AI become Ninja-Jedi-Elite dangerous after I finish edit and go to mutiplayer - Why?

I recently completed editing a mission for my friend and I to play co-operatively on-line. When I was editing it, it was initially pretty good fun, but I felt it wasn't challenging enough, so I made a bit tougher, until I thought it was just right for the two of us to attempt.

I proudly presented it to my friend expecting us both to have an entertaining hour or two, but..... we died, again and again, and again - and this was right at the start, in a relatively easy part.

I went back to edit it, but I had to keep on making the AI more and more stupid, until we had any chance of surviving for more than a few seconds - and this is with some of the AI wandering about like idiots in the middle of a firefight.

What is it about making the edited version into a multiplayer mission that has made it so much more difficult? The AI are just faster and more deadly, unless I turn them into morons.

Thanks for any advice.

Difficulty settings.

No matter how you define the AI in your mission, the difficulty settings on the server still change that by a certain magnitude.

Not sure how and where you tested it, but make sure you run it in the same settings that you used before.

Oh and if you make an MP-mission, don't use the SP-editor. (running the editor in a multiplayer environment allows for easier testing)

Oh and if you make an MP-mission, don't use the SP-editor. (running the editor in a multiplayer environment allows for easier testing)

Offtopic but why use the MP editor? Other than testing MP-specific stuff of course!! The difference in load time between SP and MP editors means I almost never use the MP version... and I always assumed there was no real difference other than the obvious locality stuff.

Other than testing MP-specific stuff

It's exactly that "MP-specific stuff" that matters ;)

Anyway, if you know exactly what you're doing, then it really only comes down to personal preference. ;)

If not, then IMHO it is safer to build and test your missions in their native environment.

Ok thanks :p I think it's just my preference to do it in SP editor for the faster load times alone... thought that perhaps I was missing some critical component that was only available in MP editor.

if you make an MP-mission, don't use the SP-editor. (running the editor in a multiplayer environment allows for easier testing)

I'm not familiar with the Multiplayer Editor, I'm only at the very basic stages of editing, but we enjoy ourselves.

I've been putting something like this (kindly posted by Beerkan) into the intialization box of AI squad leaders:

AISKILLS = group this;{_x setSkill ["aimingspeed", 0.15];_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.15];_x setSkill ["aimingaccuracy", 0.1];_x setSkill ["aimingshake", 0.1];_x setSkill ["spottime", 0.3];_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.5];_x setSkill ["commanding", 0.5];_x setSkill ["general", 0.6];} foreach units AISKILLS;

And it worked really well in making the AI less challenging for our dubious combat skills. :)

But on my recent mission (remember this just me and my friend) it didn't seem to have any effect and we were being shot to pieces in seconds. What do you think would cause this?

Like I said:

Difficulty settings.

Not the AI skill in your mission, but the actual difficulty settings of the game. Those can differ a lot from server to server, depending on how they're configured.

I'm not familiar with the Multiplayer Editor

It's the same editor. The main difference is only when you test the mission.

Like I said:

Not the AI skill in your mission, but the actual difficulty settings of the game. Those can differ a lot from server to server, depending on how they're configured.

Please forgive my lack of knowledge, I'm serious - I know very little about how this works. As I understand it, I'm hosting the game from my pc, and my friend joins me using ARMA 3's multiplayer joining screen (types in my sever name, port 2302 etc). Does this mean I can determine the settings you mentioned, as the host?

Yes, and actually those should be the same as when you test locally. So maybe you just forgot to pick a difficulty setting. (on the left hand side, at the mission selection)

MP missions are started with "normal" difficulty unless you choose something else.

Yes, and actually those should be the same as when you test locally. So maybe you just forgot to pick a difficulty setting. (on the left hand side, at the mission selection)

MP missions are started with "normal" difficulty unless you choose something else.

Thanks Tajin, that's weird though because I'm sure I have never touched those settings, and as you say, locally (or within the Editor) it plays just how I want it to, it just goes to nightmare level when I play with my friend in multiplayer.

