hideObject functionality

[celery 8]

In the current version of Arma 2 the deleteCollection command was removed. It was mainly used to remove or hide objects, especially trees or buildings, that were not wished to be physically present in missions. The new patches did introduce the hideObject command that almost does the same thing but only works on objects that have classnames, leaving trees, walls, fences and some other structures unaffected.

So how about extending the command's effect to all objects? That way we'd have a true replacement for deleteCollection that was our only way of getting rid of any map object. An unhide command would also be useful to reverse the effect, introducing more scripting and gameplay possibilities.

[Deadfast 43]

Do you want a way to unhide objects hidden by hideObject?

If so there is an alternative syntax of the said command:

object hideObject true/false

[TRexian 0]

Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't every 3d model have to have a classname? How do you config an object without designating a classname?

[Deadfast 43]

Some island objects (vegetation mostly) don't.

[[frl]myke 14]

To be honest, i don't know for what this command could be for. Did just a quick and dirty test with it, placed a BRDM with 2 waypoints and set it to hide using this command.

Myself i approached it with a AH-1.

On the choppers radar i could see the red dot representing the BRDM but couldn't lock the Hellfires on it.

Approaching it, i saw that the Visual LOD's weren't rendered. However, i could "follow" the BRDM by the dust tracks he was causing and i heard the engine.

Also i noticed that it has some simple AI routine running since it avoided collision when i placed the chopper in it's path.

So "only" effect the command has seems to be hide the visual representation and make it unlockable.

I don't know if this is intended so i don't want to speak about a bug yet. But please someone enlighten me about the purpose of this command.

[celery 8]

Do you want a way to unhide objects hidden by hideObject?

If so there is an alternative syntax of the said command:

object hideObject true/false

Didn't notice that one. Thanks.

To be honest, i don't know for what this command could be for.

For buildings it doesn't only hide them, it removes their physical boundaries so if the classname limit wasn't there it could be used to erase all unwanted map objects.

[tj72 0]

I personally never used the deletecollection command to remove map objects but if people found that part of the command usefull theres no reason it should not be put back in unless its going to cause a major problem like a memory leak or something (liability for BIS maybe). BIS could rather make a removemapobject variation on the command for its own internal reasons then.

BIS has controll of this and makes these decisions and we can only plead so....

@Myke,

If you are trying to reach a specific goal with a script, or you are trying to make a workaround you may find you need the ability to make an cfg object invisible to be very useful tool towards reaching that goal. You could think of it as another tool in the toolbox and see if you dont use it eventually.

[rellikki 7]

I removed the last poll option for you, Celery, since it's already possible, as Deadfast pointed out. :)

[max power 21]

theres no reason it should not be put back in unless its going to cause a major problem like a memory leak or something (liability for BIS maybe).

BIS expressed their concerns that the delete collection command was dangerous for security reasons. I think the word they used was 'exploit'. I'm not sure what that means.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Voted #2, but it should not act like the previous command in that loading a new mission on the same map would still have the object being removed. I think that was the 'exploit'. It was also a crash opportunity, if used together with setVehicleInit/processInitCommands, iirc. I've only used it to remove the graphics on HeliH since HeliHEmpty wouldn't act as a grasscutter. So I'm not an advanced user of this command, but I see where you're going with this.

Edited April 30, 2010 by CarlGustaffa

[f2k sel 164]

What I miss most about Deletecollection is that it was an easy way to make an invisible target, this was quite handy at getting aircraft to attack buildings and cities.

Hideobjetc doesn't do this which is both good and bad , maybe it could be extended to cover this as an option.

I don't like using addons.

[nettrucker 143]

So in case I would be in need of an invisible target what do I use now?

regards

[AnimalMother92 10]

How would one go about deleting an object on Chernarus, for example a pile of logs, or is that even possible anymore?

[celery 8]

How would one go about deleting an object on Chernarus, for example a pile of logs, or is that even possible anymore?

It's possible, but only for objects that have classnames.

[Jelliz 10]

How would one go about deleting an object on Chernarus, for example a pile of logs, or is that even possible anymore?

put down a game logic and put this in the init field:

<greenpeace = object 12345> (12345 is the object ID for the pile of logs if available, which you can find on the editor map)

Then call <deletevehicle greenpeace> . it should work.

Should work:shine:

EDIT: DISREGARD PREVIOUS!

previous doesnt work in arma and beyond(oh the things i remember from ofp:shine:)

Place a game logic near the pile of logs(important)

greenpeace = position _this nearestObject 12345

then call deletevehicle greenpeace

Edited June 5, 2010 by Jelliz

[Big Dawg KS 6]

I'd rather they just give all objects classnames. That'd make the hideObject command work as well as other things.

[rübe 127]

I'd rather they just give all objects classnames.

This (and config files; so no more editor upgrade).

[celery 8]

Place a game logic near the pile of logs(important)

then call deletevehicle greenpeace

I'm not sure if you've tried it yourself, but deleteVehicle doesn't work for objects already in the map.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Yeah, it didn't work for me :(

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I'd rather they just give all objects classnames. That'd make the hideObject command work as well as other things.

One of the problems with the old one was if you had a mission delete "map things", they would stay deleted on the next mission that didn't have them deleted. Maybe it's too computing intensive to either reload what is already in memory or scan and "unhide" any hidden map objects?

[celery 8]

One of the problems with the old one was if you had a mission delete "map things", they would stay deleted on the next mission that didn't have them deleted. Maybe it's too computing intensive to either reload what is already in memory or scan and "unhide" any hidden map objects?

deleteCollection had that effect on all objects, not just ones with no classnames. hideObject hides objects with classnames and the hide status is reset.

[f2k sel 164]

Well the functionality hasn't been fully restored you still can't use deletecollection or hideobject to create an invisible target.

[Murklor 10]

Well what is the purpose of the hideObject function? Cant have it do everything... Sounds to me like its meant to hide for example empty vehicles - a great way to "spawn" reward vehicles in mission similar to Domination without actually creating it out of the blue? You just place it in the editor and unhide it during the mission. Or in a similar fashion, place AI in the editor, hide it, then activate by trigger and start the waypoint sequence.

Without hiding, this would require scripting to delete/recreate units and/or extra marker use to spawn.

But hey, I havent even tried the function so I dont know :p