MOTAG (MOre Than A Group) *formerly named multi group control*

[Chris Death]

I started working on a multi group control engine.

I know there's already  some kind of this stuff out yet,
but can we ever get enuff?  

According to the fact that CoC seems to be very complicated
to use for some ppl of the comunity, i thought i'd like to
release a more user friendly version, which can be used
for better timed multi group engagements in singleplayer
(multiplayer isn't relevant at the moment but will probably
follow when the sp version is finished).

The general idea of this is to create an engine, which will
easily enable mission makers to give the player control over
more than only 1 group in their missions.

The script right now is NOT as userfriendly to be modified
by 3rd party users as it will be in the final version.

All is done by action menu, except the placement of the
"move to" position (this is done by onMapSingleclick).

The example mission (attached to this post) features:


   3 controllable infantry groups


Description:

The mission starts with an action button (right bottom),
where it says:

select group

Once you activate it, you will receive a few more options:

1st inf sqd

2nd inf sqd

3rd inf sqd

exit group selection

Now you can select 1 of the 3 squads or exit back to:

select group

:note - exiting back to select group from wherever you are
            right now. Also this button will be with you, until
            you confirm orders or exit group selection


Selecting a squad will offer a few more options:

confirm orders

This button will send the actually selected group to the location on the map, where it's affilated marker is at the moment.

choose destination

Activating this button will give you a hint message (left top),
where it says:

order group to given destination
by single mapclick

Now you need to change to the map and click once onto
the spot, where you want to send the selected group to.

:note - this can be done for each group, without sending
            them to their position yet.


behaviour settings

formation settings

firemode settings

set speed mode

Activating one of these 4 buttons will offer you sub buttons,
according to their matter.
For example: behaviour settings will offer you to choose
the behaviour (SAFE/AWARE/COMBAT/STEALTH)

:note - i didn't include behaviour CARELESS, as it's not really
            required ingame (IMHO). Off course i will add that, once
            the request pops up by anyone of you  

These 4 settings will be executed for the actually selected group imidately after activating the button, which means you don't need to confirm orders for that.



OK, i think this was all for the description at the mo.


Requirements:

To be able to use the attached example you need two
addons:


BAS Delta/Ranger addon

can be found here:
http://www.concept-5.com/ballistic/download.asp

!!!!!!!!! BAS Delta/Ranger addon is no more !!!!!!!
!!!!!! required in the newer version, found in !!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my 2nd post !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USMC Marker addon 1.2

can be found here:
http://www.main.thechainofcommand.net/


I know i shouldn't have used addons  , but first:

i like those Delta/Rangers soooooo much so that i
can't resist using them, and second:

the Marker addon will be required in the final version
aswell (at least any Marker addon will like in Snypir's arty)
and the markers aren't really that harddisk filler.


Installation:

extract the whole contents of  the zip file into your:
OperationFlashpoint/users/mission folder

You will find the mission multigroup_control in your editor on the island: Nogova

Known problems (or so):


a) As i already stated above, the example isn't really userfriendly yet to include more or less groups.

- this will be done later at the time

features will be to pass the groupnames and markernames
to the engine by using the init.sqs and that should do the
whole job.


b) The engine is not able to recognize, wether a group has
been killed, so this could lead to an error, when selecting
an eliminated group.

- will be included, it's just that i haven't got enough time
left to do that for now


c) onmapSingleclick will still move the marker of the latest
selected group to the spot where you click, even if you are
not inside the SELECT GROUP menu

- here goes the same as for b)


d) File structure inside mission folder is not well organized
right now

- see this like a) or b)



OK, now it's time to let you decide, if and how i should go
further with that.

Any comments are suggestions welcome and if there's the
need for a version without the BAS Delta/Rangers, i will
do one, but this can be done earliest after 6 hours from now
(i'm @ work right now).


~S~ CD

[uiox]

post of uiox copyright etc...

uiox@hotmail.com


not for the community only for my ego


will test, you know why? Cause I'm tired of artillery....

Question make coffee with your script?

