StrongHarm

Does anyone know a way to turn the turret of a vehicle another direction, but without a gunner being present?

BRIEFING DOC: VIDEO OVERVIEW: FEATURES: - Single Player - Play as pilot or gunner being called on target by JTAC, or JTAC calling the pilot/gunner onto target - Several tasks on the island, (Domination style) on demand by radio request - Random task order - Random spawn numbers for OPFOR and BLUEFOR at each task (uses SLP, thanks Nomadd) - Random spawn location - Refuel/Rearm FARPs - +Repair/Medical pad at Stratis Air Base - Repairs have visible mechanics - Request smoke on target and friendlies from JTAC - Request ground situation update SITREPs - BlueOnBlue three strikes (instead of one) - Cleanup of each area after task complete for performance - Added the other attack helos - Custom Command Menu while playing as gunner(change alt, fly to AO, hold position, turn to target, etc.) - Added the new JTAC soldier models (thanks BIS!) - 'RTB Winchester' script to make AI pilot fly to pad for rearm/repair - Random OpFor Helo encounter - Logistics Convoy Escort - Night Task! Have fun! Please provide feedback if you find bugs or have ideas to make it better. I'll be working on a MP version soon. INSTALL: Unzip to your X:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\Missions folder. Start from "Scenerios" in Arma3. DOWNLOAD: Steam Workshop (Removed other download links as I want to manage this through Steam. If anyone is inconvenienced by this, please tell me so I can provide the mission outside of Steam Workshop) COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED: - The beginning 'briefing' sequence and 'Message of the Day' board in the mission will answer most questions - After asking for a new task, look for the waypoint that will automatically pop up for you - Turn your radio up.. I've recorded JTAC 9line attack order audio. You can't request smoke or SITREP while JTAC is speaking the 9line.. as he won't hear you.. - Choose "set as destination" in the journal for a FARP to get a waypoint for that FARP if you need to refuel/rearm and don't know the locations - Look for the red target designator for targets being assigned to you by the JTAC - Helo flight instruction @ KNOWN BUGS: - Trucks still go off the road and get stuck.. but you can use radio commands to get them unstuck or 'Can Not Comply' radio message to move on to next task (I expect the BISdevs will make the truck AIs better very soon) UPDATE NOTES: FIXED: - If a truck gets stuck on LogisticsEscort task, the success failure logic gets screwed up - If task CampTempest follows task LogisticsEscort, it makes CampTempest fail after succeeding. Workaround: rearm/refuel after CampTempest - Curse you, end user that requested logistics escort! :) - Clicking on the map always gives 'on the way' response, which is annoying - MaintCrew hovers in the air when type AH9.. must fix array to detect helo type on SAB pad. - Helo wasn't listening to JTAC - Removed 'On The Way' from map click helo move - 'Can Not Comply' CNCing all tasks instead of one in rare cases - AIpilot doesn't land on repair pad when told to in rare cases ADDED: - Ambient radio (from real Red Flag recordings from Nellis!) - Repair damaged helos (duct tape) - Turn to Target will turn to center of AO if no AssignedTarget, CursorTarget - Added: more lighting to base for night missions - Added ambient jet fighters

If you're someone who has no interest in User Made Missions, can you share your thoughts on why? What are the frustrating or undesirable attributes you notice most frequently? I've noticed a very significant decrease in the amount of subscriptions in the missions I develop... though I think they're getting better.. Here's the latest comment on Close Air Support (ECAS) in the Workshop: Yet.. there are less than 5000 subscribers. Has the user base fallen away, is no one able to find the mission to play it, or is the expanded BIS content sufficient enough that there's no interest? I'm anxious to see discussion on the topic and poll results.

