(Review Completed) [SP] RAH-66 Support Standard

[NightJay0044]

Hi I've been in the process for awhie now of making this mission. Usually when I make a good mission it could take me up to a year to make a good one.  So I'm looking for people to play this mission and tell me the flaws and the likes you have about this mission. What could I improve on stuff like that. Here is a description:

DESCRIPTION:
A Convoy is enroute to Tyrone to destroy the Russian Presence there.  You'll take flight in your AH-64 helicopter to provide support which is highly needed.  The mission has a twist, but you'll have to find out when ready if you haven't pre-tested already.

Also I have almost fully completed this mission, just have to do some finishing touches and make the ending work.  You guys should have it fully playable soon here.  I'll post a new link later when necassary.. thanks.

This mission has been updated for the major concepts of suggestions.

Addon: Lester's Invisible Targets

Addon: RAH-66 Comanche Helo - ofp.filefront [download]

Mission (updated: March 28th 2009); RAH-66 Support - download [SP mission] from: savefile.com

New link below: 1.35MB

Approximate time to complete: 15mins.


Edit: This mission has been reviewed and is available from the Missions Depot.

[schuler]

hi NightJay, are you sure you didnt have some addons in the mission at one point i deleted Invisible targets from the sqm but i now get an error off configVehicles LesIIWTA
schuelr

[NightJay0044]

Yes actually now that you mention it. The invisible targets never crossed my mind lol  .
Yes you do need the invisible targets.

[schuler]

ok ad an update with link to inv targets , i can find them in my saved addons folder
and do you or (anyone) know what LesIIWTA is???
cheers schuler

[NightJay0044]

I think it means it's by "lester" or something. It may have to do with the authors name of the addon. Because I was at OFP2 Flashpoint site and there was a name saying "lester" or something by the addon Inv.Targets. But I'm not sure.


ADDED:

Did anybody get the addons, or any reviews yet?    

[Denz]

Hey Nightjay,
Just played through the mission so here's my take.

oh, FYI I know you have included the addon but Lester's Invisible Targets is available from the ED.

Overview
Fine, good picture of the Apache.
Instead of "with some cold ones" shouldn't it be for some cold ones

Intro
It seems a bit stilted and doesn't quite flow properly.
Voice files are at different volumes.
Typo: "sqaud 2 hours ago"
"sattled up" > saddled up

Briefing
Very sparse and could do with filling out a little. It could also be set out better.
The line
"Echo convoy will wait Move to here(link)"
doesn't seem accurate - apart from the obvious error in it. How about something like
Echo convoy will wait here(link) while you clear the town(link)
Notes
Alot of what is in the Notes would look better IMO as a seperate section in the briefing for example, as an Intel section.
Typos:
"breifing"
You don't need a capital "C" for capabilities
"radio to them in" > radio to bring them in   something like that
"5 mission completed" > objectives

Mission
After relearning to fly a helicopter in OFP I was all set and headed for the action. I wished I'd had Fraps running because there was this great moment when I was dodging the incoming fire from a Shilka when an AA missile went by so close it would have burnt the paint - it looked cool as....
I couldn't work out if, at the first position, the tank and BMP were supposed to be moving away from me. The Vanguard running back to the main body perhaps.
Anyway, swung back around and my gunner appeared to shoot up the whole of Tyrone before we headed up to deal with the next incoming force.
By now I had perfected the side stepping, terrain hugging flight pattern to keep the missiles and cannon fire from causing any damage. After dealing with these I called in the Ammo truck and advanced to the next objective. This time I managed to get a lock on the Shilka from quite a distance and took him out then had to head back to rearm again as I hadn't allowed enough time for the Hellfires to be replenished fully  
It has to be said that this last objective was a bit of an anti-climax and could really have done with more stuff to shoot at.
Once I called in the extraction team I flew back to base.
As I dismounted I got an error message: Script end1 not found

Typos in mission:
"Atlast" > At last
"these trucks get through to our" > trucks trying to get through  ??
Capital for November 1 (when boarding helo)
"pasted and charkled" > charcoaled

Debriefing
Score 13600 and time taken 19 mins
You could do with using a capital letter when referring to Alpha squad.
"Job" doesn't need to start with a capital letter

Summary
As it stands it's a decent attack mission but it does really need more to kill especially at the end as the three enemy groups are roughly the same size. Build the tension here so the player feels he has accomplished something remarkable.
Maybe we could have to protect the extraction team from a small assault force while the squad embarks. The player should have enough ammo as I would think everyone would need to restock halfway through the mission.