Sad you don't have friends for bump your topic....

Not in straight line : dead guy you are  ---> don't touch....

BAS?

Who is FX?

With FX learn other expression ripped out.

PS: for multi-squad wait fot OFP2

[Chris Death]

OK, i've been working on this a bit more now, and
i've changed a few things.

First i've changed was the name of the whole thingy.
I'm not sure if reply 1 dealt about the word "multi"
+ uiox = copyrights by UIOX or so, but however the new name
of my project is now: MOTAG (MOre Than A Group).

Again i say: this is not a really very complex stuff, just well
thought combination of a few commands/triggers/waypoints and variables/arrays/boolean/strings.
Surely it's not perfect, but that's my reason to post it in the
BETA corner.

I've already made it more userfriendly, so that there are only
a few requirements to implement /enlarge it in user-made
missions:

Description for mission editors:

Just use the whole context of the folder MOTAG.noe
(except the file: mission.sqm) and put it into your mission
folder as it is (leave file/folder structures as they are).


Now you can start setting it up as you want:


You need to create several AI groups

Then you need to give each group a name by the initialization
field of the groupleader:  e.g: group1 = group this
Then for the next groupleader: group2 = group this - and so on


Then you need to setup 1 marker (F6) for each group.

This marker you need to name by the name field:

e.g: mark1

:note - the marker should look like you want your squad to
be displayed on the map (therefore i'm using USMC markers).


Then you need to enter the name of the groups and markers
into two arrays in the file INIT.SQS

Array where the groupnames goin into:
grp_def_array = [nogroup,group1,group2,etc.]

:note - nogroup is a reserved space and is required to be
the first element of the array

Array where the markernames goin into:

marker_array = ["dummymark","mark1","mark2","etc."]

:note - "dummymark" is a reserved space and is required to be
the first element of the array

::note - marker names need to be in "" (high qualifiers).

Create a marker somewhere and name it dummymark

:note - you don't need to care about how this marker looks like
because it will be changed into an empty marker in the game.
This is just a placeholder for the marker array being used
in MOTAG


Then you need a trigger:

activation: none/repeatedly
type: switch
condition: move_var == #number
onActivation: move_var = 0; move_temp = 0

:note - #number is the number of the group, as you have
entered it into GRP_VAR_ARRAY (in the case above, it would
be: grp_var == 1
for the trigger afillated to group1

grp_var == 2
for group2,

etc.

Then you need to create two waypoints for every group:

waypoint1 (type: hold)
waypoint2 (type: move)

Now you only need to syncronize (press F5 and drag a line)
the right trigger to waypoint1 of the right group.


Don't forget to place a player unit, or better a group (so that
you can use commanders view to watch the scene).

P.S: you can even use groups from different sides and take
control over both sides to let them fight.



I've also changed a few things for the action menu:

The menu doesn't offer anymore the option to directly select
a group instead of scrolling up/downwards through the available groups.

Then you are able to "show selected group" or "select current group".

After selecting the current group, you will be able to choose
a destination (single mapclick on the map),
conirm orders (to let them move to choosen destination),

or to select advanced settings.

Advanced settings will offer you to set behaviour/firemode/
formation/speed (on the click), while let them move to given
destination can only be executed after "confirm orders".

I've also included the feature that eliminated groups will be
removed by MOTAG, once you try to access them by "select current group".


Addons required:

I've already removed the requirement of BAS_Deltas/Rangers,
so that this stuff will be open to more than only BAS fans  

The USMC Marker addon 1.2 is still required in the example mission, i've attached, but in general it ain't needed aswell.


Installation:

Just extract the contents of MOTAG.noe.zip into your:

OperationFlashpoint/users/username/missions folder, and
you will find MOTAG in your mission editor on the island
Nogova.


:note - i will still improve and update MOTAG on the job, so
count on newer versions soon.

near future updates:

a) engine improvements

b) transport: load/unload

c) artellery support

d) support: ammo/repair/fuel/medical

@ a) I'm still thinking about what to improve and any comments
or suggestions would be helpful.

