How to keep chopper on ground?

[Inkompetent]

I have a mission where I want two Littlebirds wait on the beach until they are given a radio call. Problem is that I can't find any good way to keep the choppers stay put.

Using the 'stop' and 'lockWP' commands doesn't work the chopper, and if I remove all its fuel the pilot gets out and continues on foot. If I take an empty chopper and spawn a separate pilot, giving him the 'stop' and 'moveInDriver' commands he gets out of the chopper since it is out of fuel, but does at least stay put just beside it.

I can't seem to be able to make the waypoint initialize as 'false' either, and activate it with the radio call, so what do I do to keep the chopper on ground and with pilot in it?

It doesn't really matter if the chopper has engine on or off since fuel always can be added, and they aren't that close to the enemy.

[Cheetah]

Put down a trigger, in its condition box: "ChoppersGo".
Create a helicopter on the beach.
Put a pilot on the beach and give him a move waypoint somewhere (close) and a getIn waypoint (on the chopper). Then press F5 and draw a line between the first WP (move waypoint) and the trigger.

When you want him to get in the chopper, use this code: ChoppersGo = true;
in the "On Activation" box of some other trigger, or in a script.

Sorry can't test it for you or provide a demo mission, I'm still busy trying to patch ArmA .

[Inkompetent]

Was afraid I'd have to do it the ugly way with the pilot outside of the chopper...

Well, if people knows no other way I suppose it'll have to be done like that.

[Terox]

i remove the fuel then give it back when i want the helo to take off

[Wolfrug]

Ye serious? Removing all the fuel makes the loon leave the chopper? That sucks. Never used to do that in OFP. Hrm...well,  seems you're going to have to do it the ugly way in that case. Consider using things like moveInDriver as well if you don't want to mess around with synchronized GET IN waypoints (just leave the pilot stopped, with lockWP or Stop or whatever, and when you need him unlock his wp and move him into the chopper and he should take off, yes?).

Good luck, anyway.

Wolfrug out.

[Inkompetent]

Well, I haven't tried removing the fuel with a trigger or so, of course... I just use the slider in the chopper's properties to remove all it all, but that causes the pilot to get out.

I managed to hide the choppers behind some terrain though, so unless the players head to the choppers (where they have no reason to be) all is fine.

But hmm... Something I didn't think of and will have to try is if I put 'moveInCargo' in the init field for the pilot, and do a 'moveInDriver' at the radio call.



And another, hopefully easier question!

How do I get a guy into the right minigun in the Blackhawk? Left gun is the Commander position, but 'moveInGunner' doesn't work to get a guy into the right one...

[Inkompetent]

Well, the moveInCargo -> moveInDriver didn't work. He didn't switch seats, but if you can think of a workaround I'd be glad.

And removing the fuel with a trigger didn't work either. The pilot still gets out of the chopper, unfortunately.

[Blanco]

I've found a way to do it, it kind of strange but it works perfect for me.

First I place my heli with pilot and put a MOVE waypoint close, followed by all the other waypoints.
Then I create a radiotrigger with a bolean in the onactivation field.
eg : choppermove = true

Then I wrote a little script that I execute in the first move waypoint, blackhawk is the name of my chopper.

;keep blackhawk on the ground until the player is onboard.
#loop
~2
blackhawk flyinheight 1
?choppermove: goto "moveon"
blackhawk engineOn true
goto "loop"

#moveon
blackhawk flyinheight 50
exit

Seems that flyinheight 1 keeps him on the ground with engines on even when I put the first waypoint far away from the chopper..  It worked in OFP too, but not that good.  The pilot always tried to reach that waypoint at that extreme low height. In arma the chopper stays on the ground and doesn't move at all.


Btw, You can use the same method when you need a chopper extraction that doesn't start from the ground. Just put :

Nameofchopper land "GetIn"

...in the beginning of your script. When you use flyinheight 1, he will land but it's a hard landing, the chopper could be damaged.
Use only MOVE waypoints and always put a second waypoint close after LZ.



Hope this works for you too 
Check the  2 attachments below :

example 1 - Chopper is on the ground, engines on, waits until player gets in and moves on.
example 2 - Chopper starts on the ground, engines on, waits for a radio call, flies to LZ and lands, stays on the ground with engines on and waits until player is onboard and moves on.

No getin waypoints involved. I'm glad choppers are a lot easier to handle in Arma then in OFP. 



 

 

[Inkompetent]

Ohh, thank you! I'm a complete newbie when it comes to scripts, so that help was incredibly appreciated!

[Terox]

if the pilot gets out of the helo if you setfuel 0, can't you work around this by locking it with the pilot inside

[SaBrE]

Blanco you're a life saver. Thank you!

[Blanco]

if the pilot gets out of the helo if you setfuel 0, can't you work around this by locking it with the pilot inside

No, they don'tt dismount, they are already out when you place a chopper without fuel on the map.

[SaBrE]

It works so well; is is possible to add to FAQ or something? I tried but I can't. Are the resources pages still temporary?