[NightJay0044]

I appreciate the review.

I never realized the review had so many typos, lol  .  The mission just needed to be played right first.  Yes it will be corrected about the "radio delta" part and possibly make a better ending or "climax" as they call it.   

ALso with the overview picture, haha, since i only have paint I don't have the appropriate skills to use for fine photo editing.  So I usually take a picture from an official BIS mission or campiagn that suits the mission.

So you had an encounter with some shilka fire and AA missles ha?  Yeah the first town is pretty exciting.  Any ideas on what I could on the end part for a final battle thing?

Keep in mind the captives there, the enemy will shoot them because once the armour is destroyed in the town the captives are set to false, so they will be vulnerable to the enemy.

Let me know thanks.

At Best,
NightJay

[savedbygrace]

Hey guy, If this is ready for review, I'll put it in line to rewiew tonight. If you intend to direct more attention to the project, could you remove the (Review Please) from the title. Thanks bud.

Did a test run in this one today.
Veteran 1.96

The briefing needs more info to fully fill the pilot in on the situation.
Once I stopped laughing at the bad acting (sorry, at least you tried....extra points for that) I was able to lift my bird from the pad and get moving. The engagements were heavy for me as my piloting skills lean toward the newb side but I was able to limp out of the heated situations without getting shot out of the sky. The BMP-2's and shilkas seemed to be the only real threats and if I could identify, lockon and eliminate them before I entered the AO of each objective, I could play bully and intimidate the infantry and armor. To remedy this, you could try two things....One, Have your existing armor but then have responding AA armor come from a different area to try and catch the pilot off guard AND/OR add more infantry AA units that come out of the woods when the pilot enters the AO.

The Logistics was a nice touch but I would have preferred to RTB as that would have been quicker than waiting for them to RV me at Tyrone, unless of course you had that crew advance to the next city when it was cleared.
I really had no idea why I was clearing these cities. The Intro shows alpha laying on their bellies claiming Tyrone to be walk in the park but then I get called in to do the job.(should they have not taken out the AA?)
My first play, I cleared all objectives but then Alpha died and it stated that I failed the mission but the mission continued on as though I had completed it saying that My men received the medical attention they needed and got to go home.
My second attempt, I cleared the objectives, had the guys transported back but the waypoint for wait for the others never left one of the cities and I ended up hovering over every grid of the enemy area marker as well as the outskirts to kill any remaining enemy(found some in Montignac). I landed in the city got out and called for evac and that bird never came either. I also RTB'd anyway to several different lcations, Start, civ airport and some other occupied base but nothing ended the mission.
Not sure that this one is ready for review. If you would kindly remove the (Review Please) from the title, that would be great. Thanks

[NightJay0044]

Hey thanks for the reviews all...now to hit some pointers.

@Savedbygrace~
I appreciate the review.  So your ending problem was you didn't know where the RTB was?  I'm sorry it wasn't tested for vetran mode it was for cadet.  Because your RTB spot it the same helipad you took off from and the mission will end, it's a get out waypoint with an ending variable added to it.

Also if you haven't noticed the enemy convoy incoming after you take tryone is done by a little scripitng from me. I teleported them with some triggers and game logics. It's so much easier because then you wont have to worry about the player running into them to early incase they decide to wonder away from objectives and mess up the whole mission because they found the other forces.

Yeah my camera scripting is hard, I don't understand it.  It's hard for me to figure it out I know I can but just not sure.  So I'm stuck with just the very basics of camera scripting.  Yeah the ammo truck is a bit long of a wait for the player. Wasn't sure what else to do, didn't want the player to have to go all the way back to base to rearm. 

This mission definitely has some potential it's just a matter of putting in the full effort to make it happen of course. 

[savedbygrace]

Well, I landed at several different locations and nothing happened, I presume because the waypoint over the last town was still active and even after landing there, getting out and conducting a door to door search for enemy, the waypoint never checked off. I finally ended it back at the base that I left from, just got out and aborted.

One thing that I have learned is that waypoints should never be depended on to be activated. ALways use a trigger with conditions to tick off objectives, not waypoints, because players do not always travel by way of waypoints especially in veteran mode.

Camera scripting is much easier than you think. If you use the built in program "Camera.sqs" it's even easier and way more convenient. What sort of concerns do you have in that area?

