Editing default BIS units, config.cpp

[DaveDash]

Hi there.

I've been playing around with the Comand Engine (which is really very cool), and one of my biggest gripes is due to the lack of cover/consealment in OFP - and exceptionally accurate weapons (even using HD) units die extremely quickly. Firefights between squads/platoons should last for considerably longer than a few minutes.

I tried using Synpers 'make units tougher' script which worked quite well, but it's tedius applying it to all your groups, and it also can take a heavy toll on my 3.0GhZ CPU if im running other intensive scripts such as ECP (which is a real resource hog, I might add, I've stopped using it now)

Now there are a few other ways of fixing this:

One is to make the weapons unrealistically inaccurate.
Two is to increase the armour levels of soldiers to be roughly five times stronger to 'simulate' the effects of cover and concealment, this is the method I would like to use.

Using the Chain of Command Engine you're rarely in battles yourself so this doesnt seem unrealistic and makes the battles far more engaging and fun.

Now after that long winded post we come to my problem.

I've tried editing the default bis config.bin file and changed all Man: Land armour settings to be higher. This has absolutely no effect in the game.
Is there another armour setting I should be changing? (I cant seem to find any). I've even tried to add an "armour =" line to the default BIS classes such as SoldierWB but again, it makes no difference in game.

Im relatively new to the config.cpp side of things and I'm not sure if Im doing something wrong. I also dont want to have to make a seperate addon for this because I'd like this effect to apply for all missions made by other users using default BIS units.

[edit]Also as a side note I am using CoC's Binviewer to export the original config.bin to .cpp for editing purposes, then cpp2bin to convert it back to .bin. Ive tried putting my modified .bin file in a seperate folder and using the -MOD command to load it, still doesnt work.[/edit]

[Nulear_Man]

There is a way to make this a hole lot easier
when in the Main Config.bin,
find "Armor"

when you come across
 "armorStructural", "armorBody", "armorFuel", "armorLights", "armorWheels", "armorGlass", "armorHull", "armorTurret", "armorGun", "armorEngine", "armorTracks", "armorHead", "armorHands", "armorLegs", "armorAvionics", "armorVRotor", "armorHRotor", or "armorMissiles"

also "class hit = {armor=;material=;name=;passThrough=;}"

Multiply the number after "=" by however stronger you want it to be

and that should be much easier

[Lean Bear]

Yeah, that would be a lot easier.

You might also try (I know you said you'd rather not make an addon, but...) making an addon for it. It would be tiny (like 2kb), and fulfill what you require. It would do the same thing as what you have been doing, but overwriting previous lines instead of editing them.

Might work better(?)

edit

I think one of the main reasons of firefights lasting only a few minutes is because, well, the AI is a bit crap. They don't go looking for cover, they don't check to see where the other members of their squad are. All they do is go prone, then crawl towards the enemy where they normally get shot.

I think you'll find this rapidly changes when you have a MP game where all the members of two opposing squads are human, they do look for cover etc.

[DaveDash]

Both of your suggestions was what I was trying. Anyway I figured it out.

There were two problems, first problem was the config file I was using wasnt complete, so I just downloaded the commented config.
The second problem was my -mod= line had a typo in it, so the modded config file wasnt even being read

Anyway, now that it works firefights are much more engaging now. I realise the problem is due to lack of cover and concealment (read my first post) and AI, however AI can easily fixed by minor scripting and use of correct waypoints (for example, using guard waypoints instead of move so the AI sits tight and engages an enemy instead moving towards the enemy any dying. It is best to set the waypoints within about 100m of each other to get realistic engagements, only allow one group to move forward if they are performing a flanking manouver or the engaged enemy has been eliminated).

I also tweaked all weapons to have a higher dispersion as they are far too accurate IMO, MG's have a much higher laterial spread and dispersion now so they tend to 'surpress' (although the AI has no concept of surpression).

One further tweak I made was so that normal infantry is twice as visable so the AI can spot infantry earlier, engage them at longer distances, and generally have more realistic firefights.

These effects combined with the CoC Command Engine are now amazingly fun. You can now experiance long engaging company level battles (if your PC can handle it) that can last for hours, as they would in real life.

Im not really interested in multiplayer OFP - I mainly make missions for myself.
Multiplayer OFP has  great potential but it is ruined by a client side netcode which ruins the game if High ping players and Low ping players are in the same game.
Also the vast majority of OFP online is capture the flag, squad based tactics are rare, and if you put it up against other Multiplayer games of its genre such as BF1942 or Americas Army, it fails to deliver.
OFP's true glory lies in it's single player IMO where you can minic to a small degree real tactics and Company level (and below) Land warfare.

Oh, and on the rare occasion I do get into a multiplayer game where people dont kick me for my 'high' ping I'm usually booted after a while due to 'fade', despite having a completely legal copy of the game with legal CDkeys.