I've come to the conclusion that putting hundreds of hours into a mission only to have it buried deep in the Workshop due to poor ratings mechanics is not worth it. I had a thumbs down due to the fact that 30mm is underpowered in Arma3. If more people could enjoy my missions it would be worth my time, but that's not going to happen with the idiocy that's occurring in the Workshop. I'm going to have to look for another creative outlet. Have fun, StrongHarm out.

the_Demongod.. that just makes too much damned sense. Well said. I'm going to link your post to a few BIS Devs. It's really a Steam issue so I'm not sure what can be done, but those guys can deliver when it comes down to the wire. It would be nice to see a mission with hundreds of hours of development like ECAS not get buried under missions like "Your Pizza Was Stolen By Enemy" (true story)...

Poll pretty conclusively shows that 3 of 4 people on the boards who responded play single player user made missions from the Steam Workshop. Also, the majority view is that dedicated server missions should be placed on armaholic or bi boards instead of the Workshop. It occurs to me that there's a variable that will cause a large statistical deviation: how much of the Arma3 user base frequents the BIS forums?.. It would seem that the people that take the time to be part of the forum community would also be the people most likely to participate in user made missions.. which further complicates the deviation. Results of question 'Why has there been an apparent decrease in WS UMM subscribers?': Inconclusive.

To put it into context my other mission of similar quality and type has over 30k subscribers. That's why I was wondering if there's been a shift in community numbers or interest... or if it's some other variable.

I've had uncommonly good luck in that area. As far as I know no one has published any of my stuff under a different name. I've had several people ask for permission to use some of my scripts, and I've always allowed them. My motivation is to create something that I'd want to play (clearly selfish reasons), then I share it out in hopes that other people will enjoy it as much as me. It's a shame that people would plagiarize missions, but hell, I guess that's a sign of the times and not a problem isolated to the Workshop. I wonder if Benny could get BIS or Valve to intercede. That's an interesting variable. Do you think that had to do with a significant decrease in subscribers on the workshop?

As a patriotic American and successful capitalist I can tell you that it's hard for someone like me to understand how living under a communist government could be desirable. As a practitioner of Baguazhang, patient of Chinese medicine, and admirer of Chinese literature, I imagine that your government can only evolve to become as great as your people and culture. Thanks for the interesting perspective.

Lao Fei Mao, that's very interesting. If you take pictures of bases in the U.S. you can get arrested. As a citizen of China, does it seem to you that Chinese citizens have more freedom than citizens of Western Countries? How does your media portray Western culture? Sorry for going off topic... I'm just very interested.

Thanks a bunch, rak. I was in during desert storm, so it's been a while, but I still remember my radio discipline. Some of the voices in ECAS are actual ground and air assets. They were taken from Red Flag recordings and from an A-10 gun cam vid. You're actually flying a re-enactment of the real mission. I think from the results of the pol that I'm going to have to shift to making MP/Coop missions.. I don't like the idea of swapping form for function, but hey, it seems to be what people want.

I've found that more people post comments than take the time to click the thumbs up.. which is interesting. My ECAS mission is full of really great comments, but when I first posted it there was a flood of 'thumbs downs'.. with no comments. I had a theory at the time that since the competition was starting up, someone thought it would be a good idea to suppress my mission in the workshop list so it wouldn't receive attention. Since then I haven't received a single thumbs down. I really don't want to accept that someone could be that petty, but I know it exists. I attribute some of the lack of subscribers to this, but at least it's up to 4 stars now (though verbal feedback indicates it should be a 6 heheh). To give an idea of the affect; Last Year's Mission: 31,812 Subscribers - 682 Ratings, 662 Positive/20 Negative (#6 Top Rated of All Time) This Year's Mission: 4,636 Subscribers - 131 Ratings, 127 Positive/4 Negative (#100+ / 4 Stars, rated just above mission 'Fly Like Superman') I don't care much about the ratings though.. as long as people can find my missions and enjoy them, it's worth my time to create them.

For the sake of comparison: Close Air Support (Day2) had over 20,000 subscribers last year in the same amount of time that.. Close Air Support (ECAS) accumulated only 5,000 subscribers this year. Of course, Day2 is a helo mission and ECAS is a fixed wing mission, but the written reviews for ECAS are the best I've received of any of my missions, yet it has the lowest amount of subscribers over a relative period of time. I'll buy that it may have something to do with Zeus.. that's a very good point.

