Help sought to produce a rebalanced version of Invade&Annex to enhance teamplay and speed up deployments to AO's for public Tactical Realism servers

[Jason]

Hello all,

 

I play on a public tactical Invade&Annex server which has been edited fairly but there some roles that are avoided and certain items that to me seem too overpowered for all to have access to. I'm seeking help and assistance to produce a infantry focused/limited/restricted version that I feel would help make all roles equally vitally and subsequently enhance teamplay. Another target would be to speed up deployment. I have the changes in my head but unfortunately I'm not so skilled at editing. If anyone reading this enjoys editing and would be interested in producing something that will hopefully meet the above targets please write a response.

 

 

One example of an issue to fix would be the role of the spotter as at present it's a non-role that I think could be made much more vital. Do the roles need to somehow be rebalanced? What do you think, 'AhoyWorld Invade&Annex Limited'?

[razgriz33]

Hello all,

 

I play on a public tactical Invade&Annex server which has been edited fairly but there some roles that are avoided and certain items that to me seem too overpowered for all to have access to. I'm seeking help and assistance to produce a infantry focused/limited/restricted version that I feel would help make all roles equally vitally and subsequently enhance teamplay. Another target would be to speed up deployment. I have the changes in my head but unfortunately I'm not so skilled at editing. If anyone reading this enjoys editing and would be interested in producing something that will hopefully meet the above targets please write a response.

 

 

One example of an issue to fix would be the role of the spotter as at present it's a non-role that I think could be made much more vital. Do the roles need to somehow be rebalanced? What do you think, 'AhoyWorld Invade&Annex Limited'?

 

Hi there

 

To break your post down:

 

we have tried a few things to get the roles more spotlight, HOWEVER in the end it's actually up to the people that play to fulfil the role. a UAV operator may bomb the radio tower, but a good UAV operator will mark enemies on the map, communicate with players co-ordinate targets with aircraft. In the same way a good spotter will stick with his sniper buddy and pick up a range finder. you can't force that, it's just there or it isn't, believe us, we've tried, there's a points system for pilots to drop people off to objectives however it's sketchy and doesn't work properly

 

Speeding up deployment, we've done this too, it proved VERY unpopular on large scale however when the server falls below say 15, it's kinda important. In I&A3 there is less focus on transporting mass amounts to the AO via an air-bus service, it's very much squad based, I've been working on squad leader respawn but the tent idea that BIS came out with is much better.

 

You can't expect it to be made on demand of course not that i expect that is your attitude

[Jason]

Hi there

 

To break your post down:

 

we have tried a few things to get the roles more spotlight, HOWEVER in the end it's actually up to the people that play to fulfil the role. a UAV operator may bomb the radio tower, but a good UAV operator will mark enemies on the map, communicate with players co-ordinate targets with aircraft. In the same way a good spotter will stick with his sniper buddy and pick up a range finder. you can't force that, it's just there or it isn't, believe us, we've tried, there's a points system for pilots to drop people off to objectives however it's sketchy and doesn't work properly

 

Speeding up deployment, we've done this too, it proved VERY unpopular on large scale however when the server falls below say 15, it's kinda important. In I&A3 there is less focus on transporting mass amounts to the AO via an air-bus service, it's very much squad based, I've been working on squad leader respawn but the tent idea that BIS came out with is much better.

 

You can't expect it to be made on demand of course not that i expect that is your attitude

Invade&Annex is good as it is, I'd just like to produce an offshoot of it and test it out though I'm not so savvy at scripting/editing. It's ok to produce niche versions/offshoots just as the modified version/offshoot on 77th JSOCs public server...

 

If I had the skills I'd like to restrict TI to perhaps UAV, spotters, AT(Titan) and squad leaders only. Also, only have slowish unarmed land vehicles for deploying to AOs close to base... if there's a pdf out there I could read let me know as I don't actually know where to start lol though I'm pretty sure there's a number that'd be interesting in trying a version of Invade&Annex that has limited distribution of TI within it. Would it be a big project?

[razgriz33]

Invade&Annex is good as it is, I'd just like to produce an offshoot of it and test it out though I'm not so savvy at scripting/editing. It's ok to produce niche versions/offshoots just as the modified version/offshoot on 77th JSOCs public server...

 

If I had the skills I'd like to restrict TI to perhaps UAV, spotters, AT(Titan) and squad leaders only. Also, only have slowish unarmed land vehicles for deploying to AOs close to base... if there's a pdf out there I could read let me know as I don't actually know where to start lol though I'm pretty sure there's a number that'd be interesting in trying a version of Invade&Annex that has limited distribution of TI within it. Would it be a big project?

 

it's absolutely ok to make an offshoot, in fact I love it when communities put their own stamp on it, now matter how big or small.

 

Not sure what TI is i'll be honest. There is a way to make an MHQ by simply moving respawn_west marker with a setMarkerPos command to the name of a vehicle, for example a loop that would move it every 15 seconds:

 

while (true) do
{
"respawn_west" setMarkerPos yourMHQ;
sleep 15;
}

[Bruce]

is it possible to restrict the distance that New AO's spawn in accordance with the derver population ?

 

i.e.