I was thinking it might be to do with the large amounts of AI squads I have put in the area, if somehow that became very process intensive in a multiplayer setting and that in turn affected the behaviour/responses/lethality of the AI. Probably nonsense, but I'm clutching at straws here. :)

AISKILLS = group this;{_x setSkill ["aimingspeed", 0.15];_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.15];_x setSkill ["aimingaccuracy", 0.1];_x setSkill ["aimingshake", 0.1];_x setSkill ["spottime", 0.3];_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.5];_x setSkill ["commanding", 0.5];_x setSkill ["general", 0.6];} foreach units AISKILLS;

And it worked really well in making the AI less challenging for our dubious combat skills.

But on my recent mission (remember this just me and my friend) it didn't seem to have any effect and we were being shot to pieces in seconds. What do you think would cause this?

Putting that code in the box of AI squad leaders is very tedious and time consuming, depending on the number of squads and

unless you copy and paste, none the less, you could just have a code in a init.sqf script for the mission that runs global, and effects all placed and spawned AI.

This is what I use that does exactly that:

[] spawn 
{
while {true} do
	{
	sleep 10;

		{
		_x setSkill ["aimingspeed", 0.1];
		_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.2];
		_x setSkill ["aimingaccuracy", 0.2];
		_x setSkill ["aimingshake", 0.1];
		_x setSkill ["spottime", 0.1];
		_x setSkill ["spotdistance", 0.5];
		_x setSkill ["commanding", 0.2];
		_x setSkill ["general", 0.5];
		} 
	forEach allUnits;
	}
};

To use this code just start a text document and then copy and paste the code in it, save the document as Init.sqf, and then locate your editor made mission and

put the script in the folder of your mission, which should be here C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\missions

There is also other methods, like Tajun mentioned the difficulty settings, the difficulty settings will have priority over anything else as far as i understand it

but imo they are not as detailed as like the code above or another method.

Another way is to use ASRAI--> http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=24080 which will make the AI alot smarter and use tactics and such but you can configure their skill.

Another way is DRSkill--> http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=25554

If there is anything else that interests you for the AI then check out my AI compilation list (link in my sig).

If there is anything else that interests you for the AI then check out my AI compilation list (link in my sig).

Guys, thank you very much for the responses.

I did a limited test last night.

I played the mission on my own, from the multiplayer screen (LAN setting).

I changed the difficulty setting from Regular (where all of my missions are set) to Recruit and found the mission quite easy.

Then I went back to the Regular (my usual) setting, and.... it was also quite easy.

So it seems to me that when somebody actually joins me on the mission, the AI become much more deadly.

I will have an opportunity to test this at the weekend when I have a session with my friend, and I'll report the results back here.

Multiplayer Editor

I tried using the editor from the top of the screen in Multiplayer where you choose the mission from, but it seemed to only let me create a new mission, not edit an existing one - would I have to start from scratch on this editor, or copy and paste my existing mission elements to it, and would any of that make a difference? :-/

Thanks again for your advice, I appreciate it.

I tried using the editor from the top of the screen in Multiplayer where you choose the mission from, but it seemed to only let me create a new mission, not edit an existing one

Mpeditor is only good for testing mp related things, and or playing, editing is actually faster in sp, but if you want to test or edit an existing mission you have that

you built in the sp editor then just move the mission folder over to the mpmissions folder --> C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions and the mission will be listed

in the list in mp, then you will get the option at the bottom where you can edit the mission.

To use this code just start a text document and then copy and paste the code in it, save the document as Init.sqf, and then locate your editor made mission and

put the script in the folder of your mission, which should be here C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\missions

Well I tried... I copied the text and pasted it into a WordPad document saved it as rtf but named it init.sqf - my mp files were somewhere else, in my SteamApps/ARMA3 folder. The thing is, all my other mp missions are there too, so I assume they will all now use the sqf file?

But it didn't work. If anything the mission seemed harder, this was me playing on my own again from multiplayer. My assumption is I have made a mistake and the sqf file is not being recognised.