You could teleport the logistics vehicles to specified Gamelogics at Tyrone when the player activates a trigger over the next AO objective. As though they were already in route to setup a support area for the combat team(heli). I also failed to mention that there was no confirmation that the radio transmission for support was sent or received by either party. This could be remedied of course with some added sound files (I'll be glad to record some for you if you like). And rather than having to radio for support, you could have a transmission which states that Logistic support has arrived to Tyrone and already setup for service when he/she needs them.

[NightJay0044]

Alright guys, I'm going to consider and work on this mission here.  Yes a good idea to have the support trucks being teleported near Tyrone instead of waiting for too long to bore the player.

Also the ending in the last town of enter delux. I feel it was quite boring to wait while chopper picks up alpha squad.  Yes maybe an enemy assualt on that town would be good to have for the player to blow to peaces while they wait for the rescue chopper.

And the cannot find script error at the end.  I'll fix that and make a camera script for the ending.  You may have to bear with my intro editing because my camera skills aren't really up to date yet.  And I don't feel like spening a bunch of time learning how to camera script decently, not right now anyways.

Also to be honest I don't know why the tanks run away when the AH-64 approaches the town, it's just the BMP and the T80 that do. The shika has a hold waypoint whil

But the mission is being looked into. 

[NightJay0044]

Curiousity, there is a new link in the first post of this topic.  The mission has a better climax.   

[savedbygrace]

Gave this one another go tonight. Not much seemed to have changed except that the mission was able to end properly. And surprise from nowhere blasted the evac chopper.hehe. But the mission still ended and all objectives ticked off except for the one that tells me to RTB. (Even after I did RTB)

I would consider rewording the briefing as it seems, scattered. Heck I would even reword the mission some too.
Something like.......
Captain, we need you get that bird in the air and clear the rats nest at Tyrone so Logistics can construct a forward Tactical Operations Center there. Radio back when its clear for them to move in and start setup and then stay there and make some passes around the AO to weed out any lingering forces while they set up a defensive perimeter.  When they are done, they'll radio an all clear and you move onto Entre Deux to clear the AO of any forces there. Radio command when you've rid the area of bad guys and we'll send an evac bird in for our recon team on the ground. You then provide support during evac and then escort those boys home. Understand?
Obj1= Get to Tyrone and secure the AO
Obj2= Provide intimidation while Logistics sets up the T.O.C
Obj3= Move out to Entre Deux and Clear out the enemy
Obj4= Call in the evac bird and provide support
Obj5= Escort the BlackHawk back to base.

Then in the Notes section...
The colonel informed me that the T.O.C at Tyrone will have full support for me should I need ammo, fuel or mechanical repairs, once they have set up operations.
Also, as usual, we will have full sar support should the unthinkable happen and we have to put down.(via the radio)

(You could then provide a hint that chopper support at Tyrone is available after a certain time period)

Just some thoughts partner.

[NightJay0044]

Thank you for your take on it.  Yeah those sound good, but one of the main thing I was shooting for was chaning the climax to actually have one.  I put in more of a battle of tanks against chopper before the rescue chopper comes.  That's weird, the chopper never gets shot down when I play. But it might be a situational thing. 

But did you like the ending better? more action...

[savedbygrace]

Quite frankly, this last play was the only time I ever actually saw the evac chopper. It seemed to always get to Entre Deux and pick up the guys while I was off bullying the remaining armor and infantry. I was actually hovering and scanning the distance for that surprise that you mentioned with only about 35 shots left in my 30mm and no rockets left (I never had to put down to refuel/repair/rearm although I should have probably did so anyways) when the shilka rounded the bend and began streaming rounds in our direction. I was able to evade and counter but noticed the blackhawk in a heap of smoke on deck when all was said and done. Apparently, the shilka targeted it first.
I DID notice that you had AA infantry on deck but none ever fired at me. The shilkas were the only real threat and I could pick them off at a distant hover with my missiles. The armor and infantry were just target practice. But overall it was a moderately difficult mission with a surprise at the end. Polish the briefing, correct the volume on the sounds and this one will be ready for review.

[NightJay0044]

Hey it's been awhile for this thread savedbygrace.  Haha. I kind of have the desire now to get this mission out. Usually my good missions takes me a long time to make for some reason. ...

