Side mission idea

[Gripe]

Hey.

 

I was thinking of things to maybe spice up the gameplay on the vanilla I&A servers, specifically the side missions.

 

If you could sometimes have two or more sidemissions spawn close enough together that they would be able to mutually support each other, it would totally change how people view them now. Other than the Intel side mission (which people don't know how to do generally), all of the side missions are fairly easy knockovers. But if you put an AA side mission and an Arty side mission next to each other at the same time, it's a whole new ballgame.

 

Thoughts?

[ChronoZoggt]

I do not think that you need two side mission really, but I do think that there maybe should be more variety in them. For example the Chopper ones could maybe use a base sometimes instead of just having a tent hangar and empty space.

 

Also I would really like if there maybe was a convoy ambush mission, where you have a convoy of vehicles moving from A to B and you have limited time (obviously) to ambush them along the way and safely return a transport vehicle. Depending on the reward, those could also sometimes feature Orca escorts, MBTs, etc.

[RehabitedHamster]

I like the idea of having to side missions spawn together, sometimes it is just one slammer to take out a side mission. It would also make sure that the players need to think of an more tactical insertion point, in stead of just putting down LZ's Like Arnold Schwarzenegger put down his weights.

 

The only thing im worried about is how it will effect the gameplay in the FPS matter.

[S0zi0p4th]

Hey we are welcoming your ideas alot but we cant do it all and there is still alot of work going in to other project's 

 

 

But iff you guys can Suplly us with a full setup Side mision  with everything on it wich we then can add to I&A you are welcome to sent it to us (we will check what you have done and see iff it is up to our standards)

[RehabitedHamster]

I would be glad to help, don't know much about scripting tho, but I am sure, the potato squad can work on something for you guys, when we of course are not playing

[Jason.]

If you just want side missions to be more of a challenge then wouldn't it be easier to just add more units to them? That would be much simpler than trying to merge multiple side missions together.

That said, I'm against making side missions harder, they're supposed to be a small optional mission that can be done by a small infantry squad.

The only thing im worried about is how it will effect the gameplay in the FPS matter.

Since they're often left alone with nobody interested in going to complete it, I don't think the FPS drop would be worth it.

 

 

Also I would really like if there maybe was a convoy ambush mission, where you have a convoy of vehicles moving from A to B and you have limited time (obviously) to ambush them along the way and safely return a transport vehicle. Depending on the reward, those could also sometimes feature Orca escorts, MBTs, etc.

I'd like the idea, but the way that ai vehicles move would mean that they're never going to reach their destination even if the mission is ignored, so I don't think these sorts of missions are possible atm

 

Although that did give me an idea that some side missions could have a time limit attached to them, that would add an extra challenge to the mission without the disadvantages of adding more enemy units.

[Josh]

So here is how you can create your own:
 
Firstly most the side missions all use the same template so you can pretty much open the mission file and choose one to use as your template.
 
For this i've provided one in a pastebin: http://pastebin.com/EP8B8fHj
 
All of it is pretty self explanatory but i shall break down each bit as to what it does for you.
 

 

 

_flatPos = [0,0,0];
_accepted = false;
while {!_accepted} do {
_position = [] call BIS_fnc_randomPos;
_flatPos = _position isFlatEmpty [5,0,0.1,sizeOf "Land_Radar_Small_F",0,false];
 
while {(count _flatPos) < 2} do {
_position = [] call BIS_fnc_randomPos;
_flatPos = _position isFlatEmpty [5,0,0.1,sizeOf "Land_Radar_Small_F",0,false];
};
 
if ((_flatPos distance (getMarkerPos "respawn_west")) > 1000 && (_flatPos distance (getMarkerPos currentAO)) > 500) then
{
_accepted = true;
};
};
 
_objPos = [_flatPos, 0 15, 30, 10, 0, 0.5,] call BIS_fnc_findSafePos;

 

 
The above is basically locating a safe location to spawn your side mission. And the objects it needs to spawn.
 

 

 

sideObj = "Land_Radar_Small_F" createVehicle _flatPos;
waitUntil {!isNull sideObj};
sideObj setDir random 360;
 
house = "Land_Cargo_House_V3_F" createVehicle _objPos;
house setDir random 360;
house allowDamage false;
 
