rejoin them into

the group when needed.

I'm going to read myself into the latest comref to see if there's something

that could help out here. ;)

~S~ CD

Good idea, don't know how to do this yet but I will look into this.

I'll look at comref also.

Just seems like a small bug to me. (formation)

Thanks Chris

---------- Post added at 11:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:54 AM ----------

found a solution for this, wich solves problem partly, but it's kind of stupid:)

I added another soldier to my squad, but locked him up between 4 containers:p

Now when I give the leader orders to patrol (with everyone in the squad selected), the leader seems to walk a little bit more. But he still starts runnings too frequently.

By the way: If anyone is interested in a huge dynamic template for Isla Duala v1.31 (enemy's on roofs, inside houses, patrols, sniper positions, enemy weapons caches, civilians, ied's, car bombs,....) send me a message. all is set with probability of presence (+/-300groups set to 1-5%) to generate an iraq-style guerilla war. Just merge the template mission and your mission will be a lot more dynamic. Will be finished in about 2-3 weeks. And if anyone has any more great ideas i will be happy to hear them, so i can update. See ya!

Edited March 4, 2010 by dematti