Anyway, I'll look into the briefing and work on the sounds and make the ending battle a little more interesting and harder...this last time I played it, I noticed that once you got to enter delux, the enemy tanks spawned earlier then I expected them too. Well this is a nice touch, makes it harder to have 10 tanks incoming to the town.

But I'm going to give it an effort to get this rolling with it's changing.. ...

[Walter_E_Kurtz]

I don't know how far you've got with your update. If you could incorporate the suggestions made by Denz and savedbygrace, that would be good. I tried the mission currently linked in the first post - please add version numbers from now, pretty please 

In my own glass-half-empty way, I'll focus on what's wrong:

Lester's Invisible Targets
   - remove them from the intro and outro where they're not needed.
   - they are wrongly scripted, so they don't actually DO anything during the mission. When you look at the map (in Cadet mode) you can see it just sitting near the helipad.

The correct way to call them in the mission editor would be:
[this] exec "targeting.sqs"

and then

Code: (targeting.sqs) [Select]

_Target = _this select 0

#SetPos
_Target SetPos Getpos heli   <--- because 'heli' is the name given to the player's chopper
~0.1
Goto "SetPos"

Player Pickup
This doesn't work because the chopper called when this script is started (in the player's init line) is Heli1, and there is none by that name. There is Heli1_1, which, if renamed, ought to work.


Other
There is a trigger which depends on ... && not (alive myrp) - I think this ought to read ... && (({alive _x} count units mygrp) == 0)

Check end1.sqs - it has the somewhat confused message: "Mission Completed!, Mission Failed"

I think the min, avg and max scores in description.ext ought to be doubled.


- - - UPDATE - - -
Corrected syntax for the mygrp trigger.

Have tested with the revised script for Lester's Invisible Targets: now you get shot at by BMPs - in fact, I was once taken out by a missile from a BMP2, but that serves me right for moving slowly at the time. Normally it's just machine-gun fire which is survivable, though it slowly reduces the armour level.

Have tested the pickup script: it works - a chopper came and I got the message, but the stupid pilot insisted on strafing (incompetently) a BMP with his FFARs. I suggest replacing him with a UH-60 MG - hopefully he won't take it upon himself to engage enemy units then.

[NightJay0044]

Thanks walter for correction. I fixed up all those and are looking into the more sound editing and fixing those.

the sqs script worked, so were good on that...have a bit more tweaking to do, but hopefully i'll get this out there soon. 

----update  March 27th 2009-----
Modifications are underway. I've changed this helicopte to the RAH-66, I thought it would be much better.
Give it a lof of style. 

[firegraphite]

Hi all!
Good Day!

I'm not sure i've downloaded the right file, i got the one from the link at the first post.

Well, I've played it around three or four times i guess, the first two or three tries the blasted shilka gets to destroy my the chopper first. Then I guess i must have gotten the hang of it or something and managed to survive.

So on to the notes, at first I can't help laughing at the overview pic.. uhm.. sorry i don't know but i just found it funny. LoL. Then the bad acting stuff... mentioned before. hehehe.

Then on the game, yes there was the dialogue I noticed, "sattled" where I think that should have been "saddled"
So I got the bird in the air and headed for the tyrone. Oh yeah, I think it might be nice if there was a link to a marker in Tyrone in the briefing. Then I put away the shilka and destroyed the bmp. the T80(?) tried to run off and I had to chase it a bit before turning it to scrap metal.

They requested help with the infantry. Done and then an enemy convoy came snooping about. Went and faced the convoy head on when suddenly a rocket flew in my direction. Its one of those AA soldiers. But having survived that attack I was compelled to return the favor. hehe. Then proceeded to knock down the truck and BMP(?) and the objective ticked off already. but i went and took out the remaining tanks just the same.

Then I went and attacked the next objective despite being low on ammo. I was able to destroy a couple more shilkas and a T72. Although I wasn't sure I got that last T72 since I had to go back and rearm.

Now I wasn't sure where exactly to rearm. I just went and landed where I started and called support for a rearm but they trucks didn't seem to be interested. So I disembarked and tried to see if I could drive the ammo truck. Well, tough luck. The driver didn't have any intention of letting me drive his truck neither. Heheh.

And thats it, basically. I hope this helps. Its a pretty cool fun mission. And by the way, were the sounds made by uhm.. some kind of speaking notepad or something? They seemed rather generic... But they're ok.

Hey Cheers!!!     