@ b) c) d)
All these improvements will follow once i've made the basic
engine easy to setup/implement/use

Open for comments/suggestions/improvements/?critism/etc.



Well, for those who can live with the fact that i'm working
on stuff to enable the control over more than 11 AI soldiers,
(while this has already been done by others in a different
or even more complex way), this should be the end of my post.


hope this is useful for the comunity

~S~ CD





Declaration at UIOX: i've never bothered myself to have a look into your multi_squad script, nor did i try to create a better/worser or whatever version of your script.

I've sent you a private message about your reply, but you didn't
answer yet.

IMHO your reply is an insult to me and my work, before you have ever been looking into it to proove your assumptions.

As i have already told you in the PM i've sent to you, i did never
try to copy/downgrade/steal the "hard work" of anybody
else.

All stuff i'm using in MOTAG (former named multi_group_control)
came out of my knowledge, without looking into anybody else's
multi_group/squad/company or whatever script.


The use of switch-triggers isn't copyrighted by you

The use of addAction commands isn't copyrighted by you

The use of an idea (based upon modern warfare) => combined
attacks, isn't copyrighted by you

The use of scripts isn't copyrighted by you

The use of editor-commands in OFP, and combining them to
more complex stuff isn't copyrighted by you (e.g: setWPPos)

The name: UIOX doesn't appear anywhere in my variables,scriptnames,groupnames,unitnames,missionname,etc.

The word multi_group, which could probably have been the reason for you to reply this way CANNOT be copyrighted by
you, because  

I've renamed the whole thingy into MOTAG (MOre Than A Group), if the reason above was really the one, to inspire
you for such a post

and last but not least:
My work is still BETA, so i haven't released anything yet

So what are you on about to reply to me like being done
above?

Was that just your EGO, telling you that "there can only be one".

If so, then feel free to think that you are the best and the only
one scripter,thinker,GENIUS out in this little world.

Pardon Monsieur,

!!!!!!!!!!    WAKE UP    !!!!!!!!!!


My first impression of you was: you seem to be an intelligent nice guy,

but after your first word replying to me these thoughts
have gone quickly


Ah yeah - upon the reply above i'm sure i will never bother
me myself to have a look into any stuff wearing the sign : UIOX's stuff

Next time you reply anthing to anyone, first you should have a
look, what about you are replying to.
I mean: my first version was so simple that only BIS could have
had the rights to say: "you are using codes/commands from
our comref and you have had even the disrespect to combine
them together"

Version1 was built up so simple that if you would have had any copyrights on it, i would have thought: "there must be a better
version for sure".

hope this clears something up

~S~ CD

[Pope_Zog]

First of all, nice work Chris Death. I've played a little with your MOTAG and I like what you've done.

Second of all, I understand you're upset at UIOX's accusations of plagarism - as you're well entitled to be, considering your hard work - but I think it'd be wiser to ignore such posts. What UIOX may have failed to realize (as you point out) is that ideas for extending this game cannot be the copyrighted work of any one individual. Such ideas can be implemented in any number of ways and as such, granting oneself copyright could only apply to the scripts/addons/etc. themselves.

UIOX, I'm afraid your message is a shameful waste of electrons. Threatening people with death and then admitting you haven't even examined Chris Death's work properly before hurling your accusations (viz. your questions at the end of the post.)  

Pope Zog

[uiox]

You completly misunderstand me, I don't attack Chris Death : it's the inverse.

When I say I will test it, because he posts and no reply, and look for the method, if some scriptsare in the same way of some of mine I'm happy, if I see new novative method I'm happy too...

Multi-squad is not my property, property of nobody. But you can script what you want (us,I,you)...

Only 2 sentences are directly relate to Chris Death: for the test and for the bump.

Other sentences are for other people.

I'm sorry if I have hurt Chris Death.

PS: plz read it again and you will undestand why I have wrote some sentence...

PS2: But I'm happy of the result, some sentences are very, very, very true, and you can replace uiox in some of them  they are true yet.