Any thoughts?

saved it as rtf but named it init.sqf

Theres your problem, just open notepad, not rtf which is wordpad, wordpad has similar but a formatting system that I think notepad is basically just text which the game will recognize.

my mp files were somewhere else, in my SteamApps/ARMA3 folder. The thing is, all my other mp missions are there too, so I assume they will all now use the sqf file?

they will all use the file? no, the script (sqf )will only be used in the mission in the folder you put the script in, if you want the code for all missions then you need to put the script in each mission folder.

As i said in my previous post

To use this code just start a text document(notepad) and then copy and paste the code in it, save the document as Init.sqf, and then locate your editor made mission and

put the script in the folder of your mission, which should be here C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\missions (missions is for sp, mpmissions is for mp editor missions)

Theres your problem, just open notepad, not rtf which is wordpad, wordpad has similar but a formatting system that I think notepad is basically just text which the game will recognize.

they will all use the file? no, the script (sqf )will only be used in the mission in the folder you put the script in, if you want the code for all missions then you need to put the script in each mission folder.

As i said in my previous post

Thanks for the reply, Günter.

Oddly enough, this old brain wondered if Wordpad might be causing a problem, so I used Note pad - but I didn't see any difference with the AI behaviour. They were still very tough. :-/

Also, my missions are just saved in the SteamApps/Common/ARMA3/mpmissions folder (or something like that). They are all just saved in there together, not put into their own folders - might that be causing a problem, and if I put the Init.sqf file in there with them, will it still work (just on all of them)?

Try your Documents\Arma 3 - Other Profiles\ProfileFolder\missions

Also, my missions are just saved in the SteamApps/Common/ARMA3/mpmissions folder (or something like that)

Something like that? Do you know or dont you, find out, take the time to find out. Also saved as in exported?

If you exported your mission in the editor then it will be in a pbo format, so adding the script to it is not possible unless you open the pbo,

always save your missions as usermissions first, then when their ready then export them

dont export your missions til they have the files they require, so putting the init.sqf script in the mission folder

here C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions

You got to locate your editor missions or you will keep having the issues your having, if your going to dabble in the editor and mess with

scripts then you need to know these things, or you will be on here constantly asking questions or getting issues like your having.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\MPMissions is your main directory mpmissions folder, this folder is when you export missions to mp in the editor,

so they show here as a pbo.

To add the init.sqf script to your mission folder it has to be here:

C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions

your mission will be here as a folder with a mission.sqm inside, that folder will have a .name at the end which is the name of the map your mission is on, so it will be

mission name.map name

Can you locate your Arma3 directory?

If you can what is it? Is it C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3

Something like that? Do you know or dont you, find out, take the time to find out. Also saved as in exported?

Oh sorry, I would have replied sooner - but I assumed you were talking to a dog.... Yes, "something like that". I don't have access to my ARMA 3 computer during the day, so my description is from memory and may not be perfect, although I think it is actually about right, though I may have missed a space out between "ARMA" and "3". Yes, the mission was exported from the editor.

If you exported your mission in the editor then it will be in a pbo format, so adding the script to it is not possible unless you open the pbo,

always save your missions as usermissions first, then when their ready then export them

dont export your missions til they have the files they require, so putting the init.sqf script in the mission folder

here C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions

I'm a bit confused here, and I apologise if it is a stupid question, but if this is just the saved mission (the usermission) from the editor, why does it go into a folder called MPMissions, when it hasn't been decided what sort of a mission it is yet?

You got to locate your editor missions or you will keep having the issues your having, if your going to dabble in the editor and mess with

scripts then you need to know these things, or you will be on here constantly asking questions or getting issues like your having.

Yes, this is why I have been reluctant to use scripts - because to use your expression, I "dabble" in the editor, and I have had a lot of fun with it in the process- actually more fun than with the game itself..... but I am well aware that I am a complete lightweight compared to many of the good folks on the forum, yourself included.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\MPMissions is your main directory mpmissions folder, this folder is when you export missions to mp in the editor,

so they show here as a pbo.

I've actually installed Steam on a different drive as I try to keep my C drive for my core programs only, but okay......