_dummy = [explosivesDummy1,explosivesDummy2] call BIS_fnc_selectRandom;
sleep 0.3;
_object = [research1,research2] call BIS_fnc_selectRandom;
sleep 0.3;
{ _x enableSimulation true; } forEach [researchTable,_object];
sleep 0.3;
researchTable setPos [(getPos house select 0), 1), ((getPos 2) + 1)];
sleep 1;
[researchTable,_object,[0,0,0.9]] call BIS_fnc_relPosObject;
sleep 0.3;
_tower1 = [sideObj, 0 50,] call BIS_fnc_relPos;
_tower2 = [sideObj, 120 50,] call BIS_fnc_relPos;
_tower3 = [sideObj, 240 50,] call BIS_fnc_relPos;
sleep 0.3;
tower1 = "Land_Cargo_Patrol_V3_F" createVehicle _tower1;
tower2 = "Land_Cargo_Patrol_V3_F" createVehicle _tower2;
tower3 = "Land_Cargo_Patrol_V3_F" createVehicle _tower3;
sleep 0.3;
tower1 setDir 180;
tower2 setDir 300;
tower3 setDir 60;
 
{ _x allowDamage false } forEach [tower1,tower2,tower3];
sleep 0.3;

 

 
This part is spawning the objects in and all the stuff to go with it. As you can see each object has its own name and is rotated etc.
 
I wont spoiler the next part but very obvious this is spawning in the AI to which you shoot.
 

 

 

_fuzzyPos = [((_flatPos select 0) - 300) + (random 600),((_flatPos 1) 600),0];
 
{ _x setMarkerPos _fuzzyPos; } forEach ["sideMarker", "sideCircle"];
sideMarkerText = "Secure Radar"; publicVariable "sideMarkerText";
"sideMarker" setMarkerText "Side Mission: Secure Radar"; publicVariable "sideMarker";
publicVariable "sideObj";
 
_briefing = "<t align='center'><t size='2.2'>New Side Mission</t><br/><t size='1.5' color='#00B2EE'>Secure Radar</t><br/>____________________<br/>OPFOR have captured a small radar on the island to support their aircraft.<br/><br/>We've marked the position on your map; head over there and secure the site. Take the data and destroy it.</t>";
[_briefing] remoteExec ["AW_fnc_globalHint",0,false];
["NewSideMission", "Secure Radar"] remoteExec ["AW_fnc_globalNotification",0,false];
sideMarkerText = "Secure Radar"; publicVariable "sideMarkerText";
 
sideMissionUp = true;
SM_SUCCESS = false;
 
 
while { sideMissionUp } do {
 
if (!alive sideObj) exitWith {

 

 
This part spawns in the markers and the briefing that pops up on your screen alerting you to where and what the objective of the mission is.
 

 

 

hqSideChat = "Intel destroyed! Mission FAILED!";
[hqSideChat] remoteExec ["AW_fnc_globalSideChat",0,false];
remoteExec ["QS_fnc_SMhintFAIL",0,false];
{ _x setMarkerPos [-10000,-10000,-10000]; } forEach ["sideMarker", "sideCircle"]; publicVariable "sideMarker";
sideMissionUp = false; publicVariable "sideMissionUp";

 

 
Side mission fail debrief.
 

 

 

{ _x setPos [-10000,-10000,0]; } forEach [_object,researchTable,_dummy]; // hide objective pieces
sleep 120;
{ deleteVehicle _x } forEach [sideObj,house,tower1,tower2,tower3];
deleteVehicle nearestObject [getPos sideObj,"Land_Radar_Small_ruins_F"];
[_enemiesArray] spawn QS_fnc_SMdelete;
};
 
if (SM_SUCCESS) exitWith {
 
hqSideChat = _c4Message;
[hqSideChat] remoteExec ["AW_fnc_globalSideChat",0,false];
 
//-------------------- BOOM!
 
_dummy setPos [(getPos sideObj select 0), ((getPos 1) +5), 2) + 0.5)];
sleep 0.1;
_object setPos [-10000,-10000,0]; // hide objective
sleep 30; // ghetto bomb timer
"Bo_Mk82" createVehicle getPos _dummy; // default "Bo_Mk82","Bo_GBU12_LGB"
_dummy setPos [-10000,-10000,1]; // hide dummy
researchTable setPos [-10000,-10000,1]; // hide research table
sleep 0.1;
 
//-------------------- DE-BRIEFING
 
[] call QS_fnc_SMhintSUCCESS;
{ _x setMarkerPos [-10000,-10000,-10000]; } forEach ["sideMarker", "sideCircle"]; publicVariable "sideMarker";
sideMissionUp = false; publicVariable "sideMissionUp";
 
//--------------------- DELETE
sleep 120;
{ deleteVehicle _x } forEach [sideObj,house,tower1,tower2,tower3];
deleteVehicle nearestObject [getPos sideObj,"Land_Radar_Small_ruins_F"];
[_enemiesArray] spawn QS_fnc_SMdelete;
};
};

 

 
Delete the objects you've spawned in / Complete the objective / Explosion and fireworks / Successful complete stuff and more deleting of stuff.
 
