Flamming Chopper insertions

[Premian]

I decided to try and brush-up an old multiplayer mission I made early in 2005 for use with FFUR 2007.
This mission was meant as an easy introductory co-op for inexperienced squadleaders.
The problem is that the 4 choppers that are supposed to insert the 4 player led teams have always found some way to not work.
They crash into each other, or into the ground, or they hang about the LZ with the AI units locked inside, ignoring the disembark order.
Maybe Koguljev is simply too rough terrain for choppers.
 
My old solution was to run 2 scripts via the radio like this:
- give the choppers a very low flyinheight over the dropzone.
- Alpha executes a fairly standard eject.sqs for all teams.
- Bravo makes the idiot choppers fly away and die somewhere else.
 
Hardly an elegant solution to the problem.
 
This time I did it as simply as possible:
-Unload transport waypoints synchronized with get out waypoints.
-Also added a move waypoint with a timeout just before the unload to prevent the choppers from performing their usual out of control manuevres.

This all works reasonably well as long as no one else joins the game. It is strange, my chopper always drops me off, but the AI units remain in the chopper until I tell them to disembark.
The other players are not dropped off: their choppers just hang about indefinitely. They and their units can only eject (and get hurt in the process). I'm thinking of rather using trucks to do the insertion. Far less hassle. If someone here was willing to help I could probably post my mission.

[Kendo J]

Yeah choppers are a pain in the arse. Don't use trucks use this idea!!!!!!

I have always struggled with them. HOWEVER, recently I have been using the DMA dynamic template
In this the choppers are flown to thier landing zone. then the smart but reletively simple scripting happens.

(I am not on my own comp so I cannot show you the actual script)

Script works like this
Screen blacks out
Chopper is spawned and team is automatically spawned into cargo
back to normal view
When chopper gets within 150m of the LZ The screen is blacked out with a messege like "Insertion in progress"
The script now spawns the chopper on the ground landing zone (an invisible H)
Team is ejected from chopper, Chopper now takes off and deletes far away.

This is the official template
http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=55;t=48467
check it out It is such a simple idea but works a treat!!!
I have used this myself and also taken the idea and made my own similar script

Regards
kendo

p.s. send me a PM on monday and I will have my own take on this script for you
It also gives you the option of an onmapsingleclick so you can choose your own landing zone
Theoretically If you are playing a MP mission with 4 teams and 4 insertion choppers you can each choose your own insertion zone so you can make more tactical decisions!!!

[Premian]

Thanks for the info, it seems like a good solution.
Its important I get this right. Whenever I get people to stop playing countershyte and try OFP there is always the problem that there aren't really anything entry level oriented among the multiplayer missions.
And as soon as an AI chopper crashes for no apparent reason, someone is bound to say " ..lets play counterstrike".
There is also the difficulty of introducing people to the joys of squad command.
Will PM you.

[Kendo J]

ok Premain

I thought i would just post the editor missions on here with the scripts and readme.

Remember these scripts have been poached from DMA and only slighlty modifed be me so DMA should be credited for this and if you make a community mission it would be good manners to ask thier permission first.

Anyhow

I made one simple howto desert island mission with an insert chopper for one team. If using for MP you will need to either add to the script or copy it and change for each team to be inserted the start point (Airbase-H) the Landing zone (LZ-H) the chopper name and group and the team to be inserted group name.

check it out

[Kendo J]

The mission and scripts i posted are only for a single squad so I have been contemplating how to use this script in Multiplayer

When the helo is within 150 m of the LZ the sceen blacks out and the helo is teleported to the ground.

I think the best way for multiplayer is when inserting the first helo to get within 150m of the multiple LZ's the screen should black out for all players and all helos teleported at the same time on to thier LZ's this way it will look good no matter who the players are. if each player chopper is teleported individually, those players still flying will see helo disapeer and reapear on the ground..... it would look weird.

I will try and modify the script for multiple choppers and teams this week.

Regards
Kendo