To add the init.sqf script to your mission folder it has to be here:

C:\Users\username\Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions

your mission will be here as a folder with a mission.sqm inside, that folder will have a .name at the end which is the name of the map your mission is on, so it will be

mission name.map name

Okay, I will re-check that tonight.

Can you locate your Arma3 directory?

If you can what is it? Is it C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3

Its essentially that, but as I say, its on another drive - from memory its something like Data 1:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3 I will confirm tonight - thanks again for your help.

but if this is just the saved mission (the usermission) from the editor, why does it go into a folder called MPMissions, when it hasn't been decided what sort of a mission it is yet?

Its actually based on the editor your in, so if your in the sp editor when you save as a usermission then the mission folder will be in the missions, for me its this path:

C:\Users\Gunter Severloh\Documents\Arma 3\missions

If your in the mpeditor then when you save same thing, except

C:\Users\Gunter Severloh\Documents\Arma 3\mpmissions

so nothing changes except the folder its in.

When you export the mission from the sp editor the mission is then pbo'd (like a zip file) and then found in your main Arma3 directory in the missions folder,

the missions pbo'd in this folder can be found in the scenario missions.

For MP missions that are exported, same thing except mpmissions folder, adn these missions can only be found if you go to mp, and start a new server (host your own)

and the mission will show listed in the list based on the map its on, hoewever you will not be able to edit the mission.

So Just a tip know the pathways to these folders, and then when saving always save as usermission first, this just creates a basic folder

with the mission file in it, its titled mission.sqm adding any scripts to your mission would go into this folder, once in there, then you can export.

just to note too, you dont need to quit the game to do this, you can alt tab out of the game, and then put the script in the folder, then alt tab back in,

and then hit save as and export to sp, or mp.

Another note, you really dont need to save as a pbo, you can play missions from scenarios, and mp (host), only time you should pbo a mission is when it will

be going on an external server not on your computer.

So when you get back lets see if we can locate your usermission folders for sp missions and mp missions, and then get the exact location of the main directory,

once you have these, another tip for you, is to make shortcuts of those folders, so you have a 1 click access to them whenever you want, i do this myself as im

in and out of missions with scripts and such, plus I rent a server so im back and forth, and your welcome. :)

Once we get this sorted and you know where everything is at, and where to place the init script then you can finally test.

just remember one thing, scripts are individual to missions, this means that if you place a script inside a mission folder, its only working for that mission, you'll figure it out over time,

just get the basics down and you'll start making even funner and cooler missions as you learn new stuff and try new things out, even work with mods and missions.

If you want my further help on this aside the forum here send me a friend invite on steam, I've been helping quite a number of new folks to

the game (arma1, Arma2CO, and Arma3) over the years with basic editing, and folders, servers, ect,.

Its actually based on the editor your in, so if your in the sp editor when you save as a usermission then the mission folder will be in the missions, for me its this path:

C:\Users\Gunter Severloh\Documents\Arma 3\missions

Sorry for the delay in replying. We lost our internet connection on Friday.

Thanks, I have now located the folders you mentioned, and have used the Init.sqf file method you described.

Its more difficult to say, what the actual effect is.

Initially, on my mission, we still have our hands full trying to survive the opening firefight which is at the start of the mission, just after a short car ride. This is also true when I play alone (in multiplayer) but I am a bit more likely to survive this encounter. If I do survive the start, after that, the enemy AI are really not very dangerous, and you can sometimes casually reload while they blaze away at you from across the street, and then watch them die when you return fire!

It might just be that I've made the beginning too difficult with too much enemy fire converging on the player - but I don't think so - I'm sure they are more accurate and deadly.

Do you know if the Init.sqf method completely overides any of the similar setting I've assigned to the enemy AI squads, or does the game look at both somehow?

I do still like my old method (if it would work) not least because you can assign separate skill levels to different squads, so you could be dealing with basic conscripts for most of a mission and then have a final encounter with special forces at the end for instance.

In any event, there is a big difference in difficulty between testing my mission witin the Editor and playing the exported multiplayer version, and that can't be a good thing.

Again, many thanks for your time and trouble.