Give the AI drone a 'hold' waypoint. I have it set up well in my Close Air Support (ECAS) mission. There's some custom code in there that makes the drone go to a waypoint, then disables aspects of the AI so it's stable. I also set it up so you can toggle the drone term with a quick double spacebar. If you're looking for some example scripts for calibration of the drone against a computer terminal, that's in there as well. Enjoy.

I believe I've solved all of these problems with the custom action scripts I built into my Close Air Support (Day2) mission. This is also a good training tool for practicing pilot, gunner, or JTAC. The missions are all very dynamic, so I've flown it hundreds of times and I'm still enjoying it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. If you're interested in fixed wing CAS ops and training, my Close Air Support (ECAS) mission not only taxes situational awareness, communications, and gunning skills.. but also has a live fire range that can be a challenge. Be sure to stop by my custom rearming point to pick up some ordinance before going to the range, as the mission starts out guns only.

I had considered using a full 9-line, but didn't want to inundate the community. There was some debate about my missions being too realistic and involved. I chose to go with abbreviated 9-lines as a compromise. I may create a strike mission in the future with precision talk on though.. I'll just have to add a difficulty disclaimer I guess. ---------- Post added at 12:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 PM ---------- A subscriber of this mission left an exceedingly kind note I wanted to share. Thank you! If you haven't tried this mission, and you like the flight component of Arma3, I hope you'll take the time to subscribe and enjoy it. If you think it is worthy of a thumbs up, please take the time to click the icon. This will help other people find the mission so they can enjoy it as well. Also, for Close Air Support (Day2)

Available on Steam http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=250649307 ************************* ALTIS AIR STATION CLASSIFIED FM 102-5-3 SUBJECT: EMERGENCY CLOSE AIR SUPPORT REQUEST BRIEFING: Archer, ALTCOM. Mission is as follows: Emergency Close Air Support, IP grid 063132. Guns only in support of SPECOPs CSAR. Be aware, on-scene commander reports enemy forces well within minimum safe danger close. You are authorized MSD danger close, commander's initials Bravo Gulf. Two Ghosthawks en route for extract, no other friendlies in area. Team CCT will make contact for talk on, TYPE1 Control. TASKING: Wipeout Archer flight 1 of 1. Task CAS on ALTCOM Command priority. SUPPORT: Altis Air Base mid runway ARP for rearm, repair, and medical. TRAINING: You're authorized rearm and retask to East Live Fire Range if you need flight hours. ************************* NOTE: Turn your music and radio volume up. More pics and vids coming up. BETA - I would much appreciate any bug reports, and all suggestions to expand and enhance the mission are very welcome. THANK YOU to all the community members who've contributed feedback and suggestions for my Close Air Support Missions! Your ratings and comments keep me developing.

Revised

Did I mention that Razer Blacksharks are clearly superior..

Razer Blacksharks are clearly superior.. I use them instead of my Bose. They look like Helo Pilot flight cans.. made of steel.. and the bass is so good I actually had to turn it down! I can't shower because I'd have to take them off.. I'm in love!

Just got these Razer BlackSharks.. and WOW http://assets.razerzone.com/eeimages/products/5890/razer-blackshark-gallery-4.png

I get the question a lot in YouTube/Workshop: 'Is that a real radio recording?' Answer: The ground coms (the CCT who's calling the CAS in) that's real.. it's from a guncam recording from an A-10. The ambient radio of other aircraft is real.. it's from RedFlag Nellis Ops. The tower and mission briefing is me.

Added Jester814s playthrough of the mission to the Mission Workshop media.. since I haven't been able to make a walkthrough vid yet. He's not a superb pilot and never claimed to be :) He is always entertaining though.

Thanks Lib, I appreciate it. It's just perplexing; a lot of the comments in the workshop elude to the fact that it's the best mission they've ever played.. yet there are so few people who have subscribed. Maybe the community is thinning out...

Despite the work I put into this it's still rated under 'Fly like Superman' and 'Someone Stole Your Pizza' heheh.