I hope this helps you all somewhat to what each part does. Most of the side missions follow this style of templates. Now it's upto you to go learn about what all the variables do etc but once you get into it they all make sense and are pretty simple to understand!

[Gripe]

If you just want side missions to be more of a challenge then wouldn't it be easier to just add more units to them?

The variety would become bigger if you had a pool of say, 10 different side missions, and it would sometimes randomly select two of them to put together, or even three in a rare case.

[ChronoZoggt]

So here is how you can create your own:

 

Firstly most the side missions all use the same template so you can pretty much open the mission file and choose one to use as your template.

 

For this i've provided one in a pastebin: http://pastebin.com/EP8B8fHj

 

All of it is pretty self explanatory but i shall break down each bit as to what it does for you.[...]

 

so like this you could even spawn small compounds and such, even damaged vehicles and reverse-FOB missions... I will definitely toy around with it a bit

Is there any option to let the spawned-in AI move to a designated point?

 

Also, what should we take as a maximum script size? I mean you can get a lot of variety in if you can use addaction scrips and such, so yeah...

 

Do those side missions HAVE to be spawned randomly? Or could we pre-designate points, check if the AO is not there ATM, and use them? like cities, or hills, etc...? As long as there are a couple different Spawns of course

[S0zi0p4th]

so like this you could even spawn small compounds and such, even damaged vehicles and reverse-FOB missions... I will definitely toy around with it a bit

Is there any option to let the spawned-in AI move to a designated point?

 

Also, what should we take as a maximum script size? I mean you can get a lot of variety in if you can use addaction scrips and such, so yeah...

 

Do those side missions HAVE to be spawned randomly? Or could we pre-designate points, check if the AO is not there ATM, and use them? like cities, or hills, etc...? As long as there are a couple different Spawns of course

keep them small they are side misions not main AO or Massive Zues mision's 

So no you cant use or build a massive base 

 

How you can deal with AI movement you should figure out yourself (this is not to be rude but its the easiest way for you to learn)

[ChronoZoggt]

keep them small they are side misions not main AO or Massive Zues mision's 

So no you cant use or build a massive base 

 

How you can deal with AI movement you should figure out yourself (this is not to be rude but its the easiest way for you to learn)

Don't worry I am not planing to recreate Pyrgos just something similar to the explosive Side mission with some H Barriers and a couple buildings, basically.

 

And yeah, I will look at it, no offense taken

[TheScar]

@ OP

 

remember,that increasing the side missions/double it/triple it/combine it would massivly affect performance in a already enemy struggling game ... hell AO´s feature half the size of enemy troops as its been a year ago and while side feature a perfectly setup for small teams to get their part of the fight its still at a state i see 15+ guys and girls try,fail and give up cause the enemy features a to hvy counterpart to their setup.

Again,anyone would luv to have bigger enemy count at AO and side missions,but the reality is - the game doesnt hand out those numbers and have the server working perfectly fine for 60 different people to  satisfy this need.

 

A change/addition in side missions is always welcome,maybe even spice up a few existing ones - but double and triple side missions wont happen .. in this game or in the next ARMA games.

 

#180 AI max limit

 

 

 

still,have a cookie for "out of the box" thinking

 

[Gripe]

/me munching a cookie

 

Welp, i'll get on this with the rest of the potato squad guys, i'm sure we can come up with new side missions, or tweak existing ones just to keep it fresh.

[ChronoZoggt]

So here is how you can create your own:

 

Firstly most the side missions all use the same template so you can pretty much open the mission file and choose one to use as your template.

 

For this i've provided one in a pastebin: http://pastebin.com/EP8B8fHj

 

All of it is pretty self explanatory but i shall break down each bit as to what it does for you.

[...]

Actually I should be finished with one tomorrow already. Where should I send it to? Should I just talk to you guys on TS?

If you just want side missions to be more of a challenge then wouldn't it be easier to just add more units to them? That would be much simpler than trying to merge multiple side missions together.

That said, I'm against making side missions harder, they're supposed to be a small optional mission that can be done by a small infantry squad.

Since they're often left alone with nobody interested in going to complete it, I don't think the FPS drop would be worth it.

 

 

I'd like the idea, but the way that ai vehicles move would mean that they're never going to reach their destination even if the mission is ignored, so I don't think these sorts of missions are possible atm

 

Although that did give me an idea that some side missions could have a time limit attached to them, that would add an extra challenge to the mission without the disadvantages of adding more enemy units.

I am actually gonna try to do this tomorrow, as I have found a way to give AI waypoints, which should make them able to follow a predesignated path. Still, it will need testing, and a lot of it, but I will stil try to do it Maybe it works, who knows? ^^

[RizlaUK]

Actually I should be finished with one tomorrow already. Where should I send it to? Should I just talk to you guys on TS?