[NightJay0044]

-----update all-------
The apache is no longer used. I changed it to the Comanche RAH-66 Helicopter. It's much better, adds style and diversity to the mission. Here is the new link below to download, I'll change it on the very first post.

RAH-66 Support [Savefile.com-download]

Comanche RAH-66 download Addon:

Comanche Helicopter [addon] - download [ofp.filefront]

---------------------------

The objectives are updated and ticked. Also one thing still needs to be fixed, once the mission is complete. There are a bunch of red X's at the debriefing, dont' know where that is from.

The mission is fully functional now except the ending debriefing, still need to work on that.

Also there is a note section in the briefing where you can see to rearm, use your radio by hitting (M) while in-game. there are the selections.

Yeah the voices were off of the OTT oddcast website, they are virtual voices, not real....

Thanks for playing,  yeah it is a fun mission...even I think so...the acting, yeah lol I had to do something, my scripting animations skills are not quite up there. 

[Walter_E_Kurtz]

I would have preferred it if you had stuck with the Apache, until you had a finished version. Then you could release one with the Comanche as a Special Edition.

If you included a copy of Lester's Invisible Targets (BTW: LINK not working) in the zip, it would be a fun, ready-to-play helicopter mission, seeing how it's more involved than Ground Attack / Ground Attack II.


While it's still functioning, The Avon Lady's Quanah Parker Mission Pack can be downloaded from FileFront. This features the BIS helicopter missions converted to the Comanche, and sometimes migrated to converted BIS islands. To get the most from this, in addition to the Comanche you will need:
Zwadar's Desert Everon 2 (3.95 Mb) at GamePark. Alternatively at FileFront

Ebud's Jungle Everon v1.2 (5.9 Mb) on this page at GamePark

That's all I can remember off-hand.

[NightJay0044]

Hey wo wo wo, that's a too much info there, but thanks though...hey I wanted to go with the Comanche...it works just fine..just had to change a few things.. ...


So links are working good I'll check on that one you said..

Cheers, ensure now that this mission is ready for final reviewing status please...

[savedbygrace]

Gave the latest version a go this morning. Heres my say....
I could tell right away that you put some more work into the voices.
Objective one was pretty clear, I cleared the town and was hovering around the area, and nothing was happening so I moved across the island and began engaging whatever I encountered. I pulled my logistics up to the next town which only looked to be less than 300 meters from their start point and returned to rearm, and repair. I wasn't sure what drop wings was in the choppers' action menu so I clicked it and there goes part of my chopper dropping off and crashing on civilian life below,Haha. I discover that one of the T72's was not fully destroyed so I fire a hellfire into it and voila, objective 2 appears...You should insert something like....?!(alive tank1) OR !(canmove tank1) then objstatus "1" done.
Anyways, whenever I entered the area above delta team, the radio addaction disappeared. I would have to fly out of the area to call in the Delta evac bird or anything else radio related. I was able to rearm my chopper only once, with hellfires.
Objective 3,4 and 5 never ticked off even though the delta team was rescued and brought back to base, I returned to base but nothing happened, no ending.
Think you got some trigger conditions that need tweaking.

[NightJay0044]

Thanks, yes the mission has a sequence you play.

Destroy Armour in tyrone and clear the town of enemy personnel.

Next;

Then the next objective will appear after you have destroyed that the next one will appear.

I should change the first objective to Destroy armour and clear all enemies.

Try it like that it should work just fine. I've done it a bunch of times before. 

[schuler]

i got it  unless someone else wants it, just PM me!

[NightJay0044]

Hi, so did you guys figure out how this mission works?

It should work just find.

[Walter_E_Kurtz]

I'm currently submitting a review - it should hopefully be available in the next few days.

Review Completed.


I gave this mission a score of 5 as there is one, potentially serious, bug as well as some inelegancies. A score of 6 is attainable; it would need the following corrections, in order of appearance:

   - better picture for the overview
   - black-in used correctly at start of intro
   - spell-check on all text
   - fix link to Entre Deux marker in briefing objectives
   - improve skill of gunner
   - make sure that the conditions for Objective 3 and the player's Entre Deux waypoint are the same

Currently, Objective 3 ticks off once armour in Entre Deux is no longer a threat (not canmove or not canfire) but the waypoint demands that these vehicles are destroyed (not alive). It is not possible to complete the mission unless the vehicles are dead, despite the objective being marked as done.