IF=serverpop =/< 20

then new AO is within 15 KM  (driving distance)

 

 

Speeding up deployment, we've done this too, it proved VERY unpopular on large scale however when the server falls below say 15, it's kinda important. In I&A3 there is less focus on transporting mass amounts to the AO via an air-bus service, it's very much squad based, I've been working on squad leader respawn but the tent idea that BIS came out with is much better.

[MDCCLXXVI]

I think first you have to tell us what version you are using

 

For instance, in the AW hosted version and all 2.75/2.76/2.77/2.78/2.79 versions, there is already a prototype implementation of that. 3-4 AOs will spawn in the same region before cycling to the next region. This cuts down on the amount of cross-island road trips. As for distance from base ... At the time, it had been a plan (never implemented) to always cycle through the close region (Central Altis) first, after server restart, to build momentum while players are still sorting themselves into squads and settling into their roles.

 

If someone is prodding at the code, that is a low-hanging fruit for something to slightly improve gameplay.

 

 

Be careful with the JSOC fork. They have a pretty bad .RPT error spam due to altering some code with respect to the Virtual Arsenal, and there is a noticeable performance hit as a result.

 

 

..

 

 

Re restrictions ...

 

It comes up now and then on the forums re restricting player equipment. Be careful with this, if you do want to gain/retain players on your server . If it was implemented in 2013 then there would be less resistance to it, but now many players have grown accustomed to their gear, and would feel simple gear restrictions as being arbitrary and annoying. Just slapping on a "you cant use this because I said so" weapon restriction is too much Stick and not enough Carrot at this point in time.

 

re Thermals ...

 

The gameplay would undoubtedly be more satisfying if TIE was not in the mission, however restricting this in Oct 2014 is subject to the above comment. If you want to reduce the effects of TI on the battlefield, there is a subtle and simple tweak you can make.

 

Set the month to December, rather than July. Thermal Imaging contrast is horrible when month is set to December.

 

However, again careful, because the regulars users will notice and not be happy

[Jason]

I think first you have to tell us what version you are using

 

For instance, in the AW hosted version and all 2.75/2.76/2.77/2.78/2.79 versions, there is already a prototype implementation of that. 3-4 AOs will spawn in the same region before cycling to the next region. This cuts down on the amount of cross-island road trips. As for distance from base ... At the time, it had been a plan (never implemented) to always cycle through the close region (Central Altis) first, after server restart, to build momentum while players are still sorting themselves into squads and settling into their roles.

 

If someone is prodding at the code, that is a low-hanging fruit for something to slightly improve gameplay.

 

 

Be careful with the JSOC fork. They have a pretty bad .RPT error spam due to altering some code with respect to the Virtual Arsenal, and there is a noticeable performance hit as a result.

 

 

..

 

 

Re restrictions ...

 

It comes up now and then on the forums re restricting player equipment. Be careful with this, if you do want to gain/retain players on your server . If it was implemented in 2013 then there would be less resistance to it, but now many players have grown accustomed to their gear, and would feel simple gear restrictions as being arbitrary and annoying. Just slapping on a "you cant use this because I said so" weapon restriction is too much Stick and not enough Carrot at this point in time.

 

re Thermals ...

 

The gameplay would undoubtedly be more satisfying if TIE was not in the mission, however restricting this in Oct 2014 is subject to the above comment. If you want to reduce the effects of TI on the battlefield, there is a subtle and simple tweak you can make.

 

Set the month to December, rather than July. Thermal Imaging contrast is horrible when month is set to December.

 

However, again careful, because the regulars users will notice and not be happy

Thanks for the informative feedback. I'm in the middle of moving at the moment so I've not been working on it at the moment but as soon as I land I'll get back on to it. 

 

I have experimented with the JSOC public mpmission(not sure of the I&A version...) thing that gets downloaded by editing loadouts using the init box on infantry units, removing the VAS(heavily limiting it to enable AT's to swap to AA/AT launchers...), placing ammo boxes in a walled off area at the airbase that are only accessible by helicopter, would love to modify the green/camo Hellcat to carry 8 as I'd like to restrict squad sizes... might have a chinook to help with evacs but 6 green Hellcat able to carry 8 passengers would be cool(Huey like), Add an AA CAS and just have Blue AG CAS accessible by doing side missions. UAV operator would have his greyhawks... locked all weaponized armour and only have unarmed Hunters and open top Hemtts for land based troop transport... this might avoid lonewolf slammers and etc on JSOCs version there's an extra rifleman that I'd reclassify as a pilot to compensate for swapping to mostly 8 cap choppers... I guess choppers would = 1 chinook, 1 hummingbird and 4 green Hellcats OR 4 black Orcas.... Not forgetting an AA plane to help clear the way... only one with TI = Spotter(Main problem = Spotter needs to know what to do and be at the AO ahead of time)

 

I'll try and find a guru where I go to next to help produce something like the above then find a low cost server to test it out... if it seems ok some marketing vids could follow...

 

Christmas wish would be green Hellcats able to take 8 or armed Orcas that are as easy to fly as Hellcats.

 

improving deployment times to me is all about cutting down on VAS usage at base and lonewolf behaviour that voluntary HQ's on the JSOC public server sometimes get. I have tried joining the website for that server but...

 

Thanks again for the feedback. Feel free to try the above...

 

p.s. RAF/BLUFOR skins on the Mohawks look good....