I am actually gonna try to do this tomorrow, as I have found a way to give AI waypoints, which should make them able to follow a predesignated path. Still, it will need testing, and a lot of it, but I will stil try to do it Maybe it works, who knows? ^^

 

Can i get a copy of your new side mission and i'll test it for you too?

 

Regards

 

Rizla

[Equastro]

Hey. I've been having a lot of fun lately trying to make some missions in the Eden Editor. Especially tinkering with waypoints and triggers and all. I'm still relatively new to this but I'm a quick learner and can really sink my teeth into making things like this work.

I'd like your feedback on the scenario I have in mind and my ideas for them:
- The mission will be set in and around the Kavala castle; players would have to liberate some hostages and/or recover a vehicle at the top of the castle. There'll be a time limit after which it will fail (15 - 20 minutes).

- Players will not be able to rely on overly simple tactics to clear the mission. This means they cannot simply mortar/bomb a radiotower/AA/artillery from afar and snipe the remaining AI as is the case now with some side missions. (I'm thinking of putting a failure trigger on killing more than say 5 hostages total - which will be spread out all over the top of the castle, so putting random mortars or CAS airstrikes will have the mission fail. For this, every time a player kills a hostage, there will need to be a message indicating the amount of hostages killed total and the number of hostages left so people learn not to rely on the aforementioned simple tactics).

- Players will be forced to work 'outside-in' by first clearing the outskirts working their way towards the castle. To put this in place, it will have certain barriers to overcome which puts the assault into certain stages:

1. Securing the outskirts of the area: there will be some roadblocks/checkpoints on the streets of Kavala, forcing people to conquer them and go on foot from there. I'm planning on a minefield or some EOD's here or there to make sure people will have to leave their vehicles beyond a certain radius. This will be backed up with some AA or AT launchers at the checkpoints / on the castle.
2. Moving towards the castle entrance: AI will patrol in/around the surrounding houses so players will have to clear the houses or carefully sneak up towards the castle entrance.
3. Clearing the actual castle. This should be the most thrilling part, especially with the clock going tick-tock :-)

There will be enough firepower within the castle and the checkpoints so that shortcutting the mission by trying to enter the castle by heli or paradrop will be suicide. 

 

 

 

Furthermore I have a few questions/remarks.
I'm familiar with the editor and making a mission and exporting/saving it in there, but I'm not familiar with tieing it into your current mission rotation & files. I will need some help with that. This also goes for making it work with the mission briefing/debriefing messages.

 

I saw somebody mention a max amount of 180 AI, I'm assuming there's also a max amount of objects so not to deteriorate the server FPS too much? For the above mission I want to create some 'checkpoints' consisting of things like sandboxes, a few military outposts, anti-vehicle obstacles and such.

 

 

 

 

Also, here's another side objective idea: a timed hold-out mission. Getting a group of people to a certain location after which a trigger goes off that sends waves of enemies towards you. When there is nobody left in a certain area (all players died/respawned), the mission fails. If there is a friendly remaining after a certain period of time, you win. (Medics and CAS support crucial.)

[TheScar]

well well well ...

First off,always keep in mind side missions are small additional tasks that offer smaller squads a playground - they are not supposed to be a 2nd AO,so you may cut a few off your ideas out and spare such stuff for a ZEUS mission if wanted.

 

Secondly,you never gonna keep out vehicles from missions,someone (genius or illiterate) will figure out a way to clear your missions by using those ... but well,nothing wrong with trying 

 

Third and last,Kavalalalalala isnt the most optimized city to have  a war in,AI squads get lost,plank by houses,armor will get completly lost,the list is endless so to say.

 

 

 

 

And oh yea,the Hold your ground mission was done back in A2 and it mostly will end like this :

 

- HYG mission spawns

- players go there,the first reaching the obj will trigger the mission and be overrun in minutes

- Mission fail

 

or

 

- HYG mission spawns

- none moves there at all

- Mission fail by time

 

Then you want a enforced/entrenched position to defend on,which is possible,but very limited in Altis - and scripting such a fortress is a bigger effort than making a mission - so i d drop this idea very early ...

 

 

 

 

 

The max AI amount limit is a made up example from back in A2 days,i m not sure what the current usable AI count max is for a 60 player server,but ima assuming 1 AO is equal to around 180 AI (9-10 squads,single occupants and 4-8 tanks/vehicles/cars) while side missions usually feature 60 AI (3-4 squads,2x2 snipers,3-5 armor/vehicles)

Do the math

Im pretty sure one of the hardcore coding slaves can answer this way better what is possible without interfering with the server performance to much!

 

 

[PiranhA]

Geez scar, doing the pencil trick again?

And the same with the ambition of Equastro for a new side mission? Letting it disappear...

But i agree with you (again).