[benreeper]

You can also check out what I did here last October.

http://www.geocities.com/grimbenreeper/

I.ve updated it alot since then with dialogues and such and it more MP friendly.

Ben

[Dinger]

don't get worked up at uiox.  At times his meaning is hard to discern (even in his French), but that's just because he develops creative ways to say things.

THe point of his post was not that Chris Death was stealing something.  Rather he's welcoming you to a small and ignored community of multi-group control scripters.

(unlike the small and ignored community of artillery scripters, where it seems every week someone comes up with some new script that nobody tries.  Now where was I?  oh yeah, that's right, FDC interface...).

[Chris Death]

@ UIOX - OK, if i really missunderstood you, i feel sorry
for that and take it also this way, that i can see you again
like my first impression was: (you seem to be an intelligent nice guy).

Pope Zog - thanks for your comments
The reason for my first response (where as you suggested
i should have ignore) was just that i felt a bit placed into the
wrong corner, and not taking response could have been seen
as a confirmation.


OK, back to MOTAG

beenreeper - i've taken a look onto your site (will do further)

If you have found (or will find in updated versions) anything
useful for your mod from inside MOTAG, feel free to use it.



I haven't got enough time left to update MOTAG very much
yet. I've only added a new array, where you can enter a
name for the group, like you want it to be displayed ingame:

e.g: 1st Inf squad   -   instead of the 'ole WEST Bravo Black 1

Therefore i didn't upload a newer version for now.

I'm going to check the engine again, to see what can be changed to make it easier accessable ingame.

Also i'm going to add a feature to select more than only 1 squad, or at least to "confirm orders" for more than 1 squad
at the same time.
This way you could setup all that you want for each group seperately, and send them moving at once.

Transport units will follow too soon. All over the day during
my saturday shopping tour i've had those commands running
through my brain.  ;D


For all the upgrades i wanna do now, i still need to think alot
about probably two different versions of MOTAG.

What i want to do is: to make it easy to implement and control
for mission makers and for ingame users.

Therefore i thought about checking for specific types of units
inside my scripts, to enable different features.
e.g: so that tanks can be ordered to fire directly onto an
ingame defined spot, or apc's being able to be used as transport units aswell (even if they are seen as a normal attacking group).

Or i could use different arrays, where to put different types
of units into (by the mission maker), to allow to define the
type of group it should be (again to enable different options
for the groups).

Method 1, detecting the type of unit from the scripts could
probably cause problems when it comes to addons, using
different class- or typenames.

Method2, to define this by different arrays will make it more
difficult for the mission makers, because there would be a lot
more to define then.

However i will come up with both versions and wait, what
probably YOU decide or think about it.

~S~ CD

[uiox]

You really missunderstood me, but with this post it's logical.

As Dinger says: Bienvenue au club of the MOTAG scripters.

Last "mise au point":

Wait for OFP2 it's for ME, cause I wasn't able to do the MS/MOTAG script I wanted, my last contribution was the MP MS script, and after I stoped this way of searching/scripting. I was sure of my way, but a wrong way, most part of the time in dialogs and map it's not OFP.

2 guys have the good (and I think the same of yours) approach of the problem Generalcoder and Toadlife. This way can show how to do something easy to play.

Recently I have finished a campaign of Ghost Recon, a game I have bought the same day than OFP (november 2001, but I tried OFP first), I have seen and understand something : I want too much, because the MS system of Ghost Recon is poor (but absolutly necessary with this game).

[benreeper]

Chris try the campaign tute.  If you like it I have a new version.  I have not been able to work on it in the last month but it is much more advanced.  It allows you to place groups in any vehicles you want and allows much more control over them due to dialogues (from the help of UIOX-- thanks).  If you or UIox will like to check them out I will send.  There are a lot of scripts that would evenyually be put in a pbo.

Ben

[uiox]

Of course I want test it, when I saw the first version  I found a lot of good ideas.

[benreeper]

Cool.
I'll slap something together from all of the bits and send this evening.

Ben